Shore Excursions

[rarescrambler]

My husband and I are starting to talk about our shore excursions. I asked him how he feels about booking directly w/the tour rather than through HAL. He asked what are the advantages/disadvantages. Here's what I told him.

 

Advantages to booking directly:

1. Cheaper

2. Fewer people

 

Advantages to booking through HAL:

1. If there's a problem w/you getting back to the ship at the end of your tour, and you've booked through HAL, they'll wait for you. If no, you're left.

 

He's not buying the last one. Am I wrong? I've always thought that was the case.

 

Can someone please set us straight, and what other pros/cons are there?

 

Thanks.

[Cruising-along]

No, you aren't wrong. The ship doesn't have to wait if you're on a late-returning tour that you booked independently. They do have to wait if it's a ship's tour.

 

Other pros and cons -- independent tours can include as much or as little as you want. In other words, you won't have to go to a carpet store in the middle of your tour in Istanbul :D , which is where most of the ship tours will take you. You can tell the guide where you want to go and what you want to see, and have a more personalized day than spending it with 30+ other people.

 

Ship's all-day tours will include a meal, something that you'll have to pay extra for with a personalized tour. Plus entrance fees to various places are included in ship's tours.

 

We've found that in some places the ship tours are best for us, and other times that we'll do better on our own. Just depends on the place and what you want. Have a great cruise!

[kakalina]

Actually they do not have to wait for you if you are on a ships tour that is late. They will wait as long as is feasible and then they will leave. If they leave a ships tour behind they are responsible for seeing that the pax are transported to the next port at the ships expense.

[Cruising-along]

Actually they do not have to wait for you if you are on a ships tour that is late. They will wait as long as is feasible and then they will leave. If they leave a ships tour behind they are responsible for seeing that the pax are transported to the next port at the ships expense.

 

You're absolutely right kakalina, thanks for clarifying. :o :)