Question regarding ob credit and prebooking shore excursions with Celebrity

[Napi's Mom]

My husband and I had booked all of our excursions with Celebrity. After reading the posts on these threads, we realized that many people book private tours. So we decided to book three private tours (with others from the ship). I spoke to my travel agent this morning and I mentioned to her that we were going to do some private tours. She VERY strongly suggested that it was not a good idea. She said that if there was an accident or we did not get back to the ship on time that it would be totally our problem.

 

My question: Is it a bad idea to go private? Has anyone ever experienced any problems doing this or does anyone know of others who may have had problems? Any input would be appreciated.

 

Janice

We've heard this before...but really most of the tours are with very reputable dealers AND YOU tell them where to go and when you wish to return to the ship. When on a cruise to Panama Canal on Azamara Quest the ONLY bad tour we had...which cost much and was really badly stated in the shore excursion description...was a ships tour (in St Marta)...had people fording streams in expensive shoes, people like me with a cane....that was described as "A short walk on a shady level path" to a waterfall...didn't explain you'd have to ford a river twice each way and walk 3/4 mi. each way. Was called a "MILD" tour. Every person on it was furious, a couple of them nagged enough to get refunds or payment for shoes. All our private tours were much less expensive and very well done, and we usually beat the ships tours back. In Egypt on an overnight stay we took a private tour to Cairo...saw the pyramids light show at night, and the pyramids very early before the rest of the buses arrived, plus a hotel stay...for less money than the 13 hr trip the ships tour was...half of which was in the bus on the same day each way. We've had mostly good luck with private tours...some bad ships tours and a couple good ones (Coffee plantation in Costa Rica was great!) Monetarily it is much cheaper, and you only have at the most 14 or so with you, and if you can get them to sign up with you from your Roll Call people you can get to know on the ship!

[Moeve]

There are certain places where I wouldn't do private tours - mainly out of time contraints. The one place that directly comes to mind is if docked over on Cozumel and taking tours on the main land - that can be a tight one especially when there are many ships in port. We have had to wait for more than an hour to dock and have authoristies clear us at the same time we left dead on the minute even though there were pax still missing...

 

The TA was being overly cautious. South America may also be the place to be more cautious when choosing a private operator. The fatal accident with the X passengers 2 years?? ago may be proof of that. Just keep your ears to the ground and keep your eyes open. If you don't like the look of the vehical don't get in, if the driver is driving like a bat out of hell - stop him and say so!! It all boils down to common sence.

[Coastaljen]

I agree about South America. There is one port that is totally monopolized by the ship because it involves a two hour tender to see the penguins. I am doing a ship tour there.

 

Also, I find myself being far more cautious than I have ever been with S.A. Instead of wandering around some cities, like B.A., I am hiring a private guide for the day to spend the day with me. I really can't believe I am doing that, but people keep warning me I can't just wander off by myself all the time there.

 

As far as worrying, I am Type A+++ about worrying, and for some reason I have never worried on these tours. OK maybe before I took my first private tour, but that was it. The last thing these reputable companies can afford is for you to come back and blast them on cc. If a group was late getting back, and the people named the company on here, I would never take that company. Those companies know their livelihood is dependent on word of mouth.