Tour with Princess or on your own

[teddie2]

So first time cruiser. Going for 20 days Italy France Spain morroco

I always research places we visit in depth but we have always gone on our own and spend several days in a place so this is a whole new experience for us being somewhere just for a few hours and competing with thousands of others once in Port.

So opinions please is it better to just book a tour through the cruise line or try to strike out in your own. Tours for 20 days will get expensive but in some cases might make sense like in Tangier where right off the boat I read you are hassled and followed around to get you to hire them

I am also nervous about being sure to be back in time to the ship so wondering how relaxed I will be if we wander away from the main area so again a new experience. All perspectives and prior experiences would be helpful.

Thank you

[Yehootu]

I look at the time constraints and if very close, might chose a Princess tour. Hate big bus tours and much prefer smaller companies. Was pretty disappointed with 2 of the ship excursions we had on this cruise. Research, research, research...

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

When we started cruising we knew that doing tours on our own was going to be way cheaper and often better but we decided that until we had one or two cruises under our belts that we would put up with the extra cost until we had learned the ropes.

 

Taking a ship tour does take away the worry about getting back late or being ripped off so it is a great way to just chill and tour especially if you are a cruising newbie. We generally now do the research and do the tours our self now but yes, I still occasionally find it a bit stressful as to whether we will get back in time... because the ship won't wait unless you are on a ship tour.

 

Having said that, if you do your research, leave plenty of time and allow for contingencies (e.g. have a backup plan if busses/trains are cancelled etc) there is no reason why anyone shouldn't be able to do DIY tours and be back in plenty of time.

[DCThunder]

I think there's a big difference between "doing the tours yourself" and taking a tour organized by a local tour company.  The former would be renting a car and driving yourself around, taking the HOHO bus around the city, or simply walking around the port area. The latter would be doing some of the same sites as the ship tours, but in a much smaller group with a more personal connection with the guide. They also make an effort to get to popular sites before the big ship tour buses do so that often enhances the experience at those sites.

 

Those local tour companies all are well aware of the ship's departure schedule (in fact they often ask the group when they want to be back to the ship) and I've never had a close call in getting back.  I wouldn't hesitate to book a local tour company.

[mtnesterz]

How is your French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic?

Are you the Rick Steves type that can go just about anywhere and make your way or would you be anxious about being in a strange country, should you get lost?

Twice in our 20+ cruises, (strangely both at Puerto Vallarta.) we've seen pier runners. The ship does not come back. Do not let that happen to you.

[Coral]

Look at Spain Day tours for Spain.

 

https://www.spaindaytours.com

 

They are excellent and often have smaller groups.

 

Also look at your roll call for private tours.

[Steelers36]

45 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

So first time cruiser. Going for 20 days Italy France Spain morroco

I always research places we visit in depth but we have always gone on our own and spend several days in a place so this is a whole new experience for us being somewhere just for a few hours and competing with thousands of others once in Port.

So opinions please is it better to just book a tour through the cruise line or try to strike out in your own. Tours for 20 days will get expensive but in some cases might make sense like in Tangier where right off the boat I read you are hassled and followed around to get you to hire them

I am also nervous about being sure to be back in time to the ship so wondering how relaxed I will be if we wander away from the main area so again a new experience. All perspectives and prior experiences would be helpful.

Thank you

If you are going to be nervous all day about getting back to the ship, then independent small group tours may not be for you - at least yet. 

 

Small group private tours are the best thing.  Try our your Roll Call and I guarantee that several will be suggesting tours and looking to build a small group.  At first, you can just go along (after checking reviews of course).  Later, with more cruising experience, you may want to organize a small group yourself. 

 

The local tour organizations that offer small group experiences depend not only on their quality experience, but also in getting guests back to the ship on time.  You will not be a pier runner with a reputable tour guide.  The pier runners are invariably those who were hanging out at the bar all day or laying on the beach losing track of time. 

 

Use popular travel website to research and read reviews on tour companies.  ToursByLocals can offer good options.  

 

If we aren't doing a formal tour, there is pretty much zero risk in walking most port towns/cities as long as you get transportation back to the ship in time. 

