ship tours or not???

[coffeehit]

hi my husband and I are booked to go on our first ever cruise on the Noordam 10 day Roman Empire in October. My question is are we better off booking the ships tour for all ports, some ports or no ports! After speaking with our TA he seemed to think (husband agreed too) to book with ship for all as then wont be looking at time so as not to miss ship..or if have to cancel for any reason can get refund! I would like to venture abit on our own but not sure if some are better than others to do that? Our ports are: Dubrovnik,Corfu,Katakolon,Santorini,Kusadasi,Athens,Messina

[Hlitner]

There is no right or wrong answer to your question as its simply a matter of personal preference. Some folks feel comfortable with the cruise line tours and do not seem to mind the cost. Others prefer to arrange private excursions or perhaps get together with other passengers on the CC Roll Call board to put together a group excursion. And then there are those like myself that try to avoid nearly all tours/excursions since we prefer to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want. We are personally familiar with all the ports you mention and then can all be done by any of the above methods.

We have done all those ports on our own (been to most of them several times) and they are a good selection of ports that offer many interesting opportunities.

 

Hank

[kuldalai]

My answer is three fold :

 

1. Book ships excursions which are more often than not overpriced and you are guaranteed the ship will wait if your tour is delayed .Also the ships excursions are given priority in disembarking . But stargglers will hold up the departures, which often results in a sight being missed as they run out of time.

 

2. Book tours with private local Operators and they meet you at the gate . Their prices are usually considerably lower, you can tailor your own agenda, and you are not held up by the late stragglers who always hold up bus tour departures. Local guides are more often better and give you a better local experience . You just need to allow enough time to be back to the boat well before departure or last tender .

 

3. Many ports you can self explore better on your own, and do not need to take a tour at all .

 

Use these CC threads to list your ports of call and others can advise you which ports to do ships tours and to where, which ports to use local operators and whom, and which ports to self explore on your own and how to get into town from the port .

 

As a first time cruiser till you gain your confidence youre best to do ships shore excursions and self explore at selected ports .

 

After you gain confidence local operators are the way to go, cheaper, tailor your own agenda, more personalized experience, plus self exploration .

 

The Cruise lines contract out the Shore excursions to local Operators, but add a huge commission within the tour price for the cruise line. Caveat Emptor !!!

[paul929207]

All of the options are great for the right people.

 

Ships tours take much of the thinking and worrying out of excursions. They check out the operator, vehicles, get you to and from the ship. etc.

 

Private tours and Do it yourself (DIY) require much more work on your part. You have to research to figure out what you want to see and then find a tour operator to lead you. If needed you have to find others to join you.

 

Personally, we love the private tours, most we take are planned thru the Roll Call for our cruise.

[KirkNC]

I agree with Paul, we usually do our own tours. Go to your roll call and see what others are planning, usually you can see more for less on non-ship tours.

[TLCOhio]

hi my husband and I are booked to go on our first ever cruise on the Noordam 10 day Roman Empire in October. My question is are we better off booking the ships tour for all ports, some ports or no ports! After speaking with our TA he seemed to think (husband agreed too) to book with ship for all as then wont be looking at time so as not to miss ship..or if have to cancel for any reason can get refund! I would like to venture abit on our own but not sure if some are better than others to do that? Our ports are: Dubrovnik, Corfu, Katakolon, Santorini, Kusadasi, Athens, Messina.

 

Hank, Paul, Kirk, etc., have given you a good sampling of very wise advise. Much depends on the specific port and what you really like, your travel style, budget flexibility, etc. Tell us more on your background, likes, interests, etc. Then, with more detailed information from you, we can make better, more specific suggestions on what best fits your needs and interests.

 

Super loved Dubrovnik!!! Here, the four of us got a cab when coming off of the ship and for 50 euro got BOTH a panoramic tour across the new bridge, up to several super scenic spots on the mountains above town, learned more on the early 1990's war there, etc. Then we were dropped at the main gate. We didn't need to do the Cable Car as we got to see the view from with our introductory cab ride around town. Walking the Wall is a much do here and can easily be done yourself, etc.

See more details and lots of great visual samples of Dubrovnik at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

 

Ephesus is so spectacular and historic. Below are some of my pictures for there and some other key places.

