What happened to shore excursion reviews?

[wesport]

We used to rely on the reviews when doing our shore excursion which were some on HAL and some private. The reviews on HAL are 10 plus years old. Have they discontinued the program?

[Florida_gal_50]

48 minutes ago, wesport said:

We used to rely on the reviews when doing our shore excursion which were some on HAL and some private. The reviews on HAL are 10 plus years old. Have they discontinued the program?

When they switched to their new website many years ago the ability to review went away.  Then a couple years ago, maybe more, you could review again.  I don’t know that that ability exists.  I have had some success googling or going onto YouTube getting information that I need.

[CruiserBruce]

I was asked to review all the excursions on our NS cruise this July/August, and did review them. But not sure where the reviews go and can be viewed.

[rodndonna]

I had just assumed it was because they may not consider them all valid after the restart. Not just with excursions, but I tend to treat reviews of everything as "pre Covid" and "post Covid". With the ship excursions, they might have to renegotiate and may end up with different suppliers of the tours than pre-Covid (so would the review be then valid even if it is the same 'tour')?

[Mary229]

I agree with @rodndonna   They seem to be rebuilding reviews.   I copy the exact title of the review and paste it into the search engine of another well known travel site.  It will give you a review of the exact same excursion.   That particular website  owns cruise critic but we are still not allowed to name it, my hand is still smarting from a recent slap

[Florida_gal_50]

9 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I agree with @rodndonna   They seem to be rebuilding reviews.   I copy the exact title of the review and paste it into the search engine of another well known travel site.  It will give you a review of the exact same excursion.   That particular website  owns cruise critic but we are still not allowed to name it, my hand is still smarting from a recent slap

I think if you google it’s pretty easy to find said site.

[Florida_gal_50]

23 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

I had just assumed it was because they may not consider them all valid after the restart. Not just with excursions, but I tend to treat reviews of everything as "pre Covid" and "post Covid". With the ship excursions, they might have to renegotiate and may end up with different suppliers of the tours than pre-Covid (so would the review be then valid even if it is the same 'tour')?

Good point.  I think that can be said for a lot of things.  When people mention a situation and how hal handled it 10 years ago it may not be relevant whatsoever.  Back to the shorex comment  I did a shorex before the shutdown and I loved it. That rarely happens for me.  They have changed the location to way out of town I assume to provide more space.  I’ve been reluctant to book it since because the ride there doesn’t sound appealing.

[mcrcruiser]

We never do ships tours regardless & especially now with this virus still lingering  . Ships yours have been on  commercial buses got the most part . My private tours  never are over 14 people  &   most in the 10  -12 people range  .We like the personnel touch  not the commercial  . We also custom the tour to the likes of the people on the tour  .surprisingly  we always wind up with less cost  & see a lot more  .

 

The caveat is if we are not sure of getting back to the ship on time is  when  we will take a ships tour for certain like the "Road to Hana " on Maui . I personally warn those on the roll call to not do a private tour  of  the  Road to Hana because of the winding slow going road    & the length  

 

 Even ports I have never been to we have done private tours that we can manage comfortably  .One such custom tour was at Livorno Italy where I arranged a mini bus for 14 people including a outdoor luncheon at a vineyard that was in the family for 700 years ,OId was a smashing success  with a 4 course luncheon  on the property  under a white canopy  , Even a young American girls got along famously with a Italian boy  & neither could understand each others language   .We wound up buying  their fabulous wine with no chemicals   .We arranged all this from State side USA 

[mcrcruiser]

Today I am thinking of arranging a private tour  on the way to the  Polynesian Cultural Center  on  the Hawaiian island of Oahu   .Seems to me we then can add in the best of all worlds  . I need to do the research first to see who we can use as a tour operator  . The focus is the Polynesian  Cultural  Center but why not see if we can create  some scenic  interest on the way to the PCC   .The drive normally from the pier is one full hour to get to the PCC  .so if we leave early we could include some  sited that we would not normally see & het the transportation both ways included  

 

 Hmm I better get started with mu research 😃

[Florida_gal_50]

28 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

We never do ships tours regardless & especially now with this virus still lingering  . Ships yours have been on  commercial buses got the most part . My private tours  never are over 14 people  &   most in the 10  -12 people range  .We like the personnel touch  not the commercial  . We also custom the tour to the likes of the people on the tour  .surprisingly  we always wind up with less cost  & see a lot more  .

