Cruise express Zeebrugge for Bruges?

[cbowls30]

Hi

we arein Zeebrugge on royal Carribean end of May. We’re looking st booking transfer from portto Bruges and have see ‘cruise express’ which looks good, they run bus shuttle for 20 Euro return. I’ve read various co flirting reviews some saying when you book online you then get to port and have to get in a huge line to exchange online voucher for a ticket, but we are not sure if this is applicable to this service or another we have found sold via viator? Can anyone tell us how the cruise express works, we don’t really want to get off the ship and get in a huge line with thousands of other passengers but the cruise ship excursion is twice the price and only 4 hours where the cruise express goes back and forth all day.

 

[GlennaRoseGoes]

I’m also looking at Cruise Express for the Zeebrugge port. I don’t know the answer to your question, but I would suspect if you book directly on their website, you would have an actual ticket......I suspect the vouchers that need to be exchanged are from third party vendors, such as Viator. I’d email or use the chat box on their website; they seem very user friendly!

[kctwinmommy]

So when we were in Zeebrugge on RCI in 2017, we bought a ticket right off the ship. They had a bunch of charter buses lined up there. We were planning to grab a taxi right outside the gates there, but this was way easier. We paid 20 Euro's/each and got on the bus. It dropped us off by the train station and it was like a 20 minute walk into the center of town. We had a ticket that we showed when we were ready to go back. We just went back to the train station lot and found the buses again. They waited maybe 10-15 minutes for a few people, and then headed back. It was running every 30 minutes I think. It was super easy and convenient!

[MAVIP]

On 3/2/2019 at 2:43 PM, cbowls30 said:

Hi

we arein Zeebrugge on royal Carribean end of May. We’re looking st booking transfer from portto Bruges and have see ‘cruise express’ which looks good, they run bus shuttle for 20 Euro return. I’ve read various co flirting reviews some saying when you book online you then get to port and have to get in a huge line to exchange online voucher for a ticket, but we are not sure if this is applicable to this service or another we have found sold via viator? Can anyone tell us how the cruise express works, we don’t really want to get off the ship and get in a huge line with thousands of other passengers but the cruise ship excursion is twice the price and only 4 hours where the cruise express goes back and forth all day.

 

We used their vouchers summer 2018.  The port of Zeebrugge offers shuttles from the ships to the entrance of the port. A short walk brings you to the bus of Cruise express. Try to leave your ship soonest after arrival. We did not have to wait in line at all. In my opinion (I checked a lot of possibilities) there is no cheaper and faster connection to Bruges. 

[sofietucker]

And if you are planning to visit the Groeningen Musuem, do check its opening days. It was closed on Sunday when we were there. (Now we gotta go back, lol!)

[brian1]

Prebook a taxi online.Drops you off in the centre of town and if you can get others to share,a lot cheaper.

[MAVIP]

5 minutes ago, brian1 said:

Prebook a taxi online.Drops you off in the centre of town and if you can get others to share,a lot cheaper.

Good advice. We were 6 in the family, taxi would have been a bit too crowded, so we reserved the bus.....

[brian1]

4 minutes ago, MAVIP said:

Good advice. We were 6 in the family, taxi would have been a bit too crowded, so we reserved the bus.....

I think it's a flat price including people carriers,so you could get 8 people at a good price each.

Edited April 26, 2019 by brian1

[lonagarr]

This is from a post on Trip Advisor:

 

It depends in the first instance on whether you are arriving at the cruise port (Zweedse Kaai) by cruise-ship, as described above, or at the ferry port (Leopold II Dam, off Albert II Laan), by P&O ferry - including so-called "mini-cruises", which use the regular ferries, not cruise-ships. The two ports are quite a distance apart, and are separated by a naval base and container (cargo) port.

 

And then it depends on what you consider as "best". If this is indeed a cruise-ship, for example, a method not mentioned above is the Cruise Express shuttle: https://cruise-express.be/en/ - which departs from just outside the port gates, you can reach it by the Port Authority shuttle (red bus) as you aren't allowed to walk around inside the cruise port. On the other hand, cruise operators don't specifically offer shuttles to "tram stations" - nor would there be any point for Brugge as the Coast Tram goes along the coast and not inland. Cruise companies generally offer a shuttle to Blankenberge station ONLY, from which there are hourly trains to Brugge (taking about 14 mins) every day of the year. While there is also a Coast Tram stop outside Blankenberge station, anyone heading for a tram stop - e.g. to take the Coast Tram to Oostende - might just as well take the Port Authority shuttle from the ship to outside the cruise terminal, and walk a few minutes to the Zeebrugge-Kerk stop (follow the tram lines to the right when the cruise port is behind you), it isn't necessary to take the ship's shuttle (which I believe has to be paid for) to Blankenberge.

 

Note that none of these methods - train, shuttle or tour bus - will take you to the city centre, if you want to be driven to Markt the only direct method is by taxi (https:/…taxi). Brugge station is just outside the city centre, about 15-20 mins walk to Markt, while ALL buses go to the Bargeplein car/ coach park, located between the train station and Minnewater Park, from where organised tours (cruise company tour bus) continue on foot, and you would have to make your way back to the coach park to return to the ship. You can, however, take the #12 bus to Markt, the stop is right next to the toilet block in the middle of the coach park, and cost is €3, you can buy tickets from the bus driver. Otherwise, you can continue by DIY walking tour, see …compaqnet.be/Pieter.Blommaert/WandelingBrug…

 

If by any chance you are arriving by FERRY, then your only choices really are the P&O bus (€11.50, which would be included in the price if you were on a P&O "mini-cruise", otherwise bookable at the time of booking the ferry crossing or, I believe, on board the ferry) or taxi.

[lonagarr]

For the Train

 

shorebee.com/en/belgium/bruges/from-zeebrugge-cruise-port-to-bruges/train