Shore excursions with port pick up

[floralscent]

Does anyone have suggestions for tour companies that offer port pick up in Japan? A few of our stops are- Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Kochi, Okinawa, Jeju, South Korea. I ask because it seems most want to pick up from a hotel and we prefer to not have to navigate that it at all possible. 
 

We are sailing on Celebrity Millennium RT Tokyo, on October 24 of this year, and we are looking for shore excursions to book that are not Celebrity offered. When visiting Aus/NZ we were able to reserve port pick up tours through Viator and really enjoyed ourselves. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you-

 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

I don't really know.  But I do know that occasionally some vendors will make exceptions to their tour itinerary or pick up time/place if you just write them and ask them.  We were on a cruise last month in which someone did that and the vendor did a streamlined tour and picked us up within a block or two of the port.  But this was Europe, not Japan, and through Viator I believe.  And we did get a group of 6 of  us (using Cruise Critic Roll Call) so that was probably a win-win for both the group and for the vendor.  It DID show me that it's possible to negotiate with some vendors.  So I guess I'd probably suggest starting with asking some vendors what they might be willing to do.  I'm thinking of doing that with a couple Get Your Guide vendors.  I don't have a huge problem with taking a taxi to a hotel to meet a group, but it just seems like a bit of a hassle.  And I'm a little less likely to take that kind of tour as I'm never 100% sure that the time the vendor says they will spend on the tour itself will actually be the real time that's given.  

[micruiser2002]

If you are booking private tours you should have no problem requesting to be picked up at the cruise terminal.  We are on the same cruise and I have already started booking our tours.  If you are using Viator or another booking tool you will need to send a message to the tour operator with your requests.

[sippican]

Check out the Tours By Locals website, We have used them extensively for shore excursions with great luck.

[Wayfairers]

On 6/22/2023 at 8:46 AM, sippican said:

Check out the Tours By Locals website, We have used them extensively for shore excursions with great luck.

I’m looking at them for Japan (Tokyo, Naha, Omaezaki, Kobe, Fukuoka) and throughout South Korea.  Do you have a favorite guide at any of these?

[sippican]

21 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

I’m looking at them for Japan (Tokyo, Naha, Omaezaki, Kobe, Fukuoka) and throughout South Korea.  Do you have a favorite guide at any of these?

 

Sorry, no. We did Tokyo and Seoul on our own. Used a private guide on Jeju Island, and I don't recall the guide in Kobe. Just read the reviews for the guides/tours that are of interest to you. I've found them helpful, then correspond with the guide through the site.

 

[Wayfairers]

2 hours ago, sippican said:

 

Sorry, no. We did Tokyo and Seoul on our own. Used a private guide on Jeju Island, and I don't recall the guide in Kobe. Just read the reviews for the guides/tours that are of interest to you. I've found them helpful, then correspond with the guide through the site.

 

I agree reviews and corresponding with the guide through the site is the best way to figure out which guide is best for the tour.  We’ve used Tours by Locals all over the world, usually on a custom tour, just not in Japan or South Korea yet.  

[floralscent]

Has anyone used go with guide for a private tour? I’m chatting with a guide right now and they seem accommodating, responsive and kind and although online reviews of this tour guide are good, I'm not sure if the reviews are verified. 
 

On a totally separate note- the tour I am inquiring about would be our first private tour with just the 2 of us and the guide. For those that have done this before- do you feel uncomfortable or obligated to keep a conversation going with the guide all day? Although this experience sounds amazing, do you feel it is a lot to take a private tour with an unknown person? It’s likely guides know exactly how to integrate with their group. I’m also likely thinking about this too much. Thank you!

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

23 hours ago, floralscent said:

Has anyone used go with guide for a private tour? I’m chatting with a guide right now and they seem accommodating, responsive and kind and although online reviews of this tour guide are good, I'm not sure if the reviews are verified. 
 

On a totally separate note- the tour I am inquiring about would be our first private tour with just the 2 of us and the guide. For those that have done this before- do you feel uncomfortable or obligated to keep a conversation going with the guide all day? Although this experience sounds amazing, do you feel it is a lot to take a private tour with an unknown person? It’s likely guides know exactly how to integrate with their group. I’m also likely thinking about this too much. Thank you!

