Venture AshoreReviews of ventureashore.com

Took Venture Ashore off of Princess cruise in LeHarve France for trip to Normandy with 8 people. Your totaly custom. Saw multiple beaches saw as much as we wanted in time allowed. Guide , Jiles, was excellent and we had very comfortable vehicle Totally recommend!!!!!!

I can't rate the actual tours as sadly we did not get to join our excursions. This rating is for the dreadful customer service around cancellations. 6 days before our cruise my partner suffered a cardiac arrest. I contacted Venture Ashore within 48 hours to cancel all excursions booked with them, explaining what had happened. They did not respond. I chased yesterday by phone to make sure I was going to be refunded and that everything was cancelled and was met with an absolute lack of compassion and mistrust that I'd even cancelled (luckily I had done this originally by email so it was evidenced). Eventually I was told I will be refunded "within 21 days". Today a tour guide in Istanbul rang me at 7.30 in the morning to find out why we were late and holding up the whole tour group. Venture Ashore had not even bothered to notify the local provider. At an already very distressing time this just added to things. Do not use these people. Believe all the other poor reviews. Appalling.

We arrived at the coach park and our coach didn’t turn up. I tried to call and emergency numbers and no answers. Had to find our way out of the port and find something else. When I emailed the company they said they sent an email to cancel the trip before we left for our holiday but we didn’t receive it (checked deleted & spam folders). Day ruined

Excursions in Iceland. Went on two excursions in Iceland booked via Venture Ashore. The one called The Golden Circle on 4 th Aug 2023 from Rekjavic was really badly lead, compared to the Volcano, Lagoons tour from Grundarfirdur, the next day. The whole experience was bad. We were not met as promised, with a guide wearing a high vis jacket, just outside a store that no longer exists. The bus arrived late, past the deadline for meeting up. Everyone was panicking and there were nearly 50 of us .There was no apology and the guide was not really knowledgeable or interested in the job of relating to the excursion in any way. She was also too busy nattering with the driver about personal things and only responded to passengers in the first few seats. She didnot come out with us on the tour stops and so we had to poach other tourguides for information. At the lunch time excursion, she also went for lunch, claiming that she had not had any breakfast. A very poor and expensive "misguided" excursion. This was in complete contrast to the following day, run by a more organised and interested guide who enjoyed her job. The excursion itself is well worth doing but not with this particular guide. It seems that Venture Ashore have forgotten to vet or review this package or its quality once subcontracted out. Poor show. The one from Grundafjordur was excellent and led by a guide who was a family member of the excursion company and therefore, very keen to please and knowledgeable, with good skills and enthusiasm. Excursions are pretty expensive to be wasted like this. You would be better off trying your luck once at thebport with any of the local guides who tend to turn up on time, especially if you are a larger group. Minibus type guides were on offer. Other point to watch is time slots, in case of bad weather. Can you get back in time for the cruise departure......a worry! Date of experience: 04 and 05 August 2023

We have used this company several times on different cruises in 2018, 2019 and 2022, they have always been excellent. They have been waiting for us when we have got off the ship, the guides have been very knowledgeable. They have added extra visits into our excursions and got us back on time. We will continue to use them.

Excellent service booked a trip for 3 on Lanzarote had a minibus all to ourselves easy to follow directions given by email Excellent service Thank you

Dreadful, overpriced drop off from Messina to Taormina. Tour was 2 hours shorter than the description of the tour we bought. Mini bus was old and dirty with no workable A/C in sweltering heat. Excursion was supposed to include tour of Messina which didn’t happen. Customer service response is terrible, still awaiting explanation one month on from email complaint.

Booked a private tour around Athens, The driver was there and waiting very knowledgeable about all the historical sites he took us too, transport was modern comfortable and spacious. Great experience 😊