MSC Musica Excursions Nov 2012

[viva la vino]

We are new to cruising and I was wondering if we should bite the bullet and pay the crazy excursion prices book through the cruise line. After reading several reviews, I'm on the fence. It seems passengers tend to feel like cattle and are rushed. I'm also traveling with a 6 yr old and plan on leaving her in the kids club when traveling ashore but I am unsure of the whole process of getting off and on the ship (or even the possibility of missing the boat altogether). With that said we are pretty well travel, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Ports:

Venice, Italy 17:30

11/12/12 Bari, Italy 13:00 18:00

11/13/12 Katakolon, Greece 12:30 17:30

11/14/12 Santorini, Greece 08:00 14:30

11/14/12 Mykonos, Greece 19:30 23:59

11/15/12 Mykonos, Greece 00:01 01:00

11/15/12 Piraeus, Greece 07:30 16:30

11/16/12 Corfù, Greece 13:00 19:00

11/17/12 Dubrovnik, Croatia

[marc1255boats]

We'll be on the Musica in a couple of weeks and have decided to take tours through the ship. We figure for a little more money we'd rather have piece of mind knowing the ship won't leave us. If we ever visit the same stop in years to come we'll do it on our own. We're taking the tour to Olmypia and the museum for 60 euro, the Acropolis and museum for 74 euro, and Corfu tour to Paleokastriza for 38 euro (not exactaly sure what this one is. LOL) We board the ship in Bari so we'll do that on our own. Same with Santorini, Mykonos, and Dubrovnik. In venice we're taking a tour to Murano and a gondola ride for 75 euro. I heard the goldola rides alone are very expensive, ie tourist trap. I look as this way, I work all year to have one big vacation and i'll likely never see most of these places again so why not have everything taken care of. We don't use the pay restaurants, spa's, or other cost services on the ship so this offsets the costs a bit. My plane ticket cost more than the cruise did. I think we'll still feel rushed just because most of the stops are only 1/2 days. I guess that's what you get for 8 stops in 7 days.

[PC168]

Hello Viva la vino,

 

FYI. You can do all the ports yourself and save big $. We did all of the ports our own 2 years ago on the Musica. I know the ship excursions cost a fortune for us 4. If you read enough posts in the ports of call forum, you will be comfortable to do all the ports yourself. Need time to do homework. People are so friendly by all means, everyone helped me so much and I asked so many questions before we went. Thank you CCers!

 

Read my review even though it is two years old but not much change, hopefully this helps:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=70896

[PC168]

We'll be on the Musica in a couple of weeks and have decided to take tours through the ship. We figure for a little more money we'd rather have piece of mind knowing the ship won't leave us. If we ever visit the same stop in years to come we'll do it on our own. We're taking the tour to Olmypia and the museum for 60 euro, the Acropolis and museum for 74 euro, and Corfu tour to Paleokastriza for 38 euro (not exactaly sure what this one is. LOL) We board the ship in Bari so we'll do that on our own. Same with Santorini, Mykonos, and Dubrovnik. In venice we're taking a tour to Murano and a gondola ride for 75 euro. I heard the goldola rides alone are very expensive, ie tourist trap. I look as this way, I work all year to have one big vacation and i'll likely never see most of these places again so why not have everything taken care of. We don't use the pay restaurants, spa's, or other cost services on the ship so this offsets the costs a bit. My plane ticket cost more than the cruise did. I think we'll still feel rushed just because most of the stops are only 1/2 days. I guess that's what you get for 8 stops in 7 days.

 

Hi marc1255boats,

 

Yes. Indeed, 8 ports in 7 days! What a deal! Eventhough each port has a very short time but you get to see more, you have a taste of everything. If you like certain port, you always can come back in future.

 

Happy cruising!

[AmoMondo]

I'm doing this cruise in just over a week and will not be doing any organised trips whatsoever. That is because I absolutely hate them (any kind); not into sight seeing as such and am well used to frequently travelling alone in Europe.

 

On the other hand if you want to get the most time ashore, go with a MSC excursion. They get off the ship first and cut it really fine coming back. Sometimes they return after the latest all aboard time and the ship waits. When you're travelling on your own, you can't risk that and have to build in contingency time, to make sure you're back in time.

[wantocruisemore]

I never do the "cattle call" of the cruise line tours. I just like having control over how much time I spend at places and not having to worry about waiting for straglers.

 

That said, all the places can easily be DIY with some advance planning. However, if you're like us, there are specific places that you want to see particular things and make the most of your time and day. A lot too depends on your interest.

 

If it were me on this itinerary, I would hire a private tour for Piraeus. We did that last year and saw so much more in Athens than our counterparts that either DIY or took the ship's tour. I can HIGHLY recommend Nikos with Private Greece Tours (tell him Theresa from NC & last summer sent you).

 

If you are interested in ancient Greek ruins, then also a private at Katakolon. That's what we're going to do for our cruise next spring that goes there. I'm researching the private tour groups now. We just get so much more out of the places we visit when someone is guiding us.

 

As for the others, I would personally DIY.

[viva la vino]

Ok, so much information. Thanks ALL! I think I'll invest in the Rick Steve's "Mediterranean Cruise Ports" book and play it by ear. I just cant wait:)

 

marc1255boats will you let us know how the cruise/ports go for you?

[grumpymamaof2]

I was having the same discussion with my husband - ship excursion or DIY. We opted to do private tours in Athens and Katakolon based on recommendations here. The rest we are DIY. The only one I am still unsure of is Santorini. I am worried that because it is so late in the season, the buses won't be running as often.

[AmoMondo]

I was having the same discussion with my husband - ship excursion or DIY. We opted to do private tours in Athens and Katakolon based on recommendations here. The rest we are DIY. The only one I am still unsure of is Santorini. I am worried that because it is so late in the season, the buses won't be running as often.

 

Your biggest worry for Santorini is ensuring you get a tender ticket for one of the first few tenders before the queue for the cable car becomes enormous. Make sure you check your daily programme the night before for the time and place they are issuing them. At the end of Sept it was in the morning in the theatre and there looked to be a long queue when I passed it, so get there early (unless you qualify for priority tender due to MSC Club status)

[Skipper Tim]

Hi marc1255boats,

 

Yes. Indeed, 8 ports in 7 days! What a deal! Eventhough each port has a very short time but you get to see more, you have a taste of everything. If you like certain port, you always can come back in future.

 

Happy cruising!

 

I am afraid that I am with, as on most things so far, AmoMondo. I love the ship when most people get off!

 

I have never been an 'organised tourist' and have never understood the logic of arriving in a new place and immediately getting on a bus with people I am already travelling with to go somewhere else without first meeting the locals and savouring the atmosphere. Organised tours give you a taste of diddly squat. They just cover the obvious, the overdone and the tracks so beaten that they have lost their relevance to a traveller.

 

If they paid me, I would not do them - life is too short to be squandered on organised tours!

[AmoMondo]

I am afraid that I am with, as on most things so far, AmoMondo. I love the ship when most people get off!

 

I have never been an 'organised tourist' and have never understood the logic of arriving in a new place and immediately getting on a bus with people I am already travelling with to go somewhere else without first meeting the locals and savouring the atmosphere. Organised tours give you a taste of diddly squat. They just cover the obvious, the overdone and the tracks so beaten that they have lost their relevance to a traveller.

 

If they paid me, I would not do them - life is too short to be squandered on organised tours!

 

Organised tours are for people who just want to cross off a list of famous sights....wandering about with the locals is to experience a place.

 

I'm a traveller Tim, just as you are and not a tourist.