About Private Shore Trips
Since 2001, Private Shore Trips has arranged thousands of private shore excursions, city tours, and transfers across Europe for cruise passengers, families, couples, and groups of every size. We are a division of Travels with Friends LLC, and every tour we offer is private. Your group, your guide, your pace. No strangers, no crowded coaches, no rigid timetables.
Our Story
Private Shore Trips grew out of a simple observation. The standard cruise ship shore excursion, 45 passengers on a bus, three photo stops, back to the ship, wasn't good enough. Cruise passengers were arriving in some of the most fascinating cities in the world and barely scratching the surface. We started arranging private tours as an alternative: smaller groups, knowledgeable local guides, flexible itineraries, and the freedom to linger where a place captured your interest.
More than two decades later, that idea has grown into a network of trusted local operators, licensed guides, and professional drivers spanning the Mediterranean, the Baltic, the British Isles, Iceland, and beyond. We don't operate the tours ourselves. We work with carefully selected incoming tour companies and independent guides in each destination who know their cities and regions intimately. Our role is to coordinate, quality-control, and make sure every detail is handled so our guests can focus on the experience rather than the logistics.
We travel regularly to meet our local partners face to face, ride the routes, inspect the vehicles, and evaluate the guides. That hands-on relationship is how we maintain consistency across hundreds of different tours in dozens of countries. When something goes wrong, and in travel, things occasionally do, our guests have a real person to call who can solve the problem in real time.
Leadership & Experience
Founded by Travel Professionals
Travels with Friends LLC was co-founded by Steven Hurley and Roger Tinsman, who originally led private tours throughout Europe themselves. As demand grew beyond what two people could personally deliver, they began building the network of local operators and guides that now powers Private Shore Trips across the continent. Their firsthand experience as tour leaders shaped the company's standards: every partner we work with is held to the same expectations they set when they were the ones meeting guests at the pier.
Operational Leadership
Ken Diaz joined as a partner in 2007 as the company shifted its focus exclusively to private touring and shore excursions. He brought more than 20 years of experience in account management, supplier coordination, and customer service, and today oversees day-to-day operations including booking systems, supplier relationships, quality control, and the internal database and reporting tools that keep hundreds of tours coordinated across dozens of destinations.
Ken works directly with guests and travel advisors throughout the booking process, and maintains close relationships with local operators and guides across Europe to ensure consistent service quality.
Why Travelers Choose Private Shore Trips
Every Tour Is Private
We don't sell seats on shared buses or combine strangers into groups. Every excursion, city tour, and transfer is arranged exclusively for your party. You set the pace, choose the stops, and have your guide's full attention all day.
Built Around Cruise Schedules
Our tours are designed specifically for cruise port logistics. We know the dock locations, tender schedules, driving distances, and how much you can realistically see in a given port call. Every qualified tour includes our
Back-to-Ship Guarantee.
Licensed Local Guides
When your tour includes a guide, that guide is English-speaking, locally based, and knows the destination's history, culture, and best local spots. Some tours are driver-only rather than guide-led; each tour page notes which type is included so you know before you book.
Any Group Size
Whether you're a couple, a multi-generational family of twelve, or a group of fifty traveling together, we have the guides, vehicles, and logistics to match. Private sedans, spacious minivans, minibuses, and full-size coaches are all available depending on your group.
Fully Customizable
Don't see exactly what you want in our catalog? Tell us what you're interested in and we'll build it. Combine two half-day tours, add a wine tasting, swap a museum for a market, extend the day, or create something entirely new. There's no extra charge for customization.
$50 Deposit Booking
Most tours can be reserved with a
$50 deposit, with the balance due closer to your travel date. Plans change. We make it easy to commit early and adjust later.
Destinations We Serve
We offer private shore excursions, transfers, and city tours across Europe's most popular cruise regions. Whether your ship is calling at a major turnaround port like Barcelona or Venice, or a smaller gem like Visby or Kotor, we likely have local guides and tours ready to go.
Mediterranean
- Italy - Rome, Florence, Naples, Venice, Amalfi Coast
- France - French Riviera, Marseille, Provence
- Spain - Barcelona, Palma, Malaga, Valencia
- Greece - Athens, Santorini, Corfu, Rhodes
- Croatia - Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar
- Turkey - Istanbul, Ephesus, Bodrum
How We Work
We are a booking and coordination company, not a tour operator. That distinction matters. In each destination, we partner with established local tour companies and independent guides who have deep roots in their communities. They provide the guides, drivers, and vehicles. We handle the booking, communication, quality standards, and customer service.
