Should I have Paid for this Expensive Tour? 

I live In Kirkwall and you were right not to pay the amount. you can get in a taxi(cab) from the town straight to the ring of brodgar and back again and probably cost £50. If you're back again, I would drive you for free as payment for all the good information you have given us for previous cruises!

I wouldn't pay $200 per person for an excursion so I'm with you on this. The visit of the city was amazing!

Ship sponsored excursions have become way too expensive in many cases, especially considering the time allowed in the actual locale. Exploring on your own and spending time visiting and speaking with locals can be much more rewarding and enjoyable. Good choice, Tony! 👍🛳

You did the right thing Tony! Princess price gouging $200 for a bus ride to see rocks standing upright, yikes! You and Don saw town sights for free! Glad you recovered from achy legs! Thanks for such great vids, you're awesome! Hope you get everything you want from life and more! 😊

When you think of the joy the Dali painting gave for free, I think you made the right call on not going on the excursion.

The Ring of Brogdar was amazing and also the Maeshowe Cairn. You missed out!

Its the shoelaces. You need a flat lace . Your blogs have been amazing on this trip . Take care of yourself.

Just the Ring is not worth that price. If it included Skara Brae, it would have 100% been worth it! Orkney is so fantastic I plan to spend a full week there soon.

Being British and living not far from stone henge believe me you didn’t miss anything and totally honestly 90% of the rocks around the world are from dates before Neolithic times Enjoy the rest of the British isles and be aware we’re due a storm Saturday through to Monday ❤❤

I agree. You did the right thing. Double knot your laces

We had a stop in the Orkney Islands for our Norway cruise. A little research showed the excursions were way over priced. One we saw took you to places that all had free or minimal charges and you were paying an arm and a leg for the bus. The whiskey distillery charged 10 pounds for their tour and the excursion, which only included the distillery, was over $100 per person. We also chose a walk around Kirkwall which included the Orkney Rock Festival. Had a blast! You did the right thing. There are 1157 UNESCO World Heritage sites. You made the right choice.

I can count on one hand the number of cruise line shore excursions we've taken in our almost 35 years of cruising and nearly 50 cruises, most of them at least 14 days long. They are always way overpriced, and way under-delivered. The only ones we'll take are ones where either the "real" destination is several hours away from the port and there is no reliable public transportation to safely get there and back (like Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok) or where the transportation schedules are too tight to feel comfortable about timely getting back to the ship (like Amsterdam from Rotterdam or Seville from Cadiz). In those two types of situations, we'll do the cruise lines' "on your own" excursions where they just provide the reliable transportation, but we get to explore on our own, without the garbage stops at tourist traps for which the cruise line gets a kickback.

On port intensive cruises it is all about balance....for both your feet and your wallet!

I'm going to do the excursion to Scara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, and the Viking Settlement. It's the Viking Settlement I want to see. I thought the price would make all three sites worth it.

We didn't go to the Ring of Brodgar, but we did spend the morning at another Neolithic site. It was very cool. The afternoon we spent in Kirkwall, which was very nice. We went to a pub and had the best ale of our British Isles tour, Red MacGregor. The Orkney Islands was my favorite stop on our trip. Wonderful people and history. Tie your shoes using a double surgeon's knot. They will not come undone.

Awh Tony you missed out on seeing a lot. You and Don should have booked a cab to take you to see the wonderful sights of Orkney and it would never have costs the ships excursion prices. I haven't been since 1976 and will never forget the Wonder that is Orkney.

First and 'very' important ... double tie those laces, Tony! LOL Most double ties won't come undone😃Second, I 100% agree with you and Don doing your own thing! 👍Just look at everything you experienced at your own leisure, in your own time and the destinations were your call - So many tours are just becoming way too expensive for not enough value! I enjoyed taking this journey with you and Don - 💕

$200pp is a lot of money for a 2.5 hour tour, most of it on a bus. I spend it when it is must do tour. We did the tour of the Normandy Beaches and the American cemetery for which was an expensive tour but worth it. It was about 8 hours and included lunch in a nice café across the street from the museum. Just look for value and decide if is a must do tour and if you can better do it on your own.

