Princess passengers can browse and book the shore excursions online at Princess' Web site before cruising, saving valuable time when you get on the ship. This tool worked perfectly for us as we eagerly pored over the shore excursions and details for each port of call. The tickets were in our cabin when we boarded. We quickly noticed that Princess has classified its excursions into categories, making browsing and selection much easier.
- Shore excursions marked "EZ" are bus tours for those who prefer a minimum of walking.
- "Traveler" tours are half-day tours, which provide an overview of the port while still allowing time for exploring on your own.
- "Explorer" tours are full-day tours, which allow a maximum time in port, efficiently guiding you to some of the most interesting sites. A lunch of the local cuisine is included in the price.
- "Adventurer" tours are for those who enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding, or other activities.
- "Elite" are small group tours. These are the most expensive, but offer VIP treatment and five-star lunches ashore.
- "Overland" tours are overnight trips that include a stay in a hotel.
Venice was our embarkation point, and I can't think of a better place to start a European cruise. We arrived in Venice in the early afternoon and had an overnight on the ship before sailing the next afternoon. Even though the Emerald Princess had many enticing shore excursion opportunities, we opted to explore (and get lost in) the small streets of this fascinating city on foot and via water taxi before having a grand "sail away" from the city and heading for Athens.
