Finally your dream Dubai vacation is about to come true. But now you are divided between – whether to go for a private tour or opt for a shared one. And this choice can have a very deep impact on your entire trip experience. While both have their pros and cons, it would be advisable that you have a thorough understanding of the two to take an informed decision. Read on to know more about private Dubai city tour vs shared tour: pros and cons.
Comfort & Privacy
Private tour – it will only be you & your group as the tourists here. The private Dubai city tour will be having a dedicated vehicle & driver, all to yourself. You may also enjoy the services of a private guide. You would be getting a lot more space for seating as well as keeping your luggage. So if you are traveling with your family or a select group of friends, then a relaxed private tour works better for you as you get more of solitude.
Shared tour–the group would be much larger here. You would be traveling in a minivan or coach. Seating would be fixed in all probability – and you have to do some compromising/adjustments in terms of luggage space. And please don’t expect too much of privacy at photostops or viewpoints, as there would be quite a few of your co-passengers breathing down your neck!
Flexibility & Customization
Private tour – you have total control over your itinerary. Change, adapt, add/subtract tourist spots from the list – just the way you want. Choose how much or how less time you want to spend at any location. You can also choose pickup & drop timings that are not within the standard schedules. So, if you want to spend more time for specific activities like shopping, checking out souks, food stops, etc. – then the private tour works for you.
Shared tour – here, the itinerary and route are pre-fixed by the tour provider. So, you don’t have much choice in terms of skipping a certain spot or spending some more time at another. The time to be spent at a site and the trip route are standardized to suit the requirement of the entire group overall.
Price & Budget
Private tour – the charges here are on a per group or per vehicle basis. The transport is exclusive and so is the guide. You can also personalize the entire itinerary as per your wish. Hence, the charges are high for solo travelers.
Shared tour – the charges here are on per head basis – and they are appreciably lower. This is because they are spread over a larger number of tourists. And mostly, basic guide, transportation, and certain entry tickets are included in the prices. Thus, this option suits solo travelers and tourists on a tighter budget.
Travel Experience & Attention
Private tour – the driver/guide accompanying you would cater exclusively to you. Thus, he can give you better insights on the sites you are visiting and also suggest visiting slightly off-beat but no less interesting spots to visit. And you don’t need to rush through your itinerary as well.
Shared tour – the number of travelers is higher here. As a result, the guide’s attention gets divided. And the interaction would be of a much more general nature. So don’t expect a much detailed briefing. The guide would remain more focused on covering the intended sites effectively, rather than engaging in meaningful conversation with you.
Group Size & Convenience
Private tour – the group size would be much smaller here – only you and your family/friends accompanying you. The pickup & drop-off points can be suitably customized to suit the requirements of everyone in the group. E.g. you might be joined by friend/relatives staying in UAE. In a private Dubai city tour, you can pick them up from their home as well. However, this extra logistics would need to be communicated to the service provider before the trip.
Shared tour – you would be part of a group whose strength would be 10 to 15, maybe even larger. This gives you an opportunity to mingle with different people, mostly from different nations & cultures. But the pickup & drop-off points would be standardized. So, you don’t need to be bothered about the logistics planning.
To conclude, private tours work best for couples or family visitors. It’s more personalized and puts you in charge of the logistics & execution. But of course, it’s pricier. Shared tours, on the other hand, suit first-time visitors and budget travelers. The itinerary is easy-to-follow and you don’t need to take the hassles of planning & execution.