Is it really cheaper???

[Jacky4]

Everyone says it's cheaper to book shore excursions through a private company instead of the cruise ship. So this was the year I decided to try it and found out this isn't true. Carnival is charging $65 pp to Snuba in Cozumel and the tour company that was recommended on these boards in Cozumel is charging $59 pp but there is also a charge of $16 pp admission to the park and I know transportation is included with Carnival. The descriptions of the excursion are basically the same. Am I crazy or has anyone else noticed this?

[DonnaK]

Well, maybe that particular tour is not significantly cheaper. I've found a tour or two that are about the same price as the cruise line. But, the vast majority of them are cheaper, and offer more things. The groups are usually smaller, making for a less crowded, more personal experience.

 

Make sure you are comparing Apples to Apples - ask over on the Cozumel board if these two tours are exactly the same. You'll get good advice there.

[cb at sea]

Booking privately depends on your comfort level, as well! Folks new to cruising, or who are going to a new port, may be more comfortable letting the cruiseline handle everything! Sometimes, that itself is worth a few extra bucks! No worrying about time changes, or making it back to the ship on time....They do it all for you!

[MEcruzr]

Sometimes, too... it's not that booking private tours is cheaper, it's better. I booked a Stingray City snorkel trip on my own. We went to a reef to see the fish (and coral, sea turtles, etc) then to SC to see the stingrays. There were maybe 20 people on our tour/boat. When we got there, we saw a double decker boat loaded top and bottom with people. It looked like an overloaded ferry boat. I asked the captain about it and he said, "That's a tour group from the ship that's in port today." We were given our equipment and a short lesson... then allowed to come and go as we pleased, staying in the water as long as we liked. The other boat put people off and on in shifts. They got a turn to see the stingrays and then had to go back to the boat and wait. We were all given squid to feed the stingrays... they were not, a crew member fed the stingrays and they got to watch. Our boat was smaller... we could touch bottom right next to the boat. The other boat had to anchor off the sand reef and the people had to swim in. PLUS, my fare was cheaper.

 

Just do your research. Not all private tours are better/cheaper/safer/easier. It's really a case by case thing.

[Mekamax]

I found the horseback riding in Belize was more expensive done on my own. So I agree not all are cheaper but some are. I look at the timing and see - a few dollars isn't worth the worry missing the boat on a long excursion but I have done tours on my own that were well worth every penny and a lot cheaper. Just hours on research - that in itself though can make it worth just doing the ship tours... :rolleyes: :D

[CC Help Michell]

Everyone says it's cheaper to book shore excursions through a private company instead of the cruise ship. So this was the year I decided to try it and found out this isn't true. Carnival is charging $65 pp to Snuba in Cozumel and the tour company that was recommended on these boards in Cozumel is charging $59 pp but there is also a charge of $16 pp admission to the park and I know transportation is included with Carnival. The descriptions of the excursion are basically the same. Am I crazy or has anyone else noticed this?

 

Being an informed consumer requires some homework to get the information you need in order to make good decisions for you and your party. That means doing the research, as you did for this excursion. As an above poster noted, though, you also have to be sure you are comparing "apples to apples" with regard to what is included (or extra) on each excursion. We almost always book independently, after doing the research... sometimes for a particular port we find a great excursion doing something the ship doesn't even offer. Sometimes we book via the ship, even if the cost is a bit more, depending on (most often) scheduling (sailaway time) concerns.

 

I'd say (in reply to your post title) -- no, it's not ALWAYS cheaper to book on your own, and "everyone" doesn't say so (I don't). But often it is. In Hawaii this summer we saved nearly $500 by booking three tours independently rather than via the cruiseline. We saved another $300 or so by renting cars in some ports (versus the ship's "big bus" excursions), and thereby also got to do about 10x as much stuff in the ports. We gave some of that savings back, though, in one port where I found a great independent excursion the ship didn't offer -- it cost about $40 more per person than the ship's sort-of-but-not-really comparable offering. I was totally satisfied with our experience on that trip... but I had done the homework and actually knew what made the most sense for our budget and interests.

 

If doing that kind of research doesn't appeal to you, no big thing -- you likely won't go wrong booking the ship's excursions.

[lovemylab]

All the excursions I have booked on my own are either not available through the ship or are cheaper than going through the ship.

 

We have an all day tour booked in St. Lucia for $45 each (includes all admission fees and beverages). To book an all day tour through the ship started at $60 and didn't cover everything we will be seeing on our tour.

 

As others have pointed out, the tours through the ship tend to be larger groups as well.

 

In some cases it may be cheaper to go through the ship, but in the majority of cases the excursions will be cheaper on your own.

