How many persons ideal for private tour?

[OBX Cruisers]

For those of you experienced in organizing private excursions through "Roll Call", what is the best number of people for a group? I realize there is a trade-off between getting the cost of the tour down and keeping the size of the group manageable. I have seen posts that suggest 8 provides the maximum flexibility and is easy to work with. Have you had instances where you let the group grow to 10, 12, or higher (rather than disappoint someone) and wished you hadn't?

[xxoocruiser]

Depends on the size of the vehicle and minimum number the tour provider will accept.

[SadieN]

Also depends on where you're going.

[LHT28]

I do not do more than 12

 

if they say the vehicle is for 12 do 8 pax

 

My ideal is 8-12 pax

[Azulann]

I have only done 8 or 10 people on a private tour. If others ,later on ,want to join , I give them the tour operator name and they can organize another 8 person tour. This happened for our Ephesus tour. I think our roll call had three vans from the same operator.

I would only join a private tour someone else is doing it it is 10 or less.

 

when I first post on roll call for orgainzing a private tour, I give the person limit, all information for the tour and what we will be seeing and doing, and the cost. It is usually X number of dollars for 4 and less for each additional person.

I only organize tours when the payment is after the tour is over. I have given my credit card to one operator in a unique instance as a desposit many years ago.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Azulann

[donaldsc]

Totally depends upon the cost and the excursion. I will say that I almost always take 2 or 3 people less than the vehicle capacity to allow people space to put stuff.

 

DON

[Bonnie J.]

12 of us from our roll call chartered our own private sunset snorkeling tour in Aruba, 4 of us had a tour via cab of Nassau- did you know there are caves and a lake big enough for a Dr. to tie his plane up at his dock? We have also booked tours we've learned about from the Roll Call. But, we like about 6. Everyone gets to know the guide and he us. And, sometimes we wander off the tour to see something not on it but fun to see.

[Hlitner]

DW and I think the ideal private tour is just the 2 of us :). Most of the time (and in most places around the world) we do our pre-trip homework and simply do our own thing using trains, local/regional buses, or rental cars. But sometimes we actually hire a private guide for just the two of us with amazing results. About 5 years ago when we went to Kusadasi for the 5th time, we decided we would go back to Ephesus (for our third visit) with a private guide. We e-mailed a local tour company (Ekol) and asked for a knowledgeable guide that could do a more in-depth tour. We got a young man with 2 University degrees (history and architecture) who also happened to be friends with the government curator of the ruins. Even thought we had previously spent many hours in the ruins, our guide knew stories and history at a level we had never previously heard.

 

Over more then forty years of extensive international travel DW and I have developed a strong dislike of most group tours. And the larger the group, the more our dislike. The worst are usually the overpriced cruise line excursions where you can spend too much time waiting around for the late shopper, the bathroom lover, or the person who is just rude and has no concept of time. And these tours often take folks to commercial places designed for large tour groups (the tour companies sometimes own these places).

 

Hank

[Azulann]

DW and I think the ideal private tour is just the 2 of us :). Most of the time (and in most places around the world) we do our pre-trip homework and simply do our own thing using trains, local/regional buses, or rental cars. But sometimes we actually hire a private guide for just the two of us with amazing results. About 5 years ago when we went to Kusadasi for the 5th time, we decided we would go back to Ephesus (for our third visit) with a private guide. We e-mailed a local tour company (Ekol) and asked for a knowledgeable guide that could do a more in-depth tour. We got a young man with 2 University degrees (history and architecture) who also happened to be friends with the government curator of the ruins. Even thought we had previously spent many hours in the ruins, our guide knew stories and history at a level we had never previously heard.

 

Over more then forty years of extensive international travel DW and I have developed a strong dislike of most group tours. And the larger the group, the more our dislike. The worst are usually the overpriced cruise line excursions where you can spend too much time waiting around for the late shopper, the bathroom lover, or the person who is just rude and has no concept of time. And these tours often take folks to commercial places designed for large tour groups (the tour companies sometimes own these places).

 

Hank

 

Hank, a private tour for two is the best !

Have done that in Antiqua Guatemala, for two days.

We did that also, post cruise in Istanbul.

Our guide met us at our hotel. We wanted a day of Byzantine history. We walked through the ancient hippedrone area on the the way to Hagia Sophia. Spent two hours ther exploring every nook and cranny.. Then caught a cab to a lovely cafe near the Chora Church. We ate lunch and had an in depth discussion about modern Turkey and got the background of our guide : fluent in five languages, two degrees, invovled in the political upheaval and protest aganist the conservative government, hoping to marry his girlfriend in the next two years. In Turkey, the groom must provide all the furniture and place to live for his new bride! After lunch we toured the Chora Church and he gave us a detailed background of every mosaic and history of Orthodox Christianity in Istanbul. After two hours we all took a cab back to our hotel.

Hope to set up a couple of private tours for two when we are in Spain before our next cruise.

While on a cruise I do like small private tours uniquely designed after I have done all my research. Also do like DIY but am not of the mind to drive in Euorpe or other countries.:(

Have done some ship tours and the guides have all been very knowlegable, it depends on what is offered, length. Had ones that were smaller, in a mini bus.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Azulann

[paul929207]

I usually look for ones with 6 to 15 people or so.

[griffy116]

There were 5 of us (all family) on our last two Med cruises and we did a private excursion with just the 5 of us. It worked out perfectly. The cost was less per person than a ship's tour and we were able to tailor it to exactly what we wanted to do and see, how much or how little time at each stop and didn't have to worry about any clashes. We decided to stop for little special treats if we wanted to bypass things we weren't interested in along the way. Our guide only had to worry about talking to us and not have to worry about everyone being able to hear him or follow him at the same pace. If it were a snorkeling or beach excursion, I could see adding more people because once you arrive, you usually have a schedule and some free time at a beach or to shop, so it depends on the type of excursion and the place.

[NMLady]

I think 8 is about the best, with a max of 10 only if the van holds 12.

You do not want to be packed in like sardines and you want to be able to hear.

[Talisker92]

I think it depends on the site and the distance. i agree about most ship's tours, however.

Here are some we have done:

Lisbon, including Sintra Cascais and Estoril- 6 people

Culinary tour of Lima-8 people

Taxi to sound and light show in a quarry outside Arles - just the two of us

Taxi from Le Harve to Giverney and Rouen-just us

Tour in Puerto Montt of Petrohue Falls.-16 people

Flightseeing over the Nazca Lines-2 of us + 8 other passengers

[Nebr.cruiser]

In most cases, 8-12 is our max, although there are some places/reasons for a larger group.

 

The main thing to try (not always easy) to insure is to have fewer people on the tour than seats in the vehicle, especially if it's one without an aisle. No one should have to be in the middle of a bench seat--too crowded, can't see much.

It's also difficult getting in and out of the vehicle if it is too crowded, and can get hot.