Question regarding excursions

[Poppins74]

Hi, please can anyone help me. I am booked on Britannia later this year and have been looking at booking excursions on cruise personaliser, but what happens then? Do I get tickets posted out or are they left in my room?

 

As you may gather this is my first cruise and this is all new to me so any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)

[Bacardi..]

You will have to pay now (so if you have any onboard credit it won't come out of that). The tickets will be delivered to your stateroom. You can print a receipt though

 

 

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[jeanlyon]

Hi, and welcome. If you have booked online, then your tickets will be in your cabin when you board.

 

don't forget a lot of ports are perfectly doable by yourself, but as it's your first cruise, you may prefer to go on an excursion. You can also book on board, unless you think it's a popular excursion.

 

What ports are you doing?

[jasperado]

Hello Poppins

As jeanlyon said lots of ports can be "DIYd"

Before you commit to any excursions please tell us what cruise you are on and your ports of call and maybe some of our more experienced travellers can give you tips on what to see and how to see.

I know I have gleaned a wealth of information from the wonderful folks on this forum, and saved a fortune!!

Good luck and enjoy the start of an expensive habit :D

[Poppins74]

Thanks for the quick replies, so my tickets will be waiting in the room which is better then me having to remember to pack them if they post them out!

 

We are planning on doing some ports on our own but going to Livorno and civitavecchia so want to get the sites in of Pisa and the collesseum so thought we would take excursions for these ports.

 

There's so much to think of, my mind is cruise crazy!!!

[jeanlyon]

Ha ha, enjoy - because after one, you will go again. It's a lovely way to travel.

[Bacardi..]

Pisa was a easy diy trip. Take the shuttle into town it stops by a little arcade, where you can book a bus to Pisa (they are single dockers and going to n grow all the time). With regard to Rome come out of the port and there will be loads of taxis fighting for your business for a trip to Rome, last time I was there it was €25-30

 

But if you have booked the cruise and they are a must see, take the ships tour. Just in case

 

 

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Edited March 26, 2016 by Bacardi..

[Poppins74]

Pisa was a easy diy trip. Take the shuttle into town it stops by a little arcade, where you can book a bus to Pisa (they are single dockers and going to n grow all the time). With regard to Rome come out of the port and there will be loads of taxis fighting for your business for a trip to Rome, last time I was there it was €25-30

 

But if you have booked the cruise and they are a must see, take the ships tour. Just in case

 

 

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I think my biggest fear about doing the "tours" on our own is being late back for the ship and it setting off without us. This is highly unlikely as I am very organised and would ensure that we made it back in plenty of time, but with it being our first time and not knowing how things work I'm just a bit worried.

We do plan to do some of the other ports on our own but our son wants to see Pisa and Rome so got to make sure we do these right!

I'm finding these forums really helpful for getting advice so thanks everyone for your help!

[Bacardi..]

I don't think you would miss the ship going to Pisa. Rome is a long trip and if I wanted to be really safe I would do the ships tour

 

 

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[Poppins74]

I don't think you would miss the ship going to Pisa. Rome is a long trip and if I wanted to be really safe I would do the ships tour

 

 

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Wow just noticed when you next sail! I take it that it's the one that Ant and Dec are on next week? Have a brilliant time :)

[Mysticalmother]

Poppins....cant help with Livorno & Pisa ....but for Rome, as its your first time, I would definately book something through P &O. It is a long way and Italian rail is known for its lightening strikes.

 

We did the "Shuttle and Roma Train" with P &O last year and it was really good. We had the benefit of knowing that we wouldnt miss the ship but also had the freedom to do what we wanted in Rome (we did a combination of hoho bus and walking!). There is a tour guide on the train who gives you lots of help and advice regarding what to do and where to go. We arrived in Rome quite early which meant if you wanted to go to the Vatican you had plenty of time to do so as well as see other things. It was also a very comfortable way to get to Rome from Civitaveccia - much better that the coach which we had done a few years earlier.

 

Enjoy your first cruise ....and be prepared to get well and truly hooked!

[Bacardi..]

Wow just noticed when you next sail! I take it that it's the one that Ant and Dec are on next week? Have a brilliant time :)

 

 

Yes it is, but now I wish I was stopping at home. But that's is another tale, enjoy your cruising

 

 

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[Florry]

Don't forget you can book on-board too (and that would come out of any onboard credit) - I only book absolute 'musts' before we go if I have OBC. Also I've noticed that sometimes I've gone to book a 1/2 day trip on the personaliser and it appears that either morning or afternoon are sold out, then later they appear for sale, so keep checking if something you want is unavailable. It is possible to get refunds before you sail within the terms and conditions if you want to change anything. Hope that makes sense.

[davecttr]

Why can't i see the title of this topic????

