Pros and cons of ship excursions vs book on your own?

[cruiseapril]

We have enjoyed many ship's excursions, but once we become familiar with

a port, we often create our own excursions and hire a taxi van to get to the sites.

[springfire]

Ships excursions are safe and easy! With a little research private excursions are so much better. With a private excursion you have less people, much easier to get around, you get more personal service. Private excursions are usually much cheaper.

[ksqueak]

I do a mix of both depending on the offerings and location. In the Caribbean I've even hired a taxi right off the ship for a tour and had wonderful experiences.

 

Sometimes the ships tours are the ONLY way to go, for example the Great Barrier Reef. The only way I was going to get there was on a ships tour. That's a rarity though. (expensive but worth it! :-))

[Hlitner]

If the ship is offering an excursion that we want to take at a time we like, we still prefer to book through the ship.

 

Why: It's the easy way!

 

They pick us up from the ship, take us to have fun, and return us to the ship ... all with no planning on our part! :D

 

LuLu

~~~~

 

Easy? Yes. But at what price. I will give you one of my favorite examples. Assume a family of 4 taking a Med cruise who wants to go to Rome from the port of Civitavecchia. If they booked a simple bus transfer from the ship to Rome (not even a tour) their cost (for 4) would be approximately $350 (or more depending on the cruise line). That same family could go to Rome on the train with a BIRG ticket (this also includes use of Rome's metro and buses) for about $65! So on just a single day that family would save nearly $300 by simply taking the train and the train is often faster then the cruise line transfer. Now multiply that times the number of ports on a typical cruise and you can quickly see that "easy" can be "expensive." :)

 

Hank

[AKman2495]

We book ships excursions for the same reason as LuLu-they're easy. As for cheap, I've learned that cheap is not always best.

 

On our up coming cruise, we were invited to book tours through our TA's company. I looked into them. They are not bad-except that they cost a small fortune if you cannot fill up the bus. That means I have togo out and seek out others to join the tour or hope that others sign up independently. No thank you. That is a lot of time and trouble, IMHO.

 

True, taking a cab around town or just walking can be fine-if you are familiar with the area. Otherwise, you have no idea what you are doing or seeing.

 

If I was going to someplace whee I have been before, the need for ships tours would be reduced.

 

Since, at this point, we are cruising to new places, I'll stick with the ships tours. So far, I have found some nice tours that are not that pricy.

 

On our last cruise, I found that all of our ship's tours were great. The guides were knowledgable and happy to be with. The places they took us were good examples of the area we were in, and we never once had to worry about anything.

 

I think they were all well worth it.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Easy? Yes. But at what price. I will give you one of my favorite examples. Assume a family of 4 taking a Med cruise who wants to go to Rome from the port of Civitavecchia. If they booked a simple bus transfer from the ship to Rome (not even a tour) their cost (for 4) would be approximately $350 (or more depending on the cruise line). That same family could go to Rome on the train with a BIRG ticket (this also includes use of Rome's metro and buses) for about $65! So on just a single day that family would save nearly $300 by simply taking the train and the train is often faster then the cruise line transfer. Now multiply that times the number of ports on a typical cruise and you can quickly see that "easy" can be "expensive." :)

 

Hank

That's true. But very few itineraries involve nothing but trips to cities fifty miles from the ports - Rome is something of an exception. So multiplying the Rome cost by the number of ports wouldn't tell you anything, it would just give you a very big, but meaningless, number.

 

I could just as well give you the example of northern Israel, a trip to the Sea of Galilee. Not only would a taxi private tour been more expensive for the two of us, it would have also meant we missed the ship because it wouldn't have waited for a car like it waited for the bus. So add on cost of accommodation and ongoing transport, a private tour would have cost thousands more than a ship tour. And then, when you multiply that by the average number of ports on a cruise ... :)

[Hlitner]

That's true. But very few itineraries involve nothing but trips to cities fifty miles from the ports - Rome is something of an exception. So multiplying the Rome cost by the number of ports wouldn't tell you anything, it would just give you a very big, but meaningless, number.

 

I could just as well give you the example of northern Israel, a trip to the Sea of Galilee. Not only would a taxi private tour been more expensive for the two of us, it would have also meant we missed the ship because it wouldn't have waited for a car like it waited for the bus. So add on cost of accommodation and ongoing transport, a private tour would have cost thousands more than a ship tour. And then, when you multiply that by the average number of ports on a cruise ... :)

 

Excellent point although we could add ports like Livorno, Le Havre, Marseille, Malaga, Warnemunde, etc. But we will not argue the point. In ports like Israel we often find that private tours with small groups (which are often put together here on CCs Roll Call boards) , , are a much better option then most cruise ships excursions. But for those that love being part of a very large group and have no issue with the cost there is a lot to say for cruise line excursions.

 