This model lets us offer private tours across a wider range of destinations than any single operator could cover, while ensuring that your guide in Athens is a Greek archaeologist who walks those ruins every week, your driver in Tuscany knows every back road between Livorno and Florence, and your walking guide in Dubrovnik grew up inside the city walls. You get local expertise at every stop, backed by a U.S.-based company you can reach by phone or email before, during, and after your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are your tours really private, or will I be grouped with other travelers?
Every tour is 100% private, your group only. You will never be combined with strangers or added to a shared bus. Your guide and vehicle are dedicated exclusively to your party for the entire duration of the tour. This applies to all shore excursions, city tours, and transfers we arrange, regardless of group size.
What is the Back-to-Ship Guarantee and how does it work?
Every private tour we operate is planned and timed by us, not by you, which means we take responsibility for getting you back to the ship on schedule. Our
Back-to-Ship Guarantee covers any tour scheduled to end at least 1.5 hours before your ship's departure, giving you an additional operational buffer if something unexpected comes up along the way.
How far in advance should I book?
We recommend booking at least 4 to 8 weeks before your cruise, especially for popular Mediterranean ports during the summer season (June through September) where the best guides fill up quickly. High-demand tours, particularly those involving timed-entry attractions like the Vatican, the Colosseum, or the Anne Frank House, benefit from earlier booking so we can secure the best time slots. That said, we accommodate last-minute requests whenever possible. If your cruise is next week, it's still worth reaching out.
What happens if my cruise itinerary changes or my port is cancelled?
Cruise lines change ports and schedules more often than most passengers realize. If your ship skips a port or changes its arrival time, contact us as soon as you know. We will work with our local partners to adjust your tour timing, swap to an alternative date, or issue a refund according to our cancellation policy if the tour can no longer take place. We deal with itinerary changes regularly.
Who are the guides and drivers? Are they your employees?
Our guides and drivers are not employees of Private Shore Trips. They are licensed professionals employed by established local tour companies or operating as independent guides in their home destinations. We select our local partners carefully and maintain long-term relationships with them. Many of our guide partnerships go back ten years or more. When a tour includes a guide, that guide is English-speaking and locally licensed where required by law. Some tours are driver-only rather than guide-led; each tour page notes which type is included.
Can I customize a tour or create something not listed on your website?
Absolutely. Our listed tours represent the most popular itineraries, but they are starting points, not fixed products. You can modify any tour: swap stops, extend the duration, add a wine tasting or cooking class, combine two half-day itineraries into a full day, or request a completely custom tour built from scratch. There is no additional charge for customization. Just tell us what you're interested in and we'll work with our local partners to design the right itinerary.
Contact us with your ideas and we'll put together a proposal.
Do you offer tours for large groups?
Yes. We regularly arrange tours for groups of 20, 30, 50, and more, including family reunions, corporate incentive trips, travel advisor groups, and affinity club excursions. Large group tours use minibuses or full-size coaches with licensed guides, and we can coordinate multiple vehicles and guides for very large parties. Pricing is typically more favorable per person at larger group sizes.
Contact our group services team for a custom quote.
Do you only serve cruise passengers?
No. While shore excursions for cruise passengers remain our core business, we also arrange private city tours with hotel pickup, private airport and hotel transfers, pre- and post-cruise touring for guests spending extra nights in a city, and independent day trips for travelers who are not on a cruise at all. If you are staying in Rome, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, or any of our other destinations, we can arrange a private guided day with hotel lobby pickup and drop-off.
How do I pay, and what is your deposit policy?
Most tours can be reserved with a
$50 deposit, with the remaining balance due closer to your travel date. We accept all major credit cards. The low deposit makes it easy to lock in your preferred dates and guides early while keeping your options flexible as your travel plans take shape.
What if I have mobility concerns or accessibility needs?
Let us know when you book and we will work with our local partners to design an itinerary that accommodates your needs. This may include vehicles with easier access, routes that minimize walking or avoid steep terrain, wheelchair-accessible alternatives at key sites, or adjusted pacing throughout the day. Many of Europe's historic city centers involve cobblestones and steps, but an experienced local guide knows the most accessible routes and can adapt on the fly.
Get in Touch
We are a small company and we like it that way. When you contact us, you reach a real person, not a call center, not a chatbot. We're happy to answer questions, help you choose the right tours for your itinerary, or put together a custom proposal for your group. Whether your cruise is twelve months away or twelve days away, we're here to help.
Phone: 1-800-644-7814
Email: [email protected]
Contact Form: Send us a message
We look forward to helping you plan your own Private Shore Trip.
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Mailing Address: Travels with Friends LLC, 1141 Capuchino Ave #1801, Burlingame, California, 94011-9992 USA
Reservation Telephone: 1-800-644-7814
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