Provence ( Marseille) & Nice ( Villefranche)

[zino5]

We will be visiting both of these ports in June on Celebrity Beyond 

 

I am a bit confused as to how close each location- Marseille and Villefranche are from where the ship actually docks

 

I am trying to book some excursions on my own and just trying to gauge how/ how long to get the meeting points I am looking at

 

I am looking at a walking food tour in Marseille  that leaves from the Opera, from the map it looks close to the Old Port of Marseille

 

In Nice there is a snorkeling trip that l haven't got the exact location but would obviously be leaving from a dock !

 

 

Thanks !

 

 

[marazul]

Post the tour link for the snorkel and we can help you figure it out.  If it leaves from Nice it has to go some distance before there is any snorkeling. It might make more sense if it leaves closer to Villefranche.

 

57 minutes ago, zino5 said:

We will be visiting both of these ports in June on Celebrity Beyond 

 

I am a bit confused as to how close each location- Marseille and Villefranche are from where the ship actually docks

 

I am trying to book some excursions on my own and just trying to gauge how/ how long to get the meeting points I am looking at

 

I am looking at a walking food tour in Marseille  that leaves from the Opera, from the map it looks close to the Old Port of Marseille

 

In Nice there is a snorkeling trip that l haven't got the exact location but would obviously be leaving from a dock !

 

 

Thanks !

 

 

 

[zino5]

https://www.viator.com/tours/Nice/Snorkeling-trip-with-POSEIDON-Nice-dive-center-Enjoy-and-relax/d478-53806P1

 

here is the link to the snorkeling trip

 

 

Thank You

[scrapcreator]

@zino5 Which walking tour are you looking at in Marseille? We are looking for one for our Azamara cruise in May. Thanks for your help.

[marazul]

6 hours ago, zino5 said:

https://www.viator.com/tours/Nice/Snorkeling-trip-with-POSEIDON-Nice-dive-center-Enjoy-and-relax/d478-53806P1

 

here is the link to the snorkeling trip

 

 

Thank You

The dock is at the old port of Nice very near the war memorial. The port is a short ride from Villefranche.

The boat takes you back to Villefranche for snorkeling.  Frankly, snorkeling is not great in this area. I think you will be underwhelmed by it.  I would really recommend land based sightseeing out of this port. There are wonderful places to visit and none of them is under water.

Edited April 17, 2022 by marazul

[zino5]

10 hours ago, scrapcreator said:

@zino5 Which walking tour are you looking at in Marseille? We are looking for one for our Azamara cruise in May. Thanks for your help.

It is called  " Full Meal Five Stop Marseille"  booked on Viator app

[slidergirl]

You could save about $10 on that food tour if you booked directly with the tour operator, Do Eat Better Experience than if you booked it through a 3rd party tour consolidator (Viator).   It just takes a little bit of research to find the actual vendors Viator promotes. 

Edited April 17, 2022 by slidergirl

[waterbug123]

similar question...we will dock in Marseille, looking at some tours that have meeting points in town.  Can anyone tell me if there are typically cabs lined up at the pier?

[frantic36]

12 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

similar question...we will dock in Marseille, looking at some tours that have meeting points in town.  Can anyone tell me if there are typically cabs lined up at the pier?

 

When we visited in July 2019 they were there. We needed one to take us to the train station.

[CyberTag]

On 4/17/2022 at 3:39 AM, zino5 said:

It is called  " Full Meal Five Stop Marseille"  booked on Viator app

We are looking at booking this as well for our party of 8 in June.  Trying to determine how far the port is to the meeting place and how to get there.  My mom has limited mobility so is unable to do too much walking.  
 

Anyone know of any discounts for this tour?

[dleahy4444]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:13 AM, CyberTag said:

We are looking at booking this as well for our party of 8 in June.  Trying to determine how far the port is to the meeting place and how to get there.  My mom has limited mobility so is unable to do too much walking.  
 

Anyone know of any discounts for this tour?

We are thinking of doing that tour as well. I reserved it with the pay later option. We are on the wonder to the seas 6/23 sailing out of Rome, I’m Marseille on 6/28. If you are there at the same time we can possibly share a cab to the pick up spot? We are 2 people. BTW I think that there may be quite a bit of walking involved, don’t know if that would work for your mom

[CyberTag]

13 hours ago, dleahy4444 said:

We are thinking of doing that tour as well. I reserved it with the pay later option. We are on the wonder to the seas 6/23 sailing out of Rome, I’m Marseille on 6/28. If you are there at the same time we can possibly share a cab to the pick up spot? We are 2 people. BTW I think that there may be quite a bit of walking involved, don’t know if that would work for your mom

Thank you.  I emailed the company and they were very quick to respond with questions.  We will Uber or take a cab or the shuttle. 

