Three of us booked the Shannon Scott Cemetery tour on Saturday, December 11. After reading the reviews, we fully expected Shannon Scittvto be conducting the tours. That did not happen. Instead a young woman was out tour guide, but we were unconcerned because we assumed she would be just as knowledgeable and trained in the manner of the well -reviewed Shannon Scott tours. Our assumption was incorrect.
From the start, it became apparent that she was new to these tours and felt overwhelmed with the responsibility of guiding 15 people through the cemetery. In fact, she voiced those exact concerns at least three times in the first fifteen minutes of her talk.
Phrases such as “ I’m not going to lie to you—I’ve completely lost my train of thought—I’m trying to remember what point I was trying to make (while thumping on her head)—I don’t know anything about the Masonic organization” (but proceeding to make up facts about them), etc left us questioning the validity of everything she told us.
What she WAS well informed about was every detail of the Williams murder trials—the basis for the novel “Midnight in the Garden if Good and Evil”. She referred to it every chance she got. Of course, this is recent history and only sometimes relevant to the historical tour of Bonaventure.
Shortly into the tour—perhaps 30 minutes—we realized this experience was not going to get better, excused ourselves, and left the group.
We went to the cemetery office where we met the president of the Bonaventure Historical Society. She was apologetic about our experience and graciously gave us a map with suggestions for a self tour. She asked for the name of the tour company we had booked, and when we responded with Shannon Scott, she replied “Enough said”. Make of that what you will.
We did see our original group during our self tour and there were only two of the original fifteen left.
It is not my wish to demean our guide. As my Mother always told me “She will shine elsewhere”.
However, I was contacted by Shannon Scott Tours and asked to do a review. I told them I did not have a good experience and felt it best not to comment. They asked me to reconsider since all feedback was valuable. I did so on a less followed Google review link that they provided.
To my surprise, they were indignant regarding my negative review and began trying to dispute my explanation of the events that I experienced.
Hence, this review which I hope sets the record straight.
I am not trying to harm Shannon Scott Tours—just give an honest review of my experience.