Topic: Pivate tours in Gibraltar,Nice,Florence,Rome,Seville,Lisbon

Hi everyone,
First to let you know that I am a newbie to this website.We are a family of 4 and are currently booked for a 14 night Italian Med. cruise with RCCL on the Idependnece of the Seas on June 19, 2010 from Southampton.I was wondering if anyone been on this cruise, how would you rate the ports and how was the ship? We have been looking at the shore excursions that the ship is offering and we realize that we would like to arrange private drivers at each of our stops (Gibraltar, Villefranche,Livorno,Civitavecchia,Cagliari,Cadiz, Lisbon,Vigo.Can anyone give us some advise on what they did?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Cyndi

QUOTE:

Hi everyone,
First to let you know that I am a newbie to this website.We are a family of 4 and are currently booked for a 14 night Italian Med. cruise with RCCL on the Idependnece of the Seas on June 19, 2010 from Southampton.I was wondering if anyone been on this cruise, how would you rate the ports and how was the ship? We have been looking at the shore excursions that the ship is offering and we realize that we would like to arrange private drivers at each of our stops (Gibraltar, Villefranche,Livorno,Civitavecchia,Cagliari,Cadiz, Lisbon,Vigo.Can anyone give us some advise on what they did?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Cyndi

The tour of the Rock in Gib is well worth doing and you can get a taxi or minibus from the port. Make sure you have nothing hanging loose that the apes could steal. They are wild animals, but have little fear of people and are very entertaining. The concert hall inside the rock is very impressive and the tour includes a trip to the military tunnels above the airport. The rock hewn out of the tunnels was used to build the runway. You can also make your own way up via the cable car. Alternatively walk up the main street to the botanical gardens and climb up to the Rock Hotel for a cooling drink before walking back down another route.

Nobody will have done exactly this cruise as the itineraries were slightly different last summer. However, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time, as we did. In Lisbon, I recommend the hop-on, hop-off bus, which picks up from the ship and you can also use yout ticket on the old tram up to the castle. As Cooke says, the taxi tour is the thing to do in Gib - we really enjoyed it. But if there is another ship in port next to you, get off early or the taxis will be all gone. We got the penultimate one! In Livorno, we did the 'Pisa & Florence on your Own' excursion, which worked well. Cagliari, we walked around the town using the map provided by the ship.

Hi, Livorno i a bit of a pain being a huge working port. On our first visit we got a very good taxi driver who took us to Pisa, you should only need a half day to see the sights and a bit of shopping. our second visit was a bit more adventurous and we had a full day in Florence as follows. Ships bus to dock gates, local bus to station, train to pisa/florence ( trains are at 10mins past the hour so make sure you dont just miss like we did, also punch your ticket in the machine on the platform BEFORE boarding ) journey approx 50mins to florence. Its an easy walk from the station to the main sights, try and get an early train back,we were on the 5,10pm packed with commuters.You will spend approx15euros per head on bus/train so it might make sense to haggle a taxi deal. We have been on a couple of RCCL ships and enjoyedboth very much

I have been to all of these places, using local taxis, although in at least two much of interest can be seen simply by walking off the ship or by shuttle bus. The problem is that you will pay heavily for a drop-on pick-up taxi, and the drivers are often unwilling to stay and let you out to sightsee. This is completely different from the Caribbean, both options of which are welcome. Possibly it is because parking places are far more rare in Europe! In Rome, particularly, this was very annoying, as we wanted to go and see by foot. We have been recommended next time to use the train. I haven't yet done this, but you will find a man who has by using the Search tab. Enjoy yourself! Brian

Rome is easy to get there by train, port shuttle to entrance, turn right on leaving the port and walk ahead for about 10 mins the train station is on your left, you can not miss it. Ticket price return 2009 was 9 euros, do not forget to get your ticket stamped in the machine before you board the train.
There is plenty of hop on hop on buses to take you round the sites, but it is a long an tiring day although well worth doing.
The ship is great been on it many times, have a great time

We did the dolphins in Gib, what an amazing sight and the tour pick up point about 1.5 miles from the exit at the harbour gate on your left, passed the World War II memorial on the roundabout and instead of going straight on for the dolphins, turn up right at the roundabout for a Morrisons store about 400 yds up on the right; Villefranche is quite small and normally you have to take the ship's tender to get into the town centre. There is a bus just off to the left up to the main road will take you into Cannes or got east for Nice and Monte Carlo. We did the trips in the past by train which is a good 1 mile after you exit where the tender drops you. When you come out turn right and follow the sea wall and you will come to the railway station, but a lot of stairs to climb, also make sure you have plenty of 1 euro's with you as the ticket office we found can be closed but there is a ticket machine on the north platform where you can buy them think we paid 3/5 Euro's for a single it does take credit cards but I certainly wasn't putting mine in that machine. In Lisbon just as you come of the ship and over the small bridge a London type open to bus will take you around the capital....Bill

When you get to the French coast its easy to hop on a train and ride to the next port, its all very pretty.
If you just want to see part of Roma it's a big city, you can do it yourself, but if you want the full history its best to do a ships trip with a guide, if you go to the Vatican, the ice creams and local bars are extortionate walk down a side street for refreshments and pizzas, same for Florence if you want the history of this lovely city you need a guide.
Try to see the Cathedral in Seville, its a superb building, and Lisbon is good for walking round, there is usually a charge on the shuttle bus to the town centre, but its well worth it as it is a very long walk from the ship.

Do you want to join a very small guided tour of Rome? No walking, two seats available.
P & O Oceana Dep 4th April 2010, arrive Civitavecchia Sunday 11th April.
We are planning to use a company called Easitaly Tours who seem to be recommended by everyone who has used them on Trip Advisor (Link to their website is here >>> ...OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE YOUR TRIP!) to book a 7 seater minivan and guide to take us round the main sights. We will be collected from the ship at 9am, do the tour in the morning, then stop somewhere for lunch, and then a little independent wander round the Spanish Steps for an hour before returning to the ship at 4pm. Total day out 7 hours. We will need four seats of the seven but wonder if anyone is interested in taking two of the other seats and sharing the cost. It works out at £100 per person, no entrance fees included because no going in anywhere, but that should cover a tip. Ideal for someone who wants to see lots but not tackle walking round Rome on a route march.
I know there is an offer for the disabled tours by P & O but it costs £100 pp anyway, and there is no guarantee that we would be able to join my parents in law on their trip ......... places limited to one companion for a disabled passenger.

If you are interested, contact us with a message to find out more.
NB Not suitable for children . We are three females aged 52, 53 and 80 and one male, 86, all fairly house trained and sociable.

Private shore excursions from Naples, Rome and Florence.
THEY DO PRIVATE TOURS IN ROME /PISA /FLORANCE PICK UPS AT THE PORT & RETURN MAY BE OF INTREST TO SOME AS THEY USE CARS /VANS & AS A PARTY IS CHEAPER THAN SHIPS TOURS.