First time cruiser - Excursions with SS or not???

[theotherKennyB]

Has anybody done excursions with a private company and not with SS?  We are going to Norway in July and I have read a bunch of stuff about using other companies to do excursions.  Has anybody done that and with what companies.  Thank you!

Edited February 25, 2023 by theotherKennyB

[saminina]

There is an active thread on Seabourn forum you might find interesting.

SS included excursions run the obvious risk of too many people in too little space.

[turtlemichael]

6 minutes ago, saminina said:

There is an active thread on Seabourn forum you might find interesting.

SS included excursions run the obvious risk of too many people in too little space.

Not my experience on many Silversea cruises, including those with excursions included.

[Stickman1990]

19 minutes ago, saminina said:

There is an active thread on Seabourn forum you might find interesting.

SS included excursions run the obvious risk of too many people in too little space.

Not my experience on Silver Muse over the last 2 weeks - tours are very well run and buses typically 50-66% full

 

Much better than we experienced on Regent back in December 

[Gourmet Gal]

Based on my experience London to Lisbon last Fall it would have been a vast improvement to have booked my own excursions in most ports.  Not familiar with Norwegian ports but you can usually find great recommendations in the Ports of Call board.  It’s unfortunate to have to book your own considering excursions are included in the cruise fare.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The answer to your question is: Yes.  But the question might be better answered if you posted in the forum for Norway ports:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/116-northern-europe-amp-baltic-sea/

[Sunny429]

The last time we cruised with Silversea was prior to SS included excursions (we’re looking forward to seeing how they are on our cruise with them in April). However, in the past, we have had some very good excursions and some so-so with Silversea. If we are visiting a port that we have a special interest in, we book a private tour. They have consistently been better than what the ship offers. Our travel agent has arranged them for us,  I understand there is one caveat to booking your own, separate excursion. If you are not back on board before sailing, you will be left. They will not leave before Silversea sponsored excursions return. 

[Stumblefoot]

39 minutes ago, Sunny429 said:

I understand there is one caveat to booking your own, separate excursion. If you are not back on board before sailing, you will be left.

Yes, a caveat. And yet, it has never been an issue for us.

[MBP&O2/O]

Our last SS was DIY as far as excursions were concerned. Some were fair, most ... as far as my preferences go ..were hyped up and not so good.

I won't entertain no compensation included excursions no matter which company is involved.

 

 

 

 

 

[pavementends]

(About to be a second time cruiser with Silversea).

 

On an Alaskan cruise, I found some to be good, one to be very good, one a disappointment.

 

My personal preference is for more active excursions. So I will avoid anything that involves a significant amount of bus travel. On the upcoming cruise this does not seem to be a problem as there are a range of included excursions. However I can imagine a situation where none of the included excursions suit and I would prefer a walk around town.

[JSR]

We booked all our excursions on the Moon last year int Norwegian Fjords. I would recommend picking and choosing. It also gives you an opportunity to meet more people not on the cruise  

 

Edited February 26, 2023 by JSR

[ggo85]

We did Norwegian fjords on SS last summer.  I would rank the SS excursions from excellent to average.  To be fair, some of the ports were very "small," meaning there were only a few things to do. Thus, whether you booked your own tour or took an included tour, you would probably end up in the same places. 

 

The amount of bus travel in the fjords is largely based on the distance from the ship to the attraction.  One trip was to a glacier.  The ride definitely 90 minutes or more each way.  While a car would have been faster, the distance wouldn't have changed.  That's where the glacier is and it's not going to move closer to the ship.  Once at the glacier, there was PLENTY of opportunity to walk for those who wanted to.  

 

I don't recall the SS excursions as being particularly crowded.  The ship isn't that big and not everyone wants the same excursion.  Obviously, in ports with fewer "attractions," the excursions will be more crowded than in someplace like Oslo where there are many more things to do.  Most included excursions are half-day. So, if you want a full day trip, you either have to book back-to-back or DIY.  

 

I thought SS's descriptions in terms of activity level were accurate or even underestimated the amount of walking.  For example, one tour that indicated you only needed to walk "a few steps" actually involved more than 1/4 mile of walking.  That was fine with me, but some were unpleasantly surprised.  If you're at all mobility challenged, I suggest talking to someone on board regarding how much walking there will be on each tour. 

 

Finally, if you DIY, be sure to understand what happens if you need to cancel.  We were unable to get into one port due to weather and instead had an extra sea day.  Obviously not an issue if you had a SS excursion but could be a problem if you prepay your own tour.

 

[Rothko1]

I've never had complaints about the SS excursions I've been on.  Some have been better than others, but none have been bad.

