Non-HAL shore excursions, pros & cons

[cruisemom42]

I've seen my fair share of 'forced' shopping stops listed on HAL tours and other lines as well, including:

-- The leather 'factory' in Ephesus

-- The rug 'factory' in Ephesus and in Cairo

-- The rug store in Istanbul

-- The cameo 'factory' in Naples

-- The wooden inlay 'factory' in Sorrento

-- The jewelry store in Cairo (for personalized hieroglyph jewelry)

-- The diamond store in Israel

-- The rum and cigar store in Cuba

-- The perfume 'factory' in S. France

-- Various liquor and jewelry shopping 'opportunities' in the Caribbean

 

I haven't experienced all of them (thank goodness!) but have seen them listed, and I'm sure there are more. As far as I'm concerned, just because the ship discloses it doesn't mean it isn't a 'forced' shopping event, especially if the tour that visits the places I want to go includes it and there is no option to NOT include it.

 

I'm not including things such as the bazaars in Istanbul or the Plaka in Athens, as those have at least some historical value...but by and large I feel shopping stops should NOT be included in paid excursions; those who want an opportunity to shop can easily do so in most places.

 

 

[OlsSalt]

31 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I've seen my fair share of 'forced' shopping stops listed on HAL tours and other lines as well, including:

-- The leather 'factory' in Ephesus

-- The rug 'factory' in Ephesus and in Cairo

-- The rug store in Istanbul

-- The cameo 'factory' in Naples

-- The wooden inlay 'factory' in Sorrento

-- The jewelry store in Cairo (for personalized hieroglyph jewelry)

-- The diamond store in Israel

-- The rum and cigar store in Cuba

-- The perfume 'factory' in S. France

-- Various liquor and jewelry shopping 'opportunities' in the Caribbean

 

I haven't experienced all of them (thank goodness!) but have seen them listed, and I'm sure there are more. As far as I'm concerned, just because the ship discloses it doesn't mean it isn't a 'forced' shopping event, especially if the tour that visits the places I want to go includes it and there is no option to NOT include it.

 

I'm not including things such as the bazaars in Istanbul or the Plaka in Athens, as those have at least some historical value...but by and large I feel shopping stops should NOT be included in paid excursions; those who want an opportunity to shop can easily do so in most places.

 

 

 

HAL does a good job disclosing upfront if it includes a "shopping experience". And as stated it has been our experience passengers have loudly protested and voted down any unplanned "shopping experiences" a guide might try to "force" on them later. Hard call  when the majority of fellow tour members do agree to include an unplanned "shopping experience".  

 

But it never makes or breaks the underlying tour experience; just annoying and/or waste of some of the time when it has occasionally happened to us. And diminishes any tips at the end as well. I hope this unauthorized practice continues to get soundly discouraged either during or after the tour conclusion. 

 

Are private tours 100% protected from never facing the offer of a short detour to "my uncles shop who has the best prices"?  I assume they vote for or against these additions too.

Edited November 29, 2018 by OlsSalt

[cruisemom42]

9 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

HAL does a good job disclosing upfront if it includes a "shopping experience". And as stated it has been our experience passengers have loudly protested and voted down any unplanned "shopping experiences" a guide might try to "force" on them later. Hard call  when the majority of fellow tour members do agree to include an unplanned "shopping experience". 

 

Are private tours 100% protected from never facing the offer of a short detour to "my uncles shop who has the best prices"?  I assume they vote for or against these additions too.

When I set up a private tour I always specify no shopping stops. If I participate in a tour, I always ask whether they are included and decline if they are. 

 

Edited to add:  BTW, Voyages to Antiquity's included tours do not include any type of shopping stops. Only exception I can think of after 10 voyages with them is an excursion to Jerez de la Frontera for sherry tasting (and purchase...).

Edited November 29, 2018 by cruisemom42

[iancal]

We have only done one cruise sponsored trip.  That was very early on.   If we are doing a tour, we do a private one.  Either by ourselves or with a small group.

 

Like others, we want do not especially like bus tours or shopping trips of any kind. We do not need any inventory for a garage sale.   We have always been very pleased with private tours and not once have we come even close to missing the boat as it were.  We typically schedule the tour for as early as possible and leave plenly of free time availble to get back tot he ship. We do not bother with those tours that require in inordinate amount of time for transit. We do those on land trips instead.

