Arachnid

She is just passing Portsmouth, very impressive

A few years ago Portsmouth City Council, who own the terminal and the international port, laid on a free boat service from the Port to Gunwharf Quays (next to the Historic Dockyard) for visiting cruise ships to try and encourage more frequent calls.

20 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Well I've just looked at AIS.  Aurora is on her way back to Weymouth and Arcadia is scheduled back to Torquay.  All as before.

This is Aurora entering Portsmouth 5 minutes ago (09:30)

Hopefully the picture will work this time, sorry.

Majesty of the Seas seems to like Portsmouth and is a frequent visitor now, this is her leaving yesterday passing HMS Warrior (1860) Britain's first iron-hulled, armoured battleship. (Part of the Historic Dockyard). The Gosport Ferry is to the left waiting for her to pass

A couple of years ago Portsmouth International Port (where cruise ships berth) launched a free boat service for visiting cruise ships.  This took visiting passengers from the Port directly to Gunwharf Quays passing the famous ships (Victory/Warrior) in the historic dockyard, I don't know if they kept it up, but at the time it got lots of good reviews.

RCI Majesty of the Seas leaving Portsmouth the other night.

I clicked on Before You Sail and then on HOLIDAY INFORMATION and it gave me the deck, cabin number, approximate dimensions and the bed configuration.

Can anyone comment on the transport into the city centre from Steinwerder, we are in port on a Sunday and have heard that there is no public transport at the weekends. How good is the shuttle service and or any other information would be appreciated. We will not be dis-embarking just in for the day 0700-1830.

 

thanks in advance

Well, now back, got to Hamburg and got off the ship asked at the tourist information desk about the shuttle, he said to get on the white bus which would take us to the train station which we did. On getting off the bus I asked the guide what time the buses ran till and was informed that we shouldn't have been on the bus as it was for disembarking passengers only and we should have got tickets (2:50 euro) for the transfer bus, Whoops. Anyway after a free bus to the city centre we had a walk around and looked in the windows of the CLOSED shops (Sunday visit) and other sites around the town before getting a Taxi back to Steinwerder, when asked the driver said the fare would be 30-35 euros, but in the end was only 24 euro, so even with a tip the round trip was cheaper than the MSC shuttle which was 15:90 euro pp and still would have been if we had bought tickets for the outward bus trip.

I was wondering if other travellers on this cruise have received their e.tickets, when I asked my travel agent, I was advised they had not been issued yet. When I have travelled with MSC before they have been available at least 3 weeks before travel.

Allen

I booked direct with MSC UK and received my tickets by e-mail last Wednesday 13th Sep.

Hi again

 

Are there any 'special' events apart from the gala night that we need to pack for?

 

White party?

70's night

Etc

 

What nights are they usually and what are they like?

 

Cheers

Our tickets just mention the two extra you have above but do not say on what nights they happen, this is from the tickets....

Things to pack: casual clothes for life on board;

a swimsuit; a tuxedo, dinner jacket or dark

suit/formal gown or cocktail dress for gala

evenings; party outfits for the white party and

70s night; shoes and tracksuit for gym lovers; a

pullover or a shawl for the change in

temperature; a travel adapter for any electrical

devices.

Hi all

New to MSC and have the Classic Allegrissimo beverage package included in the price of the cruise. I am aware that it is unlimited drinks like bottled beers, glasses wine, spirit and mixers, coffee and soda.

But, I want to upgrade to the next level which includes the mini bar and champagne cocktails also.

Has anyone ever done this and how much extra will it cost?

Any help would be most welcome

Cheers (hic) :')

I have done this for our upcoming Preziosa cruise, I phoned MSC UK direct and they did it for me, it came out at £17pppd and thats a bit of a bargain I think as we also got the Allegrissimo basic package included in the overall cruise price. If you upgrade onboard apparently you will have to pay 15% gratuities extra on top of the £17.

Just a thought though, we booked direct through MSC, if you booked via a TA you may have to get them to ring for you.

Good Luck

Question for the current cruisers from Soton: when did you get your tickets emailed / mailed to you?

We are going 4 Oct 17 and got our tickets today by e-mail, booked direct through MSC. :D

A quick question to those onboard, according to Vessel Finder you are still in Zeebrugge at 0630 UTC this morning, I thought you should be in Amsterdam today. Just wondering if there is a problem ?

Don't worry just found out Amsterdam cancelled due to a bad weather forecast, that's a real shame as Amsterdam is a great place to visit.

A quick question to those onboard, according to Vessel Finder you are still in Zeebrugge at 0630 UTC this morning, I thought you should be in Amsterdam today. Just wondering if there is a problem ?

Fact is that you can not get an answer for any nationality outside EU. Even if you do the visa "on transit" test and it shows you are eligable for a Visa Waiver, the immigration officers coming onboard may decide otherwise.

I was hoping if someone had done this itinerary that the rules would be announced once immigration came onboard. That is all.

So you see in this case their citizenship is irrelevant and thus not mentioned.

