Originally Posted by
pseudoswede
I dunno. The last thing I care about at a port of call is the actual port (unless it's nearly impossible to catch a taxi) or the city you're supposed to visit. That's where I think Cruise Critic's website is actually useful. One can find lots of great information about independent operators and off-the-beaten-path places that most tourists won't visit.
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Our experience has been hit and miss in terms of recommendations for tour operators. We booked an tour with an independent operator on St. Thomas based on the amazing reviews and feedback on CC and in the end, found it just satisfactory. His commentary got a bit repetitive and, although I shouldn't be bothered by it, it looked like he got a kickback from the bar/restaurant owner at one of the viewpoints we stopped at.
He seemed like a nice guy but I can't understand why his tour has such amazing feedback.