[kazu]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I've seen my fair share of 'forced' shopping stops listed on HAL tours and other lines as well, including:

-- The leather 'factory' in Ephesus

-- The rug 'factory' in Ephesus and in Cairo

-- The rug store in Istanbul

-- The cameo 'factory' in Naples

-- The wooden inlay 'factory' in Sorrento

-- The jewelry store in Cairo (for personalized hieroglyph jewelry)

-- The diamond store in Israel

-- The rum and cigar store in Cuba

-- The perfume 'factory' in S. France

-- Various liquor and jewelry shopping 'opportunities' in the Caribbean

 

I haven't experienced all of them (thank goodness!) but have seen them listed, and I'm sure there are more. As far as I'm concerned, just because the ship discloses it doesn't mean it isn't a 'forced' shopping event, especially if the tour that visits the places I want to go includes it and there is no option to NOT include it.

 

I'm not including things such as the bazaars in Istanbul or the Plaka in Athens, as those have at least some historical value...but by and large I feel shopping stops should NOT be included in paid excursions; those who want an opportunity to shop can easily do so in most places.

 

 

 

exactly 🙂 

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

When I set up a private tour I always specify no shopping stops. If I participate in a tour, I always ask whether they are included and decline if they are. 

 

Edited to add:  BTW, Voyages to Antiquity's included tours do not include any type of shopping stops. Only exception I can think of after 10 voyages with them is an excursion to Jerez de la Frontera for sherry tasting (and purchase...).

 ditto on the shopping stops.

 

I've only had one tour operator try it once and I nixed it so fast (with the group's approval) that their head spun 😉

 

We did plan on one shopping stop once for 10 minutes - for coffee in Costa Rica.  Time was too tight so we decided we would find it elsewhere.

 

You're right - there's lots of shopping options outside of tours.  Tours are to explore the culture, history, etc and maybe even savour the flavour.

 

Certainly in the Riviera, I made a one minute stop to load  up on Herbs de Provence.  I told the group to carry on and I would catch up.  I love the fres hers de Provence.  I know what I am looking for and just snatch, pay and go 😉

 

So, I have shopped on a tour - but only for the real necessities 😉 

[iancal]

Yes but...can't everyone always use more made in China fridge magnet,  Tshirt,  or even a few  shot glasses?????

[DC1979]

We did HAL tours on our very first cruise, and after that, I have always opted for private excursions.  I much prefer to research myself and then arrange for a tour that focuses on the places I want to see.  I also prefer the intimacy of a private tour  - being able to ask question when I want, not having to wait for anyone to do something, etc.  I’ve found that I can arrange a private tour for less than what HAL charges for their tours and have a much better experience.  

[ontheweb]

The one unexpected shopping tour we had with a HAL tour was the rug factory after we went to Ephesus.  

[ChinaShrek]

I have no trouble shopping and believe that responsible tourism should include some form of shopping.  If tourists are simply going to museums and cathedrals, they are really not doing much for the local economy.  I had a guide complain to me in Bruges this year that cruisers did not spend any money in Bruges.  They were simply leeches enjoying the history and scenery.  Based on what people have posted about shopping, I think the guide was correct.  Cruisers should spend some money in each port or avoid leaving the ship.  Not only does this help maintain jobs but it is also a form of social interaction.  Long live shopping!

[bennybear]

2 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

I have no trouble shopping and believe that responsible tourism should include some form of shopping.  If tourists are simply going to museums and cathedrals, they are really not doing much for the local economy.  I had a guide complain to me in Bruges this year that cruisers did not spend any money in Bruges.  They were simply leeches enjoying the history and scenery.  Based on what people have posted about shopping, I think the guide was correct.  Cruisers should spend some money in each port or avoid leaving the ship.  Not only does this help maintain jobs but it is also a form of social interaction.  Long live shopping!

 

How could you not buy chocolate in Bruges 

[ChinaShrek]

Just now, bennybear said:

 

How could you not buy chocolate in Bruges 

 

I agree.  I spent $100 on chocolates there and even more on beer.  Of course, most of the chocolate melted by the time I returned home but it was fun to buy in the first place. 

[bennybear]

Lol!  We stayed there and had to buy a new box every day!   Not to mention the Kriek! 

[ellieanne]

5 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I've seen my fair share of 'forced' shopping stops listed on HAL tours and other lines as well, including:

-- The leather 'factory' in Ephesus

-- The rug 'factory' in Ephesus and in Cairo

-- The rug store in Istanbul

-- The cameo 'factory' in Naples

-- The wooden inlay 'factory' in Sorrento

-- The jewelry store in Cairo (for personalized hieroglyph jewelry)

-- The diamond store in Israel

-- The rum and cigar store in Cuba

-- The perfume 'factory' in S. France

-- Various liquor and jewelry shopping 'opportunities' in the Caribbean

 

I haven't experienced all of them (thank goodness!) but have seen them listed, and I'm sure there are more. As far as I'm concerned, just because the ship discloses it doesn't mean it isn't a 'forced' shopping event, especially if the tour that visits the places I want to go includes it and there is no option to NOT include it.

