shore excursion operators

[trtog7]

Looking at booking shore excursions from private operators.

How do you find reviews of these operators?

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, trtog7 said:

Looking at booking shore excursions from private operators.

How do you find reviews of these operators?

Look on the ports of call forum 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2-ports-of-call/

Lots of recommendations  for the guides in the ports for pre covid  guides

 things might be different now 

 

[ColeThornton]

Simply Google the name of the excursion company.

 

Example:   "St Thomas Acme Tours Reviews"

[Markanddonna]

tripadvisor 

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

tripadvisor 

Start with Trip Advisor.

Conde Naste Traveler “best of ....” lists
 

Also, if you’ve ever had professional responsibilities where you interacted with the US State Department abroad, it might be worth the effort to reconnect and locate the US Embassy or Consulate “Cultural Attaché in the location you are visiting for recommendations of everything from restaurants to guides to jewelry stores, etc.

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, trtog7 said:

Looking at booking shore excursions from private operators.

How do you find reviews of these operators?

 

I use tripadvisor, travel blogs, roll calls for similar cruises and the ports of call board.

Edited June 9, 2021 by Heidi13

[Heidi13]

36 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Start with Trip Advisor.

Conde Naste Traveler “best of ....” lists
 

Also, if you’ve ever had professional responsibilities where you interacted with the US State Department abroad, it might be worth the effort to reconnect and locate the US Embassy or Consulate “Cultural Attaché in the location you are visiting for recommendations of everything from restaurants to guides to jewelry stores, etc.

 

I noted the OP is Canadian, so they probably use Canadian Consular Service, if required, when abroad.

[donaldsc]

It sometimes take a bit of work but you can usually figure out the name of the company that is doing th ship tour.  Then you book it directly w the tour operator.  Frequently cheaper than the ship tour for an identical tour.  Also, the tour operator gets to keep all the money instead of having to split it with the cruise company.  A win for everyone except for the cruise company and tough on them.

 

DON

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

It sometimes take a bit of work but you can usually figure out the name of the company that is doing th ship tour.  Then you book it directly w the tour operator.  Frequently cheaper than the ship tour for an identical tour.  Also, the tour operator gets to keep all the money instead of having to split it with the cruise company.  A win for everyone except for the cruise company and tough on them.

 

DON

How exactly do you research that?

 

Also, I remember reading posts on these boards where someone has contacted a local company and been told that the cruise line has bought all their tours and they are prohibited from selling private tours.

[dogs4fun]

21 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

How exactly do you research that?

Wondering the same.

[donaldsc]

5 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Start with Trip Advisor.

Conde Naste Traveler “best of ....” lists
 

Also, if you’ve ever had professional responsibilities where you interacted with the US State Department abroad, it might be worth the effort to reconnect and locate the US Embassy or Consulate “Cultural Attaché in the location you are visiting for recommendations of everything from restaurants to guides to jewelry stores, etc.

 

Although I do not know for certain, I seriously doubt that one of the job responsibilities of the cultural attache' is to provide tourist recommendations for local businesses or tourist sites.  I am certain that the local businesses would not appreciate it if they did.  Can you imagine the reaction of the embassy personnel if you walked into the US Embassy and said - "I'd like to talk to someone about where I can get a good hamburger."

 

DON

 

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

How exactly do you research that?

 

Also, I remember reading posts on these boards where someone has contacted a local company and been told that the cruise line has bought all their tours and they are prohibited from selling private tours.

 

It is sometimes easy and sometimes hard and sometimes impossible.  It is much easier in smaller ports as opposed to bigger cites.  You just have to go onto the WEB sites for the different tour local companies and compare the tour description with the cruise company tour description.  When you contact the local tour company for information, make sure to ask them how many people will be on the tour.  I do this all the time.  

 

Re your comment about the cruise line booking all the local tour spots, you are right.  It does happen although it is more likely to happen in smaller locations w fewer tour companies.  If it happens, you have to make a decision as to whether you want to the the often over priced cruise company tour or a DIY tour.

 

DON

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

How exactly do you research that?

 

Also, I remember reading posts on these boards where someone has contacted a local company and been told that the cruise line has bought all their tours and they are prohibited from selling private tours.

This happens....and has happened to us in San Juan with a Zip Rider excursion.

[zekekelso]

General searches fo a good job of turning up reviews for companies that offer independent cruises. But the very best tours are often “Bob, who brings you out on his boat and shows you all the cool stuff.” Those are sometimes hard to find just using google. You sometimes find them reading trip reports. The good news is there’s usually somebody on your cruise who had done a *ton* of research, found great options and is looking for shares 

[whogo]

5 hours ago, ontheweb said:

How exactly do you research that?

