HELP... Med Cruise Question

[movierev]

We are doing a Mediterranean cruise leaving out of Barcelona in a few months and making all our excursion plans. Question to those who have done a Med cruise... are there tours/guides available at the ports like in the Caribbean? We've always had good luck negotiating a tour at the dock. Looking specifically at Nice (Villefranche), Split and Kotor.

[lamchops]

I have not seen vendors at the pier and I’ve been on a few Mediterranean cruises. You may get the odd cab driver offering a tour but I don’t know about the quality of it.

[dogs4fun]

This will be a very different experience from tours in the caribbean. You really need to pre book tours or join others on tours formed through your roll call. I did not see any tour vendors at Split or Villefranche - there were taxi drivers waiting for their clients and/or looking for fares farther afield  and, as said above, you may be fortunate and find one to take you where you wish (they will not be offering guided tours though). Nothing at all like Caribbean ports where there are many vendors offering tours.

Edited February 22, 2019 by dogs4fun

[Kate P.C]

Hi. I am not sure about Nice, but for Kotor and Split you will find tour guides or taxi drivers outside the ship, depending on which time of the year you are going. You have to be careful with picking tours or taxis from just outside the ship since they may be overpriced. I strongly recommend you do your research, and pre-book with agencies who have the highest rankings online. Trip advisor is the best place to start. Good luck!

[Presto2]

Hi Re Kotor - no need for a tour. If you are able to just take yourself up to the castle on the mountain, return to the town if you can still walk, have a lovely meal in one of the reasonably cheap restaurants, visit the shops, cat museum and return to the ship. The town is just wonderful … one of our favourite places on earth.

[Kate P.C]

6 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Hi Re Kotor - no need for a tour. If you are able to just take yourself up to the castle on the mountain, return to the town if you can still walk, have a lovely meal in one of the reasonably cheap restaurants, visit the shops, cat museum and return to the ship. The town is just wonderful … one of our favourite places on earth.

True, but Kotor is so small that 2 hours would be enough to see everything. If the ship is docked for 8 hours, many passengers decide to take excursions out of Kotor, like Perast, Budva, the islet of St.Stephen, the Island of the Our Lady of the Rocks,  and although these tours may be booked with the ship excursions, there are offers online with Montenegro agencies or you can tour with the guides and taxi drivers waiting for you outside your ship.

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, Kate P.C said:

True, but Kotor is so small that 2 hours would be enough to see everything. If the ship is docked for 8 hours, many passengers decide to take excursions out of Kotor, like Perast, Budva, the islet of St.Stephen, the Island of the Our Lady of the Rocks,  and although these tours may be booked with the ship excursions, there are offers online with Montenegro agencies or you can tour with the guides and taxi drivers waiting for you outside your ship.

 

Surely hiking up the mountain and spending some time up there enjoying the view; then getting down again; eating a relaxed meal at one of the many cheap restaurants; a walk around the sites of the town; having a look at the cat museum and then just sitting and enjoying the view on the quay side is far more than 2 hours ???

 

We did an excursion in to the countryside and returned regretting not having spent more time in Kotor.

 

The worst thing you can do is sit on your balcony in the silence, with the mountains soaring around you with a cocktail and good book in hand …..

 

 

[edinburgher]

No need for a tour in Split as you dock or tender into the main part of town with the bus station to your right and the centre of the old town just 5 minutes walk at most.

 

This is where you find the Diocletian Palace and most other sights of interest. This is a pedestrian only area. When you are finished walking around and exploring, the promenade is lined with cafe bars and restaurants.

 

For more info on what to see and do check Tripadvisor and other tourist info sites, and for info on docking or tendering and the location, currency, shopping etc check sites such as whatsinport.

[edinburgher]

For Kotor, you could also consider taking the public bus or a taxi the short distance to Perast and take one of the little ferry boats across to Our Lady of the Rocks.

 

Kotor itself is small but lovely with a surprising number of sights and attractions and some interesting shops. You can easily spend a good three hours wandering. More if you add a cafe, bar or restaurant.

 

Do get up early for the long scenic sail-in as the light is better first thing than it is later in the day for the sail-out. You will pass Our Lady of the Rocks and Perast. You will also get views of the hill/mountain you might want to climb. It is daunting but some people do climb up if only as far as the first little chapel. Again, Tripadvisor, whatsinport etc for more.