Anyone know? Vision OTS Dock Location in Lisbon?

[LuvBNatC]

I'm sailing on Vision of the Seas out of Lisbon Oct. 28 on a t/a, and the documents say it sails from "Santa Apolonia," yet RCI says the ship will be docked at the Alcantara terminal.

 

I know Santa Apolonia is the name of one of the 3 docks at Alcantara.

 

But someone from Portugal on our Roll Call thread says there's also a dock named Santa Apolonia that's near the Metro station of the same name.

 

There are no Metro stations near Alcantara.

 

Can someone who has sailed on Vision from Lisbon PLEASE tell us where this ship docks? Is it Alcantara or somewhere else? (If you have a physical address for this place, I would owe you a big one.)

 

Meanwhile, confusion reigns over at my roll call. :D Thank you!

[telecruiser]

When we ended our Vision cruise in Lisbon back in 2009, I'm pretty sure we were docked at the Alcantara port at the dock that is along side Ave. 24 de Julho at the intersection of Largo Santos across the street from the Jardim de Santos Park.

 

I compared my photos to the Google Maps satellite view, and I am quite sure.

[telecruiser]

After further examination of my photos, I think we were at the other dock at the tip of Rua General Gomes Araujo. Pretty much same place.

[LuvBNatC]

Thank you for checking, telecruiser.

 

What we're being told is that there is a new dock called Santa Apolonia, and it's supposed to be within walking distance of a Metro/train station, which would be very convenience for those of us staying in Lisbon pre-cruise.

 

The Metro doesn't run to the Alcantara terminal. But I'm reading that it has 3 docks, and one of them is named Santa Apolonia. It also says 2 of the docks are on the "outside" and one on the "inside."

 

I guess I'm trying to ascertain if it's all the same Santa Apolonia dock, and it's near the Santa Apolonia Metro/train station.

 

RCI has been unable to give us an address for the dock so we can verify its location, and the directions they provide on their site and in the cruise documents seem to terminate in two different places.

 

We just want to know where our ship is. Is that too much to ask?

 

Karen

[steamboats]

Karen,

 

There are three cruise ship terminals in Lisboa:

 

Terminal de Cruzeiros Alcântara (TPA, which is mainly used by larger ships like the Indy)

Cais da Rocha Conde de Óbidos (TPR, which is next to Alcantara and was used by the Vision in 2011)

Terminal de Cruzeiros de Santa Apolónia (TPSA), Terminal de Cruzeiros de Santa Apolónia Montante (TPSAM), Terminal de Cruzeiros de Santa Apolónia Jusante (TPSAJ) und Cais do Jardim do Tabaco (CJTAB) (which are all upriver next to the downtown area and all next to each other)

 

The port website of Lisboa usually has a list of estimated arrivals showing also the terminal where a ship will be docked. But by some means it currently doesn´t show me anything past Sep 30th.

 

steamboats

[LuvBNatC]

Steamboats, thank you so much for that list. I knew there were 2 docks with Santa Apolonia in the name, but now there are 3!

 

I was able to find a list of October dockings, and Vision is listed to be at TPSA.

 

I think we have cleared up the mystery. Good old Cruise Critic! :D

 

Karen

[Loyal2RCCL]

Here's the information RCCL has on Cruising Power:

 

Directions to Lisbon, Portugal

 

For Royal Caribbean Ships:

PORT: Lisbon, Portugal

PIER TERMINAL:

Port of Lisbon Rocha de Conde Ovidos

AIRPORT:

Portela International Airport

Travel time to pier terminal - approximately 22 minutes

DRIVING: As you leave the airport catch the second circular and then at Norte-Sul, ringaround. Take Alcantara Exit. Drive directly to the port, approximately 10 minutes ahead.

PIER LONG TERM PARKING: Parking is not available.

SECURITY AT THE PIER: Please expect delays related to security and immigration procedures when arriving at the pier to board the ship. These procedures have been designed for your safety and all attempts will be made to expedite you through the process as quickly as possible.

For Azamara Club Cruise Ships:

PORT: Lisbon, Portugal

PIER TERMINAL:

La Rocha Terminal

Gare Maritima da Rocha do Conde de Obidos

1200 Lisboa

Lisbon Portugal

1349-026

AIRPORT:

Portela International Airport

Travel time to pier terminal - approximately 15 minutes

DRIVING: In Lisbon look for the Alcantara district, which is located under the suspension 25th April bridge. After crossing the main road, go toward "Docas" and look for the sign Cruise Passenger Terminal-Rocha Conde de Obidos.

By Train, From North: Exit the train at "Santa Apolonia" train station and get a taxi from there to the pier. Approximately 5 kilometers or a 15 minute drive.

By Train, From South: Exit the train at "Gare do Oriente" train station and get a taxi from there to the pier. Approximately 10 kilometers or a 30 minute drive.

Transportation from Santa Apolonia terminal to La Rocha terminal will be provided by Azamara Club Cruises. Buses will operate from 8am-4:30pm (local time) every hour on the half hour.

SECURITY AT THE PIER: Please expect delays related to security and immigration procedures when arriving at the pier to board the ship. These procedures have been designed for your safety and all attempts will be made to expedite you through the process as quickly as possible.

[LuvBNatC]

Thanks for the research, Loyal. Those are precisely the directions I was referring to that would take me to the wrong pier entirely.

 

They say to take a taxi FROM Apolonia to Alcantara. Vision is supposed to dock AT Apolonia.

 

From what I understand, the Apolonia docks are fairly new, so RCI is disseminating outdated info. Yes, its ships used to dock at Alcantara (and maybe still do), but they need to ADD directions for Santa Apolonia dockings.

