Private tour operators on Mediterranean cruise
 

Our family of five (our kids' ages range from 19-21) will be sailing the Grand Mediterranean cruise on the Golden Princess this August. We prefer customizing our shore excursions and travelling at our own pace.
Can anyone recommend reliable tour operators that can be pre-reserved for day trips from the various ports? Web sites, e-mails, or phone numbers would be appreciated.
Our stops include Istanbul, Kusadesi, Athens,Naples, and Monte Carlo

Pallenberg Bros is one company I know of that does personalized tours of Europe. But be aware that personal tour guides for the day cost a small fortune. A fully educated local guide with transportation will cost $700/day. Other guides I priced cost around the same. If the price doesn't scare you away LMK and I'll get give their info.

Hi kling...
Try www.cruisecritic.com

Check out the Princess board..there are many posts from folks who hired private guides for all of the ports.

Crowsie

Once again, Fodors, how can you allow this advertising. Your instruction on the home page say - "A civil tone and no advertising or commercial promotion are also requested."

If you continue to do nothing, we will be getting solicitations from cruise lines, excursion operators, travel agents, etc. If you want a sure death for your travel boards, do nothing.

kling - as for your question, consider arranging your own excursions. I can only speak for Naples and Monte Carlo - we booked a hydrofoil from Naples to Capri ourselves and sailed over and back with the ship's excursion - we paid $22 apiece and they paid $45. In Villefranche (you're probably tendering right in Monte Carlo??) we took the train to Monte Carlo with a short stop in Eze. Again, we saved a ton of money. The research is easy and the execution is even easier.

Peter

Check out Cruise Critic.Com Lots of trip reports and almost any question gets answered. Much more active than other board I've found.