The city tours scam on cruises

[thrisgray]

Hi! after doing a cruise over the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, now I'm looking forward to my holidays over the Greek Islands :)

Since while doing a cruise you don't have so much time for sightseeing, I usually book the organized tours offered on the boat, but I always end up feeling cheated, losing time on a souvenir shop, or bored by an unmotivated tour guide...

I've heard about these "guruwalks" or "free walking tours", some walking tours where you don't have to pay anything upfront, just a tip at the end if you liked it.

Have you tried this kind of tours before? are they fun? well-prepared and professional?

Thanks! :):):)

[calliopecruiser]

Certain cities have free walking tours organized and staffed by the local tourist bureau; I've seen several in various cities in Spain, but I have not taken them myself. I did take a free architecture walking tour organized by an architectural historical society (I think) in Chicago, and it was terrific. Essentially - see who is organizing them and that will give you an idea about why and whether they might be worthwhile. Someone, somewhere, is paying for it - that will help you decide what the motivation for the tour is (to promote interest and show off the city, or to promote local businesses and get you to buy more (and the guides may get a kickback)).

 

 

 

If you are looking for interested and informed guides whose job it isn't to take you to shop in local businesses, take a look at Context Travel walking tours. They're not free, but they are (based on the one I've taken and others I've talked to) excellent. There will obviously be local variations and I don't know exactly what cities you're talking about, but they are small (6 people max) and led by someone who knows something (maybe a lot of something) about the local area and subject. The culture and design tour I took in Tokyo was led by a graduate student in architecture at the university there. I am planning a trip next year to Italy, and am already looking at taking 2 or 3 during my trip there.

[dglish]

I've never done one outside the US. I did one in Washington, DC. It was two college guys, history majors. They were great! They took us to all the monuments and other historical sites. They had great stories and really knew their stuff. You paid whatever you thought the tour was worth; or you could pay nothing.

 

I know that in some major cities in the US you can meet with a local to provide a walking tour. I've never done it, so don't know about cost.

[iancal]

Yes we have. Some are excellent, some mediocre. We always offer a gratuity.

 

We stopped taking ships excursions a long time ago. Especially in Europe. We frequently visit Europe and are familiar with pricing. When we are on Med cruises we are astounded at the costs of excursions, transfers, and cruise line hotels. Our feeling is that they rely on the fact that many people believe that there will be a significant language barrier. It just is not so. We have also heard the cruise excursion desk play up the safety routing. Heck, we feel much safer in many European ports than we do in some of US port cities.

[h-sar]

My 19 yo daughter did a number of the free walking tours in Italy this past May. Prior to her trip, we did on line searches of the best walking tours in various cities on some of the common websites. She chose ones rated in the top two or three. She deemed some absolutely fantastic, others good. She did not regret taking any of them and made sure to tip €10-€20 per person based on the length and enjoyment of the tour. While many of these tours are called ‘free’ walking tours, the guides do this work not just because they enjoy talking about their city with strangers, but because they are trying to either make a living or supplement their incomes. My daughter was upset that there were always a couple of people on each tour who chose not to tip anything at all. Given the amount of time and information that is dispensed on such tours, it is hard to believe that anyone would walk away without compensating the guide.

 

She liked that she did not have to prepay for the tours, and so if plans changed, she was not penalized. Some you can prebook (without paying), most you just walk up at the mtng place.

 

She did one in Venice, enjoyed it so much, that later in the afternoon, she did their second one as well. One was related more to the famous sites of the city while the other was more about the history and how the city actually works. They were about three hours long each and the size of the groups were no more than 15. She also did a walking tour in Florence with the same company she had used in Venice.

 

In Rome, she chose a free Rome by bike tour which required a $10 fee for the bike and then whatever tip one deemed appropriate for the guide at the end. The timing of these tours, while on a cruise, is important as they might not always fit with the times one has in port. My daughter learned so much about each city and was given great tips about restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, etc.

[George C]

My advice is skip all ship sponsored tours, we did some excellent walking tours recommended by Rick Steves or tripadvisor

[h-sar]

OP, having been a junior high school educator for almost 30 years, I always liken ship tours to school field trips: being stuck on a bus with 40 to 50 other people, waiting for the stragglers, piling into one or two bathroom stalls, and lining up to order food in a mediocre place that you would not necessarily have have selected for yourself. In my professional life, I get paid to do this; in my private life, especially on vacation, one could not pay me enough to ever do this. Hence, we always look for quick and cheap public transportation, particularly in the Caribbean, or for island tours offered by guides we meet at the ports, or prearranged private tours in the Mediterranean.

