Private tours

For those of you who plan private tours & invite your roll call members, what is the benefit?

Caveat: my private tours are priced per person, not "for the bus." (If your tours are for the bus, then i understand the economy of scale- those just aren't the private tours that I choose.)

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Cost is not the primary concern for me. I often end up paying more for a private tour than for a ship tour, especially if it is a small group. (I have paid for private tours for just me, or sometimes with one other person to split the cost.)

For me, the most important benefit is being able to create the itinerary that I want. No 'cookie cutter, out of the box' tour. I have specific areas of interest and I work to find tours that are geared to those areas. Of course, that's one reason why I often am talking about a very small group of people. ;)

I agree with you that a 'private tour' is ideally not more than 8 or 10 people. Otherwise you lose the advantages of being a smaller group, IMHO.

The other big PLUS for me is that I always specify there will be NO shopping stops. In certain ports, these stops are nearly universally added. I've had tour agencies tell me everything from: "The stops at these state-owned 'factories' are required" (they are not), to "If you don't want to stop at the [cameo/ceramic/rug/papyrus/wooden box] factory, we'll have to charge more for your tour" (they won't, if you stay firm).

On my tours you will spend your time touring, not shopping! ;p

Private tours that you organize yourself are usually for groups of four to eight. The ship sponsored tours usually have a 40 person bus. A large group moves at the rate of the slowest person. In Greece we had a six person private tour that left before the bus tours. We were always ahead of the bus tours, sites, restaurant, toilets, etc. As mentioned before, you can eliminate any shopping stops. In April, 2017 using a private tour for six persons, in Ponta Delgado, Azores we were able to see everything on the bus tour schedule plus and hour and half in hot springs. Unless we have no alternative, we use the private tour for shore excursions. In many cities we will skip the private tour or ship excursions and rely on taxis and public transportation.

I use private tours for the following reasons:

1) customize the tour to exactly what I want to see...NO shopping stops

2) beat the large buses to the stops so it's usually less crowded

3) usually it is customizable as you go so if there is something you want to stop and see as you are going, they will stop and if u loose interest at a stop, you can leave early

The biggest reason

4) maximize time in port....on a ship tour it often leaves an hour or 2 after you arrive in port and is back a few hours before your ship leaves. That is wasted time to me. If i leave on a private tour as soon as the ship docks, I still have 3-4hrs available at the end of the tour to go to the beach or do something else and I still got to see the same things if not more than the ship tour

For those of you who plan private tours & invite your roll call members, what is the benefit?

 

Caveat: my private tours are priced per person, not "for the bus." (If your tours are for the bus, then i understand the economy of scale- those just aren't the private tours that I choose.)

 

 

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The others have explained well the benefits of private tours I think.

Flexibility, better quality with smaller groups.

Another advantage not yet mentioned. When you are touring with fellow roll call members you are touring with people you "know", people who have agreed upon the tour objectives, etc.

I am confused by your "bus" term though. It sounds like you are going on a larger tour which has a fixed itinerary. So, it will be smaller than most ship excursions, but if I have understood you correctly, it will not have the flexibility that the smaller private tours do.

The others have explained well the benefits of private tours I think.

 

Flexibility, better quality with smaller groups.

 

Another advantage not yet mentioned. When you are touring with fellow roll call members you are touring with people you "know", people who have agreed upon the tour objectives, etc.

 

I am confused by your "bus" term though. It sounds like you are going on a larger tour which has a fixed itinerary. So, it will be smaller than most ship excursions, but if I have understood you correctly, it will not have the flexibility that the smaller private tours do.

Jacqui - I think the "bus" term has to do with the tours many places that place a price on the tour no matter how many people are involved up to the limit of the vehicle. I have scheduled many tours that are, for example, $200 for the tour, but if I share it with others it could go down to as little as $25 if the vehicle can hold 8 paying passengers.

Jacqui - I think the "bus" term has to do with the tours many places that place a price on the tour no matter how many people are involved up to the limit of the vehicle. I have scheduled many tours that are, for example, $200 for the tour, but if I share it with others it could go down to as little as $25 if the vehicle can hold 8 paying passengers.

Yes, and the same is often true of a private driver/car in Europe. The cost might be 400 euro whether it's paid by one person or by four.

HAL tours tell you up front if there are "shopping experiences" included. If they are not, you are not taken to them. However, bathroom breaks are often provided at larger facilities that can accommodate the group, and there may be auxiliary shopping available at that same larger bathroom facility. But the main purpose is the bathroom break.

HAL is now additionally offering smaller group tours for an small extra price that are more nimble. The two day HAL "small tour" of St Petersburg offered many of the same features of other smaller private tours - this is a vast area to cover and everyone has to face the traffic and crowds. This is an intense experience anyway you do it because there is so much to see --all well away from the port -- so a tour of some sort - HAL or private -- is absolutely necessary.

And yes, the bathroom breaks on the small HAL tour did provide "shopping" if you wanted to - and actually they were pretty good opportunities to buy well-priced Russian trinkets. But we were never herded into any unwelcome shopping-only experiences on any HAL tour unless this was disclosed upfront in the HAL tour description.

One time a guide tried to divert our group to one, and he got soundly voted down by the group onboard. Other times sufficient group members did request a shopping stop at the end of the trip. So it can depend - but the first duty is to honor only what the HAL tour offered up front. So you can protest if anyone tries to change that expectation.

We have done both private and mainly HAL excursions - both have been very satisfactory options for us. One funny private tour in Kirkenes, Norway on another ship added a "shopping experience" but in fact this was a very local phenomenon. I wanted to take a taxi to cross the Finnish border from Kirkenes Norway (the last port for the famous Hurtigruten ships). I collect countries so this seemed like a good chance to add Finland to my collection.

Our private hired taxi driver shyly asked if we minded if he stopped at a grocery store across the Finnish border to buy meat, which apparently is a well-worn ritual for many Norwegians - who in fact run "meat busses" because of the cheaper prices in Finland.

So while it was an unexpected" forced shopping experience", it was also a chance to have a very Norwegian local experience at the same time - plus our taxi driver bought us some hot roasted pork spareribs at the market which were one of the most delicious tour meals we ever had.

One benefit of private small tours is you are less of sitting ducks for the pick-pockets which are notorious in St Petersburg - where ever the expected tour groups end up. (Watch out for the young men offering gilded "paintings" from portfolios on the streets - they appear to be part of a very organized network sizing up potential hits using a sophisticated communication system with each other to identify, track and later hit.)

Jacqui - I think the "bus" term has to do with the tours many places that place a price on the tour no matter how many people are involved up to the limit of the vehicle. I have scheduled many tours that are, for example, $200 for the tour, but if I share it with others it could go down to as little as $25 if the vehicle can hold 8 paying passengers.

Yes, and the same is often true of a private driver/car in Europe. The cost might be 400 euro whether it's paid by one person or by four.

thanks both. The reason I addressed the bus issue...

There are smaller bus tours put on by some companies (ie. Spain Day Tours) and I thought this may be what the OP was referring to. A big difference from the private vehicle tours that I am used to and you are both referencing. Just wanted to alert the OP in case. I'm not used to seeing the term "bus" used if it is a van or vehicle that holds 6, 7 or 8.

If we take a local tour, we specify that we'd like to be taken to where the locals go. We have had some really unique experiences and enjoyed some fantastic foods. We are not typical tourists, though. We like to see what life is like for the locals as opposed to touring en masse with a large group.

HAL tours tell you up front if there are "shopping experiences" included. If they are not, you are not taken to them. However, bathroom breaks are often provided at larger facilities that can accommodate the group, and there may be auxiliary shopping available at that same larger bathroom facility. But the main purpose is the bathroom break.

 

Whether the shopping stop is disclosed or not, I don't like it. ;) Also I have seen far too many 'bathroom stops' of supposedly 10 minutes turn into 20 additional minutes of waiting for all the passengers to return (a number of whom are standing in line to purchase something).

