what ports would you not bother with a tour?

[bluenoser2]

We're on the Crown Princess European Explorer in June - just booked! My husband likes to go with Princess tours, but I also know that the last time we went on the Mediterranean cruise, there were some places we could have easily done on our own instead of doing a tour! Which of these ports are better done on our own? Livorno, Genoa, Cannes, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Lisbon? Thanks!

[euro cruiser]

I tend to go on my own at most ports. I haven't been to Gibraltar or Lisbon and so can't comment on them. As for the others:

 

Livorno: Easy to take the train to Pisa or Florence on your own; in Florence you walk out of the train station into the heart of the historic and cultural area, it couldn't be easier. Pisa is a short cab ride from the train station to the Piazza dei Miracoli, where the tower and duomo are.

 

Genoa: Walk right off the ship into town; lovely place to walk around and explore.

 

Cannes: Also easy to walk off (from the tender, in our case) into town. Not a lot to do here, but nice walking, shopping, or hanging out on the beach.

 

Barcelona: The ease of getting into town depends on where the ship docks, but once in town it's very easy to get around on your own. The hardest thing in Barcelona is to narrow down the number of things you want to see into just one day.

[samavarcruiser]

I tend to go on my own at most ports. I haven't been to Gibraltar or Lisbon and so can't comment on them. As for the others:

 

Livorno: Easy to take the train to Pisa or Florence on your own; in Florence you walk out of the train station into the heart of the historic and cultural area, it couldn't be easier. Pisa is a short cab ride from the train station to the Piazza dei Miracoli, where the tower and duomo are.

 

Genoa: Walk right off the ship into town; lovely place to walk around and explore.

 

Cannes: Also easy to walk off (from the tender, in our case) into town. Not a lot to do here, but nice walking, shopping, or hanging out on the beach.

 

Barcelona: The ease of getting into town depends on where the ship docks, but once in town it's very easy to get around on your own. The hardest thing in Barcelona is to narrow down the number of things you want to see into just one day.

 

I agree, you can tour on your own ;)

[samavarcruiser]

Might be helpful :)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1111110

[carlmm]

You do not need a tour in the remaining cities either.

 

Gibralter: Short walk to the town (churches, museums, shops). Taxi-vans standing at various places offer highls recommendable standard tours of the rock.

 

Lisbon: Really much to much to do for one day. Ships may dock at various places. From almost everyhwere you can either walk to some of the sights or to a tram, bus or metro station.

[bellagirl]

Genoa was a pleasant surprise for us as we knew next to nothing about this port. Celebrity offered a water shuttle to the downtown area-we chose just to jump in a cab. It's quite a walk into the downtown district so I would not attempt that.

The downtown district is very lovely with a beautiful water fountain and nice little outdoor cafes. The birthplace of Christopher Columbus is there as well. Hope you enjoy this port as much as we did! Shelly:)

[MercedMike]

We're on the Crown Princess European Explorer in June - just booked! My husband likes to go with Princess tours, but I also know that the last time we went on the Mediterranean cruise, there were some places we could have easily done on our own instead of doing a tour! Which of these ports are better done on our own? Livorno, Genoa, Cannes, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Lisbon? Thanks!

 

UMMM ... when I go on a cruise, I am a tourist ... read TOURist! Why would I want to NOT do a tour to the TOURIST sites with an expert local who knows their way around instead of fumbling around by myself? Maybe Rick Steves can do it ... I can't!

 

My advice is to take the tours.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[cruisemom42]

I find it a pleasure to research destinations before I get there and do things on my own. It's not for everyone, but I really enjoy it.

 

Of the ports you list, almost all can be done on your own. The only port that might give you pause is Livorno -- because Florence is quite a distance from the port. It depends on your own comfort level. As eurocruiser says, the train is easily navigable with planning.

[Hlitner]

The OP asks a great question, but the answer really depends on the traveler. We have been traveling in Europe (and other continents) for over 40 years and hardly ever use a tour anywhere, anyplace, anytime! We love to do our own thing and do not consider it fun to be stuck on a bus with 45 other tourists. But, that is us. We have met others who were just afraid to even walk off the pier without a tour guide. Most do not fall into either extreme category. So here is my advice for the OP. All the ports you mentioned can be done on your own if you want to take the time to do your pre-trip homework. You also need to have a little spirit of adventure and some "travel common sense." There are quite a few of us here (including moi) that know all of these ports quite well and we can give you lots of detailed info on each port depending on how you want to spend your day. Keep in mind that Livorno is more than 1 hour from Florence (the most popular destination from this port) and you would first need a taxi to get to the Livorno train station if you want to do this on your own. All the other ports are pretty easy to do on your own providing you are content to spend your port day in the port city. If you choose to leave the city than it does take a bit more homework. For example, you can easily spend a full day exploring Lisbon, but you might decide you prefer to go to Sintra which would mean you need to get to the proper Lisbon train station and take the train (or rent a car). Cannes is one of those complex port days since there are many different options...most of which can be done with public transit or a rental car. Barcelona, Gibraltar and Genoa can easily be explored on your own.

 

Hank

[bluenoser2]

Thank you all for your valuable replies - they are most helpful. I guess I was just remembering that when we toured the Mediterranean, we ONLY did ship tours, and came back after some of them thinking that we really could have done that on our own - for others we were definitely glad (especially as first-timers to the area) that we had done the tour. I'm pretty sure that for Livorno, we'll want to see Florence and Pisa and since we're travelling with my 83 year old father, will take an excursion offered by the ship. But then when I looked at Lisbon, Gibraltar and Genoa, I wondered if these might be the places where the tours offered aren't that exciting or informative. My dad would be happy to sit on a bus, walk a bit, and listen to the guide. My husband would be happy to just take pictures and ignore the guide completely, because he'd rather read about it later! I just don't want to miss something and regret not having gone to see it when I get home! So I WILL research, and enjoy the research, and I will continue to use your invaluable assistance along the way CC people!

[Hlitner]

When we help folks (often on CC) plan their independent days they sometimes ask about the concern of "missing something." My answer is that you will miss a lot of things. We have sometimes spent weeks in a small part of Europe (like the Amalfi Coast) and still have not fully explored the areas that cruise passengers think they can see in one day. So, it is all about choices. IMHO those that take large group tours (such as cruise line tours) actually miss more than many independent travelers. One of my favorite examples are the cruise line bus tours of the Amalfi Coast (from Naples). The buses get to the area of Positano and stop along the road so the tourists can take pictures of the picturesque city below (you look down on Positano from the Amalfi Drive). But, the tour buses are not permitted to enter the city so you get to say you "saw" Positano and that is all you can say. For those that go independently or on a very small private tour you actually can spend time exploring this jet-setter city, looking the shops, and enjoying a nice meal or glass a wine in one of the many cafes or restaurants. We could give similar examples for almost every part of Europe. For those who have fears of going on their own or who harbor other concerns, the large group tours are probably the best choice. But for those that like to explore and do what they want, when they want, with whom they want, than tours can be a miserable way to spend a port day. We always emphasize that the key to independent travel is doing your pre-trip homework and always knowing your options. Than, you just go have fun and often change your plans as the day progresses. When you find something you like perhaps you decide to stay awhile and not bother doing something else that was part of your original plan. If you decide you want to have a nice lunch in a cafe you do not have to worry about "what time do we have to meet our group." On the other hand, you do always have to keep in mind that you need to get back to the ship a bit early so always go to your furthest destination early in the day and than work your way back to the port during your exploration.

 

Hank

[euro cruiser]

To Hank's point, I'm going to spend a week in Naples next month, a place many folks on our cruise this summer told me "I've seen everything there is to see there the last time I was there for a day."

 

In a week I'm not going to be able to cover everything I want to see, and I'm only going to leave Naples proper once, to see the royal palace at Caserta.

