Our Hop-on, Hop-off Big Bus experience.
Good morning,
This is a mixed review.
June 11th, was a gorgeous day in Chicago so I took my visiting two Australian friends on a Hop-On, Hop off Big Bus tour, using an Chicago Explorer Pass at about 1:30 p.m. Our plans had to be cut short because the friendly Irish person who gave us our tickets at the Michigan Avenue Bridge kiosk informed us that on this particular day, the last bus departing Stop Number 1 would be at 3 p.m.
We were not happy about this and when I tried to speak to the person selling tickets at the Bus Stop 1 he was most dismissive, tapping hard on the sign on the window of the bus for us to read. In fairness, he was busy, the bus was full and he wanted to get it underway. To us, however, his manner was quite brusque.
Because of this, we chose to just do the tour and not get off, finishing where we started in the Loop.
Robert, our tour guide was friendly and did a good job (Solar systems better than the last time I took a visitor on your tour).
Later in the tour, Robert told all of us that because of the shortened day, we could use our ticket the next day. Disappointing, for sure, considering that we came in by train that takes over an hour, but something.
Later, as our bus drove north up Columbus Drive and under Randolph Street in the tunnel, the gust of wind whooped around and whipped out our three bus tickets out of my shirt pocket. One landed in the bus two rows up and the other two went fluttering away somewhere with the wind.
Having lost our tickets, I asked Robert, who had seen this, what I should do. He informed me that the camera at the front upper deck of the bus would have captured the image and so getting replacements would be easy. All I had to do was speak to the guy selling tickets when I got off the bus, mentioning his name.
Once again, this same guy to whom we spoke before was not interested in our situation, and later, thinking about this, I remember two, somewhat contrary messages. One was that “Big Bus is not responsible for lost tickets”. The other was something like: “a replacement would cost $10”. Perhaps there was more that I missed, but he got involved with the bus at the door in some way and turned away.
Given such responses, we gave up and walked away.
Later, we figured, before we post this feedback online, we wrote to the company.
They never wrote back so here this is.