 

The caveat is if we are not sure of getting back to the ship on time is  when  we will take a ships tour for certain like the "Road to Hana " on Maui . I personally warn those on the roll call to not do a private tour  of  the  Road to Hana because of the winding slow going road    & the length  

 

 Even ports I have never been to we have done private tours that we can manage comfortably  .One such custom tour was at Livorno Italy where I arranged a mini bus for 14 people including a outdoor luncheon at a vineyard that was in the family for 700 years ,OId was a smashing success  with a 4 course luncheon  on the property  under a white canopy  , Even a young American girls got along famously with a Italian boy  & neither could understand each others language   .We wound up buying  their fabulous wine with no chemicals   .We arranged all this from State side USA 

Do you test people before they get on the bus?  While there might be less of a chance with less people, I wouldn’t say the chance is zero.

[mcrcruiser]

28 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Do you test people before they get on the bus?  While there might be less of a chance with less people, I wouldn’t say the chance is zero.

  This will not be a bus tour it  is  a private tour with a  special vehicle   7 all we want is  10 to 14 maximum depending upon the operator  .We are just getting  info  starting soon   from here   .The actual tour is not until February 6 ,2024 on Oahu Hawaii going to & from the Polynesian cultural Center 

 

Is there a chance of the virus being present yes  but so it is the same on any  cruise ship  .  It is up  to each person  to  protect themselves   us included . We wear KN 95 masks any where we are in  public surrounding  . However ,there is no sure fire way   for total protection from any virus including the yearly flu  . 

 Most people already know how to protect themselves & like any public   transport it is up to the individual  

 My wife & I are most vunerable because we are in our 80s with underlying medical  issues . We decided after being cooped  up for over 3 years what is life worth living if we only stay in our home & go no where  .So we decided it is getting late vin life  lets enjoy what we have left  .Each person must  decide what is right for themselves  in all cases

 

 About covid  ,it will never disappear  now that it is here . all virus keep mutating . All any one can hope is that the future strains are less potent & thus less  of a threat   .Imo even  with being vacinated there are no guarantees as  we now see in the news almost daily

 

 Hope this explains your question 

[mcrcruiser]

47 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Do you test people before they get on the bus?  While there might be less of a chance with less people, I wouldn’t say the chance is zero.

 BTW .I asked  my wide's knee surgeon are they testing people going into the hospital &  he told me not any longer .  There are also chances of covid in hospital environments as well . My best friend as in a NJ hospital 2 years ago for one month .covid came to him by a  hospital worker  ,He soon died afterward  .Life itself is a  risk 

[Hlitner]

21 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

  This will not be a bus tour it  is  a private tour with a  special vehicle   7 all we want is  10 to 14 maximum depending upon the operator  .We are just getting  info  starting soon   from here   .The actual tour is not until February 6 ,2024 on Oahu Hawaii going to & from the Polynesian cultural Center 

 

Is there a chance of the virus being present yes  but so it is the same on any  cruise ship  .  It is up  to each person  to  protect themselves   us included . We wear KN 95 masks any where we are in  public surrounding  . However ,there is no sure fire way   for total protection from any virus including the yearly flu  . 

 Most people already know how to protect themselves & like any public   transport it is up to the individual  

 My wife & I are most vunerable because we are in our 80s with underlying medical  issues . We decided after being cooped  up for over 3 years what is life worth living if we only stay in our home & go no where  .So we decided it is getting late vin life  lets enjoy what we have left  .Each person must  decide what is right for themselves  in all cases

 

 About covid  ,it will never disappear  now that it is here . all virus keep mutating . All any one can hope is that the future strains are less potent & thus less  of a threat   .Imo even  with being vacinated there are no guarantees as  we now see in the news almost daily

 

