Mediterranean Odyssey - shuttle buses?

[zitsky]

I've never thought of this on my previous river cruises because I usually just went back to the ship after an excursion.  But on the Med Odyssey cruise, there are a few cities where our afternoon is free and we would like to hang around, have lunch, see more of the city.  Does anyone know, on this tour, do they have shuttle buses going all day or just at the end of your excursion?

[Peregrina651]

Depends on the city.

 

Here is what I have experienced:

 

Naples -- no shuttle because dock is in the center of town. (IMHO, don't miss the National Archeology Museum; take a cab from the dock).

 

Rome (docks in Civitavecchia, 70mi to Rome) -- must take shuttle from ship to front gate. Paid shuttle into Rome is "Rome on Your Own" (one am departure and one pm return; to and from Vatican City) or take included tour and ditch at first stop and then take train back to Civitavecchia.

 

Livorno --  all day shuttle between ship and Tourist Office in Livorno (15 minutes or so, depending on which dock). Paid shuttle to Florence (Florence on your own). There are also cabs on the dock.  If you are taking the train to Florence, team up with another couple and share a taxi to the train station. On the return, team up with people who are returning to the ship. It was a flat fee to return to the ship (maybe 25€).

 

Monte Carlo -- no shuttle because you dock in town.

 

Marseille -- according to the Daily from our cruise: starting at 9 am, from pier to Virage Vaudoyer in the Old Port. Schedule available at Explorers Desk. (We took the tour to Aix-en-Provence and never got into Marseille; maybe next time)

 

Barcelona -- shuttle from ship to Esplanade in front of the World Trade Center. Every half hour except during lunch break; schedule at Explorers Desk. Not on embarkation/disembarkation day. If you are going to have to take a cab to your destination, might as well take it from the ship. If you want to save a little and take the shuttle, there is a taxi rank in front of the hotel.

 

 

X is ship on Moll Adossat. V is where the shuttle drops you and T is where the taxi rank is. La Rambla is marked in red and the Colon monument is circled.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zitsky]

Thank you Peregrina!  That's more info than I expected.

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

Thank you Peregrina!  That's more info than I expected.

 

No problem!! Happy to help.

[soundcruiser]

Oh, St. Peregrina, font of all knowledge!😉  When you say get a cab from the ship in Barcelona, do you mean they are literally right where the ship will dock as we disembark?  We are planning to cab to the Sants station to take the 9:30 train to Paris, and I want to plan our timing well.  I'm not sure how to get to the Esplanade taxi rank if there is no ship shuttle on disembarkation day. Thanks in advance!

We are now less than 4 weeks away from our flight to Europe - can't wait!

[Dauntless]

16 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

Depends on the city.

 

Here is what I have experienced:

 

Naples -- no shuttle because dock is in the center of town. (IMHO, don't miss the National Archeology Museum; take a cab from the dock).

 

Rome (docks in Civitavecchia, 70mi to Rome) -- must take shuttle from ship to front gate. Paid shuttle into Rome is "Rome on Your Own" (one am departure and one pm return; to and from Vatican City) or take included tour and ditch at first stop and then take train back to Civitavecchia.

 

Livorno --  all day shuttle between ship and Tourist Office in Livorno (15 minutes or so, depending on which dock). Paid shuttle to Florence (Florence on your own). There are also cabs on the dock.  If you are taking the train to Florence, team up with another couple and share a taxi to the train station. On the return, team up with people who are returning to the ship. It was a flat fee to return to the ship (maybe 25€).

 

Monte Carlo -- no shuttle because you dock in town.

 

Marseille -- according to the Daily from our cruise: starting at 9 am, from pier to Virage Vaudoyer in the Old Port. Schedule available at Explorers Desk. (We took the tour to Aix-en-Provence and never got into Marseille; maybe next time)

 

Barcelona -- shuttle from ship to Esplanade in front of the World Trade Center. Every half hour except during lunch break; schedule at Explorers Desk. Not on embarkation/disembarkation day. If you are going to have to take a cab to your destination, might as well take it from the ship. If you want to save a little and take the shuttle, there is a taxi rank in front of the hotel.

 

 

X is ship on Moll Adossat. V is where the shuttle drops you and T is where the taxi rank is. La Rambla is marked in red and the Colon monument is circled.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our cruise we originally scheduled for X position but as time approached we were moved to dock at the World Trade Center, position VK.  Be far a better location as you don't get to the port and then cross the long bridge to the dock.  In this location you have a view of Barcelona from the Explorer's Lounge and the other location, not so much.

[Peregrina651]

5 hours ago, soundcruiser said:

Oh, St. Peregrina, font of all knowledge!😉  When you say get a cab from the ship in Barcelona, do you mean they are literally right where the ship will dock as we disembark?  We are planning to cab to the Sants station to take the 9:30 train to Paris, and I want to plan our timing well.  I'm not sure how to get to the Esplanade taxi rank if there is no ship shuttle on disembarkation day. Thanks in advance!

We are now less than 4 weeks away from our flight to Europe - can't wait!

 

No shuttle bus required. There is a taxi rank outside the front door of each of the terminals on Moll Adossat.  Disembarkation morning there should be plenty of cabs waiting for passengers (unless you get out there before 7am); at other times, you may have to wave one down or even find someone in the terminal who can call a cab for you. All in all, not difficult to do.

 

 

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, Dauntless said:

 

On our cruise we originally scheduled for X position but as time approached we were moved to dock at the World Trade Center, position VK.  Be far a better location as you don't get to the port and then cross the long bridge to the dock.  In this location you have a view of Barcelona from the Explorer's Lounge and the other location, not so much.

 

You were lucky. Most of the time, Viking is on Moll Adossat. I've only heard of them being at WTC once or twice.

[soundcruiser]

Thanks so much, Peregrina! That does sound pretty easy to accomplish. 

 

[Dauntless]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

You were lucky. Most of the time, Viking is on Moll Adossat. I've only heard of them being at WTC once or twice.

 

I guess I'm living a charmed life!!