Has Anyone Done the RCL Cruise Ship Excursions? Any reviews are appreciated!

[Ladylouwho]

Ladylouwho: This area is also famous for its ceramic wares. STUNNING beautiful stuff !!!!!!!!!! While here be sure and pick up a small pitcher with the rooster on it !!! There is a very old story regarding the rooster in this area..... be sure and ask someone - they should know it !!! :D I won't spoil it for you ;)

 

Will do. Maybe I'll get one as a gift for my oldest daughter who will not be going with us on the trip. Looking forward to the story.

Thanks!

[FreewayFortune]

Ladylouwho: This area is also famous for its ceramic wares. STUNNING beautiful stuff !!!!!!!!!! While here be sure and pick up a small pitcher with the rooster on it !!! There is a very old story regarding the rooster in this area..... be sure and ask someone - they should know it !!! :D I won't spoil it for you ;)

 

I never heard about the rooster story either but I'll be sure to ask about it next summer. We bought ceramics with citrus fruits on them:)

[texancruzer]

I never heard about the rooster story either but I'll be sure to ask about it next summer. We bought ceramics with citrus fruits on them:)

 

While on our private tour last year we stopped for about an hour in Ravello. There were these neat pitchers and the top was shaped as a rooster head with the spout being the mouth. These also were decorated with the obligatory fruit motif...... I asked about the rooster and was given a delightful story. Also saw them in other places in the area (Positano and Amalfi) but did not get to shop in Sorrento. Do ask about it when you are there :)

[FreewayFortune]

While on our private tour last year we stopped for about an hour in Ravello. There were these neat pitchers and the top was shaped as a rooster head with the spout being the mouth. These also were decorated with the obligatory fruit motif...... I asked about the rooster and was given a delightful story. Also saw them in other places in the area (Positano and Amalfi) but did not get to shop in Sorrento. Do ask about it when you are there :)

I absolutely will. I can't wait to get back to the Amalfi Coast. We're looking forward to going further along the coast this time too.

[europe2009]

This is our first time cruising and to Europe. We have booked Imperial Rome tour. I have also heard that the private tours are great, but I have heard if you book with Royal that they guarantee that you will get back to the ship on time.

We are having Royal book our flight also and they are saying it will be a straight flight from DFW to Barcelona and then to the ship? Should we go to Barcelona a day earlier than Sailing date? Thanks~

[texancruzer]

This is our first time cruising and to Europe. We have booked Imperial Rome tour. I have also heard that the private tours are great, but I have heard if you book with Royal that they guarantee that you will get back to the ship on time.

We are having Royal book our flight also and they are saying it will be a straight flight from DFW to Barcelona and then to the ship? Should we go to Barcelona a day earlier than Sailing date? Thanks~

 

Just a few tidbits......

 

First - when taking a tour with Royal Caribbean on a bus and then having "free time" at a particular location = they will tell you that if you are late getting back to the bus by more than 5 minutes they will leave you. You are then responsible to get back to the ship on your own. Once on the bus however, the ship will wait but not forever...... We actually left someone in Florence while on an RCI tour who did not get back to the bus. And while visiting in St. Lucia they left a bus load (small one) of people late getting back to port - but did wait while a small boat brought them to the ship while we were at the Pitons for our "turnaround".

 

Second - I have only booked our air with Royal Caribbean once. Never again. They screwed up so bad it wasnt funny. It's funny now but it wasnt then :eek: Ended up cancelling (and eating $ 200.00 in custom air fees) and booking my own - which I now do always. We are in Corpus and must fly thru Houston or Dallas to get anywhere...... so more trouble and more opportunity for things to get boogered up.

 

Definately fly in a day OR TWO early. Worth the peace of mind with flights these days being delayed or cancelled or whatever. I have flown a bunch in the last 5 years and havent had one on time and other problems too. Also Barcelona is a wonderful place to hang out. We stayed 1 night post cruise there and had a great time.

[blubelle57]

Last year we were on VOS. My family of 4 (me,husband and two early teens) and our parents (all over 70 years old). In Villefranche we took RCCL Grand Corniche, Eze and Monaco. It was a nice balance of walking and riding with a delightful lunch outside of the Grand Casino. In Rome we took RCCL The Eternal City. Another long day but we all enjoyed it. Naples we took RCCL Capri, Sorrento, and Pompeii. We also took RCCL tours in Malta and Palma. These worked perfectly for our family since they moved at a non hurried pace but were able to see so many highlights. Delicious Lunches were served and our parents did not have to worry about being able to read a menu in French or Italian. I did not have to worry about the traffic or timing and making it back to the ship on time. If it were just us and no grandparents I would probably do things differently but with the Grandparents along It was very easy and reassuring to do it this way. We enjoyed ourselves so much we are taking them again next summer and will do RCCL excursions again.

 

Can you tell me whether you had a tour of inside the Colosseum when you visited Rome? Also how much time was spent on going for lunch on The Eternal City tour?

[sandm]

Blubelle, Yes we did have a guide inside the Colosseum. He was a different guide than the one that was with us on the bus. We were allowed to bypass the long line and he walked us in and took us through. He pointed out may different things as we walked around and gave alot of history. We did have some free time but he was always available for questions. Our guide that came on the bus with us was our guide for the Vatican Museum and Sistene Chapel. She was extremely knowledgeable and delighted in sharing any information. I think lunch was about one hour, maybe a little longer. We ate at a restaurant in the Michael Angelo Hotel. The meal was wonderful, at least 4 courses.We all made happy plates :) There were bottles of wine on the tables for us to enjoy which we all did. As we take our tours I keep a small notebook to journal our day. I love reviewing it so if you have any other questions ask away.

[blubelle57]

Thanks for your reply. We've been trying to decide whether to book this excursion or tackle Rome on our own. We tend to prefer not to do excursions because often valuable time is spent visiting places we don't want to see but this tour seems to be perfect for us. I just wasn't sure whether the visit to the Colosseum was going to be a look from the outside so now I know we get to go inside with a guide I'll go ahead and book it up! We'll be looking forward to that lunch too! :D Thanks again.

[blubelle57]

sandm, I'm wondering whether you visited, or passed by on the coach, the Trevi Fountain or Spanish Steps on your excursion? Thanks.

[sandm]

We did not stop or even drive by the Spanish steps or Trevi fountain. That is why we are doing The Voyager again in June. So much to see...so little time.

[SelectSys]

I just returned a week ago from RCI Med Cruise. I went on "Exclusive, Best of Rome" and I can not express this strongly enough. Don't waste your money. It is definitely not worth $345.00.

 

Agreed, looking at the description I don't see why it is $150 more than the excursion we took - Imperial Rome.

[blubelle57]

We did not stop or even drive by the Spanish steps or Trevi fountain. That is why we are doing The Voyager again in June. So much to see...so little time.

 

I so agree with you. I keep saying I mainly want to see the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum but I'd also like to see the Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps and so the list gets longer and longer. :)