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Great Question!

Traditionally, it's going to be the same price whether you book with a tour operator or through the cruise line. Some benefits to booking with a cruise line is they will not leave you stranded...meaning they are not going to set sail until all their land tours are back to the boat.

We had a client tell us about a previous experience of booking a land tour and getting caught in a storm. Luckily, she booked the land tour through the cruise line concierge because they held the boat until this particular bus was back into port and passengers were on board. Unfortunately, everyone who booked themselves were stuck and didn't make the boat meaning they flew/water taxi'd to their next destination which is a little pricey!

With that said, many tour operators are not partnered with cruise lines...the cruise lines can't partner with ALL the operators so there are some operators that offer great services and touring packages that you will only be able to book on your own.

Just see what both have to offer and maybe even check with the cruise desk to see if they are able to offer you a particular tour as well!

Hope this helps!
Mandy

www.salmonberrytours.com

If you require a specifics!! then contact the tour operator directly, If a Generic tour is what you are looking for then it doesn't really matter.
One thing I am certain of, Always book your tour with someone that has passion, and a hands on knowledge of what it is you are looking for!!

Again very good answers. Travel Consultants work for the client at all times. Whether or not they charge a slight fee, it is worth it because of their knowledge and network. Remember if paying a fee to a Travel Consultant, most do not make high end salaries like attorneys or CPA's (just comparing, attorneys and CPA's are great and needed) Ex. if flying to San Jose CA, you don't want to end up in San Jose, South America because of error. Travel Consultants know several options of companies in the destination.

Great question. As a consumer, it really doesn't matter. You pay the same price as everyone else, no matter who they book the tour through.

For the tour company, however, it is much better if you book directly with them.

The tour company must pay a commission to any agents that sell their tours, and since the tour price remains the same, the tour company is responsible for paying that commission.

For high tourist destinations like Hawai'i, agent commissions per each sale can be as high as 40%, which can mean that the tour provider, after paying expenses, actually loses money on the booking.

Running a tour company is expensive, especially when it comes to insurance. In order to make up the loss that goes to paying agent commissions, tour companies must either cut back on their services, or book more customers. Many times, this leads to the "quantity versus quality" issue. Some tour companies choose to lower tour prices and book as many customers as possible, which leads to lower quality tour guides and services, and is actually harmful to the environment when it comes to nature-based tours.

I hope this helps you in making your decision!

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Good question. I would suggest that you consider booking pre and post tours with a local tour operator or destination management company. For excursions during the cruise, although it could be more expensive, I would go with the operator lined up by the cruise line. The reason is because unforeseen things happen while cruising and schedules sometimes have to be rearranged. The cruise line will be in direct correspondence with the ground operator to regroup when necessary. BUT, to have a more personal and customized experience before or after a cruise go with a local expert. For a listing of reputable DMC’s visit www.adme.org or look for local Visitors & Conventions Bureaus.

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It is always best to work with a travel agent. You do not pay for the service of a travel agent, the vendors pay a commision,so it costs you nothing to have them work for you. A travel agent has your best interest in mind. We can always check the rates and adjust them up until final payments and work to get you the best upgrades available!If you have problems, you always have someone to call to help you get the best results possible!

It really depends on the area you are booking and the cruise line offering the tour. For instance it has been my personal experience that in Alaska if you book the land tour portion with Princess or Holland it is better because they have been doing it for so long they have many advantages over their competitors and the tour companies. However in Europe, I did 21 days in Italy this summer 14 of it on a cruise, I found the land portions better booking off the ship with a tour company. Each destination can be different. You need to speak with a professional agent that can explain the differences and what your getting for your money. Hope this helps.

In my experience, it is always better to book the tours directly with a tour operator for whatever country you will be docking in. The cruise line tours are usually very large groups, herded onto busses and it is very easy to get lost in the shuffle and you usually miss out on what you really want to see. For Italy, I have a driver meet your ship at the port and take you directly to meet a private guide so you can see what you want to see rather than a pre-set tour that you may not get much out of.

www.expitaly.com

book through a travel agent 1-866-297-1924 I would be glad to help you

Sherry

As your Professional Travel Consultant we would handle all of your travel reservations needs, including the air transportation, the cruise, and your shore excursions.
JESS Kalinowsky
Professional Travel Consultant
FriendsTravel@earthlink.net
25+ years experience, same location.
GOOGLE Friends Travel LLP 90048 for more exciting travel opportunities everywhere in the world.
GOOGLE JESS Kalinowsky Professional Travel Consultant has traveled to 133 destinations around the world and sailed over 100 cruises. www.merchantcircle.com www.orionexpeditionspartner.com twitter.com www.travelinsurancecenter.com www.travelassistnetwork.com
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Find best value. It is always better to book directly through tour operator. You will have best price and direct access in case of changes. Hope it helps.

It's best to book it directly with tour operators, they deal with the tours on land and the cruise line deal with the tours on water.

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I prefer to book through the tour operator. You can get very specific details answered with more accuracy.Sometimes you can even hagle a little and get a better price.