Tour costs for 12 Night Med cruise?

[LarryF]

Hello everyone,

 

DW and I are thinking about a 12 night med cruise on the Ruby this September. I know this is not an easy question as everyone is different, but can some of you that have experienced this type of trip give me a ball park idea of what we might spend on tours? We would only book independent tours and in some ports try to our own thing... Ports are Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Capri/Naples, Mykonos, Istanbul, Kusadasi, Athens and Venice.

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

[Toto2Kansas]

I can't imagine how anyone is going to even give a ball park figure on this one. Tours (even private ones) range from very very high to high in the Med depending on what you are looking to see and do, no bargains that we saw anywhere.

May I suggest you might make a visit to the roll call of the ship you are thinking of sailing on and just maybe you would be able to get some ideas from those getting private tours together for this cruise, as I am sure some have already gotten together and emailed for prices. It might help! Good Luck!

[sunshine nana]

At some ports, the ship will be close to the city (Barcelona, Venice, Athens), but others are an hour or more away (Rome, Florence). That will make a big difference in whether you go on your own or take an excursion.

[LarryF]

I know everyone is different, but just trying to get a ballpark. We were in Alaska two years ago for a one week cruise and rented a car for 7 days and made our way from Seward to Denali. We spent approximately $1,800 for 10 tours and a rental car. Most expensive tour was $450 per couple and least expensive was $15 for the Sealife Center.

 

Hoping those that have made the trip will share the ballpark they spent on tours...like we did in Alaska.

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

[asctony]

Princess Cruise Tours Ruby Princess 9/09

Pompeii, Sorrento & Capri NAPA1 D 7:15am R 5:15pm 10 hours $229.00 * 2 = $458.00

Grand Istanbul With Lunch In An Ottoman Home ISTB1 D 8:45am R 5:15pm $179.00 * 2 = $358.00 8.5 Hours

Elite Collection: The Terrace Houses & Ephesus KU1E1$99.00 * 2 = $198.00 4.5 Hours

These are the ones we took with Princess.

We did private tours in Florence, Rome, Athens and they each averaged around $250.00 for two people.

Hope this gives you some idea.

[skellis]

In Barcelona you can take the Hop on hop off bus (find it on the internet) which is not far from the port area its about $24 per person, payable on the bus. It goes to the major cites and you can get on and off at specific stops. the full circuit takes about an hour and they have narration with free (new) earphones in 8 or so languages. It goes to all the major destinations including the Picasso museum, the Gaudi sites (Sagrada Familia, which is fantastic, as well as his most famous buildings) the Miro museum the Olympic sites and other locations.

 

I spent 3 days in Barcelona and still couldn't see it all.

[LarryF]

Princess Cruise Tours Ruby Princess 9/09

Pompeii, Sorrento & Capri NAPA1 D 7:15am R 5:15pm 10 hours $229.00 * 2 = $458.00

Grand Istanbul With Lunch In An Ottoman Home ISTB1 D 8:45am R 5:15pm $179.00 * 2 = $358.00 8.5 Hours

Elite Collection: The Terrace Houses & Ephesus KU1E1$99.00 * 2 = $198.00 4.5 Hours

These are the ones we took with Princess.

We did private tours in Florence, Rome, Athens and they each averaged around $250.00 for two people.

Hope this gives you some idea.

 

Thanks so much...this is exactly what I was looking for!

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

[Toto2Kansas]

Princess Cruise Tours Ruby Princess 9/09

Pompeii, Sorrento & Capri NAPA1 D 7:15am R 5:15pm 10 hours $229.00 * 2 = $458.00

Grand Istanbul With Lunch In An Ottoman Home ISTB1 D 8:45am R 5:15pm $179.00 * 2 = $358.00 8.5 Hours

Elite Collection: The Terrace Houses & Ephesus KU1E1$99.00 * 2 = $198.00 4.5 Hours

These are the ones we took with Princess.

We did private tours in Florence, Rome, Athens and they each averaged around $250.00 for two people.

Hope this gives you some idea.

 

If memory serves me correctly, the Elite Collection tour of the Terrace Houses and Ephesus was the least expensive tour we took, and that was booked through the ship. All the rest were private excursions.

[cruisemom42]

The going price for a private tour for up to (I think) 8 people with Rome in Limo, a highly regarded agency in Italy, is 600 euro (yes, that's just less than $900 US). They do tours in Rome, Florence, and Naples. If you were to do all 3 ports with them, you can expect a 50 euro discount (e.g., 550 instead of 600).

 

I suggest you check on the Ports of Call (Mediterranean) boards for great discussions on private tours.

 

Greece is a little cheaper -- maybe 450 to 500 euro for a full-day private tour. Again, generally for a group of up to 8 people.

 

Turkey is cheaper still. I highly recommend Ekol Travel for Kusadasi. Istanbul can be easily done on your own if you're not afraid to take the local tram.

 

You really do not need tours in Mykonos and Venice.

[epixx]

I'll give this one a try. We, a family of 4, sailed Ruby Princess Venice to Barcelona last summer.

Venice: We purchased 36 hour vaporetto passes for about 20 euros pp, as we stayed overnight before cruise departure. We spent somewhere around 30 euros for a family ticket to Doge's palace. We spent around 60 euros (total) for food in 36 hours (hotel served a big breakfast so we only needed to buy one dinner -- pizza, pasta, and gelato) and another 50 euros for souvenirs.

 

Athens: We took a taxi to and from the Acropolis area (25 euros to get there and 11 euros return for 4 people). The Acropolis cost 12 euros pp. We spent an additional 2 euros total (!!!!!!) to visit the new Acropolis Museum. This must have been the biggest bargain in Europe, since the introductory price was 1 euro per adult and free for kids. Souvenirs cost about an addition 20 euros.