 

It is, as Hank says, all about what is important to you, and what tradeoffs you are willing to make.

[Fauna]

I have to agree, with the above. Last time we spent three pre-cruise days in Barcelona and didn't get half way through the things we wanted to see.

 

So this year back to Barcelona for four days and probably still won't cover the list.

 

The only port I felt we adequately covered in one day was Gibralter and that had alot to do with getting the first rail car up to the top and lots of walking.

 

The joy of cruising is that you get to sample places and decide which are important enough to you to return to and tour in greater depth.

[Lair Bear]

I guess I was just remembering that when we toured the Mediterranean, we ONLY did ship tours, and came back after some of them thinking that we really could have done that on our own - for others we were definitely glad (especially as first-timers to the area) that we had done the tour. !

 

As you indicate, or at least implied, there are 'ship tours' and 'independent tours' (those involving a local tour guide you have hired). I hope that Merced Mike also meant that, because the one thing that this forum has done for us, it to direct us to good options from other travelers. The tours offered by the ship will just about always be more expensive and involve loads of people who are herded onto buses like cattle.

 

For our first few cruises we did the ship's tours. Then we met and joined a foursome aboard who had hired a local tour guide in Livorno and were looking for two more to share the cost. The day turned out to be magnificent. For some details go to http://www.*****.com/Livorno.htm

 

However, I also agree that certain ports should or could be done on your own. Portofino, Santorini and Mykonos definitely fall into that category.

[Hlitner]

To Hank's point, I'm going to spend a week in Naples next month, a place many folks on our cruise this summer told me "I've seen everything there is to see there the last time I was there for a day."

 

In a week I'm not going to be able to cover everything I want to see, and I'm only going to leave Naples proper once, to see the royal palace at Caserta.

 

It is, as Hank says, all about what is important to you, and what tradeoffs you are willing to make.

 

A week in Naples! It would not be our choice for the region (we prefer the Amalfi Coast) but you will sure not be bored. We have been to Naples on more than a dozen cruises and never repeated the same thing twice. We have also spent weeks on the Amalfi Coast and have never been bored. We always smile at those who think they can see it all in a port day. By the way, once you think you have seen it all around Naples you can take a boat out to Ischia or Procida and try something totally different! Neither of these places are visited by cruise tours (there is a God) which make them interesting to moi.

 

Hank

[euro cruiser]

neither of these places are visited by cruise tours (there is a god) which make them interesting to moi.

lol! :d

[Olivares]

UMMM ... when I go on a cruise, I am a tourist ... read TOURist! Why would I want to NOT do a tour to the TOURIST sites with an expert local who knows their way around instead of fumbling around by myself? Maybe Rick Steves can do it ... I can't!

 

My advice is to take the tours.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

 

When I go on a cruise I am a TRAVELER!! MY idea of travel is trying to find my way and not necessarily assuming that I have to be herded around like cattle just because I have never been to a place....but that's just me!! I do not fumble around, I READ AND RESEARCH AND HAVE TONS OF FUN DOING IT!.....again that is just I ROLL!!

[euro cruiser]

"A traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see."

 

Gilbert K. Chesterton, English writer (20th century)

[cruisemom42]

Interesting discussion.

 

I think it's hard to be a "traveler" on cruises, when you're only in port for a day. There is a perceived pressure to see and do the "highlights" in a short period. But you can approach being a "traveler" if you choose just one or two things to see in a day and not try to cram everything in. Build in some time to just "see what you see."

 

Take Naples for example: the temptation is to think that if doing Pompeii is good, then doing Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast is better, and squeezing in Capri too would be worthy of a gold medal. However, if you choose just one of those 3 things (and heaven knows, the Amalfi Coast is probably more than you'd do in a reasonable day alone if you were vacationing in the area....), you will get a lot more out of the day.

 

I also think a lot of cruisers look at this as their "one and only" chance to see Europe. Why limit yourself? If travel is a priority, you can come back in a few years on another cruise or maybe even spend several weeks somewhere and really get to know it. I've said it before, but I'd rather spend less on any one individual trip (forego the balcony cabin, skip the expensive tours, use frequent flier miles for air travel), if it means that I can travel more frequently.

