Upside and downside to using independent companies for excursions

[iancal]

Same here.  We have done numerous private tours.  We do our research.   We get the earliest times possible and our goal is to get back to the ship with two hours leeway.  Time to grab our ipads and head to a local  bar to get on the web for a half hour or so.    Never had a problem, always had good experiences.   

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 hours ago, OCruisers said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  

Independent tours are normally but not always less expensive.

Yes, there may be fewer people BUT it's most often in  a small van and cramped.

We either take an excursion with the ship (especially to places hours from the ship) or take a taxi to where we want to go.  

 

In addition, not all cruise lines pack you in like sardines on 40 passenger busses. We've done numerous ship excursions where it was only about 16 folks with guide and driver for our cruise line when we saw that 40 passenger bus from another ship at the same antiquity.

[MicCanberra]

We generally do our own thing or a private tour but sometimes it makes sense and the price is comparable to do a ship's tour. I suppose it all depends on how much work you put into your research and how much risk you are willing to take (in some cases).

[txflood33]

10 hours ago, dem372 said:

 

This is an interesting comment.  I have never done this, so I really have no idea what I am dealing with.  If we are talking about some Mayan ruins at, for example, Belize City, can I just get off the boat, get a taxi, and have them take me out to the ruins?  Do these ruins have "ticket windows" where anyone can just stroll up and purchase entry?  So by skipping the tour I basically replace a tour guide with a pamphlet from the welcome center?

 

But that brings up a bunch of other questions.  Are taxi services reliable?  Or reservable?  I assume I could arrange for a van to take us to the site and back to the ship, serving as a driver only? 

 

Also, thanks to all the replies I am getting on this.  There is some really helpful information here and I appreciate it.  This site is great.

 

you have some very normal questions/concerns and we all had them at one point. Every port is a little different and you need to ask those questions to make educated decisions.

 

It's been 15 years since I have been to Cozumel so I really can't help. I'm sure things have changed somewhat. When I went there wasn't much to do right near the port so you would probably need some sort of excursion or cab to get somewhere....that somewhere could just be a beach to get some sun and play in the water. Anywhere you are asking these questions or researching will let you know of the best private tour operators as well as ones to avoid. They can also let you know if cabs should be avoided or if just certain companies should be avoided.

 

To answer your question regarding ruins and if there is a ticket booth set up....some do and some don't. This is where the research and questions come in. Again, all ports are a little different. In Athens, Greece, there are cabs right at the port. Grab a cab and get a ride to the Acropolis and walk up to the ticket booth and then walk up to the ruins. In Kusidashi, Turkey, there is some shopping and restaurants near the port, however, to see the ruins in Ephesus, you must book some sort of excursion.

 

My wife and I are both people that want to try to DIY so we have to research each port to see how possible that is to do. If we are going to an area we have no idea of what there is to see/do....such as Kusadashi, Turkey...I look through the ship excursions to start to see what there is to do/see. I then go to reviews of those sights at places like Trip Advisor or here. After that you should start to form an idea if that particular site is worth going to or if it's worth the ship's price.

[Markanddonna]

The OP mentioned seat belts. Your chance of some belting is much better in a van than the large buses the cruise line contracts. You have the chance to email the private tour company and ask that question. No one could give you an answer with a ship excursion.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I don't believe it is possible to walk off the ship in Belize and find a tour to the ruins; they are quite far away.  You probably can find either a ship tour or private tour that will take you to ruins, but it should be arranged ahead of time.  I don't think a taxi to the ruins would work at all, in any of the ports you mention.  

 

Cozumel has a few quite small ruins, but not worth an entire day to see; takes about 5 minutes.  

 

For your itinerary the best bet is Costa Maya for ruins.  There are several within an hour or two drive; we have used Native Way twice with good luck; they are very reputable.  I do not know if tours to the ruins can be picked up at the dock since we always arranged ahead of time.

 

While Tulum is beautiful, it is a long and complicated trip from Cozumel.  I would only do a ship tour there )or to the even farther ruins of Chichen Itza) because of the length.  It can also be very, very hot there and children may not appreciate the ruins as much as you'd think.

