Need Excursion Help for 12 day Vista Cruise

[SweetCruiser39]

My family and I will be sailing on the Carnival Vista on a 12 day cruise sailing out of Barcelona on August 6. We are a group of 5 including myself, my teenage daughter and son, and my 22 year old daughter and her boyfriend. We are having a very difficult time booking excursions. My kids are used to sailing the Caribbean where excursions are really based on what activity you want to participate in rather than trying to sightsee. We have all pretty much agreed, we do not wish to be stuck on a bus listening to a tour guide. So with that, I can't decide which ports we should book an excursion and which we would do fine just walking around on our own? Here are our ports of call:

 

Marseille, Livorno (Florence, Pisa), Rome, Naples, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Messina (Sicily), and Cagliari (Sardinia).

 

I read a review from someone who mentioned that Carnival actually has a shuttle for a small fee (small compared to the price of excursions) in Marseille. I'm wondering where else they provide this service?

 

Anyway, with so many ports, we really can't afford to book an excursion at every single one. So any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[Essiesmom]

My family and I will be sailing on the Carnival Vista on a 12 day cruise sailing out of Barcelona on August 6. We are a group of 5 including myself, my teenage daughter and son, and my 22 year old daughter and her boyfriend. We are having a very difficult time booking excursions. My kids are used to sailing the Caribbean where excursions are really based on what activity you want to participate in rather than trying to sightsee. We have all pretty much agreed, we do not wish to be stuck on a bus listening to a tour guide. So with that, I can't decide which ports we should book an excursion and which we would do fine just walking around on our own? Here are our ports of call:

 

Marseille, Livorno (Florence, Pisa), Rome, Naples, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Messina (Sicily), and Cagliari (Sardinia).

 

I read a review from someone who mentioned that Carnival actually has a shuttle for a small fee (small compared to the price of excursions) in Marseille. I'm wondering where else they provide this service?

 

Anyway, with so many ports, we really can't afford to book an excursion at every single one. So any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

gt a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports and see how you can do some of these ports on your own. There might be a shuttle into Corfu for a small fee - we had one on HAL. In Dubrovnik, might also be a shuttle to the Old City. Livorno, if they offer a 'Florence on your own' or 'transfer to Florence', book it and wander about on your own. Rick Steveshas free audio tour downloads on his website for ipod/mp3 and you can print off basic maps to go along. We used them in Florence, Rome, Pompeii, Venice... Steves doesn't cover most of the islands (except Greece) but recommends Lonely Planet. Mr. Google I also helpful.

Have you joined the ROLL ALL for your cruise yet? On your roll call, you can meet other CC members who will be sailing with you and see what they are planning for your ports. EM

[cshellz]

We are doing the 8 day after you.

 

For Naples we are sharing a Rome in Limo to Herculeneum, Sorrento & Positano. This is our only proper tour.

 

For Rome & Florence we are using shorebee for transport only. A lot cheaper than Carnival.

 

 

http://shorebee.com/en

[evandbob]

We are doing the 8 day after you.

 

For Naples we are sharing a Rome in Limo to Herculeneum, Sorrento & Positano. This is our only proper tour.

 

For Rome & Florence we are using shorebee for transport only. A lot cheaper than Carnival.

 

 

http://shorebee.com/en

 

The cities of Rome and Florence are some travel time from their respective port areas. When we were returning from Florence to the port, there was an accident on the main highway going back. Our driver attempted to go around the delay by getting off the highway, but many other drivers had the same idea.

 

We were an hour and a half late getting back to the ship. Fortunately we were on a Princess Crown excursion, so the ship waited for us. They were literally pulling in the gangplank ramp as the last one from our bus got on the ship.

 

Naples was the next port, and if we were on an independent tour, we would have been on a train to catch up to the ship instead of dining on board.

 

I would recommend doing independent or self guided tours only in areas near the ports and not an hour or so away.

[cruisemom42]

The cities of Rome and Florence are some travel time from their respective port areas. When we were returning from Florence to the port, there was an accident on the main highway going back. Our driver attempted to go around the delay by getting off the highway, but many other drivers had the same idea.

 

We were an hour and a half late getting back to the ship. Fortunately we were on a Princess Crown excursion, so the ship waited for us. They were literally pulling in the gangplank ramp as the last one from our bus got on the ship.

 

Naples was the next port, and if we were on an independent tour, we would have been on a train to catch up to the ship instead of dining on board.

 

I would recommend doing independent or self guided tours only in areas near the ports and not an hour or so away.

 

But in this kind of situation, everyone is in the same boat, so where is the risk? Ship tours cannot get back; private tours cannot get back. The ship will wait.

 

Having said that, it's always important as a do-it-yourself tour person to have a Plan B in mind. I have taken the train to Rome many times from Civitavecchia and vice versa, never had a problem yet (knock wood). But you can bet I have the number of a taxi service -- as well as the port agent -- in my phone just in case there's a train strike, and I will know how to get to the next port.