Hi, Another Newbie here! I am going on NOS on 11 Aug on the Med Treasures Cruise and have just been sent the Excursion Guide from RC. There are 6 of us - has anyone got any suggestions on getting a private guide at some of the ports which might be cheaper? Mainly looking at Livorno (Pisa & Florence) and Villefrance (Nice/Cannes etc) Any advice would be nice!! Many thanks
Lizzy, You can google for info on private guides (there is also info on some other cruise bulletin boards). Another option is to simply go off on your own (we have been doing this for about 30 years). From Livorno you can take the train to Florence (and Pisa) although you will need a taxi to get from the port to the train station. The round trip train fare is less than $20. In Villafranche there are many independent options. You can use the train line (easy walk from the tender pier) which spand the coast from Cannes to Monte Carlo. You can also use public buses. The key to independent travel is doing you pre-trip homework so you can make some decisions on where you want to go and educate yourselves as to the various options. As to hiring taxis, most will only hold 4 although you can sometimes find larger vans. The drivers are happy to be hired for a full-day, but expect to pay about 300 Euros.
