Has anyone missed the ship while on a private tour?

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I really dislike ship's tours.  The higher cost doesn't bother me so much -- it's that they're larger and more impersonal.  They're a poor value, both in terms of fun and money.  

 

I took a ship's tours a few years ago only to use up OBC. Figured the tour could not be botched.  Thirty of us with wireless headphones chasing the guide who was rushing around the grounds and hard to keep up and hard to understand. It was a mistake to use it for OBC. 

[Markanddonna]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

 

I took a ship's tours a few years ago only to use up OBC. Figured the tour could not be botched.  Thirty of us with wireless headphones chasing the guide who was rushing around the grounds and hard to keep up and hard to understand. It was a mistake to use it for OBC. 

Private tours are 99% of the time superior to ship's excursions. The cruise line may tell you that the companies have been vetted but they obviously set the standards low. As a cruiser on a ship excursion, you have no way to know or check out the company until you are on the bus. At times, I also have found the guide's English to be difficult to understand. 

 

If you go private, you can check out their reputation and discover how well they communicate by email. I've come to expect a return email within 24 hours on business days.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I'll be honest; we have not actually missed the ship, but came darn close (they were taking up the gangway behind us) in St. Kitts.  I don't think we were even quite 'late' maybe 2 minutes before final boarding and a half hour before we sailed, but there was no wiggle room there at all.

 

We were on a private tour with a welll-known guide there.  It was a great tour, but he was so intent on making sure we saw everything promised in the tour info that it was literally touch and go getting back.  

 

He had advertised a tour that circled the island and made sure we did that.  Since we did not know exactly how far it was to port from the last site, it made us pretty worried.  He pulled up to a back gate after a rather wild ride where ship officials were actively searching/waiting for us.

 

Whew!  We almost always either do private tours or just do things on our own.  We have been on several cruises where the ship waited for ship tours to return, often hours later.  That's no possible in some ports though.

 

We will still do mostly private tours and accept the risk and have a Plan B if the worst happens.

[Charles4515]

We were on a private taxi tour in St. Martin.  There was a bridge that was known for backups. (the bridge has since been replaced). So we were stuck in a long traffic backup getting back to the ship. I was getting worried. The driver gets on the phone. The driver says I have a surprise. A few minutes later there were blue flashing lights and a siren. We were escorted through to the other side of the bridge. I don’t know if the driver had a personal connection or if it was the taxi company. 

Edited July 6, 2022 by Charles4515

[cruisemom42]

Most of my cruises are in Europe where private tours are very reliable and public transportation is often very good so I have no issue either doing a private tour or going off on my own (preferred option).  I do look carefully at reviews of private tours in other places where tourist infrastructure is potentially not as good, but still prefer that to a ship tour almost 100% of the time.

 

I fully realize that someday my luck may run out and that accidents happen,. However, I'm prepared for that and if there is a chance of a "close call" I usually have some idea of how to get to the next port of call on my own.  (After years of travel in Europe I am pretty familiar with the transportation options and how to get around.)

[John Bull]

20 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

. Having read some stories about this problem, it seems miscommunication about the departure time or having too many drinks at Senor Frogs are the culprits. 

 

 

Senor Frog's is a phrase I've seen time and again - and I don't know whether it's a particularly popular actual bar owned by Senor Frog, or a euphemism for any bar where customers over-indulge.

Any answers?

 

JB 🙂

 

[paul929207]

We have taken 150 or so private tours over the years and never missed the ship

[Markanddonna]

17 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Senor Frog's is a phrase I've seen time and again - and I don't know whether it's a particularly popular actual bar owned by Senor Frog, or a euphemism for any bar where customers over-indulge.

Any answers?

 

JB 🙂

 

You see Senor Frogs in places like Nassau and other places in the Caribbean and Mexico.  I've seen a few stories about people having one too many at Senor Frogs and missing the ship.  My DH thinks it is funny to get me to pose with every Senor Frog statue we encounter, even though we've never set foot inside.

[Essiesmom]

19 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Senor Frog's is a phrase I've seen time and again - and I don't know whether it's a particularly popular actual bar owned by Senor Frog, or a euphemism for any bar where customers over-indulge.

Any answers?