When you open the link below, click the start now button and a drop down list of nationalities comes up (In and Out of the EU), choose the one required and depending on the country a list of questions comes up or not (if from inside the EU) click Tourism and press the next step button and it will tell you if you need a Visa or not. if you do it has a link to apply for s Standard visitor visa

https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

Bureaucracy, why make it easy when difficult to impossible is also an option, hope you get it sorted.

good luck

;)

Hello,

 

My problem is the following, I hope some people here have done this itinerary and help me out.

There are several cruises with the MSC Preziosa leaving from Amsterdam with the following itinerary : Amsterdam - Hamburg - Le Havre - Southampton - Zeebrugge - Amsterdam

 

Since some of our party do not have a UK visa they want to stay onboard when we get to Southampton.

However I can not find information on this subject anywhere. They problem is that they can be denied boarding in Amsterdam or maybe have to disembark in Le Havre.

 

I have searched cruisecritic, tripadvisor and several other internet sites. Even called the cruise company and the immigration number mentioned on GOV.UK site and had to pay for the information but got referred back to the GOV.UK website where I can not find anything about cruiseships calling at UK ports.

 

So I am hoping there are people on here who have done this itinerary or any other visiting UK ports and know how this is handled by immigration.

Wolitavgg,

This is the LINK for the UK brochure and it gives the rules for the UK at the top of Page 183 and is quoted below, ignore the bit about the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) as they don't exist any more and were taken over by the UK visas and Immigration in 2013.

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/en-gb/Brochures/Our-Brochures.aspx

European Community passengers can use their own passport or a valid equivalent document. French ID cards with automatic extension are considered valid only inside the EU, in the case of cruises calling at ports outside the EU, a passport or new ID card is required, please consult our contact centre should you required further information.

Passengers from other countries are kindly required to verify with UKBA (United Kingdom Border Agency) whether they are eligible to travel in transit under the Visa Waiver Program or if they need to be provided with a UK Visa prior to embarkation. In the Absence of a visa prior to embarkation, visiting in transit of staying on board ship during a UK port of call without going ashore is not authorised and passengers must disembark at the previous port. The concession of visa upon arrival for the selected nationalities is valid only the case of transit for up to 24 hours. In the case of two or more consecutive UK ports, a visa prior to embarkation is mandatorily required.

Here is the Link for the UKBA for visa and immigration

https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration

https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

I hope this helps you out

Arachnid, in Hamburg the Public transport works on Sunday too.

You can check : HVV (Hamburger Verkerhrsvebund)

If you disembark from MSC Preziosa, there is a free shuttle from ship to Central Station.

Another option is to book tickets on:

www.hansetixs.de/cruisegate

If you embark in Hamburg, there is an MSC Shuttle to the Ship from The Central Station for 5 Euros per bag.

Emjoy your cruise!!:)

Bat1, many thanks

Thanks will have a look at that

Rhea98,

thank you very much for your replies, as you say the cruise gate shuttle looks good and I suppose the Ship will have Pay for Shuttles as well. Will still keep looking 3 months to go yet and after we have been I will post how we got on.

:D

You might want to post this over on the Northern Europe/ Baltic Sea board.

Have done, thanks

Can anyone comment on the transport into the city centre from Steinwerder, we are in port on a Sunday and have heard that there is no public transport at the weekends. How good is the shuttle service and or any other information would be appreciated. We will not be dis-embarking just in for the day 0700-1830.

thanks in advance

Can anyone comment on the transport into the city centre from Steinwerder, we are in port on a Sunday and have heard that there is no public transport at the weekends. How good is the shuttle service and or any other information would be appreciated.

I posted these replies on the MSC forum but have put them here as well for information.

Generally, they lay on a bus to Blankenburge in Zeebrugge where you can get a train to Brugges, It runs hourly to brugge and twice hourly back, costs 3 euro each way and takes about 15 minutes.

https://www.trainline.eu/train-times...erge-to-brugge

Amsterdam is a ten/fifteen minute walk to Central station on a fairly level road

and

For info once you get to Brugges it is about a 20/30 minute walk into the centre of the city or you can get the number 3 or 12 bus right outside the train station and get off at Brugge Markt which is in the Markt (Market Square). The walk is quite pleasant down narrow cobbled streets and you go through one of the main shopping streets (Zuidzandstraat) on the way, the walk may take longer depending on the amount of time you spend salivating over all the chocolate in the shops.

I have also just found this as well, I might be looking at this for October

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...partner=Viator

Thanks Arachnid,

 

just the info I was looking for, public transport to Brugges looks a lot cheaper than 84 euros return for us both using the ships excursions!

 

Thanks!:D

For info once you get to Brugges it is about a 20/30 minute walk into the centre of the city or you can get the number 3 or 12 bus right outside the train station and get off at Brugge Markt which is in the Markt (Market Square). The walk is quite pleasant down narrow cobbled streets and you go through one of the main shopping streets (Zuidzandstraat) on the way, the walk may take longer depending on the amount of time you spend salivating over all the chocolate in the shops.

I have also just found this as well, I might be looking at this for October

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/AttractionProductDetail?product=22540P1&d=8764003&aidSuffix=xsell&partner=Viator

:p