Shore Excursion on Mediterannean??

[blessedwithfour]

Hi everyone! I'm going on my first cruise with stops at Santorini, Ephesus, Dubrovnik, and Katakolon on Splendour of the Seas in a few weeks. The shore excursions that RC provides don't have ANY reviews? A group we are going with has arrange the same tours that RC provides but with another company for a little less. I'm debating between booking with RC and the other company.

 

What are your thoughts/experience with booking shore excursions with RC compared to another company? Is not getting off the boat first a big deal? And what excursions have you done that you loved on this cruise. Thank you for any and all help!!!

[tidygirl]

We usually book tours with private operators and so far we have been mostly happy with all our choices! On very few occasions we have used the ship tours if it was something we REALLY wanted to do and could ONLY book through the ship,

Most of the time the tours booked with private operators are more personalized and cheaper!

I can not give any tips for these ports we will be doing our cruise of the Greek Isles in Oct with different ports. I do recommend going on Trip Advisor and you can get ideas of what is in the area and reviews on tour operators or whether you may want to do it yourself to save money.

[chris_kelowna]

We did a private tour with Ephesus Shuttle Private Day Tours. We shared with two other couples and had a wonderful tour. Our guide really knew his stuff, meet us at the ship. We toured Ephesus including the terrace houses - magnificent! Lunch was not included in the tour but our guide and driver took us to a typical lunch deli type place and negotiated an amazing meal to be served family style at am outside table. He asked if we wanted to visit a carpet factory but we declined. No hard sell at all, just a friendly, knowledgeable, wonderful tour. Highly recommended.

[peteukmcr]

Hi everyone! I'm going on my first cruise with stops at Santorini, Ephesus, Dubrovnik, and Katakolon on Splendour of the Seas in a few weeks. The shore excursions that RC provides don't have ANY reviews? A group we are going with has arrange the same tours that RC provides but with another company for a little less. I'm debating between booking with RC and the other company.

 

 

 

What are your thoughts/experience with booking shore excursions with RC compared to another company? Is not getting off the boat first a big deal? And what excursions have you done that you loved on this cruise. Thank you for any and all help!!!

As you will tender in Santorini, if you book with RCI you will be escorted off the ship before anyone who has not booked an excursion with the cruise line. Our tour departed from a different location from where the tenders normally dock as there is only one area suitable for buses to pick up passengers in Santorini. So if you are booking a tour with another company, check where and when they are to meet you.

 

 

 

As for Dubrovnik, booking with someone other than the cruise line should not be a problem, but you may find you have to meet the tour guide outside the port gates and so have to get a shuttle from/to the ship whereas the tours from the cruiseline pick up next to the ship.

 

 

 

We didn't take a tour in Katakolon so can't provide info on that port as we just wandered around the town and had a great lunch on the quayside overlooking the ship. There is a train that runs to the Olympic site (which is the only reason to stop here) but you need to check the times carefully.

Edited May 26, 2015 by peteukmcr

[jennywren46]

I agree with what's been said already but in MHO I wouldn't get a tour in Dubrovnik. We just got the ships shuttle in and with reading up before hand wandered around ourselves it's very easy to do , a must is to walk the walls.

I don't know what would happen with a private tour in Santorini as the ships tours start from a different spot and everyone else has to tender and either get cable car or walk/ donkeys up to the top the queues for the tender and cable car can be long.

[blessedwithfour]

Thank you! I'm most concerned with getting to the top and long lines in Santorini - which private opposed to the cruise ship tour.

[margeecruiser]

Please check to see how many ships will be in Santorini when you are. We were there in 2009 and were the only ship there. It was wonderful. We did not use a ship's tour, we just tendered in, took the cable cars up the hill, walked around and then walked to the bus station and took the local bus to Oia for about one dollar! We loved it and did not have to stand in any lines. But, caution if there are several cruise ships in at the same time. Santorini is a small island and can be overwhelmed when thousands of cruisers are there at the same time.

 

Margee

[blessedwithfour]

How do I find that info out?

[dani negreanu]

How do I find that info out?

 

You can find out how many ships are in port the same day in: cruisett. Here's the link:

http://ports.cruisett.com/

 

I've done more or less your itinerary, but on the Equinox. See below tips for doing it yourself:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2076138