Epic Mediterranean itinerary

We have cruised Royal Caribbean over past 15 years and decided to travel NCL to Europe in June 2018. Looking for excursion recommendations in

Naples

Rome

Florence

Cannes

Majorca

Feedback requested and appreciated!!

Thank you in advance

Are you looking for recommendations for ship tours or for private tours?

For private tours I would make use of the Ports Of Calls Boards.

Keith

This link wil take you to the Ports Of Call Boards on Cruise Critic.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=603

Keith

We are planning the same cruise in July. We plan to use ItalyTours.eu in Italy. They’ve been great to work with so far (very responsive to messages) and received great reviews online.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We are planning the same cruise in July. We plan to use ItalyTours.eu in Italy. They’ve been great to work with so far (very responsive to messages) and received great reviews online.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We are on the June 17th sailing. I like options on this website. Do you happen to know how long the tours are - the best of Rome? I found a different website called walksofitaly.com and their tours are only 3.5 hours. I like the idea of doing a shorter tour and then having the rest of the Tim to explore.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We have cruised Royal Caribbean over past 15 years and decided to travel NCL to Europe in June 2018. Looking for excursion recommendations in

Naples

Rome

Florence

Cannes

Majorca

 

Feedback requested and appreciated!!

Thank you in advance

In Naples, I use Leisure-Italy.com who always provide fantastic service. Last time was a private tour to Herculaneum, Pompeii and Vesuvius. We were the first people into Herculaneum and the guide knew everything, while in Pompeii we saw lots of things that the ship tour hadn't pointed out (when I used that the first time). I recommend something involving the amazing Amalfi coast if you haven't seen that.

In Cannes, it's worth considering just hopping on the ferry at the landing stage to the Lerin islands. One has a monastery on, while the other has the fortress where they kept the man in the Iron Mask and is a nature reserve. Very easy as a do it yourself, beautiful, and at your own pace - couldn't be easier or cheaper. http://www.trans-cote-azur.co.uk/departing-cannes/lerins-islands-ste-marguerite-boat-croissing-excursion/

We have cruised Royal Caribbean over past 15 years and decided to travel NCL to Europe in June 2018. Looking for excursion recommendations in

Naples

Rome

Florence

Cannes

Majorca

 

Feedback requested and appreciated!!

Thank you in advance

Why don't you go to your roll call. Usually there are other cruisers planning excursions and are looking for other cruisers to join them to form small groups to get better rates. I've done this many times and the excursions are very good. Usually the group is only 10-12 people.

We are on the June 17th sailing. I like options on this website. Do you happen to know how long the tours are - the best of Rome? I found a different website called walksofitaly.com and their tours are only 3.5 hours. I like the idea of doing a shorter tour and then having the rest of the Tim to explore.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I believe this particular group tends to offer longer tours (6-8 hours). However, you could always message them and check as they may have other options.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We did the Ultimate Rome Tour through NCL and loved every minute of it - exhausting (in a good way), but we felt we maximized our time in Rome. Wicked expensive.

What are YOUR interests? It doesn't matter what I , or anybody else thinks or recommends if you are not interested in that type of stuff then you won't enjoy it. Are you into historical stuff, wine/food tasting, beaches etc etc etc. You really need to provide a little more info before anyone can point you in a direction.

We did this cruise but it was in 2015. This is what we did in each port (had ship excursions for all except for Rome)

Naples - Mt Vesuvius (they gave you time to hike we make it to the top) and Pompeii (guide tour of the area)

Rome - went on the train on our own and toured on own; Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman forum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Spanish Steps. We could have easily fit in Trevi Fountain but it was under construction when we went to we skipped it.

Florence - We pulled into Livorno and did a combo tour of Florence (where we went into Academia Gallery to see David), did a walking tour of Florence then free time, went to the photo op for Ponte Vecchio. After that we went to Pisa where we did a climb of the leaning tower.

Cannes - tour to Monte Carlo. Had free time to wander around the city and the tour took us into the casino.