 

JB 🙂

 

It’s a chain of bar/restaurants in the Caribbean/Mexico/Bahamas 

[Charles4515]

21 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Senor Frog's is a phrase I've seen time and again - and I don't know whether it's a particularly popular actual bar owned by Senor Frog, or a euphemism for any bar where customers over-indulge.

Any answers?

 

JB 🙂

 

It is real. Another notorius bar is Carlos and Charlies in Cozumel. Owned by the same company. One time I was there and about an hour before our ship all aboard a van pulled up and collected ships crew to make sure they did not miss the ship. There was also an anouncement that passengers should make their way back . I had not relized how many crew members were there, it is quite large,  until they left. Back on the ship later I noticed the crew members carring out their duties.

[wcook]

Imagine you are hanging out at Señor Frogs when you spot the ships captain downing a Devil’s Margarita. 

[ldubs]

Unless I missed the post, there have been some close calls, but so far no one has actually experienced missing a cruise.   

[Hlitner]

33 minutes ago, wcook said:

Imagine you are hanging out at Señor Frogs when you spot the ships captain downing a Devil’s Margarita. 

I have trouble just "imagining" hanging out at Senor Frogs.  I know it is popular with some cruisers and tourists.  But having lived in Mexico for many winters I will admit to never having set foot in that overpriced tourist trap.  And we know, from chatting with our many friends in Puerto Vallarta, that none of them ever visits that place.  It is apparently the hang out for some cruisers and very short term visitors that like tourist traps intended for cruisers and short term visitors :).  It ranks up there with Diamonds International as my favorite places to avoid.  Now that I think about the topic I remember feeling the same thing about the Bubba Gumps we used to have along the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta as well as Hooters.  Both those places are long gone (from lack of business).    Somehow, McDonalds, Starbucks and Dominos still survive :).

 

Hank

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

52 minutes ago, wcook said:

 

I have trouble just "imagining" hanging out at Senor Frogs.  I know it is popular with some cruisers and tourists.  But having lived in Mexico for many winters I will admit to never having set foot in that overpriced tourist trap.

It is not really meant for old farts like us. Young people like it. It was fun in Cancun 40 years ago. We have a few youth in a group I cruise with and they like to party and dance. It is pretty foolish with people gettting shots and wearing balloons but they are having a good time.

Edited July 6, 2022 by Charles4515

[Hlitner]

30 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

It is not really meant for old farts like us. Young people like it. It was fun in Cancun 40 years ago. We have a few youth in a group I cruise with and they like to party and dance. It is pretty foolish with people gettting shots and wearing balloons but they are having a good time.

This ole fart still likes to party although my dancing is so bad that it would frighten cockroaches.   But we prefer party places that are about natural fun rather than the choreographed stuff at Senor Frogs.  Most tourist towns seem to have some decent party bars/clubs that are not part of overpriced chains.  Having been traveling extensively for about a half century one does learn where to go and what to avoid.  Even at my ole as dirt age you might find me in the Red Dog Saloon (Juneau), Salty Dog in Homer,  Hogfish Bar in Key West, or heaven forbid.... Andales in my winter home of Puerto Vallarta (DW hates that place).    But you will not find me in Senor Frogs  LOL.  To quote an old friend (and confirmed bar rat), "Senor Frogs is for amateurs."

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wcook]

11 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

or heaven forbid.... Andales in my winter home of Puerto Vallart

Andales (Andale Andale) is fine, but I prefer Arriba Arriba. 

[Hlitner]

14 minutes ago, wcook said:

Andales (Andale Andale) is fine, but I prefer Arriba Arriba. 

Different atmosphere but food is pretty good.  We have heard some late night visitors complain it is not the same since they had a change in ownership.  Perhaps I will try to get DW to join me there when we get back to PV (winter) and check it out.   For a quieter time and some decent live entertainment our favorite hangout has become Incanto (upstairs).  But this is more of a piano bar atmosphere for those who want to enjoy some music rather than a loud crowd.  Incanto was badly damaged during last year's flood (that knocked down the nearby bridge) but they did manage to keep the upstairs open while waiting to rebuild their downstairs stage/theater.  We are fond of the owner and have done our best to help his business.  But like many of the bars/clubs in PV, they are not a good option for cruisers since these are primarily nighttime places which come alive after most cruise ships are long gone.

