Upside and downside to using independent companies for excursions

[dem372]

I am planning our cruise in March on Norwegian to the Western Caribbean and am really tempted to use independent companies for things like the ruins tours.  It is almost half the price and we could do so much more if we go this way.

 

I am concerned though with the idea of getting ripped off, and someone mentioned the idea that if the bus breaks down on the way back from the tour the cruise ship would have no way of knowing and would leave without us. 

 

Just wondering how many people use independent companies for these types of things and if they have a way to contact the cruise if there is a big problem with transportation or something.  Are there any other negatives to doing this that I should know about?  Thank you all.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We haven't been on a cruise sponsored tour for years.  The only negative I can see is the (rare) possibility of missing the ship.  We have had one close call with that using a private operator, but usually no problem.

 

So far we have not felt that we have been ripped off at all by private operators.  Usually it is a much better experience; fewer people, more personalized, cheaper, etc.  Some are better than others, of course.  Sometimes we just pick up a tour at the port and this has worked out fine too.

 

   I use Cruise Critic and other review sites to find tour companies that are well recommended.  I like to be back on board at least an hour before sailing time; our close call was due to the tour operator wanting to show us more and more of the island; I am not going to name him because we loved him and the tour; but, we were literally the last people on the ship.  Note:  on board time was 4:30 and the ship sailed on time at 5.  We boarded at 4:35 and they were literally taking up the steps behind us.  I haven't been on another cruise that closed boarding that early.

 

We would only do ship tours in some special circumstances;  iffy port or port area and worried about security or possible where the area to be toured is a long way from the dock, or no good private alternative exists.

 

As an example, in the Falkland Islands ship tours were using the exact same tour companies, exact same route, time and experience but charging more than twice as much.

[capriccio]

Welcome to cruise critic!  We very seldom use cruise line excursions and never in the Caribbean (we will occasionally use them on more exotic routes/ports).  Cruise critic and TripAdvisor can be big helps with choosing independent vendors.

 

Join your roll call - on the main menu screen go to Roll Calls > Norwegian > Name of your ship > pick the thread with your embarkation date in the title.  Check out what your fellow passengers are organizing.

 

Check out the Caribbean Ports of Call - on the main menu go to Ports of Call > Caribbean > pick the islands you are visiting.

 

On TripAdvisor, enter the ports you are visiting.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise!

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

The only negative I can see is the (rare) possibility of missing the ship. 

With the understanding that certain port conditions/circumstances may necessitate a ship leaving before its own tours return, note that there are other factors to consider when choosing between ship and private excursions.

 

Sure, some ship excursions for basically the same tour may be significantly more expensive. But, at a minimum, you can rest assured that the  tour provider has been adequately vetted and maintains a variety of the cruise line's and the government's required licensure, insurance, etc. and that the cruise line will pay to get you to the next port if it can't wait.

 

We often mix both ship and private tours. One very important private tour item is a guarantee of return before the ship leaves and coverage of all expenses if a late return requires getting you to the next port. 

 

Bottom line is to do the research regarding best private tour providers. Minimally, this should include a cross reference of CC (including your Roll Call and the appropriate ports forums), Trip Advisor and Yelp.

 

if you've got the connections, another great source of tour company referrals is the "cultural affairs" attaché at the U.S. embassy/consulate for that region. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[dem372]

25 minutes ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

iffy port or port area

I guess I should do some research on the ports and see which ones offer ruins closest to the port.  I would feel much better about it if there is a few hour buffer between the end of the tour and the departure time.  Thank you for the information.

[dem372]

16 minutes ago, capriccio said:

Welcome to cruise critic!  We very seldom use cruise line excursions and never in the Caribbean (we will occasionally use them on more exotic routes/ports).  Cruise critic and TripAdvisor can be big helps with choosing independent vendors.

 

Join your roll call - on the main menu screen go to Roll Calls > Norwegian > Name of your ship > pick the thread with your embarkation date in the title.  Check out what your fellow passengers are organizing.

 

Check out the Caribbean Ports of Call - on the main menu go to Ports of Call > Caribbean > pick the islands you are visiting.

 

On TripAdvisor, enter the ports you are visiting.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise!

This is great information.  Thank you very much.

