Review "on your own"

[Janobu]

Hi, my husband and I, will be cruising the Med in September. I would like to hear from people who have done their excursions on their own. We just don't have the extra 1000 $ (and more) to pay for private tours and we don't want to do the ship's tours.:eek:

 

Please share your experience with me. thank you :)

[Globaliser]

The vast majority of visitors to any city do it "on their own". I always find it difficult to understand why cruise passengers are so obssessive about being on organised tours, whether ship's tours or private tours - but it may be the same thing that drives many of them to cruise ships to begin with.

 

I very rarely do an organised tour. A guidebook and some pointers as to how to get from the ship to where I want to go is all I need. It's the same approach that I'd take if I flew to the place to visit it.

[Phoenix cruiser]

Where in the Med- big difference between Florence on your own and Libya on your own!

[Janobu]

Hi, I realized after posting that I forgot to mention the ports of call for my cruise. The ship will stop in Venice, Rome, Naples, Livorno, Villefranche, Corfu and Dubrovnik.

 

Thank you for your input.

[jmurph]

We did Venice, Corfu, Dubrovnik and Villefranche on our own last year.

 

In Venice, we received advice on how to walk to the water taxi's by using this board. If you do a search and find it, it suggests taking the pathway along the railroad, and then walking through a parking lot, over a bridge and following the canal to the public water taxi's. My only word of advice is that they do close the gates later in the day which means you have to walk back around (You will see the ship...getting there is another thing).

 

Villefranche: We took the train to Monte Carlo and the bus to the casino. (Had to see it..I even won 150 Euros.) Then stopped in Nice on the way back. There is other stops suggested such as Eze.

 

Corfu, we took the long walk along the shoreline, then up through the markets. Interesting, kind of like the beachwear etc they sell in Mexico. Kept wandering through some side streets and ate at an out of the way restaraunt.

[Jasminedog]

We did a lot on our own. Hopefully this link to my post will take you to the details. Titled "Grand Mediterranean Family Cruise with Kids"

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=391272

[envy4u]

Go to www.portreviews.com for lots of info .

[digby]

Hi, my husband and I, will be cruising the Med in September. I would like to hear from people who have done their excursions on their own. We just don't have the extra 1000 $ (and more) to pay for private tours and we don't want to do the ship's tours.:eek:

 

Please share your experience with me. thank you :)

 

 

It would help if you mentioned which ports you will be visiting.

[Janobu]

Thank you all for your input. Jasminedog: our review is very good. Thanks

[envy4u]

I am one of those people who like to do things on their own . I have never relied on any ship or private excursions to take me places. IMHO I get a better vibe and feel of the places I am visiting by beiing flexible and "going with the flow " . A week ago I got off the Voyager of the Seas and I will give a brief summary of the ports we visited.

 

Marseilles - We took a shuttle from the port to the downtown area which is called Vieux Port. It is too far too walk and dangerous .It cost us 6.00 pp each way . We walked to the Cathedral which gave you a magnificent view of Marseilles . It took about 1 hour and if you are not in good shape I would suggest you take the tram instead . It is uphill all the way . Renovations are taking place in the church .It was Sunday so all the stores were closed so we enjoyed a croissant and espresso and people watched for awhile . There was a small flea market where vendors sold local goods . I purchased some soap , tea towels , a baguette holder and a small painting . They were all reasonablly priced .

 

Rome - We took the bus from the port through RCCL for 6.00 pp one way to just outside the port. We took the free one coming back .We took the train from Civitavecchia to San Pietro . It took about 1 hour . It cost us 9 Euros each which included use of the bus and subway system too . A far cry from RCCL prices. We decided to go here first to avoid long lines . In fact we got in within 10 minutes of arriving . We somehow ended up with a tour group which got us underground St. Peter's . This is where the Popes are buried .We then went inside and spent 1 hour touring the place on our own . We then walked to the subway station and took it to the Spanish Steps . We had a bite to eat there and shopped on my favorite street Via Condotti . We made our way to the Trevi Fountain and had a gelato . We walked through Piazza Novana and took another bus to the Colesseo and the Forum . We did not go inside because I did this port 2 years ago and decided it was not worth going inside again . We took the subway back to Termini station where we spent more time shopping in the underground mall till it was time to take the 4:08 train back to Citivecchia . Make sure you allow yourself at least 15 minutes to get to the correct tracks .They are the furthest away . Plenty of time to be back by 7 pm and several hundred dollars richer .

