Excursions on your own?

[traceytd]

I was wondering if Europe ports are like the Caribbean in regards to grabbing a cab at the port and doing your own thing? Are there any taxi offering excursions like in the Caribbean? I don’t think I would use them if the excursion is far from the port but if they are reasonably close i’d be willing to use taxis for excursions.
I will be with my husband and my son and daughter-in-law, it would be nice to have a small excursion that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg LOL

Thanks 

Tracey

[cruisemom42]

Touring in Europe is a very different proposition to touring the Caribbean. For a number of reasons, it's not usually the best plan to look for an independent taxi driver to take you on a tour:

 

• Gas is expensive, and distances in many ports are significant for touring. So you're not likely to find "cheap" taxi tours. Rome is a bit over an hour from the cruise port of Civitavecchia; and Florence is 90 minutes from Livorno....
• Supply and demand -- in some ports there is a limited supply of taxis and independent tour operators waiting at the port. Yes, there are usually a few -- but do you want to go all the way to Europe only to find that you have no way to see the sights?
• Language barriers/Providing info:  While many drivers speak English, some are better than others, who may be difficult to understand or only provide minimal information. Their primary function is to be a driver, not a guide (see next point).
• Driver/guide regulations -- in Italy at least, there are clear rules about drivers and guides. A guide must be licensed and can accompany you into sites to provide information and insights. A driver cannot accompany you into any site -- and what's more a driver is not allowed to act as a guide even if s/he is licensed to be one. 

If you don't want to take ship tours, I'd concentrate on booking private tours in advance with well-researched and well-recommended agencies. You can often find others on your roll call to split costs and make them more reasonable. Or if you are willing to do the planning, many ports can be done on your own using local transportation (buses, trains, the occasional taxi).

[edinburgher]

i totally agree with the above.

 

Can you post which ports you are visiting? Some couldl be very easy to DIY, others less so.

 

And cruisemom42 is absolutely correct.  Prices in Europe will be much more expensive than they are in the Caribbean (where we have done a number of taxi tours over the years,, although we usually agreed an itinerary and price  with reputable drivers,and booked them ahead of time rather than taking pot luck at the port.).  

 

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by edinburgher

[traceytd]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Touring in Europe is a very different proposition to touring the Caribbean. For a number of reasons, it's not usually the best plan to look for an independent taxi driver to take you on a tour:

 

• Gas is expensive, and distances in many ports are significant for touring. So you're not likely to find "cheap" taxi tours. Rome is a bit over an hour from the cruise port of Civitavecchia; and Florence is 90 minutes from Livorno....
• Supply and demand -- in some ports there is a limited supply of taxis and independent tour operators waiting at the port. Yes, there are usually a few -- but do you want to go all the way to Europe only to find that you have no way to see the sights?
• Language barriers/Providing info:  While many drivers speak English, some are better than others, who may be difficult to understand or only provide minimal information. Their primary function is to be a driver, not a guide (see next point).
• Driver/guide regulations -- in Italy at least, there are clear rules about drivers and guides. A guide must be licensed and can accompany you into sites to provide information and insights. A driver cannot accompany you into any site -- and what's more a driver is not allowed to act as a guide even if s/he is licensed to be one. 

If you don't want to take ship tours, I'd concentrate on booking private tours in advance with well-researched and well-recommended agencies. You can often find others on your roll call to split costs and make them more reasonable. Or if you are willing to do the planning, many ports can be done on your own using local transportation (buses, trains, the occasional taxi).

Thanks for taking the time to give me an answer. 🙂much appreciated

[traceytd]

7 hours ago, edinburgher said:

i totally agree with the above.

 

Can you post which ports you are visiting? Some couldl be very easy to DIY, others less so.

 

And cruisemom42 is absolutely correct.  Prices in Europe will be much more expensive than they are in the Caribbean (where we have done a number of taxi tours over the years,, although we usually agreed an itinerary and price  with reputable drivers,and booked them ahead of time rather than taking pot luck at the port.).  

 

 

 

 

thanks for taking the time too. 😁

[edinburgher]

As others have said, you need to do some initial research for each destination, not least because it is better to have an idea of what you would like to see and do once you arrive somewhere.  If you do not do that, you risk missing some of the best things in each location. We have more than once seen passengers standing on a dock,clueless and  asking "what is there to see/do here". I should warn that  it is initially a lot of work given there are multiple locations to research, but worth it in the end, and there is a wealth of information easily found on the internet which you only need to spend some time looking for. And there will be four of you so you could divide the work between you.

