Catalina Island - Advice on Inland Tours, Please!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

DH and I will be on the Monarch of the Seas in April. He spent his childhood years in So. California and would like to revisit his childhood "haunts".:rolleyes: He spent quite a bit of time on Catalina, both on his family boat and with the boyscouts and would like to get away from Avalon while there and visit the interior and the Twin Harbors areas.

 

The RCI website shows 3 tours to the interior. Two of them are 4 hours in length and one is quite a bit shorter. The differences that I can tell between the two longer ones is that one is in an open vehicle and includes lunch. The other is in a classic bus, and describes the route as the old stagecoach circle route. The one on the bus is also $31 pp cheaper. I am inclined to take the one on the bus and buy lunch back in Avalon. Does anyone know the real differences between the two tours? Do you see more of the island on one versus the other? Thanks!:)

[Victory Bound]

Ginny,

 

I don't know if this will help you but in June, we sailed on the Pride and spent 5 pre-cruise days in southern California. On one of these days, we went to Catalina and had booked the Inland Motor Tour. I think our tour was from 9A-1P. We were on an older bus that had a lot of glass. Anyway, this was an awesome tour. The scenery was breathtaking. If this is the same tour that is one of your options, I don't think you would be disappointment. We even stopped at the Wrigley estate to see a demonstration of Arabian horses. They had snacks available for us there. We then had lunch on our own when we got back to Avalon.

 

I have some Catalina pictures on Webshots if you want to see them.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/victorybound

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Dawn - Thanks for the link! The pictures were great. DH enjoyed them, too. It does sound like the motorcoach tour described on the RCI website.:)

[Tuckerrad]

Thanks Dawn! It's always better to hear things from a satisfied customer. Jenny, if you would like more information feel free to visit our website at www.VisitCatalinaIsland.com. I hope you have a great trip to the island. -Brad

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thanks, Brad! Loved the video tour. We'll see you April 18!:)

 

BTW, I don't know if this tour can be booked independently or not, but because it is a tendered port I feel more comfortable paying the little bit more through the ship and being sure that we don't miss the tour!

[Victory Bound]

Thanks Dawn! It's always better to hear things from a satisfied customer. Jenny, if you would like more information feel free to visit our website at www.VisitCatalinaIsland.com. I hope you have a great trip to the island. -Brad

 

Brad, our day in Catalina and the Inland Motor Tour was the highlight of our time in California before our cruise. I had been to Catalina twice previously but had never gotten out of Avalon. It was great to explore more of the island. I don't know who our bus driver was, but he sure knew how to handle that bus on those curvey roads. :) We also loved visiting the Wrigley estate and the Airport in the Sky.

 

I would not hesitate to take this same tour again.

[SingBill]

Tuckerrad

I am interested in this tour. Could you tell me what the age is for the senior rate?

[CaliArbonne]

Hi Mary! I was looking into this one as well....Here is what I found:

 

On the RCL site it states the prices as follows:

Prices starting from:

*67.00 USD (Adult)

*33.50 USD (Child)

Didn't give any other prices than that....so no senior discount from the ship?

 

On the site that Brad (aka Tuckerrad) gave it lists the prices as follows:

Adult $67.00

Children $33.50

Seniors $60.25

 

So with going through THAT site, YOU can get a discount if you are a senior! Looks to be the same exact tour, as well!

 

I am not sure what we will do on this port stop....I am thinking my kiddos *might* get bored with the bus trip. Maybe we will just rent the golf carts and make our own way around the island. We are thinking of doing a sailing trip over to Catalina this summer anyway.....so could do something different while we are there again this summer.