13-Day Princess Tour: Combined land tour of Italy with Cruise from Rome to Athens ... Your Thought Please

[ajtraveler66]

 

Look forward to hearing from anyone who has taken this land/cruise trip through Princess.  The land portion is multiple days in Venice, Florence, and Rome.  The cruise portion is a 7-day cruise from Rome to Athens.  (See link below for details).

 

 

https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?tourCode=T2E04A&voyageCode=G235

[JayRich65]

Italy is very easy to do on your own.  A few years ago we did Barcelona to Rome and then took the train and spent a week on the Amalfi Coast.  Also have gotten off the boat and spent a few days in Rome.  I'm sure the Princess escorted trips are fine, but I found Italy very easy to navigate on my own.

 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, ajtraveler66 said:

 

Look forward to hearing from anyone who has taken this land/cruise trip through Princess.  The land portion is multiple days in Venice, Florence, and Rome.  The cruise portion is a 7-day cruise from Rome to Athens.  (See link below for details).

 

 

https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?tourCode=T2E04A&voyageCode=G235

 

I reviewed the land tour.  It is a highlight tour IMO and not enough time in Florence and Rome.  Another day would allow for the Uffizi Gallery, the most complete and famous art gallery in Florence.  We have been to San Gimignano as well as other towns in Tuscany area and it is a good choice.  However, the time in Rome is far too short and you won't have nearly enough time at the Vatican since they need to get you to the ship on time and the port is some distance from the city.   (We spent four full days in Rome several years ago and could have been there longer).

 

We have been to Italy twice now and once was an extensive driving and train trip covering a number of popular areas.  I agree that it is pretty easy to get around Italy on your own if a little adventurous traveling in foreign countries.  (I would say this about Western Europe in general).  I would like to have seen Princess offer a longer, more in-depth land tour.  If this is something you feel more comfortable with (an escorted land tour), then I'd look into other land tour specialists and you might find something more "complete" and you end up in Rome in time to catch the cruise (purchase the cruise alone).  

 

We are going on some Med area cruises in OCT 2022 (see signature block) and we plan to arrive in Italy ahead of time and do something on our own.  We also have a five-day gap before the final cruise, and again will venture out on our own. 

 

[dog]

1 hour ago, ajtraveler66 said:

 

Look forward to hearing from anyone who has taken this land/cruise trip through Princess.  The land portion is multiple days in Venice, Florence, and Rome.  The cruise portion is a 7-day cruise from Rome to Athens.  (See link below for details).

 

 

https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?tourCode=T2E04A&voyageCode=G235

I have done the land portion several times by car & also by train. Not through cruiseline. 
I have also cruised to these ports several times. 
what would you like to know? 

[geniesue]

We have done this land tour and cruise and were very happly with it.  The hotels are all top rated and centrally located.  Excursions well planned with quick entry and top notch guides.  It was our 1st trip to Europe and having everything arranged for us was great.  We’ve since done Switzerland, Spain, Rocky Mountain, cruise tours and enjoyed them all!
 

These trips can certainly be done on your own, or with indendent tour companies.  We are in our 70’s now and like having Princess handle the logistics.

[dwhe]

I have done it and absolutely loved it, I want to do it again.

[AZjohn]

43 minutes ago, geniesue said:

These trips can certainly be done on your own, or with indendent tour companies.  We are in our 70’s now and like having Princess handle the logistics.

Agree that age and mobility would be a factor on either doing an group (Princess) tour vs. independent exploration. 

 

Either way, Italy is awesome to visit and enjoy the food and culture 🙂

[donaldsc]

Five days to see all of Italy.  Hardly enough time.  Not enough time in any city when you consider that you often arrive at the city around the middle of the day or leave in early afternoon because of transportation issues.  There is more to Italy than Venice, Rome and Florence.

 

On balance, a really lousy tour if you can even call it that of Italy.  

 

Have you ever seen the movie If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium.  This tour reminds me of that movie.  

 

DON

[TinaLee]

Many people make their first foray into Italy as part of a tour or cruise. We never would have done Europe on our own (quite a few trips now) if we hadn't done our first Med cruise when our daughter graduated from college and we saw just how easy it was to get around. We did 3 days in Rome, 12 day cruise, and 3 days in Venice. By the time we got to Venice I was exhausted and hated it. LOL. Next trip (land trip on our own by train and car with Venice, Bologna, Tuscany for a week, and then back to Rome) we started in Venice and I liked it much more when I wasn't exhausted. For our trip in February we're actually doing 8 days in Rome (and this is I think our fifth trip to Rome?) and then a week long cruise from Rome to Barcelona. We wanted our first post-Covid trip to Europe to be back in Rome, and we've never been in winter before. I don't think there is anything wrong with getting your feet wet on a guided trip, just know you'll be making notes of the things you want to see and do "next time." 🙂   

[riffatsea]

Hi again,

I think I wrote something in your other thread

Most cities need at least3 full days to get a feel for them

That's why cruise stops in Europe leaves you wanting more time everywhere

If you don't intend to go back to these place I'd pick one city or maybe 2 to actually stay in for a few days and not t an overnight!

If you think this is your only trip then I'd continue to research other tour possibilities and compare the amount of time in each place

[murdy]

We did this exact same land tour along with 2 back to back cruises of Italy & Greece in July of 2019. It was perfect for us since we had never been to Italy before and we appreciated the guided tours. We had a wonderfully helpful tour guide who was with us the whole week, and they used local guides in each city to show us the sites. Princess chose very nice hotels. We appreciated not having to handle our own luggage on the trains & buses. It was a wonderful trip and we hope to get back to Italy some day!