Peanutz24 Posted June 4, 2017 #1 Share Posted June 4, 2017 We are going on pacific dawn in September, and wanted to do a tour I'm vanuatu. Is it best to book through P&O or do it ourselves? Just don't want to miss it if we can't get off the boat in time etc. Sent from my SM-G900F using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castaway01 Posted June 5, 2017 #2 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I am just about to go on the Dawn for the first time, as an experiment to test out winter cruising, but if the Dawn is the same as the Jewel and the Pearl, then if you book a ship tour the ticket information has the time and meeting place on it, and they will wait for you to get back to the ship, if you go private then you take your chances, what port are you going to ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanutz24 Posted June 5, 2017 Author #3 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Going to Noumea, Lifou and Port Vila. But onky want to do a shore tour in vila. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castaway01 Posted June 5, 2017 #4 Share Posted June 5, 2017 At Vila the ships shore tours meet on the wharf all you have to do is walk down the gangway to the wharf, and follow the signs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markannab Posted June 5, 2017 #5 Share Posted June 5, 2017 We are doing our tenth cruise in August. Thus far, we've only ever booked one shore tour via P&O – primarily because of the higher cost. Of all the excursions we've arranged for ourselves, only one didn't work out as planned. The small tour bus that we were to go on apparently had no signage on it and we couldn't find it. The arrangement was that we would pay upon meeting them so no money was lost. We learned later they were searching for us as well! Still, we had a great day because we located another means of transport (the back of a ute) and had one of the very best tours we've ever had. We research at home what we think we'd like to do and usually arrange some form of transport on land. At other times, we sort things out via a fantastic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/redVanuatu/. If you book tours ahead of time that are not with P&O, you won't normally miss the tour if the ship is late to dock. They don't have anyone to take on tour until the passengers have disembarked, so they'll still be sitting there waiting for you. Some are also concerned about ships leaving with them. The simple workaround is to set your return time WELL AHEAD of departure time and don't pay taxi drivers until they've returned you to the ship. That way, they won't leave you stranded at some remote location. Most drivers are fantastic; just one or two that have done wrong by their paying passengers. On the topic of taxi drivers, just be prepared at Vila for the onslaught of eager drivers wanting to take you places. There's yelling and waving and offers galore. Plan what you want to do before you hit the wave of drivers, and pleasantly but firmly say that you've already got things arranged. Or, if you want to hire one of them, be ready to negotiate a fair price. Incidentally, a cheap and fun way of getting from the dock to the centre of Vila is by water taxi. Come out of the gates and look for signs for water taxi (or ask a stall owner). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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