I've taken 'small group' tours with Princess, who has offered these for years. They still have the huge drawback of not being able to customize the itinerary to what I specifically want to see. When I did the Med with my mother in 2006, I thought these tours would be a good compromise -- she didn't feel 'safe' going on a private tour (she is mortally afraid of missing the ship even after 50 years of cruising....). And I do not enjoy 50-passenger bus tours.

Turns out the private tours were not much better. I chafed at all the wasted time. And it was on one of these 'smaller' tours in Istanbul where so much time was wasted -- first at a long lunch and then at a carpet factory -- that our guide gave us a very, very scant amount of time at Haghia Sophia which was left until last. I'm not an emotional person, but I was in tears after this.

Never again, if I can help it. :mad:

<snip>

 

HAL is now additionally offering smaller group tours for an small extra price that are more nimble. The two day HAL "small tour" of St Petersburg offered many of the same features of other smaller private tours - this is a vast area to cover and everyone has to face the traffic and crowds. This is an intense experience anyway you do it because there is so much to see --all well away from the port -- so a tour of some sort - HAL or private -- is absolutely necessary.

 

 

 

We have done both private and mainly HAL excursions - both have been very satisfactory options for us..)

Whether the shopping stop is disclosed or not, I don't like it. ;) Also I have seen far too many 'bathroom stops' of supposedly 10 minutes turn into 20 additional minutes of waiting for all the passengers to return (a number of whom are standing in line to purchase something).

 

I've taken 'small group' tours with Princess, who has offered these for years. They still have the huge drawback of not being able to customize the itinerary to what I specifically want to see. When I did the Med with my mother in 2006, I thought these tours would be a good compromise -- she didn't feel 'safe' going on a private tour (she is mortally afraid of missing the ship even after 50 years of cruising....). And I do not enjoy 50-passenger bus tours.

 

Turns out the private tours were not much better. I chafed at all the wasted time. And it was on one of these 'smaller' tours in Istanbul where so much time was wasted -- first at a long lunch and then at a carpet factory -- that our guide gave us a very, very scant amount of time at Haghia Sophia which was left until last. I'm not an emotional person, but I was in tears after this.

 

Never again, if I can help it. :mad:

St. Petersburg - we've done it twice - once on a ship excursion and the 2nd time on a private tour. There is NO comparison IMO. Far more flexibility, moving along as it suited and a much better tour privately.

I was elated when HAL started their smaller group tours. What a let down. We were still stuck waiting for that "speshul" person who was stuck in the washroom (yea, right as she came back from packages from the shops).

Last cruise even on a transfer, the HAL transfer went late and our free time was cut back significantly. We tore to get to the bus on time only to sit there waiting for the "speshul" people who took another 15 minutes.

So, although it takes time to research and email, I'll stick with private tours whenever possible (or diy). It's not the price. It's just a better experience IMO.

Question for all you private tour fans; Does the small group/private tour "organizer" receive any kind of discount from the tour operator for organizing said tour, i.e, filling up said van? Gracias! :D

Question for all you private tour fans; Does the small group/private tour "organizer" receive any kind of discount from the tour operator for organizing said tour, i.e, filling up said van? Gracias! :D

I will answer for myself only, Any such discount I might have or will receive would be split between all participants.

Question for all you private tour fans; Does the small group/private tour "organizer" receive any kind of discount from the tour operator for organizing said tour, i.e, filling up said van? Gracias! :D

Not usually in my experience. I have had a couple of offers of same. I asked the discount to be applied to the entire tour and shared with my group.

I've done a lot of private tours and very few do it. Nor, do I expect nor need it.

The benefit of the private tour is enough for me and that's why I organize them ;)

Thanks to you both for responding; have a nice Sunday! :)

Question for all you private tour fans; Does the small group/private tour "organizer" receive any kind of discount from the tour operator for organizing said tour, i.e, filling up said van? Gracias! :D

I think any "discounts" are likely offered only for those larger group tours, e.g., the ones that have maybe 15+ people. I know the small private tours I've set up have not come with any offer of a discount, nor have I expected one.