[cruiserbryce]

the way I look at it...the increased price gives me a certain level of reasurance...I would think that certain expectation have to be met for the company to keep a contract with the cruise line...also...if your cruise booked excursion is late the ship will wait for you, but If you've booked a private excursion you may be watching sail away from a view which isnt quite ideal:D

[newmexicoNita]

90% of the time a private tour will be cheaper and more personalized, there are exceptions to every rule. It looks like you found an exception.

 

Nita

[DonnaK]

the way I look at it...the increased price gives me a certain level of reasurance...I would think that certain expectation have to be met for the company to keep a contract with the cruise line...also...if your cruise booked excursion is late the ship will wait for you, but If you've booked a private excursion you may be watching sail away from a view which isnt quite ideal:D

 

 

Please note: if you book an excursion through the ship and the group is late coming back, the ship does NOT have to wait for you. The cruise line WILL assume responsibility for catching you up with the ship, at their expense. With private tours, you are on your own, both financially and to make arrangements with the port agent to either meet the ship via tender boat or to get to the next port.

 

Still the most compelling reason to book through the ship is when it's an all-day or late afternoon tour that returns close to sailing time. When we book privately, we choose early morning tours that return to the ship a few hours before all-aboard time.

[DanJ]

Please note: if you book an excursion through the ship and the group is late coming back, the ship does NOT have to wait for you. The cruise line WILL assume responsibility for catching you up with the ship, at their expense.

 

I'm trying to think of some examples of why a ship will leave their excursions behind, and am having difficulty coming up with many. OK, if the bus crashes and everyone is in the hospital, the ship will leave. If the bus is taken hostage, the ship will probably leave. If the people on the bus are arrested, I guess the ship will leave.

 

If the bus breaks down and they will be a couple hours late getting back, I'm betting the ship will still be there. The cruise line will not be wanting to put up a bus load of people in hotels and find flights to the next island, not to mention the bad press leaving a load of people behind like that. There are few operational reasons in most itineraries, where the ship can't make up a couple lost hours.

[DonnaK]

I'm trying to think of some examples of why a ship will leave their excursions behind, and am having difficulty coming up with many. OK, if the bus crashes and everyone is in the hospital, the ship will leave. If the bus is taken hostage, the ship will probably leave. If the people on the bus are arrested, I guess the ship will leave.

 

If the bus breaks down and they will be a couple hours late getting back, I'm betting the ship will still be there. The cruise line will not be wanting to put up a bus load of people in hotels and find flights to the next island, not to mention the bad press leaving a load of people behind like that. There are few operational reasons in most itineraries, where the ship can't make up a couple lost hours.

 

 

One of the captains at a captain's Q&A session aboard one of our cruises told us this:

 

The ships have a contract with the port which determines how long they can stay docked or tendered, and they pay a port charge (which then becomes part of the cruise fare). The time frame is usually determined by the hours the port personnel, coast guard and the local pilots are working that day. These would all have to be paid overtime if they are required to work longer because the ship extended its stay.

 

Sometimes the captain can make an arrangement with the port authority to stay a few minutes longer than their contract states, but other times, they are subject to fines or increased port fees if they don't vacate the pier (or the tender spot) on time. Therefore, they cannot always wait.

 

That's why the ship sometimes moves away very slowly, and the late passengers are able to get onto the port's police or tender boat and meet up with the ship a short distance offshore. (There is often a feee associated with this). Other times, it cannot work out that way.

 

The specifics vary according to the exact contract the cruise lines have at each port. When asked why the ship doesn't just stay and pay the fine rather than absorb the expense of transporting the latecomers, the captain said that it's more than just about money, but also about the relationship between the cruise line and the port, and about honoring a contract. The next contract might be offered at a higher fee for ships that don't vacate on time.

 

 

Now, this was quite some time ago, aboard a Costa ship. I don't remember the Captain's name, and I can't quote him directly, so I paraphrased what he told us and how I understood it. Things may have changed a bit over the years since we've been given this information, but the main idea is probably the same

[Janan]

Thats why people do research before laying out any money......My wife and I have done excursions on our own....However our last time to ST thomas we did the Atlantis sub. We checked on doing it ourselves $89.00 per person i9n contrast to Princess which was $95.00 per person but Princess included the transportation to and from the sub site.....in this case the dyi was not cheaper might have been equal if not more expensive (because of the transportation) when this is the case We opt for the ship excursion because if you're late they'll wait. Sometimes people chose diy because the ship doesn't offer the activitie they want to do....or in our case because of the money....BUT Money isn't everything so do your research and make sure you are back to the ship in time....because anymoney you save will be null and void if you have to pay for airfare to the next port.

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE HAVE A GREAT CRUISE!!!

 

Andy