 

As to seat belts, this is very hard to tell.  Many tours just don't have them, or they are not working.  You would have to contact the tour operator or the ship and ask about this, and then no guarantees.  

[Husky61]

15 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I'm guessing you don't do many transoceanic cruises.😉

Now we don't, but there aren't too many ports between say New York and London to worry about missing the ship.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, Husky61 said:

Now we don't, but there aren't too many ports between say New York and London to worry about missing the ship.

Sure there are. You won't find many transoceanic cruises that do a straight shot without a few usually interesting ports in the mix.

[Husky61]

4 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Sure there are. You won't find many transoceanic cruises that do a straight shot without a few usually interesting ports in the mix.

Okay, you win, I don't post just increase my post count.

[MicCanberra]

Missing ports is a real concern for many and must be taken into account when doing something privately or DIY.

[Bookish Angel]

Via ships and land trips, we have done private excursions/DIY experiences all over the world with no big problems. We do much research before we leave home so glitches have been few, much money has been saved and we have used our own foot power as we are big into walking.  We have NEVER missed a ship.

 

The only excursion that got us back to a ship late enough to turn us into pier runners was a long-ago ship-sponsored excursion to Kohunliche. 

Edited January 8, 2019 by Bookish Angel

[donaldsc]

22 hours ago, Husky61 said:

Now we don't, but there aren't too many ports between say New York and London to worry about missing the ship.

 

We have a friend who does extensive cruising.  On one transatlantic cruise that they were on, there were several stops in the Caribbean and then off to Europe.  One couple got off at the last Caribbean stop with just their swimsuits, no passports, a bit of money but no credit card, and no clothes to change into after they went swimming.  You all know what came next.  They missed the ship and the next stop was several days later and Europe.

 

Imagine the sinking feeling standing on the dock in your swimsuit and coverup and there is no ship there.  There may not have been a US diplomatic office on the island that they were stranded on.  Just think - they may still be there.  Seriously, I am not even sure how they even got to Europe or back to the states as they had no passport.

 

DON

 

 

[Husky61]

What I said was: there aren't too many ports between say New York and London to worry about missing the ship. I didn't mention stops in the Caribbean, etc.  I was referring to a non-stop cruise between the US and Europe. But I was only speaking for myself.  We don't excited or stressed if we might miss the ship at one port, anymore than we get stressed if we miss a flight at the airport. Not all of us get stressed over events.

 

I was only speaking about myself.🙂🙂

[Top_of_the_Cube]

I have only sailed in the Bahamas and Caribbean, but while on privately booked shore excursions I sometimes talk to the operators.  Seems like the independent operators have a pretty tight club.  If one guide is sick, an available guide from another company may pinch hit.  And in Belize, the dude there told me that the previous week he had to alter his route back to the pier in order to rescue the guests of a "rival" company whose bus had mechanical problems.  He told me that if just one outfit ever got back too late, it could be the death of the independent operator.  Realistically, of course, that does not mean a private excursion will never miss a ship.

 

Stay within your comfort zone (well, stretch it at least a little bit) so that you can focus on having the time of your life!

[Nebr.cruiser]

In Belize on a cave tubing tour, our bus did stop and take on the passengers from another tour company when their bus had mechanical problems.  They were only with us for a few miles until their company sent another bus to get them.  Tour companies do not want a reputation for missing the ship.

 

Tour operators do help each other in cases like this, in our experience and often will direct you to the right person when debarking.  

[JTBCruiser]

I book independent tours about 90% of the time.  I thoroughly research the vendor before booking and always plan to be back on ship a minimum of 2 hours before sailing.  Bottom line, if you are comfortable with booking independent then you will save money and have less of a crowd.  If fear of missing the ship, book through the cruise line. 

[donaldsc]

On 1/6/2019 at 4:58 PM, OCruisers said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  

Independent tours are normally but not always less expensive.

Yes, there may be fewer people BUT it's most often in  a small van and cramped.

We either take an excursion with the ship (especially to places hours from the ship) or take a taxi to where we want to go.  

 

 

Simple solution to this problem.  I almost always do private tours.  I just allow 8 people max on my tours and I have the company book a 12 passenger van even if it costs a bit more.  This leaves us a bit of room in the van.

 

DON