Are you willing to book private shore excursions for yourself and fellow passengers?

[OCruisers]

There is certainly nothing wrong with that, and things can go wrong.

Do you join others on private tours or stay with what the cruise lines have to offer?

 

Private tours are fine and a good thing to do sometimes.

I just don't want to be the one responsible for organizing it and making the arrangements for fellow passengers. :)

LuLu

[Tiggertastic]

I laugh about it now but our most an annoying one was the guest who tried to convince the guide to cut short the tour by 1.5 hours as he was guest lecturing in a local city.

 

I'm happy to still arrange but learnt to lay down a few ground rules re meeting, paying etc.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Tiggertastic

[CapeCodCruiser]

All of us probably book private excursions for OURSELVES from time to time.

The question includes Fellow Passengers.

Just not so sure I'd want to take the responsibility for doing that.

Would you?

 

Many who have responded here clearly did not get the question.

 

I have "organized" many private tours but I leave the business end for folks to handle directly with the tour operator. I tell the tour operator that other I know will want to join me a tour and they will refer to the "Smith" group.

 

No way do I want to be accountable for a wish-washy person who cancels last minute and does not pay.

Edited August 6, 2016 by CapeCodCruiser

[herbanrenewal]

When I organize I now limit to 8 people, and ask tour operator to collect money so I am not responsible.

 

One trip i organized had a no-show couple and others refused to pay extra so my cost doubled...now i won't deal with money for strangers.

Once I had a lot of harassment after the cruise from someone who had my email address. I ended up changing my email address, and now I open a new email account for any cruise where i am organizing a tour.

And once I rented a car and was going to share the ride with another couple. The day before she called my room and cancelled, effectively doubling our cost but still less than ship excursion.

 

But most shared excursions have gone smoothly and saved a lot of money, and been wonderful experiences.

[True Texan]

We book private excursions a lot. The only tine I stay with the ship excursions is in a few ports that are a bit sketchy.

[hun]

As has been said by others here, based on our experience, I would have no hesitation organizing a private excursion and having others join us, but would only do so if everyone independently was responsible for their own payment (typically by each person "holding" the reservation with the tour operator with their credit card and then actually paying - credit card or cash - at the conclusion of the tour).

[RJ2002]

I have organized two private excursions myself (one in Guatemala, and another at Komodo Island, Indonesia), and joined many others. So far (knock on wood!) have not had any issues. The appreciation of those attending the tours far outweighed any organizing frustrations on my part.

[johnrich]

In our 11 cruises we have done mostly excursions on our own. We have joined a couple Cruise Critic tours. Only once did we do a ship tour and we chose it for a reason. We were the first ship to port into Falmouth. Since it was a new port we weren't sure how the private tours would be. Glad we did. We were one of the first people off the ship in fact my BIL got his picture in the local Jamaican newspaper. We went several places including Dunns River Falls. The tour lasted longer than anticipated. All aboard was, I believe, 4:30. At 4:30 we were still several miles from the dock. Because of the occasion of it being the first cruise ship to dock in Falmouth many of the townspeople were out in the streets to see the ship off. So much so that the tour van couldn't get back to the ship because the streets were filled with people. They actually had to send the police to escort our tour van through the crowd and back to the port. The van drove right up the gangway. We got on the ship at 5:05 and they pulled the gangway behind us. We weren't even back to our staterooms and the ship was pulling away from the dock. Lots of anxiety even with having the cruise line tour.

So, my advise to everyone is to book private or CC excursions unless it's a new port, then use the cruise line's excursions! [emoji3]

[calliopecruiser]

I've done this several times, primarily in Europe. We have also joined groups that others have booked.

 

We've had minor hiccups, but that is part of traveling.

 

I noticed one contributor (Wine-O) posted that he did book excursions, but no longer does.

 

Do you have any really bad experiences to share? Any that were clearly the fault of the person putting the group together, doing the research, contacting and hiring of the driver, guide, etc? Without revealing names of course.

 

I don't book private shore excursions because I don't like excursions/tours.....I plan what I want to do, and won't take strangers along with me because my "plan" is usually vague and I play things by ear. For instance, when we stopped in Honolulu, my primary plan was to rent a car and drive towards the surf. Everything else was done based on my whims at the moment.