 

Even Senor Frogs is primarily a nighttime place.  i am not sure who goes there during the daytime other than cruise ship passengers and some folks who are on 7 day or shorter packages.  Many of the best places in resort communities do not even open until after most cruise ships are gone.  That is why we have long argued that cruisers who want to really experience a city need to visit for a few days.  This is true in Mexico, Europe, and just about everywhere in the world.  Just the thought of visiting a place like Paris (DW's favorite city) and having to leave by 5pm is enough to make me nauseous.  A lot of the Paris culture is tied into its food and wine and enjoying dinner is a favorite pastime of both locals and tourists.  But cruisers get rushed through the city in a few daytime hours and are long gone hours before places start to serve dinner.

 

Hank

[DirtyDawg]

On 7/5/2022 at 4:26 PM, Mum2Mercury said:

Agree.  

 

I really dislike ship's tours.  The higher cost doesn't bother me so much -- it's that they're larger and more impersonal.  They're a poor value, both in terms of fun and money.  

 

Sometimes the ship excursions are almost criminal.  Because of a medical issue, we're looking for sedate island choices for our upcoming cruise ... and we're looking at the free (again, FREE) trolley that runs through Aruba.  I saw that the cruise line is offering the very same ride on the free trolley for $35.  It's a couple blocks walk, then a hop-on/hop-off trolley ... and they're charging for it?  

The marketing genius behind that tour's pricing is probably the same person who invented $3 bottled water. 😄

Edited July 6, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[Mum2Mercury]

1 minute ago, DirtyDawg said:

The marketing genius behind that tour's pricing is probably the same person who invented $3 bottled water. 😄

You're so right!  

I suspect that same person installed the idea of "we'll get you back to the ship" into cruiser's minds, insinuating that other tour operators don't do this.  

[wcook]

2 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

You're so right!  

I suspect that same person installed the idea of "we'll get you back to the ship" into cruiser's minds, insinuating that other tour operators don't do this.  

I’ve often suspected that the cruise lines themselves are behind all the “pier runner” videos. I should point out, however, that I have an official diagnosis as paranoid, so maybe I’m not the best source on these issues. 

[pris993]

We have done 60+ cruises and only 5 of the tours we did were ship tours, generally do on our own.  Never missed a ship.  Had friends who rented a car to tour on their own in St Thomas once.  They got a parking ticket, parking in a prohibited area and had difficulty clearing it up and returning the car on time.  Just bearing made it back.   But they did make it.  Another time they were not so lucky and had to fly to the Bahamas.  

[Markanddonna]

We were in Malta a few years ago and everything seemed great. Little did we know that the government had turned off cell phone service. Seems a high level official was involved in the assassination of a journalist.The hoho bus wasn't coming for our friends and after waiting an hour, they flagged down a taxi to take them to port. As we sailed away, all the lights on the island went off. This was the government's attempt to squash the organized protests. Still, everyone made it back to the ship. Things happen!

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, wcook said:

I’ve often suspected that the cruise lines themselves are behind all the “pier runner” videos. I should point out, however, that I have an official diagnosis as paranoid, so maybe I’m not the best source on these issues. 

They are real. I am always on deck for sail away and have seen it. Both those who made it because the ship usually leaves a little extra time and those who were out of luck. I have seen passengers brought to the ship twice on pilot boats. 

[wcook]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

I have seen passengers brought to the ship twice on pilot boats. 

How cool would that be? Cutting things a bit too close for my anxiety, but for other people, talk about having a great story to tell…

[capriccio]

We saw this in Tallin but not due to the late arrival of an excursion as far as we could tell.  Instead the passengers had been shopping.  Repeated calls were made for 4 missing passengers to no avail.  The gangplank was being pulled in and the lines were ready to be released when one of the missing passengers came running down the pier saying there the other 3 were at the beginning of the dock.  Luckily there was a small car on the pier (visiting the British naval ship docked opposite) that reacted immediately zooming down the pier.  While the driver stuffed the passengers (and their shopping bags) into the car, the ship's crew extended the gangplank.  The entire 'rescue' mission took less than 3 minutes.  The ship began to pull away from the pier as the gangplank was pulled back aboard.