Berlin Wall came down 20 Years Ago!

On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall came down. This week Berliners are celebrating that anniversary. The wall was 96 miles in length and created a city within the city. People living inside the wall (West Berlin) were not permitted to see their friends or family who lived outside the wall (East Berlin) for nearly 30 years. During that period 136 people were killed trying "break-in" to the free west.

Today, sites associated with the Berlin Wall have become popular tourist attractions. Those sites include Check Point Charlie, the Wall Museum, Brandenburg Gate and the East Side Gallery (a one mile stretch of the wall that remains and is used for murals). You can find these sites on a private shore trip from the port of Warnemunde / Rostock. Also, if you wish, we can arrange for a border crossing guard to provide an Authentic East German Stamp in your Passport.

Please let us know if we can be of assistance in planning your private tours to Berlin.

Visiting Vatican City

Many clients who are visiting Rome as part of a shore excursion ask if they can make a short stop at the Vatican just to see the Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately this is not possible. The Sistine Chapel is a part of the Vatican Museums, which is an enormous complex of museums that contain Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman and Renaissance art. At the end of the museum visit you arrive at the Sistine Chapel. Due to the large size of the museum, you must plan a "minimum" of 2 hours for the visit. It is also important to note that Saint Peter’s Cathedral is separate from the museums so typically a visit to Vatican City is about 4 hours in length.

Many people know about the long lines to get into the Vatican Museums (up to 3 hours in high season). With our private shore trips, we can arrange a VIP entrance so that you avoid the lines. You will arrive at the museum, meet your licensed guide, and after passing security you immediately start your tour.

Special Note- The Vatican has a strict dress code. No bare shoulders, no shorts or dresses above the knee, and no bare midriffs are allowed. Please come prepared or you will be turned away.

Rotterdam Netherlands

In 2008 we introduced private tours in Amsterdam and now we have added tours from the port of Rotterdam. Options include visits to the Hague, the beach resort town of Scheveningen, the medieval village of Delft, where you visit the famous Delft pottery factory, and of course Rotterdam itself.

These tours are packed with art, culture, crafts, panoramic drives and more. Personal favorites include the Kinderdijk Windmills and the market square in Delft.

South Queensferry Scotland

In 2009 we had several request for private tours from the port in South Queensferry, Scotland. You asked for it and we have it for you. You can visit the site to see a selection of half and full day tours to visit Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling Castle, St. Andrews and more. We will also be adding tours from the Scottish ports of Greenock and Invergordon.

Winter Sale Prices

More and more people are taking cruises during the winter months. It's a great way to save money and see Europe without all the crowds. We are offering our clients a discount of 40 to 175 Euro off every tour between December 1 and March 31.

Not everything goes well all of the time..but we do our best to correct it.

We arrange private tours for thousands of clients each year. Our company (or any company) would be lying if they said everything always go smoothy. Not everything goes well all of the time..but we do our best to correct it if there is a problem with a tour we have arranged. Please read this review from one of our clients this past month.

"One of the very first things that one should admire about a person or a company is integrity. Mr. Steven Hurley and Travel with Friends certainly has that. Not everything goes well all of the time. When my wife and myself had difficulties with a tour in Barcelona, Spain that Mr. Hurley arranged for us, the details were verified and without question or delay the issue was resolved. A few days later, Travel with Friends had arranged another tour for us starting in Monte Carlo. Mr. Hurley went out of his way to assure that this tour went 'without a hitch' - and it did. Thus, via integrity alone, I would recommend Travel with Friends and would use them again." Walter F. Zoller, D.M.D. Titusville, FL, June 2009

You can read hundreds of reviews at the following link: Past Guest Comments

Russia Visa-Free Entry

For US citizens as well as many other people around the world, an entry VISA is required to get into Russia. To obtain this paperwork you must complete an application and send your passport to a Russian Embassy for approval. This process costs about $250 USD per person.

HOWEVER....the Russian government allows people who are visiting Russia by cruise ship to use a special visa-free entry if they have purchased an organized tour which is operated by a Russian company.

Your cruise line may tell you that you must purchase the expensive Russian tourist visa to get off the ship if you are not taking their big bus tour. This is not true. The visa they refer to is only for passengers who plan to go ashore unaccompanied by an authorized guide.

All of the tours that we arrange from cruise ships in St. Petersburg include the Visa-Free entry at no additional cost.

For more details, follow this link.