Exploitation!

[Berlioz22]

We have booked our first cruise with Princess this May - it is a week cruise from Southampton to La Coruna, Bilbao, Bordeaux and Guernsey ...... 'Bordeaux' is actually a misnomer as it is a remote port called Le Verdon. It is extremely difficult to try to get to Bordeaux under your own steam. Princess Cruises' cheapest excursion is to 'explore Bordeaux on your own' and costs $79 EACH purely to transport you to Bordeaux and back ........ we shall not encourage Princess Cruises by paying what I feel is an extortionate amount and furthermore this will be our first and last time cruising with Princess - I hope fellow cruisers on this trip also complain ....... we shall return to Royal Caribbean for our future cruises...... totally disgusted!

[Colo Cruiser]

We have booked our first cruise with Princess this May - it is a week cruise from Southampton to La Coruna, Bilbao, Bordeaux and Guernsey ...... 'Bordeaux' is actually a misnomer as it is a remote port called Le Verdon. It is extremely difficult to try to get to Bordeaux under your own steam. Princess Cruises' cheapest excursion is to 'explore Bordeaux on your own' and costs $79 EACH purely to transport you to Bordeaux and back ........ we shall not encourage Princess Cruises by paying what I feel is an extortionate amount and furthermore this will be our first and last time cruising with Princess - I hope fellow cruisers on this trip also complain ....... we shall return to Royal Caribbean for our future cruises...... totally disgusted!

 

Sorry you are leaving Princess.

Hardly a reason to IMO.

Could have researched this a little more pre cruise maybe?

 

So the whole cruise was a bust?

Edited March 14, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

Le Verdon is the closest port to Bordeaux that can accomodate a cruise ship. The round trip distance from the port to Bordeaux is over 200km (125 miles). Given the distance involved and the guarantee that, if your tour returns late, that the ship will wait for your group, the price is rather reasonable.

 

Sorry that this is going to swear you off Princess forever, but it really isn't exploitation or extortion.

[Tapi]

IMHO, the cost is fair. You do know that most cruise lines charge similar amounts to transport you when the main attraction is far from the port, right?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Grayce]

Usually there are other private, cheaper options than using cruise line excursions.

 

Sent from my SGH-I717D

[Pam in CA]

I'm not sure I'd call it exploitation. After all, you're not forced to take the transport. You could always rent a car or take a cab, both of which would probably cost you a lot more and don't guarantee that you won't miss the ship. It's all about choices.

[chrysalis]

Not much difference than Rome, where you dock in a different location....and the cheapest Princess excursion is Rome on your own for $79

 

And the same for Florence, and a number of other ports in the Med, and around the world.

 

Even Royal Caribbean has these sorts of ports.

 

Your advance research could have told you all of this before you booked the cruise.

[suntan]

I agree with everyone that has already posted. The cost quoted is not unreasonable and you get the guarantee that the ship will wait for you if the bus/car is late getting back. We experienced this on a previous cruise where the bus we booked through the cruiseline was late - the tour guide received a call asking where he was because we were about 30 minutes late getting back. Because we booked that tour through the cruise line the ship waited for us to get back. Sometimes we have to pay for convenience and piece of mind. Others have provided you with options and I hope you don't let this spoil your trip or stop you from taking Princess before.

[bhopal21]

Sounds like you didn't do your research before booking the cruise and you are certainly not forced to take it.:confused:

 

Mike:)

[Maddle]

Since you mentioned RCCL, how much do they charge for the same option?

 

Really, $79 is not too bad for that distance and the departure guarantee - although it does add up when there are multiple people in your party.

 

You could spend a little more and do some kind of guided tour. You might not feel so annoyed at paying just for a ride into town.

 

Maddle

[M4dC0w]

Reasonable for a round trip ride

 

Note, OP is a first timer also, so hasnt cruised with princess yet.

[nnrd79a]

I agree with everyone that has already posted. The cost quoted is not unreasonable and you get the guarantee that the ship will wait for you if the bus/car is late getting back. We experienced this on a previous cruise where the bus we booked through the cruiseline was late -

<snip>

 

 

I can attest to the above.

 

The Wife and I were on a Princess Zip Line excursion on Maui back in 2007.

On our way back our Van died on the side of the road. Boom, smoke, noise.

We were about two hours late returning to the Ship……. But she was there waiting on us.

[GeorgesGal]

Actually, there are very few cruise lines which go up-river to Bordeaux. Any mid-size and larger will always port at LeVerdon and offer excursions to the wine country from there. Only the smaller ships - Oceania, Azamara and those smaller can make it to city center since the river is neither wide nor deep!

[waltd]

Enjoy RC. Next time do your homework.

[Berlioz22]

I was surprised by the dismissive responses .... to clarify:

 

• we have looked at alternatives and obviously people do not know what they are talking about because there are none .... it has even been indicated that it will be difficult to even to get out of the port on your own ... and there is nothing in Le Verdon
  
• I get the feeling that some of the responses are from people who have paid these extortionate fees for other similar jaunts and feel they are being exposed for being silly enough to pay up ..... there is always this excuse 'oh, you are guaranteed to get back to the ship', and other such nonsense.
  
• we went to Rome from Civittavechia for 9 Euros return on a BIRG ticket when the cruise line were charging high costs ( BIRG now costs 12 Euros)
  
• we got a private taxi from Colon in Panama to the Gatun locks for $40 total when it would have cost $120 by the cruise line bus
  
• the responses IMHO are from sheep who just pay up and troop on to the Acollyte Autobusses and feel that the cruise companies are doing them a big favour ??
  
