Terry Bill Posted May 25 #1 Share Posted May 25 Just perusing some Seabourn Cruise Excursions in Europe and they indicate $1100 for a car,driver and guide for the day. Is this considered good value by cruisers or is it better to hire a cab locally and do your own thing? Has anyone spent that much on a day out and was it worth it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahogany Posted May 25 #2 Share Posted May 25 Might be a good value for 4 people, less so for 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kej1 Posted May 25 #3 Share Posted May 25 Not a good value. In most European ports you can find this through third parties for a lot less. Or with a taxi with which you can often negotiate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare marazul Posted May 25 #4 Share Posted May 25 It's a bad deal. You can find private guided excursions in most ports for a lot less. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare highplanesdrifters Posted May 26 #5 Share Posted May 26 It really depends on the port. Based on our experience last November, In Greece prices were crazy and $1,100 would be a bargin. Turkey not so much. We got a luxury tricked out Mercedes van for $750 through Seabourn. Another factor is traffic. How much do you want to risk using another vendor and returning to the ship on time? In general were are DIY but sometimes it's not worth the risk if you're doing a full day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Woodrowst Posted May 26 #6 Share Posted May 26 Another consideration in this day and age is port cancellations. This has always been an issue but post-covid this happens a lot more across all cruise lines. If you book a car or excursion through Seabourn they are on the hook for a cancellation. If you book on your own you are on the hook for any non-refundable charges. Many private operators will want full payment in advance and will not refund any amount if you cancel. So if you book excursions on your own make sure you know what the cancellation/refund policy is and be willing to take the risk based on the answer. It is a little like hotels that give a discount for making a non-refundable booking. You are betting that you will be there. Many times this pays off. Sometimes…. As Inspector Callahan (Clint Eastwood) said in a Dirty Harry movie: Do you feel lucky? ☺️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labonnevie Posted May 26 #7 Share Posted May 26 Woodrowst brings up a good question. Does anyone know if the trip interruption/trip cancellation benefits of the Chase Sapphire card, for example, would cover non refundable charges for a tour or car in a skipped port? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH814 Posted May 27 #8 Share Posted May 27 Not quite on point, but we frequently use Tours by Locals. Last year a port in Dublin was cancelled. We got a full refund from TBL without problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Traveler244 Posted May 27 #9 Share Posted May 27 We’ve booked a few SB half-day private car + guide excursions when there weren’t satisfactory alternatives (e.g., because there weren’t excursions that interested us from SB and independent local operators). While the SN private car + guide excursions were pricey, we were satisfied: the guides were quite good and the cars/drivers first-rate. So, while this wouldn’t automatically be our first option, it’s one that can make sense in specific ports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRMinx Posted May 27 #10 Share Posted May 27 11 hours ago, JPH814 said: Not quite on point, but we frequently use Tours by Locals. Last year a port in Dublin was cancelled. We got a full refund from TBL without problem. Using TBL in Sardinia in a week. Can’t wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Traveler244 Posted May 27 #11 Share Posted May 27 17 hours ago, JPH814 said: Not quite on point, but we frequently use Tours by Locals. Last year a port in Dublin was cancelled. We got a full refund from TBL without problem. The Tours By Locals cancellation policy includes port cancellation as an "unforeseeable event" warranting a refund if the tour was identified as a shore excursion on the TBL site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NandG Posted June 15 #12 Share Posted June 15 Not quite on point here either: we're going for a month around Northern Europe later this year. Just got an email saying that on our $US 160 half day excursion in a port in Iceland, we'll now have to pay $1.50 each to use the bathroom! Sounds like they've become very penny pinching! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caviarforme Posted June 15 #13 Share Posted June 15 2 hours ago, NandG said: Not quite on point here either: we're going for a month around Northern Europe later this year. Just got an email saying that on our $US 160 half day excursion in a port in Iceland, we'll now have to pay $1.50 each to use the bathroom! Sounds like they've become very penny pinching! We got 2 emails on the same subject as my wife and I are each doing separate excursions at the same port, but both visit the ISK250 ($1.50) toilet venue. My reaction was exactly the same - penny pinching by the "ultra luxury" cruiseline that should know better. To add to it they also state you can only paying local Icelandic currency by card, with all the possible fees and charges, having the potential to make it the most expensive convenience stop you have ever made. Surely for a tour coach with maybe 30 onboard SB could cover the $45??? They continue to let themselves down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbnovak Posted June 15 #14 Share Posted June 15 Y'all are incredible! I don't think I've ever been on a European itinerary (or most Mexican ones, either) when there ISN'T a charge to use the facilities. Do you think it's Seabourn that's charging this fee???? It's not. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancygp Posted June 16 #15 Share Posted June 16 2 hours ago, kbnovak said: Do you think it's Seabourn that's charging this fee???? No! I’ve seen this in Iceland over 10 years ago Nancy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NandG Posted June 16 #16 Share Posted June 16 To clarify: of course there's a cost to using the facilities! I assume Seabourne factors costs like these in to excursions. My astonishment is at the cost being added at this late stage, for a luxury liner. Especially if this has been common Icelandic practice for 10 years, you might expect it to be signalled in a general statement as part of information about excursions. (Sorry, looks like I can't get the quote functions to work on my tablet.) 42 minutes ago, nancygp said: No! I’ve seen this in Iceland over 10 years ago Nancy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TV Dad Posted July 7 #17 Share Posted July 7 Please look at TripAdvisor.com, or toursbylocals.com/ for private drivers and guides. They offer much better value. The only upside to paying for a Seabourn driver is the ship will wait for you if you are late returning from your excursion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conchyjoe Posted July 8 #18 Share Posted July 8 We are booked on a Transatlantic next year from Dover to Montreal and just sifting through the available shore excursions to book. The Seabourn prices are truly outrageous! In fact, having taken a similar voyage in 2022, all the prices have basically doubled or tripled. A 90 minute walking tour of St.Pierre at $120.00 each. That’s crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annapolitan369 Posted July 8 #19 Share Posted July 8 Guess that's because of all the OBC they are giving out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laylam Posted July 8 #20 Share Posted July 8 On 6/16/2024 at 12:53 AM, caviarforme said: We got 2 emails on the same subject as my wife and I are each doing separate excursions at the same port, but both visit the ISK250 ($1.50) toilet venue. My reaction was exactly the same - penny pinching by the "ultra luxury" cruiseline that should know better. To add to it they also state you can only paying local Icelandic currency by card, with all the possible fees and charges, having the potential to make it the most expensive convenience stop you have ever made. Surely for a tour coach with maybe 30 onboard SB could cover the $45??? They continue to let themselves down. I think this is just Seabourn warning you that you will need to travel with your credit card to unlock the door to the toilet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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