Hop On Hop Off Tours

[crinkleroot]

Any insights on the advantage of buying the hop on hop off bus tickets through  your cruise line instead of just buying them online from the bus company?

 

[SRF]

I typically buy then on the bus when I board.

[leaveitallbehind]

Assuming the cruise line doesn't add a service fee, other than having them available in advance, I see no advantage.  Agree with SRF - IMO it is just as easy to buy them on the bus.

Edited March 22, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Schoifmom]

Honestly, the only difference (benefit) is that they pick you up at the port and return you to the port.  This is not a typical stop on the HOHO tours.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, Schoifmom said:

Honestly, the only difference (benefit) is that they pick you up at the port and return you to the port.  This is not a typical stop on the HOHO tours.

Good point, assuming that is the case with all HOHO tours.

[John Bull]

5 minutes ago, SRF said:

I typically buy then on the bus when I board.

 

Ditto.

 

It may be cheaper buying in advance through the ho-ho operator (usually a small discount) or thro a third party like Viator (sometimes a small discount) or thro the cruise line (showing my cynicism here, but I doubt a discount).

 

But you're paying in advance so probably (except in the case of buying thro the cruise line) you'll lose that money if the ship fails to port, and you'll certainly lose that money if you simply change your mind (other options present themselves, illness, fatigue, foul weather, over-slept etc ad infinitum). That's particularly important if you haven't researched (for instance, if you haven't asked here on CC) about ho-ho's for a specific city - I'm a great fan of ho-ho's but there are cities where, usually because of restrictions on bus routes, they're a waste of time. Florence, Rome and Bath are prime examples. 

 

You're also committing yourself to that particular ho-ho operator. If there's more than one operator (Lisbon, Athens, London, and plenty of other cities) you'll stand and watch their buses arrive and go while you wait for that operator's next bus.

There might even be a small discount available on the day, esp if there are competing ho-ho operators.

 

One joy of ho-ho's is that you can make your mind up on the day. 

Buying in advance robs you of that flexibility

 

Just MHO as always

 

JB 

[Schoifmom]

13 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Good point, assuming that is the case with all HOHO tours.

IME, most excursions purchased through the cruise line includes transportation from the port (with some minor exceptions).  

 

For example, HOHO tour in Boston is one that can be purchased on your own, but if you purchased through Carnival, they picked you up and returned you to the port.

[John Bull]

16 minutes ago, Schoifmom said:

Honestly, the only difference (benefit) is that they pick you up at the port and return you to the port.  This is not a typical stop on the HOHO tours.

 

 

Thanks for now specifying Boston.

But it's not the norm in most ports - they generally include cruise ports on their routes, same as they do with rail stations.

 

And your post has highlighted the point I made a few minutes ago - folk need to research the pros & cons of ho-ho's at the ports on their itinerary

 

JB  

[crinkleroot]

I was considering the hoho bus especially in Lisbon and Funchal, Madeira.  All your comments have helped us decide to just buy on the bus.  Being newbies we were concerned about availability with lots of ships in port.

[new_cruiser]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

That's particularly important if you haven't researched (for instance, if you haven't asked here on CC) about ho-ho's for a specific city - I'm a great fan of ho-ho's but there are cities where, usually because of restrictions on bus routes, they're a waste of time. Florence, Rome and Bath are prime examples. 

There are also cities where crowding on the HOHOs wastes a lot of time. In Barcelona, there was typically a line to board and it was long enough that one might not be able to get on until the second or third bus came by. And we were there in May so that was during shoulder season - hate to think what the HOHO boarding waits might be at peak season there. 

[John Bull]

42 minutes ago, crinkleroot said:

I was considering the hoho bus especially in Lisbon and Funchal, Madeira.  All your comments have helped us decide to just buy on the bus.  Being newbies we were concerned about availability with lots of ships in port.

 

Lisbon. Yes, ho-ho is a good choice.

There are two places that ships usually berth 

- up-stream close to the city centre. Nearest ho-ho stop is only a 5-minute walk.

- downstream, near the Belem Tower & a little remote from the city centre, you'll need transport of some sort whatever you plan to do. Ho-ho's stop at the pier, which kills two birds with one stone.

There are (or at least were about 3 years ago) two competing ho-ho's. One includes the historic tram in the city centre, so if that appeals choose that one. I think both main ho-ho routes are identical, but check that - and frequency - with staff at the bus stop.

 

Funchal. I've not done the ho-ho, but it has a stop at the cruise terminal..

