Mediterrean/Greek Isle Port Tours

[pinkroses]

I am wondering if any of these ports can be done well without a specific tour. I have read Sherr's drama queen epic about the cruise, and loved it I might say, however, do you think it is necessary to have a tour/driver in every port? Thanks

[Keith1010]

Can you list out the ports on your itinerary?

 

Keith

[pinkroses]

Sure

Cannes

Florence/Pisa (Livorno)

Rome

Athens

Ephesus, Turkey

Santorini Greece

Naples (Salerno) Italy

[Keith1010]

Cannes - you can easily do this city on your own without a formal tour.

Florence/Pisa (Livorno) - I would recommend a tour to Florence. So much to see.

Rome - You could take the train in from the port. For specifics visit the Italy board.

Athens - You can do this city on your own with good planning.

Ephesus, Turkey - You could take a taxi over to Ephesus and tour on your own. Ephesus is amazing.

Naples (Salerno) Italy - I would take a tour and visit Pompeii. Another option is to visit the Island of Capri which you could do on your own.

 

Keith

[pinkroses]

Thanks Keith! It is months away, but I will continue to look into this!!!

[Steppy08]

We were on Sherri's cruise...

 

Cannes- we did on our own. I feel we missed a lot because we did not do a tour. There is not much to see in Cannes itself. You can definitely DIY nearby to Nice fairly easily, but the amount of time in port is short.

 

Pisa/Florence- we did on our own and saw tons, and had a great time. Easy to do with a bit of research. We spent a night off ship and took the high speed train to Rome.

 

Rome- we did on our own. Again, easy to do with some research.

 

Athens- we were with Sherri's tour. After two days of DIY we were ready to relax. Friends did Athens DIY and said it was pretty easy.

 

Kusadasi- Honestly, not sure about this one. Most people either had private or ships tours.

 

Santorini- did a hike on our own (amazing time, highly recommend if you like to hike, and it's FREE) Santorini is easy to DIY.

 

Naples- because Salerno is so far away from Naples proper, it's more difficult to DIY from here (thanks RCI) it can be done, but more time is spent transferring trains etc than enjoying the port. Wouldn't recommend it here, though a family on our ship did rent a car and drive down the Amalfi coast. (They were brave, for sure)

 

It comes down to how much time you want to spend DIYing. It costs less, and in many ways is more gratifying than just jumping on a tour (ship or private) but you will sacrifice efficiency. And if there's tons to see that time adds up quick.

[Steppy08]

Also, pinkroses, if you haven't done so check out Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise travel book, lots of GREAT ideas for DIY in each port, as well as contact info and websites for everything. It was an invaluable resource in planning.

 

Have fun planning! This was such an amazing trip.

[wantocruisemore]

You can do all of these DIY, just check out the Port of Call section for each of the ports. Tons of info.

 

But if you have specific wants for certain ports about things to see and do, consider a private guide. These end up cheaper and better than the ships tours. You see more and go at your own pace, plus you control the itinerary. This may be especially important for Florence/Pisa and for Rome, Athens and Kusadasi (where the fabulous Ephesus ruins with the special Terrace Houses are worth the effort). For Naples there is Pompeii and Herculaneum nearby.

 

If it were me (and was for some of the ports last summer), I would do Cannes on my own (unless wanting to go to some of the medieval cities a distance from port) and Santorini on my own. For the others there is just so much to see I recommend a private tour. You can reduce the cost of this further if you want to share with others on your roll call.

[pinkroses]

Thanks everyone! I ordered the Rick Steves book. I think I may need to stop work just so I can plan this vacation! :) I pretty well know what we would like to do in a couple of the ports but need to be better organized. Once, I did the Italian ports myself, but I was 19 and much more adventurous with lots less responsibility!!!!

[wantocruisemore]

Thanks everyone! I ordered the Rick Steves book. I think I may need to stop work just so I can plan this vacation! :) I pretty well know what we would like to do in a couple of the ports but need to be better organized. Once, I did the Italian ports myself, but I was 19 and much more adventurous with lots less responsibility!!!!

 

Don't forget to check out the Port of Call section for the countries you're visiting. There's SO much information there and can plan it all, whether DIY or recommendations for Private Tours. I've used those forums for my past cruises and have always had great results planning. Those forums actually helped my more than the Rick Steves' books, although I also bought those too.

[mjldvlks]

. . . Ephesus, Turkey - You could take a taxi over to Ephesus and tour on your own. Ephesus is amazing. . . .

 

I agree with Keith that Ephesus is a tremendous thing to see. It was probably the main reason we selected the cruise itinerary we did. I would, however, encourage you to do more than go to the ruins and look around. They are continuously working on the ruins by returning objects to where they belong, re-erecting columns and other things that have fallen, etc. For that reason, what we saw in 2007 is probably not the same as what you will see today. The commentary of a knowledgeable tour guide is well worth the cost. It might be possible to get guided tours once you get to the ruins -- I am not certain -- but I would definitely get a guide.