 

Capri - We walked a short distance from the port to the hydrofoil to catch it to Capri . It was 58 Euros round trip for the 2 of us . We took the funicular up to Capri and then a bus up to Anacapri . The views are breathtakingly beautiful . We walked around this town . Went to the church and bought some water . A great tip is if you can locate a grocery store to buy bottled water do that instead of buying it from small convenient stores .Otherwise most places in Europe will charge you 1.50 E or more for a small bottle . We then took the bus back to Capri shopped in their fabulous designer boutiques and then took a hike to the Arco Naturale . I forgot which stairs to take down and ended up making an error . Never saw the Arco this time around but took about a 2 hour hike through a side of the mountain which took us to the Blue Grotto and back to Capri . We were very hot and dehydrated and had lots of time to make our way back. I would say we climbed hundreds of steps up and down . Once we got back we went to a restaurant for a bite to eat and a well deserved espesso . We then took the funiclular back down and the hydrofoil back to Naples . We were 4 hours delayed in leaving because of the disappearance of the young woman who was later found washed ashore several days later . I am not going to speculate whether it was an accident or suicide .

 

Malta - You must go up on deck to see the sail into Malta . It is quite a sight . We walked up about 120 stairs to get into town . We went to the Barruka Gardens for some photos and then walked downtown .We went into some shops and strolled the streets . The main drag is closed to cars . We went to the famous church . Beware that appropriate clothing attire is required for entry into churches . We then took a leisurely walk back to the ship . There is some more shopping outside the ship in the terminal with Maltese local goods .

 

Palma De Mallorca - We took the local #1 bus just outside the ship for 1.10 Lira into town . We went to the church and then went shopping and bought several pieces of pearl jewelery . We then took the bus to the shopping centre had a bite to eat and of course shop . If you can't tell my daughter and I love to shop . We then took the #3 local bus to the beach . Spent the afternoon at the beach with some entertainers we ran into and had a lovely day relaxing .

 

This cruise is very port intensive and there is not much time to rest . If we did get back to the ship early we would try and make time for some R&R by the pool . I need a vacation from this vacation . lol

 

If you have any questions please feel to ask .

[SqueakyDust]

Thanks for your review.

I'm interested in Palma, Mallorca.

You mentioned shopping for pearls and also a shopping center - could you please advise where these are?

 

Thanks

[envy4u]

The shopping centre is located on the main street when exiting the port . If you take the #1 bus it will take you there or it is a 20 minute walk from the ship . The other shopping area is about a 15 minute #3 bus ride away . Here you will find the Cathedral as well as many designer stores . We bought our pearls from a store called Majorica . You will see them everywhere . I believe that Cortes de Ingles (a dept. store ) also has a Majorica in it . They had a sale on certain items at 50% off regular price . Hope that helps .

[SqueakyDust]

Yes, it does a bit - thanks :)

[Susan-M]

Please share your experience with me. thank you :)

 

We really enjoy touring on our own ... lots of preparation, but well worth it.

Here is a link to a review I wrote of our Millennium Med cruise last Sept. (We visited all of the ports you mention except Corfu): http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=240792

[roothy123]

We always go off on our own - combination of walk, bus, train, rental car - WHATEVER! In the Med, it's pretty easy. For Livorno, we found the bus to the train station and took the train to Firenze.Fairly easy. For Rome, we also took the train. For Palma, we rented a car (in town, although there was a car rental place right there by the dock) and drove out to the countryside because I wanted to see more than just Palma. We also spent a little time in Palma - probably enough to do just there if you don't feel that adventuresome. If you want more specific info, let me know or email me directly at harrynav@erols.com -Ruth

[JPH814]

I know trips to ports can be done on your own. However, when you only have 8 hours in an area like Amalfi or Sicily, I do not want to spend time just wandering around or learning the subway system. The advantage to me of a guided tour is efficiency. A guide knows the best routes, the time of day that one area is crowded and another area is less crowded, how to get reservations in advance and even suggestions for restaurants. And a major advantage over rental cars is the ability for a local driver to navigate the crazy streets and also not worrying about parking in very congested areas - they drop you off and come back to get you a short while later.

 

The biggest regret I had on our last cruise was attempting to take the local bus in Barcellona. It took 2 hours to take us what should have been no more than 30 minutes. It was a lot of wasted time.

 

I would not do a ship's sponsored tour, however, We had great experience hiring drivers in advance and having them waiting for us when we got off the ship. (we had 3 couples and split the cost) For example, we were in a van with our driver in naples by 7:30 AM when most other people were just getting on the ships excursion bus. In Sicily we were leaving Mt Etna when the tour buses were pulling in. Each of our tours were 60% to 80% of the cost of a ship's tour and we had much more flexibility (no waiting for 45 people to use the rest room!) The ship will scare you into thaking their tour by saying they will guarentee you returning to the ship on time and not missing the sail away. Any reputable tour operator will make sure you are back with plkenty to spare

[10july86]

Do you have an email address for Salvatore Lucibello? I am taking the Voyager of the Seas with my family next year and I'm researching guides. Have you used him before and if not what have you heard about him?

