cruise--excursions---cost of

surawy

Enquiring to go on a cruise--prices not bad.
However the excursions that go with the trip.
eg. Rome --a day --over £200 per person.
Any ideas re bringing those prices down as they seem exorbitant.

Andrew:rotfl:

Caz3121

you can arrange your own trips and do not have to do the arranged ones. Get a tour guide and decide what you want to see. When the ships doc there are often a load of taxi drivers offering tours - make sure you arrange a price up front.
Do check how far you will be docked from the places you want to go to - my folks went on one that stopped in Egypt and it was a 90 minute coach trip to get to their destination so a taxi would have been very expensive in comparison

vivatifosi

Hi Surawy,

A lot of people on cruises do their own thing. If you go to the Cruise Critic website there are forums for destinations such as Europe with loads of hints and tips as to the cheapest ways to get around. For example, from Civitavecchia to Rome you can take the shuttle bus to the edge of the port, walk into town and take the train in for about a tenner.

However always bear in mind that one bonus of the ships tours is that if they arrive back late, they wait for you. If you arrive back late to the ship as an independent traveller, you get to stand on the quayside and wave goodbye. Its always worth keeping a copy of the ship's magazine (with contact details on) and get an earlier train back if you are doing your own thing.

Rikki

I went on a cruise to the Baltic's recently and the only trip we booked was the one at St Petersburg. You need a visa in Russia so unless you organise one you have to go on the ships block visa organised trips.

All other ports have buses or you can walk into the towns. It really depends on what you want to see.

karena

I did a Med. cruise about 4 years ago out of Barcelona. The only excursion I booked was Rome, just felt it was easier than the train (esp. when it is so hot and you dont really know where you are going) - the bus dropped us at the Vatican where we did our own thing and then back on to do the important sightseeing then bus back feeling very exhausted! Exhausting day, but you are given plenty of time to do your own thing plus see what you should be seeing in Rome!

MrSmartprice

On many cruises there are shuttle buses to the towns which are either free or cheap. Some port authorities provide free shuttles so that you aren't wandering around the docks. Ship ones may cost a pound or so.

Either way they are a good option so that you can go and explore a place yourself. Use local buses or trains rather than be the 'sheep' on organised tours. It's certainly more interesting to do it yourself, wherever possible of course.

getmore4less

Rikki wrote: »

I went on a cruise to the Baltic's recently and the only trip we booked was the one at St Petersburg. You need a visa in Russia so unless you organise one you have to go on the ships block visa organised trips.

All other ports have buses or you can walk into the towns. It really depends on what you want to see.

You can take a private tours in St P and the tour comapany will sort out the Visa no need to take the ships tours or get your own visa


Most ports can be done DIY rather than use the ships offerings, depending on the place and the amount of research you sometimes don't need quides if you know what you want to see.

We do 2-3 trips a year and rairly use the ships tours.