planning independant excursions

[fusilier6713]

, hiya ive recently booked my 1st cruise on the norwegian jade on the 5th may 2012 , leaving venice , heading for dubrovnik , athens izmir and split , i understand excursion prices are expensive am i better off booking through an independent tour for places such as ephesus , or even better trying to form a travel group through cruise critic before we set off to maybe get the prices reduced further , all help appreciated , thanks

[Yorkshire-Pudding]

I have just returned from Italian cruise on Epic, I used viator.com, used them in other countries, was very happy with their shore excursions. British Airways now lists their tours. You can book and pay in £. Don't know if they cover the ports you are looking for, but worth a look.

[sdmike]

You should check the "ports of call" boards for information on excursions and providers in each port.

 

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

 

In general you will save money if you book an independent, and there are some very good ones. However, you do run the risk of the ship leaving without you if you have any problems getting back on time. If you're on a ship-sponsored excursion they will wait for you. Most independent operators are fully aware of the ship boarding times and make sure you're back in plenty of time. Just be careful with your planning

[suzequ]

For years we only booked thru ship's excursions. But the excursions on last years Med Cruise were so expensive we branched out. In both Ephesus and Egypt we used private companies and I'm glad we did. In Ephesus my dh, dd, and I got exactly the tour we wanted; it was just us and a guide so we set our own pace; it was cheaper than the ship's comparable excursion; we made changes on the fly (our guide took us to lunch at a local cafe she frequented and to a mosque when we asked questions). We were back at the ship in plenty of time - so, I'm a believer now. :D

[Mooder]

, hiya ive recently booked my 1st cruise on the norwegian jade on the 5th may 2012 , leaving venice , heading for dubrovnik , athens izmir and split , i understand excursion prices are expensive am i better off booking through an independent tour for places such as ephesus , or even better trying to form a travel group through cruise critic before we set off to maybe get the prices reduced further , all help appreciated , thanks

 

Welcome! I am a strong believer in independent tours except in rare circumstances where the time at port is very limited. You get better, more personalized service, deal with fewer crowds, and pay less. To help with the price, sharing with fellow cruisers is a great way to go and we have made some good friends that way. So, be sure to sign up for your roll call where you can chat with passengers on your own cruise and share information and coordinate sharing of tours. As far as finding tours, searching Cruisecritic is my #1 source. If a tour guide or company gets numerous positive reviews here, you can be sure they know what they are doing. Find Jade roll calls here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=360

[KirkNC]

We do independent tours (usually organized via our roll call) or just explore the port on our own probably 90% of the time. If you like to plan, it is a great way to go.

 

Kirk