Hank

Edited October 5, 2013 by Hlitner

[cruisemom42]

I travel for the ports, and this is the most important part of the cruise to me. I have had some really bad ship tours. Really bad. Guides making fun of ethnic minorities in their country. Guides shilling endlessly for the stores where we stop for long amounts of time. Guides providing information that's not factual. Tours not including all the places promised in the description.

 

As a result, I've found that I much prefer seeing the sights on my own whenever possible, using public transportation (a good chance to people watch and feel like a bit of a temporary local). I feel comfortable doing this, even as a woman traveling alone, even in ports where I haven't been before, even in ports where I don't speak the language, etc.

 

I will occasionally take a private tour, such as when the logistics of the port make "DIY" near impossible, or where the services of a good guide are warranted. But usually the research I do on my own before the trip (which is extensive) goes above and beyond what a casual guide (such as the ones on most ship tours) will provide.

 

Sure, it's a personal choice. But if going on your own, whether by private tour or public transportation sounds appealing, don't be afraid to consider it and look into the possibilities. There are lots of folks here who can provide good, detailed info. Many have helped me over the years, and I try to pay it forward.

 

 

 

 

I could just as well give you the example of northern Israel, a trip to the Sea of Galilee. Not only would a taxi private tour been more expensive for the two of us, it would have also meant we missed the ship because it wouldn't have waited for a car like it waited for the bus. So add on cost of accommodation and ongoing transport, a private tour would have cost thousands more than a ship tour. And then, when you multiply that by the average number of ports on a cruise ... :)

 

My experience in Israel was somewhat different. As a solo, I priced Holland America's "overnight" excursion for our two days in Israel -- the only ship-sponsored tour that would have provided most of the things I wanted to see. I could not believe how much it cost -- almost as much as I paid for the entire cruise!

 

I was able to find a private tour with an EXCELLENT guide who had a background in exactly what I was interested in (Roman history in Israel). I had a private tour for ONE on the first day (Northern Israel from Haifa) and on the second day I found a couple on the ship who shared the tour with me of Jerusalem.

 

We had an excellent tour for a cost that in no way approached what the ship's tour would have cost.

 

Because we were on a private tour, our guide was very aware of the time and ensured that we made it back to the ship on time. We knew that the ship's tours would be late arriving back to the ship because when we were actually walking OUT of the gate of the old city, we saw about 15 tour buses just pulling up and unloading passengers. I was back on board ship, showered, dressed, and sipping a martini in the bar when most of the buses arrived back more than 2 hours late.

 

I am very convinced, after many such experiences, that ship tours are often late arriving back because they know they can be. If the operators had been seriously concerned about being late, they would have skipped Jerusalem altogether (can you imagine the complaints?? :cool:).

[mikewrit]

Cruise Critic roll calls make private tours far more easy to arrange and join. Our very best excursions have been since we found CC. Thanks, all.

[D&L Thomas]

We have always done DIY or privately arranged excursions, never through the ship.

 

As others have said, do a little research on the port of call boards and Trip Advisor. Most we've done require no upfront payment; you pay at the end and we have always felt an extra tip was warranted. One exception was a catamaran trip in Barbados rhat required a 50% deposit, but that was understandable because they only took 12 people.

 

I figure we've saved enough over several cruises to pay the deposit, at least, on another one.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It all depends on where ...

[nybumpkin]

We use both - it depends on the port, the time we are in port, and whether there is a cruise line excursion we want that is an exclusive - e.g., the steam train in Finland we did in July. If port time is limited, we're more likely to take a ship's excursion. I've never had a bad ship's excursion, but generally I find that the smaller tours are better. As an example, when we were in St. Petersburg one of the ship's tours missed the Church of the Spilled Blood because the driver of the 50-passenger bus couldn't find a place to park. The driver of our 16-passenger minibus had no problem parking.

[PoppyandNana]

We use both - it depends on the port, the time we are in port, and whether there is a cruise line excursion we want that is an exclusive - e.g., the steam train in Finland we did in July. If port time is limited, we're more likely to take a ship's excursion. I've never had a bad ship's excursion, but generally I find that the smaller tours are better. As an example, when we were in St. Petersburg one of the ship's tours missed the Church of the Spilled Blood because the driver of the 50-passenger bus couldn't find a place to park. The driver of our 16-passenger minibus had no problem parking.

 

