We always struggle with the challenge of choosing between a ship excursion or an independent tour of a port. One is guided, convenient, guaranteed to be back on time and has a number of other practical benefits; such as the ability to see sites further away. Touring on our own however allows us to see exactly what we want, spend time with the locals and better immerse ourselves in the city. If the cruise port is close to the Old Town we will often walk there, grab a map at the Tourist office and just wander. If its not close then transportation becomes an issue.
That’s where the Hop On/ Hop Off bus becomes a viable alternative. Available in just about every city, it offers transportation to all of the important sites as well as a few further afield. Many cities have altered routes that will come all the way to the cruise port when ships are docked for the day. Sometimes you can book them as a shore excursion through the cruise ship, or book them in advance directly online but more often than not they can be booked as soon as you walk off the ship.
Hop On Hop Off services have smiling sales staff, professional drivers and easy to read maps that clearly outline the route offered. Each bus also has an encompassing commentary between stops offered in numerous different languages that generally includes a history of the city and information about each site. A full tour allows you to see parts of the city you would not have otherwise while still concentrating on the major historical sites.
In port towns there is also an option to add in a harbour tour. We rarely hop off the boat tours but they are a great way to see the city from its waterfront. During a heat wave they are also a temperate and refreshing change from a hot and stuffy bus.
If you plan to be in a city for an extended period of time, often pre- or post-cruise, the Hop On Hop Off offers 24, 48 or 72 hour passes; cheaper the longer you book and often with some kind of perk or special tour option to entice you for more days. We once booked the three day pass while staying in New York. It was a cheap form of transportation that got us everywhere we wanted to go in Manhattan, and allowed us to see areas we would not have walked through.
Some larger cities also offer night tours. These are rarely hop on hop off but when we did this tour in Rome it was breathtaking to see all of the ruins and monuments lite up at night.
Doing research about what you want to visit in advance of the bus tour helps you to know when to get off, how much time you will need to visit the sites, distance between stops if you want to walk from one to the other, and what is the latest time of day you will need to get on the return trip to be back to the ship on time.
Many travelers have recommended doing the whole loop first before hopping off so you know what you want to see.
This can waste more time than necessary but not a bad idea if you’re not sure what you want to do.
The biggest drawback to a Hop On Hop Off bus tour is that it is not conducive to taking pictures. We still try, but only about 1 in 10 actually work.
Consider all of the transportation and excursion options when visiting a port or city, making sure that the Hop On Hop Off bus is part of that discussion. Not viable every time but when it is, it is the best option.