1st time cruise excursion tips

[Mickgreg]

Hi we are going on our first cruise aboard the Navigator in August and would appreciate any advice on excursions or ports that are nice to explore on our own

we are stopping at GIBRALTAR, ALICANTE, ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), FLORENCE/PISA(LIVORNO), PROVENCE(MARSEILLE), BARCELONA,LISBON and VIGO

many thanks

[Neaxan]

Civitavecchia: If you have the chance, do Rome separately for a few days. I hate the hassle of trips from Civitavecchia - it takes ages to get to Rome so your time there is limited. If this is your only chance to see Rome in the foreseeable future, I'd recommend taking the train which is usually faster than the bus, so you have more time in Rome. Can't really give any recommendations for Rome because this is highly subjective. You might want to do a bus tour for an overview, or take the time to visit the Colosseum or Vatican...

Livorno: Personally, I think Pisa is overrated - ok maybe the tower is a "you have to see it once in your live" thing, but don't be too disappointed - a bit like the Amber Room in St. Petersburg. You might consider a trip to Lucca, it's a beautiful city and not as overrun with tourists as Pisa.

Marseille: I love trips to Avignon or Aix-en-Provence but both require some time on the bus, so it might be better to book it via Royal.

Barcelona: If you've never been to Barcelona, a hop on hop off tour might be a good way to get an overview of the city. I can also recommend walking Barri Gotic and Las Ramblas and maybe a Gaudi tour including Park Guell, Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo. If you want to try some Gaudi attractions on your own be sure to book a time slot online to avoid queing for hours.