We went to Batam recently for a 2D1N holiday. It was a much needed retreat - to bring ourselves away from the stress of living in Singapore. It was my 1st time doing an online buy for a holiday packaged tour. The main advantage is that it was value-for-money. The below table illustrates what I meant.
Pros of the Online Deal:
1. Value-for-money - We saved at least 33% from the expected cost of S$233 and savings are actually more significant as the cost of tours to interesting sights were excluded from my calculation.
2. Hassle-free - I do not need to arrange for land transfers, nor do I need to worry about how to get to the ferry terminal.
3. Effortless Planning - I used to do a great deal of planning on the sights to visit or the things to eat, but a package tour eliminates that set of efforts.
4. Educational Tour - Tours provide information about the place, such as signficant shopping centres, type of local produce, etc.
Cons of the Online Deal:
1. Not in Control of Itinerary - We asked the tour guide if we could do amendments to the itinerary, for e.g. we wanted to go for the massage or straight to the hotel, but this is not possible.
2. Additional Tips - We have to tip the tour guide, even though we did not want the tour.
3. Expensive Places - In a bid to boost her commission, the guide brought us to expensive places, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Chocolate Store and Batik Factory Outlet.
4. Not Being Natural - We have to make friends; though we are not anti-social creatures, there are times when we wanted the holiday to be more of a private event, but we had to make small talk to the people around us.
1. Value-for-money - We saved at least 33% from the expected cost of S$233 and savings are actually more significant as the cost of tours to interesting sights were excluded from my calculation.
2. Hassle-free - I do not need to arrange for land transfers, nor do I need to worry about how to get to the ferry terminal.
3. Effortless Planning - I used to do a great deal of planning on the sights to visit or the things to eat, but a package tour eliminates that set of efforts.
4. Educational Tour - Tours provide information about the place, such as signficant shopping centres, type of local produce, etc.
Cons of the Online Deal:
1. Not in Control of Itinerary - We asked the tour guide if we could do amendments to the itinerary, for e.g. we wanted to go for the massage or straight to the hotel, but this is not possible.
2. Additional Tips - We have to tip the tour guide, even though we did not want the tour.
3. Expensive Places - In a bid to boost her commission, the guide brought us to expensive places, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Chocolate Store and Batik Factory Outlet.
4. Not Being Natural - We have to make friends; though we are not anti-social creatures, there are times when we wanted the holiday to be more of a private event, but we had to make small talk to the people around us.
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