Boston Hop On/Hop Off

[GetGlowing]

We'll be visiting Boston via Princess Cruises in Sept. My mom is interested in the Hop On/Hop Off. I see that the cruise line offers it, or I can purchase 3rd party a little cheaper. Is there a specific reason to purchase via the cruise line? 

(For example, in Cartahegna last year, we purchased via the cruise line because they sent buses directly to the cruise terminal, which isn't on the usual route). 

Thank you.  

[Ashland]

There will be a kiosk just outside of the port terminal to purchase HOHO bus tickets. Their buses will be parked there...easy to spot you can't miss it. We opted to wait and purchase this way just in case we changed our minds. You'll do much better purchasing it there than as an excursion and do ask for the senior discount.

 

We were also in Cartagena last year (Panama Canal itinerary) and easily did a taxi to/from the walled city. So glad we did this which gave us the option of spending some time at the amazing port with all the animal/bird exhibits.

[Nashna]

We were thinking about doing this tour.  However, some reviews from cruise ship passengers on Trip Advisor are not encouraging.  They reported that those who booked the trolley with the cruise line went on the trolley first, leaving those that had booked online to wait 45 minutes for the next trolley.  Others said that they had to wait at a stop for an available trolley for over an hour because cruise ship passengers all wanted to get back to their ships to make their cruise departure.  Some said they had to take an Uber back to the pier at an additional cost.  We are exploring alternative transportation to get where we want to go in Boston.  Any suggestions are certainly appreciated.

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, Nashna said:

We were thinking about doing this tour.  However, some reviews from cruise ship passengers on Trip Advisor are not encouraging.  They reported that those who booked the trolley with the cruise line went on the trolley first, leaving those that had booked online to wait 45 minutes for the next trolley.  Others said that they had to wait at a stop for an available trolley for over an hour because cruise ship passengers all wanted to get back to their ships to make their cruise departure.  Some said they had to take an Uber back to the pier at an additional cost.  We are exploring alternative transportation to get where we want to go in Boston.  Any suggestions are certainly appreciated.

Perhaps I'm not understanding your and other's view you are reporting.

 

From what we saw the ones that had booked the HOHO with the cruise ship there was a bus waiting for them just outside the terminal where they showed their excursion ticket....for the start of their tour.

 

Those that walked to the kiosk to purchase their tickets easily boarded one of the several other buses lined up. 

 

Never did these conflict with each other at the start of the HOHO tour, and if you were waiting at one of the HOHO spots everyone seemed to get on according to who was there first. Cruise passengers didn't push past. Buses came right after each other very quickly.

 

We've also (on one other port visit) just taken the ship provided shuttle round trip that drops off and picks up a block from the Quincy Market. 

 

Enjoy whatever you decide will work out best for you.

[chengkp75]

Just understand that if a trolley goes to the stop where you want to board for continuation, or return to the ship, and it is full, it won't stop, and you'll have to wait for the next one that has space available.  The buses only hold about 35 passengers.

[CaribbeanBound]

Also, if you're willing to walk a few blocks, you can always get on one stop sooner than the stop where the big line might be.

[GetGlowing]

Thank you all for the information. So this is a small St. Augustine-type HOHO *trolley* rather than one of the double-decker HOHO buses we've ridden in other cities. Is that right? 

[Ashland]

5 hours ago, GetGlowing said:

Thank you all for the information. So this is a small St. Augustine-type HOHO *trolley* rather than one of the double-decker HOHO buses we've ridden in other cities. Is that right? 

Things must have changed from when we did it last. It was a bus not a trolley.

[CaribbeanBound]

Correct, these are 1-level trolleys.  Yes, it's a technically a trolley-shaped bus that runs on the street, not a rail.

[Cali Viajera]

There is another trolly company, City tours trolley that has 8 stops and a senior discount.

[genealogyfan]

If it's Old Town Trolley, be prepared that they may cancel/close stops without any notice or signs. I had that issue last year. I was at a regular bus stop outside of my hotel. After waiting awhile, I called the company twice. They told me maybe traffic delayed the bus, same excuse after the 2nd call. After the third call, the operator told me the stop I was on was closed for construction in the area and I needed to walk to the next stop. She couldn't tell me directions on how to get there, just told me it was in front of another hotel. I had to get on google maps to find how to walk there.  There weren't any signs at the bus stop saying it was closed and there wasn't any obvious info on the main page of the website either. I think I had to click several different sub pages to eventually find the info.

 

Also at bus stops, if a trolley/bus is full, they will stop and let people off/on but there might not be enough room for everyone waiting. You have to wait for the next bus/trolley which maybe 30 minutes or more. At one stop we had to wait for the next trolley/bus. 

Edited March 27, 2023 by genealogyfan