Private Tours

[swmrgrl]

Our family returned home today from South America on the Rotterdam cruise and while we were in Santiago we heard about the crash from our private guide booked through the hotel. I also have a newspaper (in Spanish) with information. Our guide/driver explained that the excursion was private and appears that the driver was at fault. It also appears that the driver was new and this was his second time and unfortunately made a bad decision. From what we were told the roads where this tour was going are particularly narrow with sharp corners.

 

There were only 5 of us signed up for the Andes tour leaving from Santiago on the 22nd and ended up being cancelled due to a problem with the tour vehicle. We were offered an opportunity to go with the tours through Princess Cruise lines that same day. This tour would have been on a scheduled large tour bus using the main highway. We did not do this, instead opting for local city sites. Our hotel also offered to send us in private vehicle with English driver, but no guide. We again opted out.

 

We have been told by SAT (South Amerrican Transit) who does most of the tours for the cruise lines, that they carry proper insurance and drivers in good standing with experience. You must beware of private operators as many state they have insurance, but we were informed that this is not always the case.

 

After this very tragic situation with the Millenium I will stick only to schedled tours from the cruise lines or the "Signature Collection Private car/van "vehicles offered through HAL.

 

We also extend our heartfelt sympathy to those who have sustained a loss of a friend or loved one on the Millenium.

[xpcdoojk]

Well that is fine. Your life your decision. We have done a lot of our own excursions including recently on the same HAL Rotterdam. Today on my way to work a person ran a stoplight and I had to swerve and lock up the brakes to avoid getting killed. I think I will hire a chaufer to take me to work everyday. It is tragic what happened in Chile, but I have over the years seen tour busses crash even in the USA. Life offers no gaurantees and overpaying for a ship gold key or whatever excursion is not going to save you when an "accident" occurs. JMHO

 

jc

[Fredr500]

My reaction when I heard that this was a private tour not through the cruise line was that all cruise line execs were thinking just one thing:

 

Cha-Ching $$$$

 

Your post verifies this.

 

Fred

[dakrewser]

It is tragic what happened in Chile, but I have over the years seen tour busses crash even in the USA. Life offers no gaurantees and overpaying for a ship gold key or whatever excursion is not going to save you when an "accident" occurs. JMHO

 

And ship-sponsored excursions can have accidents too. But I'd rather put my safety in the hands of an experienced driver/pilot/guide than a rookie in an uncertified vehicle, wouldn't you?

[xpcdoojk]

And ship-sponsored excursions can have accidents too. But I'd rather put my safety in the hands of an experienced driver/pilot/guide than a rookie in an uncertified vehicle, wouldn't you?

 

I agree with that to some degree, Dave. Everybody is a rookie sometime. In other words even the official tours hire new employees and everybody has a first day on the job. I am sure even you at one time had a first day on the job. I only know that I have been on ship excursions that resembled hell on earth and I have been on private excursions that were unbelieveably wonderful. I have gotten in cabs all over the world and I am often amazed that I reach the airport or train terminal or wherever alive. On my recent trip on HAL to South America I booked my own pre and post trips on my own and I paid less than 1/2 the amount that HAL wanted. I stayed at the same hotels went to the same places and had a wonderful time. We didn't have an accident and we didn't die. In other words you pay your money and you takes your chances. Life is not without risks.

 

BTW Fred. I thought exactly what you thought, right after, I heard the boardroom go sheeww... not our fault, thank the lord.

 

jc

[airlink diva]

I have a feeling for a while that many cruisers (esp first timers) will only book tours offered by the cruiselines.

However, I have no problem booking a tour outside the cruiseline. I will make a choice by checking reviews and postings from others on sites like this and by asking many questions.

[swmrgrl]

I've booked with private companies for some tours and they have worked out well. some of which have come through Cruise Critic In a country where I don't know the language I prefer to stick to the larger cruise tours. I agree all drivers must start somewhere, however in the case of the Andes accident the driver didn't make a good decision.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Let's remember that in this particular case the bus was not supposed to be operated as a tour bus and I'm pretty sure the driver wasn't supposed to be driving. We would hope the cruise lines are more selective in the tour operators they choose.

 

That's not to say you can't find perfectly good tour operators when you travel. You just have to do the homework.

