Excursion Purchase Question (Mediterranean Cruise)

[ajtraveler66]

We will be on a Mediterranean cruise in April and will be at port one day in Catania, Sicily.  I see that the ship has two excursions to Toarmina (a resort town in that area).  One of the excursions is guided.  The other excursion is "On Your Own".

 

Taormina looks like a great place.  We are inclined to go with the "On Your Own" tour, but my question is this:  "Do you think we would have a good chance of being able to book the "On Your Own" tour if we don't book it until say, perhaps a day ahead...waiting to make sure that the weather is going to be decent?"  Maybe some of you have had experience with last minut "On Your Own" excursions thru the ship.

 

Any other options?  (possible last minute private excursion, etc .. if NCL would be able to accommodate us at the last minute.)

 

 

[KeithJenner]

11 minutes ago, ajtraveler66 said:

We will be on a Mediterranean cruise in April and will be at port one day in Catania, Sicily.  I see that the ship has two excursions to Toarmina (a resort town in that area).  One of the excursions is guided.  The other excursion is "On Your Own".

 

Taormina looks like a great place.  We are inclined to go with the "On Your Own" tour, but my question is this:  "Do you think we would have a good chance of being able to book the "On Your Own" tour if we don't book it until say, perhaps a day ahead...waiting to make sure that the weather is going to be decent?"  Maybe some of you have had experience with last minut "On Your Own" excursions thru the ship.

 

Any other options?  (possible last minute private excursion, etc .. if NCL would be able to accommodate us at the last minute.)

 

 

I rarely book excursions, and if I do so then I generally reserve before boarding, but I have noticed on both of my cruises this year that they have tended to sell out onboard a few days beforehand.

 

I don't know whether this is the case usually, and it is probably related to difficulties in getting guides to run the tours (although the ships were both far from full).

 

I believe that some tours can even sell out before boarding.

 

If I was really keen to go somewhere (and Taormina is supposed to be very nice) then I wouldn't wait too long before booking.