 

.I advise that you do not try to research multiple ports together or you will get confused. We find doing them one at a time works best for us..

 

We usually start a document for each individual port and once we have included all the info  for our plans for each,, we  print off to take with us.Each morning on arrival somewhere new, you simply take that info out with you.It is useful to note on it the sights you want to visit, how you are going to get to them,and in particular, opening hours. And if you are following a self-guided walking tour, you can take it with you so you know your route.

 

And join your Roll Call as there may be some small private tours arranged which you could sign up for.

 

Easiest place to begin, are web sites such as Whatsinport, cruisemapper and cruisecrocodile, although there are many more out there.  These give you info on where you are docked, options at the port etc.And if your ports are listed on tomsportguides, that too is a great resource as are local tourist info websites.  And Tripadvisor is also a really useful resource. Sometimes we will look at shorex being offered as they give aquick indication of what there is in the immediate area.  We usually only book a shorex if it is going somewhere we really want to go, and is too far or too complicated  to do independently.

 

And these boards are great too.  To search easily, log in.   Then go to the country forum for your port. Just below your username, there is a search box.  Input the name of the port then hit ON THIS FORUM from the drop down then hit the magnifying glass.  All previous threads and ports which include that word should appear and you might find browsing these at your leisure will answer many of your questions.

 

Looking at your ports and knowing you will be four persons, I think that in Piraeus for Athens it would be easier and probably no more expensive than public transport for four, to take a taxi from the port to whatever is to be your first sight. You can get taxi prices online ahead of time too. or perhaps others would disagree?

 

As for Kotor Montenegrto, best advice is to get really really early as the sail-in is just beautiful.  90 minutes before scheduled arrival time should probably be your latest time on deck.And to explore the town of Kotor, you simply cross the street from the dock or tender point. On our second visit, we took the public bus the short distance to  pretty little Perast and took one of the little boats over to Our Lady of the Rocks, which you will sail past en route to Kotor,  and still had time to have a mini walkabout in Kotor Old Town which we  had explored more in-depth on our first visit.

 

You will really need to read up on bigger places  as there is so much to see in them you will have to prioritise as you will need to leave out more than you can include due to time constraints.  And when you read, you will discover if pre-booking is essential, or advised due to potentially long lines, or if you can simply take a chance and turn up.

 

Naples will give all of you a headache due to multiple choices, all of which can be outstanding.  Will it be Pompeii, or Herculaneum and Vesuvius,  or Capri, or the Amalfi Coast or Sorrento? Or stay in Naples and visit the Archaeological museum?

 

Same with Livorno.  Will it be Pisa, or Florence, or lovely Lucca?   We combined Pisa and Lucca using public transport and that was relatively straightforward.

 

Will you want to split the group on some days or stay together?

 

So many decisions to be made, but it is all about reading reading and even more reading.

 

You have some lovely port calls on your itinerary. Enjoy.

 

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by edinburgher

[John Bull]

20 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

As others have said, you need to do some initial research for each destination, not least because it is better to have an idea of what you would like to see and do once you arrive somewhere.  If you do not do that, you risk missing some of the best things in each location. We have more than once seen passengers standing on a dock,clueless and  asking "what is there to see/do here". I should warn that  it is initially a lot of work given there are multiple locations to research, but worth it in the end, and there is a wealth of information easily found on the internet which you only need to spend some time looking for. And there will be four of you so you could divide the work between you.

 

.I advise that you do not try to research multiple ports together or you will get confused. We find doing them one at a time works best for us..

 

We usually start a document for each individual port and once we have included all the info  for our plans for each,, we  print off to take with us.Each morning on arrival somewhere new, you simply take that info out with you.It is useful to note on it the sights you want to visit, how you are going to get to them,and in particular, opening hours. And if you are following a self-guided walking tour, you can take it with you so you know your route.

 

And join your Roll Call as there may be some small private tours arranged which you could sign up for.

 

Easiest place to begin, are web sites such as Whatsinport, cruisemapper and cruisecrocodile, although there are many more out there.  These give you info on where you are docked, options at the port etc.And if your ports are listed on tomsportguides, that too is a great resource as are local tourist info websites.  And Tripadvisor is also a really useful resource. Sometimes we will look at shorex being offered as they give aquick indication of what there is in the immediate area.  We usually only book a shorex if it is going somewhere we really want to go, and is too far or too complicated  to do independently.