 

You can check out my earlier post on “Athens Tips, Suggestions, Examples to Enjoy!” for many details, ideas and interesting visuals on this great city. Lots of ideas here from me and others experienced with Athens.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

 

For those who have not yet visited Greece, the good news is that the wonderful Plaka is right handy and next door to the famed Acropolis area. That makes things so much easier. On going up the hill, be careful as the stone steps can be slick in areas. And you will be looking up and forgetting to watch where and how you are stepping. It's well worth the effort getting there to the top. It is amazing history and architecture!! Also, we had a private guide to help us on this spectacular site. It's not cheap, but it was well worth it to know more on what you are seeing and why it is so important. Below are a few of my visual sample to get people excited about your upcoming visit.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 60,214 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

On Acropolis hill with our very knowledgeable private guide we lined up at the site she helped us appreciate all of the history and architectural details there at this famed site going back 700 years before Christ.:

 

 

 

Outdoor dining in the Plaka in the heart of Athens’ historic area. Lots of music and fun, shopping, music, plus good food. Don't miss this part of Athens!!:

 

 

 

Looking downhill towards the library and other ruins from when Ephesus, along the Turkish Coast, was Rome's capital of Asia Minor. The history here is real and totally amazing!:

 

 

 

At Ephesus along the Turkish Coast, here is the famed outdoor theater that hosted Saint Paul preaching, plus rock stars, etc. At this site in the 1st century AD, the Apostle Paul spent over three years in Ephesus preaching the Gospel. This included a sermon condemning pagan worship in this theater:

 

 

 

We started in Dubrovnik with a local cab driver who gave us a “panoramic tour”, including crossing this unique bridge near the main cruise ship docking area. He called this bridge their “Golden Gate” like in San Francisco. Then we drove up and up through narrow twisting roads to the high point overlooking Dubrovnik and near the cable car high station. From this point, we could also see part of Bosnia and and Montenegro. The “super star” view was down below with this angle of the harbor and walled city. Beautiful!!!:

 

 

 

Here is the view of the Cable Car going down from the high point over Dubrovnik with areas and islands west of the city shown. This cable car has been re-built since the early 1990’s war years.:

 

[lovelyjubbly]

On our first cruise we booked all our own tours, with the help of these boards, and found everyone of them to be excellent. Once you've established what you want to see/do in each port, research these threads and I'm absolutely sure you'll find what you want. Bear in mind that the tour operators do this on a daily basis and are very mindful of time restraints so as long as you confirm with them what time your ship will be leaving, they will plan trips accordingly. Also, these tours are sometimes half the cost of ships tours, so not only will you have fun arranging your own 'tailored' excursions, you'll also be saving money :D

[TLCOhio]

Bear in mind that the tour operators do this on a daily basis and are very mindful of time restraints so as long as you confirm with them what time your ship will be leaving, they will plan trips accordingly. Also, these tours are sometimes half the cost of ships tours, so not only will you have fun arranging your own 'tailored' excursions, you'll also be saving money :D

 

Excellent point is noted above. Don't be scared by the ship people claiming that private tours run the risk of not getting back to the ship on time. With the good private operators, they get it 100%, have cell phone, are monitoring local traffic issues, etc.

 

A personal guide can work well in some key ports, especially if you can have pre-tour communications and establish that "connection" for what you need and seek to fit your travel style and personal interests. We love having a "CONVERSATION" with our guide. I like to ask lots of questions. Take many pictures. Those factors make all of the positive difference to enjoy and experience things in the best manner. I like to learn the history, how real life works there, the current events, etc. A personal, custom guide/tour is much better than being "forced marched" through a great museum or place in a group of 25-35 people with a guide barking out details to us as we walk quickly by these great treasures. Also, in a large group, it can be hard to hear and understand everything that is being shared, asked. But, personal tours/guides are not always possible, affordable, needed, etc., for all port stops. If you have done your "homework" ahead of time, doing it on your own can work very well, too. It's all "personal" based your needs, interests and budget.

 

From our previous travels to these great places, here are some of my book and research tips. You might grab, maybe from your public libraries or ask for them to do a book transfer they can process for you, such super excellent visual books such as Eyewitness, Insight, etc. Rick Steves, Fodors, Frommers, etc., can work well, too. In my opinion, no one travel book has it "ALL", perfectly and completely for all of your needs. These resources, especially the visual ones, can help you better figure out your priorities, in advance, for what you want to do and see. That early research is very important. Don't wait until you get on the ship to "GUESS" what might be of interest. I always build a "file" on my laptop computer for each port stop with highlights from that reading and then pulling up stories/articles from the travels sections of the New York Times, Telegraph of London, Wikipedia, etc. All of those help to consider your many great options. Amazon can be very good in providing such books at reduced prices, plus some used books websites. Lots of great options!!! Especially in these days of the Internet, it makes things easier to research and plan ahead. You can use Google.com for great access to various text items, plus a wide variety of visuals and maps. One option for some private tour and other local options is to contract the tourism office in each of your ports. You can use Google.com and put in the search term such as "city/port name tourism office". Then follow-up to each of those office by e-mail, ask your questions, get their suggestions, options to consider, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 60,214 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[dogs4fun]

Very good advice from previous posters.

