We went on a Med cruise in 2012, on the Princess cruise line. We left from Venice and finished in Rome. I went online on Cruise Critic and found Roll Calls, it is a message board where you can connect with others going on the same cruise. You can also find out info about the ports of call. We decided to not set up our own excursions or go with other groups. We booked all our excursions through the cruise line, all were great and manageable groups. If you go on a non cruise line excursion and something happens that you don't get back to the ship on time, it's your problem. Enjoy, we loved our trip. One of the most enjoyable things was sitting on our balcony after a busy day in port and sailing away. Enjoy.