Ripoff!

[trubey]

A few weeks ago, we went to pick up a couple of friends who were in port (Ponta Delgada) for the day; and although there were a bunch of shuttle buses, many people were walking to the city gates.

 

"Long hike," I said, "Half a mile or so." trying to be a nice guy and save their feet for sightseeing.

 

Then somebody told me it cost $9.00 for the bus -- each way! Huh?!?

 

We have never paid a charge for a short shuttle. Is this the new practice? The boat was LaCosta, but I don't know if it was the Cruise Line's concession, or the town's. Anybody know any more about this?

 

Lane

[sail7seas]

Being someone who lives there, Lane, wouldn't you be in a better position to find out than one of us on a BB?

 

I agree that is very high cost for a short ride..... a half mile really isn't that far to walk for people with no health/ mobility problems.

Could be the bus company that provided the bus trying to make high profits? Certainly would not be the first time locals ripped off tourists.

 

 

 

[hammybee]

ALL businesses mark -up their wholesale costs when they resell a product. The mark-up includes their wholesale cost, administration and promotion as well as a profit for the reseller.

 

ALL cruise lines mark-up their cost of shore excursions and transfers because they are operating a business.

 

The mark-up is what makes the world go round.

[Jemima]

When the Veendam was there in April, there was a shuttle from the ship to the fort (?). I don't think there was a charge, but we didn't use the shuttle. We did talk to a couple people who said it was quite a distant from the bus drop off to shopping etc. We took a ship excursion to Sete Cidades and would have gone into Ponta Delgada when we returned had there been a shuttle that took us further than the end of the dock (or wherever the fort was). Besides we preferred the out of town parts of your island. The scenery is beautiful.

[bepsf]

Then somebody told me it cost $9.00 for the bus -- each way! Huh?!?

 

Y'all must have some expensive fuel out there!!!

:cool:

[ortrud]

Just Returned From The Transatlantic Legend Cruise 4/21/07. The Shuttle Bus In Ponta Delgada Was Free To The End Of The Pier.

In Lisbon The Shuttle Bus Into The City Was $8.oo

[Krazy Kruizers]

Those are expensive shuttle rides. I know that the cost of gasoline is higher in Europe, but $$$$$????

[trubey]

Sail, I DID write to the Presidente of the Concelho (the boss of our 'county') about this, and exorbitant taxi fares as well. The island government is spending millions of euros to attract tourists from all over the world: you'd think the last thing they'd want to do is offend them the first 5 minutes they are off a ship.

 

FYI, diesel fuel here is 90 centimos per litre, or about $2.65 per gallon at current exchange rates.

 

lkt

[dforeigner]

Sail, I DID write to the Presidente of the Concelho (the boss of our 'county') about this, and exorbitant taxi fares as well. The island government is spending millions of euros to attract tourists from all over the world: you'd think the last thing they'd want to do is offend them the first 5 minutes they are off a ship.

 

FYI, diesel fuel here is 90 centimos per litre, or about $2.65 per gallon at current exchange rates.

 

lkt

 

Boy, the price of Diesel is actually cheaper in Portugal than in the US.

[luvnorway]

On Veendam in April we were told by HAL that local authorities would NOT ALLOW us to walk on the pier from the ship to the fort and therefore we must take the FREE shuttle which the port provided.

We found this a bit strange since we like to walk and have always walked right from the ship to the city centre. Nevertheless, we reluctantly took the shuttle assuming this was a new regulation.

[hammybee]

Boy, the price of Diesel is actually cheaper in Portugal than in the US.

 

You nailed this one. Our fuel has been relatively inexpensive when compared to the majority of Europe and maybe the world, for so long, and now it's pay back time.

[sail7seas]

Sail, I DID write to the Presidente of the Concelho (the boss of our 'county') about this, and exorbitant taxi fares as well. The island government is spending millions of euros to attract tourists from all over the world: you'd think the last thing they'd want to do is offend them the first 5 minutes they are off a ship.

 

FYI, diesel fuel here is 90 centimos per litre, or about $2.65 per gallon at current exchange rates.

 

lkt

 

Good going, Lane.

 

Wonder if you'll get a response and if so, if it will be what you'd hope it to be.

[PRINSENDAM]

On Veendam in April we were told by HAL that local authorities would NOT ALLOW us to walk on the pier from the ship to the fort and therefore we must take the FREE shuttle which the port provided.

We found this a bit strange since we like to walk and have always walked right from the ship to the city centre. Nevertheless, we reluctantly took the shuttle assuming this was a new regulation.

 

 

 

We were just in Ponta Delgada last week on board QE2. Fantastic day!!!!!!

 

Correct. You are not permitted to walk on the dock from your ship to the gate or return. This is for your own safety as it is very much a working port. A free shutttle is provided.

 

HOWEVER..... There is no problem is you wish to walk. Simply climb the steps to the top of the breakwater and walk along the top of the wall.

 

Something for everyone.

 

Stephen

[Copper10-8]

Those Portuguese buses must run on Venezuelan gas:eek:

[kryos]

Then somebody told me it cost $9.00 for the bus -- each way! Huh?!?

I could be wrong ... but I think there were some shuttles in one of our ports that were $5.00 each way ... for about the same distance. The shuttle was only for people not on tours, as our tour busses were able to meet us right at the ship. These shuttles took people from the ship to the entrance of the port ... a distance of about a mile, I believe. I remember thinking at the time that $5.00 bucks was reasonable ... especially since this was in a European port that dealt in Euros. Five bucks is only about three Euros.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[luvnorway]

Follow up to post by Stephen/AKA Prinsendam

 

"Great minds think alike . . ." Walking on top of the breakwater was exactly what we tried to do to avoid having to take the shuttle - had learned that trick on previous visits to Ponta Delgada

- unfortunately, when we were there in April, they were doing some construction on the breakwater, near the fort end of it, and had it fenced off. Returning to the ship, we could only walk about the first 100m and then hit a fence up there and had to come down and revert to the shuttle.

 

It sounds, from your post, that you found the breakwater route open again and that the blockade was only temporary. Really glad to hear that. Thanks for the update.