Carnival Excursion vs. Private Excursion

[SurfCat]

Aside from being guaranteed that the ship won't leave you if you're late, are there any benefits to taking a Carnival sponsored excursion rather than a less expensive private one?  Do they pick you up closer to the ship, or anything like that?

[firefly333]

For instance we landed in Belize early nov 2018 during a cold snap. 40s in florida  and was 62 in belize. People on ship excursions cancelled water excursions, private pre booked were stuck. 

 

For a solo like me it's usually cheaper to book for just one on a cruiseline excursion. 

 

I did a private excursion in roatan and my travelling roommate hated that everyone on the private bus got drunk and started a shouting argument front to back of the bus about prince. She will never again do a private excursion. Her first ever cruise. We also went to a private beach and a young lady early 20s wandered off for a private massage. Yes she should have known better as I guess the guy put his hands on her. She freaked out sent back to ship via taxi in tears.

 

I think it depends on how regimented you want it. Private can get more rowdy but maybe more fun. 

[jsglow]

That's a pretty broad question Surf.  We've done both.

 

1) Yes, CCL excursions pick you up closer in certain gated ports like Mahogany Bay.  Doing a private there?  Better know exactly how to exit the complex on foot before you leave home to be able to meet your guide.

2) During uncertain Covid times, any refunds for cancellations would come directly from Carnival, not a tour operator located in a foreign country.

 

That said, if one is prepared to do the research and legwork, our preference in 'normal' times is to book most,if not all, of our tours privately.  It's typically NOT to save Carnival's cut, but more to arrange more personalized/better experiences.

[day-day]

Some Carnival sponsored excursions will pick up passengers closer to the dock; I don't know if this is the case for all ports.  Some will pick up guests directly from the ship at a tender port.  

 

I had one trip in which all cruise line excursions were canceled due to inclement weather while our private excursion still operated.  (Non-benefit?)

 

I traveled as a single on my last cruise and it still cost more for Carnival sponsored excursions but the difference didn't seem as bad as when I've traveled as a family.  I still lean towards private excursions in most instances but take into account the location, distance of excursion, and price.

 

I had a Carnival excursion canceled while I was onboard due to not enough participants.  It was easy to reschedule another available excursion on the ship for the upcoming port day.

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by day-day

[jsglow]

Firefly, I think your characterization is unfair.  Private excursions with well researched, reputable tour operators are not dangerous in any way.  Do bad things sometimes happen?  Sure, just like anywhere.  But our very best excursions (and it's not even close) have been provided by well vetted, private local operators with long and well documented histories.

Edited November 24, 2021 by jsglow

[1kaper]

Our first cruise we did all Carnival booked excursions.  

 

The next cruise we did (Med), we didn't plan anything.  On the train back to port, a person approached us with a flyer for a tour.  He said they were reviewed in Rick Steeves.  I didn't have much time to research it but I was able to confirm that.  So we met them the next morning and went with them.  It was the best tour I have ever done (Almalfi coast/Pompeii).  Carnival had a similar tour that was twice the cost.  I'm not sure we could have gotten a better guide. They were so great, I used the same company in the next port. The second tour in Rome was even better.  We've recommended them to friends and several have used them.  

Since then I don't think we've done a Carnival one although I researched in advance from then on.  I did a private boat tour in St. Thomas.  Booked with same operator last March and had no issue with a refund when the cruise was cancelled due to covid. 

All of my tours have picked me up the exact same spot where Carnival tours did.  I realize that ports may vary. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

Our best excursions, BY FAR, have been non-Carnival excursions that ranked high on TripAdvisor, with compelling reviews.  That said, we have done some Carnival excursions and they were fun (with the added safety that the ship is "guaranteed" not to leave without you).  We tend to only do Carnival excursions if comparing the "be back onboard time" and the expected length of the excursion seem "risky".  In our experience, for some ports (e.g., Roatan) you do have to walk further to get to non-Carnival excursions, but in others (e.g., St. Kitts) you do not.  Some of the non-Carnival excursions give you a much more in-depth cultural experience.  Sometimes the owner of the excursion company is the guide, for example.  In Roatan our home-grown guide even let us stop and tour his home and sample his "homemade" rum punch - while providing a whole-island tour and allowing us to choose our own restaurant for lunch on the west end.