[bennybear]

I have arranged virtually all of the private tours for all my cruises(8). Last cruise was the first time I took a few tours someone else arranged....what a treat!

Usually I book my guides immediately after booking the cruise!

 

I have had someone try to convince the guide to spend more time in a museum.

I have had people want to end the tour and return to the ship early.

I've had people want to skip something on the itinerary they were given, because it doesn't interest them. I

I have had a lady argue with me IN FRONT OF THE GUIDE over the tour cost.

I have had people hold up the group because they made plans to meet OTHER people for lunch.

I have had a couple cancel once on board.

 

I ask that people know the tour cost on the day of, cuz it's something I don't want to discuss day of. Still get asked. I tell them tipping is personal, but still they ask how much tip I am giving.

 

I still do it because I pick the itinerary. I request non smokers in my group.

 

People on my tours have reaped the benefit of a discount because I have used a particular guide before. A group on my last cruise all saved 20%, rather than my husband and I getting free tours. I would NEVER not share that discount, but I have been asked about things like that.

 

My bonus is that I get to sit in front with the guide, unless I want to give others a chance. There is a tremendous amount of work involved in setting up tours, and I deserve that small reward!

 

I once ended up setting up 4 tours of 14 in St. Petersburg. I only was trying to make a tour I wanted and others kept asking to join. It is a ton of work but I didn't mind as it was a much better tour. Most all people were wonderful, but I was sitting near the guide as well and one couple wanted to sit up front, splitting me from my husband. Another man was horrified! You always get some that have no idea of what is involved, but thank goodness most were great!

[GUT2407]

Most are fine, but sometimes you will get shorted, it's better if the tour company will take individual payments, many will.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

Not worth my time. If I wanted to be a tour guide or travel agent I would charge for my services.

[TomTN]

I don't book private shore excursions because I don't like excursions/tours.....I plan what I want to do, and won't take strangers along with me because my "plan" is usually vague and I play things by ear. For instance, when we stopped in Honolulu, my primary plan was to rent a car and drive towards the surf. Everything else was done based on my whims at the moment.

 

We also rent cars. Often with another couple. Actually that is all we will do or stroll through town on our NE/Canada cruise in October(no tours).:)

 

But if you are at Civitavecchia, and you want to see the Vatican, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon is one day it is nice to have a local person who knows their way around, and has permission to drive into Rome and park at those places. I'm sure you could also take the train or private transportation to Rome, and cabs once there to those sites. It would probably make for a wonderful day.

 

The same could probably be said for somewhere like Cairo. I simply would not want to drive there. It is thrill to see the traffic, but I'd rather just watch.:eek:

[DirtyDawg]

i've done this several times, primarily in europe. We have also joined groups that others have booked.

 

We've had minor hiccups, but that is part of traveling.

 

I noticed one contributor (wine-o) posted that he did book excursions, but no longer does.

 

Do you have any really bad experiences to share? Any that were clearly the fault of the person putting the group together, doing the research, contacting and hiring of the driver, guide, etc? Without revealing names of course.

 

No!

 

Never organised a tour for others and never will.

Edited August 7, 2016 by DirtyDawg

[calliopecruiser]

I simply would not want to drive there. It is thrill to see the traffic, but I'd rather just watch.:eek:

 

Oh, I agree there are many places were I won't drive, but in a major city one usually doesn't have to. I did a 2.5 week road trip in Portugal, but still didn't dare drive in Lisbon or Porto.

[cruisemom42]

I have arranged some tours, mainly just for a few people -- never more than a group of 8 (after that, in my opinion, you lose the benefit of a smaller group tour). Generally I have arranged these only when I cannot figure out how to get there on my own (public transportation) or when just taking a taxi on my own is very expensive.

 

I am generally looking to see places off the beaten path, so sometimes I've had a hard time finding sharers.

 

As for payment, I have always strongly emphasized that if you commit to the tour, you are on the hook for your share even if for some reason you don't end up going on that day. It's only fair to the others...