Excursion ideas NCL Epic

[rah_bert]

I am looking for any suggestions on excursions for the NCL Epic. In any of the following ports:

 

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Cannes, France

Provence (Marseille), France

Barcelona, Spain

Naples, Italy

 

I am looking for independent tours, not the overpriced NCL options. Do you know of any affordable tour operators or have any suggestions for these stops?

 

Thank you in advance!

[sandancer]

Check out the ports of call forum. You'll find lots of recommendations on there.

 

 

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[Dramamamahil]

We booked this excursion in Florence - https://www.discoveryguidedtours.com/ourtours/pisa-florence-vip-tour/

 

This tour in Cannes - http://www.privateshoretrips.com/villefranche-excursion-p/fvill-06.htm

 

This tour in Barcelona: http://www.viator.com/tours/Barcelona/Viator-Exclusive-Early-Access-to-Sagrada-Familia/d562-22869SAGRADAEXC

 

We have a second tour in Barcelona and a tour in Napels that are specifically for families with young children.

[strykes]

Also check out your roll call so you can share tours with other passengers.

[rah_bert]

Thank you all!

[KeithJenner]

Also consider doing it yourself. These are easy ports to do without any organised tours at all. If budget is an issue then this is the way to go, although you may be restricted on how much you can get done in the day.

[don1976]

Apart from Naples, where we're going onwards to Pompeii, we're doing our own thing in the main, with trains into places of intetest

 

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[deniseatnycs]

We used http://www.romeinlimo.com they cover most of Italy and were excellent. Some we joined other members on the roll call and others we booked direct on the Rome in Limo website by clicking the link share a tour and looking for our ship and date. Have a great time on the Epic, we certainly did.

 

Denise

[tel2]

If you are looking for a less expensive options, last week we used Can't Be Missed Tours for Pompeii and Sorrento

http://cantbemissedtours.com/naples-to-pompeii-sorrento-the-amalfi-coast

 

And Barcelona day tours for Barcelona.

https://barcelonadaytours.com/barcelona-shore-excursion/

 

Both were terrific and I wouldn't hesitate to use either again.

[weloveamerica]

We have used, Cant be missed, for tours in Naples and Rome, we were very pleased with both tours.

[wes1side]

For Italian ports look at "All Around Italy." Ask for Fabrizio. Check out his reviews on Trip Advisor - he is great.

[Sauer-kraut]

Get the Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports book for a great way to figure out what you want do and see.

[Kfamilycruise]

We booked this excursion in Florence - https://www.discoveryguidedtours.com/ourtours/pisa-florence-vip-tour/

 

This tour in Cannes - http://www.privateshoretrips.com/villefranche-excursion-p/fvill-06.htm

 

This tour in Barcelona: http://www.viator.com/tours/Barcelona/Viator-Exclusive-Early-Access-to-Sagrada-Familia/d562-22869SAGRADAEXC

 

We have a second tour in Barcelona and a tour in Napels that are specifically for families with young children.

Can you please share the ones you did with Children? Would love to know.

Thanks!

[Wawa18]

We have used, Cant be missed, for tours in Naples and Rome, we were very pleased with both tours.

 

 

Thinking about using CBM tours and want to find out how large the groups are. They have a three port combo. Also, out of Rome is it a little complicated to get to the train station to meet them or not? Also, do you think you received a great overall tour or did you miss some key sites.

 

Thank you

 

 

Sherry

[mal&jason]

The only NCL excursion we are going to do is the one out of Marseilles to Les Baux de Provence. It is a castle with a trebuchet plus a quaint village. It also has Carrieres du lumieres which is a light show exhibit using Marc Chagall paintings. On NCL for our cruise it is $69/pp. You get about 2 hours in the village. I wanted the NCL excursion particularly because the ship leaves at 4pm and I wanted to ensure we were on it!

 

Have fun and tell us all about what you chose!

 

Mallory

[ollienbertsmum]

The only NCL excursion we are going to do is the one out of Marseilles to Les Baux de Provence. It is a castle with a trebuchet plus a quaint village. It also has Carrieres du lumieres which is a light show exhibit using Marc Chagall paintings. On NCL for our cruise it is $69/pp. You get about 2 hours in the village. I wanted the NCL excursion particularly because the ship leaves at 4pm and I wanted to ensure we were on it!

 

Have fun and tell us all about what you chose!

 

Mallory

 

The only NCL tour I did on our cruise last month was from Marseilles for the reason you give - the ship leaves at 4 pm. It meant two very early mornings (because we had to meet at 7 am and then the next day we were up for disembarkation even earlier - but I think it meant we made the most of our stop in Marseiles. We went to Avingon and I loved it.

[Seininya]

Thinking about using CBM tours and want to find out how large the groups are. They have a three port combo. Also, out of Rome is it a little complicated to get to the train station to meet them or not? Also, do you think you received a great overall tour or did you miss some key sites.

 

Thank you

 

 

Sherry

 

Hi Sherry,

 

Haven't been on CBM Tours (yet!), but I've booked them for Naples/Pompeii/Sorrento for our cruise in July - I've read a few 1* reviews on TripAdvisor for that tour: it can be up to 40 people, each coach might be 30 people? Again, it might depends on when you go as to their busy-ness. That doesn't bother me as much, but it might factor into consideration for you.

 

For Rome, reading 1* reviews, it seem like the tour sizes were around 20? I'm planning on DIY in Rome as I don't want to be at San Pietro station at around 4:30pm when rush hour commute starts, let's hope that goes well. There are YouTube videos and port guides and Tripadvisor guides showing you how to get from ship to port gates using the shuttle, then to the Civitaccechia train station. Hoping to save some $$ here as it's 12 euros for day pass and metro.

