solo and booking independent tours

[musicmansmom]

yes, i am getting upset with the whole rig-a-moral of trying to book tours not through the ship.

 

i like to support the locals and we all know we get a much better tour with less people by booking with them . there are wonderful tour co's out there that have great tours i would like to take but i am so tired of seeing on the info section '' minumum of 4 passengers :rolleyes: . when i call or email to be put on a tour it is the same ole story '' we will put you on a list and see if anything opens up for a single passenger ''. :mad: do i have the plague or what. i am paying the same as any other patron and feel i should be able to make a solid booking. when i decide what i want to do i dont want to know at the last minute ( a few days ) before the cruise if i have a tour or not.

do any other solo cruisers feel this way or is it just me :confused: .

[Roz]

I feel your pain, and this is one of the main reasons I book ship-sponsored excursions. Contrary to what many people say, when you're by yourself, the ship's tours aren't necessarily more expensive. Plus, being a woman traveling solo, I feel it gives me an added measure of security.

 

Local people are employed and paid whether it's a ship tour or local tour, at least in my experience. All of the bus drives and guides I've had in the Caribbean are native to that island or a nearby island, so it's contributing to their economy.

 

Roz

[musicmansmom]

I feel your pain, and this is one of the main reasons I book ship-sponsored excursions. Contrary to what many people say, when you're by yourself, the ship's tours aren't necessarily more expensive. Plus, being a woman traveling solo, I feel it gives me an added measure of security.

 

Local people are employed and paid whether it's a ship tour or local tour, at least in my experience. All of the bus drives and guides I've had in the Caribbean are native to that island or a nearby island, so it's contributing to their economy.

 

Roz

 

thanks roz, you have just added to exactly how i feel :) . tours are a important part of my cruises and it is hard too get off the ship and hope that a vendor will '' have one seat open '' for a tour they are going to give :( . yes, being alone does make the ship tours more appealing for safety and being able to take them. not only do we pay a huge amount for our cabins but i usually end up paying more for tours. oh well, i will do what it takes to cruise and have my vacations. ;)

[kitty9]

I've done ship tours and many private tours and they've both worked out great for me. My TA always books my private tours long before I even leave for the cruise. Sorry, but I just don't trust those people standing on the dock hawking their tours in their own cars. As a solo cruiser, I'm just not comfortable with that kind of thing. I always go with an established tour company. My TA arranged a private guide for me in Belgium, and he was a college professor on summer break. By the time the full day tour was over, I knew more about Belgium than I ever thought I would. Another time, he found a driver and guide in St. Petersburg and it was probably the best tour I've ever taken. The guide took me places that no one else on the ship got to see, like a tour of a Russian space ship and some of the most out of the way places outside the city. Since I had been to St Petersburg before, she made the tour so there were no repeats of things I had already seen.

 

There are hundreds of reputable tour companies all over the world, and being a solo woman cruiser, I think it's a great way to go and see the world.

[musicmansmom]

hi darcie

 

im so glad you have had good luck with your tours. and the russian tour sounds wonderful. i have also had fantastic tours with independent operators ( in alaska ) i have heard about from the boards here, but there are also many that keep putting singles on the waiting list. i am still searching for tours to go solo with a reputable tour guide when i go to the panama canal. but i am also prepared to book with the ship if i need too. i am glad to hear the other solo cruisers have had more luck than i have with some of the tours.

 

thanks for your imput.

[airlink diva]

I also travel solo often. I say that on my sailings, over 95% of my tours are independent tours. With the exception of one tour, I never been turned down because I was a solo traveler.

This website, esp under ports of call, is a great source of finding good tour guides. When I book a cruise, I go to the ports of call and start reading about the tour guides and what they offer. I then e-mail them and tell them that I'm came across them via cruisecritc and that I'm traveling solo.

On every one of these tours, I never felt like a odd man out (with the exception of one of my last tours, there was a large family group and if it wasn't for the tour guides making sure that I was also enjoying myself, I would had hated the tour).

I only booked one independent tour on shore, that was in the Caymans for a stingray trip and there were about six people already in the group. I enjoyed this tour group so much, that I used them again the next year.

But this was a rarity. I don't book one just walking off the boat solo.

But use this website for gain info, it's a gem

[NRWPA]

hi darcie

 

im so glad you have had good luck with your tours. and the russian tour sounds wonderful. i have also had fantastic tours with independent operators ( in alaska ) i have heard about from the boards here, but there are also many that keep putting singles on the waiting list. i am still searching for tours to go solo with a reputable tour guide when i go to the panama canal. but i am also prepared to book with the ship if i need too. i am glad to hear the other solo cruisers have had more luck than i have with some of the tours.