[dem372]

17 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Sure, some ship excursions for basically the same tour may be significantly more expensive. But, at a minimum, you can rest assured that the  tour provider has been adequately vetted and maintains a variety of the cruise line's and the government's required licensure, insurance, etc. and that the cruise line will pay to get you to the next port if it can't wait. 

 

This is another thing I am concerned with.  Safety.  We will have the whole family with us, including kids, and I don't want to end up in a sketchy situation with them.  I am even considering things like seat belts in the vans/busses.  I don't know if that kind of thing is standard or not, but reading about the bus crash on the way to some ruins last year has me concerned about things like that.

[George C]

Agree with other posters, really dislike most ships tours they are overcrowded and not worth the money, did Europe a couple of years ago had 9 ports had great private tours with other roll call members for most of them. Need to research agree TripAdvisor is a great source . 

[txflood33]

I can understand your concern for not wanting to be put in a sketchy situation with family in an unfamiliar area. Something to remember, though, is these companies only survive with tourists. They aren't really there for the locals. These companies can't exist by putting tour goers in unpleasant situations. They rely on reviews and recommendations. You can find lots of both good and bad reviews here as well as other travel sites....not sure if we can mention specific names of other sites.

 

I have done both. Our first cruise was on Carnival and our first stop was in Jamaica. We researched here, just as you are doing. I booked a private excursion to ride horses on the beach. It was just myself, my wife, and a guide. About 1/2 way in, I was thinking just like you are. We were in the foothills and then off to the beach. All turned out ok and we had a fun time....for some reason I had no idea horses could swim until were were about 100 yards from the beach. In Grand Cayman we did another private tour and in Cozumel we did a ship tour.

 

Something else to think about is different countries have different laws so seat belts on a bus might be really tough to find. 

 

I simply suggest doing some research on the Ports of call board and ask some questions. People aren't allowed to recommend a tour company unless they have actually used them. Read some reviews here and on other trip sites and make your decision. 

 

I genuinely hope you and your family have a great trip

[Turtles06]

OP: welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

My wife and I do a mix of ship-sponsored tours, private shore excursions, and exploring on our own ("DIY"-- do-it-yourself).  Which we choose in each port depends on factors specific to that port.  Can we just off on our own and be able to see and do the things we want to see and do?   If we conclude we need some type of organized tour or guide, we start with the preference of wanting a private shore excursion  -- it will be smaller than the ship's "big bus" tour, it might be cheaper, and, in our experience, the guides will usually be better.  (This is not to say that we haven't had excellent guides on ship tours, just that the worst guides we've ever had were on ship tours.)

 

Using the resources of your Roll Call and the Ports of Call boards here on CC, and other sources like Trip Advisor, you should be able to find reputable private tour operators in many ports.

 

We will take a ship's tour primarily in one of three situations -- when there really is no private option we can find; when the destination is so far from the ship and/or involves several modes of travel (e.g., getting to Tulum from Cozumel) that there really is a chance of being late back to the ship; and when the tour is a bit far afield from the ship and getting to the next port if you miss the ship really isn't a good option (e.g., the last port in Europe on a westbound transatlantic).  In those latter two situations, I don't want to spend any of my day looking at my watch and worrying about the time, even though the risk of missing the ship when using a reputable private tour operator is not great.

 

As far as taking a private tour and being able to contact the ship in the event of a vehicle break down or other problem -- in each port, you'll be given the name of the ship's port agent and a contact phone number. (On NCL, I think that's usually in the written schedule for the day.)  Be sure to take that information with you when you go ashore, regardless of what you'll be doing or with whom.   And good tour operators should be able to contact the agent/ship if there's a problem.

 

I hope that's helpful.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[sanger727]

We hardly ever do a cruise line excursions. Mostly do DIY or private. In our experience the companies that do the ship tours will often run other tours, so you may very well end up with the same company either way. My strong strong preference is to find local tour companies via TripAdvisor (though lately they have turned into an ad service so it’s getting harder to do that). That way you know what company you are booking with and that they are well rated by travelers. I’ve never found myself in an even slightly sketchy situation by doing this. They are professionals who do tours every day and rely on people rating them well to stay in business. The cruise line tours don’t. They have contracts and will continue to have paying customers, at least for the length of their contract, whether they provide a good tour or not. I’ve been on sooo many tours where we came across the ship’s tour and it was over crowded without enough guides. 