 

I'm not including things such as the bazaars in Istanbul or the Plaka in Athens, as those have at least some historical value...but by and large I feel shopping stops should NOT be included in paid excursions; those who want an opportunity to shop can easily do so in most places.

 

By your metric, nearly everything, everywhere, and every tour I've ever taken is a "shopping" stop. Heck, in some ports, just walking from the ship to the town outside of the port property could be considered a "shopping" stop by your metric.

 

Just because there is a gift shop in the location doesn't mean it's a "shopping" stop to. I've been on several local craft tours, but I went to learn about the crafts. I didn't buy anything at the shops connected with the craft studios, nor did I feel obliged or forced to do so. I've been on winery tours, and only ever bought one bottle of wine. But maybe I miss the point of the stops...I look at them as educational rather than shopping.

[Copper10-8]

Women shop while men lose the will to live 

[ellieanne]

1 minute ago, Copper10-8 said:

Women shop while men lose the will to live 

 

What a sexist generalization!

[cruisemom42]

7 minutes ago, ellieanne said:

 

By your metric, nearly everything, everywhere, and every tour I've ever taken is a "shopping" stop. Heck, in some ports, just walking from the ship to the town outside of the port property could be considered a "shopping" stop by your metric.

 

Just because there is a gift shop in the location doesn't mean it's a "shopping" stop to. I've been on several local craft tours, but I went to learn about the crafts. I didn't buy anything at the shops connected with the craft studios, nor did I feel obliged or forced to do so. I've been on winery tours, and only ever bought one bottle of wine. But maybe I miss the point of the stops...I look at them as educational rather than shopping.

 

I don't think I'm being clear. I'm talking about stops where there is a 10-minute (or less) "demonstration" of a craft or skill that is solely for the purpose of later, high-pressure sales.

 

I'm not talking about walking past shops but about ship tour guides herding tour participants into a rug shop and locking the doors for at least 30 minutes while rug after rug are displayed and the personnel in the store try their best to separate the group into small units and sell them something before they leave.

 

I'm talking about participants in a tour bus sitting in the parking lot for 45 minutes after the guide said we were scheduled to leave for our next stop because two people were in the store making an expensive jewelry purchase and the guide wanted to be sure to get their kickback. (And we were extremely short-changed in the amount of time spent at the next site, which was one of the reasons I'd taken the tour....)

 

These are all my own experiences, although I have heard many similar stories from other travelers.

[ChinaShrek]

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I don't think I'm being clear. I'm talking about stops where there is a 10-minute (or less) "demonstration" of a craft or skill that is solely for the purpose of later, high-pressure sales.

 

I'm not talking about walking past shops but about ship tour guides herding tour participants into a rug shop and locking the doors for at least 30 minutes while rug after rug are displayed and the personnel in the store try their best to separate the group into small units and sell them something before they leave.

 

I'm talking about participants in a tour bus sitting in the parking lot for 45 minutes after the guide said we were scheduled to leave for our next stop because two people were in the store making an expensive jewelry purchase and the guide wanted to be sure to get their kickback. (And we were extremely short-changed in the amount of time spent at the next site, which was one of the reasons I'd taken the tour....)

 

These are all my own experiences, although I have heard many similar stories from other travelers.

 

I have not experienced any of these experiences after 5 different cruises, and I'm not sure how common they are from cruise excursions.  However, you do make me fear going to Turkey, so I will avoid that country.

[mcrcruiser]

I love to lead  personal land tours in groups  of 10 to 20 people  . I enjoy researching all the options  of who is the vendor we will work with &  get a well designed tour  . I use resources like the ports section here on cruise critic for information about tour operators that they have used .I check them out thoroughly om sites like tripadvisor.com  . We never pay on advance & we each pay the driver  on the agreed amount .

 

 Because I do a ll  the work arranging these tours  & I do make sure that the tour is highly interesting & the price is  at least 50 & less that a ships equal tour . We never get crowded into one of those 55  seater tour buses that the cruise lines use . If we have a group of size (20 max ) we get head sets 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2018 by mcrcruiser

[OlsSalt]

14 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I don't think I'm being clear. I'm talking about stops where there is a 10-minute (or less) "demonstration" of a craft or skill that is solely for the purpose of later, high-pressure sales.

 

I'm not talking about walking past shops but about ship tour guides herding tour participants into a rug shop and locking the doors for at least 30 minutes while rug after rug are displayed and the personnel in the store try their best to separate the group into small units and sell them something before they leave.

 

I'm talking about participants in a tour bus sitting in the parking lot for 45 minutes after the guide said we were scheduled to leave for our next stop because two people were in the store making an expensive jewelry purchase and the guide wanted to be sure to get their kickback. (And we were extremely short-changed in the amount of time spent at the next site, which was one of the reasons I'd taken the tour....)