 

Istanbul: Hard to remember exact prices. We took tram (1.5 TL per person) to Sultanhamet. I think that Hagia Sophia was about the equivalent of $15 to $20 pp, but I might be wrong. Blue Mosque was free. Basilica Cisterns: I cannot remember the cost, but I believe it was less that the equivalent of $10 pp. We walked from there to the Grand Bazaar and spent a total of $0 on souvenirs. Returned to ship via tram.

 

Ephesus: Had a fabulous 1/2 day private tour of Ephesus and Terrace houses for just the 4 of us. Hello Ephesus tour company charged a total of $120 for 4 people. Great tour company. Spent about the equivalent of $20 on souvenirs.

 

Mykonos: Took tender (free). Walked around town (very windy). Spent about 10 euros on souvenirs.

 

Civitavecchia, Livorno, Naples: Shared all day tours (All Around Italy) with another group of 4. Toured Rome (ancient and Vatican), Pisa and Florence, and Pompeii and Amalfi Coast. Cost for all 3 days for 4 people: 800 euros. Spent additional euros to climb Tower of Pisa, see David in Accademia, Vatican entrance and private tour guide of Vatican, entrance to Pompeii. Cost of these extras was probably about 100 euros pp. Spent about 20 euros pp total on food for the 3 days (pizza and gelato).

 

Monaco: Walked to Oceanographic Museum. I cannot remember cost, but guessing around 10 euros pp. Spent another 4 euros pp on crepes.

 

Barcelona: Took metros (very cheap) around city. Spent about 5 euros pp entry to one of the city parks.

 

Please ask if you have any further questions.

[asctony]

Thanks so much...this is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks,

Larry

 

Personally, if we were to do it over again, we would do all private tours. Don't like waiting for people and tour guides. Spent too much time to our liking at some places and not enough at others. With your private tours you can sort of dictate how much time you want to spend at a given location and then move on. Whereas, with a tour guide they normally have a set time on how much time to spend at a given location.

 

In Turkey a carpet weaving demo was a carpet sales pitch. We only had 30 minutes to see the Grand Bazaar. Spent way too much time at Pompeii during the hottest part of the day.

 

When booking a private tour -be careful of is the size of the vehicle. In Athens they use Mercedes Benz E300. Too small for 4 people as one sits up front and the other 3 in the back seat. These are just my opinions. Hope this also helps you. Happy Cruising!

[maryhill1]

Hello everyone,

 

DW and I are thinking about a 12 night med cruise on the Ruby this September. I know this is not an easy question as everyone is different, but can some of you that have experienced this type of trip give me a ball park idea of what we might spend on tours? We would only book independent tours and in some ports try to our own thing... Ports are Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Capri/Naples, Mykonos, Istanbul, Kusadasi, Athens and Venice.

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

 

Hi larry,

Im Elaine from Scotland and Ive been to Athens loads of times (the last time 4 weeks ago on a cruise) Don't take a private tour--use the Metro from piraeus into Central Athens= there are 3 main lines to take- I usually take the train that goes to to "The Plaka" ( market area- as its right next to the Acropolis and the museum) The station is about a 10min walk from the port- it takes about 20mins to get there and only cost approx 1.5 euros each way. if you search under the the Athens Metro- it will give you a detailed plan of the metro and where to get off for all the major attractions.

 

For Rome-- you can get a train from Citt. port to Rome takes about 1.5 hrs and then jump th ho-ho.

as we had my elderly mum - we booked a private car that picked us up at the ship exit-took us everywhere in Rome we wanted to see( including a few places we didnt even know existed) and it was fantastic.

Much cheaper than ship tours and many other private tours- the drivers are so knowledgable you dont need to hire a guide( they can even get you discounted tickets for all the major attractions)

hope this helps.

If you need more info on these destinations - feel free to give me a shout on my thead-- "sea princess Jan 24 2011- who's going"

 

Ps if you have any info on the caribbean you think i should know - please let me know--haven't been ---yet!!!!!:)

 

 

Elaine

[asctony]

Personally, if we were to do it over again, we would do all private tours. Don't like waiting for people and tour guides. Spent too much time to our liking at some places and not enough at others. With your private tours you can sort of dictate how much time you want to spend at a given location and then move on. Whereas, with a tour guide they normally have a set time on how much time to spend at a given location.

 

In Turkey a carpet weaving demo was a carpet sales pitch. We only had 30 minutes to see the Grand Bazaar. Spent way too much time at Pompeii during the hottest part of the day.

 

When booking a private tour -be careful of is the size of the vehicle. In Athens they use Mercedes Benz E300. Too small for 4 people as one sits up front and the other 3 in the back seat. These are just my opinions. Hope this also helps you. Happy Cruising!

 

Just saw another posting and agree with that: When I say a private tour, I am talking about a car or van that is for a couple or two couples. Not a tour bus, etc.

[maryhill1]

hi larry- sorry should have said---- the company we used in Rome was MB Tours Rome owned by Maurizio.

The company provide top of the range Mercedes Cars/ fantastic drivers (so- no need to hire a guide) and for 3 adults I paid 400 Euros- in total. good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

Elaine

[seamwoman]

We're on the Ruby in May and have all private tours with cc friends - I'm budgeting about $2,000 for our tours - does that sound like a ballpark?

Karen

[jamiegirl]

What tour company did you use for the private tours in FLorence and ROme?

[jamiegirl]

That is what I am budgeting as well, based upon my extensive research! Doing a combination of Princess Tours and Rome Connection, which seems to have lower prices than the group tours!:)

[seamwoman]

In Italy we are using All Around Italy - highly recommended on CC.