Day Trip to Cinque Terre from Florence

My experience with this tour was extremely unpleasant and frustrating, mainly because of the lack of clear information and the poor instructions provided by the person leading the group. My ticket clearly shows, with a check mark, that the train and boat transportation were included. However, during the tour, we were told that the train was not included and that we had to purchase the ticket ourselves. Although having to pay for the train was already different from what was stated in our reservation, the biggest problem was the complete lack of guidance. The person leading the group simply boarded the train with the rest of the participants and told us, “Buy the ticket and get on the train.” That was the only instruction we received. We were not told which train to take, the train number, the correct destination, the platform, or any other necessary information. As a result, we purchased our tickets and boarded the wrong train. We ended up traveling to another town and had to purchase additional tickets in order to return and try to continue with the tour. This caused us extra expenses, loss of time, confusion, and a great deal of stress during what was supposed to be an enjoyable vacation experience. The lack of information continued during the return trip. We were not clearly told which bus number we needed to look for, nor were we given the name of the station where we were supposed to get off on the way back. For an organized tour being sold to tourists who are unfamiliar with the area, providing clear instructions about trains, stations, buses, meeting points, and return transportation should be one of the most basic responsibilities of the tour operator. It is also very concerning that the reservation information clearly indicates that certain transportation is included, while the actual experience was completely different. Overall, the organization and communication were extremely poor. The instructions provided were inadequate and caused us unnecessary stress, additional expenses, and a very disappointing experience. I strongly recommend that Viator and the tour operator review how transportation information and instructions are communicated to customers so that other travelers do not experience the same situation. I also believe that the additional transportation expenses we incurred as a direct result of the incorrect and incomplete instructions should be reviewed for reimbursement.

Beautiful coastal towns, great your guide and driver. The trip included a tour bus, trains and boat ride.

The tour operator, Star Europe, Tours, never showed or communicated with us about that. We arrived at the departure site early with specific instructions and checked with the other tour operators who were there. Our names were not on their list. I had the Viator representative on the phone, but they were not able to add us to the other tour operators lists because they were full. We did receive a refund. It was our last day of vacation and the experience was very disappointing.