Duck tour in Boston?

My mom, son(9), and I are going to be in Boston for a day. I was thinking about the Freedom Trail or Duck Tour. Since I was leaning more towards the Duck Tour, I got to checking in the prices. With the cruise ship in the tour is $79.99/person. However, if we go directly with the Duck Tour Company it is $32.99/adult and $22/child. Significant cost difference. I do realize we will have to get transportation to where the Duck Tour picks up. What would be the best way to get to the Prudential Center to catch the tour and any ideal of cost?

The Duck tour only takes 1 1/2 hours and you can't get off. What are you going to do the rest of the day? With a 9 year old I'd book it from the Museum of Science which is an estimated taxi fare of $16 incl tip. This leaves you the option of going in the Museum of Science ( good if bad weather) or taking a cab to Quincy Market for about $10.

I believe there is a coupon that comes with the duck tour ticket for the Museum of Science (you may be able to see the list of deals you get with a ticket -- some pretty good for a short stay in town). The Museum of Science is one of the departure points for the Duck tours, but the shorter version. You want the long version that leaves from the Prudential Center(Huntington Avenue). It's not a long cab ride from the pier, though I have no idea about price.

If he's not into walking around looking at historical buildings, I agree that the Museum of Science would be fun.

If you are booking a duck tour on your own, make sure you have a reservation in advance! These things sell out pretty much every day, so if you just show up, you *might* get a tour 4 hours later. Or not.

If you are interested in history, you'll learn a whole lot more on the Freedom Trail than you will in a Duck. But the Ducks are a blast.

Just back from Boston. We took the duck tour...eh! I thought it was okay. Nothing to write home about. Of course it did not help that we had a family behind us who had 2 children and they talked ( loudly) thru the whole tour. Very annoying. My husband and I moved up front and we could still hear them. God Bless the people next to them...$70 down the drain. Even without the talkers, I wasn't that, impressed with the duck tour. I would take the hop on/off bus instead. You get more bang for your buck...since you can pick it up all day at various points of the city. Enjoy! Whatever choice you make. : )

I agree with you. Folks ask about the Duck Tour all the time. I just don't think it's worth the money if you're spending the entire day in Boston. If you want a water experience, you can take the MBTA water taxi to Charlestown and back and see the harbor rather than the Charles River. Many of the trolley tickets offer a free harbor cruise as well.

When I lived in Boston I took a friend from out of town on the Duck Tour. Personally I was kind of embarrassed, but she loved it. You can walk the Freedom Trail faster than you can drive it, and most of the sites are free or just have a modest entrance fee. If the weather is bad, the Museum of Science is a great option.

The best way to see Boston and also the best way to get around boston is.

http://www.trolleytours.com/boston/

Cheaper than a taxi, goes to every section of Boston, take the tours or not. Highly reccomend!

We did one in Seattle and loved it- 1 year to 80, we all acted silly and had fun! We will do one in Boston on our next cruise too!!

The best way to see Boston and also the best way to get around boston is.

http://www.trolleytours.com/boston/

Cheaper than a taxi, goes to every section of Boston, take the tours or not. Highly reccomend!

yes trolley tour hop on off is the way to go we love the fact that you can do what you want. What we did was just ride the trolley all the way around once 1 1/2 hrs to plan what we wanted to do the next loop :)

http://www.allbostontours.com/body.asp?tour=BOS-T0001&page=TourDetails

What an informative thread!

I've learned a lot reading this for the last 5-10 mins.!

We stopped thru Portland ME two years ago

and took a Duck Tour on a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Simply bought tickets across the road from where the 'Duck' was

took our seats and were underway in 10 mins. or so.

Sounds like the Boston Duck-scene is way busier!

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If you book the Duck Tour thru the ship, it costs $80!

Now that's quite a bit, but if they pick you up right at the ship, I'm OK with that

because they'll also drop you off at Faneuil Hall at the end if you wish, so you can shop there..

Can anyone say for sure

that the $80 Carnival Duck Tour picks you up at the pier?

-for $80 I'm really hoping it does! :cool:

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http://bostonducktours.com/tickets.aspx

http://www.trolleytours.com/boston/

Highly recommend both.

$80 is an outrage

http://bostonducktours.com/tickets.aspx

 

http://www.trolleytours.com/boston/

 

Highly recommend both.

 

$80 is an outrage

is that I look fwd. to coming down the gangway

and being directed to either a Duck-mobile or a coach

no more than 50 yards away

to be taken to where the tour starts

-and being dropped off at Faneuil Hall, another destination of ours.

AND the fact that it is booked as of now.

I hear that walk-ins don't have much luck getting on the tours

but that could be incorrect.

God knows I don't spend much $$ on board the ship,

so I thought maybe I'd bump up their economy with this little luxury?

Heck, it's only money! :D

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Unless ship provided. Pretty much guaranteed long wait or no tickets available for duck boat.

If not booked on tour.

Cab to Long Wharf. Marriott hotel may help cab driver.

From there, lots of possibilities in very small area.

Many hop on hop off busses, same as duck boat except no river/Cambridge view. On DB The view of Cambridge etc is llimited to view from river. Do see Old Ironsides in Charlestown Navy yard.

Others

Harbor cruises

Aquarium. Just re opened after complete re do

Faneuil hall market across street.

Rose Kennedy Greenway is near.

North end Italian restaurant

Boston is very compact, great walk about place

Unless ship provided. Pretty much guaranteed long wait or no tickets available for duck boat.

 

 

If not booked on tour.

Cab to Long Wharf. Marriott hotel may help cab driver.

From there, lots of possibilities in very small area.

Many hop on hop off busses, same as duck boat except no river/Cambridge view.

On DB The view of Cambridge etc is llimited to view from river.

Do see Old Ironsides in Charlestown Navy yard.

 

Others

Harbor cruises

Aquarium. Just re opened after complete re do

Faneuil hall market across street.

Rose Kennedy Greenway is near.

North end Italian restaurant

Boston is very compact, great walk about place

Your very first comment confirms just what I thought..

..that I'd best book now thru the ship, even if it is expensive.

.

Just to reiterate:

+/-

If not booked on tour....

... lots of possibilities in very small area.

 

Many hop on hop off busses ( cover more territory than any duck boat )

Old Ironsides in Charlestown Navy yard. --- by commuter ferry if you want a water experience

Harbor cruises and Whale watches

Codzilla, for a bigger water thrill than Mack, Quack, Lack or any duckboat

Legal Seafood

Aquarium. Just re opened after complete re do

Faneuil hall market across street.

Rose Kennedy Greenway is near.

North end Italian restaurant and cannoli tasting

IMverylocalO U$80pp is absurd for what you get, unless they carry you off the ship onto a private duck boat on a golden litter to the applause of 200 extras hired for the occasion, and deliver you afterwards to a paid-for lunch at the best offering in or around Boston, which is not at Faneuil Hall or tripping over other tourists at Quincy Market. :-0

Just to reiterate:

 

+

 

IMverylocalO U$80pp is absurd for what you get,

unless they carry you off the ship onto a private duck boat

on a golden litter to the applause of 200 extras hired for the occasion,

and deliver you afterwards to a paid-for lunch at the best offering in or around Boston,

which is not at Faneuil Hall or tripping over other tourists at Quincy Market. :-0

BTW...I emailed Carnival for clarification re. a pickup right at the end of Glory's gangway

but have not yet had a response! :cool:

Anything less than the above frills

and I shall be fully utilising the DUMP function on their website billing page to UN-book.

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I am expecting precisely that -if not more! :D

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:) :) :) :p

Take photos !