Excursions on your own in the Mediterranean.

Planning excursions for the September 18 sailing of the Riviera and wondering which ports are good to do on your own.We visit Palamos, Marseille, Monte Carlo,Livorno, Palermo, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice. Also any recommendations of good Oceania excursions.

We visited Marseille, Livorno, and Dubrovnik by ourselves. Of course when on our own we take notice of our surroundings, etc. to have a safe visit.

We did Dubrovnik (loved the audio guided walk on the old city walls) and Venice on our own.

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What do you mean when you say "on your own"? Do you mean just wander by yourself or do you mean to arrange a private excursion (e.g., through the roll call for your cruise)?

If you mean just wander, you could do that and have a nice/great day for Marseille (but need to get to the city centre as Riviera usually docks in the industrial area), Monte Carlo, Kotor (although this town is small - maybe a half-day excursion to the outskirts), Dubrovnik and Venice. You can also do that for Livorno, but most cruisers take an excursion/train to Florence, Pisa, Lucca, etc. Have not been to Palamos or Palermo so cannot comment on that.

While you can wander in the towns I mentioned that you can wander in and have a good day exploring, some cruisers prefer to take an excursion in Marseille (e.g., to Avignon) and Monte Carlo (e.g., to Nice, Eze village).

Planning excursions for the September 18 sailing of the Riviera and wondering which ports are good to do on your own.We visit Palamos, Marseille, Monte Carlo,Livorno, Palermo, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice. Also any recommendations of good Oceania excursions.

I don't know Palamos, but from your list the port in Marseille is quite a ways from the center city or the Provence region, where I prefer to go in this area. I would get a private guide here, perhaps a group tour with some on your Roll Call. Livorno is the gateway to Florence, Pisa Lucca and much of the Tuscany region. If you're comfortable with public transportation and trains then you can do this on your own, depending on what you want to do. I've taken some great tours in this area, Sienna, Lucca, San Gimignano, Florence, Cinque Terre, and others. Lot's of great places to go from here, but from what I've heard and seen not much really at Livorno.

Monte Carlo, Dubrovnik, Kotor(absolutely stunning sail in) & Venice are all very doable on your own, depending on your mobility. If you're up for it a climb up to the fort on the top of the hill in Kotor is a great way to spend the day, fabulous views from the top, but not for anyone with any type of physical challenges.

In Palermo we walked around the city, we were supposed to do a free walking tour but the guides never showed up. It was a crowded noisy town. If I had it to do over again I'd probably take a tour to somewhere there. Perhaps someone with a better experience there might chime in.

Venice is ideal to do on your own. We had a long weekend there a year or so back - a lovely city (in the historic centre) and very walkable. You'll easily find online self guided walks

In Palermo we walked around the city, we were supposed to do a free walking tour but the guides never showed up. It was a crowded noisy town. If I had it to do over again I'd probably take a tour to somewhere there. Perhaps someone with a better experience there might chime in.

The central area of Palermo is OK but I would recommend a trip to Monreale with it's cathedral.

http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/coast-countryside/best-of-sicily-italy/page/monreale,-sicily

We visited Marseille, Livorno, and Dubrovnik by ourselves. Of course when on our own we take notice of our surroundings, etc. to have a safe visit.

Does Oceania offer shuttles in to town or is close enough to walk in Marseilles and Dubrovnik? Probably will do an excursion in Livorno. Just trying to decide which one. Thinking Cinque Terre? Has anyone been?

Venice is ideal to do on your own. We had a long weekend there a year or so back - a lovely city (in the historic centre) and very walkable. You'll easily find online self guided walks

Is it easy to do the Murano Glass factory on your own?

I don't know Palamos, but from your list the port in Marseille is quite a ways from the center city or the Provence region, where I prefer to go in this area. I would get a private guide here, perhaps a group tour with some on your Roll Call. Livorno is the gateway to Florence, Pisa Lucca and much of the Tuscany region. If you're comfortable with public transportation and trains then you can do this on your own, depending on what you want to do. I've taken some great tours in this area, Sienna, Lucca, San Gimignano, Florence, Cinque Terre, and others. Lot's of great places to go from here, but from what I've heard and seen not much really at Livorno.