I'm not familiar with that vendor or guide. And I haven't used too many private guides.  However, when I have (2019, Bali was last time we did a totally private tour), I found that the guide pretty much kept his space when needed, and it seemed just about right to me.  I think if we had wanted him to escort us more, or stick closer to us, he would have.  But we like to pretty much just take advantage of the transportation, and like having basic info and then going off a little (but not totally) on our own, as long as we can see the guide, and ask him/her questions when we wanted.  I'm not very outgoing but I don't uncomfortable with silence and assume guides are OK with it. 

 

Our guide in Bali was wonderful, but I suppose if you wanted, you could gently/subtly ask any guide you speak to or hire how things generally go.  Will the guide stick with you?  Accompany you places or just give you tickets and let you go, coming back when you want?.  Some people like a LOT of info; others (like me) like to be free to (mostly) explore a little, and take a lot of pictures. And I suppose some like a greater degree of handholding, particularly if mobility or stamina or hearing isn't the best.  I'm guessing most halfway experienced guides manage to figure out what style is best for each group of clients and then try to provide the right style.

 

[Gillygirl6]

I am on the same cruise with you and having the same problem trying to find tours that will pick up at port. If they do pick up at port, they are very expensive. Were you able to come up with any excursions since your post? Still looking for excursions in Yokohama, Okinawa, and Kagoshima? 

[hubofhockey]

Go With Guide is a consortium of guides formerly known as TripleLights.  I don't believe, in that way, that is much different from Tours by Locals. I found the same difficulty in booking them for tours from cruise ports.  We did book guides for pre-cruise in Tokyo (only a day) and Kyoto (1.5 days) with them.  We have TBL booked for some ports and we'll do a cooking class in one port and a hot springs in another on our own.  

[micruiser2002]

On 7/16/2023 at 7:34 PM, Gillygirl6 said:

I am on the same cruise with you and having the same problem trying to find tours that will pick up at port. If they do pick up at port, they are very expensive. Were you able to come up with any excursions since your post? Still looking for excursions in Yokohama, Okinawa, and Kagoshima? 

I booked a guide with Go With Guide for Okinawa and he is picking us up at the port.  So far it is a guide only and we will probably do public transportation or maybe get a vehicle also.  Kagoshima we plan to do on our own. They have a sightseeing pass that looks like it will be easy to use to get around and then taxi if needed. We are staying 2 nights pre-cruise in Yokohama and have tours booked both days and they are picking us up at the hotel. 

Are you actually sending messages or emails and asking if they will pick up at the port?  

[Gillygirl6]

I was messaging you because we had a tour booked in Kagoshima where they picked you up at port and wanted to know if you wanted to join us and split the cost of the tour but the company was having trouble finding a guide  so we ended up canceling the tour. It looks like we’re going to be doing Kagoshima on our own too which has me a little nervous. I don’t  want to get lost and miss our cruise ship. Do you know if there is a tourist office near our port? If they still have a shuttle info town? Where you can get the city view bus? Where you can get the sightseeing pass? Is that the Cute pass? Have you been able to work out any of the details of touring Kagoshima on your own? Any info you have would be a big help! Hope you enjoy your trip in Japan! I have tours for everywhere but Kagoshima now after a lot of work googling, emailing and phone calls. 

[Gillygirl6]

16 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

Go With Guide is a consortium of guides formerly known as TripleLights.  I don't believe, in that way, that is much different from Tours by Locals. I found the same difficulty in booking them for tours from cruise ports.  We did book guides for pre-cruise in Tokyo (only a day) and Kyoto (1.5 days) with them.  We have TBL booked for some ports and we'll do a cooking class in one port and a hot springs in another on our own.  

Thank you for your help. Was able to come up with tours after a lot of time googling, emailing and phone calls. Just down to Kagoshima which I guess we’re going to do on our own. Just need to find out how to get the city view bus, get  the cute  pass and where the tourist office is. A little nervous about getting lost and missing our cruise ship. Hope you enjoy your Japan trip!

[monkey@cruise]

15 hours ago, Gillygirl6 said:

s. Just down to Kagoshima which I guess we’re going to do on our own. Just need to find out how to get the city view bus, get  the cute  pass and where the tourist office is. A little nervous about getting lost and missing our cruise ship. Hope you enjoy your Japan trip!

