Do These Type of Sea Days Exist?

[Hlitner]

1 minute ago, clo said:

Good to know. We have a Baltic/Scandinavian cruise for 9/22.

That company earned my respect.  They put 10 of us in a gorgeous new Mercedes Van that had seating for 20 with an excellent guide and a driver that also spoke English.  During the day tour I mentioned to the guide that DW and I would love to go the see Swan Lake (the ballet was being performed that night at the Mikhalovsky Theater.  She made some calls and quoted us a price that was less then the large group excursions from the ship.  She told us to meet our driver at 7pm in the cruise ship terminal.  We ate an early dinner and rushed off the ship to the terminal (always a pain since you had to go through the Russian authorities) where we showed the Visa/pass given to us by our guide.  When we walked outside a nice car pulled up and the driver asked if we were (our names).  He then drove the two of us into the city to the ballet theater, handed us our tickets, and told us we would be met out front after the performance.  We had some of the best seats in the house.  After the performance we were met by our driver who also took another couple (who had also been on a private tour that included dinner) directly back to the ship.  All this for less money then the cruise line excursion which involved being on a bus with over 50 souls.

 

The following day we again met our guide for another day of touring St Petersburg.  Around noon our small group found ourselves walking in the hearth of the city on Nevsky Prospekt where there are many restaurants.  Our guide pointed out several nearby restaurants and ask us to vote/agree on where we wanted to have lunch and we all picked a nice looking restaurant/cafe where we all went off in small groups or couples to have lunch.  No strong arming by the guide, not large group table..but just a bunch of tourists doing their own thing.  Our guide did stop at our table (while we were enjoying lunch) to make sure all was well.  Once we finished we continues as a loose group along the nearby streets stopping in a few shops (and a great candy store).  I do not generally like tours, but that was a fabulous 2 day tour experience.  

 

Hank

 

Hank

[clo]

10 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I do not generally like tours, but that was a fabulous 2 day tour experience.  

It sure sounds like it. Thanks again. And hopefully it happens.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

But more then 90% of the time it is just DW and myself using public transit, rental cars, and/or our feet to do what we want, when we want, with who we want (which is usually just us).  The few times when we have had a private tour guide try to take us shopping or somewhere we don't want to go..we make it very clear NO!

 

Ditto!!!

[cruisemom42]

57 minutes ago, jtwind said:

What is the right thing to do?  We didn't want to have a confrontation with the person who we're counting on to have a pleasant experience the rest of the day.

 

I don't organize a lot of private tours, but when I do, I make time to review the itinerary for the excursion with the guide before the tour starts (and I always specify EXTREMELY clearly in the communications before the tour my insistence on no shopping stops).  While reviewing the itinerary, I emphasize again that we do not want any shopping stops, and that if the guide sticks to this he will receive an appropriate tip. If he does not, a tip will not be forthcoming.

 

I think the guides in Turkey are the most irritating in this respect. Despite my doing the above check with the guide, he actually talked two women on my private tour into agreeing to a stop at a so-called "leather factory".  When the mini-van pulled in, I asked the guide why we were here and he then tried to make me feel guilty by telling me two of "my guests" wanted to stop here!  I said I was in charge of the tour and had made it clear there were no shopping stops scheduled. He finally gave up, but I got some serious stink-eye from the two women. 🤣

 

(Lest anyone feel bad for them, I hasten to add that where the tours drop off at the port there are literally dozens of the same type of stores easily available -- in fact, it can be like running a gauntlet just to get back to the ship without being clasped by the arm and led into a store!)

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, clo said:

Good to know. We have a Baltic/Scandinavian cruise for 9/22.

We used Alla on our Baltic cruise, and would highly recommend their services. Our guide the next year opened her own agency SPB tours, and given how competent she was and the positive feedback I have read about her agency, I would also recommend them. Actually if you go to the Baltic boards you will pretty much find positive feedback about all the private tour companies.

[clo]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

We used Alla on our Baltic cruise, and would highly recommend their services. Our guide the next year opened her own agency SPB tours, and given how competent she was and the positive feedback I have read about her agency, I would also recommend them. Actually if you go to the Baltic boards you will pretty much find positive feedback about all the private tour companies.

