Shuttle Buses

[Tom Baker]

My cruise personaliser states;

"If you have booked an Early Saver or Saver fare you will be charged for using this service.  You can find details about the shuttle services available in each port in the ships’s daily newspaper, on board. 

The cost of the service, at each port, may vary but will typically be charged, to your on board account, at around £2.50 to £5 each way per adult.  Children aged between 2 and 14 will be charged at a rate of 50% of the adult fare and infants under 2 will be carried free of charge.

Please note, if you have booked a P&O Cruises Select Price, complimentary shuttle bus services will be provided for you at each port of call"

 

Is this a new policy?

I have been informed by P&O shore side that there will be NO shuttle bus service to either Belfast or Glasgow (from Greenock) on our June cruise, but it states that "If you have booked a P&O Cruises Select Price, complimentary shuttle bus services will be provided for you at each port of call"

 

Which is to be believed?

[daiB]

1 hour ago, Tom Baker said:

My cruise personaliser states;

"If you have booked an Early Saver or Saver fare you will be charged for using this service.  You can find details about the shuttle services available in each port in the ships’s daily newspaper, on board. 

The cost of the service, at each port, may vary but will typically be charged, to your on board account, at around £2.50 to £5 each way per adult.  Children aged between 2 and 14 will be charged at a rate of 50% of the adult fare and infants under 2 will be carried free of charge.

Please note, if you have booked a P&O Cruises Select Price, complimentary shuttle bus services will be provided for you at each port of call"

 

Is this a new policy?

I have been informed by P&O shore side that there will be NO shuttle bus service to either Belfast or Glasgow (from Greenock) on our June cruise, but it states that "If you have booked a P&O Cruises Select Price, complimentary shuttle bus services will be provided for you at each port of call"

 

Which is to be believed?

 

The FAQ’s saythe following:-

 

At most ports of call we operate a shuttle bus service, shuttle bus availability along with distances to the main towns/ destinations will be provided to you once you are on-board.

 

They certainly do not provide buses at all ports as for many the are not needed. Eg in the Caribbean I cannot think of any. Nor in most ports in Norway except a certain berth in Bergen. In fact most ports do not have them.

[daiB]

Came across another section of the FAQ’s

 

With our Select Prices, shuttle buses will be offered free of charge in ports where they are provided by P&O Cruises.   

If other promotional prices are introduced, theses will not be offered with free shuttle buses in port.  The prices for the shuttles vary according to the port and will be advised once on-board.

In some ports it may be compulsory for a shuttle bus to be used to exit the port due to health and safety reasons. In these instances, these will be supplied complimentary for all passengers and all passengers will be notified on-board.

Port Guides and further information regarding ports of call is also provided once you are on-board.

 

Clearly the important section is that saying where provided.

 

[Tom Baker]

If you pay a select cruise fare then you don't know prior to boarding whether shuttle buses will be provided. Seems a bit of a con.

[janny444]

Hi....does anyone know if P&O provide a shuttle....select fare.... at the port of Rotterdam and if so where does it drop you off....port gates....town....near train station ?

[Eglesbrech]

On 1/6/2019 at 11:04 PM, Tom Baker said:

My cruise personaliser states;

"If you have booked an Early Saver or Saver fare you will be charged for using this service.  You can find details about the shuttle services available in each port in the ships’s daily newspaper, on board. 

The cost of the service, at each port, may vary but will typically be charged, to your on board account, at around £2.50 to £5 each way per adult.  Children aged between 2 and 14 will be charged at a rate of 50% of the adult fare and infants under 2 will be carried free of charge.

Please note, if you have booked a P&O Cruises Select Price, complimentary shuttle bus services will be provided for you at each port of call"

 

Is this a new policy?

I have been informed by P&O shore side that there will be NO shuttle bus service to either Belfast or Glasgow (from Greenock) on our June cruise, but it states that "If you have booked a P&O Cruises Select Price, complimentary shuttle bus services will be provided for you at each port of call"

 

Which is to be believed?

 

At least P&O now seem to advertise their cruises as going to Greenock and not Glasgow. One of my pet hates is lines advertising a city that they are actually not berthing anywhere near and then in brackets the actual place they dock in.

 

When you booked did the advert say Greenock or Glasgow?

 

 

 

[Tom Baker]

3 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

At least P&O now seem to advertise their cruises as going to Greenock and not Glasgow. One of my pet hates is lines advertising a city that they are actually not berthing anywhere near and then in brackets the actual place they dock in.

 

When you booked did the advert say Greenock or Glasgow?

 

 

 

Glasgow. Still advertised as Glasgow. I phoned P&O and asked where exactly it docked and they could only tell me Greenock, which is about 26 miles away. Shuttle buses are to get you into the town I was informed and Greenock is within walking distance.

 

If you want to go to the place that they advertise you have to book a trip or DIY.