Most definitely the right choice! Love that you chose to just wander around Kirkwell and see things on your own, and that you also contributed to the local economy and patronized the local museum and sites with your presence. Kudos!

We would have done exactly what you did. Those $200 start adding up and quick. Dont get caught up in seeing every world heritage sight ya come across.. You did good 👍🏻

Cathedral was awesome, the museum was great! I always like touring the towns!

Generally, I fall on the side of preferring a guided tour over just walking around on my own, because I learn so much more on a guided tour. However, in this case, I think you made the right call. $200 for a 2.5 hour tour is a little steep.

You made the right choice Tony, most of these excursions tend to be very expensive tourist traps. Most times when I go on excursions I get back to the ship and I feel like I should not have gone on it because it just wasn't worth it.

I think you made the right choice. Local attractions can be just as interesting. P.S. I didn't know the walls of the cruise ship could hold magnets. I just assumed they'd be aluminum. Don't forget to take them with you when you leave.

You did what is best for you and that is all that matters just like when you go to France you want to go to Paris and there is many great things to see in Paris but for me I would go to Normandy I think next year is 80 year anniversary everyone should do what is best for themselves thanks for sharing your cruise

well, Orkney is one of my fav places to visit due to all the archeological sites. the countryside is beautiful. i think you missed out on a wonderful opportunity to see this place. perhaps some advance planning prior to visiting? perhaps renting a car {which i've done}? perhaps booking in advance with a local tour guide [did this too]? or as pauline below said, taking a taxi? i've been to Orkney twice and visited most sites twice. now, admittedly, if you're not into archeology then staying in Kirkwall was the thing to do. but the ancient sites in Orkney give such a window into the past. i'm a big advocate of "doing your own thing" as i especially agree that cruise excursions are pricey and too often limited in scope.......but not seeing more of Orkney seems to me like a really missed opportunity to really understand the place. having said that my favorite place to visit in Orkney is Brocch of Gurness, not the Ring of Brodgar.

I find all of Princess’s excursions to be very expensive compared to Royal or even Disney!

My opinion is you made the right choice!! It is fun to see the local shops and wander about the town with Don. I like your magnets!!

I think you made the right choice. Your city visit was packed with enough fun and educational stuff to take paying $199.99 for that two hour tour off your "need to do" list.🌺

I can not explain how much I enjoy seeing your self designed tours in real places where locals are..and mixing with whatever other tours you share...it is so nice to not have to have every minute pre-planned and to know you can take a "trade off" and be a last minute planner for a bit of both. I have enjoyed that on both recent BIG trips you two have had..just wonderful...and also that you each have some with yourself time and your own rooms...basically it is a great guy's way that this gal would like with another friend that wants their own cabin, also the basic balcony on this trip and ship is just truly special fine!!!! Adore the bath and dressing area.

Skara Brae was actually the most memorable bit of the Orkneys for me, rather than any of the tombs or standing stones, but that's coming from an anthropology/archaeology nerd...and there's also a lot to be said for just having a wander around when visiting new places, you don't get a feel for how people really live if you're always doing planned excursions. Factoring in the price, I would probably opt for a city day too. If you're a salt and vinegar flavoured snacks fan, I recommend giving Squares and/or Chipsticks a try.

I would love to see you and Jenny B go on more cruises together! Do you ever feel sad she isn’t there in these wonderful locations? 😢

You made the right call! Way to expensive for the amount of time, to see rocks? Walking and having a town adventure sounds way more fun!

I love that you just ventured off and experienced the town. Good choice - spend the $200 enjoying the casino!!!! I walked 14 miles round trip one day in Norway to avoid an $80 excursion fee to see petroglyphs. I had the time and was able to experience the town on my walk also! Every pair of Jordans I own has laces that won’t stay tied - Jordan golf, Air Jordan, Jordan Low, Jordan High, Jordan Retro, Jordan Mid - it doesn’t matter. First thing I do is replace the laces!