 Hope this explains your question 

I do think you have it wrong if you think that being crammed on a bus with 50-60 other cruises is a good way to avoid exposure to COVID or just about any other bug in ships.  Every cruise has plenty of sick folks and COVID is also quite common on cruises (many cases mild and likely not ever reported).  If you want to minimize your risk, consider renting a car and just going off by yourselves.  This allows you to practice your own brand of crowd avoidance, dine in venues that are not packed with tour groups sitting in compact areas, etc.  We have been traveling/cruising for over a year in Europe and the Caribbean and have managed (knock on a bulkhead) to avoid COVID or any nasty illness.  Our formula remains the same.  To the extent possible, DW and I do our own thing and avoid groups.  When visiting various places/sites we use basic common sense in trying to avoid very crowded areas, although we honestly just have fun and do not add to our anxiety by worrying about COVID.  In Europe we flew (domestically) and drove around the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and also spent a few days in the NIce, France area.  Why folks would feel safe (from COVID) when crowded together with 50-60 other souls is beyond my comprehension.  On all of our cruises (i.e. Seabourn and MSC) there were plenty of sick folks (including COVID) and we always did our best to keep our distance from folks we heard coughing/sneezing.  We also try to avoid elevators (especially when crowded) as these are ideal "spreading chambers" for any bug.

 

Hank

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

I do think you have it wrong if you think that being crammed on a bus with 50-60 other cruises is a good way to avoid exposure to COVID or just about any other bug in ships.  Every cruise has plenty of sick folks and COVID is also quite common on cruises (many cases mild and likely not ever reported).  If you want to minimize your risk, consider renting a car and just going off by yourselves.  This allows you to practice your own brand of crowd avoidance, dine in venues that are not packed with tour groups sitting in compact areas, etc.  We have been traveling/cruising for over a year in Europe and the Caribbean and have managed (knock on a bulkhead) to avoid COVID or any nasty illness.  Our formula remains the same.  To the extent possible, DW and I do our own thing and avoid groups.  When visiting various places/sites we use basic common sense in trying to avoid very crowded areas, although we honestly just have fun and do not add to our anxiety by worrying about COVID.  In Europe we flew (domestically) and drove around the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and also spent a few days in the NIce, France area.  Why folks would feel safe (from COVID) when crowded together with 50-60 other souls is beyond my comprehension.  On all of our cruises (i.e. Seabourn and MSC) there were plenty of sick folks (including COVID) and we always did our best to keep our distance from folks we heard coughing/sneezing.  We also try to avoid elevators (especially when crowded) as these are ideal "spreading chambers" for any bug.

 

Hank

I agree with you 100 percent.  That’s what my plan always is.  I’m definitely a loner so it works out well anyway 😛.  I do tend to meet a fair amount of people in the cabanas which I like as they are outside.  I do have a question and feel free to not answer but have you had Covid at all?  I haven’t that I know of and I feel it’s just a matter of time before my luck runs out.  Unfortunately I am forced to be in close proximity to people that I work with at least once a month for hours on end.  Tha doesn’t thrill me.

[wandrr]

3 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I think if you google it’s pretty easy to find said site.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/about-us/ . Since Cruise Critic themselves publish the information, it is hard to understand why they would censor it.

 

<Ducks, awaiting hand slap.>🤔

[Mary229]

3 minutes ago, wandrr said:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/about-us/ . Since Cruise Critic themselves publish the information, it is hard to understand why they would censor it.

 

<Ducks, awaiting hand slap.>🤔

I was censored recently but I mentioned it by name.  I thought since they were the same company it was ok, silly me. 

[canadarocks]

13 hours ago, wesport said:

We used to rely on the reviews when doing our shore excursion which were some on HAL and some private. The reviews on HAL are 10 plus years old. Have they discontinued the program?

The most recent reviews on HAL's website are here: 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/shore-excursions.html

[love_the_sea]

On 10/23/2022 at 8:57 AM, CruiserBruce said:

I was asked to review all the excursions on our NS cruise this July/August, and did review them. But not sure where the reviews go and can be viewed.

