NCL Livorno (Florence and Pisa) excursions: are they worth it?
Booking independently in Livorno (Florence and Pisa) saves about $133 per person compared with NCL's own excursions (+243% ship markup across 1 tour types, prices checked November 2026). The biggest gap is food & tasting: $133 per person, or $531 for a family of four. Going independent is reasonable with a buffer here if you are back at the pier 60 minutes before departure.
We compared NCL's own shore excursion prices in Livorno (Florence and Pisa) with the five most relevant independent tours of the same type on GetYourGuide. Across 1 tour types the ship charges about +243% more.
Ship price vs independent price by tour type
| Tour type | NCL priceper adult | Independentper person | Savingper person | Safe to go independent? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food & tastinge.g. "Countryside & Wine Tasti" | $187€168 · $177–$197 · 2 options | $55$36–$259 · top 5 | $133+243% ship markup | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| Ruins / historye.g. "Florence & Wine Tasting" | $305€273 · $276–$334 · 2 options | no close match | – | 3/5 OK with buffer | Compare |
| ATV / buggy / jeepe.g. "Jeep Tour at Marble Quar" | $197€177 · 1 option | no close match | – | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| City / island toure.g. "Florence Open Air Sights" | $182€163 · $177–$197 · 4 options | $401 match | too few matches | 3/5 OK with buffer | Compare |
Ship price is the median "starting at" adult price of NCL's excursions of that type, recorded 2026-11-02. Independent price is the median per-person price of the top GetYourGuide results of the same type (checked 2026-11-02). Family of 4 multiplies the per-person gap by four; child prices are often lower on both sides. How we compare.
NCL prices were read from NCL's European website in euros on 2026-11-02 and converted at the ECB reference rate of 1 EUR = 1.1172 USD (2026-10-30). NCL's US site may show slightly different dollar prices.
What to check when comparing
- Ruins / history: Ruins trips differ most in how far they go: a nearby site and a full-day mainland trip both count here.
- City / island tour: City and island tours vary from short trolley loops to full-day drives, so compare durations too.
Independent Livorno (Florence and Pisa) tours we compared
These are the GetYourGuide tours behind each independent price, in GetYourGuide's own relevance order. Prices are per person "from" prices in USD.
Food & tasting: 5 tours from $36
- Street Food Walking Tour: Discover Livorno’s Local Flavors · $67 · 5.0★ (106 reviews)
- Guided Wine Tasting with Local Food Pairings in Livorno · $50 · 5.0★ (7 reviews)
- Winery Tour & Wine Tasting with Food near Livorno & Pisa · $55 · 4.9★ (21 reviews)
- Livorno: Premium Golf Cart Tour, Market and Food Tastings · $259
- Olive Oil Mill Tour with Tasting & Wine near Volterra · $36
City / island tour: 1 tour from $40
- Livorno: Shore Excursion to Pisa and Livorno Bus Tour · $40 · 3.6★ (75 reviews)
Is it safe to book independently in Livorno (Florence and Pisa)?
Ships here dock alongside. All-aboard is normally 30 minutes before departure on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and MSC (check your daily planner). Plan to be back at the pier at least 60 minutes before the ship sails.
- Ruins / history (3/5): Florence day trips spend about three hours in transit..
- City / island tour (3/5): Florence is about 1h30 each way by road, and summer traffic makes return times unpredictable..
How far is the pier from the main sights?
| From the pier to | Straight line | Approx. travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Leaning Tower of Pisa | 20.1 km | ~50 min by road |
| Florence Duomo | 80.5 km | ~175 min by road |
| Lucca | 35.9 km | ~80 min by road |
Distances are measured from Port of Livorno cruise terminal. Travel times are estimates for normal traffic, not including ferries or tender queues.
Livorno is the gateway to Florence and Pisa. Pisa is about 30 minutes away; Florence is the long one, so independent tours that start at the port are the safer choice.
Questions
Are NCL excursions in Livorno (Florence and Pisa) worth it?
On price alone, usually not: comparable independent tours cost $133 less per person on average. The ship's main advantage is the guarantee that it will wait for its own tours if they run late.
Is it safe to book an independent excursion in Livorno (Florence and Pisa)?
Short tours near the pier are low-risk; Florence is about 1h30 each way by road, and summer traffic makes return times unpredictable.
How far is the Livorno (Florence and Pisa) cruise pier from Leaning Tower of Pisa?
About 20.1 km in a straight line, roughly 50 minutes by road.
Famous sights from Livorno (Florence and Pisa)
Florence: ship vs independent Pisa: ship vs independent
More to compare
Food & tasting in other ports Ruins / history in other ports ATV / buggy / jeep in other ports City / island tour in other ports
Other NCL ports nearby: La Spezia (Cinque Terre) Civitavecchia (Rome) Naples Salerno (Amalfi Coast) Split Dubrovnik
Work out your family's saving All cruise lines in Livorno (Florence and Pisa) · All NCL ports