soltice med may tours
 

stopping at: Barcelona, naples, venice, dubrovnick,florence/pisa, ajaccio, corsica, toulon france. Most of what I see from the ship is very expensive. any suggestions for each stop would be appreciated.

Here is a place to start: www.tomsportguides.com/portguides.html

We found Barcelona, Venice, and Dubrovnik very easy to tour on our own.

The Ports of Call message board on www.cruisecritic.com is a good place to research private tour operators. The Roll Call board for your sailing is a way to meet fellow passengers with whom to share tours.

Abram is correct about www.cruisecritic.com. I am cruising the Med this fall. I have booked private tours for several ports. I was able to fill the tours (total of 8 on a tour) with fellow cruise passengers from our roll call. Much less expensive than the ships tours. Also, much more personal than the tours through the ship that have about 35-40 people.

Second what Abram said about Barcelona, Venice and Dubrovnik, and joining cruisecritic and the ship's roll call. Depending on what you would like to do, Naples to Pompeii, Herculaneum or Capri are also very easy to do on your own. Get a guide book and map for Venice. You might book San Marco or Doge's Palace ahead of time, but otherwise you can take a vaporetto and wander and do everything just walking on your own. In Barcelona, hop a bus or take a taxi (pretty cheap) to visit any of the sights like Sagrada Familia. For me, Parc Guell is a nicer experience than the Ramblas if you do not have time for both. Dubrovnik, there will probably be a shuttle or share a taxi with others from your ship and walk the walls - visit Buza Bar, etc.