Azamara Journey lack of included excursions

[MsRay1961]

My friend and are looking at Viking Ocean (Greek Odyssey (Fall 2022) and Azamara Journey (Greece Intensive Voyage - May 2022).  I like the Azamara itinerary better, but I like that 8 excursions are included in the price for Viking.  For those of you who have cruised Azamara, did you book private tours, or just spend the day looking around.  TIA.

[PirateWife]

I have booked a lot more ship excursions than private tours. I have only booked private tours based on personal recommendations or extremely well-vetted private tours. I have also spent the day looking around but only when I have a tour book that can guide me.

[Killin Time]

I’ve done both. But usually we do the ship excursions. 

[Marmaduke]

Look very closely at the included tours that  Viking are offering.  There is usually only one included tour per port and it is often a walking tour.

 

[Riocca]

We’ve only done one Viking Oceans cruise but found the included tours very basic and crowded, they’re usually short and you get the feeling you’re being herded like sheep. After we’d gone on a few we cancelled the rest, we’ve also done a Viking River cruise and the format follows the included tours there but of course there’s a lot more passengers on Viking Oceans.

Usually we avoid ships tours preferring to do our own thing, however when we have done Azamara tours the group sizes are usually smaller. 

[Mrs Miggins]

We have had some excellent Viking included tours.  Very often we have stayed on in the location (Athens, Barcelona, Santorini, Corfu, Valencia, Dubrovnik etc and stayed on then made our own way back doing our own thing and using the free shuttle bus. Also great tour in Algeria - but since we had a low key police escort we returned to the ship afterwards !  Yes there are walking tours but they are in places where the docking location is very close - Monte Carlo, Kotor etc.  Some of the tours are 'panoramic' ie Rome from Civitavechia but that included free time at St Peters and a couple of photo stops.  We have also done some badly organised and expensive Azamara paid tours - but because of the cost of Azamara tours we much prefer to do our own thing when travelling with them.However that is my personal experience and I have no doubt there are both good and bad tours on both lines.  

I am a great fan of both Azamara and Viking and have cruises booked on both.   Plus a river cruise on Scenic - their included tours are fantastic !

 

 

[Vineyard View]

We have sailed Viking several times. We will take their included tour to get to the location we have in mind, then let the tour operator know that we will meet them back at departure time (which we are always early for), or find our own way back. We always tip them so that they are not negatively impacted financially by our decision. We have found that the free shuttles Viking offers is also a great option to then be able to explore on our own. 
Panoramic bus tours, or walking in large groups, are not attractive to us so we generally DIY or private. That said, these free tours work for a lot of people and so I guess it depends on what types of tours are of interest to you when traveling. 
We have our first Azamara B2B booked for May next year so I cannot comment on a tour comparison. I will comment on the pre-payment that Viking requires vs Azamara (and almost every other cruise line). Be prepared with Viking to pay in full as much as 18 months in advance unless you already have a trip booked on Viking. 

[DenGNNJ]

On 9/28/2021 at 8:30 PM, MsRay1961 said:

  I like the Azamara itinerary better, but I like that 8 excursions are included in the price for Viking. 

A better itinerary, trumps cost-included “basic walking tours” in a less enjoyable itinerary IMHO.

Edited September 30, 2021 by DenGNNJ

[Grandma Cruising]

Azamara provides free shuttles when it is docked outside a town  (with a few exceptions in towns where the local taxi union doesn’t allow this).

[Mrs Miggins]

In the UK Viking payment terms are the same as Azamara.  I was surprised that Viking provided a free shuttle from Piraeus to Athens but In other places the shuttle service has been similar.  I also like the Azamara itinerary because of Venice.  Also it appears less expensive .   The Viking itinerary is showing as sold out in every category apart from 3 x DV6.

I am sure you would enjoy either but the itinerary and cost would be the clincher for me.

[donaldsc]

Good itinerary with no free tours versus a not-so-good itinerary with included but average tours.  To me the choice is obvious.  My preferred better option would be good itinerary and good non-ship private tours.

 

DON

[CMATraveller]

I like to have options. I do not want to pay for excursions that are physically too strenuous or not of interest to me. That is just one of the reasons I love Azamara.

 

 

 

[laser2000]

Have been on both Azamara & Viking and I wouldn't make the included tours  with Viking a deciding factor.

They are generally walking tours and although interesting to get an understanding of a location you can do much the same on your own.

We personally prefer arranging our own excursions with local guides (which are much cheaper) or do walking tours using researched information.  We  always found the local tourist guide who visited the ship very helpful (not sure if this still happens).

There is no doubt that the Viking ships are new & beautifully appointed, something which unfortunately Azamara cant compete with but in my opinion the service and food and the overall vibe on Azamara is superior.

We are on the Journey in 10 days time and keeping our fingers crossed that the experience doesn't disappoint.

[caripoo]

Do the Azamara if you like it better....Free excursions are not always the best ones.... We tend to travel in a small group mode now, so we book alot of private excursions.....done the way WE WANT.