Mabe Holland will do the same with shore Excursions

[whogo]

The guarantee is available for excursions booked prior to or during a cruise. If guests pre-book an excursion, then find a comparable tour advertised online at a lower price, they can complete an online form up to seven days prior to the cruise to invoke the guarantee.

Is this another out for Carnival? Must the comparable tour be advertised online?

[sammiedawg]

I agree this is a great marketing ploy. Something to add to their scare tactics about private tours. However, we have largely avoided ship sponsored excursions due to the ridiculous pricing and somewhat poor quality and we've noticed many people doing the same. A little research on cruise critic, trip advisor or guide books like Rick Steve's will pay big dividends. Private guides, do it yourselves options are easy to plan.

[summersigh]

I agree this is a great marketing ploy. Something to add to their scare tactics about private tours. However, we have largely avoided ship sponsored excursions due to the ridiculous pricing and somewhat poor quality and we've noticed many people doing the same. A little research on cruise critic, trip advisor or guide books like Rick Steve's will pay big dividends. Private guides, do it yourselves options are easy to plan.

 

To each his own :)

Booking private tours to areas where I can hop a cab in a pinch are not our problem .... venturing outside of town is another story for us and when we tend to book with the ship.

We're both retired - DH has some heart issues - it's an issue of endurance and peace of mind for us.

We've never found ship tours to be any better or worse than those booked independently (possible exception might be a private taxi tour for just the 2 of us)

[cruisemom42]

Note this is for sailing from North American ports only. If they did this in Europe, they would bankrupt the company. One that comes to mind is the bus to Florence for something like $119 versus taking the train on your own for I believe around $16.

 

How can you compare these two? 40 passengers on a bus verus a hundreds more. The price cannot be comparable.

 

Of course you can compare them. They are two valid methods that passengers can use to get themselves to Florence. The cost quoted is just for transportation, nothing more -- no "tour".

 

I don't see what difference it makes whether there are 40 people or hundreds when all I am doing is getting a ride to a specific place. (And do you think, if there was a public bus available, that the price for it would be anything like the $119 that HAL charges for THEIR bus ride?)

[iancal]

I would like, and I would dare them to take the same approach to cruise line pre or post cruise hotels in NA and in Europe.

[Susie51]

I think that it will be a pretty safe bet that based on the T's and C's of the program, refunds will be few and far between.

 

Great sales and marketing ploy though.

 

I agree - great marketing. I don't think it will be as easy as Wal-mart price matching to get refunds.

[casamariposa]

I've been sailing on cruise ships for over 40 years. I've stood on deck on several occasions watching groups on private tours left on the pier because they didn't make it back on time...even after the captain on a few occasions delayed departure. However, on two occasions changes in tides made delaying departure impossible. I never want to be in that situation, although others may wish to take the risk. To each his/her own.

[Katie333]

I think there are a lot of loopholes in which the cruise line will be able to 'get out of' paying on this claim. Firstly, the tour needs to be offered online so shoreside taxi tours won't count. Secondly, as others have mentionned, what consititutes identical is subject to interpretation.

 

I've cruised the Caribbean regularly and most private tour operators are 30-60% cheaper.

 

In Europe, the price difference was even more dramatic.

 

This is clearly more of a marketing tactic than anything, private tours are almost always much less expensive.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

In Europe, the price difference is even more dramatic???

[CGYCruisingFamily]

In Europe' date=' the price difference is even more dramatic???[/quote']

 

Take a look at my earlier post in this topic which has some examples. The prices are high on HAL for tours in Europe.

[kazu]

In Europe' date=' the price difference is even more dramatic???[/quote']

 

VERY dramatic depending upon the port. For example, going to Meteora privately with a VERY reputable operator is 200 euros for 4 people (so 100 euros per couple). HAL's tour is $179 USD pp if memory serves. Not only is there a difference in the price, but the quality and flexibility to do what interests you or to see more.

 

For example, in one port you had to choose between 1 of 3 tours with HAL. With the private operator you could do all three things. Smaller groups mean you don't lose time waiting for the bus to load and unload, washroom breaks, mandatory shopping breaks, etc.

 

Good private operators know the ship's itineraries and get you there earlier to avoid those crowds, etc. And yes, as cruisemom said we are usually back before the ship's tours.

 

There are a lot of pluses to private tours. The good operators know that their reputation is on the line, have cell phones, back up cars and are as conscious of the time as I am:D

[boards]

Of course you can compare them. They are two valid methods that passengers can use to get themselves to Florence. The cost quoted is just for transportation, nothing more -- no "tour".

 

I don't see what difference it makes whether there are 40 people or hundreds when all I am doing is getting a ride to a specific place. (And do you think, if there was a public bus available, that the price for it would be anything like the $119 that HAL charges for THEIR bus ride?)

 

Sorry you did not catch my meaning. I suggest the bus would take you to exactly where you want to be compared a train. At least that has been our experience when deciding between to two choices of transportation.

[kakalina]

The problem is that HAL will go in to a port and attempt to buy out all the private tour groups. They did this is Raiatea. We have gone every year for 7 years in a row. We watched it happen.

 

Last cruise we went to our favorite tour guide and he couldn't take us out. HAL had ( according to him ) practically forced all the locals to join the HAL team. I see no reason why they would lie to us and it was true that we could not find a private tour there any longer. He did call his brother out to take us where we wanted to go though.

