Rome and Florence

[rooney9]

Med cruise in May to Italy,would like to do day trips to Rome and Florence,ships shore excursions are so expensive.Have never cruised the Med but all other cruises to other countries there has always been plenty of tour operators at ports doing same tours a lot cheaper,is it the same in the med.

[DCPIV]

When you head out anywhere in Western Europe, you can do a lot of things on your own.  That's especially true in large cities like Rome and even more so in the very walkable Florence.  A little research and, maybe, buying some advance tickets or the respective City Card, and you're on your way.

[chemmo]

3 hours ago, rooney9 said:

Med cruise in May to Italy,would like to do day trips to Rome and Florence,ships shore excursions are so expensive.Have never cruised the Med but all other cruises to other countries there has always been plenty of tour operators at ports doing same tours a lot cheaper,is it the same in the med.

If you are inexperienced of cruising the Mediterranean but want to avoid ship tours I suggest you join the roll call for your cruise. You will probably find that some members are organising trips and have spaces for others to join. These trips may range from historical to wine tasting to physical activities. Usually cheaper than the cruise line, smaller numbers but often arranged by fellow cruisers with significant knowledge of the area.

 

I don’t know your cruising history but we have cruised world wide and have rarely found value for money in waiting until you get off the ship to book an excursion unless you simply want a ‘beach resort’ and are flexible about which one you want. We always research our ports and decide the type of excursion we want (coach tour, activities, boat trip…). Both Rome and Florence are a significant distance from the port…it could cost you more to try to book something at the port and you could find the time wasted negotiating results in you cutting a day trip to a brief trip. 
 

I suggest you look seriously at your ports of call and the itineraries offered by Celebrity. This will give you a good idea of what is easily doable. After this look at the roll call for your cruise and see what things are being offered. Then search the ports of call yourself and see what you can independently book. If what you want to experience isn’t offered then ask for advice either on the roll call, the ports of call board or back on the main CC site. You will get some conflicting opinions. For example, I would not even suggest doing Florence as a cruise day trip…I would also advise you to check the T&Cs of private bookings.

 

I remember, some years ago, finding the the ‘Rome on your own’ offered by Celebrity was actually cheaper than some private options and suited us better than the alternative guided tour. It really is important to do your homework. Quite simply decide what what you want to experience…
 

Sincere best wishes for a fantastic Mediterranean cruise!

 

 

[euro cruiser]

The Med is not like the Caribbean, you won't find a lot of tour operators trying to sell you something when you get off the ship.  If you want to DIY it's best to make arrangements ahead of time.

 

Some ports are more conducive to "winging it" than others.  In Naples and Genova, for example, you walk off the ship right into the historic center of town.  Others, like the ports for Rome (Civitavecchia) and Florence (Livorno) are an hour or more away and require advance planning and/or knowledge.

[WanderingTheWorld]

48 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

Others, like the ports for Rome (Civitavecchia) and Florence (Livorno) are an hour or more away and require advance planning and/or knowledge.

Yes, you will need to do some advanced planning to get to Rome or Florence. In the past, I used Tuscany Bus for transport to these cities. They did a great job and were very affordable! In fact, the cruise had an itinerary change after boarding, and Tuscany Bus did an excellent job working with us.

https://www.tuscanybus.com/en/

 

If you want to visit major sites (e.g. Colosseum, Academia), you will need to prepurchase your tickets. These are timestamped, so you'll need to plan out your day before leaving home.