I have been to both you did the smart thing if you wanted to go I would have gotten a taxi for a quarter of the price for one for all

I always double-knot my laces. 😬

I planned a cruise around getting to Orkney to see the UNESCO Heart of Neolithic Orkney Sites. I would have passed on all the OTHER excursions to be able to see Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness, and Maeshowe. I rented a car and visited all four sites. Of course, now you have an excuse to go back.

It’s not so much the money but the uniqueness of the site. By staying in town you saw sites others missed just because “everyone says to go”. Reference shoe laces. As a preschool teacher I tied plenty of shoe laces. There seems to be a sweet spot in nylon/cotton ratio in laces. Too much nylon and they won’t stay tied.

Good call Tony. I've been on plenty of excursions where I questioned whether or not it was worth it. You guys got to see some great things in town. Love following you and Don on this journey. Keep up the great work!

You made the correct choice.

I always have FOMO when picking excursions. I would not spend $200 on an excursion unless maybe it's all day with lunch and/or drinks. We have a budget for excursions and sometimes have to make hard decisions on some ports. I think the city tour you did was awesome!

We have found the free walking tours in a lot of the port cities very interesting. All of the guides have been great.

I think you did great at what you did. One I would have spent the money on was the Giant Causeway in Belfast. That was hands down the best excursion I have ever done on a cruise. Yes it was spendy but worth every penny.

You made the right choice for YOU Tony! Looks like you enjoyed the day and explored on your own! Way to go!🎉

A bit expensive for me too. You did well , saw a lot. Being free is not a bad thing. Thanks for the video. Have fun.

The Ring of Brohgar, the Standing Stones of Stennes, Skara Brae and the castle are definitely worth seeing. The excursions are definitely getting more pricey!! We would of enjoyed seeing more of Kirkwall wich we missed.

I think your own excursion was great (and for free)….. $200 is crazy….. I would have done what you did 😊

Hi Tony We live opposite the harbour in Holyhead and love the cruise ships coming in, we walk the breakwater (harbour wall) every night and watch the coaches come back from Snowdon before the ship sails off to its next destination. We often say that although Snowdon is a lovely spot, there is so much more to offer with a port visit. We park in the harbour and walk on until the lane leads to the breakwater itself, its a hefty distance but lovely, yep there are local yoofs sometimes vandalising old military houses etc but they just look at you defiantly and carry on, they're never any trouble. I think the cruises often warn people that the town itself is a bit dodgy because you never see the cruise goers out and about. I s'pose I do take it a little personally as im in a wheelchair and I know that there are excellent walks around our lovely island. Finding places for wheelchair users to go doesn't seem to be considered by the cruises and i know how horrible it is to be confined in ones daily activities and sincerely wish that people would do as you did, spend a little money in the community and get to see the real place you're stopping at. You ever know what you may find, we discovered Bangor botanical gardens for the first time last week and the dog and i walked my husband off his feet! 😊

I love exploring villagers/towns and finding that special shop or museum or whatever that strikes ME as COOL! I feel that one gets a much better feel for the local flavor y

Walking the streets and seeing the local sites is a great way to experience another country.

I think that wandering around was better than the excursion. You are on your own pace. And you can use that extra money for souvenirs!

Unless it’s something that absolutely “wow’s” me… I prefer to just wander around the town I’m in and check out local shops/restaurants and just do my own thing. Sometimes it ends up costing me what an excursion would, but I get to enjoy my time exploring rather than an excursion manipulating what short time I have in port.

You did the right thing . Only my opinion.. laces ??? Don’t fall again Tony .. GET NEW LACES !!!!loving all the amazing sights & museums u have seen … ❤❤❤

When we have booked expensive tours we have never looked back with regret. You can see toy stores anywhere, seeing ancient history is worth every penny if you can afford to do it.

How are your legs? Get a pair of slip-in Skechers no laces. Easy to get into and out if. I have three pairs . Enjoy the remaining cruise. Don seems to be doing well.

