If the cruise line really wanted to take care of their customers - they could fork out the cash to the local guide to make the excursion happen. They choose not to.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a stock holder and I appreciate the profit aspect of all of this. But I don't for one second place the blame on the small local guide company vs the large corporate entity that could make things right for not only the local guide but also their customers. As I said before, these cruise lines charge a huge mark up on their excursions. If they have to lose a few bucks on one or two excursions vs the many, many others that they are raking in the profit on - they still had a good day.
Blaming the local guide is kind of lame, honestly. They block out this time to a cruise line vs offering it up to the general public, only to have it all go to waste.