Organised trips

I was wondering if we should book trips we want to do in Florence/Pisa and Rome now. We are not going until July but have noticed on cruise personaliser that these trips are available now and we are not sure if we should book in advance or wait until we get on board the ship?

Thank you for any advice.

Some trips "sell out" and become unavailable in the future. This type of trip tends to be where the venue or mode of transport has a limited capacity. e.g. Submarine in Barbados has x numbers of seats plus only two dives can be fitted into a day. Whereas a coach trip into a major city has infinite seats in theory as the cruise line and coach operators can add extra coaches into town as required by demand. I would only book now for trips where I perceive that availability may cease nearer the time. I can book later or on board for some things with no problems.

Regards John Watson

Thank you John I think I will wait as these are both organised trips into the cities mentioned.

Hi Med

My DH and I are visiting these ports in September/October and we are also looking for options to DIY as an alternative to the P and O trips. Could you please tell me the prices P and O are quoting for the guided coach tours of Florence and Rome and also the price of the "drop you off and do your own thing" ones. Its a bit early for the prices to be shown on my cruise personaliser.

Thankyou.

Hi jasperado

Florence on your own ~£42, Florence and Pisa on your own ~£50.

Florence ~ £59 and Florence/Pisa ~£69

Rome on your own ~£42 also a few guided trips from £50-£62

Hope this helps?

I have just had a thought ~ if we don't book and wait can we find out through our cruise personaliser if the trips are becoming full?

Hi Med,

Have you looked on your rollcall to see if anyone has organised private tours?

If you are really wanting to go on P and O tours and know which ones you want,I suppose you might as well book now as the price doesn't go down the nearer you get to the cruise(unfortunately)!

Med.

A return rail ticket from Civitavecchia / Rome is 12 euro, and includes metro and bus travel in the city! Check also to see how many other ships will be in port on the days that you are. In one port we will be one of 5 liners. Loads of people scrambling for buses and trains.

As louthebowler says the prices from p and o wont go down, but if you are wanting to use your obc to pay for the trips, you can only do this on the ship.

If there is a particular trip that you REALLY want to go on, I'd say book it now. Then at least you'll know you'll be on it. Otherwise wait and see.

If you think you'll be disappointed though if the tour does sell out and you're not on it, I would book it sooner rather than later. Just my opinion.

Thank you all for your advice.

Hi Med 2013, we're doing this trip in April (only 11 weeks to go!) and have booked trips for Rome and Florence/Pisa. You can go on your cruise personaliser and do a "dummy booking" and that way you'll find out if there are seats left but at least if you book them now you know it is done for and paid for even before you set sail.

Thank you margtee. Enjoy your cruise ~ 24 weeks for us!

Pisa is very easy to DIY on the train and very cheap. florence is easy as well.

Thank you jeanlyon but I think as its our first time to both these places we have decided for the safety net of an organised trip.

We will be doing our own things in all the other ports we visit.

Trish