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Travel advisors can avoid this by sending their bookable links to clients in advance. This gives the client the ability to shop around, price check, and book online or on their phones like they normally would. Even for travel advisors, booking with the cruise can have its disadvantages, as many cruises do not offer commission on shore excursions.
Should you book a ship-sponsored or independent shore excursion on a cruise? - The Points Guy
Should you book a ship-sponsored or independent shore excursion on a cruise?.
Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Benefits of booking shore excursions with travel agents
Viator Sees Commissions Boost from Upgraded Pay-for-Visibility Tool - Skift Travel News
Viator Sees Commissions Boost from Upgraded Pay-for-Visibility Tool.
Posted: Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Super Shuttle or Prime time shuttle they do transfers from LA hotels to World Cruise Centre - San Pedro etc. I like the fact that Viator offers a guarantee to have you back to the ship on time or they get you to your next port. This guided tour lets you skip the long lines so that you have longer to explore the SS Arizona Memorial and other sites. Sure, I took a few other Viator tours that were okay, but only one of them (in Japan) was better than "average". I will no longer take Viator tours because I think the local agencies who participate are probably the ones who don't get recommendations by word of mouth (because they are nothing great).
Diversify each port.
In our case, they decided that as we did something on one excursion, we were going to do it the same way every tour we used them for. So when tried to contact them and straighten this out, we got the run around, and they didn't convey the info to the next vendor. Eventually, as they thought we wanted to start at 7am on every tour, when we actually weren't starting until 3pm on a certain activity, they were there at 7am, we weren't, they showed us as a no show. Whether it’s your first time in Wellington or you just want to see as much as possible during your time in port, this half-day sightseeing tour offers a great introduction to the city and a diverse range of sights. Then the team fills in with complementary tours, which might visit other area attractions or focus on special interests like cooking or biking.
Pay attention to all the words.
Rarely do I end up selecting one where we have to pay in advance - and even so, they still have a great cancellation policy. As long the firm has been around for eons and is reputable, I am not too worried about paying up front. For a stop in Vanuatu for example, I found a highly recommended day tour that bases tours around the times your ship is in port, I've communicated directly with the company to book it. No middle man, and a much more reasonable price, and more personalised, than the ships tours. Most of the shore excursions on Viator have a 24 hour cancellation policy. When we cruise, we rarely take cruise line excursions.
Snorkeling, Sailing and Scuba are the Order of the Day
They do not support the cruisers as they promise. Last time we contacted our credit card issuer and contested the charge. Use Viator with this in mind that they are only a collection agency. On the Viator site, there is an option to select"shore excursions". If you select this, it should include pick up from the dock and the return to ship on time guarantee.
"We want people to feel like they paid for expert advice and got what they wanted to see," says Witsoe. I just had the 2 worst cruise experiences trying to book 2 different catamaran/snorkel tours with Viators. As some of you know, booking a tour off a cruise ship on your own requires you to have complete faith that the vendor you choose will produce as promised. A year ago I found the Cat/snorkel tour my wife and I wanted to take in St. Kitts/Nevis using Viator as our booking agent. We prepaid for the tour, watched others on our ship sail off on their tours, but smiled thinking about how much of a savings we'd have by using Viators instead of the ship's higher priced tours. Just a few weeks before I received 2 or 3 reminders from Viators about where to meet the tour.
There’s no doubt that travelers more and more are looking for local and unique experiences when traveling or cruising. We’ve taken a look at all our shore excursions and identified some of the most unique experiences. You'll have more control over where you go and the timing of the day -- and you already know that you'll like the other people on your tour! This is also a useful strategy when you're traveling with who may need more breaks or playtime than a ship's tour would allow. While cruise lines offer tours that include transportation and a day pass to a beach or resort, it really is more cost-effective to hop into a "safari bus" or taxi for the ride to the beach.
Disembark your cruise ship at the port of Casa Maya and embark on a shore excursion to the ancient Mayan city of Chacchoben. We've taken a look at the shore excursions on Viator and hand picked some of the top products across the world. We've also highlighted which ones are covered by Viator's worry-free policy. Many of the shore excursions listed on Viator have a “Worry-Free Guarantee” which is a guaranteed return-to-ship policy. This is something that third-parties may not be able to accomodate.
When to Book Shore Excursions Through Your Cruise Line
Once I find a tour that I like, I try to find the company that is actually doing the tour and book it directly with them. This gives the tour company 100% of the fee and I am dealing directly with the tour operator. We won't ever use them again after a bad experience in Sth America. It all comes down to the guide and the vehicle, both of which are outside the control of Viator. As others have said Viator are just the broker. Check on tripadvisor for reports of the excursion you're interested in.
"Book those small-group tours early and then cancel, if needed," Witsoe says. "You have more flexibility with bus tours," if you want to wait. Most cruise lines allow travelers to book online in advance, but check your cruise line's cancellation policy before booking to determine when (or if) you can cancel a tour and get a full refund. When a small cruise line like Windstar creates shore excursions, it aims to create an experience it would be difficult or time consuming for the average traveler to research and replicate.
I also use TripAdvisor and if possible check directly with the tour company for verification and price comparison. You should realize that Viator is not the tour operator but simply a booking company. You can book through them as many do but a little research may allow you to find the actual tour operator and book direct. We have had bad experiences with Viator before on two separate cruises.
We've used Viator a lot, mostly in Europe, and have had excellent tours. I believe Viator is a wholesaler and books with private companies. We just book directly with the excursion companies. Even if you don't get a better rate, you are dealing directly w the vendor who also gets to keep all the money instead of having to split it with the booking site.
I try to book direct with local tour operators. There is no advantage to using them if you can find the actual operator. If you see something on TripAdvisor offered by Viator google the tour name or description. You will usually find the tour operator they are using. Most cruisers also have a travel budget and can't just book the most expensive tour in every port.
I also agree, I prefer to book directly and have direct contact with the tour company. FYI, my beautiful bride booked the above mentioned tour and she is the rum fan. Both times they hadn't actually booked me on the tour that I had paid for. Mind you that was back in 2007 and 2008 so perhaps they have better service now. Now I know to just search out the actual tour providers and book directly now rather than use Viator. I regard companies like Viator as a useful resource to help me find tours.
Even though a cruise line will do all it can to keep scheduled tours running, sometimes a cancellation is necessary. If you're booking tours, know that they're never guaranteed -- especially if they're more niche tours in smaller ports -- and be prepared with a good attitude and a Plan B. Saving money is always a consideration, especially when you're traveling with several people in your group or are looking at flightseeing tours or other pricy expeditions that cost hundreds of dollars a person. For the most part, cruise lines do charge more than non-cruise-related tour operators for the same (or similar) outing. If you trust the company and feel confident that you won't miss the ship, it certainly makes sense to pay less by booking an excursion independently that could cost you more onboard.
Perfect for time-pressed or first-time Athens visitors, this private sightseeing tour offers a seamless and comfortable way to discover the city’s top attractions. Visit two of Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed attractions on this full-day shore excursion from Naples. Sample a cross-section of outdoor sights on the Big Island during this shore excursion exploring Volcanoes National Park, waterfall, black sand beach, and more. Adventure travel isn’t for everyone, and if you’re a travel advisor with thrill-seeking clients it may be difficult to find something that will ignite their sense of adventure. Whether you're visiting San Francisco or Barcelona, some cities are so conveniently situated to cruise terminals that it's easy to get around via a short walk, taxi ride or hop-on hop-off bus.
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