[1kaper]

3 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Our best excursions, BY FAR, have been non-Carnival excursions that ranked high on TripAdvisor, with compelling reviews.  That said, we have done some Carnival excursions and they were fun (with the added safety that the ship is "guaranteed" not to leave without you).  We tend to only do Carnival excursions if comparing the "be back onboard time" and the expected length of the excursion seem "risky".  In our experience, for some ports (e.g., Roatan) you do have to walk further to get to non-Carnival excursions, but in others (e.g., St. Kitts) you do not.  Some of the non-Carnival excursions give you a much more in-depth cultural experience.  Sometimes the owner of the excursion company is the guide, for example.  In Roatan our home-grown guide even let us stop and tour his home and sample his "homemade" rum punch - while providing a whole-island tour and allowing us to choose our own restaurant for lunch on the west end.

 

Our St Thomas guide was the owner.  He went out of his way to make it fantastic for us. 

The Italy tours we did - one was with the owner.  A former teacher who retired to Italy and started doing this.  He took us on the tour of Rome.  His knowledge and passion certainly added to the experience. Plus they took us to an area with a lot of restaurants to eat.  We could pick whatever we wanted.  We followed them to where they were eating.  It was one of the best meals I've ever had. 

 

[firefly333]

30 minutes ago, jsglow said:

Firefly, I think your characterization is unfair.  Private excursions with well researched, reputable tour operators are not dangerous in any way.  Do bad things sometimes happen?  Sure, just like anywhere.  But our very best excursions (and it's not even close) have been provided by well vetted, private local operators with long and well documented histories.

Lol it's unfair to state what actually happened? Ha

 

I've done both and like both. It is true a old friend came with me and didnt like what went on. We stopped at a store and bought booze and the bottle was passed up and down the aisles. Good fun? Or not. I just said my friend objected. We also did a slot pull and she had a hard time getting her share back. ..the final straw. I didnt do the slot pull and I didnt care that the bus on the roll call private excursion got drunk. My tolerance is pretty high. 

 

Victor bodden does small vans not large buses and I've never had anything but complete respect. I've done many of each and they can vary. My friend hasnt cruised again lol. I dont think she will do carnival again. Her choice. It was also some huge gambling competition with drawings every 4 hours and she couldnt get to a slot machine .. so it wasnt only the excursion. 

 

Something for everyone. I do a lot of cruiseline excursions solo. Lots of people to enjoy them with. If I was a couple or a family I'd do private. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

26 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

Our first cruise we did all Carnival booked excursions.  

 

The next cruise we did (Med), we didn't plan anything.  On the train back to port, a person approached us with a flyer for a tour.  He said they were reviewed in Rick Steeves.  I didn't have much time to research it but I was able to confirm that.  So we met them the next morning and went with them.  It was the best tour I have ever done (Almalfi coast/Pompeii).  Carnival had a similar tour that was twice the cost.  I'm not sure we could have gotten a better guide. They were so great, I used the same company in the next port. The second tour in Rome was even better.  We've recommended them to friends and several have used them.  

Since then I don't think we've done a Carnival one although I researched in advance from then on.  I did a private boat tour in St. Thomas.  Booked with same operator last March and had no issue with a refund when the cruise was cancelled due to covid. 

All of my tours have picked me up the exact same spot where Carnival tours did.  I realize that ports may vary. 

... and the mystery company's name is... ???  (please don't say Viator)  😁 🏴‍☠️

[ISHCruising]

One of the best private tours we ever did was on Princess Cay aka the island of Eleuthera.  They took us on drive for about 30 minutes to Lighthouse Beach.  We have absolute peace and serenity, and enjoyed fresh caught fish and rum punch.  Less than what people paid to rent beach loungers.

We hired a fishing charter in Roatan who was unable to pick us up right at the docks (the walk beyond the carnival gate was a little sketchy admittedly!), but our captain did drop us off right at the boat dock.  We felt like we were in a James Bond movie pulling up next to the cruise ship!  Again, a fraction of the price of most Carnival Sponsored excursions .

[1kaper]

45 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

... and the mystery company's name is... ???  (please don't say Viator)  😁 🏴‍☠️

 

Can't Be Missed Tours. (Italy)

 

https://cantbemissedtours.com/

 

St Thomas Scuba and Snorkel for St Thomas obviously. 

