Whether you’re booking Cambridge punting for two people or an entire coach load of people, you’ll want to get the best price that you can. Punting in Cambridge has become incredibly expensive, and with such a broad range of prices, you could easily find yourself spending £200 more than you needed to. We aim to cover some of the usual questions in this blog, covering topics such as booking punting online versus in person, or whether discount voucher codes are a plausible option.
You can click on any of the following topics listed below in order to get straight to them:
Is there an NHS discount available for Cambridge Punting?
Should I book online for punting in Cambridge, or just turn up?
Should I expect a better quality experience if I pay more?
Can I expect a good deal from Groupon?
Is there a student discount for punting in Cambridge?
Can I use a discount voucher code for punting?
Is there an NHS discount available for Cambridge Punting?
You can get 10% NHS (National Health Service) discount if you work for the NHS. To claim the discount online please use the voucher code NHS. On arrival, you will be asked to prove that a single member of your group is employed by the NHS. You can book online here.
If you prefer not to book online, then you can receive 10% off in person if one member of your group can prove that they work for the NHS.
Should I book online for punting Cambridge, or just turn up?
Online prices are generally a lot cheaper than in person, although there are a few exceptions to this.
When is it cheaper to book online?
The majority of the time is a lot cheaper to book online. A general rule of thumb is that the more out of season, the cheaper the online rate drops compared to the on-the-day rate. At present (October), the online rate for two people on a weekday starts from £20 but in person, the price range is £30-£78.
When is it cheaper to book in person?
During busy periods such as on Saturdays in peak season, the price online can sometimes exceed the on-the-day price. The difference in price is generally only slight, however on the day prices quickly drop during unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather.
The salespeople who work for the punting companies are very experienced, however, if you are a shrewd negotiator you may be able to beat the online price in certain scenarios. Typically the higher rate private tours can be negotiated below online rate during low season, however, shared tours in lower price ranges aren’t generally negotiable.
Should I expect a better quality experience if I pay more?
All of the Cambridge punting companies adhere to the same college backs route. Some companies claim to have more comfortable seating, with better legroom, however, given the design limitations of a traditional punt, this is of little consequence.
Some companies claim to have superior script & present a better tour, however in reality employment across all of the companies is largely transient. You may have preferred a particular chauffeur, but they may well be working for another company the next time that you visit.
At Scholars, we choose to be the lowest priced online. We build all of our boats in house, from traditional hardwood and we sell our used boats to other Cambridge punting companies who charge more than us online. This is an indication that price does not relate to quality within the Cambridge Punting business.
Can I expect a good deal from groupon?
Groupon take deals directly from Viator. In this instance, you should expect the standard rate, which may be high or low depending on the company.
Companies who go directly to Groupon may on occasion offer a discounted rate, which should be compared to other companies’ rates to ascertain whether it is actually a good deal.
Is there a student discount for punting in Cambridge?
Student discount is classed as a concession on most Cambridge punting websites. Generally, you should expect around a 15% discount on the standard adult rate. You can search for the concessionary rate via our booking page.
Can I use a discount voucher code for punting?
Throughout the year, there are a number of voucher codes that crop up online that offer Punting Cambridge special offers. This year there has been a fashion to use “flash discounts”. Generally, these voucher codes are displayed directly on the website toolbar and are available to all, these are often promoted on social media channels too. It is important to check the rate after discount and compare that to other companies, and see if it actually is a good deal.
At Scholars, we have decided to simply lower our prices as we don’t see the need for customers to cut and paste the voucher code. We do have some voucher codes for specific discounts for the NHS or through partnerships with other companies.
