Carrara. Have you visited this port?

[LoriLoriLori]

Our ship ports in Carrara, Italy to access Florence.  Have you visited this port?   Do you know if there are taxis or third-party tour operators at this port?  I see that there is a train.  It appears to be just as long of journey as the cruise excursion bus ride.  I've booked an excursion through the cruise line to visit the Accademia Gallery.  I'm wondering if perhaps there is a faster, or less inexpensive way, to get to Florence.  I want to get the most of our time there.  After our museum visit, we get 45 minutes to "explore" Florence. 

Thanks for any info.

[euro cruiser]

The marina at Carrara is pretty small, is this a tender port?

 

It's certainly less expensive to go on your own but Carrara is almost as bad a marketing ploy as calling La Spezia a port for Florence.

 

From the port area to the train station is a pretty straightforward walk of 2.4km/one and a half miles.  For most people that's at least a half hour.   It's not a big passenger port, without regularly scheduled ferries I don't know that I would count on a lot of taxis available at the port, but I could be wrong.

 

The train trip takes 2 - 2.5 hours.

[LoriLoriLori]

51 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

The marina at Carrara is pretty small, is this a tender port?

 

It's certainly less expensive to go on your own but Carrara is almost as bad a marketing ploy as calling La Spezia a port for Florence.

 

From the port area to the train station is a pretty straightforward walk of 2.4km/one and a half miles.  For most people that's at least a half hour.   It's not a big passenger port, without regularly scheduled ferries I don't know that I would count on a lot of taxis available at the port, but I could be wrong.

 

The train trip takes 2 - 2.5 hours.

 

This is a good question, Re:  Is Carrara a tender port?  I don't know.  I know that Villefranche (Nice)  is a tendered port, but I can't remember where I saw it,  or found it on my cruise planner.  

[LoriLoriLori]

On my excursion, it doesn't say if we are on a bus or train. I am only assuming my excursion is by motorcoach.  On other excursions (Rome for instance) it does. 

 

I looked at the port and it seems that it's a docked port.

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by LoriLoriLori

[euro cruiser]

I don't know if I've ever heard of a ship's excursion using public transit so I'd be surprised if it's anything other than a hired coach.

 

There are only a couple of direct trains per day between Carrara and Florence, all of the others require a change at either Pisa or Viareggio.

 

It might be worth your time to post on the roll call for your sailing to see if you can find a few others to share the cost of a private car/minivan.  That would give you the most time, more than a bus that has to build in pad time for a few of the 50+ passengers to be late, get lost, need a bathroom, etc.

[edinburgher]

I remembered contributing to a thread on the same topic not too long ago.  You could use the SEARCH facility on these Italian boards to read any previous threads, but this is a starter:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2786266-florence-carrara/#comment-62990210

 

You may decide thay, with so little time in Florence, your time could be better  used elsewhere.

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by edinburgher

[marazul]

18 hours ago, LoriLoriLori said:

On my excursion, it doesn't say if we are on a bus or train. I am only assuming my excursion is by motorcoach.  On other excursions (Rome for instance) it does. 

 

I looked at the port and it seems that it's a docked port.

 

 

 

With the time you have consider going to Portovenere and Cinqueterre instead.  You are nearby and will spend an enjoyable day sightseeing instead of riding the bus. 

[Jayneykul]

If you are due here with Marella they put a transfer shuttle on into the town. It is not a tender port. There is nothing at all in the marina area apart from a nice beach