Brisbane as a Port visit

[Womble99]

We have Brisbane as a port visit later this year (Grain Terminal not Portside) with Princess and are wondering what is there in the way of transport normally offered?

 

First time into the Grain Terminal for us and it seems to be well out of the way. Can those who have used this port as a stop over provide some info on what has been offered in the past? It would be greatly appreciated.

[Aus Traveller]

A local bus company usually offers a shuttle bus to the centre of the CBD. I have seen the cost quoted as AUD$25 pp each way. If you have four people it would probably be a little cheaper and more convenient to get a taxi. With six or more people order a maxi taxi (van).

[MicCanberra]

I have used the shuttle but not with Princess, we were on X and the fee was $25 USD return pp. It was a few years ago, but if Princess is charging $50 AUD return, pricing has gone up considerably and a taxi may well be better.

It cost us around $65 to get to the airport from the grain terminal on another trip, also a few years ago.

[The_Big_M]

Last time there with Princess they had their own shuttles for about AUD28 for the round trip to the city.

 

That's your only option though, aside from tours, or using a taxi service which will be dearer.

 

It is a remote location and there isn't anything in the vicinity, so it's either a downtown city trip, or an excursion.

[MicCanberra]

13 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I have used the shuttle but not with Princess, we were on X and the fee was $25 USD return pp. It was a few years ago, but if Princess is charging $50 AUD return, pricing has gone up considerably and a taxi may well be better.

It cost us around $65 to get to the airport from the grain terminal on another trip, also a few years ago.

Sorry, my wife tells me it was actually $15 USD return pp.

[Brisbane41]

Check if the ferries go that far up the river or get a taxi to the nearest ferry wharf and collect the telephone number to order a taxi from the same wharf on return. I was in Brisbane in March for a few days after swapping from the Sea Princess to the Sun Princess and used the ferry.

 

I would avoid the shuttles arranged by the cruise line. They are making a massive profit on them and only making passengers slower by cramming them in and congesting it.

 

The ferry is much better. You can even pay on board.

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, Brisbane41 said:

Check if the ferries go that far up the river or get a taxi to the nearest ferry wharf and collect the telephone number to order a taxi from the same wharf on return. I was in Brisbane in March for a few days after swapping from the Sea Princess to the Sun Princess and used the ferry.

 

I would avoid the shuttles arranged by the cruise line. They are making a massive profit on them and only making passengers slower by cramming them in and congesting it.

 

The ferry is much better. You can even pay on board.

The OP said their ship will be docking at the Grain Terminal, not Portside. The Grain Terminal in a long way down the river from Portside - it takes a cruise ship nearly an hour to cover that distance. The ferries (CityCat) don't go far past Portside. The OP could get a taxi from the Grain Terminal to a ferry stop at Bulimba, then go by ferry, but that would be slow. If there are four people in the taxi, I suggest it would be better to take the taxi all the way to the city.

[By The Bay]

Another option, and cheaper, is to get an Uber to and from Wynnum North Railway station.

[MicCanberra]

For people who do not live in Brisbane, the shuttle or taxi/uber is certainly the easiest and fastest way to go while not necessarily being the cheapest.

[SeaDog-46]

There is a ferry terminal at Northside Hamilton just up river from the Gateway bridge [Toll]  but it is 19km. by taxi from Grain.  Only another 6 km. to city.

See Translink City Cat.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, SeaDog-46 said:

There is a ferry terminal at Northside Hamilton just up river from the Gateway bridge [Toll]  but it is 19km. by taxi from Grain.  Only another 6 km. to city.

See Translink City Cat.

You have supplied the specific distances, but this is the point I was making. We have taken overseas visitors on the CityCat trip, but they have been staying with us, not visiting Brisbane for one day. Taking a taxi to a CityCat stop, waiting for a ferry, then the slow trip to the CBD would take quite a bit of time out of a visitor's day just to save a few dollars per person.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We used the shuttle into Brisbane a few years ago and thought it was very good value for money. The drivers were great, telling us about the various parts of the city we were passing through, and the return trip took a different route so we saw different parts of Brisbane.