 

For a place like Morocco, I'd rather have a local guide that will speak our language and inform us about a new strange place and also know where to go and where not to go.

 

[Hlitner]

My advice to the OP is based on more than 50 years of extensive travel/cruising all over the world.  There is no magic answer.  Some folks (like me) do their own thing throughout most of the world with few problems.  DW and I handle Europe the same as we handle travel in the USA, which means using trains, rental cars, our feet, buses, etc.

 

Each person has their own risk tolerance/level of comfort.  What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.  If you are willing to put in the time to do your pre-trip homework, have some "travel sense" and a spirit of adventure, than you can probably handle anywhere in Europe without the use of tours, excursions, etc.  However, if you are prone to anxiety, are going to constantly worry about getting back to the ship, need "hand holding,"  etc. than you should consider using organized tours/excursions.  When it comes to tours, you can find them online (i.e. tours by locals, Viator, etc) or you can get active here on the CC Roll Call board (for your specific cruise) and join with some others in forming small group tours.

 

The reality is that many folks use a combination of both methods (independent on your own and excursions/tours).  On a cruise, your decision might depend on where you dock when compared to where you want to go.  So, for example, if you are docked in Barcelona it is relatively easy to explore the city.  But if you are docked in Civitavecchia or Livorno, you must deal with the distance to Rome or Florence (over an hour in each port).  Just keep in mind that even in those ports, one can use the regional trains, hire car/driver, or even rent a car (we do not suggest this for first timers).

 

Hank

[skynight]

Taking tours from cruise ships can be challenging, especially in unfamiliar ports. From what you describe I'm thinking you are booked on the 20 night Southampton to Rome, Island Princess, July 26th. These ports are difficult, especially for one that has never cruised. Some of these ports do not have a steady stream of cruise ships like the ports in the Caribbean. It's fairly easy in a port like Barcelona to walk around in La Rambla. The ship will dock a short taxi ride away. But some will be difficult to get around. Be careful in all the ports for pick pockets. They are indeed out there. I would suggest that you join the cruise critic roll call for your voyage. People on your cruise may already be working on private and ship's tours. If your voyage is July 26th as I suspect then your roll call connection is below. If not then just find the roll call by searching the cruise critic roll call section for your ship and date.

 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

We have found we generally get a much better, more personal experience when using a local tour guide/company.

 

You might want to take a look at Venture Ashore... there are other companies that provide good alternatives to ship tours... or you can book direct with a guide or tour operator.

[Hlitner]

Let me address the issue of "unfamiliar ports" and Do It Yourself (DIY) travel.  Some folks feel that they cannot handle that kind of challenge, and for them, a tour/excursion is the best solution.  But, for others, the challenge of unfamiliar places is not very difficult.  These days there are mulitple sources of terrific information (mostly online) and plenty of folks right here on CC who can give very detailed info to pave the way.  I still smile, when a few years ago, somebody wanted to know where to find a laundramat in Civitavecchia and both Euro-Cruiser and I quickly responded (I believe Euro even posted a detailed map of the location).  

 

The reason I suggest a combination of solutions (i.e. DIY, Tour and even excursions) is because each port is different and has it's own challenges.  There is also the issue of what you want to do in a port.  For example, one can dock in Marseille, take a taxi or shuttle bus into town, and simply spend their day in Marseille.  That is quite simple.  Those same folks may want to go to Aix en Provence, and that is a bit more difficult but also very doable (many of us here can give detailed instructions).  But others might want to go further afar to places like Pont du Gard, Avignon, Les Baux, etc.. and for these folks a tour is probably going to be the best solution (although it can all be done DIY).

 

The key to all of this is to do your own homework!  Keep in mind that there are plenty of cruisers who will not take a step off a ship without a guide and some of them think it is the only viable option.  There are others of us who think of the word "tour" as a 4 letter word to be avoided except as a last resort.  Most folks fall somewhere between those extremes.

