Cruise Shore Excursion - Private Tuk Tuk Tour to the Historic Center

It was a great...

It was a great experience. Only problem i had was tour said start between 9am and 11am usually 1 hr after boat docks. I didn't have wifi so didn't get message in time for the meeting time. He did wait for us and did an great tour.

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Dangerous tour avoid if you value your life

Ride from ship to city us not detailed in tour description. The ride is approximately 45 minutes over mostly cobblestone roadways that is not appropriate for this lightweight "scooter." Moreover, the driver entered the high speed motorway which was dangerous and frightening. We exited the Tuj Tuk when we reached the city and took a taxi v back to the ship.

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify a few points regarding the experience. As you arrived by cruise ship and the tour starts in Porto city centre, the journey from the cruise terminal to the city is necessary. This is also why we recommend the tour to cruise passengers: it provides convenient transportation into the city while beginning the sightseeing experience. There is no motorway or high-speed road as part of the route into the city. If you perceived a section of the road as a motorway, we would be happy to investigate the exact route taken on the day. Porto is a historic city, and cobblestone streets are an intrinsic characteristic of many areas of the city centre. Our electric TukTuks are specifically designed for tourist sightseeing and operate regularly on these roads. We are sorry that you found the journey uncomfortable and that you decided to leave the TukTuk before reaching the end of the experience. However, we believe it is important to clarify that the route does not involve travelling on a motorway and that navigating cobblestone streets is an inherent part of visiting Porto.

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First Time in Porto and Want to See a Little of Everything

The driver met us at the port as agreed and on time. The TukTuk was small and we are not very big. Be prepared for the stone streets, manhole covers and other bumps in the rode as they are quite jarring in the TukTuk. It is a great way to see the city of Porto since the TukTuk can get to places cars cannot, but there are lots of TukTuks everywhere. Our driver was very nice and helpful with our getting in and out of the TukTuk. Nice way to spend some time in the city.

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Zero Tour - stay away!

Tour guide never showed up! Texted me at 9:30 am to say our 9:00 am tour guide would be late! And to wait for him! Really?

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify what happened, as this review does not reflect the full circumstances of that morning. This tour starts outside Porto's historic centre, next to Leixões Harbour, in Matosinhos, approximately 10 km away. Unfortunately, on the morning of your booking, one of our guides became unexpectedly ill while already on the way to the meeting point. This was an unforeseen situation, and we immediately looked for the best possible solution to avoid cancelling your experience. As a last-minute alternative, we arranged for you to join another tour that was already operating. Our modern electric tuk tuks have two forward-facing passenger benches, allowing your party to sit together on one bench while the two other guests occupied the other. This solution would have allowed the tour to proceed with only a short delay. We fully understood that this arrangement was not your preferred option. Although you acknowledged that there was no other practical solution available at such short notice, you chose not to join the tour and declined to board the tuk tuk. Despite this, we immediately processed a full refund of the amount paid, ensuring that you were not financially disadvantaged in any way. We sincerely regret that an unexpected medical issue affected your plans. While situations like these are extremely rare, we believe we acted responsibly by offering the only viable alternative available at the time and, when it was declined, issuing a full refund without hesitation.

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Not Worthy of My Time

We used a Tuk-Tuk tour in get perspective on the neighborhoods and icons there that was highly informative. My feedback for this tour is that the tuk-tuks in Porto are designed differently with roofs so we could barely see out of it, which was a minus. It would have been better if the tour was organized so it told the story of Porto. This tour was random, almost helter-skelter. It was a very hot day, so we roade along the water at first, which was nice but it had no context. Then we began -again randomly- driving through streets, stopping at some random park with dirt paths and no apparent significance. We stopped at the first over-look, but again we had no idea of the significance. The best part was the market and train station, but again there was no narration about the history or significance. We basically got dropped off at both. Basically, the tuk-tuk's design blocked our views, the tour seemed disorganized with little significant narration, and I did not get any feeling for Porto and it's history or iconic spots.

Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are pleased that you found parts of the tour informative, but we would like to clarify several points that may help future readers better understand the experience. Your tour was a shore excursion departing from the cruise terminal, which is located approximately 10 km from Porto's historic centre. To reach the city, it is necessary to travel along the coastline and the Douro River. This is not a random choice but the most scenic and efficient route, while also giving guests an introduction to Porto's relationship with both the Atlantic Ocean and the river that shaped the city's history. The itinerary itself is not improvised or "helter-skelter." It follows a carefully designed circular route that has been refined over many years to include as many of Porto's most iconic landmarks, viewpoints and historic neighbourhoods as possible within the limited time available for cruise passengers. Every stop has a purpose and historical significance. The viewpoint where we stopped is one of the city's best-known panoramic locations, offering a comprehensive view of Porto's UNESCO World Heritage historic centre. Likewise, the park you mention is not a random stop but a recognised landmark chosen for its scenery and strategic views over the city. Regarding São Bento Station and Bolhão Market, these are among Porto's most important cultural and historical landmarks. Our guides provide commentary throughout the tour, adapting the level of detail to the pace of the group and encouraging interaction and questions. The description that guests were simply "dropped off" does not reflect the experience we strive to provide. As for the tuk tuk itself, our vehicles are modern electric models equipped with a roof for passenger comfort and protection from both strong sun and rain. Their design complies with current safety and transport regulations while still providing excellent visibility from both forward-facing passenger benches. Thousands of guests enjoy sightseeing from these vehicles every year. We are sorry that the tour did not meet your personal expectations. However, we believe your review does not accurately represent either the structure of the itinerary or the level of planning that goes into our shore excursions, which have been developed specifically to allow cruise passengers to experience the very best of Porto within the time available.

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