 

Monte Carlo, Dubrovnik, Kotor(absolutely stunning sail in) & Venice are all very doable on your own, depending on your mobility. If you're up for it a climb up to the fort on the top of the hill in Kotor is a great way to spend the day, fabulous views from the top, but not for anyone with any type of physical challenges.

 

In Palermo we walked around the city, we were supposed to do a free walking tour but the guides never showed up. It was a crowded noisy town. If I had it to do over again I'd probably take a tour to somewhere there. Perhaps someone with a better experience there might chime in.

Your favorite place to visit from Livorno?

Planning excursions for the September 18 sailing of the Riviera and wondering which ports are good to do on your own.We visit Palamos, Marseille, Monte Carlo,Livorno, Palermo, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice. Also any recommendations of good Oceania excursions.

We have DIY'd Dubrovnik (shutttle to city), Kotor (town is in walking distance from port), Monte Carlo (port is right in town), Venice (walked into town), Marseille (took a cab to bus station and then a bus to Aix en Provence), and Livorno (shuttle into town, then bus to train station and train to Lucca).

From Monte Carlo, there is both bus and train service to Nice. There is also an infrequent bus to Eze on every day but Sundays and holidays. Antibes is also possible by train. For Aix from Marseille, there is both a train and bus option. The stations are right across the street from each other. If you go to Aix, I recommend the bus. It runs more frequently and the train isn't that much faster. Lucca from Livorno sounds complicated but isn't too difficult. If you can manage a taxi from the port to the train station, it is easier. It is sometimes difficult to find a taxi willing to go the short distance, since they want longer rides to Florence or Pisa. We have also visited Florence from Livorno DIY but stayed the night and rejoined the ship in the next port - Rome.

You might want to pick up a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Ports Guide. He has very useful information. You might also google Tom's Port Guides. Tom is an avid cruiser and has written port guides for many of the ports you are visiting. One word of warning with Tom's guides...they are not updated for new information annually, so things may change such as bus stop locations. He does provide links to the actual transportation websites, so one can make sure they have the most recent timetables and such. His guides do have very good maps. He is also very detailed in his descriptions of how to get from point A to B. The guides include information on how to purchase tickets and sometimes even pictures of the ticket machines.

Cinque Terre from Livorno is only possible by excursion. We visited last year, but we ported in La Spezia which is just a short train ride away.

Link to Tom's Guides:

http://www.tomsportguides.com/port-guides.html

You might also check the European Ports Boards section of Cruise Critic.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

Last time in Marseille, Riviera docked far (about 45 minute ride) from the city. There were no cabs available, but Oceania ran a shuttle into Marseille. There's a nice 'tourist train' in Marseille that will take you up the hill to Notre Dame de la Garde which is worth a visit, and the town is pleasant to walk around. We took the ship excursion to Aix which was a nice town to visit. Avignon is wonderful.

You will be in walking distance to most sights in Monte Carlo (palace/old town/aquarium). The casino is too far to walk, take a cab (it's also not a lot of fun, but most folks want to see it). If you've been to Monte Carlo, St Paul de Vence and Eze are both nice to visit.

In Livorno, it is quite a distance to the train station (cab needed) and I never felt confident enough to take it for a single day in port. We did the Lucca shore excursion once, and it was a scenic little town. We took the "Florence on you Own" excursion last time, and had a wonderful day. The cost of that shore excursion was less than taking private transportation for just the two of us.

As others have said, Kotor and Dubrovnik are wonderful places to wander on your own. You will sail through a magnificent fjord to reach Kotor, so make sure you make time to enjoy the views from the ship on the way.

In Venice, it's easy to take public transportation to Murano. But unless you have spent a lot of time touring Venice and want to buy expensive glassware, I'd skip it. There is so much to see in Venice and it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world to simply walk around and enjoy. Here's a nice article:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/free-things-to-do-in-venice/

Have a fabulous cruise!

Your favorite place to visit from Livorno?

Hard question, I've enjoyed most of the places we've visited there from, but I'm partial to the Tuscany countryside with stops in the small to medium size towns. San Gimignano, Montereggio, Sienna.

Is it easy to do the Murano Glass factory on your own?

