Day in Florence

[EmsMom]

We are taking our first Oceania Cruise on April 18, 2007 from Athens to Rome. Florence is on our itinerary. I checked out the excursions and noticed that the "Day in Florence On Your Own" was $89 pp. Since it says Livorno/Florence on the itinerary, it seemed to me that the ship should get us to Florence without having to pay $89 to get there. Does Oceania provide any type of free shuttle to Florence? If not, is there a less expensive way to get there?

[Aussie Gal]

I do know that some people take a train. Florence is a fair way from Livorno and no cruise ship provides free shuttle from that port to Florence.

 

Go to the Port Board under Europe and you will find quite a few posts about Florence and private guides etc.

 

Here is a link to one particular post which may help:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=489950

 

Jennie

[potterhill]

Last year we took a cab to the train station and on the way he offered to take us all day for 200 Euros for 4 people. He took us up to the top of a hill overlooking Florence, I forget the name of it. Then we did Florence and on the way back to the ship he took us to Pisa. We had been there before but our friends hadn't. It was a great day.

 

The taxis at the ship wanted a lot more for the day, I think it was $400 E. In fact, they didn't want to take us to the station. I think this guy knew the pickings were getting slim as we were a little later getting off the ship so he'd rather be busy all day than not. He wasn't a great tour guide, but since we hadn't been looking for a guide, we were content.

 

In Rome the next day we took the ship's tour as we didn't want to miss the ship. The following day was a sea day and the next day was in Dubrovnik so we would have missed two days. We figured if we missed the ship in Florence, asll we had to do was catch up the next day in Rome.

 

Mo

[EmsMom]

The taxi for 200E sounds like a good deal if we can find another couple and a taxi driver who's willing!!

 

Thanks for the tip.

[meow!]

In April, 2004, we got a taxi right by the ship for 210 euros for the day. We went to both Florence and Pissa, for a total of some seven hours. We were very happy with the driver, and we gave him a 20 euro tip. At the beginning, he asked for 280 euros, but seeing that there were just the two of us, he was willing to lower the charge. So bargain with the drivers, and find one who can speak workable English through the process of bargaining! Hope this helps.

[Logoladytcs]

EmsMom

 

We're on this cruise too - have you been over to the Roll Call Board - there might be someone who would share a tour with you!

 

Barbara