On our very first cruise we used no ship tours with the exception of a "on your own" transfer (due to time constraints). Of course, we had been to Europe many times before but never from a cruise ship.

Aside from the issue of receiving much more for my money at a lower price, I love using local tour operators because they are tailored to what I want to do/see and I am not harried by the issues encountered with a large group on a large bus ala ship tours. I have utilized the CC roll calls to comprise our groups for our tours.

[chipmaster]

Welcome to CC,

 

You should read about the ports here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

 

I found this also a good resource when I started:

http://www.europeportreviews.com/

 

Some ports are easy to DIY, others the attractions or city are far from port or require use of feet, public transportation etc. etc. Given the fact its a foreign land people have different standards of comfort and sense of adventure.

 

Cruise ship excursions are turn key, require no research, show up on the boat check off the boxes for the tours you want, show up at the meeting time in the specific location on the ship. Then likley wait and wait for the last person, than wait and wait for the last person off the ship and wait and wait for the slowest/last person at each stop :D Not bad just the nature of a tour with 40 people or so.

 

GO private or share a private tour has plus in smaller group, do what you want on your small group's schedule. For us in every port we were off the ship first without any long lines. The reason I think is the very heavy usage of cruise tours with everyone assembling in their respective location that the gangway wasn't very busy being first off.

 

Will you miss the boat, if you pick a good operator, are smart with your day and plan to be back on the ship an hour to 90' before deperature no problems. DOn't need to cut it close even with 90' shorter time than the last bus you'll see more, also if there is an act of good traffic jam you'll be infront of the last but that the ship is suppose to wait for too.

 

What is best depends on what you are willing to pay, what experience you want.

 

Happy planning!

 

 

hi my husband and I are booked to go on our first ever cruise on the Noordam 10 day Roman Empire in October. My question is are we better off booking the ships tour for all ports, some ports or no ports! After speaking with our TA he seemed to think (husband agreed too) to book with ship for all as then wont be looking at time so as not to miss ship..or if have to cancel for any reason can get refund! I would like to venture abit on our own but not sure if some are better than others to do that? Our ports are: Dubrovnik,Corfu,Katakolon,Santorini,Kusadasi,Athens,Messina

[coffeehit]

Thanks for all your advice....I think I may have to look into the ports a bit more to work out which would be easier to do on your own, as the whole waiting around for people doesnt appeal to me...apparently I am an impatient person:D

Thanks for those links too I will check those out too! As i said this is our first cruise and also first time to these parts of the world so really would want to get as much out of the tours as possible without too much hanging around!

[Cornishpastyman1]

Thanks for all your advice....I think I may have to look into the ports a bit more to work out which would be easier to do on your own, as the whole waiting around for people doesnt appeal to me...apparently I am an impatient person:D

Thanks for those links too I will check those out too! As i said this is our first cruise and also first time to these parts of the world so really would want to get as much out of the tours as possible without too much hanging around!

I did the very same itinerary as yours in 2009 and made videos for each port which can be found from this http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1191713

 

All of these is easy to do on your own, but if you are slightly chary of doing this for 7 days how about just tours for the two that require most travel - Ephesus & Olympia ?

 

Getting to Athens by public transport is very easy and there will be many others doing it so just hook up with them.

 

All the best, Tony

[Hlitner]

This thread actually got me thinking (a rare thing) last evening. DW and I have been blessed with having spent more then 2 years on cruise ships and a little math tells me that we have probably been to more then 600 ports (of course many of these are repeat visits). In those approximately 600 port visits we have taken fewer then 10 excursions (that would be total of cruise line and private) of which several were in Russia where we had to take a tour or pay for an expensive visa. Out of those hundreds of DIY port days we have probably had about a dozen "bad days" and hundreds of great days. On most cruises the major complaining you hear from passengers (and they often line up at the tour or guest relations desk to express complaints) is about tours. We seldom hear complaints about private tours. As to those of us who enjoy DIY, it is simply about not being in a group and being able to do our own thing. DIY is often less costly then any type of tour, and if you do your homework, you can often accomplish much more then any excursion. We will soon be taking a cruise with 31 ports and have planned one excursion out of all those ports. In the other ports we will use our feet, rental cars, and public transit to get around.

