Oceania Excursions

[spookysmother]

Hi - Need some help with planning our trip - sailing on 11/5 from Venice to Rome via Croatia, Florence/Pisa, Montenegro, Malta and Tunisia on Insignia. We have been looking at the excursions offered by the cruise line and find some of them quite pricey - do we need to go on the excursions or are their other ways to book the same/similar trips less expensively? Do you recommend doing some of the cities on our own and using public transportation. Also what can we expect for weather - have never traveled that late in the season to Europe and wonder if it will be too cold. Thanks!

[Aruba]

We always try to book our own excursions when we can rather than using a ship's tour. The ship's tours are more expensive and offer less flexibility than touring with a private guide or on your own. Of course, with a ship's tour you have the assurance that the ship will wait for you if you are delayed for some reason. I've always found it surprising that we can book a private guide for less money than a cruise line charges for a large group tour, but that's been our experience.

 

Check out some of the reviews on CruiseCritic of independent tours or tour guides (under Ports of Call). We have found them to be very helpful.

 

Can't help you with the weather. I've never been to Europe at that time of year.

 

PS - By the way, we have occasionally used Oceania's tours and have always found them to be enjoyable and high-quality.

[StanandJim]

spookysmother-

 

For the weather, look up your ports on a service like Weatherbase.com

http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/country.php3?r=EUR&refer=

 

To see what other people are doing on your cruise for shore excursions, post on the Roll Call (although do keep in mind that your Sailing date is 11/3/09)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=932812&highlight=november

[Mura]

You never "need" to do ship's excursions although there certainly are times when it is advised to do so.

 

In general we try to book our own tours (usually in conjunction with 2-3 other couples) or go the taxicab route at the port. But we have taken ship's tours as well. I just prefer smaller groups, and as has been said, ship's tours are less flexible. But the safety aspect (in terms of the ship not leaving you behind) should not be ignored. When we did the Buenos Aires-Santiago itinerary on NCL in January 2002, we had a ship's tour in a small, VERY small port, and our bus broke down. We didn't get back to the ship until an hour after we were supposed to leave. And they waited for us. If we'd been on our own, we'd have had to figure out how to get to the next port which was a two day sail.

 

It would seem that you have enough time to do some research, and to post more specific inquiries here and also on the yahoo board.

 

Regarding Tunisia, when we were there in November 2005 we booked the van for the day (we were 4 couples) and while expensive, it was really worth it. I don't know if this option is still available because I haven't seen it on the cruise we're about to take (!) but if it is I highly recommend it. Our guide was wonderful. I have his business card information from 4 years ago if you'd like to contact him on your own. Just email me at mkievman@nyc.rr.com.♠

[nparmelee]

I agree with Mura. You are not required to take the ship's sponsored excursions, you need to decide your comfort level with doing a specific port on your own, with a private guide or with the ship sponsored excursion. Typically, but not always, on your own is the cheapest, private excursion shared with others next less expensive and ship sponsored excursion the most $$ for the product. However, there are always times when the ship sponsored excursions may be a bit more $$ or even the same but more worthwhile if they give you peace of mind. This would apply for higher risk ports and for ports with limited time.

 

We are also doing Venice to Rome, but a different itnierary in May 2009, most of the ports we are doing on our own, I am comfortable with my research and DH does not care what we do as long as he has a good time. We have one shared private excursion planned due to time limits and are considering another for another port. I am pushign DH one day for everything we want to do, but the rest of the time is very laid back and as we go. Don't forget it is a vacation and you don't want to need a vacation from your vacation.

[Carlisle]

I agree with Mura. You are not required to take the ship's sponsored excursions, you need to decide your comfort level with doing a specific port on your own, with a private guide or with the ship sponsored excursion. Typically, but not always, on your own is the cheapest, private excursion shared with others next less expensive and ship sponsored excursion the most $$ for the product. However, there are always times when the ship sponsored excursions may be a bit more $$ or even the same but more worthwhile if they give you peace of mind. This would apply for higher risk ports and for ports with limited time.

 

We are also doing Venice to Rome, but a different itnierary in May 2009, most of the ports we are doing on our own, I am comfortable with my research and DH does not care what we do as long as he has a good time. We have one shared private excursion planned due to time limits and are considering another for another port. I am pushign DH one day for everything we want to do, but the rest of the time is very laid back and as we go. Don't forget it is a vacation and you don't want to need a vacation from your vacation.

 

We too are doing a May Venice to Rome (leaving I think on the 12th for Venice and spending a day or two on our own). We're meeting up with friends in Venice who will also be on the cruise.

 

Are you booking private tours and if so, with whom and how much, or are you planning on wandering by yourselves. When we were in Turkey and Greece two years ago, we booked private tours which we learned about from this board.

 

If anyone has any plans for private tours, please share.

 

Thanks.

[lalique]

We too are doing a May Venice to Rome (leaving I think on the 12th for Venice and spending a day or two on our own). We're meeting up with friends in Venice who will also be on the cruise.

 

Are you booking private tours and if so, with whom and how much, or are you planning on wandering by yourselves. When we were in Turkey and Greece two years ago, we booked private tours which we learned about from this board.

 

If anyone has any plans for private tours, please share.

 

Thanks.

Carlisle - Last year we corresponded on Cruise Critic Board for the June 2008 Baltic Cruise and I was hoping to be able to find you again when I came across your recent post. We had to cancel the trip as my brother became very ill and did pass away on June 28th (we would have been in St. Petersburg that day). Hope you enjoyed the cruise. We have re-booked it on the Regatta for this July. Our friends who we were to travel with also were able to cancel and we are all going together this time. We have re-booked our 3 day tour with Alla in St. Pete. Wondering if you went to Berlin and who you used for the tour. We have heard good things about Original Berlin Walks and also Viktoria with spb tours. Appreciate any info you can give us. I have re-read the info on the old site you sent from someone you knew who had taken this cruise before. Any other suggestions you have would be welcome. Thanks again and hope you enjoy your upcoming cruise.

[Paulchili]

Carlisle - Last year we corresponded on Cruise Critic Board for the June 2008 Baltic Cruise and I was hoping to be able to find you again when I came across your recent post. We had to cancel the trip as my brother became very ill and did pass away on June 28th (we would have been in St. Petersburg that day). Hope you enjoyed the cruise. We have re-booked it on the Regatta for this July. Our friends who we were to travel with also were able to cancel and we are all going together this time. We have re-booked our 3 day tour with Alla in St. Pete. Wondering if you went to Berlin and who you used for the tour. We have heard good things about Original Berlin Walks and also Viktoria with spb tours. Appreciate any info you can give us. I have re-read the info on the old site you sent from someone you knew who had taken this cruise before. Any other suggestions you have would be welcome. Thanks again and hope you enjoy your upcoming cruise.

 

We had Viktoria as our guide in St. Petersburg a couple of years ago when she worked (moonlighted?) for Alla's tours. She is outstanding. I know she is married and lives in Berlin and was trying to start her own business - I believe it is spb. If so, I would highly recommend her.

Paul

[Queen of DaNile]

We were in the Med on Regatta in November 2006 and the weather was glorious. We stopped at 2 of the ports you're hitting in Tunisia and Malta and we just grabbed a cab with another couple. Much cheaper & you make your own itinerary.