Jacqui - I think the "bus" term has to do with the tours many places that place a price on the tour no matter how many people are involved up to the limit of the vehicle. I have scheduled many tours that are, for example, $200 for the tour, but if I share it with others it could go down to as little as $25 if the vehicle can hold 8 paying passengers.

That was my point, thanks

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Thanks again, I'm taking 2 different flights (weather cooperating) in Alaska. (I understand that there may be others joining us, but my price is not effected.)

I mostly asked in conjunction with the current thread on meet & mingles/roll calls. Some mentioned that the two could be used for private tours.

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Copper10-8;

While I have not organized a small group tour from a cruise ship, i have organized numerous small group day tours for land travel. The vendor frequently will have a deal - such as if you have 7 "guests" the 8th person is free. Or it could be 15 + 1 free. These are usually trips where the "leader" collects the money and the tour vendor just works with one person in terms of plans and the entire payment (be it with deposits or just pay that day).

As someone already said - the leader may well share the "free" slot(s) savings with the whole group rather than going for "free" themselves. Others do this as more of a business to enable themselves to save money or go on tours they could not afford otherwise. I have heard of people on cruises doing it each way - but that was only hearsay.

In terms of my land tours, they were usually part of a conference or convention where I could NOT personally benefit so I shared the cost reduction with all participants. For conferences and conventions the same applied to hotel rooms - for every so many rooms we got a freebie. Unfortunately I could not personally benefit from this either - usually used to house our speakers, whom we were paying for.

HAL offers small group tours on some itineraries, with an additional cost of approx. $30/pp.

I much prefer private tours, and really dislike the long waits at bathroom stops or shopping on the HAL tours. For some reason on the private excursions organised by the roll call people seem to pay more attention to what time they have to be back at the bus. And it is a huge plus being with a group that you already know or doing a private excursion on your own.

As to the question about discount being offered, that has always been split between everyone on the bus, cutting the cost for all.

For those of you who plan private tours & invite your roll call members, what is the benefit?

 

Caveat: my private tours are priced per person, not "for the bus." (If your tours are for the bus, then i understand the economy of scale- those just aren't the private tours that I choose.)

 

 

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It is not a matter of the cost but the tour experience. Every private tour that I have taken has been a better tour experience than any of the ship tours that I have been forced to take.

BTW - for the worry worts out there, I have never missed a ship because I took a private tour. The claim that you could miss the ship if you take a private tour is just one of the many lies or scare tactics used by the cruise lines. Yes - it is possible but it will not happen.

DON

Question for all you private tour fans; Does the small group/private tour "organizer" receive any kind of discount from the tour operator for organizing said tour, i.e, filling up said van? Gracias! :D

We haven't used an official private tour. When we get off the ship there are ad-hoc tour operators waiting for you. Those are the ones we have used. Nothing pre-planned, so no discount.

...................The claim that you could miss the ship if you take a private tour is just one of the many lies or scare tactics used by the cruise lines. Yes - it is possible but it will not happen.

 

DON

Personally seen it happen twice;

#1 Livorno, Italy; Noordam, 2015 - group of six private tour People's Republic of China nationals

#2 Bridgetown, Barbados; Maasdam, 2014 - group of five U.S. nationals on a private tour

Captain will wait until he can't wait any more and he's got to go! In both these incidents, there was no communication with the driver of the respective vans, so no one could provide us with an ETA of their return to the ship...................It does happen, whether you think it's lies or scare tactics by the cruise line, or not!

We haven't used an official private tour. When we get off the ship there are ad-hoc tour operators waiting for you. Those are the ones we have used. Nothing pre-planned, so no discount.

No discount with most preplanned either. When you are in certain ports, the good guides go fast, so it is wise to book early which is why we do it.

There is only "one" for some of our favourite guides in Europe.