We'd rather get off the cruise ship and make our own arrangements. Our stops are: Naples, Dubrovnik, Venice, Messina, Barcelona (on Sunday) Cannes, Livorno. Any suggestions? Especially getting to Pompeii on our own.
As a cruiser who visited Naples last year (and did a 14 day Med cruise with another scheduled this fall) we highly suggest you check out www.cruisecritic.com. You will find lots of recommendations for private tours as well as people on your actual cruise who will share them with you.
You can link to Cruise Critic and find out who we used when we toured the Amalfi coast at our website (no ads) http://web.mac.com/jimbellomo/iWeb/Travel/Travels-with-Jim-and-Kathleen.html
Jim
Nancy, not sure what you are asking. It is easy. Just get off the ship and do you own thing. Does require more research on your part so that you know what you want to do and how to do. Or another approach is to arrange private guides in advance. All of those stops will have web sites and links to private guide services. And a third option is to see what is available when you get off. Often taxi drivers for a fixed fee will offer tours. And there will often be local tour services available at the dock. We have done them all and have always had good results. Pompeii is an easy train ride from Naples, Train stops right across from the main entrance,
Barcelona, if ship docks or tenders at the usual main port it is either a long walk or short cab ride to Las Ramblas, and a good day for it too.
Many times you can negotiate a local taxi driver to take you around for a day. Haggle a price you want, and if its not possible, have him take you to the city center and do your own thing.
If you do get a driver, You can do things on your own time and can see the sites on your own pace. Then you pay the driver after you are safely back on the dock.
As for Barcelona, take the Hop off/Hop On bus. Like the taxi above, you can see the sites you want, when you want, and hop off the bus anytime. The busses run all day and take you to the locations most tourists want to visit.
Oh, and have an idea what you want to see at each port. That way you can maximize your visit.