The city tour which was done by Hardy was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable, and was able to tell us something about every inch of New York, which was very much appreciated since there is so much to see and take in.
The boat cruise which was optional on day 2 comes highly recommended. The tour guide on the boat is able to tell you really good information about all the buildings we pass, the history of certain landmarks, which was so interesting. We loved it, it was money well spent!!!
Our bus driver Ken, was also fantastic. He was able to weave and maneuver New York City traffic and made it look easy. He made special drop offs for people whenever he was asked. He was extremely personable, and made a special stop on the way home to allow the group on the bus to take a picture of the Manhattan night skyline. That is above and beyond his job. Two thumbs up.
Joe, our tour guide, lacks in knowledge about the New York City main attractions. He needs to be brushed up on some of the major points of interest, if he wants to be able to call himself a tour guide. The day of departure he really told us nothing about what we can expect to see and do in New York City, and that is what I was expecting of him. I have toured through Europe and the USA on many occasions, and Joe is definitely lacking in knowledge of New York City!!! It is suggested that he be given some sort of a brush up in order for him to be competent in his job. To give Joe a bit of a break, the day we left to come back to Toronto he seemed to step up his game. He had puzzles for us to do as a group, offered the group to share stories and jokes, and made it interactive for much of the drive home. It was a lot of fun, and I wished he had done that in the 3 days prior, as he seemed to come alive on day 4 where he pretty much checked out days 1-3! So kudos to Joe for day 4.
Some of the stops on the way down were a little long. As an example, there is no need to spend 45 minutes at the duty free. 20 minutes at the most would have been sufficient.
The accommodations were gorgeous, everything was wonderful, the bedding, the breakfast, the pool, all were 5-star.
All in all, it was a very good trip. Good value for our money.