Kagoshima cruise terminal is 10 miles south of the city, a paid ship shuttle will drop off near the Ferry Terminal (30 min travel time)
Kagoshima cruise port and city view bus info.
https://www.kagoshima-kankou.com/for/cruise/marinport
https://www.kagoshima-yokanavi.jp/en/feature/city-view2
 

[Gillygirl6]

Thank you so much for the information. 
I asked a Japanese guide and she emailed me this information. I’m Posting it that it might help others. 
To get to the city view bus, passengers need to go to the down town area “Tenmonkan” first. It takes about 30 minutes from Marine port by car or bus. 

Passengers usually take a shuttle bus from the port. Depending on the ship, it would be free or not. 
In the downtown area, there is an information center on the first floor of a big building named Sen-treasure at the center of the downtown area. Cute pass is available there. And a bus stop for a city view bus is near there. 

Hope this helps others. 
 

 

[hubofhockey]

On 7/28/2023 at 8:22 AM, Gillygirl6 said:

Thank you for your help. Was able to come up with tours after a lot of time googling, emailing and phone calls. Just down to Kagoshima which I guess we’re going to do on our own. Just need to find out how to get the city view bus, get  the cute  pass and where the tourist office is. A little nervous about getting lost and missing our cruise ship. Hope you enjoy your Japan trip!

I know the challenges well.  Go With Guide is great for Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, but  other ports it’s either Tours By Locals or Trip Advisor/Viator.  TripAdvisor and Viator are basically joking a large tour, which may or may not work with timing of your day in port.  That leaves the tour bus, if there is one in English or getting a good train route.  We don’t have Kagoshima, but Aomori was tough and found things we can do near port, which are decent.  Our trip is about 9 months away.  Looking forward to it.  Hope you enjoy yours as well.

[Gillygirl6]

Thank you. Yes this has been a difficult trip to plan excursions for. Hope you enjoy your trip as well. Less than 3 months away for us. 

[floralscent]

On 7/27/2023 at 6:30 PM, micruiser2002 said:

I booked a guide with Go With Guide for Okinawa and he is picking us up at the port.  So far it is a guide only and we will probably do public transportation or maybe get a vehicle also.  Kagoshima we plan to do on our own. They have a sightseeing pass that looks like it will be easy to use to get around and then taxi if needed. We are staying 2 nights pre-cruise in Yokohama and have tours booked both days and they are picking us up at the hotel. 

Are you actually sending messages or emails and asking if they will pick up at the port?  

Yes, I have been emailing and asking for port pick up. I did find someone in Osaka that would meet us at the cruise ship and we would use public transportation to get to Kyoto. We are working through the details now. 

[floralscent]

On 7/31/2023 at 5:55 AM, Gillygirl6 said:

Thank you. Yes this has been a difficult trip to plan excursions for. Hope you enjoy your trip as well. Less than 3 months away for us. 

Looks like a lot of Celebrity excursions are booking up, or at least they are making it seem that way by saying -only 5 seats left. 
 

We are taking a few X excursions and I know they aren’t the best option. I figure we can always cancel later but grab the pre cruise discount now. 

[hubofhockey]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:29 PM, floralscent said:

Looks like a lot of Celebrity excursions are booking up, or at least they are making it seem that way by saying -only 5 seats left. 
 

We are taking a few X excursions and I know they aren’t the best option. I figure we can always cancel later but grab the pre cruise discount now. 

Our cruise is 9 months out and many X excursions are showing as booked.  We generally don’t do excursions from cruise lines unless it’s the “do on your own” transportation where you just meet their buses at a given point in a city.  I haven’t see this option on the Japan itineraries.  

 

Our original plan was to see Kyoto from the Osaka port, but later decided that we would spend a couple of nights in Kyoto  pre-cruise and just take the bullet train there from Tokyo. This allows us to see Osaka and spend the night there and relax. I noticed that X cut our day 2 departure in Osaka from 5 pm to 3 pm. 

 

 You might be better off meeting your guide at Kyoto Station, after taking a taxi to Osaka station to get on the bullet train.  No pressure on the return since you will be in Osaka overnight.  It might be cheaper than paying for a guide’s time to meet you at Osaka port.  You could also get a more local guide in Kyoto.