Med. cruise excursions

[Clinching]

I have taken the plunge and booked our first cruise (Oceania Nautica, Barcelona to Athens. I would appreciate some advice re. Excursions. My dilemma is, we chose this cruise because the itinery gave us opportunity to see Rome, Florence etc. However, I hadn't appreciated distances from ports etc. and would like to experience rather than rush around and glimpse everything and I would like to be able to relax a little. Am I being realistic? . I wondered if anyone else has felt like this. I am beginning to think I have made a mistake in booking a cruise.

[CruiserBruce]

Seriously doubt you made a mistake in booking a cruise.

 

If you want a in depth experience in Rome, for example, you need at least two, if not three days. No cruise will give you that. But, if you are like us, we will go back to Italy next year to explore more.

[paul929207]

Travel distance certainly impacts your ability to see some of the cities. I suggest you find a private tour that includes as many of your must sees as possible in the alloted time. Not seeing everything is OK. That gives you a reason to go back.

[Girr]

IMO the one downside to cruises are the short periods in port :(. The upside is it helps me determine where I must go back on a longer land trip! :)

 

I see your cruise ends in Athens. Have you considered (or have the time) after arriving in Athens to travel back to Italy on your way back home for a few days? Athens to Rome is a easy trip via train/ferry or air (I believe Easy Jet is still flying this route). You could spend a few days in Rome then take the train on to Florence. From there you'd have the option of train or plane back to the UK.

[rmurray847]

I have taken the plunge and booked our first cruise (Oceania Nautica, Barcelona to Athens. I would appreciate some advice re. Excursions. My dilemma is, we chose this cruise because the itinery gave us opportunity to see Rome, Florence etc. However, I hadn't appreciated distances from ports etc. and would like to experience rather than rush around and glimpse everything and I would like to be able to relax a little. Am I being realistic? . I wondered if anyone else has felt like this. I am beginning to think I have made a mistake in booking a cruise.

 

Cruising is FANTASTIC...you didn't make a mistake. However, be realistic, a few hours in a port of big city is not enough time to see everything. But as others have said, it's great to go back one day, especially when you have already been. It makes that return visit so much calmer because you have your bearings already.

 

having said that, IF you can afford private excursions, they can certainly help you maximize your time. Last year, we were docked in Livorno and our driver got us to Pisa (where we climbed the tower and there were almost no crowds), then off to Florence where we visited BOTH the Uffizzi and the Academia (for the David). We had time for a quick lunch, a brief visit to Ponte Vecchio and a fairly brief visit to the Duomo. We even breezed through the leather market to gift shop for our daughter. It was hectic, and yes, we could have spent more time (especially in the Uffizi)...but we really hit the highlights and now have a good feel for Florence overall. I would say that having our driver allowed us to see easily 50% more than those folks on the tour bus excursions...but you do pay for the privilege.

[KirkNC]

Med cruises do tend to have a rushed feeling. Few sea days and ports that often require some traveling can create a rushed environment.

[Clinching]

Thanks for the feedback. Would you say a private driver is the best option or would a transfer into Rome or Florence and just walk around ourselves be more relaxing? We're not worried about seeing everything all at once, we can return for a few days at anytime. We travel a great deal and like to try different experiences. As we have not tried cruising, the

idea was to try a 10 day cruise and if we enjoy it, to venture further afield.

[CruiserBruce]

Thanks for the feedback. Would you say a private driver is the best option or would a transfer into Rome or Florence and just walk around ourselves be more relaxing? We're not worried about seeing everything all at once, we can return for a few days at anytime. We travel a great deal and like to try different experiences. As we have not tried cruising, the

idea was to try a 10 day cruise and if we enjoy it, to venture further afield.

 

A little reading on the boards would find private drivers are excellent ways to use your time most efficiently. Probably the best way to do so.

[Waihekean]

For many of us the most enjoyable way to do a Med cruise is to add some days before and/or after the cruise for a non rushed experience for the places like Rome, Florence, Venice or Amalfi coast.

 

As you would be arriving a day before the cruise anyway, it is easy to organise some more days. For example did one last year with my elderly mother and spend one and a half days in Rome and we got to see a lot of the highlights and how Rome is at night.

 

This year I will be going with my husband and we will spend 3 days in Venice, followed by 2 days in Florence, an 11 night cruise to Greece, Turkey and Italy and then 4 days in Rome.

 

Also look for cruises that have an overnight stay (like Istanbul) and at least a couple of seadays.

If you then have a Rome or Florence day, you can stay on board and use that day as an extra sea day to rest.

 

Just organise accommodation early (as soon as bookings are available, about 1 year ahead) to keep costs down.

[TravelingAPor]

Murray: Who did you use for Florence? That is exactly what I want to do. Thank you! :)

[Loonbeam]

Don't know who Murray used, but check out the extensive Rome In Limo questions thread for one very popular company.

 

Murray: Who did you use for Florence? That is exactly what I want to do. Thank you! :)

[Keith1010]

The cruise will be great.

 

Be sure you post on the respective boards for input on your ports such as the Spain board for Barcelona and the Greece Board for Athens.

 

Keith

[TravelingAPor]

I just received a quote from RIL and it is the best price, so far.:)

Due to the fact that we are a large family, I need 2 limos.

The law is no more than 8, in a van, and we have 9. This really hurts us.

[slidergirl]

I'll speak up for the DIY crowd.

Since you said you really don't want to rush though Rome and Florence to say you saw everything, I would say to research this board for all the DIY threads. Rome and Florence (especially Florence, I think) are very easy to do on your own. Do some reading - figure out one or two big things you want to be sure to explore in each city. Then, you can look at the "breeze by" things and add a few and add some time for just aimless wandering, a relaxing lunch, and just some people watching. You can do the "take the train" in and be totally DIY, or you can opt for a middle-groud of the ship-provide bus into each, where they drive you to a spot, turn you loose for 4-6 hours and then drive you back to the ship.

 

I've been to Rome a few times and my last trip last month was the first time I saw the Colosseum. I just had other things I wanted to do, plus I'm an avid "just aimlessly wander and run into what I run into" kind of traveler :)

 

Cruisemom42 and Virtual Rain have threads pretty current on the DIY Rome experience. And there is one on the first page of the board about what to do in Florence without doing the museums. Your other ports may be excursion-intensive, but you could take Rome and Florence in a relaxing manner...

[TravelingDiva1]

Did a Med cruise last month and had a great time. There are several places I want to return to for longer visited. We used a broker, but ended up with Travel Tuscany for Cruise for our Florence/Pisa stop. Our driver was Simona and she was GREAT! We had time on our own in both places and she offered recommendations for lunch and shopping. She had new Mercedes vans that could fit up to 6 and even offered free WiFi. She is based out of Livorno and her email is SimonaBagnoli@gmail.com.