[Kartgv]

The OP asked about "pro's & con's":

 

SHIP TOURS:

  Pros:   The cruise line has done the research and vetting of the tour operators for you.   Payment is easy, either in advance on your cruise line's website or added to your onboard account.   You can be reasonably assured that the vendor is reputable, has insurance, and follows local laws.   If something happens on the tour, they will communicate with the ship to keep them informed.   If they are delayed past the time the ship is scheduled to leave, the ship will wait if possible or the cruise line will take care of transporting you to the next port.   In tender ports, you will generally have priority disembarkation.    If the tour is not what it was advertised to be, you can probably be compensated by the cruise line.   If the port or the tour is cancelled, the cruise line will usually refund your money.      

  Cons:   There will probably be a large group on a large bus.   (Note:   some private tours are also on large buses, so if that matters to you, verify what you're getting.)   This means sometimes long lines since so many arrive at once - places like entry gates and restrooms - and the inevitable waiting for that one person who is always late getting back to the bus.   Ship tours are almost always significantly more expensive than private tours.   There seems to be a tendency to include stops at shopping venues which not everyone enjoy.   Quality of tour operators and guides varies (but that's also true of private tours).   

 

PRIVATE TOURS:  

   Pros:   You are in control.   You choose what you want to see, timing, price you're willing to pay.   If you prefer to tour with your own small group, you can arrange it.  Private tours in small vehicles can often get to popular sites more quickly than larger tours, so you may experience less crowding.   Private tours may go to places not offered by large ship tours.   They may be more flexible if you see something interesting along the way and want to modify your schedule.

   Cons:  You are in control.  That means you are responsible for verifying the reliability, safety record, and quality of the tour operators and guide.   You must arrange direct payment and negotiate whether advance payment is expected and what happens if the ship is delayed or skips the port.   If your tour is late returning to port (very unlikely but still possible) you are responsible for getting yourself to the next port or back home.   If the tour is not as advertised, it's up to you to negotiate appropriate reimbursement.   

 

As others have mentioned, we've used a mixture of both types, plus sometimes just rent a car and do our own thing if we're comfortable in the locale.   We've had some excellent and some pretty bad ship tours, as well as private tours.  

 

Keep in mind - Just because a tour group is smaller or was arranged by your Cruise Critic Roll Call, there is no guarantee that the people in the group will be compatible or even reasonable, polite individuals.   Signing up for a Roll Call tour may give you some advantages, but you're giving up some personal control to the person who organizes the tour.   On-line personas can be very different from 'in person' interaction and we've had to deal with some unpleasant situations/personalities on both types of tours.           

Edited January 6, 2019 by Kartgv

[NLH Arizona]

I only do ship sponsored tours.  One, because the security that if I miss the boat, the cruise line will either wait for the tour or make sure one meets up with the ship.  Two, if there is an issue with the tour, I can go to the shore excursions desk and explain the problem (I've only had to do this once, which was in Marrakech, and received a refund for the entire amount).  I also will pay extra for smaller more intimate groups, which cruise line will have.  

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

With the understanding that certain port conditions/circumstances may necessitate a ship leaving before its own tours return, note that there are other factors to consider when choosing between ship and private excursions.

 

Sure, some ship excursions for basically the same tour may be significantly more expensive. But, at a minimum, you can rest assured that the  tour provider has been adequately vetted and maintains a variety of the cruise line's and the government's required licensure, insurance, etc. and that the cruise line will pay to get you to the next port if it can't wait.

 

We often mix both ship and private tours. One very important private tour item is a guarantee of return before the ship leaves and coverage of all expenses if a late return requires getting you to the next port. 

 

Bottom line is to do the research regarding best private tour providers. Minimally, this should include a cross reference of CC (including your Roll Call and the appropriate ports forums), Trip Advisor and Yelp.

 

if you've got the connections, another great source of tour company referrals is the "cultural affairs" attaché at the U.S. embassy/consulate for that region. 

I really doubt that an attache' at the US Embassy is going to provide reference for a local tour company.  Do you have any evidence that they will and have you ever tried it.

 

DON

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

I really doubt that an attache' at the US Embassy is going to provide reference for a local tour company.  Do you have any evidence that they will and have you ever tried it.

