Best of Greece Cruise/Tour advice

[phantom43]

I am considering the 10 day Best of Greece CruiseTour on the new Sun Princess in May of 25.  However, the cost of the 3 day land portion adds about the same as the 7 day cruise portion.  This feels like a lot, to pay the same for 3 days as I am for 7 days.   So, my question to those of you who may have done this is...Is this a major rip-off, or is there enough value in the land portion to make it worth it.  

[Maira11]

Major, major rip-off. I live in Europe and Greece is a cheap-ish country - I was looking at the same itinerary and simply couldn't believe that they would charge that ridiculous amount for three or four days.

[donaldsc]

Bottom line is that land tour extensions are always such a major ripoff that you can't possibly imagine it.  Cruise lines should be ashamed of themselves for charging so much for land excursions.  As an example consider the cost of booking a hotel room.  When was the last time you ever booked a hotel room where they charged you by the number of people occupying the room - in other words if there were 2 of you in the room you paid twice as much for the room as compared to what you would pay for one person in the room.  Yet that is exactly what cruise companies do when they charge for the excursion by the person and not by the room.  You can also be sure that the cruise companies do not pay the rack rate for your room.  

 

Also if I were a betting person I would bet that your land excursion says that you get breakfast included.  They don't bother to tell you that in many European hotels breakfast is already included w the room cost.  I would also bet that the extension may include lunch or perhaps not but almost certainly not include dinner.  On the ship you get 3 meals plus as much as many between meal snacks that are not included in the land extension.

 

Cruise land extensions are for the people who don't want to be bothered to do a bit of work to find their own hotel rooms or are afraid to go off by themselves in a city.  Save yourself a whole lot of money and don't book the land excursion.

 

DON

[9tee2Sea]

look into which hotels are used and the rooms that are offered. Then find that same room available at the hotel as if you were going to book on your own.  You will then see the price difference.  Remember, when you do Land excursions, entrance fees are usually included, transportation to the sites are included.  Maybe a lunch/dinner included.  Guided commentary in museums.  and usually no waiting in long entrance lines.  Add up all those costs if purchasing individually, then you can make an informed decision.

[Maira11]

4 minutes ago, 9tee2Sea said:

look into which hotels are used and the rooms that are offered. Then find that same room available at the hotel as if you were going to book on your own.  You will then see the price difference.  Remember, when you do Land excursions, entrance fees are usually included, transportation to the sites are included.  Maybe a lunch/dinner included.  Guided commentary in museums.  and usually no waiting in long entrance lines.  Add up all those costs if purchasing individually, then you can make an informed decision.

I did this, based on the information here: https://www.princesscruises.is/en/cruise-tours/europe/best-greece

 

The Athens Mariott: 211 euros per night, so 100 euros pp. 

 

The Amalia Delphi is 100 euros per night, so another 100 pp for two nights. 

 

Divani Kalambaka is 152 so 75 pp. 

 

So you have 275 pp accomodation. I would - generously - estimate food to be 100 euros pp/pd, but let's make it 150, drinks included; for four days that's 600. That leaves transport - another generous 100 euros pp/pd. 1000 euros in total, 1080 dollars.

[cruisequeen4ever]

The European land tours are always exorbitantly expensive. The only real reasons to do one are if you’re a lady traveling alone or if you want someone else to take care of everything for you along the way. Otherwise, save a ton of money, and DIY.