• if I had to get a bust for a similar journey from Glasgow to Edinburgh t would be a fraction of the cost for this trip
  
• These people will continue coughing up these inflated costs because they think it is what you should do ...
  
• Princess no more .....
  

[AKman2495]

I'd like to see how close Royal Caribbean get you to Bordeaux.

[chrysalis]

I was surprised by the dismissive responses .... to clarify:

 

• we have looked at alternatives and obviously people do not know what they are talking about because there are none .... it has even been indicated that it will be difficult to even to get out of the port on your own ... and there is nothing in Le Verdon
  
• I get the feeling that some of the responses are from people who have paid these extortionate fees for other similar jaunts and feel they are being exposed for being silly enough to pay up ..... there is always this excuse 'oh, you are guaranteed to get back to the ship', and other such nonsense.
  
• we went to Rome from Civittavechia for 9 Euros return on a BIRG ticket when the cruise line were charging high costs ( BIRG now costs 12 Euros)
  
• we got a private taxi from Colon in Panama to the Gatun locks for $40 total when it would have cost $120 by the cruise line bus
  
• the responses IMHO are from sheep who just pay up and troop on to the Acollyte Autobusses and feel that the cruise companies are doing them a big favour ??
  
• if I had to get a bust for a similar journey from Glasgow to Edinburgh t would be a fraction of the cost for this trip
  
• These people will continue coughing up these inflated costs because they think it is what you should do ...
  
• Princess no more .....
  

 

So.....Royal Caribbean would charge you less? Is that why you are going to stay with them?

[AKman2495]

I was surprised by the dismissive responses .... to clarify:

 

• we have looked at alternatives and obviously people do not know what they are talking about because there are none .... it has even been indicated that it will be difficult to even to get out of the port on your own ... and there is nothing in Le Verdon
  
• I get the feeling that some of the responses are from people who have paid these extortionate fees for other similar jaunts and feel they are being exposed for being silly enough to pay up ..... there is always this excuse 'oh, you are guaranteed to get back to the ship', and other such nonsense.
  
• we went to Rome from Civittavechia for 9 Euros return on a BIRG ticket when the cruise line were charging high costs ( BIRG now costs 12 Euros)
  
• we got a private taxi from Colon in Panama to the Gatun locks for $40 total when it would have cost $120 by the cruise line bus
  
• the responses IMHO are from sheep who just pay up and troop on to the Acollyte Autobusses and feel that the cruise companies are doing them a big favour ??
  
• if I had to get a bust for a similar journey from Glasgow to Edinburgh t would be a fraction of the cost for this trip
  
• These people will continue coughing up these inflated costs because they think it is what you should do ...
  
• Princess no more .....
  

 

Well, I for one don't see it as excessive nor extortionate. If you don't like it don't go there.

 

Oh, and goodbye.......

Edited March 14, 2014 by AKman2495

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

Sounds like you should be more upset that the French haven't come up with a cheaper alternative. Could it be hat gas/labor/licensing in France makes it so other companies would have to charge close to the amount the cruise lines do? If so, why would anyone bother with the losing proposition. Don't blame the cruise line for someone else not providing an alternative to suit your desired budget.

[Nomsayin]

we have looked at alternatives and obviously people do not know what they are talking about because there are none .... i

 

Well. there you are. Is it somehow Princess' fault that no other vendors have chosen to enter that market?

[giselleacttwo]

I would just like to point out that this is neither Central America (cheaper than Europe) nor Rome (easy, relatively cheap, mass transit). This is Bordeaux. It's an apples to grapes comparison. But if you feel Royal offers better prices on ship transit to far flung destinations from ports, sounds like you found your line already.

[nnrd79a]

<snip>

 

..... there is always this excuse 'oh, you are guaranteed to get back to the ship', and other such nonsense.

 

</snip>

 

I have photos of Us (And other folks) standing next to a smoking Van with the hood (Bonnet in your neck of the woods?) up on a dirt road. Chickens running around in the foreground. :)

 

Perhaps it is rare, but certainly not “nonsense”.

 

We each choose our own path, then we hope we chose wisely….. But is still just a crap shoot…..:eek:

[bhopal21]

Like AKman 2495 says,

 

It's simple, if you don't like it don't go.

 

I would hardly expect Princess to change the price when people readily book the excursion.

 

Mike:)

[Scotto97]

We have booked our first cruise with Princess this May - it is a week cruise from Southampton to La Coruna, Bilbao, Bordeaux and Guernsey ...... 'Bordeaux' is actually a misnomer as it is a remote port called Le Verdon. It is extremely difficult to try to get to Bordeaux under your own steam. Princess Cruises' cheapest excursion is to 'explore Bordeaux on your own' and costs $79 EACH purely to transport you to Bordeaux and back ........ we shall not encourage Princess Cruises by paying what I feel is an extortionate amount and furthermore this will be our first and last time cruising with Princess - I hope fellow cruisers on this trip also complain ....... we shall return to Royal Caribbean for our future cruises...... totally disgusted!

 

Unlike others, I'll actually take your point to some degree. I think Princess (And other cruise lines) intentionally price up the "On your own" excursions to narrow the price gap and make the more expensive full itinerary tours more appealing.

A great example is from South Queensferry to Edinburgh - a distance of about 10 miles that Princess is charging $59 pp for a bus ride to and back.

[chrysalis]

I think that this excursion, had it been booked back on Nov or Dec, was priced at $59pp. It is not unusual to see excursion prices increase as it gets closer to the time of sailing.