 

And these boards are great too.  To search easily, log in.   Then go to the country forum for your port. Just below your username, there is a search box.  Input the name of the port then hit ON THIS FORUM from the drop down then hit the magnifying glass.  All previous threads and ports which include that word should appear and you might find browsing these at your leisure will answer many of your questions.

 

Looking at your ports and knowing you will be four persons, I think that in Piraeus for Athens it would be easier and probably no more expensive than public transport for four, to take a taxi from the port to whatever is to be your first sight. You can get taxi prices online ahead of time too. or perhaps others would disagree?

 

As for Kotor Montenegrto, best advice is to get really really early as the sail-in is just beautiful.  90 minutes before scheduled arrival time should probably be your latest time on deck.And to explore the town of Kotor, you simply cross the street from the dock or tender point. On our second visit, we took the public bus the short distance to  pretty little Perast and took one of the little boats over to Our Lady of the Rocks, which you will sail past en route to Kotor,  and still had time to have a mini walkabout in Kotor Old Town which we  had explored more in-depth on our first visit.

 

You will really need to read up on bigger places  as there is so much to see in them you will have to prioritise as you will need to leave out more than you can include due to time constraints.  And when you read, you will discover if pre-booking is essential, or advised due to potentially long lines, or if you can simply take a chance and turn up.

 

Naples will give all of you a headache due to multiple choices, all of which can be outstanding.  Will it be Pompeii, or Herculaneum and Vesuvius,  or Capri, or the Amalfi Coast or Sorrento? Or stay in Naples and visit the Archaeological museum?

 

Same with Livorno.  Will it be Pisa, or Florence, or lovely Lucca?   We combined Pisa and Lucca using public transport and that was relatively straightforward.

 

Will you want to split the group on some days or stay together?

 

So many decisions to be made, but it is all about reading reading and even more reading.

 

You have some lovely port calls on your itinerary. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Excellent advice from the northern side of Hadrian's Wall.🙂 

 

More observant than me - I'd overlooked  that there are four of you 🙄

For instance that's likely to make private airport transfers or  private transfers to Athens and Rome better bets than ship's transfer bus or public transport.

And its worth considering car rental in some places, though not Rome or Barcelona or Athens. Or for Naples unless one of your group is gullible and offers to drive the Amalfi coast so that the rest of you can admire the views while he/she is concentrating on the road, the parked cars, the kamikazee scooter-riders, and the on-coming traffic - and volunteers to stay with the car while you stop for a bite to eat or a drink because there's nowhere to park. But with the costs split between four of you, a car+driver is worth considering for the Amalfi coast - and mebbe an hour at Herculaneum on the way back..

 

But don't place as much reliance on what's-in-port type websites as you would for the Caribbean.

Apart from too many errors on those websites, in large ports & cities (Barcelona, Athens, Rome, etc) cruise-ship visitors are vastly out-numbered by other visitors and don't have a significant effect on sights.

And at the other end of the scale, on Santorini especially, many ships are there for just a morning, just an afternoon, afternoon & evening, etc. I think one reason for that on Santorini is to avoid overrwhelming the island.and the cablecar.

 

JB 🙂

[edinburgher]

JB you said;

But don't place as much reliance on what's-in-port type websites as you would for the Caribbean.

Apart from too many errors on those websites, in large ports & cities (Barcelona, Athens, Rome, etc) cruise-ship visitors are vastly out-numbered by other visitors and don't have a significant effect on sights.

 

Apologies, but I don't understand the relevance of your comment about "cruise ship visitors being vastly outnumbered by other visitors in some cities" . What has that to do with a description of where you are docked, what there is available at the terminal, options for getting around from there, sightseeing suggestions, local currency etc  which is precisely the sort of info cruise passengers are looking for when forward planning?We find these sites extremely helpful as they describe the ports from the perspective of cruise passengers, not for  other tourists arriving by air or rail into a city or town as is the usual case in regular guide books and other info resources.

 

And if you are seeing "many errors" on these sites, you could always use their contact info to supply the correct info which they can use to update their ports info.

 

Whatsinport is actually a bit of a misnomer insofar as it gives lots and lots of info which has nothing to do with "what is actually in port the same day".  On that website, to find that info  you have to click on the cruise calendar which is one small part of the info.    Same on cruisemapper, you must click on schedule otherwise you only have port info. We actually check  how many ships will be  in in  most ports of call, but check at least two sites in addition to the official port websites, and quite often get three different  answers, and sometimes it is the official port website which is incorrect.  whatsinport is a personal favourite and if you do not normally refer to it, perhaps you should.. You may be surprised at what you find.

