Shore excursions from Ventura, Help!!

[Aglev]

Could someone please advise me as this is our first ever cruise and I have been reading a lot of your reviews, which has helped a lot but we were wondering how easy or difficult it was when the Ventura docks at Florence/Pisa to do your own thing? :confused: I really fancy visiting the leaning tower, and wondered should I just go with their trip or try to get to it independently?? Also can anyone tell me how long the ship is in port at Barcelona as it says a day at port but all the trips seem to be just morining into early afternoon?:confused:

Thanking you in advance.:)

[tightwad]

We were round the med on Ventura just last month and when we docked at Livorno we just had a lazy day on board the ship and did not bother doing any trips but from what i heard others say i think most people did the P&O excursions to Florence but went independantly to Pisa , other people might have better idea than me on this one , as for Barcelona i can assure you that the ship will not leave until 6pm -6. 30 at the earliest, hope you have better weather than we did in Barcelona as it rained when we were there but it is still a beautiful city , enjoy the cruise.

[scrozuk]

We sailed into Livorno on Independence of the Seas a couple of years ago, but basically you get transferred to the centre of the town Livorno, and from there, you can catch a public bus to the train station and take a train into Pisa. Buses are quite cheap, think it was 1Euro per person.

 

Mistake we made was to walk from the drop off point in the town and walk to the train station. Would have saved ourselves a 45 min walk, although it was a nice walk..

 

Train fares from Livorno to Pisa are quite reasonable, think it was only 20-30 mins on the train, and quite punctual.

 

From the train station, you can walk through the centre of Pisa, across the river and down some streets until you eventually near the Tower of Pisa.

 

If you need to stop in Pisa for something to eat, have found that the restaurants further away from the tower, the more authentic they are. We found a little Italian restaurant to stop in, and had a fantastic meal. The ones closest to the tower are pretty much generic rubbish.

 

Wouldn't know about travelling independently to Florence as we decided it was Pisa for us this time.

 

Scrozuk

[BrianI]

Also can anyone tell me how long the ship is in port at Barcelona as it says a day at port but all the trips seem to be just morining into early afternoon?:confused:

Thanking you in advance.:)

If it says a day, this is normally 8am to 5 or 6pm, probably 6pm from Barcelona as its not too far to the next port. You will get the precise times when you get the excursion book and luggage labels 6 weeks before departure.

Brian

[tom_uk]

We did a d-i-y trip to Pisa a few years ago. We took the cruise line's (not P&O) shuttle bus into the centre of Livorno. From there we got a bus (#1?) to the station - it's at least a mile and a half from town, possibly further - and at the station we got a train to Pisa. I think the train journey took, as others have said, about 30 minutes, and was pretty cheap. But - if you use the train in Italy, remember to validate your ticket! You'll get a big instant fine of you don't and you get caught.

 

When we got to Pisa we found a map-board outside the station which gave us directions to the Tower. It was a good walk from the station - at least 20 minutes. We had some lunch in the main part of town which wasn't very good.

 

Getting back to the ship was reverse of the trip out: walk back to Pisa station, train to Livorno, bus from Livorno station to Livorno tow, and shuttle bus into the docks and round to the ship. It's all a bit of a faff, and if you were going to Florence it might take too long, which is why we've decided to do an excursion from Livorno in a couple of weeks. But Pisa is a much shorter train journey so the time pressures are less.

 

Theoretically it's possible to get a taxi from the ship to Livorno station, but there are stories about taxi drivers refusing to do such a short journey.

[LibraLass41]

Could someone please advise me as this is our first ever cruise and I have been reading a lot of your reviews, which has helped a lot but we were wondering how easy or difficult it was when the Ventura docks at Florence/Pisa to do your own thing? :confused: I really fancy visiting the leaning tower, and wondered should I just go with their trip or try to get to it independently?? Also can anyone tell me how long the ship is in port at Barcelona as it says a day at port but all the trips seem to be just morining into early afternoon?:confused:

Thanking you in advance.:)

 

You say 'when Ventura docks at Florence/Pisa' it doesn't dock there it docks at Liverno as mentioned above. If you want to just go to Florence book the coach trip called Florence 'on your own' , or some such name, but there will be a trip that just coaches you to Florence when you have 5 or so hours to explore and have lunch and then take coach back again.

Same with Pisa. When I went there was Pisa 'on your own' Florence AND Pisa in one day (I did this) and 'Pisa and swim' which combined some time at a beach plus time at Pisa to see the leaning tower.

 

 

 

Barcelona on the other hand is near where the ship docks, you will be there all day and can take the free shuttle coach to La Ramblas and then walk through the markets and cafes to the town itself. Perhaps take a HOHO (HOPON HOPOFF) Sight seeing tour bus to see the sites. The trips are 1/2 day ones to allow you flexability, perhaps do a morning trip then go into town and explore, or go back to the ship and have lunch and sun bathe, whatever.

[MattyBarlow]

As this is your first ever cruise, play safe and take the ships tour. I would do a trip that combines Florence and Pisa as Pisa on its own is a little bit of a let down.

If you enjoy your cruise and decide to do another, then consider doing trips on your own. Just remember the ship will not wait for you if you are late. If you are on a ships tour then they will wait for you. Play it safe for your first one :D

 

Somewhere like Barcelona, yes do it yourself.

[LibraLass41]

As this is your first ever cruise, play safe and take the ships tour. I would do a trip that combines Florence and Pisa as Pisa on its own is a little bit of a let down.

If you enjoy your cruise and decide to do another, then consider doing trips on your own. Just remember the ship will not wait for you if you are late. If you are on a ships tour then they will wait for you. Play it safe for your first one :D

 

Somewhere like Barcelona, yes do it yourself.

 

Totally agree Matt, we did the above, although Florence and Pisa was a long day (11hrs) with a lot of coach travel in hot weather, but it was great to see both places, now i've 'done' Pisa if I went again I would spend a full day in Florence, so much to see there.

[Thejuggler]

It would be easier for all if they moved the leaning tower to Florence - as others have stated on this thread Pisa isn't worth visiting for anything else.

[Aglev]

Thank you all very much for your reply's they have been very helpfull. Have given me food for thought, major debate between hubby n self.:)

Will be reading all q&a's for next few weeks. N Tightwad , thank you I am sure we will enjoy the cruise.

Aglev.