[staygulf]

Pisa is easily doable on your own. Take the shuttle bus into Lovorno. From where you get dropped off it's a short bus ride to the station and the train journey takes about 20 mins. The walk from Pisa station to the leaning tower is about 25 mins. A few years ago the round trip was about 10 euros I don't know what it is now. You'll have bags of time with no fear of missing the ship check the ship's departure time to make sure!)

 

Equally Rome is easily doable on your own. From the entrance to the port where the shuttle drops you off it's about a 10 minute walk to the station. You can catch very frequent trains into Rome (buy your tickets at the port entrance there is a kiosk there and this will save time). The cost is about 10% of the price the ship charges for the "Do Rome on your own" transfer. About 8 euros as far as I can remember but again this was a few years ago. You will also probably be travelling on the same train as those passengers who have paid the ship's price although they may be in a reserved coach. The journey to San Pietro (I think that's the name) for the Vatican is around 45 mins. Make sure you get off here as the rest of the journey into the terminus takes another 40 mins or so. You can have full day in Rome at leisure and easily make it back to the ship as it will probably leave quite late.

 

Enjoy your cruise, notwithstanding Ant and Dec!!

[davecttr]

If it is your first time my advice would be to take a ships excursion to Pisa and Rome. Rome is a long way from the port and if you suffer transport problems the ship will leave without you :eek:

 

If you are on a ships excursion they will wait :)

 

My rule of thumb for doing your own thing is to plan to be back at the ship well before departure time and ensure there are multiple choices of transport to get you back :)

[Whitechapel girl]

Another lovely place to do from Livorno is Lucca - a lovely walled town. Again easy to get to via train from Pisa. Highly recommended. I'll be going there again myself in October.

[Poppins74]

Thanks for some really great advice, I think we have decided to stick to the ship's excursions for our first time just to be safe and get a feel for it. (I'm sure this won't be our first cruise, I'm already planning the next, just don't tell the hubby!)

 

Another probably daft question, Water! Are there water fountains on ship where I can fill.up water bottles to take ashore or do I have to buy bottled water?

[LondonTowner]

In Rome the water in the street fountains is perfectly drinkable. Last time we were in Rome we filled our bottles up all the time from there ( we were on a land holiday).

[tartanexile81]

Thanks for some really great advice, I think we have decided to stick to the ship's excursions for our first time just to be safe and get a feel for it. (I'm sure this won't be our first cruise, I'm already planning the next, just don't tell the hubby!)

 

Another probably daft question, Water! Are there water fountains on ship where I can fill.up water bottles to take ashore or do I have to buy bottled water?

 

People used to fill their bottles in the buffet at the chilled water machines but that's been banned now because it was unhygienic. However it's the same water in the cabin so you can just fill from there and keep in your fridge overnight or pour from a glass into your bottle in the buffet which lots of people do.

 

I personally don't like the water in the cabin so always bring bottle back when we're in port.

[Clodia]

I have been to Rome 5 times and always taken a ship excursion. Once there was a traffic accident and the return coach was delayed by an hour. The ship waited. However there were people who had taken taxis who were left behind. I also spoke to a couple who had once fallen victim to a lightening train strike and got back with about 2 minutes to spare.

Rome on your own is good if you've been before; the coach takes yu there and back and you do your own thing. If it's the classical remains you want to see, Glories of the Gladiators is excellent. Roam Around Rome is a super tour if you're fit and want to see a lot; it's a guided walking tour with little radios.

Or there's one which centres on the Vatican and the Museums.

[Findus]

Thanks for some really great advice, I think we have decided to stick to the ship's excursions for our first time just to be safe and get a feel for it. (I'm sure this won't be our first cruise, I'm already planning the next, just don't tell the hubby!)

 

Another probably daft question, Water! Are there water fountains on ship where I can fill.up water bottles to take ashore or do I have to buy bottled water?

 

Regarding trips: Just to be clear, you don't HAVE to book beforehand but if you do you cannot use OBC (On Board Credit). On the other hand, if you wait until you are on board the desired trip may have sold out. My advice is that, if it is a trip you just cannot afford to miss, book beforehand. Otherwise choose on board if you want it to come out of your OBC. A similar decision concerns purchase of Internet time. If you buy before you often get extra minutes but cannot use OBC. Purchased on board is usually without the extra minutes but can be set against OBC.

 

Regarding water: Bottles bought on board can be costly. An earlier responder has pointed out that you cannot now fill water bottles from the dispensers for hygiene reasons but it is perfectly OK to fill a fresh, clean glass in the buffet and fill up your bottle (away from the dispenser). But don't use the same glass to go back to the fountain for more. Get a fresh one. Bottles bought ashore carry no guarantee of quality.

Hope this helps.

[jeanlyon]

But you can fill up your bottle in the gym! Even if you don't use the gym :-)

[Findus]

But you can fill up your bottle in the gym! Even if you don't use the gym :-)

Thanks Jeanlyon. I didn't know this. Guess who doesn't use the gym!