She said it's exactly the same for Pisa and Rome, they don't provide transport to those places from where they dock ... never thought!

[Eglesbrech]

Yes it is a bit of a con if you don’t know the area. I note that for cruises in 2019 they are actually saying Greenock, at least in the ones I looked at. Personally if they have misrepresented then I would be complaining. Greenock is not Glasgow nor is it the nearest port, just the most convenient for Cruise ships.

 

You are berthed in the middle of Greenock (normally) and it is within easy walking distance of the town. There are regular trains into Glasgow central from Greenock if you want to go into the city.

 

In the opposite direction is Largs which is an old fashioned sea side town with a lot of Viking heritage. 

 

Some of the more more interesting tours from Greenock are actually to the central belt, Loch Lomond or the Trossachs.

[janny444]

Hi....we have visited this POC a few times and every time the local tourist board has put on 2/3 coach trips of the area and they have been completely free. I think they last a couple of hours or so and come complete with a guide. The ones we have been on were very good. They are based at the cruise terminal in Greenock and it is advisable to book them when you come off the ship. With these free tours being provided we have never felt the need to go into Glasgow.

[daiB]

41 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Yes it is a bit of a con if you don’t know the area. I note that for cruises in 2019 they are actually saying Greenock, at least in the ones I looked at. Personally if they have misrepresented then I would be complaining. Greenock is not Glasgow nor is it the nearest port, just the most convenient for Cruise ships.

 

You are berthed in the middle of Greenock (normally) and it is within easy walking distance of the town. There are regular trains into Glasgow central from Greenock if you want to go into the city.

 

In the opposite direction is Largs which is an old fashioned sea side town with a lot of Viking heritage. 

 

Some of the more more interesting tours from Greenock are actually to the central belt, Loch Lomond or the Trossachs.

If it’s a con it’s one all cruise lines use for Glasgow. I am not aware of any which provide a shuttle bus from Greenock. A round trip has to be well over 90 minutes if not two hours to move even 2000 people would need over 40 coaches. Don’t think it is a practical possibility. 

[Eglesbrech]

6 minutes ago, daiB said:

If it’s a con it’s one all cruise lines use for Glasgow. I am not aware of any which provide a shuttle bus from Greenock. A round trip has to be well over 90 minutes if not two hours to move even 2000 people would need over 40 coaches. Don’t think it is a practical possibility. 

 

I agree, they all do it and they are all wrong and it is a con. Some even say “Paris” when they actually berth in Le Harve!

 

If you are berthing in a town miles away from a city then make it clear. To P&Os credit they appear to have changed their advertising this year and are actually making it clear that people are in Greenock and not Glasgow.

[daiB]

5 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

I agree, they all do it and they are all wrong and it is a con. Some even say “Paris” when they actually berth in Le Harve!

 

If you are berthing in a town miles away from a city then make it clear. To P&Os credit they appear to have changed their advertising this year and are actually making it clear that people are in Greenock and not Glasgow.

 

P&O website

 

09 AUG - 21 AUG 2020

ARCADIA (J010)

ROUND-TRIP CRUISE FROM SOUTHAMPTON

Cruise itinerary : 7 ports

• Southampton
• Cobh
• Stornoway
• Kirkwall
• Invergordon
• Greenock
• Dublin

Princess website

Ships: Crown Princess |  Regal Princess

Ports: London (Southampton), England | Guernsey (St. Peter Port) | Cork, Ireland (Cobh - For Blarney Castle) | Dublin, Ireland | Belfast, Northern Ireland | Liverpool, England | Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland | Invergordon, Scotland | Edinburgh (South Queensferry), Scotland | Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France | London (Southampton), England

 

 

Well both Princess and P&O looktobe playing fair now.

[Pennbank]

23 hours ago, janny444 said:

Hi....does anyone know if P&O provide a shuttle....select fare.... at the port of Rotterdam and if so where does it drop you off....port gates....town....near train station ?

 

Free shuttle bus to City Hall with transfer time about 30 mins. They also have had a limited wheelchair adapted bus.

To walk its about 15mins to the city .

[janny444]

Thank you Pennbank....so it is much quicker to walk than taking the shuttle....maybe the shuttle takes the " scenic" route

[Les68]

First time cruiser, going with p & o to civitaveccia(Rome), livorno(florence/pissa), ajaccio & monte carlo for which the last 2 shuttle buses are neither needed or provided I believe.

My question is on an early saver  priced cruise & if you've paid for an excursion for example Rome from citiveccia is the transport to get to rome on their shuttle bus? If not how do you( & is it payable) get to the tour bus that takes you to Rome? I'm confused on the whole prosess of using shuttle buses around paid excursions supplied by p & o.