 

As far as being crowded, it has always been the opposite.  I've constantly been surprised how SS will have two or three buses for an excursion when cramming us all into one bus would be perfectly acceptable (for me).  I get onto a 40% filled bus and just think of the waste.

[RachelG]

we have done plenty of SS excursions and plenty which I booked myself in advance or where we just did our own thing once in port.  The SS ones have mostly been fine, some great.  The problem with ones that you book on your own in advance is that if the port is missed for whatever reason, if it is a prepaid tour, you may not be able to get your money back.  So make sure upfront before you book, that you will be able to get your money refunded if the port is missed. 

[ggo85]

6 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

 I get onto a 40% filled bus and just think of the waste.

 

I think:  60% fewer people to get on / off the bus at every stop and 60% fewer people to hold up the rest of us because they refuse to return to the bus on time.  😀

[Gourmet Gal]

6 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

I've never had complaints about the SS excursions I've been on.  Some have been better than others, but none have been bad.

 

As far as being crowded, it has always been the opposite.  I've constantly been surprised how SS will have two or three buses for an excursion when cramming us all into one bus would be perfectly acceptable (for me).  I get onto a 40% filled bus and just think of the waste.

This is opposite our experience on our Moon itinerary in Sept.  The busses were mostly packed to the gills including a double decker for Mont St. Michel.  And we did have some downright terrible guides.

[Rothko1]

17 hours ago, ggo85 said:

 

I think:  60% fewer people to get on / off the bus at every stop and 60% fewer people to hold up the rest of us because they refuse to return to the bus on time.  😀

 

That's a good way to look at it!  🙂 

[TLCOhio]

On 2/24/2023 at 8:40 PM, theotherKennyB said:

Has anybody done excursions with a private company and not with SS?  We are going to Norway in July and I have read a bunch of stuff about using other companies to do excursions.  Has anybody done that and with what companies.  Thank you!

 

As detailed below in my live/blog, we did exploring up and down the Norway coast in July 2010.  We enjoyed a mix of various tours through Silversea and different private/independent touring arrangements.  All worked well.  Some of the names/contacts are listed in my postings.  But, after the Covid shut-down period, it is hard to know now who is still operating.  Or, not.  At two ports, we had rental cars and that allowed more flexible to explore on our own.  

 

We were very happy with the tours through Silversea.  As noted, many of these ports are fairly small and the numbers of private tour options might be limited.  Good luck with your research and planning.  Don't be shy with any questions.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 246,290 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

[Lois R]

I think every one of us is different and some folks will never do a cruise line tour while others think it is the best way.  Personally, I sail solo and unless there is an active roll call (SS roll calls are not very) and you can find others to share a tour with? I book my excursions through SS. I normally pick one that is included in the price, although I have booked ones that are extra $. 

It also depends on the itinerary. Example, I sailed to the Caribbean in January and didn't book a single tour....private or through SS.  I knew the ports well enough that if had wanted to get off the ship, I would have just walked around.

But when going overseas? It is just easier for me to book through SS and I have found most of my choices more than acceptable.

Going to Greece and Turkey next month. Booked my excursions through SS and hopefully will enjoy them too.

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Going to Greece and Turkey next month. Booked my excursions through SS and hopefully will enjoy them too.

 

Which ship, ports, dates for Greece and Turkey?  Many interesting locations in those two historic countries.  Agree when sailing as a single, it is harder to put together private and/or independent excursions in certain ports/cities.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[gnome12]

3 hours ago, Lois R said:

I think every one of us is different and some folks will never do a cruise line tour while others think it is the best way.  Personally, I sail solo and unless there is an active roll call (SS roll calls are not very) and you can find others to share a tour with? I book my excursions through SS. I normally pick one that is included in the price, although I have booked ones that are extra $.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one.

[Clodia]

On 2/27/2023 at 9:56 PM, ggo85 said:

We did Norwegian fjords on SS last summer.  I would rank the SS excursions from excellent to average.  To be fair, some of the ports were very "small," meaning there were only a few things to do. Thus, whether you booked your own tour or took an included tour, you would probably end up in the same places. 

 

The amount of bus travel in the fjords is largely based on the distance from the ship to the attraction.  One trip was to a glacier.  The ride definitely 90 minutes or more each way.  While a car would have been faster, the distance wouldn't have changed.  That's where the glacier is and it's not going to move closer to the ship.  Once at the glacier, there was PLENTY of opportunity to walk for those who wanted to.  

 

I don't recall the SS excursions as being particularly crowded.  The ship isn't that big and not everyone wants the same excursion.  Obviously, in ports with fewer "attractions," the excursions will be more crowded than in someplace like Oslo where there are many more things to do.  Most included excursions are half-day. So, if you want a full day trip, you either have to book back-to-back or DIY.  

