Local Tour Companies in Nova Scotia

[baggyparsnips]

Hi Everyone,

We are cruising on Explorer 25th Sep - 4th Oct and wondered if anyone knows of any good local tour companies in Sydney and Halifax (Nova scotia).

 

Many Thanks!:)

[NancyIL]

We're on the Oct. 9th Explorer cruise, and because of the short port time in Sydney (5 hours) - we will book one of the ship's excursions there.

 

We booked a 4-hour tour in Halifax with Bruce's Tours - based on the recommendation of a fellow cruiser on our roll call: http://www.brucestours.ca

[baggyparsnips]

Thanks for this. Would you rate Bruce above the ship tour?

[NancyIL]

Thanks for this. Would you rate Bruce above the ship tour?

 

I won't be able to rate Bruces Tour until after we return - which won't help you. Someone on our roll call went with Bruce last year and gave the tour a good recommendation.

 

When possible, I usually prefer to go with independent companies. However, because our ship arrives in Sydney in the afternoon, and 3000+ people will be trying to get off the ship at the same time, I'll book with the ship. We also arrive in Halifax in the afternoon, but we have a longer time in port.

[cruzin lady]

Hi Everyone,

We are cruising on Explorer 25th Sep - 4th Oct and wondered if anyone knows of any good local tour companies in Sydney and Halifax (Nova scotia).

 

Many Thanks!:)

We will be on the Explorer with you! :) So far, I have booked 2 private day trips, but haven't done the other 2. We would be glad to share if you might be interested in doing so. We are booking mainly driving/scenic/foliage tours without much walking and with very limited shopping. Let me know if you are interested.

Cruzin Lady

[nybumpkin]

In Halifax, we went to Peggy's Cove last year with Jonathan Duru of Your Cab. He was very good - pleasant, a nice tour.

[susananded]

just returned from the june 13th sailing on the grandeur of the seas. seven of us had a wonderful tour of halifax and peggy's cove with jonathan at "your cab" . we highly recommend him!

http://www.yourcab.ca/

[cruising diva]

Cruzin lady--my husband and I will be on the same cruise Oct.9 and may be interested in joining you on your private tours. Can you tell me more about your tours? Thank you.

[kootz]

My DH and I will be on the Maasdam in Aug/Sept.

We have booked a private tour with Bruce for Halifax.

Can you tell me the other private tour you have booked. It seems we have have the same interests.

Thanks

[cruzin lady]

Kootz and Cruising Diva--

E-mail me and I will send you info. :)

texascruzinlady@yahoo.com

Cruzin Lady

[sue1898]

Another vote for Jonathan Duru (info@yourcab.ca). We toured with him last week. Excellent tour and he is the nicest guy you'll ever meet. We took a Holland America bus tour the day before and the difference was like night and day. Such a pleasure to have a tour built around your own particular interests and to stop where you wish and have bathroom and food stops when you need them! I can't recommend Jonathan enough!

[Two if by Sea]

Another vote for Jonathan Duru

 

Good thing we had our own plans in Halifax or we'd have been fighting over reserving him :). I had read many good things about him and was almost ready to book when I realized we had friends to visit with that day.

[ginger and professor]

Hi Kootz are on the Aug 23 voyage. If so and if you would be interested in sharing a tour, we would be interested also.

[cruzin lady]

I called and spoke with a woman at Tartan Tours when I first started trying to decide which company to use in each port. The woman was so very rude to me that I ended the conversation, and started looking for other companies. :mad:

Maybe she was just having a bad day, but in the tourist business I don't think "bad days" are allowed when speaking with potential customers.

Cruzin Lady

[NancyIL]

I called and spoke with a woman at Tartan Tours when I first started trying to decide which company to use in each port. The woman was so very rude to me that I ended the conversation, and started looking for other companies. :mad:

Maybe she was just having a bad day, but in the tourist business I don't think "bad days" are allowed when speaking with potential customers.

Cruzin Lady

 

I had a very cordial e-mail correspondence with Diane from Tartan Tours several months ago. However, due to our short time in port, we decided to book the ship's "Heart of the Island" excursion that goes to the Highland Village Museum in Iona.

 

There's a good review of Tartan Tours on another thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=135943&page=2 (see post #33)

[kootz]

Hi Kootz are on the Aug 23 voyage. If so and if you would be interested in sharing a tour, we would be interested also.

 

We are on the Aug 30th voyage...

[Louise P]

We did a 6 hour tour with Jonathan last week.* We originally booked him for 7 and 1/2 hours, but we told him we wanted time to spend on the boardwalk at the end.* Without being asked he refunded some of the money.* We were 9 people in his van.* We were not crowded.* He provided cold water and soft drinks.* 2 of our group could not start the tour with us, due to a dental problem.* When they were ready Jonathan left us at Tim Perkins and bought our coffee.* He then went and got them, while we waited and drank the very good coffee.* Nothing like the coffee on the ship.* We covered all the highlights and more.* It was a lovely day and I can sincerely recommend him. My daughter and her family went with his company the week before, and they were very satisified. info@yourcab.ca.

Louise