Has anyone used Canadian Craft Charter for pre/post cruise tour?

[mkkao924]

Tried search in the forum but could find any information. Wondering if anyone used Canadian Craft Charter in the past? We are thinking about doing a 4.5 hour post cruise tour, but they require 25% non-refundable deposit (fully charged and non-refundable 10 days before) , which seems quite steep to me.

 

I emailed Landsea tours and they are fully booked for private tour for our date. Is there other alternative that you can recommend?

[martincath]

On 2/9/2024 at 10:35 PM, mkkao924 said:

Tried search in the forum but could find any information. Wondering if anyone used Canadian Craft Charter in the past? We are thinking about doing a 4.5 hour post cruise tour, but they require 25% non-refundable deposit (fully charged and non-refundable 10 days before) , which seems quite steep to me.

 

I emailed Landsea tours and they are fully booked for private tour for our date. Is there other alternative that you can recommend?

I can only comment indirectly about them, but since you've had no other answers yet it might be at least somewhat helpful...

 

Firstly, they have been around at least 6 or 7 years in the Vancouver area - but frankly I had no idea they offered 'regular' sightseeing tours, I only know them as a booze tour company... they've done various 'sample several breweries/wineries/distilleries responsibly by minibus instead of drunk-driving' things over the years since our booze laws loosened up and a whole raft of new licenses for making it were issued, and while I cannot say with any confidence it was them specifically I rode with (there have also been other companies chartered by e.g. local CAMRA branch for events), I know a fair few local boozehounds who do lots more of these day trips than I do, and none have complained about any of the buses, drivers, or companies used so they are at least competent at this niche.

 

Secondly, taking a deposit for a private tour is not at all unusual here - in fact I would be frankly shocked if you could book direct with any local company without having to do so! For a 'book seats on a tour already operating anyway' situation, absolutely a refundable or even no deposit is possible - there's always going to be some folks looking for ad hoc tour tickets to fill a few seats, but private tours here have been struggling to recruit drivers for years so to entice and keep the good ones, a level of certainty in terms of minimum shifts paid really helps. The fact it's not due until 10 days before rather than at time of booking is frankly about as good as it gets in my experience!

 

Unfortunately the most relevant qualitative info I can't help with - safe, timely drivers getting folks around breweries don't necessarily know diddly or squat about entertaining, historic, touristy type tales! Skimming their TripAdvisor reviews there seem to be a lot more 'corporate transfers', 'bachelorette booze bus' and the like reviews than folks actually mentioning touristy guided trips, so their positive ratings skew heavily toward 'was it a clean bus, on time, safely driven?' than 'was the guide hilarious and informative?'

 

So all-in-all, while I'd be inclined to say that odds are good if you hire them you will get a bus and competent driver with all the insurance etc. properly dealt with, I'd be more comfortable pointing you toward a private tour specialist - booking someone on e.g. toursbylocals you will see exactly who you will be guided by, reviews of that person and their vehicle that are confirmed as having been taken (no reviews allowed without a booking, so far more reliable than Tripadvisor on this scale of review volumes).

 

Hope that helps some at least!

Edited February 12 by martincath