New with Regent, shore excursion questions

[travelwell]

We are splurging this summer and taking our 2 adult children, ages 26 and 23 on their first European cruise on the Navigator on June 7th to the 14th. This is our first time with Regent having had a wonderful experience with Oceania last year. We have even higher expectations for this cruise line and have enjoyed reading this message board.

I am debating the ships shore excursions vers doing places on our own. We have arranged for a guide in Ephesus and are going to drive the kids to Orvieto the day we are in port in Rome. We will probably do a ships shore excursion in Sicily and perhaps Santorini. My husband and I are participating in the Food and Wine Circle of Interest cruise and have a full day with that program in Sorrento. I love this area of Italy and want the kids to have a great time. If we were to send them on the ships shore excursion is the pace liable to be too slow for their age group? I would also love to have feedback on the quality of Regents shore excursions.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I loved Sorrento (actually - all of Italy!), although I did a tour there and not a cruise. I would have to ask which tour?

 

The Regent tourbook lists the activity levels of the excursion and you could change it on board if you select the wrong one. In Santorini, you can do the island on your own. It's very easy. Ephesus is definitely where a private guide is terrific (and you can miss the Rug Sales Demo)

 

We've found most of the excursions to be decent, but, comparing with a private guide, we generally prefer the guide. We almost always travel with others to share the guide or we hire a taxi in port because we are generally comfortable with doing that.

[RachelG]

We rarely do the ship's excursions, usually only when it is somewhere that it would be very difficult or inconvenient to do on our own or to hire a private guide. We prefer to move along at our own (usually faster) pace, and we don't like having to do the long bathroom stops.

For this cruise, I think you are right on with the private guide in Ephesus--absolutely amazing place. In Santorini, you can easily do everything on your own as ChatCat said. In Sorrento, I would probably take the train to Pompeii if I had not already gone--easy to do--or take the boat over to Capri. Or you could hire a taxi at the dock to drive down the Amalfi coast, just be careful about getting back on time. Your kids are old enough to figure out what is most interesting to them.

When we were on our Greek island cruise, one of my boys' favorite days (they were teenagers), was in Naphlion when my husband, our friends, and I rented a car and drove around to the sights. We left them in town, and they had a great time on their own. They walked all over.

I haven't been to Sicily, but my inclination there would be to do my research then hire a taxi at the pier to do the sightseeing.

[Iamboatman]

Regent's ship tours are generally OK, but I agree that private guides are superior in most instances. When you compare the price for 4 on ship's tour and the cost of a private guide, I think you will find extra value in the private guide.

 

Also, you really do not need a guide in Santorini. Most of the charm would, IMO, be lost being part of a group. You can easily rent a car and drive the island - it is virtually impossible to get lost! - then kick back and relax wherever its charms tell you to.

[travelwell]

Thank you for the kind input. We will do Santorini on our own. Sorrento is still the big concern as this is both kids first time in continental Europe and the thought of them dealing with trains etc to Pompeii, sounds a bit too much. They probably would disagree! Also, this is the only port that my husband and I almost missed the ship trying to get a taxi. If it was just my husband and me I would share a private guide thru roll-call, which worked well last year. I imagine it will be harder to find folks interested in sharing a private tour with 2 adults of this age group, though I might be surprised. I could arrange private tour for the two of them but seems a bit over the top extravagant (on an already over the top tour), though that is not out of the question. Thank you again for your comments, as usual we have found this board to be invaluable.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

You might feel more at ease yourself in Sorrento if your kids are on a ship's tour. Looks like there's lots of variety, I'm sure there would be something to suit them. Then you can relax and enjoy your own day, and not worry if they are going to miss the ship.

[RachelG]

Circumvesuviana train goes directly from Sorrento to Pompeii--very straight forward, but if you are worried, I would let them decide what ship's tour they want to do. Also the boat from Sorrento to Capri is really easy to do.

[tallship]

We used Gennaro from www.sorrentolimo.com and he was exceptional.

On time, very knowledgeable and totally customized the day to our interests.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

One of my fonder memories is of terrorizing the island of Santorini on rented mopeds. You can see the sights outside of the towns and navigate through narrow sidestreets/walkways, etc. in the towns. Wear shoes, not flip-flops, and wear the helmet.

 

Not recommended for klutzes though, saw several folks slide out on gravel, etc.....

[Iamboatman]

Circumvesuviana train goes directly from Sorrento to Pompeii--very straight forward, but if you are worried, I would let them decide what ship's tour they want to do. Also the boat from Sorrento to Capri is really easy to do.

 

Trains in Italy always sound so good...and they are IF there is no snap strike. I have too many stories of well intentioned cruisers stranded because of them. I would probably try them if I was land-based, but not on a cruise.

 

BTW, Santorini is one of the only places I think mopeds are probably a safe and fun way to travel because of the lack of traffic and open roads. (Just don't hit the gravel on the side of the road.:eek: )

[travelwell]

Thanks to all the advice on our shore excursions. All I can add at this point is if you see 4 adults on mopeds on June 9th in Santorini give them ALOT of space.

[jhp]

Travelwell, I also cruise with my adult children and love it! When we were in the Med once, my daughter and I got a private driver to take us from Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast, it was a day-long tour, stopping for lunch in Positano and wandering along to climb down the hill to the beach. Next cruise, I had her brother and wife with me, and we took the ferry to Capri, and got a neat car and driver with a convertible, and toured there, going to AnaCapri! I don't recall that we had a meal in some neat restaurant or cafe, but we had good times, the 4 of us!

 

You are brave to do scooters in Santorini! Get yourself to Oia to see what it used to be like in Thira, beautiful photo ops and views (those blue/white buildings you see in the travel brochures), and if time, to the far other end of the island for Akrotiri ruins.

 

You are lucky they want to go with you at this age, when you can really enjoy them as adults! Out of the "stage" when you are still "teaching and preaching"! Enjoy your cruise!