 

Our 2007 cruise was our first and, as rookies, we were a bit more concerned about staying in control of the cruise line than we would be today. For that reason, we took the 8 hour, ship sponsored, excursion to Ephesus, Didyma and Miletus. We were very happy with the excursion and the guide, but if we had it to do over, now that we are SO much more experienced, we would look into private tours. I found even the commentary as we drove around to be worthwhile and fascinating, such as explanations of the geography and how it has changed over the centuries [e.g. why Ephesus was an important port in ancient times but is now 15-20 miles inland]. Also, our guide explained things about Turkish culture as we drove along. Kusadasi/Ephesus was definitely a highlight of our first cruise.

 

Word of caution: I would skip the carpet sale at the end if it is offered [unless you want to be storing armed into buying carpets].

[mjldvlks]

. . . I think I may need to stop work just so I can plan this vacation! . . .

 

LOL -- Absolutely! It is a matter of priority. The work will be there when you get back.

 

By the way, I echo what wantocruisemore said, don't neglect your roll call. You might meet people there to share the cost of private tours or otherwise get great information for planning purposes.

[Steppy08]

Thanks everyone! I ordered the Rick Steves book. I think I may need to stop work just so I can plan this vacation! :) I pretty well know what we would like to do in a couple of the ports but need to be better organized. Once, I did the Italian ports myself, but I was 19 and much more adventurous with lots less responsibility!!!!

 

It seriously was like planning a wedding. Wait, I may not have been THAT organized for my own wedding.

 

And when it was over, well... we had to book an anti-depressant cruise to help cope. Hence our sailing in Jan. :D

 

I agree about the roll call. Ours was fabulous and we got lots of ideas and info from it, as well as tour buddies.

[pinkroses]

We were on Sherri's cruise...

 

Cannes- we did on our own. I feel we missed a lot because we did not do a tour. There is not much to see in Cannes itself. You can definitely DIY nearby to Nice fairly easily, but the amount of time in port is short.

 

Pisa/Florence- we did on our own and saw tons, and had a great time. Easy to do with a bit of research. We spent a night off ship and took the high speed train to Rome.

 

Rome- we did on our own. Again, easy to do with some research.

 

Athens- we were with Sherri's tour. After two days of DIY we were ready to relax. Friends did Athens DIY and said it was pretty easy.

 

Kusadasi- Honestly, not sure about this one. Most people either had private or ships tours.

 

Santorini- did a hike on our own (amazing time, highly recommend if you like to hike, and it's FREE) Santorini is easy to DIY.

 

Naples- because Salerno is so far away from Naples proper, it's more difficult to DIY from here (thanks RCI) it can be done, but more time is spent transferring trains etc than enjoying the port. Wouldn't recommend it here, though a family on our ship did rent a car and drive down the Amalfi coast. (They were brave, for sure)

 

It comes down to how much time you want to spend DIYing. It costs less, and in many ways is more gratifying than just jumping on a tour (ship or private) but you will sacrifice efficiency. And if there's tons to see that time adds up quick.

 

I like the idea of a night off the ship because Rome is far from port. How did you arrange that?

[Steppy08]

I like the idea of a night off the ship because Rome is far from port. How did you arrange that?

 

That's exactly why we did it. We were able to see so much more of Florence/Rome without wasting time traveling 1-2 hours back to the ship in each port. Plus we got to see the beautiful Italian countryside.

 

We emailed RCI and set it up. They call it a downline boarding request. If you email reservations they can direct you to the right place. They actually check you out of the cruise then check you back in at the next port, new SeaPass cards and all.

 

Obviously, it is not without risk/additional expense. We had several backup plans in case of transit strikes or late trains. Fortunately everything went smoothly and we had a great time. Highly recommend the high speed train to Rome.

 

My DH Steve is looking for the thread where we spelled out the exact procedure for another traveller. Hopefully he'll find it and post it.

[sstepson]

This is something I posted on another thread about this very thing. Hope this helps!!!

 

Originally Posted by PortStar7374<br />

We are looking at taking the train to Rome from the Pisa/Florence stop and reboarding in Rome the following night.

<br />

<br />

We did this exact thing on our Serenade cruise in June. I HIGHLY recommend it! With that said, you need to make sure you have it planned really well, and have back-ups. (and back-ups for your back-ups...!)<br />

<br />

First of all, before sailing (a couple of months, if I remember correctly), we submitted an official request to RCCL. They call it a "downline boarding request". It only took about a week to receive an email confirming and accepting our request. Make sure you print out all your correspondence and carry it with you on your trip. <br />

<br />

Now, Royal did hold our passports when we boarded in Barcelona. (due to the stop in Turkey.) when we got on, we went to guest services and asked about claiming our passports. It was no problem, really. You just have to wait for the ship to clear customs in Livorno, which takes a little time. An officer will bring your passports to you, and you have to surrender your sea pass card as you leave the ship. <br />

