Miami til Key West Overnatning tur-retur

Guide to Key West advised us to return at 4:30 pm for 5 pm to ensure we got adjoining seats on the coach; however we identified that the return leaves at 5:30 pm which meant we had no access to the coach and had to wait in excess of an hour in the coach parking lot with little shade and no seating with our luggage. The return driver to Miami did not assist us to load our luggage onto the coach. The guide back to Miami was better and ensured we got back to the Hotel which was changed from the Hotel originally advised.

<p>Transfer to Key West from Miami was no problem. I phoned 2 days before my return trip but when I arrived neither bus had me rostered on it and both were full. One of the guides was really helpful and she was willing to sit on the steps for me to have a seat but in the end 2 people didn't turn back up for the return trip so we both had seats. Grey line seems to source out a lot of their trips and communication could be greatly improved between them and the other companies.</p>

<p>Everything was on time and on plan. The guide was very friendly and informative. You see a lot more from a bus than from a car and you don't have to pay for parking. Well worth the money.</p>

<p>The tour started off well: the Key West Express bus arrived early. However, some later customers didn't turn up so we wasted half an hour waiting for them. On the way, we passed another bus (Half Price Tours) which had broken down and, since we had empty seats, we gave some of them a lift. However, later on, a tyre burst and we were delayed two hours waiting for someone to come and fix it. This was annoying but not anybody's fault . The day visitors were compensated by the guide extending the return time to give them the full stay of six hours. We were staying overnight in Key West so, whilst being annoying, it didn't really affect us. While we were waiting for the tyre to be fixed, a replacement Half-Price Tours bus arrived and picked up the 24 passengers whom we had helped out. We asked about the pick up arrangements for our return the next day and were given a phone contact to ask the following afternoon. When we phoned we were told that the bus would start boarding at 5.40 to leave at 5.45. We duly arrived in good time at 5.15. By 5.40 no Key West Express bus had turned up (although another chap was waiting for the Half-Price Tours bus). We phoned the contact again and then were told that we would be picked up by the Half-Price Tours bus with the driver Louis. Shortly afterwards, a driver came along looking for Half-Price Tours customers (he had parked his bus round the corner). He didn't seem to have a record for us but when I mentioned the phone contact and driver Louis he said it was OK. However, when we reached the bus we found that some people were standing outside saying that there was not enough room for everybody. Eventually we got on, but the driver had to leave two people behind. The bus seats were more cramped than the Key West Express and there was no guide. Moreover, we have found out subsequently that Half-Price Tours price was two-thirds that of the Key West Express, so I think we need to have some compensation for our hassle and inconvenience.</p>

<p>Although there were issues re confirmation, partly my fault, the Gray Line Express bus from Miami Key West is an excellent option. Taking the iconic Highway 1, it is fast, reliable.</p>