 

And on the topic of port info, whatever happened to the very useful  DESTINATION GUIDES which used to be available here on CC and which  I have been unable to find for someyears now?  Have they gone completely or are they just more difficult to find now? 

Edited March 26, 2022 by edinburgher

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, edinburgher said:

JB you said;

But don't place as much reliance on what's-in-port type websites as you would for the Caribbean.

Apart from too many errors on those websites, in large ports & cities (Barcelona, Athens, Rome, etc) cruise-ship visitors are vastly out-numbered by other visitors and don't have a significant effect on sights.

 

Apologies, but I don't understand the relevance of your comment about "cruise ship visitors being vastly outnumbered by other visitors in some cities" . What has that to do with a description of where you are docked, what there is available at the terminal, options for getting around from there, sightseeing suggestions, local currency etc  which is precisely the sort of info cruise passengers are looking for when forward planning?We find these sites extremely helpful as they describe the ports from the perspective of cruise passengers, not for  other tourists arriving by air or rail into a city or town as is the usual case in regular guide books and other info resources.

 

And if you are seeing "many errors" on these sites, you could always use their contact info to supply the correct info which they can use to update their ports info.

 

Whatsinport is actually a bit of a misnomer insofar as it gives lots and lots of info which has nothing to do with "what is actually in port the same day".  On that website, to find that info  you have to click on the cruise calendar which is one small part of the info.    Same on cruisemapper, you must click on schedule otherwise you only have port info. We actually check  how many ships will be  in in  most ports of call, but check at least two sites in addition to the official port websites, and quite often get three different  answers, and sometimes it is the official port website which is incorrect.  whatsinport is a personal favourite and if you do not normally refer to it, perhaps you should.. You may be surprised at what you find.

 

And on the topic of port info, whatever happened to the very useful  DESTINATION GUIDES which used to be available here on CC and which  I have been unable to find for someyears now?  Have they gone completely or are they just more difficult to find now? 

 

 

Ooops, my bad 😳

 

My advice aimed at those who ask "how many ships are in my ports on the same day?" because sites like Cruise TT and Crew Center and others which frequently appear on these boards  are frequently wrong about what's in port & when, don't quote the times of day that they're in port, are irrelevant in large cities, and they offer little or no other information about the ports

Hence when I saw the name  "whatsinport" I naturally presumed that it - and the others that you mentioned -.were just the same.

OK, I've now checked them out - yes, they're port guides.

And I've added them to my bookmarks 🙂

 

So, apologies from me.😳

Well, sort of. 😉

I'll pass some of the blame to the site named "what's in port".😕

 

I do remember Cruise Critic's port guides - but I still find some of the Cruise Critic site too complicated, so no help from me trying to find them.

 

JB 🙂 

Edited March 26, 2022 by John Bull

[edinburgher]

 

 

OK, I've now checked them out - yes, they're port guides.

And I've added them to my bookmarks 🙂

 

So, apologies from me.😳

Well, sort of. 😉

I'll pass some of the blame to the site named "what's in port".😕

 

Thank you JB for your gracious response. 

Pleased for you that despite your initial scepticism, you have found some new info sources to add to your existing ones.  We use a wide variety.

 

There are quite a few" misnomers" in port guide websites, with another example being Cruise Crocodile. What, one wonders does a crocodile have to do with cruising?😀

 

One of the most straightforward, which "does what it says on the tin" is Tomsport guides. Lots and lots of useful info on these.

 

Whatever, there are plenty more out there and it is trial and error to find the info you are looking for and you will most likely  find certain favourites which you will return to again and again.

 

i should have also mentioned official port websites.  Some give next to no info, some give quite a bit of info, so again, trial and error.

 

And local OFFICIAL  tourist info websites can vary too.  Some even offer a selection of  independent walking tours which can be taken with you. As we are enthusiastic DIYers most everywhere we go, we look for these in addition to info on public transport.

 

We have missed our cruises and land trips in the last couple of years as we have been fortunate to be able to travel several times a year pre-pandemic. For some, pre-planning is a chore, for us it was a joy and we have missed it.

 

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by edinburgher

[cruisemom42]

Let me add a caveat that while these sites are useful in getting ideas to plan for ports, it is always best to verify opening times, cost, route info, etc. with official and more frequently updated websites for whatever you're planning. 