 

This is like giving directions to Miami to passengers on ships sailing from Ft. Lauderdale, like it's all the same. (OK, the distance is a bit greater, but same concept.)

 

Everyone on my roll call assumed we were leaving from Alcantara, and it wasn't until the docs showing Santa Apolonia appeared that we all went, "Wait a minute! Where's THIS?"

 

And nobody at RCI could tell us. One woman has called and spoken to several reps.

 

Plus, all their directions are from the airport, but many of the people on my sailing (including me) are arriving at least a day early. Does RCI REALLY think most Americans trust the airlines to get them to a ship in Europe on sailing day? Sure, some do, but I'm betting most don't.

 

Let's just say RCI is sorely lacking in this area.

 

Karen

[Artemis]

When you Google "Terminal de Cruzeiros de Santa Apolónia," the first hit is the port authority's general information page for the Santa Apolónia terminal, and this helpful map is linked at the bottom of the page. It's a slow download; use your browser's magnifying glass function to enlarge the map! (We used their map for Alcântara, which is where Liberty OTS docked in April.)

 

Hope this helps!

[jcl410]

I would assume that the cruise documents sent would be the most acurate...

 

I departed from Santa Apolonia last November. (albeit on the Royal Clipper)

 

It is right next to the Metro and the train station with the same name.

 

 

The link below shows three "cruise terminals" You can the the brown colored cruise terminal across the street from the blue colored train station. Note they terminals are right on the main street, so it will be obvious where to go.

 

http://www.portodelisboa.pt/portal/page/portal/PORTAL_PORTO_LISBOA_ING/PORTO_LISBOA/PORT_FACILITIES/CRUISE_LINER_TERMINALS/SANTA_APOLONIA_CRUISE_LINER_TERMINAL/Lisbon%20Cruise%20Terminal.pdf

 

Aloha,

 

John

[LuvBNatC]

John, thank you! That is the last piece of the puzzle - confirmation that the Metro is nearby, for those of us not coming straight from the airport.

 

I just went back into my cruise documents (the booklet), and the directions there clearly indicate Santa Apolonia as the pier.

 

From LIS Airport: Head South or R.E. do Aeroporto da Portela toward R.B. Continue onto R.B. At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto R.C. At the next traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto Alameda das Comunidad es Portuguesas.

At Praca do Aeroporto, take the 4th exit onto the Av. Mal. Gomes da Costa ramp to Celas. Slight right onto Av. Mal Gomes da Costa. Take the ramp. At the traffic circle, take the 12st exit onto Av. Do Santo Condestavel. Continue onto Av. Santo Condestavel and go through 1 traffic circle. Slight right to stay on Av. Do Santo Condestavel. Continue onto Etre. De Celas. Continue onto R. Gualdim Pais. Continue onto R. Bispo de Coshim.

Turn right onto Av. Infante Do Henrique. Santa Apolonia Cruise Terminal is on the water.

 

So the documents are correct, but I guess the RCI website only gives directions to Alcantara.

 

Thank you everyone for being so helpful, and John and Artemis for your links. I will duly report back to the Roll Call!

 

Karen

[algaes]

Received call and text from RCCL informing me to ignore anything on the documentation and proceed to Terminal Cruzeiros Rocha De Conde de Obidos for TA cruise on Vision of the Seas from Lisbon leaving October 28, 2013.

[algaes]

Copied from email received this afternoon:

 

The following is a message from the Royal Caribbean International Emergency Notification System...

 

 

Hello, this is Royal Caribbean. We would like to provide you with important information regarding your October 28, 2013, sailing onboard Vision of the Seas, out of Lisbon, Portugal. For your sailing, Vision of the Seas will be docked at Terminal Cruzeiros Rocha de Conde de Obidos, address 1350-352, in Lisbon. Your guest vacation documents may contain incorrect information. Please disregard any conflicting information and go to Terminal Cruzeiros Rocha de Conde de Obidos for your cruise. We look forward to welcoming you onboard

[LuvBNatC]

Copied from email received this afternoon:

 

The following is a message from the Royal Caribbean International Emergency Notification System...

 

 

Hello, this is Royal Caribbean. We would like to provide you with important information regarding your October 28, 2013, sailing onboard Vision of the Seas, out of Lisbon, Portugal. For your sailing, Vision of the Seas will be docked at Terminal Cruzeiros Rocha de Conde de Obidos, address 1350-352, in Lisbon. Your guest vacation documents may contain incorrect information. Please disregard any conflicting information and go to Terminal Cruzeiros Rocha de Conde de Obidos for your cruise. We look forward to welcoming you onboard

 

Yes, thank you algaes. I got the same email.

 

Several of us on our Roll Call thread got in touch with RCI when I first posted this thread and got the confusion resolved. The cruise booklet we received said Santa Apolonia, but that turned out to be wrong.

 

Glad we got it straight, because reaching the correct terminal is a bit more complicated than just taking the train or Metro to Santa Apolonia.

 

Karen

[algaes]

Ships position reporting as of 11am central time US has the ship well out of Cadiz. Scheduled to arrive Lisbon at 6:30 UTC tomorrow 10 26th.

[LMaxwell]

I am very excited to hear about and see the results of the revitalization program!

[LuvBNatC]

Ships position reporting as of 11am central time US has the ship well out of Cadiz. Scheduled to arrive Lisbon at 6:30 UTC tomorrow 10 26th.

 

Thanks for the heads up, algaes. I was wondering when the ship would be leaving Cadiz. I'm heading to Lisbon myself tomorrow, so I'll be onboard soon. :D

 

Karen