Cruise ship excursions to avoid--from the points guy

[ontheweb]

10 cruise ship excursions to avoid (msn.com)

[CruiserBruce]

The best point in the article..."any tour you are not fit for".

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

10 cruise ship excursions to avoid (msn.com)

Thanks for posting this,it is very informative.I hope that everyone who posts on CC reads this.

[rkacruiser]

There are several good suggestions by this person, but, I don't agree with all of them.  I have enjoyed tours in some of the categories that he did not recommend.  "One size does not fit all."  The article does provide some "food for thought" particularly for those new to cruising.  

[cruisemom42]

I have to say that most articles of this kind are not very informative, but this one is actually pretty good and echoes a lot of the advice I read regularly on the European ports of call boards here. People seem paralyzed to just do things on their own.

 

On a separate but related topic, I also feel that the quality of descriptive information given by cruise lines about their own tours is sadly lacking. I generally don't read very many of these tour descriptions, but due to COVID (and the fear that I'd be limited to ship excursions) I did study them carefully on my recent cruise from Southampton along the Atlantic coast of France, Spain and Portugal.

 

The descriptions given were abysmal. Years ago you could count on the lingo being pretty consistent. You knew you'd really see the inside of somewhere when it said "inside visit" or that a "photo stop" meant no inside visit. But now these phrases seem to be rarely used and no timings of visits are given. It's all given over to flowery language that tells you next to nothing about what to expect. And I don't know how anyone could really tell how strenuous one of these tours are -- there is almost no practical information such as "must be able to climb at least 100 stairs" or "plan to wear footwear suited to rough, rocky terrain" or anything like that.

[rkacruiser]

14 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

But now these phrases seem to be rarely used and no timings of visits are given. It's all given over to flowery language that tells you next to nothing about what to expect.

 

Your comments are those with which I agree.  The descriptions are written, I believe, by some marketing MBA who may or may not have experienced that tour.  Frustratingly, it has been my most recent experiences in working with Shore Excursion staff on a ship that they know little more about the tours other than what is printed in the brochures.  (To be fair, I have also found those staff members who have actually taken the tours to be an excellent source of information.)  

 

Level of activity required descriptions can only provide a "small clue" for a guest.  And, the age and physical condition of the guest will have much to do with how accurate those descriptions are.  

[Aquahound]

I agree with a lot of what he said, but not all of it.  I disagree with his Skagway White Pass Railroad example.  I loved that excursion and it's my first recommendation when folks ask for suggestions.  He's way off the mark by saying it's 8 hours.  

[jsn55]

I so agree.  I can't abide the travel information that is all mental fantasy with a couple of facts thrown in.  Kinda like the full-page color photos of a plate of food in the old national travel mags.  Very pretty, very useless when it comes to describing a restaurant.  Just give us the facts, willya?

[ldubs]

I'm also among those that agree with a lot of the points.  What I don't agree with or maybe don't understand is why someone would be embarrassed because they might look like a tourist (which they are in fact).  In places I visit I am a tourist.   Why pretend I'm something I'm not?  Seems like a strange thing to be worried about.   

Edited May 11, 2022 by ldubs

[Zach1213]

I love booze cruises. If I am going to a place where my option is "sit on the beach" or "take a booze cruise", it's a 50/50 choice for me. 

 

Also, plenty of non-Americans go on tourist trains...not sure how being on one of those makes you look like a clueless American. 

[ldubs]

18 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

There are several good suggestions by this person, but, I don't agree with all of them.  I have enjoyed tours in some of the categories that he did not recommend.  "One size does not fit all."  The article does provide some "food for thought" particularly for those new to cruising.  

 

One size does not fit all is very true and a constant theme on these forums.  

 

I never really thought of it before, but after reading this I kind of realized I like riding around in those little tourist trains.  Last one I remember was in Bellinzona.  We were walking along and kind of just stumbled upon it.  It was about 80% school kids on a field trip which made it kind of fun.   It was a terrific way to get around to the three castles.     

