Plan own excursion or book with MSC?

[Jacks11]

Hi,

We are off on our Cruise in September with MSC Poesia to the Mediterranean East.

Who would happily book through MSC for the day trips or do the day trips your self and do all the research before you go?

I have started looking at the ports and going on trip advisers websites bit its all getting confusing?

So any recommendations would be a great help

 

Thank you

Jacks

[Kateann61414]

We did a little bit of both. Some of their prices for excursions were really competitive so the things we wanted to do that would’ve taken more effort to plan we booked through them. (We also had 8 ports to plan for so it would’ve been crazy to do it all ourselves).

[Hey Tina]

I prefer to NOT book through the ship. I enjoy the research process and the cost savings are usually substantial as well.

[Mom2B&Z]

I prefer to NOT book through the ship. I enjoy the research process and the cost savings are usually substantial as well.

 

 

 

Agreed. Plus you can avoid the crowds and go at your own pace, whereas the ship tours cannot be customized.

CC port of call forums and Trip Advisor have always led me to great private tours.

 

 

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[Jimjamz]

We mainly do our own as I enjoy the research. Can be considerably less in cost (particularly when we travel as a family of 4). Have done ship excursions before. Eg Port of Bari trip to Matera inland. Time was tight and it basically took up the whole time the ship was in port, with a ships excursion they will wait for you if there is a delay getting back to the ship whereas on your own, you are on your own (saw the ship sail off without someone in Corfu, who arrived ship side about 3 mins after it started to push off (ship had actually delayed leaving for 20 mins waiting for this person but I wouldn't guarantee that ships would do that). Rep called a Tug, person was uploaded from dock to ship via tug. Fantastic entertainment for all of us on the balconies that side of the ship, much cheering. No doubt he would have been billed for it.).

[phissy]

We have done many excursions on our “own” in the past. We were able to get a group from our Roll all and organize excursions with them. Disappointing that many do not seem to sign up for Roll Call on MSC ships. We are still the only CC members on our Roll Call. Doing western Mediterranean next spring . It would be fun to go with a few other couples.

[riclop]

Hi,

We are off on our Cruise in September with MSC Poesia to the Mediterranean East.

Who would happily book through MSC for the day trips or do the day trips your self and do all the research before you go?

I have started looking at the ports and going on trip advisers websites bit its all getting confusing?

So any recommendations would be a great help

 

Thank you

Jacks

If you go on your own and the excursion is late the ship will leave you.

[hun]

We’re planning our first MSC Med cruise for fall 2019 and typically book on our own or through our roll call, however, I’ve noticed that the prices for the MSC excursions seem very much more “reasonable” than those of RCCL or NCL, so we will most likely book direct with MSC for organized excursions.

 

We’ve also enjoyed “free walking tours”, so will look into those at certain ports if available as well.

 

 

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[perakcruiser]

Who would happily book through MSC for the day trips or do the day trips your self and do all the research before you go?

 

That depends on the port. Bari you can easily do a walk thru the old town, but "complicated" attractions out of town are quite a hassle if you want to do by yourself. Sunday is also a "problem" because public transport gets very irregular.

 

Olympia can easily be reached by train or bus. If you want to go by train, leave the ship early, only one train and that leaves quite fast after the ship arrives (we just missed it). Bus prices are VERY negotiable like everything in Greece ;p

 

Dubrovnik port is far away from old town, but there is a very regular (and extremly crowded) bus connection. You need Croacia money.

[Linda the Book Lover]

If you go on your own and the excursion is late the ship will leave you.

 

We always book on our own no matter which cruise we take. When we traveled in Europe we booked all excursions on our own and returned to the ship in plenty of time. In fact, some excursion companies offer to get you back in time or they will put you up and get you to the next destination.

 

The runners we have seen have been in the Caribbean (again we booked excursions our own) and they appeared to have been shopping as they had bags in their hands.