 

Also, I remember reading posts on these boards where someone has contacted a local company and been told that the cruise line has bought all their tours and they are prohibited from selling private tours.

For a start, copy and past a description of the ship's excursion into a search engine. You might find the exact same wording on the operator's website.

[ldubs]

5 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Although I do not know for certain, I seriously doubt that one of the job responsibilities of the cultural attache' is to provide tourist recommendations for local businesses or tourist sites.  I am certain that the local businesses would not appreciate it if they did.  Can you imagine the reaction of the embassy personnel if you walked into the US Embassy and said - "I'd like to talk to someone about where I can get a good hamburger."

 

DON

 

 

I was thinking about asking for the best place for T-shirts or fridge magnets!  😄 

[NantahalaCruiser]

8 hours ago, donaldsc said:

You just have to go onto the WEB sites for the different tour local companies and compare the tour description with the cruise company tour description. 

I have done the same thing when trying to find out which tour companies are being used by tour aggregators such as Viator.  Then working directly with the individual tour company rather than the aggregator - sometime saving some money and sometimes getting smaller tour groups.

[Cruisen Elf]

9 hours ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

I have done the same thing when trying to find out which tour companies are being used by tour aggregators such as Viator.  Then working directly with the individual tour company rather than the aggregator - sometime saving some money and sometimes getting smaller tour groups.

 

I also have been able to check Viator for tour descriptions that include the companies' names.  I then check their individual website for more information, to compare prices, and especially nowadays, their refund policies. 

 

While Trip Advisor shows the same tours as Viator, it does not usually list the tour provider name.  (I believe they are both part of a travel group that includes Cruise Critic.)

 

Reviews can be found on both Viator and Trip Advisor websites.

[cruisemom42]

17 hours ago, zekekelso said:

General searches fo a good job of turning up reviews for companies that offer independent cruises. But the very best tours are often “Bob, who brings you out on his boat and shows you all the cool stuff.”

 

Yeah....you have a very different criteria than I do for what makes the best tours. (In fairness, I don't do the Caribbean.)

 

17 hours ago, zekekelso said:

The good news is there’s usually somebody on your cruise who had done a *ton* of research. 

 

Now THAT would be me. 🧐

[zekekelso]

Just to confirm, TripAdvisor owns CruiseCritic, Viator, and a whole bunch of other stuff. 

[Markanddonna]

Have you ever searched the forums on Tripadvisor?  I'm sure not all ports have them, but these people are vetted by Tripadvisor to give impartial info. I use them quite a bit in Europe for preplanning and then on the ground:  (Where's the best restaurant to get _____?" )  I often get my answer within hours.  Here is a link to Europe's boards.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ListForums-g4-i11-Europe.html

[whogo]

"these people are vetted by Tripadvisor..." What people are vetted by TripAdvisor?

[John Bull]

Be aware that Viator and City Break and a variety of websites named cruiseexcursions & similar are not excursion operators - they're consolidators (they sell tickets on behalf of tour operators).

There are pros & cons to using them..................... 

Upsides include - one-stop-shopping, they have a reputation to retain so poor operators don't last long on their lists, remedies and refunds are far easier than from unknown operators in far-flung foreign lands, and some guarantee that you'll not miss your sailing.

Downsides include - inadequate information on their websites (and their staff know only what's on their websites), an extra link in the chain so potential for missed or inaccurate messages, and prices tend to be higher (but not always because they get commission from the tour operators.

 

From the details on the consolidators' websites, good detectives can often figure who is the operator is.

 

JB 🙂

 

[whogo]

Good points by John Bull. Also note that excursions can be cancelled if there are not enough participants and best of luck finding out about cancellations when you book with an excursion broker.

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, John Bull said:

Be aware that Viator and City Break and a variety of websites named cruiseexcursions & similar are not excursion operators - they're consolidators (they sell tickets on behalf of tour operators).

There are pros & cons to using them..................... 

Upsides include - one-stop-shopping, they have a reputation to retain so poor operators don't last long on their lists, remedies and refunds are far easier than from unknown operators in far-flung foreign lands, and some guarantee that you'll not miss your sailing.

Downsides include - inadequate information on their websites (and their staff know only what's on their websites), an extra link in the chain so potential for missed or inaccurate messages, and prices tend to be higher (but not always because they get commission from the tour operators.

 

From the details on the consolidators' websites, good detectives can often figure who is the operator is.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

I do this all the time.  In most cases, it is actually vey easy to do.  

 

DON