I don't know if cruising is the best way to see the Mediterranean. We saw great sites and beautiful cities, but we didn't spend much time on the ship. Our days were packed full and we usually left the ship at 8:00 a.m. and returned from our excursions about 6:00 p.m. We had late seating for dinner and always finished by about 10:30. Our shows were at 11:00-12:00 and we always skipped them because we needed to get some rest for the next long day.
We used the ships excursions for all days except the last day in Naples. We hired Jack the driver at jackthedriver.com for the entire day. He was excellent. We had made the arrangements via the internet and he was right there at the port at 8:00 waiting for us. His Mercedes van is immaculate--as is he--very well groomed. He speaks very good English and is knowledgeable about the area and serves as a tour guide as he drives. We went to Pompeii and spent a couple hours there. We then went on the beautiful Amalfi drive tour through Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. Jack gave us the time we needed for shopping and eating. He was very polite and helpful. We would certainly use his services again if we were in the area.
The ship's excursions were well planned and coordinated with great tour guides, but they tend to be a bit pricey. If you are more adventuresome, you may want to use local tour services. Drivers are often waiting for you as you get off the ship.