 

Going to a new place can seem overwhelming but once you focus on your goals, things start to become clear.  On the Asia board we recently had a discussion about visiting the "Morning Market" in Hokodate, Japan.  Some folks actually book an expensive excursion that includes a visit to that market.  What they do not know (without homework) is that market is across the street from the port (less than 100 yards) and the only way to visit that market is by walking.  So they leave the port, expecting to get on a bus, only to find that the market visit means walking across the street (with a guide) for which they have paid a significant amount of money (that market is entirely free).  And that is just one example (out of hundreds of ports).

 

Hank

 

Hank

[Torfamm]

A tour can be a good option if you’re far from whatever your destination is. For example, Barcelona is very easy to do on your own since the ship docks right there, Rome or Florence involve some travel from the port.

 

I will almost always pick a private or small group tour over a big bus.  Starting out by checking your roll call to see if anyone has already organized something is a great suggestion if you don’t want to have to do the planning.
 

Other good resources to find small group tours worldwide include Tours by Locals, Shore Excursions Group, Viator, Get Your Guide and By Locals. 
 

In Italy, I can recommend https://www.bellaitaliatour.com and https://www.italytours.eu 

for small group shore excursions. ItalyTours.eu also has small group shore excursions out of Marseilles.

 

If you want to just get transportation to a city from a port, like Rome from Civittavechia, or Florence from Livorno, “on your own tours” from Princess can be a good option.

[eclue]

WE rarely do ship excursions . There are many private tours that have an excellent reputation and long standing history of good service  with a guarantee to get you to the ship...There should be groups forming on your roll call on cruise critic and I would advise joining one or forming one. There is so much to see and experience on these trips and much better done in a smaller group than 50 people boarding a big bus. Just my opinion.

[Coral]

There may be a change in ships docking in Barcelona - they may be forced to dock farther out.

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/barcelona-cruise-ship-restrictions/index.html 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Coral

[karatemom2]

Hank offers excellent advice. As he suggests, we usually do a combination of ship and private tours on our cruises depending on a number of factors - priority of what we want to see, time in port, types of tours offered (both ship tours and private) and of course cost. Planning is a big part of the fun for me as it offers months of anticipation and I get to learn about the ports as I plan.

 

We did a Western Med cruise last summer and here are some examples. In Livorno (Florence) we did a private tour as we found a well reviewed company (Italy Tours) that offered exactly what we wanted and had a proven track record catering to cruise passengers. In Rome we wanted to fully maximize our day without worry about getting back to the ship so we opted for an expensive ship tour that covered our top priorities because that was a really important city for us and it was distant from port. In Barcelona where you port right at the city we fully did our own thing without any tour, but planned our own sightseeing day using our feet and taxis and purchasing our own entries to the attractions we wanted to see. Sometimes those end up being the best days. 
 

A great source for research is the Ports of Call board here;

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2-ports-of-call/

 

Happy planning!

Edited October 22, 2023 by karatemom2

[Catchum]

3 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

How is your French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic?

Are you the Rick Steves type that can go just about anywhere and make your way or would you be anxious about being in a strange country, should you get lost?

Twice in our 20+ cruises, (strangely both at Puerto Vallarta.) we've seen pier runners. The ship does not come back. Do not let that happen to you.

For ports in Spain, France and Italy you will be in the tourist areas and will be able to get by with English. Though Google translate off line is also your friend. In some ports you can simply walk off the ship and have a wonderful visit, others you will want to travel and may be if you are not comfortable with independent travel in Europe you may consider an independent tour. I would only take a ships tour to a destination a couple of hours away. 

[bklynhtsnyc]

A 20 day cruise must have a ton of port stops. To add a few thoughts. Personal fitness level of all has to be taken into account. 
Some ports are much simpler then others. Barcelona-the entire city, museums, eateries, even getting into the country side. Simple.  

Piraeus into Athens and all the major sites. Simple. 
Civitavechia train to Rome and tour the major sites, moderate difficulty. 

Kusadasi and diy public mini bus to Ephesus and then to Selkuk for lunch and back to ship. NOT EZ. But doable with all the info on this board and the help of all these great ppl. 
I would diy major cities to start. Builds confidence. Download self guides for museums. (Nothing beats a good local guide if money is not an issue)

I have followed the recommendations and instructions of Hlitner and Euro-cruiser on many trips. And have had amazing days. U just have to enjoy doing a ton of leg work. 
 