Edited November 24, 2021 by 1kaper

[jsglow]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Lol it's unfair to state what actually happened? Ha

 

I've done both and like both. It is true a old friend came with me and didnt like what went on. We stopped at a store and bought booze and the bottle was passed up and down the aisles. Good fun? Or not. I just said my friend objected. We also did a slot pull and she had a hard time getting her share back. ..the final straw. I didnt do the slot pull and I didnt care that the bus on the roll call private excursion got drunk. My tolerance is pretty high. 

 

Victor bodden does small vans not large buses and I've never had anything but complete respect. I've done many of each and they can vary. My friend hasnt cruised again lol. I dont think she will do carnival again. Her choice. It was also some huge gambling competition with drawings every 4 hours and she couldnt get to a slot machine .. so it wasnt only the excursion. 

 

Something for everyone. I do a lot of cruiseline excursions solo. Lots of people to enjoy them with. If I was a couple or a family I'd do private. 

I don't doubt it happened.  What I would NEVER do is walk off a ship and take a tour with some guy holding up a sign (not saying you did).  My point is that well researched and pre-booked tours with private companies not directly affiliated with the cruise lines are perfectly fine and often preferable.

 

ALL our best shore excursions have been private.  100%. That's my only point.

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by jsglow

[crewsweeper]

We've done both.  Depended upon what we wanted to do in port.  For similar excursions, we usually opt for private vendors. For long  distances from cruise port to excursion site or lengthy timewise excursion, we opt for ship.  Some things, like America's Cup in St Martin are only offered via ship.  Most snorkeling excursions are better private due to smaller groups. Local site seeing like Old San Juan, DIY works well.

[1kaper]

26 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

We've done both.  Depended upon what we wanted to do in port.  For similar excursions, we usually opt for private vendors. For long  distances from cruise port to excursion site or lengthy timewise excursion, we opt for ship.  Some things, like America's Cup in St Martin are only offered via ship.  Most snorkeling excursions are better private due to smaller groups. Local site seeing like Old San Juan, DIY works well.

 

We did DIY for San Juan. 

We were on the bus that runs around San Juan and started talking to a local guy. His recommendation for rum was excellent.  I just wish I had bought more.  I don't even remember what it was now.  
I was pregnant at the time so I didn't even get to try it for another year or more. 

[CookieShip]

It really depends. If an itinerary is changed or a port is missed for say weather, Carnival will take care of those cancellations. You may not have as much ease with getting refunded from say a private 3rd party.

 

Other observations, not strictly on Carnival cruise though. If it's a tender port, those with sponsored excursions can usually get off first or have some kind of priority.

 

Some places it very difficult to get to a private excursion, I want to say it is Costa Maya that all the excursions in the immediate port area are the same price as the ships. You have to walk quite a ways out or take the tram to get outside of the immediate port area to get to private excursions.

 

I've gone on private excursions and see the cruise ship excursion people at the same places, getting the same experience. 

[travelplus]

I did the research for my upcoming Panorama Cruise. In Cabo I am taking the Luxury Yacht Cruise and Carnival has the best price. In Mazatlan I am taking a private small group excursion around the city with lunch for $50 . The Carnival excursion did not include lunch and was shorter for $45.

 

In Puerto Vallarta I am doing the Carnival  tour Local Flavors at a Private Villa with a cooking class,Tequila pairing, open bar and access to the pool and spa for $60.

 

In the evening I am doing the Rhythyms Of the night for $159 with open bar. I could not do these two tours without Carnival .

 

I have spent a week in Cabo and a week in Puerto so I wanted to do something different. I never been to Mazatlan so the guided tiyr and lunch will be a good way to see if I want to spend more time there.

[NutsAboutGolf]

1) Ship tour, best when you want to exhaust your OBC; usually utilizes buses

2) Non-ship guided tour, if properly researched can provide a superior experience to ship tours due to usually not being on a huge bus

3) Unguided private driver, can be surprising cheap specifically if you have more than two in you party; ideal for those who are into jumping out, taking a quick photo and moving onto the next site as you don't need to worry about finding parking.  Will be able to see more sites/attractions.

4) DIY, ultimate freedom yet not for everyone as it can bring stress with traffic and finding parking in some locations.  For example, I'd have no problem renting a car in Kauai but wouldn't want to rent one in Maui.

