My wife & I are taking a Renaissance cruise next week from Barcelona to Venice. There are ports in France (Marseille, Nice); Italy (Livorno, Civitadecchia, Messina, Naples, Venice); Corsica; Croatia (Dubrovnik); & Greece (Corfu). Any advice on off shore tours? General ideas about prices of tours? Any place you can safely "see on your own?"

Hi Ron, <BR>We have just returned from a Med. cruise on Celebrity Millenium. We did some of the ports you are going to. We used private guides or did them on our own. for references , copy and paste the following URL <BR>http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/O...4&m=7033095932 <BR>and then go to. <BR>Hope this helps. <BR>If not, you can go from there to other questions posted on cruises. <BR>Enjoy your cruise

We were on the R1 from Athens to Istanbul Oct/Nov 1999. We did all sightseeing on our own by going to websites of the areas and getting great advice. And we continue to do so. Most of Ren's tours are at least $100 pp. Have you gone to Ren's website it used to list the tours? <BR> <BR>Don't take the first cab you see near the dock. We had great luck with walking for awhile and then finding one and we didn't end up in their 'cousins' store. <BR> <BR>Good Luck <BR>

Ron, <BR>Try this link - it's a trip report of our Grandeur cruise this past May where we vistited some of the same ports as you will. With some research and courage, you can arrange all of your own excursions and save a lot of money and time. The people at our dinner table basically did the same things we did only paid hundreds of dollars more and in some cases took more time than we did (the buses they took into Florence and Rome took longer than our train rides). Email me if you have any specific questions.

Oops, forgot the link http://www.berberichcpa.com/rccl/gr0501.html

Took 2 Ren cruises last yr - am taking another one end of August. Found that at each port, when the ship docked, were hundreds of taxis/drivers waiting to give you a personalized guided tour for less than 1/2 the price of Ren excursions. We buddied up with another couple to split the costs, and have support in case something happened, and had a ball. the taxi drivers in most countries have to have 1-2 years education as a tour guide before getting their taxi license. Warning though: barter with them on cost and how many hours you are renting, sniff drivers for "european" odor, and get in taxi to check for smoke smells, etc. and ask if taxi has a "working" air conditioner. We had marvelous drivers that took us to the most unusual places and they love to talk about their country. Have fun!

Oops, forgot to tell you-we also stopped at the duty free or local spirits store on the way back to the ship each evening, picked up a bottle of local wine, took it immediately to the main dining room on the Ren. and had the wine steward chill it for dinner. Much cheaper than buying on the ship. Ren only charges $10.00 corking fee and will store any left over wine for the next time you want it. This way you can sample the local spirits much less expensive!

Hello Ron, <BR> <BR>Civitavecchia-Rome is quick and cheap by train, - and most trains stop at St. Peter's/S. Pietro. Couldn't be easier! <BR> <BR>Let me know if I can be of more help ... <BR> <BR>Steve