[MMDown Under]

10 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We used the shuttle into Brisbane a few years ago and thought it was very good value for money. The drivers were great, telling us about the various parts of the city we were passing through, and the return trip took a different route so we saw different parts of Brisbane.

Because the Grain Terminal is isolated and not close to the city, I agree the ship shuttle is the most efficient method of transport to the City. 

When I met passengers off the shuttle at Anzac Square in the city, there were friendly tourism people handing out maps and offering suggestions for what to see and do in Brisbane.  

 

[MicCanberra]

Personally, I think that the volunteers do an excellent job with helping tourism in their respective cities.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Personally, I think that the volunteers do an excellent job with helping tourism in their respective cities.

They do indeed. It's going to be interesting when we visit Stewart Island in Pacific Princess on Christmas Day. I hope it won't screw up Christmas for the locals although they have almost 18 months to prepare for it.

[fairywren]

We found it quite cost effective to do one of the ship's excursions, (which we don't normally do) because you get picked up and returned to the ship anyway. It wasn't much more than the shuttle and we had plenty of free time to look around as well as a lovely trip up to Mt Cootha.

[Brisbane41]

On 7/13/2019 at 9:15 AM, Aus Traveller said:

The OP said their ship will be docking at the Grain Terminal, not Portside. The Grain Terminal in a long way down the river from Portside - it takes a cruise ship nearly an hour to cover that distance. The ferries (CityCat) don't go far past Portside. The OP could get a taxi from the Grain Terminal to a ferry stop at Bulimba, then go by ferry, but that would be slow. If there are four people in the taxi, I suggest it would be better to take the taxi all the way to the city.

That was my intended suggestion. For a tourist the ferry ride into Brisbane is more impressive than going in by car in my opinion and may be worth the hour long ferry ride. You get good views from the river. A taxi to the nearest ferry terminal would speed things up a bit. It would all depend on what one wants to do in Brisbane that determines their method of transport. It is much like the tourists using the Manly ferry for sightseeing.

[SinbadThePorter]

21 minutes ago, Brisbane41 said:

It would all depend on what one wants to do in Brisbane that determines their method of transport. It is much like the tourists using the Manly ferry for sightseeing.

 

Even in Brisbane you can catch the Manly ferry to St Helena Island.

 

Skip the CBD and head for the bay. It's closer.

[Aus Traveller]

59 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Even in Brisbane you can catch the Manly ferry to St Helena Island.

 

Skip the CBD and head for the bay. It's closer.

St Helena is closer, but I wouldn't suggest a visit there for first-time or even third-time visitors to Brisbane - there isn't that much to see. Tours to the island are run by a company called Cat o'Nine Tails. They leave from Manly boat harbour at 9.15am on weekdays and 10am on Saturdays. Anyone wanting to go on one of their tours would have to go by taxi to Manly, getting their before 8.45am (weekdays) or 9.30 on Saturdays. The timing is 'doable' but I still question whether that would be the ideal use of a visitor's one day in Brisbane.

 

I feel the main attractions of Brisbane are the CBD (a lot of historic buildings), South Park parklands (gorgeous) and the Art Gallery & Museum next door, the CityCat (ferry) trip up the river (it goes as far as the University of Qld), Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Mt Coot-tha lookout and maybe the gardens at the base of Mt Coot-tha. Further afield there is Australia Zoo, the Gold Coast and maybe Mt Tamborine.

Edited July 14, 2019 by Aus Traveller

[Womble99]

Sorry, have been away from the boards for a bit. Thank you all for the feedback, I spent quite a few years back in the late 80's early 90's in the western suburbs of Brisbane so the town itself is not all new to us. Arriving at the port however is.

 

Being a party of 3 we will have a look and see if we can find out what the price of the shuttles are once on board and determine if they are cost effective or we will book one of the town excursions with the ship. Then again if it looks like the cost isn't worth it we may just turn those dollars into drinks by the pool 🙂

[MicCanberra]

Good to keep your options open.