 

We would add one other point which applies more to places in Europe and Asia then in the Caribbean or Alaska. In much of the world a major part of the local culture is found in the cuisine and wine. Most excursions involve running from place to place (If this is Tuesday it must be Belgium) trying to get in lots of "sites." This generally allows little time for dining and drinking and even tours that include lunch usually take you to a "tourist" restaurant that can handle large groups. Having a nice lunch is a perfectly located cafe in Paris, Rome, Nice, etc. is, to us, a very important part of travel. Its not everyone's "cup of tea" but should be a consideration for those who really enjoy food, wine, beer, etc.

 

Hank

[maryann ns]

You have received tons of great advice. If you have no time or ability to research then joining the Roll Call for your cruise and joining private tours others have organized may be a good option. For ports which are easy to do it yourself you may find others willing to let you tag along.

 

For our first cruise, I organized private tours or DIY days in every port and had 73 different people join in for one or more. Our second cruise was all DIY and we paired up with others for several days.

 

Private tour operators cannot afford the damage to their business if they miss the boat. This is very unlikely to happen. For Cairo we allowed a cushion of several hours to get back. We did not need the extra time, but that is OK. We were easily able to do as much as the ship's tours.

[ny4cruise]

hi my husband and I are booked to go on our first ever cruise on the Noordam 10 day Roman Empire in October. My question is are we better off booking the ships tour for all ports, some ports or no ports! After speaking with our TA he seemed to think (husband agreed too) to book with ship for all as then wont be looking at time so as not to miss ship..or if have to cancel for any reason can get refund! I would like to venture abit on our own but not sure if some are better than others to do that? Our ports are: Dubrovnik,Corfu,Katakolon,Santorini,Kusadasi,Athens,Messina

 

We booked private tours with local tour operators in every port and it worked out very well for us. Following the advice of the other CruiseCritic members here, I did a lot of research and found some of the most reputable tour companies in every port of call. This way we could make our own plans for the day and have a tour completely tailored to own needs and interests. Not to mention that it was much cheaper for the six of us to go private than booking with the ship.

[Suzieanna]

Another point, when you go on a private tour or DIY you are doing a bit for the local economy. Poor Greece needs all the help it can get at the moment and it's nice to be with a resident of your host country, they tend to have more interesting tales to tell. You need someone to tell you about what you are looking at as well, particularly if you plan on going to Ephesus. I definitely recommend organising your own tour maybe in a group of about 10 - enough to spread the cost but not enough that you spend your day waiting for stragglers. The thing I hate the most about the cruise tours is the sticker you have to wear with your "number" on... just marks you out like a fish in a barrel waiting to be hooked. Its amazingly easy to get to Athens from Piraeus on your own. Enjoy!

[auntyd]

We will be visiting Athens as well. After reading all of the comments about it being an easy city to get around, I would very much like to forgo the cost of a tour and DIY. How much are the train tickets and how far is the train stop from the Acropolis? When we get to the Acropolis will there be an entrance fee? Will we be able to see other important sites within walking distance of the Acropolis?

Thanks.

[cruisemom42]

We will be visiting Athens as well. After reading all of the comments about it being an easy city to get around, I would very much like to forgo the cost of a tour and DIY. How much are the train tickets and how far is the train stop from the Acropolis? When we get to the Acropolis will there be an entrance fee? Will we be able to see other important sites within walking distance of the Acropolis?

Thanks.

 

I've posted this several times before on these boards, but here is a copy of my notes for a DIY day in Athens. Last year there were some issues with construction that would make certain of the central metro stops inaccessible, but to the best of my knowledge that project has completed and all the metro stops are running normally.

 

Depart ship early – around 7:00 to 7:15 am, because there is a lot to see and it does take a while to get into Athens from the port of Piraeus. You can walk to the metro (about 30 mins) or look for a taxi. There is a good, safe sidewalk, and as long as you keep the water on your left and keep walking past all the ferry piers, you can’t miss seeing the escalator and overhead walkway that lead across the main street to the metro stop. Fare is 1 €, or 3€ for an all-day pass, and the metro was very efficient since it is not affected by traffic. (Fares may have increased slightly since last year.)

 

There is only one subway line at Piraeus (Green line). The Green line is also called the Electric Train; it’s not considered the “metro” as the Red and Blue lines are. Beware of pickpockets on the trains. Take the Green line to Omonia station (Omonia square) and transfer there to the red line. Travel on red line to Akropolis stop.

 

When you get off the metro, look around to get your bearings. First, visit Hadrian’s Arch (at the entrance of the Temple of Zeus; Amallias Avenue) and the Temple of Olympian Zeus (completed by Hadrian around 130 AD). The Temple opens at 8am. You can buy your 12 € combo ticket here and use it at most of the places visited this morning. If time permits, visit the new Acropolis museum, close to the SE entrance of the Acropolis.

