F1 Grand Prix Tour from Oceans

[scarlet o'hara]

Has anyone done this excursion. We are thinking of booking one of these cruises and would want to do the trip to the Monaco grand prix. We've emailed P&O who haven't been particularly helpful. Would be keen to hear about the costs, arrangements etc. We wouldn't want to do an independent tour in case the ship couldn't tender or other problems. Thanks

[Bruce62]

Hi,

 

I did this in 2016 on Oceana, and it was very well organised. The 3 options were

1. Transportation ONLY to and from Monaco, including picnic (You need to buy your own ticket in advance) - Approx £50 pp

2. Above, but with general admission ticket

3. Above, but with Grandstand ticket, at Tabac corner, so you can see cars come out of the tunnel thru to the Pool. (I did this)

 

The cost for 2 & 3, was approximately £50 pp more than just buying a ticket from the F1 web-site,

 

Note that you will get there early, so if you have a guaranteed seat (option 3), spend some time walking around outside the circuit to soak up the atmosphere, as once inside you are limited to what you can do,

 

Hope this helps

[scarlet o'hara]

Thanks Bruce62, that's really helpful. When did the tours become available. I've now had some further info from P&O who say on one hand that this years (2018) tours to the GP had to be confirmed by end Jan, with no refunds if cancelled, and on the other hand the standard mantra that they are available 12 weeks before. There is another option for a VIP excursion with a sit down lunch which costs more each than the cruise itself. We probably will do option 3, the same one as you and presume the 2019 tours will be available long before 12 weeks. Thanks again for your helpful comments.

[Bruce62]

I booked the cruise about a year in advance, and from memory I had to register an interest in going to the GP quite early on. I was then notified by email, that they were ready to book on my CP, again from memory this could well have been around Jan / Feb.

 

Logistically, I think they ask for the register of Interest, so they know how many tickets to buy, and once this is done, they put them on the CP.

 

I think 2016 was the first time they did the Monaco GP, so they have probably fine tuned their MO by now.

 

Any more Q's and I'm happy to help if I can :)

[scarlet o'hara]

Thank you again. I may be on touch again.

[ScotchBoy]

Hi we did this last year and it was well worth it. We did the combined transport and Grandstand ticket with guaranteed numbered seat. It was well organised. We arrived early and walked approximately one mile to the circuit. The streets were not particularly busy at that time so it was easy to keep up with your tour guide. As the morning wears on, the streets become really, really busy, so we then fully understood the benefits of arriving early. Same when we left - whilst most of the crowds were moving in the same direction, it was slow and it was more challenging to keep sight of your guide.

 

There are 3 races and you can leave your seat and venture out into the streets between each race. Your bag will be searched each time you re-enter. P&O provide a small picnic - it was okay but we had lunch at a street cafe and watched all the shenanigans by the ticket sellers, who were selling balcony spaces for a minimum of 250 euros per person.

 

The section of the stand (K, I think) that was reserved for the P&O excursion was brilliant. It was south-facing so make sure you have a hat and sunscreen. It overlooked the yachts and we took our binoculars for a little people-watching. We would also recommend taking a cushion if hard seats are not your thing.

 

I think it cost 600 euros for transport and ticket and I would do it again in a heartbeat - a real spectacle! In fact we are considering take our adult sons in a couple of years. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

[scarlet o'hara]

Thanks ScotchBoy. My preferred option is a guaranteed seat in a good location. Thanks for the tip about a hat and sunscreen as hopefully the weather will be good. Cheers

[ScotchBoy]

Thanks ScotchBoy. My preferred option is a guaranteed seat in a good location. Thanks for the tip about a hat and sunscreen as hopefully the weather will be good. Cheers

 

You're welcome. The weather was glorious when we were there. Forgot to say that there is a running commentary via loudspeakers throughout each race, which really helps those of us who don't know one driver from another! It was very informative and not at all intrusive. To my mind, it enhanced the experience.

[Bigdunc]

Hi, we are booked with P and O for 2019 and are also looking for information about the Grand Prix options. I think an organized trip sounds best, given how busy it's going to be. ScotchBoy, was the Grandstand price of c600 Euros per person or for two of you?

[ScotchBoy]

Hi, we are booked with P and O for 2019 and are also looking for information about the Grand Prix options. I think an organized trip sounds best, given how busy it's going to be. ScotchBoy, was the Grandstand price of c600 Euros per person or for two of you?

 

Hi there

 

It was per person. It included return transport from the ship. We tendered at Villefranche so we enjoyed a wonderful drive along the coast. I had forgotten how beautiful the south of France is in late Spring / early Summer. We were provided with a small picnic and a ticket for a guaranteed seat in the Grandstand - think we were approx 15 rows from the track on a raised platform. Excellent views of the track and the marina beyond. It was a great atmosphere, being that close. A guide was in attendance from boarding the coach until we were settled in our Grand Prix seats.

 

We did investigate if we would save money by booking Grand Prix tickets direct, and taking the 'Coach Only' option with P&O. There was really nothing in it so we went with peace of mind, and booked the whole thing via P&O. Fantastic day out.

[scarlet o'hara]

Hi Bigdunc

 

I've managed to get some info from P&O about the 2018 tickets as an indication of 2019 prices, -exchange rates may alter these- which I've copied below. We've also looked at independently buying tickets and transfers and it doesn't seem worth the risk in case the ship can't tender, or the traffic is mad and we can't get back to the ship on time.

Hope the info is helpful.( The VIP option is more than the cruise costs!!)

 

 

Monaco Grand Prix Transfer: adult £57 / child £55

This coach transfer is for guests who have purchased tickets independently for the F1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2018

 

Monaco Grand Prix - Standing Tickets adult £169

(includes standing ticket, coach transfer, picnic box and ear plugs)

 

Monaco Grand Prix - Grandstand tickets: adult £599

(includes Grandstand ticket, coach transfer, picnic box and ear plugs)

 

Monaco Grand Prix - VIP Gold Package: adult £1875 / Child: £1875 (yes - same price for adult or child)

(includes Gold Package ticket with a table reservation for lunch and coach transfer)

[Bigdunc]

Many thanks for the advice ScotchBoy.

 

Price breakdown very helpful thanks Scarlet. If I hear anything from P and O wanting us to register an interest I’ll post a message. I’m assuming it will be well after this year’s race.

 

In the meantime I’d better start saving up!