Karen Lynn Posted May 1, 2013 #1 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Anyone know if Oceania shore trips have gratuities incl? TKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no fuss travel Posted May 1, 2013 #2 Share Posted May 1, 2013 No, they are not included. They are just expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Lynn Posted May 1, 2013 Author #3 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Indeed! Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddmel Posted May 1, 2013 #4 Share Posted May 1, 2013 No question that O excursions are not inexpensive. But, cost is just one factor in deciding whether to book them. Ease of booking, insurance coverage, reliability, etc. are some of the additional factors. Each will come to their own determination regarding the best value of O vs. private excursions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted May 1, 2013 #5 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Other than an irrational fear of missing the ship I can see no reason to ever book a ship's tours. They are way more expensive than private tours and you are herded on a bus where the pace is dictated by the slowest one aboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted May 1, 2013 #6 Share Posted May 1, 2013 The fear of missing the ship isn't necessarily irrational. On our Jan '02 Buenos Aires-Valpo cruise on NCL (replacing a far east cruise that was supposed to have been on Renaissance) we either walking around on our own or did ship's tours because each port was a two day sail away. I had this vision of hiring a taxi and driving two hours and then getting a flat tire. And then on one of our ship's tours our bus broke down and by the time they got a replacement to us, we were more than an hour late getting back to the ship. They wouldn't have waited for us if we'd been on a private tour when that happened. (Not that I've ever had anything like that happen on a private tour.) For people who would rather have someone else handle their tours (for whatever reason), ship's tours are a good option. They just aren't for everybody. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecountess Posted May 1, 2013 #7 Share Posted May 1, 2013 In addition to a possible fear of not getting back on time, another consideration is Tje location of the port itself. We have been to some out of the way ports in Alaska and Norway where there have been no private tour guides and no taxis or car rental agencies. The choices were either walk the one block town or take a ship's excursion to a fjord. We chose the latter. The bottom line is to evaluate options and determine the plussed and minuses of each, then do what works best for you. With regard to tipping on a ship excursion, do so only if it is earned; do not feel pressured or obligated. Harriet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted May 1, 2013 #8 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I am one of those O cruisers with an "irrational" fear of missing the ship! On our first European cruise (Ren) we rented a car on Menorca and had car trouble as far away from the port as we could be. With limited local language and no way to communicate with anyone, we were left to wave down speeding vehicles. How lucky were we? Someone stopped and helped us start the car and followed us to the rental lot. We even got our money back! We approached the ship as final all aboard was taking place and scurried up the crew's gangway! I am happy in most cases to pay for and participate in O tours. Some ports, we feel confident on our own. In ports that offer OE tours we particularly enjoy the smaller groups. I guess it is up to each person to decide what is best for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 1, 2013 #9 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Other than an irrational fear of missing the ship I can see no reason to ever book a ship's tours. They are way more expensive than private tours and you are herded on a bus where the pace is dictated by the slowest one aboard. I am right there with you We are on Nautica now. Oceania's big bus tours are three and four times the cost of our small group private tours and we cover more ground, go where we want and have had marvelous interactions with our middle eastern guides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeezics Posted May 2, 2013 #10 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Other than an irrational fear of missing the ship I can see no reason to ever book a ship's tours. They are way more expensive than private tours and you are herded on a bus where the pace is dictated by the slowest one aboard. Amen! We are taking our first Oceania cruise. Signed up for 4 shore excursions against my better judgement. Find them very expensive! Totally on the ship for the itinerary....have a feeling it will be my first and last. Feel that I am being charged for simply breathing on the ship.....back to my favorites after this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldercash Posted May 2, 2013 #11 Share Posted May 2, 2013 An option at times is Oceania will arrange a private tour for 8 people in a Van with a guide. We have done this twice and the cost was similar to that of the cattle bus tours. O is the only line I have ever been on that was willing to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted May 2, 2013 #12 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Skeezics, In that case, cancel the ship's tours, find the roll call for your cruise and try to find smaller tours. There's no requirement to use a ship's tour if you don't want to. Now, as I have said, when we booked very last minute on a cruise that generally had two day sails from one port to another and we didn't have a chance to find private tours, we used ship's tours. They were fine (not on O). Usually we book private tours but also include a few ship's tours. You didn't indicate what cruise you are on, but unless you booked very last minute I would suggest you find the roll call for your cruise and see if you can't do private tours. Or -- even schedule your own! Am I missing something? Were you compelled to book ship's tours? If you don't want to do them, don't! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 2, 2013 #13 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Yesterday we did a tour for 8 of us in muscat Guide was fabulous 40 pp The similar big bus tour that covered less ground and was a hour shorter was 105 pp. We were in the grand mosque at the same time the busses arrived. There was no comparison between our guide and the big bus guide. Eg our guide told us which foot to use to step in and out of the mosque and we carefully followed tradition. He stopped at different points to teach us about the rituals. The big bus guide did what big bus guides do-- There is just no comparison!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted May 2, 2013 #14 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I do have a certain fear of missing the ship. Especially when the tour goes far away from the port. This could easily have happened to us once on a private tour to the Alhambra from Malaga. I'm looking at an itinerary that includes Ephesus, Naples, Rome, Florence and Marseille--all those include long trips and I worry about that aspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisis Posted May 2, 2013 #15 Share Posted May 2, 2013 One can book a package of excursions for a slightly reduced price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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