DGS49
Diamond Member
I've just finished reviewing the excursions available for my coming cruise to parts of Canada and New England. To put it mildly, the prices are outrageous. Given that essentially all travelers are coming as couples, we see three (3) hour bus tours selling for $140 or more; add a lunch and it's well over $200! Even "Hop-on, Hop-off" tour bus rides are $60-70 each. There are visit "on your own" "tours" for forty and fifty dollars each.
Then, of course, at the end of these overpriced excursions, you are expected to "tip" the tour guide 15% and the bus driver 10%.
It makes me crazy!
You might ask, why not just NOT take a tour? Good question. But you are in a quandary with an ocean cruise. Often the docking facility is NOT WALKABLE from the town, so if you don't sign up for the pre-packaged tour, you very well might get stuck sitting on board the ship, during your only lifetime trip to, say, Halifax, N.S. On a river cruise, the ship is always docked right in the middle of the town, and you can easily walk to do your own tour, as pocket tourguides are always available from local merchants.
Also, good river cruises almost always have an INCLUDED tour at each stop; you can opt for something more elaborate, but a basic tour of the city is almost always included in your cruise fare.
I swear, these cruise companies make more money on the "excursions" than they do on the cruises themselves. It is infuriating.
Then, of course, at the end of these overpriced excursions, you are expected to "tip" the tour guide 15% and the bus driver 10%.
It makes me crazy!
You might ask, why not just NOT take a tour? Good question. But you are in a quandary with an ocean cruise. Often the docking facility is NOT WALKABLE from the town, so if you don't sign up for the pre-packaged tour, you very well might get stuck sitting on board the ship, during your only lifetime trip to, say, Halifax, N.S. On a river cruise, the ship is always docked right in the middle of the town, and you can easily walk to do your own tour, as pocket tourguides are always available from local merchants.
Also, good river cruises almost always have an INCLUDED tour at each stop; you can opt for something more elaborate, but a basic tour of the city is almost always included in your cruise fare.
I swear, these cruise companies make more money on the "excursions" than they do on the cruises themselves. It is infuriating.