MSC excursion "Florence and Pisa with Smart Device"

[RoyalVisit]

We've booked an MSC excursion entitled "Florence and Pisa with Smart Device' for our stop in Livorno. The excursion includes transportation to both areas. Question: we would like to go to the Accademia to see the Statue of David. Everything I've read says we should buy tickets in advance. We will be in Florence on March 15th. Has anyone been on this excursion recently or in low season? Any feedback? Wondering if just buying tickets locally is going to eat into our time in Florence (queues etc.) We don't know what time we will arrive in Florence so booking a specific entrance time is tricky.

 

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[TupeloHoney]

We're doing a private excursion that same day and if it helps, our tour guide had us get tickets to go up the leaning tower at 9:30 and then tickets for the Accademia at 12:30. Though I realize you have no control over when your excursion gets to Florence. He said they usually let people in, even if they are late. But then again, he also told us to get tickets for the Medici chapel for 2:30 and they close earlier than that. So you know, take his info with a grain of salt. :')

[RoyalVisit]

We're doing a private excursion that same day and if it helps, our tour guide had us get tickets to go up the leaning tower at 9:30 and then tickets for the Accademia at 12:30. Though I realize you have no control over when your excursion gets to Florence. He said they usually let people in, even if they are late. But then again, he also told us to get tickets for the Medici chapel for 2:30 and they close earlier than that. So you know, take his info with a grain of salt. :')

Thank you! I surprisingly was able to get a quick and clear message from MSC through Facebook. They said we will go to Pisa first and arrive in Florence around 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

 

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[tampagirl2]

I'm hoping to book this same excursion in April. I would love to hear your feedback when you get back. The summary looks like Florence 1st and then Pisa, but it sounds like it's the other way around??

[tampagirl2]

Sorry - also wondering how much free time we will have?

[tampagirl2]

We're doing a private excursion that same day and if it helps, our tour guide had us get tickets to go up the leaning tower at 9:30 and then tickets for the Accademia at 12:30. Though I realize you have no control over when your excursion gets to Florence. He said they usually let people in, even if they are late. But then again, he also told us to get tickets for the Medici chapel for 2:30 and they close earlier than that. So you know, take his info with a grain of salt. :')

 

Hi TupeloHoney,

 

Just wondering who you booked your private excursion with and how much it is?

[Beamafar]

Thank you! I surprisingly was able to get a quick and clear message from MSC through Facebook. They said we will go to Pisa first and arrive in Florence around 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

 

If you're going with a tour group, will it be possible to break away to visit the Accademia on your own? We did a (private) excursion to Pisa and Florence and we barely had time to go and get lunch! We did get to see the replica of David in Piazza della Signoria as part of the tour - we didn't get to visit the Accademia.

[RoyalVisit]

I'm hoping to book this same excursion in April. I would love to hear your feedback when you get back. The summary looks like Florence 1st and then Pisa, but it sounds like it's the other way around??

We actually changed our excursion to Florence On Your Own. I spoke with some friends who had been to both and they felt it was too rushed to try to see both in one day and time would be wasted on the commutes between so we are going to Florence only and have tickets for the Academia.

 

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[tampagirl2]

We actually changed our excursion to Florence On Your Own. I spoke with some friends who had been to both and they felt it was too rushed to try to see both in one day and time would be wasted on the commutes between so we are going to Florence only and have tickets for the Academia.

 

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Thanks - would still like to hear back how your cruise and excursions were. Enjoy!

[tampagirl2]

If you're going with a tour group, will it be possible to break away to visit the Accademia on your own? We did a (private) excursion to Pisa and Florence and we barely had time to go and get lunch! We did get to see the replica of David in Piazza della Signoria as part of the tour - we didn't get to visit the Accademia.

 

Hi Bea,

 

Do you remember who your private excursion was booked with and how much it was?

[Patricia91pinto]

Did you do the "florence on your own" excursion? It was a typical excursion with a guide or its just a transfer from livorno to florence center?

Do you remeber where the local of reunion? 

I'm  interested in excursion "florence on your own", because we can do all we want withouth a guide, but i'm not shure about that.

[Beamafar]

We're doing a Florence and Pisa excursion without guide with TuscanyBus in a couple of weeks' time.  MSC's 'Florence on your own' is a waste of the day, IMHO.  It's just a direct transfer from La Spezia to Florence, where we'll spend approx 3 and a half hours, then onto Pisa, before being returned to the ship.  It's a full day's outing, unlike MSC's, which is only a half-day one.

 

I have a problem with TB at the moment as the pick-up times we've been given in different emails vary.  I've emailed them twice to confirm the time, but haven't received a reply to either.  I'm going to phone them tomorrow.

 

It's doubtful that @tampagirl2 will see this but, if you do, sincerest apologies for not answering your question - I obviously missed it at the time.  In my defence, we had particularly bad weather around that time which may have been the reason.  As an FYI, I'd booked it online and it turned out to be a Spanish company - we were the only 2 English speakers on the bus and the guide had us sit at the front so he could translate everything he was saying directly to us.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Beamafar

[tampagirl2]

We ended up booking a private excursion to Pisa and Florence. It was not a “tour guide” but a private driver. We went to Pisa first and had some free time to take photos in front of the leaning tower. Then we went to Florence and stopped at Piazzale Michelangelo for photos of the city. He then dropped us in the city center for free time and gave us a time he would pick us up. We had a leisurely lunch and then shopped. On the way back to the ship, we stopped at a winery for a quick look.