Overland Tour to Taj Mahal - Pros and Cons Please

[lprp]

We are currently looking at the Glimmering Towers Of Asia cruise on Voyager for December 2024.

It has the option for an Overland trip to the Taj Mahal. I was wondering if anyone might have done this and has any views or suggestions as to whether this is worthwhile, both from a monetary and missed port (we would miss an overnight in Mumbai and a day in Goa). The cost is $4,899 pp inc. economy flights.

Thanks in advance.

LP

[mrlevin]

We did this on Voyager in 2014; not quite as expensive then but well worth it - once.  You get to spend only a couple of hours at the Taj; but that is sufficient.  Our tour also went to Red Fort; I believe different years are different itineraries.  

 

Don't worry about Goa or Mumbai; you will probably end up there again on future cruises.  The logistics are very involved with this trip so it was great that everything was covered; never felt uncomfortable except for the pollution in Delhi.  

 

Marc

[1982CruzStart]

We also did this side trip in 2014 on our Dubai to South Africa cruise.  I felt it was very well organized, the buses were comfortable and not overcrowded. The hotels and food were very good. We had excellent guides.  It was worth every penny we paid as it was at the top of my must see list.  My DH had been before but was still very glad we did this.  The highlight to me was the Red Fort even more than the Taj. I was still very happy to go there, as you can tell, as it is my avatar and that is the picture of the Taj from that trip. 

 

On our cruise we had an overnight in Mumbai so we did a tour there 1 day and then flew out the next day. I think we missed 3 days in port - 2nd day of Mumbai, Goa and New Mangalore (NM). We flew into NM so all we saw of it was the drive from the airport to the ship.  Did not regret missing any of the ports for this side trip. 

 

I would say the only slight negative was the flying experience as the airport in Mumbai was chaotic.  Security was a pain as they separated men and women to go through different lines but there was no signage to tell you that or anyone telling people what to do.  Couples would get in the same line, put their baggage on the conveyor only to have their bag disappear and the women be told they had to get out of line and go to the back of the other line without their carryons or purses. Finally the word passed along to the rest of us and we got in the right lines. There was some upset women who had no idea what was happening with their stuff. 

 

We must have had to show our airline tickets a half dozen times after clearing security. Seemed it was an employment generating job to have someone check your airline ticket about every 10 yards or so as you made your way down the jetway to the plane. Flights were fine and thankfully short. 

 

Only you can determine if the price is worth the trip.  We paid $1900 pp for the trip in 2014. 

 

 

[dabear]

We did a RSSC precruise land tour for the triangle of cities that included Agra & the Taj for our India to Egypt cruise in 2014. Well worth & we had fine hotels. Don't miss the T M.

[Paul73]

We were on a 3 day port visit to Mumbai this spring.  20 of us contracted a private trip to Taj Mahal with Memphis tours.  They did an outstanding job.  Memphis tours met us at the pier, drove us to the airport, provided the airline tickets and facilitated check in. Flew to New Dehli the afternoon our ship arrived.  They had a bus waiting for us there and bussed us to our hotel in Agra.  We were at the Taj for sunrise in the morning, then returned to the hotel for breakfast and pack.  Bussed to Fort Agra, guided tour, then back to the airport and ship.  Total cost was under 1000 per person.  The following day we booked a small group tour of Mumbai, also with Memphis Tours.  Most highly recommended.