I've heard of those two. Thanks.

[lenquixote66]

13 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

On this same forum under the thread named: "How Much Extra To Prove Corona Shot?" there is a short video of a French Bulldog on a boogie board.  It is very cool.  😀

 

Thanks,I will check it out .I happen to live in an area where many people surf.There are exhibitions in the summer.

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, ontheweb said:

We used Alla on our Baltic cruise, and would highly recommend their services. Our guide the next year opened her own agency SPB tours, and given how competent she was and the positive feedback I have read about her agency, I would also recommend them. Actually if you go to the Baltic boards you will pretty much find positive feedback about all the private tour companies.

 

Based on my research, I also found the top 3 or 4 companies to be excellent. We opted for Alla based on a recommendation of a fellow blogger, who had used them before. We wen't disappointed and truly believe we would have been happy with any of the 4 I researched.

[ontheweb]

32 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Based on my research, I also found the top 3 or 4 companies to be excellent. We opted for Alla based on a recommendation of a fellow blogger, who had used them before. We wen't disappointed and truly believe we would have been happy with any of the 4 I researched.

IIRC (2007 was a long time ago), I e-mailed 4 companies. One never responded. Of the other three Alla seemed to fit what we wanted the best. I posted in our roll call, and we ended up with a very compatible group of 10. 

 

Everyone I have read seems to have been very happy with whatever agency they picked. You really do not get a comparison because anyone going back seems to pick the same one as they were very satisfied. I only feel comfortable with a second recommendation because our Alla guide was truly excellent and then opened her own agency the following year. Also I have read many glowing recommendation for her agency SPB tours.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We thought Ephesus was one of the most outstanding ancient sites we have ever visited.  We booked an independent tour with about 12 others from our cruise.  We had a great tour of Ephesus, a small museum and the 'Mary' house.  We did have a stop at a rug shop, which we knew about in advance, but it was not high pressure at all.  I'm not sure I even went inside--they had some interesting demonstrations going on on the patio area of rug making.  The same company also did our tour in Istanbul, again excellent.

 

It also included a lunch which was really quite nice, outside under a shaded arbor.  

 

We are not a fan of cruise line excursions either; we either head off on our own or book through an independent operator.  Which makes cruising--whenever it finally happens again--iffy for us if required to take cruise line excursions.

[ilikeanswers]

I can do a shopping stop on a tour as long as it is combined with informing how said products are made. I remember in Bali we had a stop a silver jewellery store but they at least took us back of house to see how the jewellery was made and it was a fascinating process. The same was in French Polynesia. In Rangiroa we had a stop at a pearl farm but it started with a 45 minute lesson on how pearls were made, categorised and valued while on Fatuiva they gave a whole demonstration on how they made paper which was truly mesmerising. As long as there is some educational value I can tolerate a shopping stop😉. Still doesn't mean I want to be there forever though 😂. 

[ldubs]

17 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

I can do a shopping stop on a tour as long as it is combined with informing how said products are made. I remember in Bali we had a stop a silver jewellery store but they at least took us back of house to see how the jewellery was made and it was a fascinating process. The same was in French Polynesia. In Rangiroa we had a stop at a pearl farm but it started with a 45 minute lesson on how pearls were made, categorised and valued while on Fatuiva they gave a whole demonstration on how they made paper which was truly mesmerising. As long as there is some educational value I can tolerate a shopping stop😉. Still doesn't mean I want to be there forever though 😂. 

 

I felt that way when we were shown how they make silk.  I think it was in Shanghai.    

[jtwind]

Even though we now specify in large letters "NO SHOPPING OR FACTORY VISITS" when we book private tours, it is still hit or miss.  

[clo]

1 hour ago, jtwind said:

Even though we now specify in large letters "NO SHOPPING OR FACTORY VISITS" when we book private tours, it is still hit or miss.  

We bought a beautiful, contemporary rug in Turkey on a tour. And they have a NYC office so we paid nothing to ship it.