I believe so. Simple matter to get the water bus to Murano island and take it from there. This link should help a bit more: https://quickvenice.com/sights/islands-murano.htm

My partner reminds me that she spent long weekends with friends in both Lucca and Dubrovnik. Both interesting small towns and, again, easily walkable.

Planning excursions for the September 18 sailing of the Riviera and wondering which ports are good to do on your own.We visit Palamos, Marseille, Monte Carlo,Livorno, Palermo, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice. Also any recommendations of good Oceania excursions.

We will be on the September 18 sailing on the Riviera with you! I have been researching extensively. It seems overwhelming, as this is our first trip to Europe. We fly into Barcelona two days before the cruise, and will stay an extra night in Venice at the end. We plan to explore both of those ports on our own. We will also do Dubrovnik, Palamos, and Palermo on our own.

I discovered (with the help of many experienced Cruise Critic individuals) that most all of the ports for this itinerary have good bus and train options to go beyond the cities on your own. It just takes lots of research and planning. I also recommend Rick Steves "Mediterranean Cruise Ports" guide, Toms port guides, etc. mentioned in earlier posts as great places to start.

That being said, we have opted for private small group tours in Marseille, Livorno, Civitaveccia, Kotor, and Monte Carlo. We wanted to get outside those cities to see more, but we're not brave enough to do everything on our own (yet, haha!) So we split the ports in half - five tours and five going it on our own.

Check out the roll call for our sailing. That's how we connected with others on our sailing to book our group excursions. Much cheaper than the Oceania tours.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Karen

We will be on the September 18 sailing on the Riviera with you! I have been researching extensively. It seems overwhelming, as this is our first trip to Europe. We fly into Barcelona two days before the cruise, and will stay an extra night in Venice at the end. We plan to explore both of those ports on our own. We will also do Dubrovnik, Palamos, and Palermo on our own.

I discovered (with the help of many experienced Cruise Critic individuals) that most all of the ports for this itinerary have good bus and train options to go beyond the cities on your own. It just takes lots of research and planning. I also recommend Rick Steves "Mediterranean Cruise Ports" guide, Toms port guides, etc. mentioned in earlier posts as great places to start.

That being said, we have opted for private small group tours in Marseille, Livorno, Civitaveccia, Kotor, and Monte Carlo. We wanted to get outside those cities to see more, but we're not brave enough to do everything on our own (yet, haha!) So we split the ports in half - five tours and five going it on our own.

 

Check out the roll call for our sailing. That's how we connected with others on our sailing to book our group excursions. Much cheaper than the Oceania tours.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Karen

Thank you Karen and I hope to meet you on our ship. We are starting with a Provence Ama Waterways trip followed by 4 nights in Barcelona. Just trying to plan our stops.Thank you so much for your input!

Oh my, you have so many questions and so many answers. Marsielle is a container ugly port. Marsielle itself is dangerous. Do something with a tour. We went to Provence which is so nice. It takes a whole day to do something there.

You must break it down by port. I agree with a lot of the above posters, read Rick Steeves. Then you will know.

In Europe some are good and some are bad. If you need to go a long way from the ship, use the ships tours. In some places the traffic is bad and you don't want to miss the ship.

Planning excursions for the September 18 sailing of the Riviera and wondering which ports are good to do on your own....Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice.

I'm lurking on this Oceania Forum as I'll be sailing for the first time on O in March, I'd like to offer some visual help if you're interested... I do many ports on my own and I've done photo reviews with narrative & tips/hints. I hope these could be of help to you. :)

Venice - overnight DIY

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44387619&highlight=venice#post44387619

Kotor - Perast in the morning, old town and mist see/do (if able to do so) climb up the fort in the afternoon

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44377718&highlight=first+look+at+Perast#post44377718

Dubrovnik - Old town and must see/do Mount Srd

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44452500&highlight=dubrovnik#post44452500

Oh my, you have so many questions and so many answers. Marsielle is a container ugly port. Marsielle itself is dangerous. Do something with a tour. We went to Provence which is so nice. It takes a whole day to do something there.

 

You must break it down by port. I agree with a lot of the above posters, read Rick Steeves. Then you will know.

 

In Europe some are good and some are bad. If you need to go a long way from the ship, use the ships tours. In some places the traffic is bad and you don't want to miss the ship.

We had a completely different experience in Marseille when we visited while on Insignia in 2014.