Edited October 22, 2023 by bklynhtsnyc

[Torfamm]

A recommendation for easy small group tours you can join in Kusadasi and Ephesus is Ephesus Shuttle owned by Curio Travel https://www.ephesusshuttle.com/

 

This mini-group tour to Ephesus, including the Terrace Houses, was well worth it. The max is 10 people

https://www.ephesusshuttle.com/tours/mini-group-tour-1-option-with-terrace-houses?tur_id=22

 

We also enjoyed the mini-group tour using the tram in Istanbul, it is also capped at 10 people. 

https://www.ephesusshuttle.com/tours/mini-group-tour-with-tram-max-10-guests-with-private-option-ancient-hippodrome-blue-mosque-topkapi-palace-st-sophia-grand-bazaar?tur_id=40

 

[Ombud]

@teddie2 heres my 2c. Take the Moroccan excursion with Princess but (and this is a big but) do a small excursion tour. You can find ones all the way down to a dz participants (I always look under excursion details for vehicle size avoiding bus, look towards mini-van or where it says small excursion). Anyone on your roll call putting something together for Italy, France, or Spain?

 

I just booked 2 through my roll call (limited to 7-8 participants) & 2 through Princess (minivan limited to 20 max and jeep limited to 7). Personally hate being part of a huge group (25+) waiting for a straggler

[teddie2]

Great advice from all thanks. I already checked the roll call as suggested. We will be with 2 other couples who have cruised before.  I do believe they have used local tours in the past.

We have traveled all over Europe and rarely rent a car. We love to explore and do so with trains busses and yes our feet so no problem with that. I just want to see everything and so need to carefully plan time so as to be back in time ..don't want to be a pier runner! Lol

Though we are first time cruisers we are experienced traveling in Europe.  We are only cruising because our friends want to and we would like to travel with them. So will take all your wonderful advice and recommendations and start planning.  This year we spent 4 weeks traveling  Croatia and I planned and researched it all including several tours..all were small and one private. 

We have been to 7 of the 14 ports we will  be visiting so that should make things easier. One couple we are with is Italian  the other speaks Spanish so we have that covered in terms of languages. My H and I speak some French and can get by. Arabic? Well that is a different story 😳!

All your points are well taken and I really appreciate all your perspectives. I do think small local tours will be the way to go for most of the ports. 

Thanks again!!

 

[mevs904]

teddie2, it seems like you are well-equipped and you have gotten excellent advice for this great adventure.  Like most of the previous posters we have done a combination of independent tours, ship’s tours, and DIY experiences.  The tours from the independent tour companies have consistently been much better (and less expensive ) than the ship’s tours.

     Last summer we were on a 14 night Enchanted Mediterranean cruise.  In Turkey we used Ephesus Shuttle for our tours of Ephesus and Istanbul and as a previous poster reported, they were excellent.  We did not have to create our own small group for these tours.  We simply signed up for them and the company placed us with others from our ship.  We ended up with a total of 7 people on the first tour (Ephesus) and 6 on the Istanbul tour.  In 2019 we used an independent tour company when we were in St. Petersburg, Stockholm, and Helsinki.  They were also excellent.  They were all very conscientious about genus back to the ship in plenty of time.  As others have said, the key is doing the research ahead of time and reading reviews from previous cruisers.

     Have a wonderful cruise!  We loved our European cruises.

[Hlitner]

Lets discuss an oft mentioned issue, raised in another post, about the so-called language barrier.  The truth is that there is no "language barrier" but rather language challenges.  Most folks who do a lot of international travel (including moi) do not even consider that issue as it is just one more part of travel.  In fact, we live in Mexico (part of the year) but still speak very little Spanish,  No problem.

