Transportaion to the Airport, Ruby

This entry was posted in Panama Canal Cruise 2023 and tagged Gator boys Panama Cruise 2023 Ruby Princess on by (updated on )

I was booking an excursion through the ship before the airport. I thought it was a great idea, but I’ve done it several times. However, this one was a crap show.

Told

We went to the buses, and we walked over to them. There were 2, 3,5, and 6, but no 4. Then, four finally showed up. We stood out in the hot sun for far too long. It took them a while to figure out how to load the bus with luggage.

They broke it down into the following:

  • What airline you are flying
  • What airport are you going to?
    • FT. Lauderdale
    • Miami
  • We were the last ones to board the bus once again.

We got on the bus, and we were told this was a dual airport run. Gave us a timetable. That was

  • Fort Luderdale airport
    • 11:30 AM
  • Miami
    • 1:30 PM

That didn’t happen.

Bus Ride

The tour guide had to tell the bus driver where to get to the freeway and then over to Gater Boys Adventure Park. He told us about the following:

  • Freeway system
  • Snakes
  • Plants
  • His dad sold his hospital for around $80 million and moved to California
  • How they would use a boat as a car when he was 12 and drive everywhere with it
  • He owns his own construction company and does the tour for fun.
  • He knows a lot about South Florida
    • But he couldn’t tell us more about it and just sat down.

Gator Boys

I’ve been on this tour before, and it was fun. Here is what the tour offered.

  • Airboat ride
  • Gator show
  • Gift shop
  • Some food items

We arrived and were told we would see the show first or the airboat ride. Then it was silent.

Finally we were told to look at the gift shop but not to do the following:

  • Buy anything
  • Order food

Since we would be getting on the boat shortly, an hour passed, and we were still sitting around. Finally got on the airboat, it wasn’t 30 minutes long. It was more like 15 min. It’s not that exciting.

We returned from the airboat ride and were told to meet him at the boarding place. Well, we got there, and the tour guide wasn’t there. I went to find the free picture they took of us. I was told that our tour guide had them. I asked where our tour guide was, and they had no clue.

I went outside and looked around. I’m not sure if we need to go to the show. But then we were told to go to the bus. The tour guide was on the bus with 75% of the group.

We got on the bus, and the tour guide was getting ripped apart for the horrible tour. He said it wasn’t his fault and it was Princess’s because they were only allowed 30 minutes.

Well, I will call bull crap on that one. We have done that tour before, but we also did the Flamingo Garden. Last time we had plenty of time to do everything the tour offered.

Tour Company

This wasn’t the princess’s fault at all. This was entirely on the tour guide and the tour company they represented. They should have this down to a science, as this is always offered. They should

  • Have a few pens to pass out when signing the waivers
  • Make sure Gator Boys knows that we are coming
    • Lots of different cruise ships in port that day
    • They all seemed to be getting things done

This is to tattle on the cruise tour company Princess used. Plain and simple. They had no clue what the heck they were doing at all.

Instead of using the microphone to tell us what was happening at the airport, he talked in front of the bus. The ones in the back couldn’t hear what was being said. Thus, we couldn’t hear at all. So we gathered our stuff and headed to the front of the bus. Only to be told that Delta doesn’t get off until the next bus stop. We should have been listening. Well, he should have used the microphone to talk. That is what it is there for.

He got on the bus and mentioned tips and how few were there. Well, no crap Sherlock. You don’t get tipped on things that you didn’t provide.

I usually tip, but there was no way I would tip on something I didn’t get. It is like tipping for food that you never got. That isn’t going to happen.

Happy

No one was happy about this tour. The tour guide said to talk to Princess about this. Yes, we will be talking with them about never using this tour company again.

Thoughts 

I am sure you know my thoughts on this after our cruise excursion. We just wanted to show my parents-in-law, the gators, and such. Didn’t see any due to the cluster screw-up of a tour. If you would like to check out this post: https://travelingwithjustin.com/february-23-2020-ft-laduerdale-excursion/

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