 

thanks for your imput.

 

If your cruise includes a visit to Puerto Limon or Puntarenas, I recommend Charlie Soto's OKEYDOKEYTOURS. I travelled solo thru the canal in April and booked with him and had a great time for a fraction of the cost of the ship's tours. Not only did he meet me on the pier in Puerto Limon, but he drove to Puntarenas to meet me for a tour of that side of Costa Rica. I felt very safe, travelled with 5 others for the first tour and 2 others for the second tour and had a great time.

[kryos]

I feel your pain, and this is one of the main reasons I book ship-sponsored excursions. Contrary to what many people say, when you're by yourself, the ship's tours aren't necessarily more expensive. Plus, being a woman traveling solo, I feel it gives me an added measure of security.

 

Local people are employed and paid whether it's a ship tour or local tour, at least in my experience. All of the bus drives and guides I've had in the Caribbean are native to that island or a nearby island, so it's contributing to their economy.

Unfortunately, there is no way around this. To book a private tour requires a certain number of passengers to make it fly. I have booked private things in the past, but those were things that didn't require a minimum number of passengers. For example, on my Hawaii/South Pacific cruise in January, I booked a tandem skydive with Skydive Hawaii. Since they offer pick-up/drop-off to all area Wakiki hotels, they were willing to pick me up at the cruise terminal. Their vans are big, so obviously I knew they'd be picking others up as well. Turned out, though, that our group from the ship pretty much had the whole van anyway ... here about 12 members of the staff and crew had made arrangements to skydive that day as well ... so while I thought I'd be the only person being picked up at the ship ... I actually wound up having lots and lots of company ... and got to meet some of the staff of the Amsterdam as well.

 

On another trip to Hawaii (not a cruise) I booked a U-fly tour at the local Maui airport. This basically was a two-hour flight lesson ... no experience necessary. The tour could only be offered to one person at a time anyway, so it was fine that I was alone. I was allowed to bring one guest, however ... who could ride in the backseat of the Cessna while my instructor and I were upfront ... and I treated a guy who was attending the writer's conference with me.

 

But as far as organized independent excursions ... yeah, I've notice the same thing. Usually they require a minimum of four people or so, so I find I am far better off just booking through the ship.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[musicmansmom]

If your cruise includes a visit to Puerto Limon or Puntarenas, I recommend Charlie Soto's OKEYDOKEYTOURS. I travelled solo thru the canal in April and booked with him and had a great time for a fraction of the cost of the ship's tours. Not only did he meet me on the pier in Puerto Limon, but he drove to Puntarenas to meet me for a tour of that side of Costa Rica. I felt very safe, travelled with 5 others for the first tour and 2 others for the second tour and had a great time.

 

it sounds like you had a great time. i am booked with oscar brown for limon. i have read great things about him and has the exact tour i am looking for. i will be with a small group of others so i wont be alone on a tour.

 

since you were just there in april can you tell what kind of weather you had?? i am hoping it is not the rainy season so the bugs wont be so bad.

[NRWPA]

I've heard good things about oscar brown also, so you should have a great time. The weather in April was HOT, HOT, HOT! I loved it. It did rain - but only in the evening and not while we were in port. I wore no bug repellent and did not get bothered at all.

[musicmansmom]

I've heard good things about oscar brown also, so you should have a great time. The weather in April was HOT, HOT, HOT! I loved it. It did rain - but only in the evening and not while we were in port. I wore no bug repellent and did not get bothered at all.

 

thanks for the fast reply. i will be there the 2nd week of april and was hoping it wasnt their rainy season. i am used to the hot weather. it is good to know you were not bothered by bugs. i will bring along a repellent just in case. i cant wait to get there and see the rainforest and all that the area has to offer. oscar sent me a very nice email confirming my tour this far out. i will be with a small group for the tour and i know it is going to be a great time. im counting the days untill i get there ;)

[NRWPA]

thanks for the fast reply. i will be there the 2nd week of april and was hoping it wasnt their rainy season. i am used to the hot weather. it is good to know you were not bothered by bugs. i will bring along a repellent just in case. i cant wait to get there and see the rainforest and all that the area has to offer. oscar sent me a very nice email confirming my tour this far out. i will be with a small group for the tour and i know it is going to be a great time. im counting the days untill i get there ;)

 

Great! I hope you have as good a time as I did and meet lots of nice people. You'll have to post when you get back. I know - it's a long way away, but the anticipation's part of the whole experience. nancy

[ladysail2]

Thanks for the tip about Oscar Brown. I'll be in Limon in January and hate to pay the high cost of the ship's tours. In Costa Rica...I did book the ship's Airboat tour..it was fantastic. Because I was the only single on the tour..I got to sit up with the driver.....wow...what a view.