[jsn55]

13 hours ago, ldubs said:

I'm also among those that agree with a lot of the points.  What I don't agree with or maybe don't understand is why someone would be embarrassed because they might look like a tourist (which they are in fact).  In places I visit I am a tourist.   Why pretend I'm something I'm not?  Seems like a strange thing to be worried about.   

So true!  Reading 'advice' on how not to look like a tourist always cracks me up.  You ARE a tourist, why would you wish to look like a 'native'?  If you want to wear brand-new white trainers with white socks because that's what is comfortable all day, why would you want to wear shoes like the locals, who are only going back and forth to work? 

[Markanddonna]

On 5/10/2022 at 7:10 PM, Aquahound said:

I agree with a lot of what he said, but not all of it.  I disagree with his Skagway White Pass Railroad example.  I loved that excursion and it's my first recommendation when folks ask for suggestions.  He's way off the mark by saying it's 8 hours.  

I suspect the author has never been on that train. The best thing is to take the train and then transfer to a van through Chillkoot tours to go to the Yukon.

 

I also agree about museum tours. If yoy are luje me, you forget 95% of what yoy are told by the guide. Use audioguides instead or just read the postings.

 

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by Markanddonna

[MBP&O2/O]

Radical thought .... Read the tour description first and then use common sense. Having said that there are times when you have no choice. 

I take this article with a large pinch of salt :😁

[SbbquilterUT]

Interesting article but a couple of considerations - panoramic tours are great for folks with mobility or stamina issues which alludes to things you are able to do.  We have driven the Yukon Highway from Skagway as well as taken the train and enjoyed both very much.  I do get a bit twitchy when excursions with some physical exertion are limited to adults under 65,  as if that downhill hike is too much for me even though we regularly hike beautiful SW desert parks.

[Joebucks]

Some great advice in here for sure. Don't do something you can't physically do. Be mindful of what an excursion actually entails. Here are alternatives.

 

Overall though, it's mostly opinions. One person's opinions aren't what's best for everyone. The glass bottom boat reason is very brief. What if you are unwilling or unable to snorkel? People do museum tours all of the time. There is little surprise what you are getting there. Are there any facts against booze cruisers missing their ports? People drink at ports all of the time. Excursion operators generally make best efforts to get people back to the ship. They don't want negative publicity. Also, not everyone feels comfortable planning a day on a foreign island by themselves. Some want a tour or guidance. The above things don't really apply to me either, but again, it's not just about me.

 

TPG loves to speak out against activities that they aren't being sponsored by.

[Mary229]

For lack of anything else to do I took a wine and tapas tour on a recent cruise.  I called it rapid dating for couples.  We met people who we later toured independently with.  So it had a hidden value I had not considered.  That said I probably wouldn’t do one again except as an add on at the very end of the day.

 

I have a similar view about panoramic tours.  We often do up to 10 miles of walking in port.  If we arrive back to ship and they have a late afternoon panoramic we will do it, again we have met people whose company we enjoyed and learned a bit from the tour guide.   
 

I do not like the current trend where all excursions start before 9 in the morning 

Edited May 28, 2022 by Mary229

[rkacruiser]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

For lack of anything else to do I took a wine and tapas tour on a recent cruise.  I called it rapid dating for couples.  We met people who we later toured independently with

 

Your experience applies even to activities on the ship.  I have met people at some wine tastings whom we again got together during the cruise.  One never knows what the result may be when attending these events.  

[ontheweb]

I've met people at trivia; it seems to be the same people every time. We have met people dancing or at dance classes. Again, seems to be the same people each time.

[Z'Loth]

Cruise excursions to avoid? Two categories I would fit these in:

 

1. Excursions you aren't fit for.
2. Excursions you aren't interested in.
3. Excursions you simply can't afford.

 

From my perspective, anything that has to do with alcohol or golf is an automatic no. The former because I'm a teetotaler, the latter because I'm no good at the sport. 

