CVS Tour or Princess tour out to Butchart Gardens?

We will be on the Golden Princess and have a stop in Victoria. We will only be in port from 7am to 2 pm. We would like to go out to the Butchart Gardens. I am considering booking a tour out there with CVS because they are much less expensive than Princess and also we would get a little bit more time at the gardens. I am a bit nervous due to our 2:00 departure. I did a search on CVS tours and it doesn't look like anyone has missed their ship due to getting back too late. Has anybody used them? I know that booking with Princess would be "safer" in getting us back to the ship on time. However, saving some money and more time at the gardens would be great too. Any input would be great!

With CVS you actually choose what time you head back. I just went on their website and the first departure from downtown is not until 9:20 and you'd have to be on the 11:55 trip back to town (you could try the 12:55 one but that might be pushing it). I'm thinking the ship's tour might actually get you out to the Gardens before the CVS one would, thus allowing you more time. Personally with your short time in Victoria I always advise the ship's tour.

I know when we were there years ago we did the Princess tour, what a mistake as it was a zoo on the big bus and actually ended up being the last passengers on to the ship, I can confirm they "wait" for you.

I saw some people charter a limo, and we had a big group in hindsight that would have been far better. We also saw many taxis available as well.

No question and established tour company on tripadivsor will be sure they don't want to get one or two bad reviews about their customers missing the "boat"...

I'm always apprehensive about going distances on our own when there's not a lot of wiggle room with time. With such a short timeframe, I'd go with the Princess excursion.

Thanks for the responses!

With that short period of time I would take the princess one or get a group of you to perhaps hire a limo? We did CVS last June. We were to take a certain bus back but when we got there the line was so long that the bus filled leaving many of us. They did send out another bus but we waited an extra 45 minutes. It does not leave until after 9 so that does not give you much time.