 

These are all my own experiences, although I have heard many similar stories from other travelers.

 

Those are the experiences I hate too, but have never had them on any of the HAL shore excursions.

 

However, had plenty of them mainly in China, particularly in the early days. Loved how they passed off "educational" visits which were just huge shopping emporiums - learn about silk, learn about pearls, and best of all in those early days in China ......clean bathrooms and western toilets .... all forced shopping ploys and time wasters.

[Cruising-along]

I admit it, I don't mind a little time devoted to shopping (depending on what kind of shopping and only if it's an all-day tour). If I have a shorter tour there's usually a chance to buy a souvenir on my own before or after the tour.  If it's all day and especially my first time to that port and I may not be back there, then I want a souvenir!  (and I prefer all-day tours).

[awhcruiser]

On 11/27/2018 at 12:27 PM, CruiserBruce said:

Exactly!

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/33-alaska/

 

Please don't fall for the "miss the ship" stories. Yes, there is an extremely slim chance you could miss the ship on a private tour. But the fear factor is millions of times greater than the facts indicate. We have done private tours all over the world, and never missed a ship, or even come close, and you won't find anyone actually reporting missing ships.

 

[wyobean]

On 11/29/2018 at 2:59 PM, ChinaShrek said:

I have no trouble shopping and believe that responsible tourism should include some form of shopping.  If tourists are simply going to museums and cathedrals, they are really not doing much for the local economy.  I had a guide complain to me in Bruges this year that cruisers did not spend any money in Bruges.  They were simply leeches enjoying the history and scenery.  Based on what people have posted about shopping, I think the guide was correct.  Cruisers should spend some money in each port or avoid leaving the ship.  Not only does this help maintain jobs but it is also a form of social interaction.  Long live shopping!

 

I do not buy anything anymore...I am trying to downsize and don’t need anything. From what I have seen there are plenty of people sustaining those local economies...they don’t need me. Before I get bashed...I live in a tourist area and at one time had a tourist based business. I get it...I just have no reason to contribute anymore. Hopefully, we all get to that point so our kids don’t have to spend their time taking it all to the thrift store. 

[cruisemom42]

On 11/29/2018 at 4:59 PM, ChinaShrek said:

I have no trouble shopping and believe that responsible tourism should include some form of shopping.  If tourists are simply going to museums and cathedrals, they are really not doing much for the local economy.  I had a guide complain to me in Bruges this year that cruisers did not spend any money in Bruges.  They were simply leeches enjoying the history and scenery.  Based on what people have posted about shopping, I think the guide was correct.  Cruisers should spend some money in each port or avoid leaving the ship.  Not only does this help maintain jobs but it is also a form of social interaction.  Long live shopping!

There are many ways to support the local economy other than shopping. Eating a meal in a local restaurant, paying for a local guide (who gets the entire amount, not split with the ship....), and going to museums -- which in most cities have an entry fee -- are some ways to do that.

 

I'm not anti-shopping; I just feel that it shouldn't be included on a sightseeing tour -- it should be a separate activity.

[kazu]

On 11/29/2018 at 5:59 PM, ChinaShrek said:

I have no trouble shopping and believe that responsible tourism should include some form of shopping.  If tourists are simply going to museums and cathedrals, they are really not doing much for the local economy.  I had a guide complain to me in Bruges this year that cruisers did not spend any money in Bruges.  They were simply leeches enjoying the history and scenery.  Based on what people have posted about shopping, I think the guide was correct.  Cruisers should spend some money in each port or avoid leaving the ship.  Not only does this help maintain jobs but it is also a form of social interaction.  Long live shopping!

 

We shop - no question - There is usually free time after our tours to allow for that.  

 

7 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

There are many ways to support the local economy other than shopping. Eating a meal in a local restaurant, paying for a local guide (who gets the entire amount, not split with the ship....), and going to museums -- which in most cities have an entry fee -- are some ways to do that.

 

I'm not anti-shopping; I just feel that it shouldn't be included on a sightseeing tour -- it should be a separate activity.

 

Totally agree. 🤙

[kazu]

On 11/29/2018 at 6:04 PM, ChinaShrek said:

 

I agree.  I spent $100 on chocolates there and even more on beer.  Of course, most of the chocolate melted by the time I returned home but it was fun to buy in the first place. 

 

What a shame.  I bought a ton of chocolates and the chocalatier sold me a lovely thermal bag for 4 euros to keep the chocolates in good shape.  It worked beautifully and I have kept it for future use 😉   She had cheaper ones that were plasticized but warned me that with the sun of that day the chocolates may not make it.

 

I thought it was a good investment considering how much I had spent on chocolate 😉