We were docked in the city centre next to the MuCEM and had a nice (free) walking tour with a local resident (Greeters network). He even joined us on our boat trip to the calanques (arond 4 hours) without asking him before.

Is it easy to do the Murano Glass factory on your own?

There is not one glass factory on the island or Murano, but many, each with their own unique style. Take the vaporetta - very easy. About a 20 minute ride and they run often. We spent the entire day on Murano, including lunch so keep in mind that if you are really interested in glass, it's easy to spend all day and lots of $$$

There is not one glass factory on the island or Murano, but many, each with their own unique style. Take the vaporetta - very easy. About a 20 minute ride and they run often. We spent the entire day on Murano, including lunch so keep in mind that if you are really interested in glass, it's easy to spend all day and lots of $$$

Agree here as we spent a day there, with a nice lunch. We did buy a one of kind vase. There were many of the same things over and over in the shops, but we were looking for something unique.

Don't worry about taking it home, they've got the shipping down to a science. Of course you do pay for it all.

Recent info on Dubrovnik.Hope you get a day when not so many cruise ships...

According to Lonely Planet, UNESCO has advised that no more than 8,000 people should be within the Old Town at any one time to prevent damage to some of the city’s oldest buildings. By installing cameras, authorities can ensure the numbers don’t exceed that: If visitors stay at 6,000 or lower, no restrictions will be put in place, but if it exceeds 6,000 the crowds will be slowed down, presumably through longer wait times to get in, and if the number hits above 8,000, people will start to be denied access by authorities. “It is estimated that more than 8,000 people in the Old City is too dangerous,” says Vlahušić. “When that number of visitors is reached we will take measures to divert traffic.” But if you’re planning a trip there soon, there is still a way to make sure you don’t miss out on experiencing the medieval streets for yourself: Purchase a Dubrovnik City Card for $45, or register your arrival a day in advance, and you’ll get “priority access to the city” during your stay.

I'm lurking on this Oceania Forum as I'll be sailing for the first time on O in March, I'd like to offer some visual help if you're interested... I do many ports on my own and I've done photo reviews with narrative & tips/hints. I hope these could be of help to you. :)

 

Venice - overnight DIY

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44387619&highlight=venice#post44387619

 

Kotor - Perast in the morning, old town and mist see/do (if able to do so) climb up the fort in the afternoon

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44377718&highlight=first+look+at+Perast#post44377718

 

Dubrovnik - Old town and must see/do Mount Srd

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44452500&highlight=dubrovnik#post44452500

Very helpful! Thank you.

Agree here as we spent a day there, with a nice lunch. We did buy a one of kind vase. There were many of the same things over and over in the shops, but we were looking for something unique.

 

Don't worry about taking it home, they've got the shipping down to a science. Of course you do pay for it

all.

Great info.Thank you.

Last time in Marseille, Riviera docked far (about 45 minute ride) from the city. There were no cabs available, but Oceania ran a shuttle into Marseille. There's a nice 'tourist train' in Marseille that will take you up the hill to Notre Dame de la Garde which is worth a visit, and the town is pleasant to walk around. We took the ship excursion to Aix which was a nice town to visit. Avignon is wonderful.

 

You will be in walking distance to most sights in Monte Carlo (palace/old town/aquarium). The casino is too far to walk, take a cab (it's also not a lot of fun, but most folks want to see it). If you've been to Monte Carlo, St Paul de Vence and Eze are both nice to visit.

 

In Livorno, it is quite a distance to the train station (cab needed) and I never felt confident enough to take it for a single day in port. We did the Lucca shore excursion once, and it was a scenic little town. We took the "Florence on you Own" excursion last time, and had a wonderful day. The cost of that shore excursion was less than taking private transportation for just the two of us.

 

As others have said, Kotor and Dubrovnik are wonderful places to wander on your own. You will sail through a magnificent fjord to reach Kotor, so make sure you make time to enjoy the views from the ship on the way.

 

In Venice, it's easy to take public transportation to Murano. But unless you have spent a lot of time touring Venice and want to buy expensive glassware, I'd skip it. There is so much to see in Venice and it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world to simply walk around and enjoy. Here's a nice article:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/free-things-to-do-in-venice/

 

Have a fabulous cruise!

Thank you.This is very helpful.