 

The truth is that folks who speak English can do fine almost anywhere in the world, especially Western Europe.  English is widely spoken and understood around the world, and where it is not one can usually manage quite well.   I do think that one of the great inventions, that can help in most places, is a free phone app called "Google Translate."  This program will translate nearly any language, but verbally and written.  Folks not familiar with the app should put it on their phone and spend a little time learning how it works (you can type in things, use the camera to photographs signs, and also use voice with the app.  There are some other competing products, but Google Translate will meet most needs.

 

The biggest language challenge will usually happen in some eating venues.  Spent a little time reading about the food norms where you are traveling, and also read about the tipping norms (which really do vary around the world).  Do not be an UGLY AMERICAN.  Stick to the local culture (in terms of tipping and behavior) and do not be one of those fools who thinks it's appropriate to ram American culture down the throats of folks around the world.  Always remember you are a guest in other countries, and you should act like a guest!

 

What if you do not have a smart phone?  Go out and buy one!  We are big fans of T-Mobile (for Americans) because it works in nearly all countries of the world without being forced to pay extra fees.  Other major carriers (i,e, ATT, Verizon, etc) will also work, but generally you will need to pay extra fees.  My position on Smartphones is very simple.  "It is now a necessity for international travel!"  Some argue elsewise (yes, it is possible to travel without a phone) but a phone is now one of the most important tools of travel, along with a valid Passport (valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return) and a major credit card (VISA or MC).  I do not mention AMEX (a wonderful card) because while that is a good to have, it is not as widely accepted as Visa and MC.

 

Speaking of Smartphones, learn how to use yours.  When you are on a cruise and visiting a port, make sure to put (in your phone) the name and number of the ship's local Agent as well as the emergency number to reach the ship (if it exists) and the cruise line.  All cruise lines will give you the agent info (it is usually in the daily schedule) and many will now give you a number for the ship/emergencies.  If you can't find those numbers, simply pay a visit to Guest Relations and ask!

 

Hank

[teddie2]

Hlitner thank you for all that. I agree with all you said. We always try to learn some of the language where we are going to be particularly things we will need like food and directions. 

Google translate is very helpful and have used it quite a bit. Also we have downloaded offline maps for each area we visit. In places like Venice and Mallorca where it's easy to get lost they were a godsend.  

Great idea re getting emergency contact info from the ship!  You never know.

[trinitygirl]

All of my best experiences have been small group tours booked independently - usually with guides and companies recommended here.  I would not recommend Princess (or any cruise ship) tours unless they are explicitly stated to be small group tours; the end result (in my experience) is being stuck on big buses with people who often seem to leave their capacity to process information and follow instructions behind on the ship, being shepherded around like primary school students, and often wasting time in souvenir shops).  I had a ton of OBC in August and made the mistake of booking a bunch of ship tours.  I cancelled them after the first couple and booked small group tours via Get Your Guide instead.

[no1racefan1]

We usually do a combination of ship excursions and DIY, but I'm going to play devil's advocate for ship excursions for now since most people will say the latter. Here's why I like ship excursions:

-Easy to book and not have to plan any logistics as far as where to meet the tour, time to meet the tour, etc. Just do whatever the tickets say to do. And the tickets will be placed in your stateroom.

-Book online using OBC, if available. So easy!

-No concern if ship docks late or gets off schedule--I don't have to make any alternative arrangements because it will be done for me.

-Not all ship excursions are 'big bus tours' that people refer to all the time. In fact, I have never taken an excursion on a bus (other than just a short mode of transportation to a site). The key is to RESEARCH ship excursions to see if the experience sounds like what you are looking for. Princess provides detailed excursion descriptions with times, mode of transportation, and reviews.

-SOME, but not all, ship excursions are more expensive than booking independently. Again, do your research. For our Alaska trip, all our excursions are booked through Princess and they were within $5-10 of the price listed for the individual vendors.

-Every ship excursion I have been on has actually been with a local, independent vendor. They have contracts/deals with the cruise line, but they are still local tour companies.

-No worry about being left behind. To be honest, this is mentioned as the biggest perk of ship excursions and I have never worried about it much. I know that local reputable vendors are going to make every effort to stay within the ship's schedule because that's what's best for business. I'm more interested in ship excursions for all the other reasons I listed.