First time cruiser - are princess port tours worth it?

[Bizzie07]

We did Barcelona to Venice on Star Princess last year and booked our trips with Princess. On the way back from Rome we came across a crash which involved a Royal Caribbean tour bus. It just brought home to us how easy it could be to be late back to the ship. The crash was on a narrow road which resulted in huge tailbacks.

 

On Sea Princess this year there were lots of complaints about passengers being unable to book tours as they were all full. The excursion brochure had been late going out to people and only those with access to the internet were able to book early, which is unfair to those who do not own a computer. By the time they got the book the popular tours were booked.:confused:

[spongerob]

We often mix both independent and Princess-organized tours. In general, we have found the Princess tours well-run and satifying. The only time I've been disappointed, a satisfactory compensation was made.

 

Our best days have always been on our own, or with privately-arranged guides. It is so much better to see the things YOU are interested in seeing, at your own pace, and with the ability to change things up if you desire. For example, on Orkney, our guide arranged our stops to avoid the Princess excursions, and we were able to visit those sites with just our small group. Some sites were not on the ship's excursions at all.

 

There are good reasons to do both. Independent tours do require more effort and research, but ultimately are more rewarding. Princess tours might be able to arrange visits or activities that would be a little more difficult to arrange on your own. Ultimately, the decision should come down to balancing your desire to make the most of your vacation while not adding undue stress in the process.

[woodofpine]

The non-cruise line excursions that have been trumped are those that have been pre-planned individually well in advance.

 

As a for example: Did an area/event good excursion from the Puntaarenaes pier - but the broken van a/c in tropicalities, the price/tip 'yada 'yada...

 

a lesser experience.

[1cat4jan]

July 4th, we disembarked from our 10 day Baltic cruise on the Star and all I can say is Princess does an excellent job with their tours. We took all ship sponsored tours and it was a class act all the way.

 

The way they handle the bus tours was unlike any I've seen. As we entered the "staging" area, they assigned bus numbers to our group (you have to appear with your entire group, or you may be assigned different buses) - after the bus was filled, that bus left. You did not have to wait until all people signed up for a particular tour were assembled. If you came early and the bus filled, you left ahead of schedule.

 

They filled their buses to only 75/80% capacity and their tour guides were excellent.

 

We have experienced ship's tours with the four major lines, and Princess handles their tours better than any other.

 

However, I cannot speak of your particular itinerary - I don't know if procedures and quality varies by ship.

 

I can only tell you - I was IMPRESSED with my total experience onboard the Star.

[marcruiser]

We were very happy with our tours on our recent cruise on the Coral Princess to Alaska.

 

One thing very important to consider is the fact that if you are on an independent tour and something happens to make you miss the ship, you are responsible for getting yourself to the next port (expensive and you miss time on the ship).

 

If you are on a Princess (or any cruiseline) arranged tour, if you are late they will hold the ship for you. On our cruise we went on an Evening Whale Watching tour in Juneau (great by the way...lots of whales). The tour ran a little longer than expected and we seemed to be the last ones up the gangway; but we didn't worry because it was a PRINCESS TOUR!

[debbieuk]

We are travelling on the Grand princess Barcelona to Venice 08/08/06 and have found with a cursory glance that many of the Princess tours state that a lot of walking would be involved. Although not disabled we have a few in our party of 7 who would find that difficult so we are looking to do our tours more independentally. However, some of our party are 'go with flow' sorts and dont fancy pre-booking with independent guides as they want to see how they feel on the day. As someone who is always books things well in advance I find this a bit nerve wracking! Have any of you guys used he taxis and tour guides that tout for business along the docks? Any tips for using these? I will feel so much better if I hear of some good experiences!

[jjones]

I was in Jordan and Egypt this April-May. Our group had armed guards and escort vehicles wherever we went. Our Egyptian guide said it was because the U.S. State Dept. told both countries that it they didn't want to be put on the "no-go" list, they had to protect U.S. tourists. Since a lot of their economy is based on tourism, they complied. But I did feel like a target sometimes, especially with front and rear escort vehicles.:o

 

Last year I was on the Star's Eastern Med cruise and did all on-the-spot independent tours. Got VERY lucky with some wonderful taxi drivers - good English skills, their joy in sharing their homeland, and delightful personal stories.

 

Anyone going to St. Petersburg, I highly recommend Red October for private tours. They get preferential access to many of the big tourist sites (Hermitage, Peterhof, Catherine's) and will tailor each tour to your personal preferences.

 

I generally prefer independent tours and I always schedule my return to the ship at least two hours before sailing time. So far I've been lucky and not run into any delays.

[debbieuk]

Thanks that is good to hear. I wonder if there is anyone on here that has been to the Med this year and has any advice for independent tours from port? We would always aim to get back well in time for departure (1-2 hours prior) so I dont think the whole 'missing the boat' thing would be a problem. I am more worried about getting either ripped off or not being able to see the sights we were looking forward to. I would especially love to hear from our more 'mature' members! Or those with walking problems about how they got around, thanks!

[Pam in CA]

Tours to Florence and Pisa include a LOT of walking, and I mean a lot -- probably several miles in total over uneven streets. I'm not sure if you booked independent tours whether or not you could get any closer. In Pisa, you'll do the walking no matter what; in Florence, you could probably get a taxi but you'd have to constantly park, get out, walk around, get back in, etc. The sights are pretty close together and there are a lot of them so no matter what, you'll do a lot of walking.

 

You'll also do a lot of walking over uneven surfaces if you go to Pompeii. The reality is that if you visit old cities in Europe, you're likely to have long walks over uneven ground.

[debbieuk]

Thanks Pam,

Yes I do realise that most cities will be old and maybe uneven underfoot, particularly Pompeii. It is just that we dont feel inclined to pay the cost of the tours, which I feel are pretty expensive only to find that th walking involved would mean some of us having to stay on the bus. Can I ask again if there is anyone out there who is not disabled but has difficulty in walking, that did the Med trips this year and how they managed at the ports?