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, Z'Loth said:

Excursions you aren't fit for.

 

It's surprising to me, though, how often you'll find folks who don't seem to have a good idea of their true level of fitness -- or just don't care about inconveniencing others. 

 

I once was on a small ship tour that featured a stop in Safaga Egypt with an overnight in Luxor. There was a more active tour offered and a less active one. The less active one did not visit Karnak. I took the more active one, but there was an older and definitely out-of-shape woman on my tour who couldn't even make the walk from the bus to the entrance to the temple, let alone walk around the vast area inside. She dropped farther and farther back and finally stopped, then insisted that the tour leader accompany her back to the bus (not a short walk) while the rest of us waited in the sun.

 

At some point on the (long) ride back, she was complaining about the tour. Someone asked her why she didn't take the less strenuous one. Her answer "Because I came all this way and I wanted to see Karnak!"

[Markanddonna]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

It's surprising to me, though, how often you'll find folks who don't seem to have a good idea of their true level of fitness -- or just don't care about inconveniencing others.

 

As I get older, I hope that I recognize when an activity is beyond my capabilities. I was on a tender boat that was wildly rocking and three crew members were attempting to assist a man taken out of his wheelchair. He had to make one step to get onboard but it took at least five minutes while the rest of us had to endure the rocking boat. Rules said that a person like this needed an able bodied companion. His was an old wife who couldn't help. We all had to endure the same procedure as he was the first to be disembarked. Mostly, I was concerned for the safety of the crew as they assisted.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

As I get older, I hope that I recognize when an activity is beyond my capabilities. I was on a tender boat that was wildly rocking and three crew members were attempting to assist a man taken out of his wheelchair. He had to make one step to get onboard but it took at least five minutes while the rest of us had to endure the rocking boat. Rules said that a person like this needed an able bodied companion. His was an old wife who couldn't help. We all had to endure the same procedure as he was the first to be disembarked. Mostly, I was concerned for the safety of the crew as they assisted.

The mention of a rocking tender boat brings back a not so nice memory. We had to tender in Corfu despite it not being a tender port as there were 3 ships and only 2 berths for ships. Despite being helped by a crew member, one of the passengers fell directly on his elbow. I winced as I realized it could have happened to my DW who has metal in an elbow from a previous fall on ice. It is painful to her if she is just touched there. If she had fell on that elbow, her screams would have literally woke up the dead.

[jsn55]

I was about 35 when I realized that many people are just plain self-absorbed, don't pay attention to anything other than what pertains positively to themselves, and expect everyone else to take care of them.   I used to think that people are stupid, but they're the opposite ... they get what they want because they have no sense of anything outside themselves.  They don't feel ashamed, they don't feel like they're imposing on others, they don't give a rip other than to "see Karnak".  (What a great phrase to think about next time I see this behaviour!)  Doesn't matter what the details are, they want it and they will have it.  Obese people booking coach seats on an airplane ... they know they're not going to fit in the seat, they're the only ones who know that until they get to the airport.  They couldn't care less about the unfortunate pax in their row, they board, lift up the armrest(s) and squeeze in.  Their only goal is to travel from Point A to B while spending the least.  They know that the airline is not going to 'violate their rights', so they win the game. 

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

As I get older, I hope that I recognize when an activity is beyond my capabilities

 

I think you will.  From your posts, I detect that you are a very realistic person.  

 

There have been times when I have needed (and I was not alone) of crew assistance getting into and out of a tender because of the activity of the ocean or the position of the tender in relation to the pier.  (Nuku Hiva and Kiribati come to mind.)  I have been somewhat embarrassed when I have needed their help, but, then, I remember the crew are there to help ensure my safety.  As I have become more senior, I feel less hesitant to ask "for a hand" if I think I need to.  I do try to keep myself out of those kinds of situations, though.