<br />

We did Pisa and Florence on our own, ( taking the train between cities) and opted to spend the night in Florence. We had been to Rome before, and decided we wanted extra time in Florence to see the museums, Ponte Vecchio, etc. We took the 7am high speed train (Frecciarossa) from Florence to Rome Termini the next morning, where we did Rome on our own as well. I would imagine by the time we got to Rome at 8:45 or so, we beat most of the folks coming from the ships in Civitavecchia. We left Rome around 3pm, and were back on the ship by 4:30 or so. Easy as pie! When you get back to the ship, they'll have your name on a list of folks that are re-boarding, and you'll have to wait a few minutes while they make you a new sea pass card. <br />

<br />

Now, the most important thing to remember us to make sure you plan very carefully. Have copies of the train schedules, subway maps, etc. Make sure you have a back-up for every situation. Some people have mentioned the possibility of train strikes in Italy. We knew ahead of time that there were no strikes planned for the day we were there, but just to be safe, we had a rental car reserved in Florence that we could use to drive to Civitavecchia in the unlikely event of a wildcat strike. (we didn't have to pay up front to make the reservation.) Luckily, we didn't need it. Also, there is a chance (albeit a very small one) that the ship won't be able to port in Civitavecchia, due to weather, fog, port strike, etc. We had flight schedules handy just in case we needed to fly to the next port. (Athens, in our case.)<br />

<br />

This sounds like a lot to worry about, but if your so inclined to plan things and be a little adventurous, I recommend it. Let me know if you have any questions about the whole process!<br />

<br />

Good luck!!!

[pinkroses]

Steppy, Thanks! This looks doable! I have been checking out hotels in each city. My DH has never been to Europe and probably will never go again. How I am getting him there is our son is studying in Madrid second semester this year so we will be meeting him at the end of his stay. I didn't realize the ports were so far away from the cities. Your trip saves travel time. I realize the train from Florence to Rome is time in itself, but what a nice tour that would be as well!!!! Sure you don't want to come?

[jessicalorene]

Be aware that a lot of the times with Rome they have issues with striking on the line and people won't be able to get to or from Rome back to the ship. When DH and I went on our honeymoon this happened and we were talking to people who had been on a cruise to Rome 3 times and never actually made it to the city. We had booked a last minute excursion and I was SO glad we did. We are returning to Rome this spring to see even more <3

[Steppy08]

Steppy, Thanks! This looks doable! I have been checking out hotels in each city. My DH has never been to Europe and probably will never go again. How I am getting him there is our son is studying in Madrid second semester this year so we will be meeting him at the end of his stay. I didn't realize the ports were so far away from the cities. Your trip saves travel time. I realize the train from Florence to Rome is time in itself, but what a nice tour that would be as well!!!! Sure you don't want to come?

 

I would LOVE to come along. I would do this same itinerary a thousand times and still not see everything there is to see. But, it was a trip 5 years in planning and it will be another 5 years before we can afford to do another Europe trip again. :(

 

And yes, you will get a million people on here warning you about strikes, etc. But that's why you have multiple contingency plans at the ready, as DH Steve (sstepson) mentioned in his post.

 

Good luck and have fun! When do you sail?

[pinkroses]

We sail June 12, 2013. This doesn't give me as much time to plan as I would have liked, but our plan was contingent on DS being accepted into his study program.

[Steppy08]

PLENTY of time to plan! I didn't even jump on our roll call until December of last year!

 

Really, for us, part of the fun was in planning the all the details. So enjoy it and don't stress! And I can re-live it vicariously through you! :D

[pinkroses]

Yes, you most certainly can! First question, how did you get from Rome back to the ship?

[Steppy08]

Yes, you most certainly can! First question, how did you get from Rome back to the ship?

 

We took a train from Termini Station in Rome to Civitavecchia. It takes about an hour and fifteen minutes, if everything is running on time. It was fairly cheap, maybe 4€. The train station is about a 5-10 minute easy walk to the port in Civitavecchia.

 

Just make sure that you allow plenty of time. About an hour after our train left another train broke down and stranded a bunch of cruise passengers for over an hour. There were enough late passengers that our ship and another ship were late leaving port.

[dagored]

Sure

Cannes

Florence/Pisa (Livorno)

Rome

Athens

Ephesus, Turkey

Santorini Greece

Naples (Salerno) Italy

 

DW and I did this cruise in 2006. Great cruise. We did all private tours except Cannes.

 

Italy we did Driver in Rome, don't remember who we hired in Greece and Turkey.

 

Link:http://dagored.smugmug.com/Vacation/Mediterranean-Cruise-2006/1583505_H6RKMR#!i=81799444&k=puL5v

[wantocruisemore]

Yes, you most certainly can! First question, how did you get from Rome back to the ship?

 

If you do a Private Tour they will take care of transporting you right up to where you board. If you DIY, then the train will be the best way to go. A taxi is very expensive. The Port of Call Italy Forum has several threads about exactly how to do the train and what you do.

 

Also, when we sailed last summer our cruise was July 3. By the November before we had already booked all of our private tours. I found it better to plan that far ahead just so there was no problem getting exactly who we wanted. So in my mind, no such thing as too far in advance!