Advice on Best Shore Excursions - Rhapsody - GREECE & CROATIA

Really need some assistance in choosing excursions for this cruise of a lifetime. Celebrating my 50th BD. This is the August 18, 2018 cruise.

We are going to:

Venice

Dubrovnik

Kotor

Santorini

Katakolon

I'd really like advice on Royal Caribbean's excursions if possible. There's so many and I have no idea what to choose. Are there excursions NOT to do? Should do? Thanks for any help.

Josh

Check out the port of call forums here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

Also consult TripAdvisor, that is a good source of reviews.

We did a Royal Caribbean excursion in Santorini and it was really good. You're the first off and into the tender boats and don't have the faff of dealing with the cable car up. I can't remember the name of the tour we did but it took us to a winery first, then to Oia and finally dropped us back off in Fira.

Only downside was that we didn't have as much time in Oia as I would have liked but being the first off and skipping the cable car was worth its weight in gold.

We didn't do a Royal Caribbean excursion in Katakolon, we used a private tour company to see Olympia.

Haven't been to Dubrovnik or Kotor though so can't help you with those sorry.

Would you say that Oia is enough to see? I can't drink alcohol so visiting a winery would just be torture. If seeing Fira is worth it, I could suck it up and deal with the winery if not for the views.

I'm really scared to use private tour companies as itinerary changes and the possibility of being late back to the ship- I couldn't deal with the stress. Did you think Olympia was worth it?

Thanks for your insight.

We did a Royal Caribbean excursion in Santorini and it was really good. You're the first off and into the tender boats and don't have the faff of dealing with the cable car up. I can't remember the name of the tour we did but it took us to a winery first, then to Oia and finally dropped us back off in Fira.

 

Only downside was that we didn't have as much time in Oia as I would have liked but being the first off and skipping the cable car was worth its weight in gold.

 

We didn't do a Royal Caribbean excursion in Katakolon, we used a private tour company to see Olympia.

 

Haven't been to Dubrovnik or Kotor though so can't help you with those sorry.

Thank you Bob,

But i've spent hours online trying to get reviews and info- very little on RC's tours. What there is is mixed in with cruise reviews.. I'm exhausted from searching.

Check out the port of call forums here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

 

Also consult TripAdvisor, that is a good source of reviews.

We were in Kotor last November on Rhapsody, used Tours by Milo (www.toursbymilo) and had an awesome day, Kotor was absolutely beautiful, Milo was an informative and funny guide who grew up in Kotor, small group of 8 that I organized through our roll call. Highly recommend a local tour company vs ship excursion.

In Kotor would highly recommend

Tours by Milo

Picks you up at the dock and gets you back in good time.

Santorini just get the cable car and wander around. Stop at a bar every hour and sit a d take in the views.

Venice get a tickets for the water buses and sit back and take in the views

No need to do any RCI tour.

Venice, ...walk, get lost, stop for [emoji482] and gelato, buy vaporetto tickets so you can jump on and off the boats.

Dubrovnik... walk the walls, get lost in the maze of streets, stop for [emoji482]

Kotor........charming little walled city, maze of little streets, hike to the top of the hill, stop for [emoji482] ....or to see a little more use Tours with Milo.

Santorini..... catch boat to Oia and then the bus back is included in the ticket...or just catch cable car to the top, walk the maze of streets, stop for [emoji482] ...

Katakolon... hire a car, drive to Olympia, stop at the beach on the way back for a [emoji482]...

You can easily research how to do all of these.

Join your roll call as others may already be planning diy trips.

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We did an RCI excursion in Santorini. Ferry took us down the coast near to Oia where a coach was waiting to take us up to Oia. The guide walked with us to point out the views then we got time on our own. Met the coach at the car park and were then taken to Fira. We were given tickets for the cable car and left to make our own way down when we were ready. Don't leave it too late for the cable car as the queue can get big.

Really need some assistance in choosing excursions for this cruise of a lifetime. Celebrating my 50th BD. This is the August 18, 2018 cruise.

We are going to:

Venice

Dubrovnik

Kotor

Santorini

Katakolon

 

I'd really like advice on Royal Caribbean's excursions if possible. There's so many and I have no idea what to choose. Are there excursions NOT to do? Should do? Thanks for any help.

 

Josh

We sailed the Rhapsody last summer. In both Santorini and Katakolon we used a company called The Travel Insiders. They are based in Katakolon. We loved them very much and would use them again in a heartbeat. I wrote a review of all of them, starting here: http://soccermomtravels.com/2016/08/30/part-4-katakolon-cruising-venice-the-greek-isles-and-the-eastern-mediterranean/

Please note, in Santorini the tour we booked was supposed to include a stop at a winery, but once we got there, the majority of the people on the tour did not want to do that, so we skipped it and had more time at the other stops.

We did an RCI excursion in Santorini. Ferry took us down the coast near to Oia where a coach was waiting to take us up to Oia. The guide walked with us to point out the views then we got time on our own. Met the coach at the car park and were then taken to Fira. We were given tickets for the cable car and left to make our own way down when we were ready. Don't leave it too late for the cable car as the queue can get big.

Thanks for that review. I wanted to clarify... the bus that took you to Fira... was that a public bus or private? We are looking to book this tour next summer but don't want the public buses. Thanks.

The coach to Fira was the same coach that took us up to Oia and was part of the RCI Excursion. It just sat and waited for us while we had time in Oia. The guide stayed for the entire trip but once in Fira it is up to yourself how long you stay and you need to make your own way down (don't go on the donkeys.....the guide advises not to do this....very slippy and smelly!)

In Katakolon we took an all day RCI tour to Olympia and a winery that was good (except for the obligatory shopping stop) - there were other options for the full day tours or half day tours available.

I would do an RCI tour in Santorini - the 15 Euro bot to Oia was fine and the town and views were amazing, but with 5 ships in on the same day, so about 10,000 cruisers, the place was packed and the busses were poorly managed and turned into a pushing match to get on. We skipped the 2-hour line for the cable car and walked down the steps in about 30+ minutes.

In both Dubrovnik and Kotor we hired a taxi for a tour - about 50 Euros in Dubrovnik for an hour plus, and about 80 Euros in Kotor for 2+ hours. After both we wandered, shopped and enjoyed drinks and snacks.

Have a great cruise! :cool: