Azamara Quest Nice transfer?

[Juhlin]

We are booked on a Azamara Quest cruise in 3 weeks, departure from Nice. It is our first Azamara cruise, and we are looking forward to cruising with her!

We have a late departure from Nice (11.00 p.m.). Does anybody know what time the safety drill will take place?

Our flight arrives at 10.00 a.m. in Nice. Is there any Azamara transfer from the airport to the port at this time already (because of the late departure time of the ship)?

[Eloise4Ever]

Juhlin, we sailed from Nice on Quest last month and the ship departed from Nice at 10.30. The Emergency Lifeboat drill took place at 5pm. We checked out of our hotel at noon and got a taxi to the ship and were checked in very quickly. I imagine that Azamara would have airport transfers available in the morning however it would probably be less expensive for you to take a taxi from the airport to the port instead. Taxis are available just outside the Arrivals area at the airport. Be aware that port facilities at Nice are basically non-existent and if you arrive there before 12 you will have to wait in a tented area to check in on the ship.

 

Have a great cruise.

[mzk90]

We were on the 11th April sailing (Great cruise btw!) and landed in NCE early the day before. But you could do the following depending on your situation.

 

Get the bus from the airport to the Old Port stop, cost is 6 euros, it's the 98 I think. From there it is a pleasant 10 min stroll along the marina to where the ship is docked. You can get rid of all your checked bags straight away.

 

At this point you can choose, check in, which was a very odd procedure with you not actually doing it until you get to the Cabaret Lounge. As there was a big queue of people waiting to check in, inside the tent, we dropped the bags and went into Nice and came back later.

 

The number 30 bus actually drops you 2 mins walk from the port gates when you want to come back and it goes from the train station if you fancy going out for the day. We got the bus to Eze village instead.

 

You'll love it. Have a great time.

[edinburgher]

Read your post with interest as we embark Quest in Nice on May 26.

 

We intended taking the #98 bus from the airport directly to the stop for the Port of Nice, but you mentioned it was "a pleasant 10 minute stroll" from the closest bus stop to the port....with all our luggage it won't be!

 

I understand that the #98 goes to the Port via the train station and that the #30 also has a stop at or close to the train station. Changing from the #98 to the #30 at the train station would be our preferred option if the #30 drops us much closer to the port entrance.

 

If we do this, will the #30 FROM the train station drop us very close to the port entrance or is there maybe a one-way system or something else which would mean that only the #30 going TO the train station is close to the port entrance?

 

Thanks for info from anyone who can clarify.

[brensan100]

Nice is a great city to get around. We were on the Quest too on 11th April. They were open for check-in before 11am and it was very quiet at that time.

The 98 bus stop for the port is a little way off, true. However, from anywhere on the Promenade des Anglaises which runs a long way along the seafront almost to the port, you can walk quite comfortably with wheeled luggage, especially if you have plenty of time. We have done it from a central hotel previously.

 

Many buses run along there also. Just google NICE BUSES or Ligne Cote D'Azur and you should get all the timetable info in English. Except for the airport buses, the rest cost 1.50€ per person. Anglo-info Riviera is also very helpful. Google that too and then search for transport info.

The 98 airport bus runs along the promenade part way. I'm not sure which stop is nearest to its turn off point, but you should see it, or be able to ask.

 

Enjoy the cruise.

[edinburgher]

Thank you for taking the time to post.

 

We had previously found the timetables and routing for the #98 but the online travel planner indicated only a 2 or 3 minute walk from the stop to the port and that is manageable for us with luggage, it was the reference to a 10 minute walk which concerned us so I asked here. And now you are telling us that the stop is "a little way off" which might indicate more than a 2 or 3 minute walk.

 

I expect we will find out for sure on the day.

[Skywalker1701]

We will be leaving on the Quest from Nice on the 26th, and will be staying at an apartment in the Port we located on Airbnb.How difficult is it to find the location of the ship? I understand from from Azamara that the Quest will be at the small ship basis, wherever that may be. Any info on location an boarding procedures would be much appreciated.

 

Clark and Valerie Fischer

[airhose]

We will be leaving on the Quest from Nice on the 26th, and will be staying at an apartment in the Port we located on Airbnb.How difficult is it to find the location of the ship? I understand from from Azamara that the Quest will be at the small ship basis, wherever that may be. Any info on location an boarding procedures would be much appreciated.

 

Clark and Valerie Fischer

 

That's just what we did last month. Just walk towards the harbour, and go south on the street next to the eastern side of it...boats will be on your right. As you get to the end of that street you will see the tents to your left, and the ship! We were there around 11:40, and boarded right away as they took our luggage and directed us to the cabaret lounge for checkin. Easy! Have a great trip.

[brensan100]

Sorry, Edinburgher, 'a little way off' wasn't very helpful of me! We did that walk in April, but without luggage [because we had driven to Nice and parked our car at the airport, having first dropped our luggage at the ship].

 

While we were making our way from the port bus stop to the ship, we remarked that we were glad not to be doing it with luggage. It's a few streets away, definitely more that two minutes, but my impression was it wouldn't be very easy to negotiate the pavements, cafes, parked cars etc with bags. The promenade walk would be very much easier.

 

On the way back, we didn't even bother. The ship offered a transfer to the airport, with luggage, for US $16, which just made everything easy.

 

Hope that helps a bit more.

[edinburgher]

A $16 airport transfer was a bargain, especially for a cruiseline. We would have taken that too.

 

Thanks for the clarification. Might get off earlier at the last Promenade stop or get off part way between airport and port and taxi the rest of the way.

 

I had hoped someone might have mentioned bus#30 as it may go closer to the port and we could switch from the #98 to it at the train station.

[brensan100]

I found reference to the No 30 bus on the Riviera Ports website, but it looks as if the port stop is in more or less the same place as the stop for the airport bus. This website also mentions free shuttle buses from the port, but that is the first I heard of them.

 

Everything we heard/read about taxis was that they are expensive, in short supply, and the drivers very reluctant to take you on short trips. Just hearsay though.

 

The $16 transfer was only for the return journey, ship to airport, so you will probably get that chance too. The ship was pushing them quite hard, so as to fill the buses and make it worth doing I imagine.

 

If you go to Roll Call for your cruise on this Cruise Critics site, you may be able to organise a shared minibus or transfer with other passengers arriving around the same time as you.

[Skywalker1701]

That's just what we did last month. Just walk towards the harbour, and go south on the street next to the eastern side of it...boats will be on your right. As you get to the end of that street you will see the tents to your left, and the ship! We were there around 11:40, and boarded right away as they took our luggage and directed us to the cabaret lounge for checkin. Easy! Have a great trip.

 

Thanks so much. Looks like it is pretty walkable then?

 

Clark and Valerie Fischer

[mzk90]

Read your post with interest as we embark Quest in Nice on May 26.

 

We intended taking the #98 bus from the airport directly to the stop for the Port of Nice, but you mentioned it was "a pleasant 10 minute stroll" from the closest bus stop to the port....with all our luggage it won't be!

 

I understand that the #98 goes to the Port via the train station and that the #30 also has a stop at or close to the train station. Changing from the #98 to the #30 at the train station would be our preferred option if the #30 drops us much closer to the port entrance.

 

If we do this, will the #30 FROM the train station drop us very close to the port entrance or is there maybe a one-way system or something else which would mean that only the #30 going TO the train station is close to the port entrance?

 

Thanks for info from anyone who can clarify.

 

Hi, on the 98 from the airport to the port you do not go to the train station, so I suggest 98 to Le Port bus stop and then the #30 towards Riquier and get off at the Beau Rivage stop on Blvd Stalingrad. Walk down the steps and you are basically 50 yards from the port gate.

 

It really is a very pleasant 10 minute walk from Le Port stop if you can manage it with your bags.

 

You can see the routes here.

 

http://www.lignesdazur.com/ftp/plans_EN/NiceCentreSept13(02)bd.pdf

 

and timetables etc here:

 

http://www.lignesdazur.com/index.asp

[edinburgher]

Sorry, my mistake. It is the #99 which routes by the train station.

 

Thanks to all for replies.