[billslowsky]

59 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

For example, I'd have no problem renting a car in Kauai but wouldn't want to rent one in Maui.

True that!

[May1cruiser]

Our best tour ever was a private tour in Cuba. Turns out our tour guide was a professor of Cuban history. It was our family of four plus two others in our group. Absolutely no rush, completely custom to our needs, educational and one of our fondness cruises ever. We have also had an amazing time in Cozumel with a private tour company. Their reputation rides on a smooth tour with great reviews. Do your research and enjoy!

[sanger727]

Carnival excursions are easier. You don’t have to do any pre-planning or research a tour operator. You can pick them out when you get to the ship. You are given a meeting spot on the ship, walked out to the transport, and then dropped back off at the ship. And some people feel ‘safer’. People feel like if there’s an issue they can go to carnival with it. And they can have more lax cancellation policies.

 

I am personally not a fan of getting off the ship and hiring a guide at the dock. I like to pre-plan and find reputable tour operators. And I feel confident we get better quality tours that way. It’s really personal preference. Easy and with the masses, or more work and more personalized.

[NutsAboutGolf]

16 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

Carnival excursions are easier. You don’t have to do any pre-planning or research a tour operator. You can pick them out when you get to the ship. You are given a meeting spot on the ship, walked out to the transport, and then dropped back off at the ship. And some people feel ‘safer’. People feel like if there’s an issue they can go to carnival with it. And they can have more lax cancellation policies.

 

I am personally not a fan of getting off the ship and hiring a guide at the dock. I like to pre-plan and find reputable tour operators. And I feel confident we get better quality tours that way. It’s really personal preference. Easy and with the masses, or more work and more personalized.

 

The biggest problem with this mindset (which I know isn't yours), rarely do ship tours leave the ship right when the ship ports, usually its at least an hour after the port.  There are usually so many advantages to being one of the first cruise ship pax (also remember that there's often multiple ships) to attractions, as you're not ever trying to find parking, waiting in line and you can probably get better photos as odds are, there aren't hundreds of people in the background.  

[jsglow]

One of the things one needs to consider is the availability of private tours during the restart.  While we typically lean that way, it'll be our 4th post-Covid cruise in December before we finally do a private one once again.  The early days of the re-start we're sketchy enough that we stuck with the 'safe' route given the potential for cancellations or itinerary changes late.

[nlktx49]

My experience has been that private tours are preferable to ship's, which are usually overcrowded, poorly organized, and have indifferent guides. Do the research, it's easy to find reputable tour companies. This is their living, they're not going to risk that by less than stellar service.

 

The only exception is when the destination is some distance from port. I booked a tour to Chichen Itza from Progreso with a private company, cheaper than ship's and smaller group. Over an hour drive to get there, all went well until the return when the van broke down. Luckily, the company had a good business relationship with Carnival and kept in touch with the ship, assured us they wouldn't leave without us. I was sweating bullets, especially since I was the one who booked this and we had two others traveling with us. 

 

Finally got back, not too late, but we became pier runners, to our shame! 

 

In 21 cruises I've never had a ship's excursion that was as good or better than the private ones - as long as it wasn't too far from port!

 

But as another poster said, do not take a tour with some guy holding up a sign at the pier!!

[RWolver672]

We've done both.  In Grand Cayman, we did the stingray excursion with Capt Marvin.  They took probably ten of us on a cabin cruiser out to the area where the rays are.  The captain of the boat (Jerry) explained to us how to walk around, feed the rays and what to expect.  When we got in the water,  Jerry got in with us.  He knew the rays by name and even gave me a back rub with one.

 

After maybe fifteen minutes, the Carnival excursion boat came.  It was a double decker loaded with people.  They all just jumped in the water and had no idea of what to do.  

 

We left the area and went to an area for snorkeling.  When we got done, as we were getting back onto his boat, he hosed us down individually with warm water to wash the salt water off.

 

Once in Cozumel on the submarine excursion, we had to walk on the long pier, got to the area where the Carnival rep was, then when everybody was there, we had to walk probably a quarter of a mile to get to the pier where their boat was that took us out to the submarine.  Needless to say, it was hard on the older folks.  

 

As far as Carnival reps assembling people right off the ship, even if they do, they still make you walk quite a ways to get on their bus.   Especially in Cozumel where the pier stretches on forever.