2-Day Southern Ireland Tour from Dublin:Including Blarney and Cliffs of Moher

TripAdvisor Review Getting to experience the Cliffs of Moher, the Blarney Stone, and others for this 2 day tour is satisfying. However, experiencing the poor communication from the tour operator and the horrendous accommodations places a scar on the experience. The tour guides/drivers were good but they have learned to give a referral response to talk with the office to anything not about the place we are visiting. Here are our concerns: 1. The poor communication from the operators of this tour was bad. The website identifies the same itinerary for both days. We had no idea where we were going, especially the 2nd day. 2. When we were dropped off in Cork for our over night stay, we were directed by the local office to the corner at the end of the street. The hotel was actually further down the street and across the street. We were never informed about the hotel which we found to be old and virtually uninhabitable. After killing the 2nd spider among other bugs seen, we decided to find other accommodations. We felt forced to pay for another hotel after already paying for the first hotel in the tour cost. It also did not help that there were 6 men loitering on the steps up to the hotel door making for an uncomfortable feeling. 3. The next morning we were directed by the local tour office that we would be picked up at the corner, where we were directed the day before. The tour bus was actually waiting all the way down the street past the hotel, which we could not see with other vehicles obscuring our view. It would have been helpful to be told to look for a bus number and be given the driver’s name. 4. During the morning of the 2nd day, we were told we would be dropped off at the last stop because that bus would be returning to Cork. We were left standing waiting in the parking lot because we were told the bus returning to Dublin would pick us up in about 15 minutes. Not until another tour bus driver told us to go find a seat because it would a while. It turns out we left 1 hour after we were dropped off. We had to wait because the Dublin returning bus had a group of people who were allowed to experience what we did earlier. There was nothing in the materials about being dropped off and switching buses. I cannot support recommending this 2 day tour. It would have been better to just take 2 one day tours.

On April 2, 2024, I contacted the Paddywagon Tours Dublin office to book five tickets for my family. The customer service representative, Davi, handled my inquiry. During the call, I asked the following questions: 1. Group Discount: I inquired if there was a discount for groups. Davi responded with a blunt "No." 2. Front Seat Reservation: I asked if we could reserve the front seats on the bus. Again, Davi said, "No." 3. Alternative Options: I asked if there were any alternative options, such as paying extra for front seats. Davi loudly replied, "No." When I asked if it would be possible to check further, Davi said, "This is a policy. Did you get this?" I expressed my dissatisfaction with the tone and asked why I was being treated like this. Davi responded, "Because this is a policy, and I have to end the call," and hung up. I immediately called back to speak with another representative, but Davi answered again. I explained that as a customer service representative, they should not treat customers in this way. Davi became aggressive, loud, and said, "Go ahead and complain about me. My name is Davi, and I'll spell it for you. Raise a big complaint about me," and hung up again. I tried to call back, but Davi hung up for a third time. I then contacted the Cork office to report the issue and asked to speak with a manager. The representative took my number and assured me that someone would contact me shortly. However, it has been 48 hours, and I have yet to receive a call from Paddywagon Tours management. I also submitted feedback through their website, requesting a call back, but I have not received any response or call. I strongly advise against dealing with this company due to their extremely unprofessional customer service. Their lack of response to my complaints, both through their Cork office and on their website, demonstrates a clear disregard for customer concerns and feedback. This experience reflects poorly on the company and its commitment to customer satisfaction.

Great tour/ saw what we were hoping to see. Friendly and helpful drivers. My only negative was the hotel we were out in. Very old, small, smelly, etc… they need to improve those accommodations. Overall good trip!