[MicklemouseDD]

On 4/27/2022 at 2:45 PM, waterbug123 said:

similar question...we will dock in Marseille, looking at some tours that have meeting points in town.  Can anyone tell me if there are typically cabs lined up at the pier?

Hi, we're there 3rd July so have done a bit of research. I gather that the cruise pier is some several kilometres to the west of Marseilles old harbour and that the norm is for the cruise company's to put on a coach alongside the pier to the old port. There is cost of around 15 Euros plus each which is a lot for a bus ride. If you look on google maps you'll see that the port authority put on a free shuttle (shows as 'Port Shuttle') - On maps google Marseilles Port Shuttle. This is FREE and I think it goes every 20 mins to the 'Old Cathedral' and back. The free port shuttle is a few hundred metres further on and you follow the path denoted by painted coloured line. 

 

If you're interested there's also hop on / off open top buses operating from the old port for About 15 - 20 euros that tour the main points in Marseilles.

[Ace_Caliente]

I've also been looking into Marseille as we are there on July 6th. I am currently trying to find if there is a website where I can book a taxi or van ride directly to Aix-En-Provence from the terminal. I've found lots of airport transfers, but it seems harder to find cruise terminal transfers. I don't want a tour, I just want to pay for a direct trip and drop off in Aix. I think from there we would use public transit to get back. Since there are four of us in the group the cruise service shuttle seems like a bad deal compared to a taxi.

 

I guess I'm not sure how much of a "scramble" there is for taxis right at the terminal so would love to lock one in ahead of time.

[MicklemouseDD]

17 hours ago, Ace_Caliente said:

I've also been looking into Marseille as we are there on July 6th. I am currently trying to find if there is a website where I can book a taxi or van ride directly to Aix-En-Provence from the terminal. I've found lots of airport transfers, but it seems harder to find cruise terminal transfers. I don't want a tour, I just want to pay for a direct trip and drop off in Aix. I think from there we would use public transit to get back. Since there are four of us in the group the cruise service shuttle seems like a bad deal compared to a taxi.

 

I guess I'm not sure how much of a "scramble" there is for taxis right at the terminal so would love to lock one in ahead of time.

Is this one to consider? Transfers from Marseille «Cruise» port to Aix-en-Provence (kiwitaxi.com) . 

[Hlitner]

19 hours ago, Ace_Caliente said:

I've also been looking into Marseille as we are there on July 6th. I am currently trying to find if there is a website where I can book a taxi or van ride directly to Aix-En-Provence from the terminal. I've found lots of airport transfers, but it seems harder to find cruise terminal transfers. I don't want a tour, I just want to pay for a direct trip and drop off in Aix. I think from there we would use public transit to get back. Since there are four of us in the group the cruise service shuttle seems like a bad deal compared to a taxi.

 

I guess I'm not sure how much of a "scramble" there is for taxis right at the terminal so would love to lock one in ahead of time.

I would agree with your idea of trying to book a taxi (or car/driver) online.  The taxi situation at the Port (like most ports in France) is just not predictable.  We have been to Marseille when there were plenty of available taxis and we have also been to Marseille when a taxi was not to be found unless you happened to be one of the first off the ship.  French taxi drivers "march to their own drum" and this can drive tourists nutz.  I still recall one incident (I posted this on CC a few years ago) when we tendered into Cannes and had planned on grabbing a taxi to the train station (we were in a hurry).  Alas, we got shore on the first tender (about 8am) and there was not a single taxi.  We went to Plan B (which was to walk to the train station) and as we neared the Convention Center I noticed about a dozen taxis parked/double parked at a cafe.  We went into this same cafe for some cafe and all the taxi drivers were crowded around a few tables (inside and out) with their coffee and cigarettes.   No way were they going to allow some needy tourists interfere with their morning coffee time :).

 

Hank

[mnpurple]

@Hlitner That is a good tip regarding the cabs. I was planning to find a cab to Aix, so will schedule ahead.

 

We're in route now for our cruise! We were on Jet Blue to JFK last night. Jet Blue was not as bad as expected, I think JFK was worse than expected. At least I spent a little more $$ on a hotel than our last time we did an overnight in NY before a flight and we're in a more comfortable room.