 

Sites like tomsportguides is a place to get ideas but (having reviewed ports with which I'm very familiar) there are some inaccuracies and also his guides only cover what he has done in the past (e.g., not inclusive of all options and not always updated recently).

 

[CPT Trips]

15 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Let me add a caveat that while these sites are useful in getting ideas to plan for ports, it is always best to verify opening times, cost, route info, etc. with official and more frequently updated websites for whatever you're planning.

Absolutely! I second the idea that it’s essential to verify current information on official websites. On at least on occasion we wanted to visit a museum to see a specific collection. Checked the website to discover that significant parts of the collection were on loan for an exhibit elsewhere

[slidergirl]

My $.02:

 

Definitely do your research.  Once you figure out the kind of things you want to do/see, pick just one or two of them if you are DIYing it.  Don't try to do too much or hit something just to check off your list.  Do those one or two well, taking your time.  Then use the remaining time to wander, soak up the atmosphere, have a beverage, see something unexpected.   That's the way I always do my travels.  I never saw the Colosseum until my 3rd trip to Rome and only because I ran into it.  

[euro cruiser]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Sites like tomsportguides is a place to get ideas but (having reviewed ports with which I'm very familiar) there are some inaccuracies and also his guides only cover what he has done in the past (e.g., not inclusive of all options and not always updated recently).

And they include his personal biases as well, presenting opinion as fact which turned me off.

[edinburgher]

Let me add a caveat that while these sites are useful in getting ideas to plan for ports, it is always best to verify opening times, cost, route info, etc. with official and more frequently updated websites for whatever you're planning. 

 

Sites like tomsportguides is a place to get ideas but (having reviewed ports with which I'm very familiar) there are some inaccuracies and also his guides only cover what he has done in the past (e.g., not inclusive of all options and not always updated recently).

 Although we gather initial info from various sources, absolutely agree with double checking for everything. Nothing worse than finding a timetable has changed from summer to winter or vice versa just when you need it, or finding a museum or gallery is closed on the one day you can visit or has different opening  hours on that one day.  Being mostly independent sightseers, we double and sometimes triple check our plans, more so if cruising, less so if on a land trip when timing isn't as important.

Edited March 27, 2022 by edinburgher

[CCJack]

I believe Barcelona may be a port you could save some of your excursion budget if you plan.   We took a taxi just out of the port area to Columbus circle (very short cab ride.)   Then we walked all the way to Sagrada Familia.  It is likely an hour walk but we enjoyed the walk, took our time and stopped at cafes etc on the way.   We had pre purchased tickets to SF.   We then took a taxi back to the ship, if I remember correct.   We had an enjoyable day without a lot of $$.    Drawback is you spend time walking - some people like to maximize the # of attractions they see, and in that case a long walk is not the most efficient.  

[euro cruiser]

Barcelona has an excellent subway system, much faster for getting around than buses.  

 

f5578f40-5a66-46ba-907c-cf31e0d368c0 (tmb.cat)

[samavarcruiser]

On 3/24/2022 at 3:33 PM, cruisemom42 said:

Touring in Europe is a very different proposition to touring the Caribbean. For a number of reasons, it's not usually the best plan to look for an independent taxi driver to take you on a tour:

 

• Gas is expensive, and distances in many ports are significant for touring. So you're not likely to find "cheap" taxi tours. Rome is a bit over an hour from the cruise port of Civitavecchia; and Florence is 90 minutes from Livorno....
• Supply and demand -- in some ports there is a limited supply of taxis and independent tour operators waiting at the port. Yes, there are usually a few -- but do you want to go all the way to Europe only to find that you have no way to see the sights?
• Language barriers/Providing info:  While many drivers speak English, some are better than others, who may be difficult to understand or only provide minimal information. Their primary function is to be a driver, not a guide (see next point).
• Driver/guide regulations -- in Italy at least, there are clear rules about drivers and guides. A guide must be licensed and can accompany you into sites to provide information and insights. A driver cannot accompany you into any site -- and what's more a driver is not allowed to act as a guide even if s/he is licensed to be one. 

If you don't want to take ship tours, I'd concentrate on booking private tours in advance with well-researched and well-recommended agencies. You can often find others on your roll call to split costs and make them more reasonable. Or if you are willing to do the planning, many ports can be done on your own using local transportation (buses, trains, the occasional taxi).

 

Absolutely right, I would go with sharing excursions.