There are several solutions to laces not staying tied. 1. Add an extra half hitch before the bow. 2. Tie a skaters knot, which isn’t a knot at all it is design to allow different tightness usually near the top there is an extra half hitch, or double then lace the rest as normal 3. Tie the bow with at least a half hitch! I doubt the knot holders made for baby shoes will fit!

We were fortunate in that someone on the ship told us to get a taxi and make a deal with them to take us straight there and back. It was in 2018 but if I remember correctly, it worked out to something like $30-35 per person. It was worth seeing at that price😂

Personally, I would have taken a tour of some sort to Scapa Flow, the home of the British Grand Fleet in WWI and WWII.

We think you made the right choice. It was so interesting to watch you and Don looking at the old shop fronts and the museum. The Cathedral you walked into looked beautiful. We enjoy the way film your port visits and taking us with you to this historic part of the world.

As long as you enjoyed it it’s worth the money. My cruise to Norway fjords,and Iceland all excursions have been like Alaska prices. We’re doing a 3 hr tour that boards a small plane to a remote island called Grimsey only about 80-100 inhabitants live there but this island is above the arctic circle. How often can say you have been to the Arctic circle? This excursion was 729 a person for 3 hours. Once in a lifetime so hoping this was worth 1400+ for it.

I believe you made the correct choice.

A lot of the churches and Cathedrals are free to enter, but there is always a collection plate in the back. I always leave a Pound or two, it helps the defray the cost of keep up these old buildings. buy the next size up in laces and double knot them. that's what I have to do. Take into account the price of Petrol in the UK, By the Liter. Still pricey.

I like to spend some days just wandering around the town and other days seeing the old stuff. You made the right decision. A stressless (except for the cur sed shoe lace) day wandering around town soaking in the local today atmosphere. In some ports when we get off the ship we check out the local fellows selling excursions.

I could not have resisted going over to pet that big beautiful rescue dog!

Since you are solo I would have probably done it. Personally if I was traveling as a family of 5 I probably would have planned ahead and gone outside the cruise line. Tough decisions Tony.

Tony try this old shoe tying trick I learned from a nanny that worked wonders for my kids. No knots and they don’t come untied until you want them to. When tying your bow instead of wrapping the string around once then pulling your bow through. Wrap it twice and then pull bow tightly. It works wonders!

I am on basically the same cruise in 4 weeks. Because of the port intensive cruise, I am on spending the extra money for Stone Henge which is on my version of this cruise. I am even skipping Paris because of the 6 hours of driving to have just a few hours there. Hopefully I will get back to Paris with better plans later. I think you made a good choice.

That excursion price is crazy! Last summer we visited Orkney on P&O Aurora and the excursion to Skara Brae and the Ring of Brogdar was around £50 per person.

To see what you missed get the Billy Connolly world tour of Scotland DVD. He was so impressed he ran naked around the stones. 200 USD is way too much though, was there no way to do a deal with a local taxi?

You did fine. The town, the church and the palace ruins plus a small museum! One can't spend that money every day so most of us have to pick and choose. Loving your trip!

You can always search for a DIY walking tour. Orkney Car Hire will rent you a car for 70 pounds a day and you can get to the farther off sites faster than the tour bus and spend as long as you want.

I wouldn't pay $200 for that short amount of time at the standing stones. You guys did well together on your own.

Kirkwall and the Cathedral are great places to explore. The Ring is an amazing site; however, they are crazy with that price. You would barely have enough time to walk around the outer ring let alone walk into the center. I would have hired a local and let they take you plus you could have seen the Standing Stone of Stennes and Maeshowe. Its always a difficult choice but in your case visiting the city was a good one.

Tony, You did the right thing going on the self-walking tour of Orkney.

Laces : add a thin coat rubber glue on nylon lace , let dry. It would keep lace from slipping texture it’s surface. 10:21

Kirkwall is a good place to spend time. I love the Viking Cathedral there. Next time definitely go see the Ring of Brogdar and also Skara Brae if given the opportunity!