 

I've always felt safer with the cruise line tours. Do we pay more? Sure. But I know the ship will wait for us if we're late and I do put some trust in the line in their selection.

 

In the end we all have to do what makes us more comfortable. As for Celebrity being relieved the fault didn't fall on them, I'm sure they were. But unfortunately the accident still makes them look bad. RCI stock fell a few dollars that day. People will associate that accident with Celebrity even though they bear no responsibility whatsoever. It's just the way it works.

[flashdog_1]

Sometimes even with all the pre-cruise research we do, we could be given a subcontractor etc. that didn't meet standards. The excursion with the fatalities was thru Viator, a big organization. Go to viator.com, click Chile, and see the excursion offered there. Very sad, but we can't anticipate everything. If an excursion takes you onto narrow, winding, mountain roads regardless of whether the tour is from the ship or privately arranged, it will be dangerous. I still have nightmares occasionaly about roads in St Thomas where I lived for 7 years.

 

I was on a ship sponsored tour in Cozumel when the 65 passenger bus lost its transmission and they had to radio for another bus. They held the ship for us and gave us all 1/2 credit on our shipboard accounts. Our lives were not in danger, but I give this example that even on ship sponsored tours things can happen unexpectedly.

[mariner]

My general rule of thumb of doing it on my own is: How far away from the ship am I?

 

The farther away, I'm more inclined to use the shore ex options.

 

Can I speak the language? If no, I take the shore ex options.

 

Am I going on a boat? If yes, shore ex.

 

Will I be flying? If yes, shore ex.

 

The reason is, if something happens (breakdown, traffic jam etc) I'll likely get back to the ship and it might wait.

 

Otherwise, when I do it alone, I size up the driver. Speak with him/her for a while to make sure we can communicate and then give the vehicle a close look.

 

That's worked for me all these years.

 

But nothing is airtight. Shore ex can get stuck with some sketchy vendors as well.

[Navy_Chief]

..........

I was on a ship sponsored tour in Cozumel when the 65 passenger bus lost its transmission and they had to radio for another bus. They held the ship for us and gave us all 1/2 credit on our shipboard accounts. Our lives were not in danger, but I give this example that even on ship sponsored tours things can happen unexpectedly.

 

As other posters said, as in the case above, they held the ship for the sponsored tour that is late. They won't for the private contractors. Just make sure that you get a contractor who is authorized to be doing that kind of work and has the experience to back it up. This is not always easy to research in foreign ports. Ask the seasoned folks on the boards and check out the credentials if you can. When in doubt, don't book it out.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Sometimes even with all the pre-cruise research we do, we could be given a subcontractor etc. that didn't meet standards. The excursion with the fatalities was thru Viator, a big organization. Go to viator.com, click Chile, and see the excursion offered there. Very sad, but we can't anticipate everything. If an excursion takes you onto narrow, winding, mountain roads regardless of whether the tour is from the ship or privately arranged, it will be dangerous. I still have nightmares occasionaly about roads in St Thomas where I lived for 7 years.

 

I was on a ship sponsored tour in Cozumel when the 65 passenger bus lost its transmission and they had to radio for another bus. They held the ship for us and gave us all 1/2 credit on our shipboard accounts. Our lives were not in danger, but I give this example that even on ship sponsored tours things can happen unexpectedly.

 

Those 6 words are enough of a reason for me. None of the rest matters. Of course there are no guarantees. But if I'm going to take any risk at all, I'd rather do it with the cruise line shore ex.

[stebul]

But I'd rather put my safety in the hands of an experienced driver/pilot/guide than a rookie in an uncertified vehicle, wouldn't you?

 

A HAL sponsored excursion does not guarantee an experienced driver. We recently spent 3 hours on a HAL excursion near Christchurch, NZ with a driver on his first day. He had just graduated from bus driving school. Any safety issues? No, he was very careful on narrow, mountain roads. There were comfort issues as he did not know how to operate the climate control system.

 

There is no way to take all the risk out of life, but we always plan to be back 2 hours before the ship leaves when we take a private tour.

[dakrewser]

A HAL sponsored excursion does not guarantee an experienced driver.

 

Nope, there are no guarantees in life. But you should do whatever you can to try to keep the odds in your favor :rolleyes: