Is this standard? Cost double for English speaking tour?

[Little_Crocketts]

Happy new years!

 

we are going on our first cruise March - Mariner of the Seas- Singapore to Shanghai.

Looking at shore excursions this morning the cost for an English speaking tour is considerably more than that of a chinese tour guide. Same tour different cost depending on the language you speak?

 

Is this the norm?

 

(couldnt for the life of me work out how to insert the picture.. had to make it an attachment sorry!)

 

EDIT: cant see a thing in the attachment -

 

VUNGTAU city tour english $ 82.46 vs. Chinese guide $40.02

HO CHIN MINH tour english $ 137.66 vs. Chinese guide $82.42

Edited January 1, 2017 by Little_Crocketts
couldnt read the attachment details.

[SPacificbound]

I have not run across this on any of our cruises but my guess is it is the cost of an interpreter. I'm sure someone else will have the answer for you.

 

You might also call RC and ask, or your TA if you booked through them.

 

Happy New Year to you also. :)

[spookwife]

In that market, English will not be a primary language spoken by the majority of passengers. So yes it will cost you xtra to provide English speaking tours.

 

 

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[gagirl7143]

Personally would not do a cruise where I have to pay more for English!!

 

 

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[brenderlou]

Personally would not do a cruise where I have to pay more for English!!

 

 

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OMG.....[emoji849]

 

 

 

 

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[Little_Crocketts]

Im pretty uneasy about this myself. 'paying more for english' I can agree that a english speaking guide maybe paid more - but im talking a few dollars maybe even $20 - not double per person!

 

We wont be paying that (for a family of 4) when another family of 4 are doing the same tour for half. We are all seeing the same stuff after all.

 

or i guess i can suck it up for a day and nod along like i have an idea what the tour guides are saying LOL

[BekkaW]

Im pretty uneasy about this myself. 'paying more for english' I can agree that a english speaking guide maybe paid more - but im talking a few dollars maybe even $20 - not double per person!

 

We wont be paying that (for a family of 4) when another family of 4 are doing the same tour for half. We are all seeing the same stuff after all.

 

or i guess i can suck it up for a day and nod along like i have an idea what the tour guides are saying LOL

 

Being a qualified English speaking guide in a non- English speaking country is a really good job. The tour companies will have to pay significant salaries to attract qualified candidates. Of course it's going to cost extra. If you just want to see the same stuff then I'm sure you can go on the non- English tour.

[Paulxyz2004]

I´m pretty sure it´s not only about the english speaking tour guide, but it´s also about tour size. There could be significantly less participants in those tours and this would bring up the tour costs per Person.

 

As always it´s your choice to take the english speaking tour, the chinese speaking tour or try to organize a private tour.

 

Now personally I would feel very uneasy about going along on the chinese tour. Don´t expect the tour guide to speak any english at all. With me not speaking any chinese at all, I would be very concerned about stops along the way, where Meeting times and Locations might be concerned and I wouldn´t know when to be back to where.

[StolidCruiser]

Im pretty uneasy about this myself. 'paying more for english' I can agree that a english speaking guide maybe paid more - but im talking a few dollars maybe even $20 - not double per person!

 

We wont be paying that (for a family of 4) when another family of 4 are doing the same tour for half. We are all seeing the same stuff after all.

or i guess i can suck it up for a day and nod along like i have an idea what the tour guides are saying LOL

 

Just sign up for the lower-priced option. You're just seeing stuff and paying double for an English guide would, for your and your family, be wasted.

[ducklite]

Im pretty uneasy about this myself. 'paying more for english' I can agree that a english speaking guide maybe paid more - but im talking a few dollars maybe even $20 - not double per person!

 

 

 

We wont be paying that (for a family of 4) when another family of 4 are doing the same tour for half. We are all seeing the same stuff after all.