[SbbquilterUT]

We had a great leader for a Runner Bean tour of the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona - well worth the tip. The only issue is there are also certified guides in Barcelona and they view the “free” tours as taking business from them.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Hi! after doing a cruise over the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, now I'm looking forward to my holidays over the Greek Islands :)

 

 

 

Since while doing a cruise you don't have so much time for sightseeing, I usually book the organized tours offered on the boat, but I always end up feeling cheated, losing time on a souvenir shop, or bored by an unmotivated tour guide...

 

 

 

I've heard about these "guruwalks" or "free walking tours", some walking tours where you don't have to pay anything upfront, just a tip at the end if you liked it.

 

 

 

Have you tried this kind of tours before? are they fun? well-prepared and professional?

 

 

 

Thanks! :):):)

 

How is this a scam?

[mnocket]

We had a great leader for a Runner Bean tour of the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona - well worth the tip. The only issue is there are also certified guides in Barcelona and they view the “free” tours as taking business from them.

I agree. We did a Runner Bean tour in Barcelona and it was very good.

[zqvol]

You don't need a tour for the Greek Isles. I highly recommend Rick Steves book. Using that you can do your own tours. If an island is not included there is not enough to deserve a particular tour, just go exploring.

[mom says]

How is this a scam?

 

 

I wondered the same thing. While clearly these ship excursions are not the OPS cup of tea, calling them a scam is either an unfortunate choice if words, or deliberately provocative.

 

The OP might look at his Roll Call to see what plans his fellow cruisers have in mind. Or check out the Ports of Call forum and TripAdvisor . I also agree with a PP that the Rick Steves books can be extremely helpful in this regard.

[PROCRUISE]

Have taken several "free walking tours" in Europe. Last one I did was in Cologne with a group of about 15 others. The young male leader of the tour was so good that everyone tipped probably much more than what a ship excursion would have cost each of us.

[cruisemom42]

We had a great leader for a Runner Bean tour of the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona - well worth the tip. The only issue is there are also certified guides in Barcelona and they view the “free” tours as taking business from them.

 

I think this is an important point. Guides in some European countries are highly trained professionals who study for sometimes years and must pass detailed exams to become a certified guide. I am not a big fan of unofficial, unlicensed guides for that reason.

 

Yes, they may be trying to earn a living, but how would you feel if you studied for years and spent $$$ to become a (lawyer, physical therapist, whatever) and someone else comes along without credentials and takes your customers?

[SPacificbound]

OP, having been a junior high school educator for almost 30 years, I always liken ship tours to school field trips: being stuck on a bus with 40 to 50 other people, waiting for the stragglers, piling into one or two bathroom stalls, and lining up to order food in a mediocre place that you would not necessarily have have selected for yourself. In my professional life, I get paid to do this; in my private life, especially on vacation, one could not pay me enough to ever do this. Hence, we always look for quick and cheap public transportation, particularly in the Caribbean, or for island tours offered by guides we meet at the ports, or prearranged private tours in the Mediterranean.

 

Couldn't say it better than this. :)

[Heidi13]

Since while doing a cruise you don't have so much time for sightseeing, I usually book the organized tours offered on the boat, but I always end up feeling cheated, losing time on a souvenir shop, or bored by an unmotivated tour guide...

 

Thanks! :):):)

 

Sorry, but don't agree the ship's tours are a scam. Yes, they are more expensive than private tours, but pax that sign up for ship tours are paying for the convenience, ease of booking and lack of risk.

 

Private tours are definitely cheaper, but take more research (if you haven't visited the port before), have no guarantee the ship will wait if late back (ship definitely waits for ship's tours), if port is cancelled or ship is late a refund will depend on their refund policy.

 

We have taken many ship's tours and private tours and in most cases, with careful research have been satisfied with most tours. However, we have experienced bad tours and/or guides on both ship tours & private tours. I note, even our recent private tours in St Petersburg & Tallinn visited souvenir shops, as all pax asked the guide for recommendations.

[SRF]

I have done several "free" walking tours around the world. Most have been very well done and worth the time.

 

They are only "free" in that there is no up front charge. You are still expected to supply a reasonable tip at the end.