 

I thought SS's descriptions in terms of activity level were accurate or even underestimated the amount of walking.  For example, one tour that indicated you only needed to walk "a few steps" actually involved more than 1/4 mile of walking.  That was fine with me, but some were unpleasantly surprised.  If you're at all mobility challenged, I suggest talking to someone on board regarding how much walking there will be on each tour. 

 

Finally, if you DIY, be sure to understand what happens if you need to cancel.  We were unable to get into one port due to weather and instead had an extra sea day.  Obviously not an issue if you had a SS excursion but could be a problem if you prepay your own tour.

 

Yes I was caught out on the underestimation of walking in Iceland last year; the trip was advertised as a 3km walk but my watch told me it was over 5 km! I managed it, though I am having a bit of difficulty walking at the moment following an injury, but some people were quite distressed.

[Catlover54]

Cruiseline excursions, including in Norway,  can be just fine, or at least good enough,  for the following:

 

1. People  who are new to cruising (e.g., yourself?) and new to the ports visited (yourself?) , as the tour can provide a good narrated overview of the area (especially when guides may be in short supply, as in rural areas), 

2. People who don't want to spend a lot of time planning but who worry a lot about missing something , and want to be secure in the knowledge they won't get lost and will make it back to the ship on time,

3. People  who worry about getting refunds on their missed expensive private excursions if the ship can't make the port, e.g., if there is a chance of rerouting or lateness (pretty common since Covid) -- i.e., what RachelG said is important. 

4. People  who have reasonable tolerances to modest inconveniences and annoyances that being bunched up with a group of strangers can create (see below), and/or

5. People who either aren't particularly demanding in the quality of what they expect to experience, and/or who are capable of complementing their ship excursion with their own research, reading, internet, and initiative when things start going bad on some excursions. 

 

A few things to consider:

 

1. Though luxury lines such as SS are not supposed to have their buses crammed full , sometimes they try and save money and/or blame "Covid" and cram them full (in theory increasing pax' Covid exposure risk and/or leading to some pax having to sit above a wheel or the uncomfortable back row).

2.  Sometimes rest room stops are few and far between (if you care), and sometimes temperature control on buses is less than what you would get in a private vehicle, regardless of outside weather

3.  Sometimes there are loud, pushy and annoying fellow pax (and then you are stuck with listening to them either the whole morning or the whole day -- I could tell you stories, though most pax are quiet and polite)

4.  Sometimes you will be bored (e.g., if there is a long drive and no visibility  -- so bring something to read), or you may get hungry before food is avaliable (so bring a snack)

5.  Sometimes the stops will be too short for you, sometimes too long, and sometimes your view of the attraction (e.g., a waterfall) will be obscured by the 35 other people on your excursion, some of whom may have selfie sticks and rush out to be first to take pictures (these are usually the people who, despite no obvious disability, also manage to insinuate themselves into the front seats).

 

Having said all this, I have done dozens of excursions with SS, including some after Covid, and think that they do the best job of any luxury line. 

 

My husband and I usually mix and match, i.e., do some ship excursions and some on our own (the latter more commonly in larger ports or ports where the ship docks right in town).  We have used our TA to help organize local excursions in some areas and/or found ideas by looking at what SS offers and then doing it on our own with online searches. 

 

If you see an excursion you like, book it early, months in advance

 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Catlover54
Typo

[jpalbny]

Thank you @Catlover54, for that well thought-out and nuanced response. Very helpful way to think about it. There is no one answer to the question of whether to do ships' excursions vs private tours vs DIY, because there are so many variables.

 

We also do a mix. It depends on what the ships' tours look like, whether we've been somewhere or not, and how easy it is to DIY. What might be possible in a port like Cadiz, where car rentals are easy, trains are plentiful, and it's easy to get around on your own does not necessarily apply in a remote part of Eastern Iceland like Seydisfjordur, where the nearest car rental is an hour away. And trust me, I've looked, because I really wanted to DIY there!

 

And or course when we were cruise newbies we did all ships' tours and generally enjoyed it. But that was 15-20 years ago. We are more confident striking out on our own.

 

So vive la différence!

Edited March 2, 2023 by jpalbny
Il faut ajouter l'accent aigu!

[highplanesdrifters]

16 hours ago, jpalbny said:

What might be possible in a port like Cadiz, where car rentals are easy, trains are plentiful, and it's easy to get around on your own does not necessarily apply in a remote part of Eastern Iceland like

After looking at the eyewatering tour prices and no cars in that area I searched and searched and found someone to give us a private tour. Our guide was closer to Vopnafjordor which is where we docked. But I believe he does tours out of Seyfisfjordur also. He and his wife run the Farm Holiday place below. Should you find yourself in that area again I highly recommend reaching out. One of the best tours we have ever taken.