 

 

 

or i guess i can suck it up for a day and nod along like i have an idea what the tour guides are saying LOL

 

 

 

Seeing "stuff" is one thing. Having a clue as to the historic and/or anthropological relevance of what you are looking at in order to fully experience it makes all the difference in the world. In my opinion you are cutting off your nose to spite your face. If getting full benefit out of your trip isn't in the budget, maybe scrimp someplace like the bar tab or casino to make up the difference. The chances are that you might never get back to that part of the world, so I would do everything possible to get the absolute most out of it.

 

If you only want to "see stuff" stay at home and watch it on the Travel Channel or a Rick Steves or Lonely Planet video.

 

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Edited January 1, 2017 by ducklite

[vacationlover_mn]

This isn't the norm for cruises I've taken, but I've never cruised in Asia (only been there for work stuff). Based on my experience, I would definitely pay the extra for an English guide... it wouldn't surprise me if the other guide didn't speak any English at all, and for me that wouldn't be fun. (Note, in Shanghai, we never had a taxi driver that could speak English... we even had 2 that couldn't read the business card for the hotel, which was written in Chinese...)

 

 

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[soccerref]

I, too, found this difficult to understand when we were deciding on the tours to do on our Princess cruise round Japan 2 years ago.

It was only when I spoke to one of the guides and she explained that there were very few registered and licensed English speaking guides in the whole of Japan so she, and her colleagues, were being transported from location to location during our 3 week b2b2b trip. They were either flown, bussed or sent by train* to the next port and obviously had to have accommodation and a daily food allowance provided.

We had the same delightful, lady guide tours for us in 4 different ports, all many miles apart. It made the extra cost seem more reasonable.

 

We also did a couple of tours that were guided only in Japanese and, although we didn't understand the commentary, there were some passengers who spoke a little English who helped with meeting times etc. We took pen and paper with us and got the guide to write down the meeting time too. We chose these tours because they were primarily scenery and countryside destinations and my husband's passion is bird photography so we didn't need the commentary.

[lucymorgan]

If I was travelling to a place where it was likely to be the only time I would ever go there, I would definitely pay the difference.

 

We did a tour of Japan (not a cruise) and our English speaking tour guide was wonderful - she went above and beyond to make sure we experienced authentic Japan. If we had tried to go with a non-english speaking guide, we would have missed so much and would not have learnt 1/4 as much.

 

Even years later, we still treasure that experience. (In case anyone is interested, here is the blog I wrote at the time http://www.getjealous.com/jenineb/journal)

 

So don't just think about the tour itself - think about the experience and the memories and knowledge you might gain (for example that you can talk about in future conversations with friends and family)

Edited January 1, 2017 by lucymorgan

[Little_Crocketts]

Much thanks to those that replied with advice- lots of food for thought and appreciate the input.

Well suggested not to do the chinese speaking tours for the reasons listed - these didnt even cross our mind! many thanks.

 

I feel - not that i added this - which wouldnt help (apologizes) - we really wouldnt be taking much in given our children are 2 and 4. (we are constantly busy!)

We are well traveled (alas not cruises) and ALWAYS buy books (we have a huge collection) where ever we travel. Reading them is apart of our holiday on return home. Saying that - that is usually our plan of action - we realise its not ideal. It sucks really but take what you can get.

 

Quite right - 'stuff' was a poor choice of words - the way some have gone about addressing that is pretty poor. but lesson learnt. the forums are open to all types after all.

 

And many thanks again x

[mollyeilis]

I, too, found this difficult to understand when we were deciding on the tours to do on our Princess cruise round Japan 2 years ago.

 

It was only when I spoke to one of the guides and she explained that there were very few registered and licensed English speaking guides in the whole of Japan so she, and her colleagues, were being transported from location to location during our 3 week b2b2b trip....

 

 

 

We also did a couple of tours that were guided only in Japanese and, although we didn't understand the commentary, there were some passengers who spoke a little English who helped with meeting times etc. We took pen and paper with us and got the guide to write down the meeting time too.

 

 

 

This is all bewildering to me. Anyone under 30 in Japan has taken years of English. They might be nervous to speak it to an English speaker in case they do it wrong, but they speak read and understand it from their schooling.

 

Those guides have pulled a big one over on someone, that's for sure!