 

Thanks-

 

Brianne

[Debbierpof]

We did taxi cabs in Livorno, Rome and Dubrovnic. All were excellent! Especially for Florence and Rome being larger cities it was very convenient (time wise) to have the cabby take you from place to place (even moreso when it's 100 degrees). Money worth spent and it was still a ton cheaper than the shore excursions. Villefranche was easy to use the train to get to Monaco. We hired a private guide for Marseilles, Amalfi and Athens. Great deals, great lessons from the guides and peace of mind. Barcelona we did the metro and walked (cab only for airport and seaport). I was a skeptic about "on your own" but now I'm a believer.

[PoohUnderstands]

Janabu:

What ship and date are you on? We are also doing the same ports of call leaving Barcelona on September 20th.

 

Salvatore Lucibellow's information is:

www.driveamalfi.com and his email address is *****

 

We are using private tours all the way. Not the big bus ones. We will be going with 2 other couples. This way it is small but still less expensive than the ships' tours.

 

We are using www.revelation-tours.com for Villefranche; www.limoinrome.com for Livorno; Salvatore for Naples; and www.driverinrome.com for Rome. I am so excited as it is less than 45 days away!!!

 

Have a great cruise everyone!

 

Pooh

[Maggie Mae]

We used Sylvie in Villefranche and she was excellent - we had a short day there and she gave us guided tours of Eze, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Nice and a few other small medievel towns along the way. She was very interesting and infomative and we saw much more than others using the trains and busses.

[Janobu]

Thank you all for your infos.

 

Susan-M : I read your review with great interest. This is exactly what we have in mind. I will keep your comments in mind.

 

Envy4u : your day in Rome is very interesting. I'm going to copy and paste it in my "Rome folder".:)

 

We have been to Italy before, and we don't want to go crazy and try to see everything. We are fully aware that there is a maximum you can do in a day.

 

Again, thank you all.

[bonnieg]

Janobu, I posted a port review from our 7/30 Jewel cruise. It is on page 3 of this board under 7/30 Jewel-independently. There is a lot of info you might be interested in.

[mamaof2]

Debierpof,

 

I am thinking about renting a cab in Florence. I remember I was in Florence 4 days and it was just great to walk, but this time I have 1 day with my parents who are 71, and I am worried that my father cannot walk for a long distances. So, from your experience - should I rent a cab or just walk and enjoy city and have a wheel chair, so he can sit when he gets tired? We'll be there in October. Somehow I feel that you have to walk to get a sense of the city like Florence and hoping in and out of the car would be to hectic. I would appreciate your thoughts! Thanks!

[envy4u]

Thank you all for your infos.

 

Susan-M : I read your review with great interest. This is exactly what we have in mind. I will keep your comments in mind.

 

Envy4u : your day in Rome is very interesting. I'm going to copy and paste it in my "Rome folder".:)

 

We have been to Italy before, and we don't want to go crazy and try to see everything. We are fully aware that there is a maximum you can do in a day.

 

Again, thank you all.

 

I am glad you got something out of my posting at least I feel it was worth my time .

[Janobu]

 

Rome - We took the bus from the port through RCCL for 6.00 pp one way to just outside the port. We took the free one coming back .We took the train from Civitavecchia to San Pietro . It took about 1 hour . It cost us 9 Euros each which included use of the bus and subway system too . A far cry from RCCL prices. We decided to go here first to avoid long lines . In fact we got in within 10 minutes of arriving . We somehow ended up with a tour group which got us underground St. Peter's . This is where the Popes are buried .We then went inside and spent 1 hour touring the place on our own . We then walked to the subway station and took it to the Spanish Steps . We had a bite to eat there and shopped on my favorite street Via Condotti . We made our way to the Trevi Fountain and had a gelato . We walked through Piazza Novana and took another bus to the Colesseo and the Forum . We did not go inside because I did this port 2 years ago and decided it was not worth going inside again . We took the subway back to Termini station where we spent more time shopping in the underground mall till it was time to take the 4:08 train back to Citivecchia . Make sure you allow yourself at least 15 minutes to get to the correct tracks .They are the furthest away . Plenty of time to be back by 7 pm and several hundred dollars richer .

 

envy4u : Is it possible timewise to walk all the stops you did, instead of taking the bus or subway. We are not planning on visiting the Vatican (we've already been there) and we just want to SEE most things not visit them.

 

Capri - Never saw the Arco this time around but took about a 2 hour hike through a side of the mountain which took us to the Blue Grotto and back to Capri .

/quote]

 

Did you see the Blue Grotto ? How much time do you think we need to do that excursion.

 

Thank you for your answers.