Semarang
 

Our cruise ship will be stopping in Semarang from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
There are four of us traveling in December and we are thinking of getting a private guide to go to Borobudur . Is it worth going there or better to just stay around Semarang? If so, can anyone recommend a guide? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated - Thanks, Pat

I was in Semarang a couple years ago and drove to Yogya from there. It's something like a three hour journey each way, so I think you'd really be pushing it time-wise. December is also the height of the rainy season, so there's probably a good chance it would be raining by the time you got there.

Of course, there's not a lot to see around Semarang either. The highlight for me was a tour of the Jamu factory, but that's not for tourists.

I wouldn't consider Semarang a particularly interesting place to spend 8 hours. I think a visit to Borobudur would be well worth the effort, but be aware that it's about a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from the port of Semarang. You would definitely need a driver, but wouldn't necessarily need a guide as the monument is fairly self explanatory.

Another idea would be to visit Pekalongan the batik making center, also about 2.5-3.0 hours west of Semarang along the north coast.
https://en.unesco.org/creative-cities/pekalongan

Maybe see how the weather looks on your arrival. Borobudur is doable in the rain with umbrellas, but it's definitely an out of doors activity.