[motherof2]

We’ve done 22 cruises and have taken about 5 ship excursions. We always research private companies or even just go to the transportation area at the cruise ports of call, and in almost 100 % of the cases we had no problems and got more for our money than those who did ship excursions - because lots of those pax complained. But there are a few exceptions- when you have a long distance to travel to the site, use ship offerings, like Cozumel to Mayan ruins on mainland Mexico, Denali Park bus ride, Haines Alaska to Skagway. Of course Viking includes lots of their excursions in their price for river or Ocean cruises. They are Spectacular, to say the least, but very expensive. Everyone should have a Viking cruise at least once in their lives, it is a highlight.

[new_cruiser]

Generally, a "city tour" and a "walking tour" are two different experiences. City tours often go by bus to view a larger area of the city with stops for visiting the main sites (e.g. a museum, a castle, a historic site) with narration for sites seen while driving by. Walking tours (free or paid) by their nature visit a more compact area and generally don't include spending any time inside places that require admission fees. They often highlight architecture and history of the town center area.

 

Occasionally, I will do a city tour, but I'm more likely to research the sites I want to visit and the local transportation options to tour the city on my own. I like to be able to decide for myself how much time to spend at each site rather than being paced by a tour. And in some cases, it doesn't even cost any more to do it on your own. If there are two or more of you, even traveling between sites by taxi, you may come out at less than a packaged city tour.

 

I've done a free walking tour once in Lisbon. They were very up front about "free" really meaning "tips only" rather than totally free. The tour was very informative and we enjoyed it. I've also on occasion done fee walking tours - a couple of times from a cruise line and sometimes during a land vacation - and those were good too.

 

I wouldn't consider any of those a scam. The packaged city tours do often cost more, but there is nothing wrong with some being willing to pay more to not have to do the research or make arrangements and get a narrated tour served to them.

[CPT Trips]

We had a great leader for a Runner Bean tour of the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona - well worth the tip. The only issue is there are also certified guides in Barcelona and they view the “free” tours as taking business from them.

 

Excellent point. Support the licensed guides, they know their stuff! Some of the unlicensed guides are long on good stories that are short on facts. I recently took a "free" ("name your price") tour in Philly with German friends who were visiting. Way too much inaccurate information was put out by the guide.

[Gwendy]

It’s horses for courses. I have done city tours with the ship. Places I have never been to and probably will not visit again. A good overview of the city. Where I have more time or have visited before I do my own thing, lots of research, and pick one or two things to see. If the tour is a long way from ship eg Berlin from Warremunde, or Saigon from Phu My I will take a ship’s tour for ease of mind re travel delays. If you are not willing to research alternatives, or have limited mobility then a city tour from the ship is an excellent choice. I gave nearly always found them good value for the money.

 

 

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[donaldsc]

How is this a scam?

 

It isn't a scam. However, people on CC and also on other sites use words when they have no idea what the word means. In this case, anything that they do not like is called a scam. I am often tempted to point these people to a dictionary site but we are not allowed on CC to correct language usage.

[cruisemom42]

 

If you are looking for interested and informed guides whose job it isn't to take you to shop in local businesses, take a look at Context Travel walking tours. They're not free, but they are (based on the one I've taken and others I've talked to) excellent. There will obviously be local variations and I don't know exactly what cities you're talking about, but they are small (6 people max) and led by someone who knows something (maybe a lot of something) about the local area and subject.

 

I agree with this recommendation. Context Tours are very good if you are looking for substantive FACTUAL information. As someone else said earlier, some guides play fast and loose with the facts or introduce 'stories' about places that, while interesting, are not true. I always do a lot of research about places before visiting, and I've caught some guides (including on ship tours) in some pretty big excursions from the truth.

 

 

We stopped taking ships excursions a long time ago. Especially in Europe. We frequently visit Europe and are familiar with pricing. When we are on Med cruises we are astounded at the costs of excursions, transfers, and cruise line hotels. Our feeling is that they rely on the fact that many people believe that there will be a significant language barrier. It just is not so. We have also heard the cruise excursion desk play up the safety routing.

 

And you forgot to mention the overhyped fear of missing the ship.

[dogs4fun]

 

We stopped taking ships excursions a long time ago. Especially in Europe. We frequently visit Europe and are familiar with pricing. When we are on Med cruises we are astounded at the costs of excursions, transfers, and cruise line hotels. Our feeling is that they rely on the fact that many people believe that there will be a significant language barrier. It just is not so. We have also heard the cruise excursion desk play up the safety routing.

Same here - never take ship excursions. We enjoy DIY or private tours with knowledgeable, experienced guides who are long on facts and short on BS.

[Suzanne123]

We’ve done about ten of the London Walks tours and had wonderful guides.

http://www.walks.com/