 

DON

Like I said: "if you have the connections."

 

Before I retired (and given the nature of my employment and purpose for being abroad), I often relied on embassy/consulate personnel for all sorts of formal and informal referrals from hotels and restaurants to vendors of goods and/or services.

In some cases where a particular location was currently experiencing diplomatic sensitivities (e.g., Asia and South America), embassy/consulate officers actually limited our public interactions - even when we had stayed on for vacation experiences (of course, at our own expense and on our own time).

Ever tried a ground transfer in an armored car with an armed US Marine officer as your traveling companion? Interesting experience!

[Husky61]

We haven't done a ship tour in years.  We have never had any problems with private tours, and we research them before we book them.  And the last thing we worry about is by chance we should miss the ship.  If we miss it, we'll pick it up at the next port.🙂

[cb at sea]

We rarely use a guide or tour at all...we research our ports, then do our own thing.

Ship's excursions are for making money for the cruise line....rarely needed.

[OCruisers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  

Independent tours are normally but not always less expensive.

Yes, there may be fewer people BUT it's most often in  a small van and cramped.

We either take an excursion with the ship (especially to places hours from the ship) or take a taxi to where we want to go.  

 

[dem372]

19 minutes ago, cb at sea said:

We rarely use a guide or tour at all...we research our ports, then do our own thing.

Ship's excursions are for making money for the cruise line....rarely needed.

 

This is an interesting comment.  I have never done this, so I really have no idea what I am dealing with.  If we are talking about some Mayan ruins at, for example, Belize City, can I just get off the boat, get a taxi, and have them take me out to the ruins?  Do these ruins have "ticket windows" where anyone can just stroll up and purchase entry?  So by skipping the tour I basically replace a tour guide with a pamphlet from the welcome center?

 

But that brings up a bunch of other questions.  Are taxi services reliable?  Or reservable?  I assume I could arrange for a van to take us to the site and back to the ship, serving as a driver only? 

 

Also, thanks to all the replies I am getting on this.  There is some really helpful information here and I appreciate it.  This site is great.

[akcruz]

12 minutes ago, dem372 said:

 

This is an interesting comment.  I have never done this, so I really have no idea what I am dealing with.  If we are talking about some Mayan ruins at, for example, Belize City, can I just get off the boat, get a taxi, and have them take me out to the ruins?  Do these ruins have "ticket windows" where anyone can just stroll up and purchase entry?  So by skipping the tour I basically replace a tour guide with a pamphlet from the welcome center?

 

But that brings up a bunch of other questions.  Are taxi services reliable?  Or reservable?  I assume I could arrange for a van to take us to the site and back to the ship, serving as a driver only? 

 

Also, thanks to all the replies I am getting on this.  There is some really helpful information here and I appreciate it.  This site is great.

 

You've gotten a lot of great info here much of which I wholeheartedly agree with.  We have done ship excursions, private excursions and DIY depending in many of the factors already stared above.  Our predominate choice is private after checking reviews here and usually Trip Advisor.

 

Where I will add my thoughts is looking at the port itself.  In your case above, Belize, this is a port I personally would stick to an excursion, private or ship, not a DIY day.  This is one of just a few limited ports we did not feel comfortable in on our own outside the gated port area. I am sure others would be fine with it, but we were not, spent 10 minutes after our guided private excursion and quickly went back inside the port area.

 

If you give us some additional info on your port stops you may get some more specific info.  Also once you have some thoughts feel free to come back here, or on the ports of call boards, to ask for feedback.

 

Good luck and enjoy whatever you choose!

[paul929207]

We have probably done about 250 private tours over the years. We have never missed the ship. We have never come close to missing the ship. We have seen much more than the equivalent ship tour at about 1/2 the price.

[dem372]

19 minutes ago, akcruz said:

Where I will add my thoughts is looking at the port itself.  In your case above, Belize, this is a port I personally would stick to an excursion, private or ship, not a DIY day.  This is one of just a few limited ports we did not feel comfortable in on our own outside the gated port area. I am sure others would be fine with it, but we were not, spent 10 minutes after our guided private excursion and quickly went back inside the port area.

 

If you give us some additional info on your port stops you may get some more specific info.  Also once you have some thoughts feel free to come back here, or on the ports of call boards, to ask for feedback.

