Viator Review!!! Just Don’t!!!

[sulamyacov]

We booked a tour in Costa Maya 

@Viator @ViatorTravel 

Costa Maya Reef Snorkeling Excursion +

Beach day by LaChilangaloense FreeShuffle

$69 each! So they are trying to sell themselves as a travel agent that can meet the standards of the cruise line as an alternative! THIS particular vendor picks you up in their “free shuffle” but DOES NOT bring you back to the cruise port! Fine print! So you are in Mexico- and stuck trying how to figure this out! WTH?!? why aren’t they demanding the full care of their paying customers from these vendors?!?! Be very careful!!! 

[sparks1093]

Only one of the reasons that we usually book our excursions through the cruise line.

[WVU_Neal]

2 hours ago, sulamyacov said:

We booked a tour in Costa Maya 

@Viator @ViatorTravel 

Costa Maya Reef Snorkeling Excursion +

Beach day by LaChilangaloense FreeShuffle

$69 each! So they are trying to sell themselves as a travel agent that can meet the standards of the cruise line as an alternative! 

Viatour is a tour consolidator, much like a travel agent. They sell local tours for the local companies, taking a commission on their sales. They sell tours all around the world.

 

Many non-cruise line tours require that you get your own transportation from the port. We took a delightful sunset cruise a couple months ago in Aruba, requiring a taxi to the tour location, easily done.

 

Tastes are different for each traveler. I prefer local tours to cruise excursions. Less expensive and usually fewer people.

 

Neal

[brzymom]

Many things we’ve learned about booking our own excursions:

1- define “small group” with exact number of participants

2-are entrance fees for sights included?

3-check pick-up and drop-off locations carefully

4-read reviews on whatever site you are booking through and by looking up the company online as well. 
5-be sure to triple check departure time and only do excursions that state return time is at least two hours prior to back on board time. 
 

Will continue to book our own as the cruise lines add up to 100% to the price of the excursion, are often crowded large buses with sometimes sub par guides. 

[sulamyacov]

On 4/4/2024 at 9:05 AM, WVU_Neal said:

Viatour is a tour consolidator, much like a travel agent. They sell local tours for the local companies, taking a commission on their sales. They sell tours all around the world.

 

Many non-cruise line tours require that you get your own transportation from the port. We took a delightful sunset cruise a couple months ago in Aruba, requiring a taxi to the tour location, easily done.

 

Tastes are different for each traveler. I prefer local tours to cruise excursions. Less expensive and usually fewer people.

 

Neal

 

[sulamyacov]

I agree on local tours and have done more than one BUT when on a cruise this information should be in capital letters and red print!! That is not too hard for a big company like Viator to demand from their Vendors!! And there are risks involved and using local tours… read the headlines of the 7 left by Norwegian Cruises in Africa- took them 7 days  and thousands of dollars to catch up to their cruise! I am actually sitting waiting to disembark a RCCL right now! Day before yesterday, in Cozumel, we had passed the time to leave by half and hour- the captain came on and said the “ Chichen Itza tour had run into issues making them late and we are waiting on those passengers” That made all

the difference in the world to me considering the News and us trying to figure out how to get back to the ship in plenty of time to board in a country that we don’t know how it all works! Again! TripAdvisor is huge- if the are making $$ on tours they sell than dang it don’t be so lackadaisical about details that make it a safe bet for cruisers to use them instead of the cruise line! We should get the same guarantee that we will be returned in plenty of time to catch our cruise. That isn’t asking too much! 

[crystalspin]

On 4/7/2024 at 5:17 AM, sulamyacov said:

details that make it a safe bet for cruisers to use them instead of the cruise line! We should get the same guarantee that we will be returned in plenty of time to catch our cruise. That isn’t asking too much! 

Actually, it is asking too much. If you want the guarantee that the Chichen Itza tourists had, then book the ship's excursion. It doesn't have to be in bold red type. Most people know that you get what you pay for. 

 

I don't use Viator because they take most or all of independent tour vendors' profits, leaving them to provide their services essentially for tips and future recommendations. 

[CDNPolar]

On 4/5/2024 at 8:02 AM, brzymom said:

 

3-check pick-up and drop-off locations carefully

 

 

We have travelling as a couple, and I have for business used Viator many, many times and have been very happy with them.  As mentioned they are a consolidator and reseller and they are owned by TripAdvisor.

 

Often the tour end location is not where the tour starts.  This is just how it is sometime, especially with walking tours as the tour may start close to the cruise terminal for that convenience, but will end a distance away.

 

I have always known that the end point could be different and so we have arranged our tours with that in mind.

 

It is all there in black and white for you to see, and if you are not looking closely then the assumption that it will end where it starts will catch you off guard for sure.

[brzymom]

On 4/9/2024 at 11:24 PM, crystalspin said:

I don't use Viator because they take most or all of independent tour vendors' profits, leaving them to provide their services essentially for tips and future recommendations. 

I respectfully disagree- prices are higher when booking through Viator or Trip Advisor as opposed t booking directly with the tour provider.