[iancal]

It happens with other cruise lines as well. We spoke to an expat couple in St. Vincent and they explained what the cruise lines do-in the Caribbean at least. Especially on smaller, less developed islands.

 

This individual said that as a group, the cruise lines try to buy up as much tour capacity as they can. Then they start squeezing the supplier price. He went on to say that 50 percent, often a little more, of the money that is spent on tours, sails away with the ship, ie the islanders to not see as much benefit as one would assume.

 

It is exactly the same with port tax refunds. Carnival Corp (and its subs) have long term agreements with certain ports to deliver X amount of cruisers to the port each season. For doing this, Carnival Corp (and subs) actually get a rebate back from those ports of the port taxes that they charged their customers at time of booking.

[cruisemom42]

Sorry you did not catch my meaning. I suggest the bus would take you to exactly where you want to be compared a train. At least that has been our experience when deciding between to two choices of transportation.

 

In that case, the train to Florence becomes an even better deal, as buses cannot enter the historic center of Florence, which allows extremely limited vehicular traffic. The place where the buses drop off is not necessarily "close" to where you want to be, and you will be "walked" to a central meeting point that you need to remember at the end of the day in order to walk back to where the buses wait.

 

Whereas, the central train station in Florence is just that -- central.

[iancal]

The train, especially Civi, has another advantage. It is immune to tie ups/delays on the roadway.

[boards]

[quote name='cruisemom42']In that case, the train to Florence becomes an even better deal, as buses cannot enter the historic center of Florence, which allows extremely limited vehicular traffic. The place where the buses drop off is not necessarily "close" to where you want to be, and you will be "walked" to a central meeting point that you need to remember at the end of the day in order to walk back to where the buses wait.

Whereas, the central train station in Florence is just that -- central.[/QUOTE]

You win - we have never been to Florence - so I should not have responded. The bus has worked for us to the places we have travelled.

[3rdGenCunarder]

[quote name='cruz chic']I'd like that too but I think a few ruin it for many. [B]I remember one poster saying they like to "load up" on shore excursions because they don't have to pay ahead then cancelling close to the cruise when they decide which ones they will take.[/B] That is not fair to the cruiseline or other pax who might not be able to get the shorex they want.

Would love to see HAL adopt this practice (best pricing). I feel pretty uncomfortable booking privately. I know people say the private shorex people want to make sure they get you back to the ship but they can't control stuff like closed roads or flat tires. At least for HAL shorex they will wait for you.[/quote]

(bold is mine) I wonder if that was my niece. On her first cruise, she reserved as many tours as she could (without overlapping), thinking she would only have to pay for the ones she actually took. Fortunately, she told me about her strategy before she left, and I told her to check cancellation times so she wouldn't have to pay for unused tours. I didn't address the greed issue, as she sees nothing wrong with holding more than she will use. Selfish child!

[3rdGenCunarder]

[quote name='summersigh']To each his own :)
Booking private tours to areas where I can hop a cab in a pinch are not our problem .... venturing outside of town is another story for us and when we tend to book with the ship.
We're both retired - DH has some heart issues - it's an issue of endurance and peace of mind for us.
We've never found ship tours to be any better or worse than those booked independently (possible exception might be a private taxi tour for just the 2 of us)[/quote]

Distance is a deciding factor for us, too. If it's a cab ride away, we'll venture out on our own. We've done very well this way. In Stockholm, we got right off the ship and took a cab to the Vasa museum. We were just about finished seeing the whole museum (it's big!) when busload after busload of tours arrived. The worst part was making our way toward the exit through the incoming crowds.

But a destination an hour out of town would be the day from hell if we did it independently, as DH would spend the whole day checking the time and asking if maybe we should start back now... Edited May 24, 2014 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Ontariotrekker]

I did the price match twice on a W. Caribbean cruise with Carnival in January. The program was brand new for them so it took awhile to get things straightened out and I eventually got the money credited halfway through the cruise. Lots of issues with my shorex.

I also found one for my friend and she filled out the copious paperwork onboard and was credited the next day.

After booking with Carnival, I checked local guides and found tours matching or better than Carnival. We did not take those ones because I did not feel safe.. 2 women travelling alone.

[whogo]

A few posters have mentioned collecting on the guarantee on the Carnival board, others have reported difficulties with satisfying the terms & conditions.

[kazu]

[quote name='iancal']The train, especially Civi, has another advantage. It is immune to tie ups/delays on the roadway.[/QUOTE]

But not to the strikes they like to do:D;)

When we did a private transfer from Rome to the ship, we were very glad we selected that option as the railway did indeed to do one of their infamous one day strikes:rolleyes:

[Hlitner]

It is the fine print that gets you. Just came off a Princess cruise where they sold many $69 "tours" for transfers to Bilbao where you then did everything on your own. The ship's port lecturer neglected to inform the naïve passengers that the Port of Bilbao provided free transfers (they run the buses back and forth all day). Lots of angry passengers who were told that the free transfers were not the same as the "tour" transfers. Unreal. Similar for South Queensferry to Edinburgh transfer where Princess charged about $60 for the "tour" transfer. But folks quickly found out that there was a local bus company (right at the tender pier) offering similar transfers for 10 pounds sterling or about $17 round trip. The train cost us only 4.6 pounds sterling round trip.

Hank

Hank