We took a Red October two day tour of St. Pet. To have missed the church tour would have been a shame. Good example of where a ships tour was not the way to go.

[PoppyandNana]

I travel for the ports, and this is the most important part of the cruise to me. I have had some really bad ship tours. Really bad. Guides making fun of ethnic minorities in their country. Guides shilling endlessly for the stores where we stop for long amounts of time. Guides providing information that's not factual. Tours not including all the places promised in the description.

 

As a result, I've found that I much prefer seeing the sights on my own whenever possible, using public transportation (a good chance to people watch and feel like a bit of a temporary local). I feel comfortable doing this, even as a woman traveling alone, even in ports where I haven't been before, even in ports where I don't speak the language, etc.

 

I will occasionally take a private tour, such as when the logistics of the port make "DIY" near impossible, or where the services of a good guide are warranted. But usually the research I do on my own before the trip (which is extensive) goes above and beyond what a casual guide (such as the ones on most ship tours) will provide.

 

Sure, it's a personal choice. But if going on your own, whether by private tour or public transportation sounds appealing, don't be afraid to consider it and look into the possibilities. There are lots of folks here who can provide good, detailed info. Many have helped me over the years, and I try to pay it forward.

 

 

 

 

 

My experience in Israel was somewhat different. As a solo, I priced Holland America's "overnight" excursion for our two days in Israel -- the only ship-sponsored tour that would have provided most of the things I wanted to see. I could not believe how much it cost -- almost as much as I paid for the entire cruise!

 

I was able to find a private tour with an EXCELLENT guide who had a background in exactly what I was interested in (Roman history in Israel). I had a private tour for ONE on the first day (Northern Israel from Haifa) and on the second day I found a couple on the ship who shared the tour with me of Jerusalem.

 

We had an excellent tour for a cost that in no way approached what the ship's tour would have cost.

 

Because we were on a private tour, our guide was very aware of the time and ensured that we made it back to the ship on time. We knew that the ship's tours would be late arriving back to the ship because when we were actually walking OUT of the gate of the old city, we saw about 15 tour buses just pulling up and unloading passengers. I was back on board ship, showered, dressed, and sipping a martini in the bar when most of the buses arrived back more than 2 hours late.

 

I am very convinced, after many such experiences, that ship tours are often late arriving back because they know they can be. If the operators had been seriously concerned about being late, they would have skipped Jerusalem altogether (can you imagine the complaints?? :cool:).

 

On a recent Med cruise we arranged for a private tour of the catacombs below the Colleseum where the gladiators lived (as did the lions). Took the train in and back without a hassle and cheap. No way would a ships tour give us what we experienced privately.

[Swells1]

Remember that reviews can make or break a tour company. I don't think I'm in the minority here- when I research a company, my eyes go directly to the negative comments. I could see 100 positive comments, but the first bad review (within reason) will usually send me to the next guy.

[OCruisers]

We book ships excursions for the same reason as LuLu-they're easy. As for cheap, I've learned that cheap is not always best.

 

Like AKman, we don't mind paying for the convenience! It's worth it to us! :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[slidergirl]

I'm a bit like Cruisemom42 (no surprise to us): I travel as a solo woman. I'm very comfortable going it alone just about anywhere, regardless of any language barrier. Part of my vacation routine is to really research the areas I am visiting to get a good idea of what I want to see. I then plan out my day, leaving open the possibility that I'll miss something, but I'll find a gem that I didn't know about. I'll do public transportation if it's available. Now, I've done a Nile Cruise where I was part of a group of about 16 women and we had full days prepared for us. But, even then it was a small group and our fantastic female Egyptologist who traveled with us tailored her talks to enlighten us on the role of women in Egyptian society through the ages (what we were interested in). I wouldn't have had that experience on a normal bulk boat tour. When in Israel (a land trip with my hubby while he was working), I did a combination of driving and then walking Jerusalem on my own, my own walking tour of Tel Aviv. But for some further out spots, I did use Egged, the tour company. Not personal, but they got me to where I wanted to be.

 

I think of ships' tours like this: you look to see what they offer and pick one. I go the opposite: I look to see what I want to do/see and THEN find a way to accomplish that. I prefer to be independent rather than one of a herd. Just me.

Edited October 5, 2013 by slidergirl

[tip]

It seems as though most posters prefer ship sponsored excursions. To each his own.

 

We very seldom take ship sponsored excursions as we see them as nothing more than overpriced cattle herds. We use a combination of the ports of call threads on these boards along with Trip Advisor reviews to seek out private tours/tour guides.

 

