P&O Shore Excursions - excellent value for money

[TigerB]

(he writes, with more than a smidgen of irony)

 

 

I was perusing shore experiences earlier, for our future cruise to the Canary Islands, and came across these two for Lanzarote:

 

TRIP 1:

Playa Blanca On Your Own 

 

 

TRIP 2:

Accessible Transfer To Puerto del Carmen 

 

 

 

They are the same type of trips, the first being a transfer to a location about 25 miles from the cruise port for you to then explore independently, the second being a transfer to a location about 10 miles from the cruise port for you to then explore independently.

 

The cost of each:

Trip 1 - £29

Trip 2 - £230

 

 

Now, I know companies are aware of and trying to tap into the purple pound, but this is taking the proverbial... 🙄

Edited February 19, 2023 by TigerB

[Selbourne]

Not that this explains it entirely, but keep in mind that the standard excursions are priced per person, whereas the accessible tours are priced for one person with the carer or person accompanying person free. So it’s actually £115 per head in this scenario. This caught me out recently when I booked two places in error and had to then get a refund for myself!

 

Whilst it’s a shame that we have to pay a lot more, we are paying a fare that reflects the additional cost per head of a small adapted mini bus with a very small number of passengers, versus a coach with 50 plus people. 
 

Obviously if it’s a 10 mile distance DIY trip then a cab will be far more cost effective, if the disabled passenger can transfer from a wheelchair to a car seat. 

[TigerB]

2 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Not that this explains it entirely, but keep in mind that the standard excursions are priced per person, whereas the accessible tours are priced for one person with the carer or person accompanying person free. So it’s actually £115 per head in this scenario. This caught me out recently when I booked two places in error and had to then get a refund for myself!

 

Whilst it’s a shame that we have to pay a lot more, we are paying a fare that reflects the additional cost per head of a small adapted mini bus with a very small number of passengers, versus a coach with 50 plus people. 
 

Obviously if it’s a 10 mile distance DIY trip then a cab will be far more cost effective, if the disabled passenger can transfer from a wheelchair to a car seat. 

 

Yes, I should have been clear that the carer goes free, but that still equates to £115 each, which is an extraordinary mark up.

Furthermore, in the case of a cruiser that is independent in their wheelchair, or is just mobility impaired, and does not have a carer, they still pay the £230.

[wowzz]

Just as an aside, a taxi to Playa Blanca will cost about €60 ( one way). So, if four people share, it is as cheap to go privately as use the P&O excursion.

[TigerB]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Just as an aside, a taxi to Playa Blanca will cost about €60 ( one way). So, if four people share, it is as cheap to go privately as use the P&O excursion.

 

And it will be less to Puerto del Carmen, a distance of about ten miles.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, TigerB said:

 

And it will be less to Puerto del Carmen, a distance of about ten miles.

Absolutely,  but PdC is nowhere near as nice as PB. I'd rather spend the extra !

[TigerB]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Absolutely,  but PdC is nowhere near as nice as PB. I'd rather spend the extra !

 

We've not been to either so I bow to your knowledge.  

 

As it happens, I've just done got an online quote with a local taxi company, in a fully accessible mini van that accommodates one wheelchair and up to four passengers.

The cost of a return trip from Arrecife to Playa Blanca in such a vehicle is €104, and the cost of a regular estate car is exactly the same.

 

So, I fail to understand how P&O allow the company/companies they have a contract with to charge them so much, and then pass that charge on to passengers with, I have no doubt, a bit extra added on.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, TigerB said:

So, I fail to understand how P&O allow the company/companies they have a contract with to charge them so much, and then pass that charge on to passengers with, I have no doubt, a bit extra added on.

Because so many people do not take the trouble to do the research, as you have done. They go for the easy, and expensive, option !

[jeanlyon]

Just the same if you are able bodied.  Trip to Taormina from port with P&O £59.  Take the train and then a bus for the last 5 minutes  8 Euros!!  Do the research and save a fortune.

Edited February 19, 2023 by jeanlyon

[Britboys]

Unfortunately, most cruise line excursions tend to be on the expensive side. If you think P&O are bad, you should see the costs on some of the USA-based lines. You can get reasonable value on excursions with more than one destination and when a guide and/or services (such as a cable car) are included.

The 'on your own' transfers are ludicrously overpriced imho...

[itf]

17 hours ago, wowzz said:

Because so many people do not take the trouble to do the research, as you have done. They go for the easy, and expensive, option !

It's also the cruise line scare tactic of "If you take anyone else's excursion you'll definitely be mugged, murdered, miss the ship back and it'll cost you a fortune..."

Equally I've only been late back from an excursion once in my ~15 or so cruises, thankfully a ship's excursion and they waited or it would indeed have been very, very expensive.

Edited February 20, 2023 by itf

[david63]

Another point that needs to be taken into account when considering cruise line excursions v DIY at a port is the country/port. There are some ports around the world that I would be uneasy with even on an organised excursion but there are many (the vast majority) that are no problem.

[terrierjohn]

On 2/19/2023 at 4:24 PM, TigerB said:

 

And it will be less to Puerto del Carmen, a distance of about ten miles.

There used to be quite a good bus service from Arrecife to Playa del Carmen, very cheap as well, but that was 15 or 20 yrs ago.

[TigerB]

32 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

There used to be quite a good bus service from Arrecife to Playa del Carmen, very cheap as well, but that was 15 or 20 yrs ago.

Wheelchair accessible?  I'll have a look

[wowzz]

28 minutes ago, TigerB said:

Wheelchair accessible?  I'll have a look

If it is accessible I think you would be better off continuing to Playa Blanca.  Flatter than PdC, so better for a wheelchair. And you will see some interesting volcanic scenery en route.

[TigerB]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

If it is accessible I think you would be better off continuing to Playa Blanca.  Flatter than PdC, so better for a wheelchair. And you will see some interesting volcanic scenery en route.

 

Thanks, I'll look into that.

[Slugsta]

One thing to consider is that P+O charge a flat fee for adult passengers which takes no account of reduced admission for those who are older or disabled. We did the aquarium in Barcelona and zoo in Valencia for much less than the P+O price (even allowing for taxis in Valencia) as my OH got in free as my carer. Even without this, we would both have had concessionary entrance as we are retired.