Maybe the people who've done this can provide some input on how doable it is to reach the train station by oneself??

 

For Livorno/Florence/Pisa - I'm guessing that's the three port combo? Their website said 8 person semi-private tour, but in peak season it can be up to 20-24 people on the tour.

 

Check with CBM as they might be able to offer a discount (although apparently not for Livorno??)

 

Planning to do Livorno either by shared cab or DIY again. Does anyone know if NCL still offers the shuttle to train station or city centre? If so how much are they charging?

And I've heard there are cabbies outside in Livorno port that if you share with other people, it works to 40 euros per peson? Is this still true or has the price gone up?

[SuiteCruisin14]

We used http://www.romeinlimo.com they cover most of Italy and were excellent. Some we joined other members on the roll call and others we booked direct on the Rome in Limo website by clicking the link share a tour and looking for our ship and date. Have a great time on the Epic, we certainly did.

 

Denise

 

We, too, used Rome in Limo for two port tours in Italy and we loved them. They were on time, had drivers and tour guides that knew exactly what they were talking about.

 

Vinnie was a hoot.

 

Lynda

[weloveamerica]

Thinking about using CBM tours and want to find out how large the groups are. They have a three port combo. Also, out of Rome is it a little complicated to get to the train station to meet them or not? Also, do you think you received a great overall tour or did you miss some key sites.

 

Thank you

 

 

Sherry

 

It can be a bit of a long winded affair getting to the train station for the Rome trip, however its very doable. The earlier you get the ship transfer to the port drop off area, to get the local bus to the train station, the quieter it will be.

We were met at the station and given our BIRG tickets for the days transportation. We used the train,metro and bus during the tour.

We were very happy with the tour and we covered most of the main sites(we think). You will be escorted for the whole day and supplied with headphones.

Our group was approx 12 travellers from the various ships in port that day.

In Naples we were on an average sized coach, but the whole tour was a great day out. We had Gus as a guide and he was amazing.

They did not offer Florence and Pisa on our last two cruises, but I would book with them for this tour if we are ever in that area again.:)

[suron]

I am looking for any suggestions on excursions for the NCL Epic. In any of the following ports:

 

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Cannes, France

Provence (Marseille), France

Barcelona, Spain

Naples, Italy

 

I am looking for independent tours, not the overpriced NCL options. Do you know of any affordable tour operators or have any suggestions for these stops?

 

Thank you in advance!

 

I was on NCL Epic in June 2014 and again in December 2015. If it would help I have written reviews on both which can be found at:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk//memberreveiws/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=257253 (June 2014)

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=

 

On both cruises I tended to go for privately arranged tours as NCL ones, as you say, are so expensive. Most of the ports of call you have listed were on my itineraries too.

 

I hope you will be able to find some useful information from these reviews

(if you have a problem putting in .co.uk try using .com instead)

 

Good Luck with your plans

 

Suzanne

[Wawa18]

Hi Sherry,

 

Haven't been on CBM Tours (yet!), but I've booked them for Naples/Pompeii/Sorrento for our cruise in July - I've read a few 1* reviews on TripAdvisor for that tour: it can be up to 40 people, each coach might be 30 people? Again, it might depends on when you go as to their busy-ness. That doesn't bother me as much, but it might factor into consideration for you.

 

For Rome, reading 1* reviews, it seem like the tour sizes were around 20? I'm planning on DIY in Rome as I don't want to be at San Pietro station at around 4:30pm when rush hour commute starts, let's hope that goes well. There are YouTube videos and port guides and Tripadvisor guides showing you how to get from ship to port gates using the shuttle, then to the Civitaccechia train station. Hoping to save some $$ here as it's 12 euros for day pass and metro.

Maybe the people who've done this can provide some input on how doable it is to reach the train station by oneself??

 

For Livorno/Florence/Pisa - I'm guessing that's the three port combo? Their website said 8 person semi-private tour, but in peak season it can be up to 20-24 people on the tour.

 

Check with CBM as they might be able to offer a discount (although apparently not for Livorno??)

 

Planning to do Livorno either by shared cab or DIY again. Does anyone know if NCL still offers the shuttle to train station or city centre? If so how much are they charging?

And I've heard there are cabbies outside in Livorno port that if you share with other people, it works to 40 euros per peson? Is this still true or has the price gone up?

 

Seininya,

 

I talked to CBM tours and they will start a shuttle ride into Rome instead of the train starting in two weeks because of the request from their cruisers. It is addl 30 euros though. Just FYI 😊😊

[Seininya]

Thanks Wawa18! That's interesting information - they haven't updated their information yet on their website...

[pcur]

I am looking for any suggestions on excursions for the NCL Epic. In any of the following ports:

 

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Cannes, France

Provence (Marseille), France

Barcelona, Spain

Naples, Italy

 

I am looking for independent tours, not the overpriced NCL options. Do you know of any affordable tour operators or have any suggestions for these stops?

 

Thank you in advance!

 

If you are a Costco member, check out their Shore Excursion Group vendor. I found several in Europe that were very reasonable, and using the code COSTSHRX you get 10% off.

[richstowe]

If you are a Costco member, check out their Shore Excursion Group vendor. I found several in Europe that were very reasonable, and using the code COSTSHRX you get 10% off.

Every so often you hear something absolutely new . Thank you for this tip . :)

[pcur]

Every so often you hear something absolutely new . Thank you for this tip . :)

 

You're welcome!

 

I also book with Costco. They give obc based on the cost of the cruise and your cabin category. I have two cruises booked with balconies, and the obc for the two of them is $595. This is in addition to whatever promo the cruise line has going.