12 day Mediterranean cruise
 

We are 2 couples leaving on a 12 day Oceania Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona to Athens. Looking at the possible 132 shore excursions offered. Any advice on which ones are good to take and which ports we can do on our own. Goes to Marseille, Monte Carlo, Livorno (Florence, Pisa), Civitavecchia (Rome), Amalfi, Taormina, Mykonos, Santorini, Thessaloniki, Volos. Anyone have experience with any of the excursions? Thanks!

From your question, it sound like this is your first cruise. Is it? My understanding is that the Oceania excursions are included in the cruise price, so at least choosing is not a budget issue. You'll need to decide what interests you most. My only caution if you decide to do anything on your own is that you be extra careful to be back to the ship on time. Do not cut it too close, as unforeseen things happen (unexpected traffic, accidents, getting lost, etc.). I have been on several cruises where people have been left behind and had to find their own way (at their own expense) to the next port to meet up with the ship.

Monte Carlo is very small. There is a hop on, hop off bus that will take you to all the attractions, including the grand Casino, the old town, the acquarium (loved it), and more. This port can easily be done on your own.

Naples can also be done on your own, but if you want to see both Pompeii and Capri on your one day in port, it may be more efficient to take a tour.

If you have not been to Rome before, then it is worth it to take the long trip in from Civitivecchia to the city. You can do it on your own, but Rome is a big city, and again, it may be more efficient with only one day to take a tour to see the most in that short time.

Have you signed up for the roll call for your cruise at cruisecritic.com?

Also, if you want to do some ports on your own I recommend buying/borrowing a copy of Rick Steves' "Mediterranean Cruise Ports Guidebook".

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/...n-cruise-ports

Thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate them. This is our first Mediterranean cruise and we are trying to figure out which ports to do on our own and which ones to do the cruise line excursions. We can pick 3 from their list and then add on if we want to for an additional charge. The suggestion for Monte Carlo sounds great and we will definitely do an excursion in Rome. I will check out the Rick Steves guidebook. Thank you! Anyone have ideas about Amalfi/Positano?

Gee, without knowing where the 122 excursions go, it is hard to make a recommendation. You might check a guidebook or two to determine the "must sees" where you dock and decide what appeals to you.

I can only comment on a few of your ports.
Florence & Rome are both far from the port so I would definitely take a tour. Both worth the long bus ride. If you don't want to take long bus tours 2 days in a row, I would choose Florence, quite charming. Rome is gigantic with lots of traffic.

Monte Carlo/Monaco....The Palace is definitely worth a tour of the inside, the Casino not so much. Shopping way too high end. Aquarium, old & very dark, but good if you like that sort of thing. The real gem is Eze, a small hill town above the city. The drive to Eze (Google it) gives you what The Riviera is known for...winding roads, outstanding views. Eze is pedestrian only with cobblestone, hilly lanes. Lovely shops & restaurants with stunning views (probably reserve ahead for lunch) and a hilltop garden with unforgettable views. After 3 visits to the area, the Palace tour and Eze are what stand out and would be repeated if we return.

Love the varied itinerary you have and I'll be watching for a trip report.
Bon Voyage!

BTW, I see you are in Monaco until 11 pm.
We absolutely loved Stars 'n Bars, easy cab ride away.

Yes, it's a sports bar/restaurant BUT an outside terrace right next to the smaller yachts, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc. pulling up and letting many notable people out.
Formula 1 cars and racing stuff inside, if your guys like that stuff.
We had expensive hamburgers & fries on the deck among the glitterati, a memorable evening in a gorgeous location.

I realize that you will be on a boat but it will not be docked where the smaller (actually big and glitzy) yachts are and and sitting among them is special.

Biggest disappointment was the Casino. As a tourist you can only get into a very small area so unless you are an extremely high bettor it just doesn't live up to expectations.

Ok, I'll stop about Monte Carlo!

We found Santorini and Mykonos very easy to tour on our own using a self guided walking tour I compiled from reading guidebooks and websites.

Anyone have any experience with the ports of Volos and Thessanloniki in Greece? Our ship stops there. Not planning on doing an excursion from the ship but was wondering if there are shuttles to take you into town or are the towns in walking distance of the ports?

On Santorini, with another couple, we stopped a taxi and arranged a price for the driver to drive us around and tell us about the island for a couple of hours. That was nice.