All the ship excursions are overpriced. If you have the time, you should do these things on your own. Good call, Tony.

Nothin wrong with wandering around town. An adventure is an adventure!

Bunny ears on those shoe laces!!! Honestly, double tie them. When you get home, order FLAT shoe laces. Big difference in how they stay tied. I think any place you can sightsee on your own, or buy your own tickets for admission or hop on hop off is the way to go. Most cities in Europe this is possible. Looks so interesting going in and out of the local shops too.

The rescue dog at the beginning was likely a purebred Alaskan Malamute (long coated, which would be faulted in the show ring, but still just find as a a pet if you don’t mind brushing a lot)

Skechers makes a great walking shoe called the slip-in. No bending over to tie. No shoe horn necessary. Love mine.

Round laces have a tendency to undo themselves. I shoe salesman showed me a trick. First you do a surgeon's knot. Then you tie your bow. Then finish it off by taking the bow loops into a knot. Your laces will not loosen. But, having back problems, I always wear lace less shoes. My favorite is Sketchers Slip ins canvas with gel soles. I can walk kilometers with them and my feet won't hurt. They also breath. Don't even have to bend down to put them on.

I wouldn't have paid it. But there's always excursions we regretted not doing.

If it’s the first time I’ve been in a port, I need to explore the area (for free). You did the right thing. Come back and go next time.

I spent a couple of days there in 1978. We were taken around by people who lived there. I think that you made the right choice.

Tony you made the right decision. I wouldn't pay that much for an excursion. I enjoyed your self tour with Don.

While I love the idea of seeing the stones, I also love seeing real towns and shops. Bonus, it was free! I think you made the right choice.

We typically book all excursions before the cruise, but there are times where we just didn't see anything that appealed to us so we book those excursions on the ship. Sometimes the cost of the excursion is the deciding factor, especially when location does appeal to us. If it wasn't on your must see list, you were better off doing something on your own.

I loved Kirkwall. By chance I was there in August and that day was a big celebration with parades, entertainment. Fabulous

07:07 pm Tony, a trick to keeping your shoelaces tied is to put a drop of water on the knot in the middle after you tie it. It swells the lace and should keep you from tying them multiple times. Try it and see how it does.

Lacing tip: Instead of the single "twist" you do before making the bow, add one or two ADDITIONAL "wrap-arounds" before making the bow. The extra friction helps keep the bow intact.

The most expensive excursion we have ever taken was to Normandy in 2018. It was worth every penny. And a delicious lunch was included. We would not have paid that much for this excursion.

In my opinion you made the right choice. you got to see so much for so much less... PLUS Don got to pet a rescue pup and THAT is priceless

200.00 is a LOT of money. You are right. It all adds up so fast. I really enjoyed your vlog of the city. What matters is if you enjoyed it!

I think you made the right choice

I would think that you made the right choice to save your money. Viking has an included excursion at each stop and I have found that on these overview tours they do a really good job of covering the important places and striking a great balance of bus, guided walking, and free time. Viking's included Historic Orkney tour is 2.5 hours and covers a lot more than just the Ring of Brodgar (ex. Stromness) which tells me that visiting the Ring isn't exactly a defining lifetime moment.

Tony. For the lace. You have to do a double knot with the loops of the first one. It will stay done.

Thx again, Tony for taking us with you. Such a pretty town. The church was great. Lots of things to do without taking the ring of brodgar trip. You chose correctly. 😊

Yeah, I would have thought that was overpriced as well. I think you made the right choice. Thanks for sharing!

When we did the cruise I contacted the local cab company (before the cruise) because besides being expensive the ship tours had two tours that covered the main highlights but not one that did both tours as one. Prearranged price and itinerary. Taxi met us at the Port spent 6 hours just the two of us and saw things that were not on tours also. Cost £100.00 which is about $125.00 U.S for two of us. No deposit and paid at end of day. Just something to keep in mind if ship tours seem to pricy.