Let's Take a Selfie Shore Excursions

[bbqbears]

We will be sailing on Epic out of Spain in a few weeks.  I notice "Let's Take a Selfie" excursions are listed for each port on our cruise.  I just called to ask for specifics and was told that a coach takes people to 5 stops "for 5-10 minutes" to take a picture, then brings passengers back to the ship.  They mark these excursions as moderate-presumably because one may have to walk on cobblestone, but otherwise, not sure why it's a "moderate" excursion.   That's all there is to this excursion?  Am I missing something here?  Seems kind of ludicrous to spend $100 or more to appear like you've visited all these picturesque spots, when really-you were only there for 5 minutes.  I would appreciate hearing from those who have done one of these excursions.  

[julig22]

I did a couple of them in Greece. They are good if you want a simple tour of the countryside where you are visiting.  Just depends on how long you feel you need to stay...I like to see lots of places, so they were good for me.  Obviously some will be better than others and depends a lot on your tour guide.

[shof515]

how much walking is there on this tour? some of these tours i seen is like walking tours were you could be walking like 3-4 miles. that could be moderate for some people 

Edited August 18, 2022 by shof515

[JustAPilot]

Pretty much, you also have to realize that a lot of the ports that the Epic stops in on the Med are not near the actual sites. Rome is nowhere near Rome where the ship docks, Florence is some industrial port and again no where near the town so you have to take account transport. When I did these ports recently it was even hard to get cabs to drive you to somewhere close because they all wanted $$$ for the longer rides.

[mapleleaves]

Look at a lengthy trip report done recently on the Jade by BennyBrun.   He did several Selfie Tours and seemed to enjoy them. Perhaps his information will provide a better understanding.

For my upcoming cruise, Selfies are offered; they are 4- 5 hrs long and include scenic drives with stops at popular and photogenic locations. I think in some ports it would be a great tour, esp an island destination where you would get an overall view of the island plus a few stops at popular locations.  Not so good in a location like Barcelona where it would be just drive by of popular sites.

[Sue Do-Over]

This is fresh marketing for the ''highlights of (town)' tours.   It's still a bus or van trip to the top scenic views, monuments, etc. with no admission to venues and limited tour-guide narration.

If you're looking for a casual tour with fairly limited walking that ensures you get to take photos with identifiable backgrounds, this is the tour for you. 

 

Set your expectations low, however...  in St. Martin a year after a hurricane, we were trundled into a van with a grumpy driver who drove us PAST monuments.  Seriously, driving around a traffic circle with a statue in the middle counted as 'visiting', same for a shabby platform with 3 flag poles that represented the French and Belgian sides of the island.  Of course, experiences may vary in different cities, with different drivers.  Smile!

[Turtles06]

28 minutes ago, Sue Do-Over said:

Set your expectations low, however...  in St. Martin a year after a hurricane, we were trundled into a van with a grumpy driver who drove us PAST monuments.  Seriously, driving around a traffic circle with a statue in the middle counted as 'visiting', same for a shabby platform with 3 flag poles that represented the French and Belgian sides of the island.  Of course, experiences may vary in different cities, with different drivers.  Smile!

Yes, that was some driver if you came away thinking part of the island is Belgian. 🤣

[MotownVoice]

4 hours ago, JustAPilot said:

Pretty much, you also have to realize that a lot of the ports that the Epic stops in on the Med are not near the actual sites. Rome is nowhere near Rome where the ship docks, Florence is some industrial port and again no where near the town so you have to take account transport. When I did these ports recently it was even hard to get cabs to drive you to somewhere close because they all wanted $$$ for the longer rides.

 

I’m willing to bet that 98% of the posters here know the deal on Civitavecchia and Livorno.  But when you book your cruise and you don’t recognize a name, just look it up on Google Earth and have a look around.   You’ll be able to peruse every empty chemical barrel and shipwreck junkyard and ascertain exactly how far it is from your destination.  

[mskaufman]

Last week when we were at the Trevi Fountain (Rome) we saw the Selfie Tour walk by.  Not sure how long they stayed.

 

[bbqbears]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to post.  I was put off by the NCL person telling me that we would stay 5-10 minutes at each stop.  From your posts, it sounds like that is indeed what we should expect.   I've been to most of the places on this cruise, but my family has not.  Five to 10 minutes doesn't give them time to explore anything. 

[victory2020]

I did one for Florence/Pisa. I don't take selfies but found the tour fun partly because of the tour guide.

[bbqbears]

Victory-were you at any stop for more than a few minutes?

 

[victory2020]

12 hours ago, bbqbears said:

Victory-were you at any stop for more than a few minutes?

 

As I remember, we were. They give you a lot of time to take pictures & they take pictures also. In Italy it can depend on traffic & how long it takes to get to the sights. 

[bbqbears]

Thanks for taking the time to post!

[MotownVoice]

Yeah I thought these were a dumb idea.   You get a ride and a selfie stick.    Bleh.  
 

The stop and go bus tickets are worth more than that hoohah.  

[CILCIANRQTS]

Isn’t a selfie just a photo op with you in the picture?

Seriously, is camera angle enough to label any tour something new and exciting?? 🙄

[Travelling2Some]

A good marketing strategy but also a sign of the times.  So many iconic indoor locations in Europe no longer allow photography because the endless (and frequently mindless) selfie craze would create long lines.  You see it all the time that people have no interest or insight into the amazing history they are posing in front of.  They don't even give it a second glance.  Just want to pose for social media.  Me me me . . . Sad. 

[CILCIANRQTS]

2 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

A good marketing strategy but also a sign of the times.  So many iconic indoor locations in Europe no longer allow photography because the endless (and frequently mindless) selfie craze would create long lines.  You see it all the time that people have no interest or insight into the amazing history they are posing in front of.  They don't even give it a second glance.  Just want to pose for social media.  Me me me . . . Sad. 

Cruise marketing is also becoming all about bragging rights post-cruise.

Why else would someone pay $1,800 for a cabana on a private island stop?? 🙄

[Travelling2Some]

2 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Cruise marketing is also becoming all about bragging rights post-cruise.

Why else would someone pay $1,800 for a cabana on a private island stop?? 🙄

I am so not into either of those.  Just go to places that genuinely interest you and enjoy them.  If you spend your money impressing people then you just spent your money on THEM.  Seems kind of stupid. I'm the most well-traveled person I know and I have never posted any of it on social media.

[julig22]

On 8/20/2022 at 4:48 PM, MotownVoice said:

Yeah I thought these were a dumb idea.   You get a ride and a selfie stick.    Bleh.  
 

The stop and go bus tickets are worth more than that hoohah.  

I completely disagree, but it also depends on the location.  I took 2 different "selfie" tours on a Mediterranean cruise in places that didn't offer busses to the distant points of interest.  The ones I went on took you mostly to scenic areas, specifically for photography.  It's not like they are taking you to places that take time to explore, although we did have time at a few landmarks.  And to this day I've never taken a selfie.