HAL Excursions

It's been a year or so since we've been on HAL and I noticed they have rebranded their excursions. Is the rebranding the only change? Or have they made them more affordable/nicer/smaller/whatever?

I ask because we were looking at an independent excursion in Quebec City and noticed the HAL price for the same tour was almost the same.

Just a re-branding ... same excursions.

We have noticed in Europe and South America that their prices seem more competitive - but it may be that the local guides have twigged to the cruise tour prices and upped theirs!:eek:

It's been a year or so since we've been on HAL and I noticed they have rebranded their excursions. Is the rebranding the only change? Or have they made them more affordable/nicer/smaller/whatever?

 

 

 

I ask because we were looking at an independent excursion in Quebec City and noticed the HAL price for the same tour was almost the same.

We are going to South America and I have found that many of HAL's excursions are the same price as independent excursions. It was not like that on other cruises so I think it depends where you're going. Biggest difference would be the size of the group.

Helen

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If it says "EXC Tours" Look at the back of your excursion booklet and you will see the write up below. It looks like excursions are being "outsourced".

Peter

If it says "EXC Tours" Look at the back of your excursion booklet and you will see the write up below. It looks like excursions are being "outsourced".

 

 

Peter

I think "outsourcing" has always been true, at least in most ports. (I think Alaska land tours are an exception) The cruise line contracts with various tour operators to provide tours.

In some cases, these are companies that also offer tours to other cruise lines or to independent travelers. Some of the snorkel trips I've been on can be booked by anyone. But on a day a ship is in port, they're booked up with cruise ship passengers. At other times of that day or on other days, they're available to take individual bookings.

If I'm looking at a ship's tour, I look at similar tours, either at tripadvisor or by googling what I want, like "snorkel Aruba." I compare the stock photos or the descriptions, and I can often tell which vendor HAL is using. Then I can read online reviews and see if I want to take the tour. I look at the reviews on HAL's site, too, but there tend to be very few of them.

If it says "EXC Tours" Look at the back of your excursion booklet and you will see the write up below. It looks like excursions are being "outsourced".

 

 

Peter

Peter, thanks for the info.

I notice more HAL small group offerings and non-touristy cultural experiences for my Sept/Oct European odyssey.

I notice more HAL small group offerings and non-touristy cultural experiences for my Sept/Oct European odyssey.

That's good to hear. Isn't that what the whole "EXC" thing was supposed to be about?