Shore excursions are a great way for cruise passengers to make even more of their trip. They are a great platform from which to explore the country or city your ship has docked at. After all, your ship can only take you so far! And when it comes to shore excursions in Italy, there is a lot of choice so it can be difficult to make the right selection.

My name is Guido, Italian native, travel enthusiast and founder of Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours. I’ve been involved in the travel industry for many, many years. And I am proud to say that I have handpicked all of our Italian tours, Italian shore excursions as well as our Italian vacations. So with those experiences still fresh in my mind, I thought I’d share my advice on how to make the most of your shore excursions in Italy.

Firstly the background – as I said at the beginning, shore excursions in Italy are a perfect way to enhance your cruise experience. As you sail to your next port of call, you’ll be able to experience all the wonderful amenities of your cruise ship. And when you dock you can take a shore excursion to explore your cruise ship’s destinations even further. You can do this with the shore excursions your cruise ship offers or you can go it alone, or you can book an independent tour company and explore with their help.

Booking a shore excursion from every port can quickly add up. So, it is best to think about what your really want to see and book a shore excursion, either independent or via the cruise line, for your priority sights and locations.

It is also good to book a shore excursion, either independent or with the cruise line, when the sight you want to see is a little further away from the port you have docked at. Or indeed when you are planning to visit a larger city like Rome or Florence etc.

Your ship’s shore excursions can be booked before you set sail or when you are on board. Booking direct with the ship’s shore excursion will usually mean a licensed operator will handle your tour.

But, sometimes it pays to undertake a shore excursion with a reputable and independent tour operator. If you choose to book with a reputable independent tour operator, then you will often find that the cost of taking the shore excursion will be less than the cost of taking a shore excursion with your cruise ship. We regularly check our prices at Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours and have confidence that our shore excursions in Italy are always cheaper than the cruise ship options.

In addition, choosing an Italy shore excursion with an independent tour operator means that you will usually be in a small group, or you can choose to be in a small group. In fact this is the norm with Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours. Our Italy shore excursions are private so you will only ever be traveling on your own, with your own companions or with a small group on a shared tour. The choice is yours.

Also, with an independent operator like Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours you’ll be traveling in a luxury mini van during your Italian shore excursion. There will be less people in your group therefore at the sight you are visiting and you’ll have more time, and more attention from, the expert and licensed guide.

With an independent tour operator, your Italian shore excursion will still be shaped to suit the cruise passengers’ schedule. For instance, your itinerary will mean you are back at your ship well before departure. And when on your excursion you’ll have skip the line tickets and you’ll be driven directly to each sight so you make the most of your time. And just to be extra sure, we keep in touch with the shore and port authorities to make sure there are no changes to the timetables.

We would always advise all our guests to read the description of any tour or shore excursion they are booking. This helps you to fully understand what you will get for your purchase. At Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours you can check these details on our website and we also welcome you to call us if you want to chat through any specific requirements you might have – for instance to check whether the tour is suitable for your mobility levels etc.

So you see, if you think ahead about how you want to make the most of your shore excursions in Italy, then you will be able to choose the option which is best for you – either booking with an independent tour operator, booking with your cruise like, or indeed going it alone.

Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours has the pleasure of welcoming many cruise passengers to Italy and helping them to explore some of Italy’s greatest sights during their time ashore. We offer some of the best Italian shore excursions. Visit us at ciaoitalytours.com for more information.

If you would like more information like these Italy travel tips or information about Italian tours or Italian vacations please do visit us at ciaoitalytours.com We always say that with us, your Italian tour or Italian vacations will be one you’ll never forget.

Ciao,

Guido.