Silversea Cruise excursions - please help!!!
Apr 5th, 2005, 08:19 PM
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Silversea Cruise excursions - please help!!!
We are taking the Silversea mediterranean cruise in may which stops in various Italy and France destinations. We are definitely doing the Pompeii excursion per everyone's recommendations ( thank you )!!!! But I am wondering for the Livorno and Portofino excursions...should I spend the $142 per person for a wine/olive oil tasting in Tuscany and $115 per person for a San Fruttuoso and Camogli cruise/tour OR should I try to do something on our own which may be just as exciting but less expensive - your help is appreciated!!!! Toni
Apr 6th, 2005, 01:35 AM
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Liltoni - If I were you I'd do my own thing.
The usual excursions from LIVORNO are to Florence or Pisa.
- Florence takes about 1 hr 20' and costs € 11.80 return.
- Pisa takes only 15 mins and costs € 3.20 return.
You can find timetables on:
www.trenitalia.com
From PORTOFINO - if I were you - I'd go to Santa Margherita & Camogli rather than San Fruttuoso.
You can get to SANTA MARGHERITA by bus or ferry from Portofino in about 20 mins. You could easily spend the day there ...
But if you want to combine it with CAMOGLI, it's a beautiful 30 mins bus ride over the peninsular - or 5 mins by train. You could go by bus and return by train - or ferry.
Hope this helps ...
Steve
The usual excursions from LIVORNO are to Florence or Pisa.
- Florence takes about 1 hr 20' and costs € 11.80 return.
- Pisa takes only 15 mins and costs € 3.20 return.
You can find timetables on:
www.trenitalia.com
From PORTOFINO - if I were you - I'd go to Santa Margherita & Camogli rather than San Fruttuoso.
You can get to SANTA MARGHERITA by bus or ferry from Portofino in about 20 mins. You could easily spend the day there ...
But if you want to combine it with CAMOGLI, it's a beautiful 30 mins bus ride over the peninsular - or 5 mins by train. You could go by bus and return by train - or ferry.
Hope this helps ...
Steve
Apr 6th, 2005, 07:33 AM
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This is offered to be helpful only, but I just wanted to be sure you are aware that there is also a Fodors Cruise forum, where you may find more answers to your questions.
Meanwhile, I'll join you in watching here for responses as we will be doing a trans-atlantic cruise later this year and the $$ information you glean will at least give us a clue as to what to expect.
Meanwhile, I'll join you in watching here for responses as we will be doing a trans-atlantic cruise later this year and the $$ information you glean will at least give us a clue as to what to expect.
Apr 6th, 2005, 07:43 AM
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I don't know what Silversea's excursions include, but using regular boats, a round trip from Portofino to San Fruttuoso costs 9 euros (www.traghettiportofino.it) and a round trip between San Fruttuoso and Camogli costs 8 euros (www.golfoparadiso.it). San Fruttuoso has no road or rail access, Portofino has buses, and Camogli and Santa Margherita have buses and trains. Bus or train fares will be less than the boat fares.
Apr 12th, 2005, 07:42 PM
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Hi Liltoni,
I'm a travel agent who specializes in cruises (among other things), and I can tell you without a doubt that every single cruise line has highly inflated prices for their shore excursions (and their pre & post hotels, for that matter, but that's another subject)!
Depending on where my clients are going in the world, I usually either advise them to book something locally (like in the Caribbean) or steer them to another company I work with who has many of the same type of tours, but usually less than the cruise line is charging.
That said, you're going on one of the best cruise lines in the world, and unlike your "run of the mill" cruise lines they don't follow the "cookie cutter" type of excursions.
My advice would be to contact your travel agent and find out exactly what's included, what's featured in their particular tour. It may be something along the lines of meeting with the count of the castle, which doesn't even HAVE tours for the typical tourist - something exclusive to Silversea. In that case, it would be worth it for a unique experience.
The other consideration when you're doing your own tour is dealing with someone that's reputable -- I don't mean that they would necessarily give a bad tour; just that you want to be assured that you can make it back to the ship on time! I've been in the business for 15 years and heard my share of "horror stories" with clients who booked their own tours, only to find the driver never came back to pick them up, or the ancient bus broke down, resulting in them missing the ship as it departed from port!
Hope this is helpful!
Melodie
I'm a travel agent who specializes in cruises (among other things), and I can tell you without a doubt that every single cruise line has highly inflated prices for their shore excursions (and their pre & post hotels, for that matter, but that's another subject)!
Depending on where my clients are going in the world, I usually either advise them to book something locally (like in the Caribbean) or steer them to another company I work with who has many of the same type of tours, but usually less than the cruise line is charging.
That said, you're going on one of the best cruise lines in the world, and unlike your "run of the mill" cruise lines they don't follow the "cookie cutter" type of excursions.
My advice would be to contact your travel agent and find out exactly what's included, what's featured in their particular tour. It may be something along the lines of meeting with the count of the castle, which doesn't even HAVE tours for the typical tourist - something exclusive to Silversea. In that case, it would be worth it for a unique experience.
The other consideration when you're doing your own tour is dealing with someone that's reputable -- I don't mean that they would necessarily give a bad tour; just that you want to be assured that you can make it back to the ship on time! I've been in the business for 15 years and heard my share of "horror stories" with clients who booked their own tours, only to find the driver never came back to pick them up, or the ancient bus broke down, resulting in them missing the ship as it departed from port!
Hope this is helpful!
Melodie
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Apr 13th, 2005, 06:25 PM
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Steve,
Do you have any recommendations for a tour in Santa Margarita, Portofino? I am looking for a nice wine tour and can't seem to find anything...I assume it would be difficult to do this on foot!
Do you have any recommendations for a tour in Santa Margarita, Portofino? I am looking for a nice wine tour and can't seem to find anything...I assume it would be difficult to do this on foot!
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