As an incentive planner for groups, I am always looking for ideal and unique experiences for clients. On this last trip, I bought tour passes for me and my family. I usually do nto allow free or comp passes to get a good idea of typical service of a tour or activity, and this was the same.
At first arrival, we were greeted by a friendly front desk staff that checked us in. They had some cool merch and some photo op areas while you waited for the guide.
They had a makeshift, yet inoperable bar, where you could order some items, however, none were really made fresh or made by hand except their infused water. Everything else was already pre-packed and sold a premium, even above the grocery store premiums, so that was a let down. I wish they had not been promoting it if it was not ready for custom or craft cocktails and pours. It was a big tease.
The guide came to get us and was high energy. He took us to the processing area where they clean/package the pineapples. It was unique in its own Hawaiian way, but we only stood in the area of their marketing banners and were told "we need to get moving as there is another group." We saw no packing, no movement or other. We didn't get to really look around and see the cool things within the packaging plant. That was a let down as well. They had a massive facility and we only saw a small portion of it for those who like to geek out with "how it's made" type businesses.
We were then rushed on to a rickety shuttle bus and taken to various parts of the field down the street. We did get to see the workers harvest and we got to experience a plantation tasting with some more history. That was a cool experience not many get to do in the field. We made another stop and took more photos and then it was done.
The tour itself was maybe an hour with another 10-20mins inside the shuttle just creeping along the uneven, winding dirt tracks in the field. That's expected.
Overall it was a good tour, however, the 3-star rating mainly comes from the elements that I remember not being good.
First, the price, this was an extremely overpriced tour. This should be more of a $25-$35 price point. I would not pay $90+ for another tour like this, even with the "free" pineapple. I did it for the family, but I would NOT do it for a group. This was not a luxury or elevated experience that was worthy of that price point.
Second, the tour guide, although friendly, he was so rushed and kept moving us quickly as to get through the tour as soon as he could. He was not in it, you can tell he was kind of fake, but he was a local as he was trying to teach some words and spoke in native tongues as well. Not a bad guy, but doesn't seem his heart was in it.
Third, requesting tips. I can't stand when guides request tips and place signs asking for tips on activities and tours. This is tacky and had a negative impact on my experience.
Fourth, not having the bar open to have a true custom experience, but then trying to sell Arizona tea at a premium price with a tip jar just made it more unappealing especially when it was just a tease with taps that didn't work.
Fifth, there were other groups there on top of each other. It seems they try and stack groups B2B as some are from online sales, some from DMC, some from private guides, Viator or other avenues like the pairing options. It was obvious they really try to supplement the farm with tours, and the guide stated that. There are not hundreds of people on site at once as they are good about rotating the groups quickly and there's not much else to do, so everyone leaves as soon as they're done, but you get that feeling while on the tour itself.
Again, all staff were nice, but not sure who trained them to ask for tips. Seems to be an island thing as most other tours asked for the same...but not much anywhere else in the world.
Overall, it was rushed. We didn't get to see the packing process or other parts of the plant as I was hoping for. They need updated signage as some of it just looks old. The guide was in a hurry. These things just weighed more heavily on the shorter and abbreviated experience we had in the field.
Based on my experience, I didn't see anyone really buy a pineapple in the 30 mins before and 30 mins after (shopping) the tour. I felt like this was more of a $90+ pineapple with a free tour as an afterthought.
I was hoping for more as there are limited options and usually the only tour on the island is the best. This was not the case this time around. I would pass on this unless you just really must see a plantation and having a slice in the field...if not, you're better off just buying the pineapple and grabbing lunch next door. The tour just wasn't unique enough to justify the price.
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