Advice on Shore Excursions

Author Message   Allan H Weagle Intermediate Member Username: Popsie1947 Post Number: 70 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Sunday, March 08, 2009 - 06:22 pm:    Saint Thomas in the American Virgins is a popular cruise destination and what my wife and I have done several times is get the local bus map and take the bus which goes around the entire island- Its quite a trip and you get to meet all the locals. Its quite a thing to have your wife on a bus and suddenly a native comes on with a goat the local is taking to market and the local grabs the seat right in front of you- the odor can, and did, get a mite intense! Recieved much "spousal counseling" at the time; but now its funny and being the true, adjustable to anything, military retired types we are; we regularly take people with us when we Port of call Saint Thomas! Cost is only about $2.00 American each.   Garee Michael Harrison Intermediate Member Username: Gareemharrison Post Number: 96 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 11:43 am:    Dear Cruisers, Thank you for all your advice. We have checked out travel books on Portugal and Spain, looked up all suggestions on line, and reread your suggestions. We are feeling braver now about venturing off on our own. We have money belts, and gadgets to hold all our valuables, and will heed all warnings about pickpockets and hope and pray for the best. We still want to do the Paella shopping in the markets, and cooking and eating; that sounds like so much fun since we love to eat new foods. Friends you have also been on this type of cruise have given us some "not to be missed" sights so we are really going to be busy in ports. Thanks a million for all your advice, Carol in Ocala P.S. March 14th is fast approaching!   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 4731 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 12:09 pm:    One of the nice things about do-it-yourself shore excursions in Mediterranean ports is that IF (heaven forbid!) you miss the ship's sailing time, it'd normally be no big deal to get on your own to the next port (usually by train) in time to meet the ship again -- unlike some other itineraries where you could face logistical difficulty and big expenses in spending the night and/or getting to the next scheduled port.   Barton Pepper Advanced Member Username: Barpep Post Number: 278 Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 03:22 am:    What great suggestions we find/give on this web site! I agree with most saying shore excusions are best done on your own, using taxis/tour buses on shore. We used such on cruise through the Caribbean and going through the Panama Canal and up the West Coast. I want to take one of the repositioning cruises one of these years but don't have even a tentative date in mind. Hope you will submit a cruise/trip report when you get home, Garee. Good sailing!   Garee Michael Harrison Intermediate Member Username: Gareemharrison Post Number: 95 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 11:45 pm:    Thank you all for the suggestions. We have been to Rome 4 or 5 times and have been to the McDonald's, the USO, the Vatican, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the Hard Rock Cafe. We have two teenagers granddaughters living in Naples and they have their priorities. McDonald's and Hard Rock Cafe. This time we are going to spend one week in Naples, visiting family there and probably going at least one ITT tour with hopefully Aldo to Capri. We have gone on three tours with him and he is the BEST!!! I have ordered Ann Vipond tour book and checked out two from the library on Spain and Portugal. I think if we can go all over Japan with Frommer's Tour Book and Ireland with Rick Steves; maybe with a lot of advice and some hints we can make the most of these ports of call on the cruise. I just resent spending $300.00 for 5 hours on a tour if we can see and do much the same thing for much less money. We want to be safe and not do any foolish things but we also want to be wise.... Thank you to all the seasoned cruisers. Your advice is so appreciated! This will be our longest cruise. Thanks again, Carol in Ocala   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 4726 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 11:14 pm:    One more place not to miss in Rome (and I agree you should stay there at least a few days after the cruise ends because there's SO much to see and do) -- the world's most amazing McDonald's (and the first one in Europe), located near the Spanish Steps.   Phyllis DeLancey Senior Member Username: Phyllis Post Number: 1856 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 04:01 pm:    Our favorite way to see a city is the hop on/hop off buss,I'm sure you will find them in many of the places. Barcelona has 3 different routes, you can get your tickets right where the ships bus will drop you off at the Rambla, a great place for a stroll. They have three different color tours, my favorite is the one that will take you to the Gaudi park. The Gothic cathedral is something to see, I think better on the outside than the inside. Funchal has a cable car that will take you to the top of a mountain. From there you can walk a short distance and take the ride of you life on a down hill wicker sledge. It will take you half way back and there will many cabs if you want. We walked, stopping along the way for a bit of refreshment. It is a long walk and all down hill. While in Cadiz, we took a walking tour of the Gothic area. If you go into the large church, in the basement, be sure to put a coin in the machine and see what happens. I think they only one place to do this, is lovely. Last fall while there, I had problems with a street vendor, they tried to short change me, so be careful. Monte Carlo was lovely, we found a nice local market, with outdoor eating, had lunch and enjoyed the sights. I have a book, it is older, Mediterranean by cruise ship, by Anne Vipond. I got it for our first repostioning cruise and it was well worth the money. The USO in Rome has nice tours too. The reason we like the bus, it give you an over all view, than you can always go back to see something.   David Intermediate Member Username: Reverie4401 Post Number: 56 Registered: 02-2008 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 01:33 pm:    Computerdoc is absolutely right. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/ is the best source of info. The most important sites for you to check are "ports of call" and "roll call". Once you create a user name and password log onto roll call > Holland America > Oosterdam > transatlantic March 14, 2009. You will find that your shipmates are quite saavy and have begun setting up small private tours. See p.14. Scan the early pages and if you feel compatible introduce yourselves. We have made several longterm friends this way. Many groups will meet the night before sailing at a hotel. It is really nice to recognize new friends day one! Micky   Computerdoc Member Username: Jblunt Post Number: 8 Registered: 03-2007 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 01:11 pm:    Cruisecritic.com will give you more information than you could ever imagine on shore excursions, doing it yourself, port information from fellow cruisers. Very helpful site.   