 

Even though I was a solo on that tour...I didn't feel out of place...I was treated very well.

 

I have walked off the ship and booked tours. Like, Airlink Diva, I booked the stingrays in Grand Cayman, but also booked a 'city tour' in St. Lucia. One of the places I wanted to visit was the batik producers...so they made that part of the tour. They waited until there were about 8 of us before the tour started. The wait didn't take long. In Jamaica, we grabbed a cab for a one hour tour...the fellow even took us into a local grocery store. I was with my son on that tour....I wouldn't ever jump into a cab in Jamaica alone!

 

I suppose it's your level of comfort and familiarity with the port that decides what you want to do.

 

It is wonderful to read reviews of tour guides...it sure can make a decision easier. I hope everyone knows Godfrey tours in St. Thomas....he is the best.

[FinelyRetired]

it sounds like you had a great time. i am booked with oscar brown for limon. i have read great things about him and has the exact tour i am looking for. i will be with a small group of others so i wont be alone on a tour.

 

since you were just there in april can you tell what kind of weather you had?? i am hoping it is not the rainy season so the bugs wont be so bad.

 

I think Oscar Brown is an excellent choice for a solo. We(DH & I) toured with him in Deccember. He had another couple from our ship. Tell him Martha and Tony from Rhode Island said "hello!" He was very polite, caring & cautious.

 

My first solo cruise will be in August 2007 to British Isles. DH is quite comfortable about it as we've cruised Alaska & Panama and he knows ship environment is safe.

 

Booking independant tours as a solo IS a challenge sometimes in planning for some ports. In one port, I found JUST what I wanted to do.......but guide & van was for 8! No partial booking offered. Since it was a port very late into cruise, I booked it anyway, pretty sure I'd fill on board but filled it through Roll Call here already and the last seat I may yet fill while aboard.

 

If anyone is going to Amsterdam, I found a reasonably priced driver/guide on the Europe thread with great reviews, one of which was from a solo lady w. mobility issues. It was through a website called Senior Holland Travel....you don't NEED to be a senior to use them. Will be using him for 2 days in 2008.

 

I hope we'll all share more of these options & opportunities for private tours on this thread.

 

Martha

[airlink diva]

First of all, let me say that on my cruises, about 98% of my tours are book with independent tours. I mainly review tours from the "ports of call" board and go from there.

When I contact the tour company or guide, I let them know that I'm a solo cruiser. With the exception of one tour guide, it's never been a problem.

In April I took a 10 day cruise on the Maasdam. All of my tours in port were booked with guides suggested from this website. All of my tours were outstanding except for one.

In Barbados was not solo friendly. The turtle and snokerling tour mainly had families on it (no problem in the past). I felt brushed aside by the tour guides. For example free drinks (soda,tea,beer,etc was offered) were included. With the other sailers, once they got on board, drinks were contanstly offered and refilled. I had to ask for my drink and never offered a refill. When I went to the bar area to get a drink, it was like a bother to serve me. We were encourged to sit out on deck during sailing, but each place that I sat, I was told to move. I guess that they felt that better tips from the families than from one person. This was the first time that I couldn't wait for a tour to end.

Normally I tip my guides, but this was one that I didn't. I heard one guy make a comment "I told you she wouldn't tip". I wrote to the owner about my tour and they reply stating that their employees are to treat all guest equally and was sorry that I wasn't.

Now, if I was in a small group I feel that thing would had been different. But as a solo cruiser, it wasn't the best tour for me.

But one bad tour out of dozens isn't so bad.

Happy sailing!!

 

 

Is it December 2008 yet???

My 14 day Statedam cruise :D :D !

[luvcruzing]

Normally I tip my guides, but this was one that I didn't. I heard one guy make a comment "I told you she wouldn't tip".

 

 

I hope you turned around and said "I would have tipped had you deserved it by treating me well."

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

<<<<not only do we pay a huge amount for our cabins but i usually end up paying more for tours.<<<<

 

How are we paying more for tours? I have booked all my tours through the ship (convient, ship wont leave if late, safety, etc). I have NEVER paid more than what is stated.

 

I am curious about why you said that you are paying more for tours. Maybe for the independent ones?