I have received emails from HAL just this past week asking me to review the 3 ship tours we took on our recent repositioning cruise from Montreal to Ft. Lauderdale on Zaandam. I submitted reviews and one reply told me my review had been posted. I can't see it since I don't have access to those particular cruises. However, I have begun researching tours for three cruises I have booked for next summer and many of those excursions have multiple reviews. They are varying years old, but give me some idea of the nature of the excursion and the physical difficulty. I ignore the comments about the tour guides as they are likely to be different. 

[mcrcruiser]

We take ship tours very very seldom  .Rather design a custom tour with a experienced operator  & a small group tour generally   10 to 14  max count .Has worked exceedingly well   for over 80 cruises

[mcrcruiser]

On 10/23/2022 at 8:55 AM, Hlitner said:

I do think you have it wrong if you think that being crammed on a bus with 50-60 other cruises is a good way to avoid exposure to COVID or just about any other bug in ships.  Every cruise has plenty of sick folks and COVID is also quite common on cruises (many cases mild and likely not ever reported).  If you want to minimize your risk, consider renting a car and just going off by yourselves.  This allows you to practice your own brand of crowd avoidance, dine in venues that are not packed with tour groups sitting in compact areas, etc.  We have been traveling/cruising for over a year in Europe and the Caribbean and have managed (knock on a bulkhead) to avoid COVID or any nasty illness.  Our formula remains the same.  To the extent possible, DW and I do our own thing and avoid groups.  When visiting various places/sites we use basic common sense in trying to avoid very crowded areas, although we honestly just have fun and do not add to our anxiety by worrying about COVID.  In Europe we flew (domestically) and drove around the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and also spent a few days in the NIce, France area.  Why folks would feel safe (from COVID) when crowded together with 50-60 other souls is beyond my comprehension.  On all of our cruises (i.e. Seabourn and MSC) there were plenty of sick folks (including COVID) and we always did our best to keep our distance from folks we heard coughing/sneezing.  We also try to avoid elevators (especially when crowded) as these are ideal "spreading chambers" for any bug.

 

Hank

Hank you are absolutely right   . We have had the virus  late December & now have   natural immunity   besides the vaccination & I have already had my  Senior flu shot for this flu season   ,My DW needs to get her flu shot 

Yes we can rent a car  however ,I have no dear & always wear my KN 95 mask  , This is a must on a cruise ship .Because we use a electric scooter we wait for  low pax elevators  or leave earlier to avoid the rush 

[SueMo]

I prefer to use private tours or go out on my own at most ports.  But with the "Have it all" promotions, you're kind of forced into choosing two of the ship's excursions or losing the $$.  Sometimes it's hard to find two I want to go on!  I don't want a coach bus, so I look for an "active" excursion such as bike riding or hiking to avoid large groups.  

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, SueMo said:

I prefer to use private tours or go out on my own at most ports.  But with the "Have it all" promotions, you're kind of forced into choosing two of the ship's excursions or losing the $$.  Sometimes it's hard to find two I want to go on!  I don't want a coach bus, so I look for an "active" excursion such as bike riding or hiking to avoid large groups.  

We have a similar situation on our next HAL cruise.  The credit towards excursions does cause us some grief and we are going to have a problem using that money.  It is a very rare day when we book any HAL excursion, so we will need to take a long look at the options.  

 

Hank

[ChinaShrek]

Another reason to take a ship tour is so that you can be off the ship before people on private tours at tender ports. I remember this in Belize City. I had booked a private tour but I was not able to get off the ship on the first tender. That was strictly reserved for HAL tours only. 

[Infi]

Thanks for raising this, OP. I had also noticed the dearth of reviews while browsing popular excursions for my December cruise. The most recent reviews for many excursions were from 2017 or 2016 - even given the COVID pause, that's a really long time ago.

 

One surprising workaround I found was having the other person on the booking log into their account. They were able to see a lot more reviews than I could. Some excursions jumped from no reviews on my view to 15 on theirs - very odd! The only potential explanation I could think of is that they've never cruised before while I'm 4 star; maybe they think I need the reviews less? 😂 Either way, definitely a flaw in HAL's online systems - surprise, surprise. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Infi

[mfanderso]

I was asked to submit reviews for my 2 tours I took in August.  One was a positive review and the other was negative.  They posted the positive review but not the negative review.  I am not sure how good the reviews are that are posted on their website after this.