[terrierjohn]

6 minutes ago, Les68 said:

First time cruiser, going with p & o to civitaveccia(Rome), livorno(florence/pissa), ajaccio & monte carlo for which the last 2 shuttle buses are neither needed or provided I believe.

My question is on an early saver  priced cruise & if you've paid for an excursion for example Rome from citiveccia is the transport to get to rome on their shuttle bus? If not how do you( & is it payable) get to the tour bus that takes you to Rome? I'm confused on the whole prosess of using shuttle buses around paid excursions supplied by p & o.

If you take any P&O shore excursion it will include transport to and from the ship on the tour bus.

[Dorset cruise fan]

If you book a ship's tour then the buses will be at the dockside. You will have a ticket and someone from the excursions team will check you in and direct you to the right bus. At Civitivecchia, should you wish to use public transport to get to Rome then there is a shuttle bus provided by P&O which takes you from the cruise terminal into the town of Civitivecchia where you can make your way to the train station. At other ports it depends on where the ship docks as to whether shuttle buses are needed. If the ship docks pretty centrally (Ajaccio) then there won't be a bus. If it is further out then one is provided although these ports are often quite walkable as well. And just to confuse things, if you are in a commercial port then buses are mandatory and free for all passengers (unless booked on a tour which again will meet you at the ship)

[tring]

9 hours ago, Les68 said:

First time cruiser, going with p & o to civitaveccia(Rome), livorno(florence/pissa), ajaccio & monte carlo for which the last 2 shuttle buses are neither needed or provided I believe.

My question is on an early saver  priced cruise & if you've paid for an excursion for example Rome from citiveccia is the transport to get to rome on their shuttle bus? If not how do you( & is it payable) get to the tour bus that takes you to Rome? I'm confused on the whole prosess of using shuttle buses around paid excursions supplied by p & o.

 

As a new member, welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Civitavecchia is a big city so easily a port in it's own right and the same with Livorno (we love Livorno - lovely place and lots to do).  I do not know why some cruise lines refer to those ports being for Rome and Florence as both are about two hours drive from the port cities, though as mentioned public transport is a possibility.  Other Carnival cruise companies dock for a day in Southampton(for London), as well as Le Havre (for Paris).

 

AS mentioned there will not be a shuttle bus to those places, but there will be excursions at a price obviously and sometimes there are also excursions called ? on your own, (e.g. Rome on your Own).  Prices will be fairly high (poss in the order of £30 or so, depending on distance) and a map is usually supplied on the coach journey, perhaps with some words of advice about the place you are heading for (coach chatter from a person on the coach to act as a sort of guide - but not an official tour guide).

  The advantage is that any delays to your return journey would mean the ship waits for your coach to get back.  You do need to make sure you are back at your coach for the departure time form Rome though or you are stuck there and sort yourself out.

 

If you are new to cruising what you need to understand is that some people will take a chance and go off, even quite a distance on public transport, but if there are delays and do not get back to the ship in time to sail (or you do not get back for another reason), then the ship may well sail without you and it is completely up to you to get yourself back to the ship or home at your own expense.  Some cities e.g. Rome are very big, so even if you get to there independently it is not an easy walk to get about and see the places you want to see.  Hence, if you do not want to go on a ship's excursion (or if you choose an 'on your own' excursion) you will need to do a lot of research as to the practicalities.

 

A good start is to go to the main page of the Cruise Critic Boards and scroll down to the 'ports of call' section and select your destination and search for information on past posts, then perhaps ask questions of your own for specific things if still a bit confused or want to be updated with info.  you will find some people are very helpful with links to train timetables and other info., so do not forget to thank them and help others in the future if you can.  It is how the boards work and they work well.  This takes you back to the main CC forum page where you can find the 'ports of call' boards:-   https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/

 

Happy searching and reading if you want to go it alone.

 

It is only local shuttle buses that are free for non saver fare passengers and paid for by others and only take place over a short distance (up to about 5 miles or less usually).  All excursions are the same price for all passengers unless they have a small loyalty club discount which you will find out about in due course (just a few %).  Another option is to book an excursion with a company other than your cruise line, but again, if you do not get back, you are stuck at your own expense.  Personally we would not go to Rome on public transport (train) on a one day port visit as would be quite a hassle and Italian trains can just stop in the middle of the day due to sudden strikes.  Still worth getting advice re other destinations though and to make that decision yourself.

Edited July 25, 2020 by tring

[buzzybuzzbuzz]

I would agree with Tring about going it alone to Rome, I have done it twice, 1st time was no problem everything was easy, 2nd time somebody threw themselves under a train in front of ours and we were left stranded at a small country station with all trains cancelled on that line for the hours whilst they investigated the death. We managed to get a taxi back to Civitavecchia after 2.5 hours at an inflated cost as they knew we were desperate.

 

My policy now is that if it is more than 40mins away we take a tour or "on your own" transfer for peace of mind.