 

Next, head for the southeast entrance of the Acropolis (included in your 12 € combo ticket). There is so much to see there, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaia, the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, and the Theater of Dionysus. (Get Frommer’s “Athens Past and Present” book and Peter Connolly’s “The Ancient City” before your trip to get oriented.) If you prefer a guide, there were several of them offering tours by the entrance. Be prepared: some part of the Acropolis is almost always in scaffolding.

 

Coming down off the Acropolis, walk to the ancient Agora (included in your 12 € combo ticket). (For a good map, see http://www.athensguide.com/map/athens.htm .) Tour the Temple of Hephaestos (the only ancient Greek temple with an intact roof), the Agora, and the small but excellent museum housed in the Stoa of Attalos. Then head next door to the Roman Forum (also included in combo ticket) and view the Temple of the Winds.

 

Then head towards the National Archaeological Museum: walk to the Monastiraki (Green line) metro stop nearby, and take it to Viktoria stop, then walk until you can see the museum. It should be time for lunch and there are tons of cafés near the museum. Due to ongoing construction work on the Metro, I'm not sure this part of the line is open. However, a taxi ride from here to the Museum would be pretty inexpensive.

 

Map showing location of Viktoria metro station and museum: http://www.dolphin-hellas.gr/Maps/At...p-Mousseio.htm

 

At 7 €, the National Archaeological Museum of Athens is an amazing bargain. What a superlative collection! You can easily spend hours here and still not see everything. They have some incredible pieces, including the well-known smiling Kouros, the spear-throwing Poseidon rescued from the sea, the jockey of Artemision, and Trojan gold including Schliemann's "Gold Mask of Agamemnon".

 

After the museum, return to the Viktoria station and take the Green line Metro back to Piraeus, and walk or (hopefully!) taxi to the ship. Allow about an hour for transit back to the ship (e.g., plan to leave the Museum by 4pm). Again, due to possible construction closure, you could get a taxi across the street from the museum and ask them to take you to the Monastiraki metro station. From there it's an easy straight shot back to Piraeus on the Green Line.

 

Another good interactive map with photos and explanations: http://www.chem.uoa.gr/Location/AthensMap/Athensmap.htm

[4774Papa]

hi my husband and I are booked to go on our first ever cruise on the Noordam 10 day Roman Empire in October. My question is are we better off booking the ships tour for all ports, some ports or no ports! After speaking with our TA he seemed to think (husband agreed too) to book with ship for all as then wont be looking at time so as not to miss ship..or if have to cancel for any reason can get refund! I would like to venture abit on our own but not sure if some are better than others to do that? Our ports are: Dubrovnik,Corfu,Katakolon,Santorini,Kusadasi,Athens,Messina

Do some researach. Find out what private tours are available. The buy a guidebook to familiarize yourself about the port and what there is to see.

 

We did DTY for Dubrovnik and Athens, but took the ship's tour for Corfu and Santorini.

[miram]

We did not book any tours from the ship (were on Celebrity Solstice). We did some days on our own (Santorini, Mikonos) and that was amazing to do on our own. We did 2 tours in Barcelona with a private tour operator and they were the best tours we ever did. I think it is safe to book private tours for the ports that you wish to do organized trips for if you do it with a reputable company. For most of the ports you can do it on your own without any problems and save the hundreds of Euros the ship charge for the tours. :-)

[4774Papa]

We did not book any tours from the ship (were on Celebrity Solstice). We did some days on our own (Santorini, Mikonos) and that was amazing to do on our own. We did 2 tours in Barcelona with a private tour operator and they were the best tours we ever did. I think it is safe to book private tours for the ports that you wish to do organized trips for if you do it with a reputable company. For most of the ports you can do it on your own without any problems and save the hundreds of Euros the ship charge for the tours. :-)

Yes, you can save by going with private tours, but if you try to arrange a private tour on cc and are unsuccessful, paying for a private tour for just two persons can be very expensive. Also, in places like Santorini, you must tender and the ship's excursions go first, giving you more time on the island.

 

Sometimes the ship's tours are the best choice.

[morgan1929]

We did not book any tours from the ship (were on Celebrity Solstice). We did some days on our own (Santorini, Mikonos) and that was amazing to do on our own. We did 2 tours in Barcelona with a private tour operator and they were the best tours we ever did. I think it is safe to book private tours for the ports that you wish to do organized trips for if you do it with a reputable company. For most of the ports you can do it on your own without any problems and save the hundreds of Euros the ship charge for the tours. :-)

 

We will be in Barcelona before our Ruby Princess cruise. Would you please post the name and email or website for the tour operator you used in Barcelona?