Majorca - bike tour of island.

We did this cruise but it was in 2015. This is what we did in each port (had ship excursions for all except for Rome)

 

Naples - Mt Vesuvius (they gave you time to hike we make it to the top) and Pompeii (guide tour of the area)

Rome - went on the train on our own and toured on own; Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman forum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Spanish Steps. We could have easily fit in Trevi Fountain but it was under construction when we went to we skipped it.

Florence - We pulled into Livorno and did a combo tour of Florence (where we went into Academia Gallery to see David), did a walking tour of Florence then free time, went to the photo op for Ponte Vecchio. After that we went to Pisa where we did a climb of the leaning tower.

Cannes - tour to Monte Carlo. Had free time to wander around the city and the tour took us into the casino.

Majorca - bike tour of island.

This is really helpful!

A question about Rome - did you go to the Vatican?

Naples - were those two offered as one excursion? I know Ive seen these two separately but maybe together.

Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

look at "cant be missed tours" for Rome, Florence and Naples they are recommended by rick steeves, used them twice and they were great and cheap. Use promo code rick steeves and get a better rate.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

This is really helpful!

 

A question about Rome - did you go to the Vatican?

 

Naples - were those two offered as one excursion? I know Ive seen these two separately but maybe together.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We did not go to Vatican. I think if you feel this might be your once in a lifetime trip to Rome you could fit it in. With our itinerary we ended up being back to Chivachia (sp?) almost 3 hours before all-aboard. But we didn't want to feel rushed at either place, so Vatican will be another cruise excursion. Just plan accordingly as if this port is still on Weds the Pope does an appearance on Weds mornings when he is in town. So Vatican will be crazy busy because of this. But that might be a big draw for your family. If it's not, plan to go in the afternoon. Another note, we were ready to be off the ship at disembark time of 6am. We didn't want to waste any time in Rome. We ended up getting lost on the way to the train station so we didn't get the train we were planning (I think it was about 6:40 train). We ended up on a train that didn't leave until almost 8am.

As for Naples, yes they were offered as one. On NCL's website under excursions (this is general for Naples not specific to the cruise) it is listed for 6 1/2 hours, title is Mount Vesuvius & Pompeii.

Mount Vesuvius & Pompeii

We did not go to Vatican. I think if you feel this might be your once in a lifetime trip to Rome you could fit it in. With our itinerary we ended up being back to Chivachia (sp?) almost 3 hours before all-aboard. But we didn't want to feel rushed at either place, so Vatican will be another cruise excursion. Just plan accordingly as if this port is still on Weds the Pope does an appearance on Weds mornings when he is in town. So Vatican will be crazy busy because of this. But that might be a big draw for your family. If it's not, plan to go in the afternoon. Another note, we were ready to be off the ship at disembark time of 6am. We didn't want to waste any time in Rome. We ended up getting lost on the way to the train station so we didn't get the train we were planning (I think it was about 6:40 train). We ended up on a train that didn't leave until almost 8am.

 

 

 

As for Naples, yes they were offered as one. On NCL's website under excursions (this is general for Naples not specific to the cruise) it is listed for 6 1/2 hours, title is Mount Vesuvius & Pompeii.

 

Mount Vesuvius & Pompeii

Thanks so much! I’m a novice to Europe. Plenty of Caribbean cruises under my belt 🤪

Were you able to see much from the top of Mt Vesuvius? Worth the hike?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks so much! I’m a novice to Europe. Plenty of Caribbean cruises under my belt 🤪

 

Were you able to see much from the top of Mt Vesuvius? Worth the hike?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We like hiking so for us it was worth it. It was a pretty easy hike, just wear gym shoes. It's a hardened rock and dirt trail.

One side you look down into a crater, it's blackish (but you don't see bottom). At the top (and even the trail up) you have nice views of Naples and the harbor. But you are pretty far away. You are not going to be able to see the cruise ship decent. I have pics that are completely zoomed in and it still seems a ways away.