Garee Michael Harrison Intermediate Member Username: Gareemharrison Post Number: 94 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 12:45 pm:    Thank you, these are the kinds of suggestions we need to consider. It seems everything we would like to do shows $$$$ -$150 or more and for the two of us $300.00 for 4-5 hours a day seems a bit steep after we got such a good price on our cruise. We are looking at the sleigh ride in Funchal and also a trip up in the mts on Maderia. We love the tours that involve "tapas" and Pallea but both of them would be $300. and we figure, surely we can eat a meal for a lot less than that if we just knew where to go. I ordered Anne Vipond's Mediterranean by Cruise Ship and also have one Rick Steves 2006 Portugal book. I need to look for a newer Rick Steves' Spain book. We want to experience each of these ports and see as much as is possible. We have at least 8-10 hours in each port of call and that should give us a chance to see and do quite a few tours either with the ship, or on shore, or just on our own. It really pleases me when we can see wonderful sights and we did it ourselves. We have one month to plan our trips ashore. Thank you for all advice and suggestions. Happy traveling, Carol in Ocala   David Intermediate Member Username: Reverie4401 Post Number: 55 Registered: 02-2008 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 12:41 pm:    Carol, Some ship's tours are the "better choice" if they take you a long distance, since the ship will not leave without you if there is a traffic problem which delays your return. That said, I hate being "captive" to large group tours. Below are my suggestions for your first visit to the ports you listed: MADEIRA [our favorite port!]-- walk/cab/ship shuttle to town and take the tram to the top and walk the short way to the basket sled rides. At the end of the ride take the city bus or cab back to town and wander the streets and shops and just enjoy. LISBON--take cab or ship's shuttle to town and buy tickets for the Hop-on Hop-off bus. Dress "poor" and beware of pickpockets. CADIZ--the tourist office is right in front ofthe port in the park and has several self-guided walking tours. We did the old city tour and recommend it to all. There is also a HOHO bus at Cadiz. MALLORCA--never visited there MONTE CARLO/[Villefranche?]--there is a nice train from Villefranche to MC and other lovely villages. Villefranche is lovely itself. BARCELONA--there is a city bus at the port [crew members will be on it!] which will take you to the bottom of Las Ramblas. Stroll up to Placa Catalunya, enjoying the sights and markets on the way. At PC there is a huge El Corte Ingles as well as the HOHO buses. Dress "poor" and beware of pickpockets. Frankly there are so many really worthy things to do in Barcelona, come back and spend 3-4 days on your own. Definitely do Montserrat on your own, not ship's tour. ROME--stay a few extra days! Don't do HOHO bus [terrible]. Get a Roma Pass online for all subways and buses [very easy to get everywhere]. Dress "poor" and beware of pickpockets. Be sure to eat at Trattoria Tritone near Trevi Fountain --say hi to Zeno! Also buy a piece of pizza at the walk-up window between the subway station and the bottom of the Spanish Steps. PISA [Livourna] /FLORENCE-- take the train from Livourna to Pisa and/or Florence. The ship's tour wastes time at selected gift shops and errant passengers delay everything on the tour. The traffic on the freeway is a nightmare, trains are faster. Email me privately for further info , Micky   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 4723 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 12:12 pm:    Garee, put <shore excursions> into your favorite search engine and you will find a number of sites--some just giving travelers' advice, and others offering to book. Reading them all and taking notes should be lots of fun! You also can read up on your destinations in standard guidebooks (like Frommer, Fodor, Lonely Planet, Rick Steves) borrowed from your public library, to get a good idea of whether you want to take a canned tour or head out on your own in each of the ports. (Note: the ship does not actually go to Pisa--that town is inland. Your port will be Leghorn/Livorno, from which you can take a train to Pisa and even on to Florence/Firenze, or in which you can take a local canal tour &/or wander through a market, up and down a grand plaza, and peek into a cathedral. A while back I compiled and sent info on how to get from Livorno to Camp Darby by local bus but I see it is not in John D's FAQ's--presumably because he decided that since Camp Darby does not have an airfield it is not a Space-a travel destination! Unfortunately I now don't find a copy of those instructions in my saved files...) If counting on a train or bus trip anywhere in Italy, be warned that there can be frequent 1-day strikes affecting all public transportation. The reason for any of them is always unclear to visitors but I think they probably are simply for political purposes, to remind the government about how powerful the unions are.   roger johnson Intermediate Member Username: Rwjohn6 Post Number: 100 Registered: 05-2008 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 11:28 am:    We have done many cruises and find you can get the same shore excursions when in port from the same companies waiting at port for much less. We also found many taxis waiting that for flat fee will also give you tour of city. Roger Fl   Garee Michael Harrison Intermediate Member Username: Gareemharrison Post Number: 93 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 10:37 am:    We are booked on Holland American, Oosterdam, March 14-April 1st to Rome. This is our first Repostioning (Transatlantic cruise) cruise. We received our cruise packet this week and we have begun to wade thru all the booklets including Shore Excursions. We will be in Funchal, Maderia, Lisbon, Cadiz, Mallorca, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Pisa, and Rome. All the excursions look great but they certainly seem expensive. (Most over $150.00 apiece.) That could really add up if we did $300.00 a day for 7-8 ports. Do you have some suggestions of things we could do on our own (we are adventurous) and not go with the ship's companies. If you have any websites suggestions to go to; please let us know. We want to "do it all" and get this best "bang for our buck." Thank a million, Carol in Ocala