 

 

I heard from someone else that outside the gates at Belize City it is a little rough.  I definitely want to avoid anything like that, particularly with the kids being with us.

 

So, our itinerary is Cozumel, Belize City, Harvest Caye, and Costa Maya.  My wife really wants to see some ruins and said something about wanting to see a rainforest.  I dont know if it is possible to combine the rainforest and the ruins, but if so great.  I have seen some pictures of the Tulum ruins and that looks great, but I am reading that it is a serious trek there.  We will have three kids with us, so I am really hoping to keep the travel time as limited as possible when it comes to the ruins trip.  This is all mind boggling, trying to figure out the best place to see the ruins while also not wanting to miss out on the best beach excursion or something else interesting by traveling for hours out to a site.  Any info I can get is really appreciated.  And if there is somewhere better to be asking these questions just let me know.  Thanks!

Edited January 7, 2019 by dem372

[sanger727]

43 minutes ago, dem372 said:

 

 

I heard from someone else that outside the gates at Belize City it is a little rough.  I definitely want to avoid anything like that, particularly with the kids being with us.

 

So, our itinerary is Cozumel, Belize City, Harvest Caye, and Costa Maya.  My wife really wants to see some ruins and said something about wanting to see a rainforest.  I dont know if it is possible to combine the rainforest and the ruins, but if so great.  I have seen some pictures of the Tulum ruins and that looks great, but I am reading that it is a serious trek there.  We will have three kids with us, so I am really hoping to keep the travel time as limited as possible when it comes to the ruins trip.  This is all mind boggling, trying to figure out the best place to see the ruins while also not wanting to miss out on the best beach excursion or something else interesting by traveling for hours out to a site.  Any info I can get is really appreciated.  And if there is somewhere better to be asking these questions just let me know.  Thanks!

 

In Belize we went cave tubing. It includes a hike through a rain forest to get to the spot where you begin tubing and then tube through a large cave system. Lots of fun and kids will probably enjoy. There are several independent operators that offer this. I think Cozumel has some small ruins. For me Tulum would be too long a trek from costa maya or Cozumel but you may want to look into if there’s any ruins closer to costa maya.  If it were me and we decided to do Tulum from either stop I would do the cruise line excursion just due to how long the tour will have to be.

[akcruz]

53 minutes ago, dem372 said:

 

 

I heard from someone else that outside the gates at Belize City it is a little rough.  I definitely want to avoid anything like that, particularly with the kids being with us.

 

So, our itinerary is Cozumel, Belize City, Harvest Caye, and Costa Maya.  My wife really wants to see some ruins and said something about wanting to see a rainforest.  I dont know if it is possible to combine the rainforest and the ruins, but if so great.  I have seen some pictures of the Tulum ruins and that looks great, but I am reading that it is a serious trek there.  We will have three kids with us, so I am really hoping to keep the travel time as limited as possible when it comes to the ruins trip.  This is all mind boggling, trying to figure out the best place to see the ruins while also not wanting to miss out on the best beach excursion or something else interesting by traveling for hours out to a site.  Any info I can get is really appreciated.  And if there is somewhere better to be asking these questions just let me know.  Thanks!

 

If you haven't been to the port of call boards I would look there.  They can be found at https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2-ports-of-call/.  There is a separate forum for each port or group of ports.  Reviews and recommendations can be found there.

 

If you are looking for ruins check out Native Way in Costa Maya, I think it is Chaccoben, check spelling, they go to.  We used them a few years back and even my son, preteen at the time, enjoyed it a lot.  They are known for their reliability with cruisers.  Again, however, check out recent reviews as its been a bit since we have been. 

 

We would love to see Tulum but really don't think it is a thing for a cruise, just too much travel to us.  If you do decide on those I would highly suggest going with the cruise line, too many variables.  If you want a beach day in Cozumel check out Paradise Beach or Mr Sanchos.  Also look at Chankanab for a variety of activities.

Edited January 7, 2019 by akcruz

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Husky61 said:

We haven't done a ship tour in years.  We have never had any problems with private tours, and we research them before we book them.  And the last thing we worry about is by chance we should miss the ship.  If we miss it, we'll pick it up at the next port.🙂

I'm guessing you don't do many transoceanic cruises.😉