We have never been disappointed. You save big $$. You are with a smaller group or even by yourselves. You can personalize a tour and there is not a lot of "hurry up and wait." We book a tour that leaves in the morning and build in a cushion of at least two hours before the ship sails to return. The tour operators know that their reputation is on the line and do not want to chance the bad reviews.

 

It takes a little work and research, but that is part of the fun of anticipating a cruise. For those who want to spend their money elsewhere, go for it! That's why we usually avoid the casinos as well!;)

[Putterdude]

If we are travelling a great distance from the port, if we are visiting a politically unstable country such as in Central America, or it is an extremely short port call then we will use a ships tour for sure. However, in the main we find ships tours to be pretty plain vanilla, expensive and poor value so tend to use private tours.

[aussielozzie18]

On my first cruise, we had a incident on board and we arrived in port 2 hours late. Our ship tour was still able to go ahead. Had I booked a private tour (as I had originally planned) I would have had to cancel.

 

As a newbie cruiser, I like the security of ship tours even though I know they are overpriced. I just wish RCI didnt charge the full price as soon as you book. I would prefer to just pay a deposit.

[BruceMuzz]

All the posters here neglected to mention a very important aspect of any tour - liability.

 

All the major cruise lines charge a premium for tours in order to pay for the massive liability insurance they carry for every passenger who takes a ship-sponsored tour. This insurance ranges from US$1 million to US$5 million per passenger per tour.

If something happens to go very wrong on a ship sponsored tour, everyone is covered.

 

Your local third world tour operator offers a very inexpensive tour, partly because he has no liability insurance at all. If you take his tour and have some major problems - good luck to you.

 

Having said that, I must admit that I would normally choose to take the local independent tour. I am not worried about saving a buck, but I find that the local tours are usually far more interesting to me. Luckily I am well enough off to afford any unforeseen disasters.

 

A few months ago on my ship, a Cruisecritic group booked a very inexpensive independent tour on a remote Indonesian Island.

The tour operator dropped them off, promising to return several hours later to pick them up.

One of the American passengers promptly had a heart attack, and later died on the beach.

There was no way to contact the tour operator - who never returned.

After several hours, the group was able to flag down a passing fisherman, who transported them and the deceased back to the ship. The widow spent over $75,000 and over 2 weeks getting herself and her dead husband back to America.

 

If they had been on a ship-sponsored tour, the fellow still might have died, but the cruise line would have taken care of everything.

 

The real questions are:

1. Do you (like me) feel lucky?

2. Can you (like me) afford to cover the worst possible scenario if you are not lucky?

[Bodogbodog]

Your local third world tour operator offers a very inexpensive tour, partly because he has no liability insurance at all. If you take his tour and have some major problems - good luck to you

That's why people have travel insurance

[ontheweb]

It depends.

 

We took a private tour in St, Petersburg with 10 of us from our roll call. It ended up cheaper, more personalized, and less crowded than if we had gone on a Princess tour.

 

In Jamaica, we took Carnival's Bob Marley bus, and it was the highlight of our cruise. We would never have been able to do that on our own. I don't know if there were similar private excursions, but given the distance needed to be traveled, we would still have taken the ship's tour.

 

Speaking of distance, that definitely has to be taken into consideration (especially if it is in a non-English speaking country.) On our very first cruise, I made the terrible mistake of getting us on a train going the wrong way when we wanted to go to Florence, and we missed it entirely. (Luckily, my wife figured it out, and we did get back to the ship in time, and actually had time to at least see Pisa.)

 

Ten years later, and being much more experienced cruisers, we took the overpriced ship's tour of Florence on Your Own buying timed tickets to the 2 major museums. It was expensive, but worth it, as I made up for my previous mistake and got my art teacher wife finally to Florence, (even if it was for our 35th anniversary, not our 25th). On the same ship, we did go to Rome on our own instead of taking a ship's tour. Much cheaper, but our train back was incredibly crowded, and a fight broke out! DW now thinks we should in the future pay the extra money.

 

Actually on the same ship (Norwegian Epic), we had booked (and paid for in advance), a ship's tour that included Arles. The day before the tour, they cancelled it because they were a few passengers short of their minimum. This is a possible negative that no one has mentioned.

 

Most ports we actually do on our own, especially in Europe, after doing research. For instance, we walked around Talinn, Estonia with our Rick Steeves' book, and ran into others from our roll call doing the same easy comprehensive walking tour. In Oslo, Norway, my art teacher wife definitely wanted to see the Munch Museum that was not on any ship's tour. We were able to go there on our own and to the other more popular attractions that we wanted to see and were on ship's tours.