 

 

(DH has traveled the world for the last 7 years and while he is really good with languages (except Spanish, weirdly) he only found one place where English wasn't a priority in school (Novosibirsk Russia) and always was able to find English speakers once they knew he had a little bit of their language. He also grew up in a few Asian countries and knows from his Korean relatives what the education is like in a couple of those countries)

[Scottee25]

This is all bewildering to me. Anyone under 30 in Japan has taken years of English. They might be nervous to speak it to an English speaker in case they do it wrong, but they speak read and understand it from their schooling.

 

And children in Puerto Rico go through their entire primary education learning English along side Spanish yet, out side of San Juan (and especially in the south), most do not use their English outside of school. Over time they lose the ability to speak it. I don't find that bewildering at all.

[KuffMUp]

Before cruising, we spent many weeks at resorts in Mexico. While they do know English, I found that speaking Spanish got us better deals and they appreciate the effort. However, not going to Mexico except on a cruise ship, my Spanish has dropped off. It is so easy to forget when you don't use it.

[tennislvr8]

Am I the only who thinks some of the comments here are troubling, i. e. They speak and are taught English and they are getting over on you. I can't believe people don't understand why it would cost more for an English tour, you are in a non English speaking country for goodness sake. Speaking English is an extra and of course will cost more. Geez, common sense is not so common.

 

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Edited January 2, 2017 by tennislvr8

[xxoocruiser]

Having worked and lived in Asia for many years I can say with certainty that that the increase cost of an English speaking tour guide is the norm and not the exception.

 

Being an English speaking tour guide in Asia generally requires the individual to have a college degree. Where as a non English speaking tour guide does not require a college degree. Though cruises based in Asia are being marketed to the Asian population, passengers that speak English as their first language still remain the largest segment of the cruise market. Therefore everything always comes down to supply vs. demand. There's more demand for English speaking tours vs. non-English speaking tours.

Edited January 2, 2017 by xxoocruiser

[ducklite]

And children in Puerto Rico go through their entire primary education learning English along side Spanish yet, out side of San Juan (and especially in the south), most do not use their English outside of school. Over time they lose the ability to speak it. I don't find that bewildering at all.

 

Agree! Oddly the place that I found three delightful young men excited to use the English they had learned in school on an actual English speaker was at an Apple Store in Rome. They were thrilled to use English with a customer and said that they try to speak it to each other as much as possible so they don't forget it, but it is far more helpful to speak to someone who actually uses English as a first language.

[SPacificbound]

Agree.

[SPacificbound]

The world does not revolve around English. There are a lot of countries where English is taught, however it is not the 'native language'.

 

I used to know quite a bit of Spanish, but a move 30 odd years ago took me away from day to day use. I have retained the alphabet and numbers and a few words, but not much else.

 

If we are going to travel the world we need to accept that our language is not the norm.

[vacationlover_mn]

On a related note, I was SO glad to pay the extra $$ for an English guide in Xi'an- I learned some facts that weren't in the guidebook I had :)

 

 

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[Nos_4r2]

I think alot of people are missing the point here. It is generally accepted that the world is full of different cultures and languages. In saying that though, the tours that op posted are in Vietnam. So I would understand a Vietnamese speaking guide to be much lower in cost, perhaps even French or Russian as they are the second languages in many parts, but why Chinese and why by so much? Neither Chinese nor English are the native languages.

 

Only conclusion I can come to is supply and demand, there is no point setting up a price if no one is willing to pay it and I am sure rci has run that tour enough times to know what exact price to set it at before they start losing patrons on it. It may just be that price is lower for their Chinese speaking tour because even at that much higher price, people are still willing and able to pay higher for an English speaking tour.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Nos_4r2

[brenderlou]

My husband and I were in Asia for 3 weeks. A well versed English speaking guide is worth their weight in gold.

You want to go to a foreign country and just look fine but you will be missing out on a lot.

I wouldn't blink an eye if the cost of tour is more for this once in a lifetime trip

 

 

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Edited January 2, 2017 by brenderlou