[euro cruiser]

I'd rather spend less on any one individual trip (forego the balcony cabin, skip the expensive tours, use frequent flier miles for air travel), if it means that I can travel more frequently.

Cynthia, the more I read your posts, the more I think we are twin sisters of different mothers (with apologies to Dan Fogelberg). I too would rather travel less expensively, and more often. Right now I'm staying in a perfectly acceptable 40 Euro per night apartment right on Via Toledo in Naples, and loving it.

 

When I get home and have a minute, I'm going to write some notes for people who have Naples as a one day stop. There are so many choices that are closer, easier, and interesting in their own way, other than Pompei, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Capri, which is what we hear the most about. Clearly, from reading these boards, there are lots of people who have done several Med cruises who might be interested in something different.

 

I just spent the morning & early afternoon in Caserta, an easy 45 minute ride (by bus or train) from Naples. Versailles has nothing on this place (which it was built to rival). I can imagine a cruise passenger really enjoying this as a change of pace from the usual Naples destinations.

[diane.in.ny]

Of all the ports the OP will be stopping at, I've only been to Lisbon.

 

This is definitely a city one can do on their own. We took a taxi up to the Castelo, then explored the Alfama district as we strolled down. Be sure to take the elevator up for an overview of the city (if you are OK with heights) and then stroll down from there.

 

If you want to eat in Lisbon, I highly recommend Bon Jardin. They are known for their roasted chicken and it is excellent. Just be sure to eat inside. It is more expensive to eat outside :D

[cruisemom42]

If you want to eat in Lisbon, I highly recommend Bon Jardin. They are known for their roasted chicken and it is excellent. Just be sure to eat inside. It is more expensive to eat outside :D

 

Oh, that roasted chicken in Lisbon is to die for! We had read about it and asked one of the desk clerks at our hotel where to go to sample it. She recommended a place but was almost embarrassed, telling us that it was not anything great -- equivalent of a "hole in the wall" place. Well, several of us went there and had the most wonderful meal. The menu was simple, translation was a bit iffy, but the food was beyond compare.

 

Thanks for reminding me of that. (And for others -- do try the chicken if you get a chance....) :)

[cruisemom42]

Cynthia, the more I read your posts, the more I think we are twin sisters of different mothers (with apologies to Dan Fogelberg). I too would rather travel less expensively, and more often. Right now I'm staying in a perfectly acceptable 40 Euro per night apartment right on Via Toledo in Naples, and loving it.

 

 

Thanks for that. I was feeling a bit dispirited today as I found out I have to cancel our planned June Med cruise because of a major project that's been moved up. And due to the economy, my usual chances for foreign travel in my job haven't materialized this year.

 

However, when one door closes....... ;) I've just booked another Med cruise in the fall instead, when I'll be free of this blasted project. And I'm pretty excited about the ports, including some new ones in southern Turkey.

[cruisecountess]

When we cruise, we sometimes hire a guide/driver to go around with us. While we have driven in Ireland, England, and throughout Central Europe, we had several weeks in which to do it. When we have a one day stop, we do not want to spend time picking up a car, finding parking spaces, finding our way, and then filling up on gas or taking up time waiting for public transportation. However, we also do not want to be herded on and off a bus and have someone else determine where and when and for how long we will be somewhere. Our compromise approach has worked well for us. We do the background research which, IMHO, is half the fun of traveling. Then we tell the guide what we want to focus on while, of course, allowing for the prfessional local's experience as well. We finalize what we want, eat at local restaurants, often being the only English speakers in the place, as was the experience with our private guide in St. Petersberg. This may not work for everyone, but we have enjoyed this approach ~ just another idea into the mix.

[diane.in.ny]

 

Thanks for reminding me of that. (And for others -- do try the chicken if you get a chance....) :)

 

You're more than welcome :)