Instead we opted to take a little "antique" shuttlebus (similar to those in Yellowstone and Glacier NPs) to the cablecar, up to the intermediate cablecar station, then down on Funchal's famous toboggans - great fun. 

 

 

JB 

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, crinkleroot said:

I was considering the hoho bus especially in Lisbon and Funchal, Madeira.  All your comments have helped us decide to just buy on the bus.  Being newbies we were concerned about availability with lots of ships in port.

We purchased our Funchal HOHO tickets on the bus - as stated above, it has a stop at the port. We also took the cable car up to Monte - gorgeous views. Looks like JB availed himself of the toboggan. 😁

[John Bull]

38 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

We purchased our Funchal HOHO tickets on the bus - as stated above, it has a stop at the port. We also took the cable car up to Monte - gorgeous views. Looks like JB availed himself of the toboggan. 😁

 

 

Just for the record, Dogs4, that's not me - it's a vid I found on YouTube.

I'm much more handsome than that guy, and I speak the Queen's English 

 

JB  

[dogs4fun]

8 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

 

Just for the record, Dogs4, that's not me - it's a vid I found on YouTube.

I'm much more handsome than that guy, and I speak the Queen's English 

 

JB  

I knew it wasn't you but thought that you did the toboggan ride as you mentioned it was great fun? Apologies if I was incorrect.

Edited March 22, 2019 by dogs4fun

[Ashland]

All this will of course depend on the city you'll be using the HOHO in. Most of the ones we've used we purchase directly right as we're getting on. Some online purchases require you to go to a certain location to redeem your online voucher's and some purchased with the cruiseline provided transportation to a main location (Hong Kong) comes to mind.

 

A bit of specific research will clarify your options...best of luck.

[Toofarfromthesea]

4 hours ago, crinkleroot said:

Any insights on the advantage of buying the hop on hop off bus tickets through  your cruise line instead of just buying them online from the bus company?

 

 

The Cruise line affords you the opportunity to pay more.

[John Bull]

23 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

I knew it wasn't you but thought that you did the toboggan ride as you mentioned it was great fun? Apologies if I was incorrect.

 

As soon as I posted using the new attachment option  I realised that it could confuse because it doesn't name a source. 

The old-fashioned weblink  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wZugMQpcSU would have made it clear that this was a stock video.

No apology necessary, and I'm perfectly happy for you to believe than I am more handsome than the guy in the vid. 

 

JB 

 

[Gwendy]

Google the city you want and check out the details of HOHO.  They will give you details on cost, routes and if any different on cruise ship days.  You can then compare cost etc with what ship offers

[MicCanberra]

I wouldn't use the ship to book a HOHO or similar unless the convenience far outweighed the cost differential (if any).

[jagsfan]

One advantage to buying on the ship, it’s on your folio. You don’t have to buy foreign currency. 

[MicCanberra]

5 hours ago, jagsfan said:

One advantage to buying on the ship, it’s on your folio. You don’t have to buy foreign currency. 

true, part of the convenience factor.

[SRF]

On 3/22/2019 at 9:42 AM, Schoifmom said:

Honestly, the only difference (benefit) is that they pick you up at the port and return you to the port.  This is not a typical stop on the HOHO tours.

 

That is not always true.

 

I have been on a number of HOHO tours, where the port WAS a stop.

 

Lisbon and Copenhagen that I recall.

[SRF]

On 3/23/2019 at 10:29 AM, jagsfan said:

One advantage to buying on the ship, it’s on your folio. You don’t have to buy foreign currency. 

 

Credit card. 😄

 

[SRF]

On 3/22/2019 at 11:59 AM, John Bull said:

 

Lisbon. Yes, ho-ho is a good choice.

There are two places that ships usually berth 

- up-stream close to the city centre. Nearest ho-ho stop is only a 5-minute walk.

- downstream, near the Belem Tower & a little remote from the city centre, you'll need transport of some sort whatever you plan to do. Ho-ho's stop at the pier, which kills two birds with one stone.

There are (or at least were about 3 years ago) two competing ho-ho's. One includes the historic tram in the city centre, so if that appeals choose that one. I think both main ho-ho routes are identical, but check that - and frequency - with staff at the bus stop.

JB 

 

There are three lines that meet in a park near the center of two.  IIRC, Red, Green, and Blue.

 

I did all three in one day, but mainly just rode around.

 

[Schoifmom]

39 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

That is not always true.

 

I have been on a number of HOHO tours, where the port WAS a stop.

 

Lisbon and Copenhagen that I recall.

 

As previously noted, if you had read above.