Europe Western Mediterranean Cruise

[Jamie Lynn]

Hello all!  I am going to Europe for my first time this summer and headed on a cruise from Barcelona.  We are visiting the following ports: Provence, France- Nice, France- Florence, Italy- Rome, Italy- Naples, Italy.

I was hoping to get suggestions on any shore excursions offered through Royal Caribbean or suggestions on third party excursions.  Also, if you have any recommendations on must do's in each city it would be greatly appreciated.

[BrianAlt]

Rome: we used Rome In Limo - http://www.romeinlimo.com/tours-of-rome/sightseeing-tours.htm For the four of you, you can get a private car for 380€ (this was a few years ago, not sure of the current price).  Sounds like a lot, but you'll have a private driver take you around Rome for the entire day.  They pick you up at the port and take you all over.  The port is almost an hour from Rome.  It's worth it!  If you want to go to the Vatican, you should pre-purchase your tickets: https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/index.html.  If you want to go to the Colosseum, you should pre-purchase your tickets: http://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm.  I also recommend hiring a tour guide for the Vatican part of the tour.  Rome in Limo can help arrange that if desired.

Rome will be your most complicated port of the cruise.  There's so much to see and you're not really there long enough to see everything.  Just think if you tried to see NYC in 8-10 hours!

We had 2 8 person vans from groups created on the Cruise Critic Roll Call.  You might want to gather people over there or see what they are doing.

 

Naples: for Naples, we went to Pompeii.  We were there in July.  It was HOTTTT!  September should be perfect weather. http://www.isango.com/naples/private-sightseeing-tour-of-pompeii-from-naples_7429 We got picked up at the port and brought to Pompeii.  We toured Pompeii for a few hours then the driver brought us back to Naples where we had lunch (pizza) and then walked back to the ship.  
 

Copied and edited from an email to my wife's uncle.  Hope that helps you!

[Neaxan]

I'm guessing your port for Provence will be Marseille? Personally, I don't like the town very much. I'd recommend an excursion to Avignon if you're in port for some time. It should take 1,5 to 2 hours by bus per trip but it's really worth it - and you get to see a bit of Provence on the way. Avignon itself is a gorgeous old town in part bordered by the river Rhone with an ancient town wall, numerous beautiful churches, the popes palace... If you're pressed for time, Aix-en-Provence is also quite nice with an old town, cathedral and especially Cours Mirabeau.