Genoa with MSC - embarkation, does anyone know which Ponte?

[sjpkgp]

Please bear with me, quite new to this.  I'm getting on a cruise with MSC at Genoa April 2024.  There seems to be a horseshoe port with three Pontes to embark from Parodi, de Mille and Doria.  Googlemaps seems to suggest de Mille, but after reading about the port I am not sure.  I'm also a bit confused as I have actually been there before and although I wasn't going on a cruise that time, I stayed at the Novotel which was near the Rebora cruise terminals (not the horseshoe bit, but the straighter bit to the North- terminals called Eritrea, Somalia etc.). Although they are not that far apart, they are not that close either (about a 45 min walk I seem to remember), plus the Novotel (a 5 mins walk from the Rebora port) was beyond dreadful, and although I would stay there again and hunker down for the night if it was a short walk down the the cruise terminal for MSC, I suspect this might be the wrong port anyway.  We will arrive late in Genoa the night before, can anyone a) tell me where I am likely to sail from and b) if anyone has stayed the night before or the night after, I am thankful for any recommendations on where to stay on a reasonable budget (clean twin room being the objective).  Thank you in advance for any help offered.

 

[Mark_T]

 

You can see the MSC terminal in the middle there, when we boarded Divina in Genoa she was just a little anti-clockwise from the terminal, but you will be able to see clearly where she is on the day, and the guards on the entrance will tell taxi's where to go.

 

We stayed overnight at the Gran Hotel Savoia which is easy walking distance from the station and the port.

 

We actually booked the Hotel Continental Genova which is next door and operated by the same company, it is lower cost but they regularly upgrade people to the Savoia so they don't have to keep both staffed if the occupancy doesn't need it.

 

 

Views from the hotel roof ...

Edited October 26, 2023 by Mark_T

[perakcruiser]

9 hours ago, sjpkgp said:

There seems to be a horseshoe port with three Pontes to embark from Parodi, de Mille and Doria.  Googlemaps seems to suggest de Mille, but after reading about the port I am not sure. 

This is MSC land, MSC ships certainly always have the best Pontes closest to the train station 🙂

 

9 hours ago, sjpkgp said:

b) if anyone has stayed the night before or the night after, I am thankful for any recommendations on where to stay on a reasonable budget (clean twin room being the objective).  Thank you in advance for any help offered.

Hotel Europa was the right choice for many years for us. Unfortunately it seems to be closed now, hopefully only temporary. Not to close port (but in town center) is Hotel Suisse, one of the very few budget friendly places there. Another one is Delfino Blue B&B very close to the ship, I have not been there yet.

[raino144]

World Europa got the main terminal, Grandiosa one to the right and Splendida was further round to the left this last Saturday.

 

We stayed in the Holiday Inn in the port, hotel was very nice but the local area not so. 

[Heartgrove]

Last October we cruised on the MSC Spendida from Genoa. We also stayed at the Grand Hotel Savoia. It is very convenient to the train station. Yes, the guard at the gate will tell the cab driver where to go. The guard will also ask to see your cruise confirmation paperwork so have it ready. We didn't.

 

The day we left, the MSC Seaside was in Ponte dei Mille while we were in Ponte Andrea Doria. When we returned MSC Poesia was in Ponte Andrea Doria and we used Ponte dei Mille to disembark. It seems that there is almost a pecking order as to which ship uses the piers.

 

We will once again be in Genoa in November 2024 for the MSC Divina Grand Voyage to Miami. 

 

Looking over the rooftops at the MSC Seaside.

 

MSC Seaside at Ponte dei Mille.

 

Looking at the basin of Stazioni Marittime Genova from MSC Splendida

 

MSC Poesia at Ponte Andrea Doria on our return.

 

MSC Poesia at Ponte Andrea Doria

 

MSC SPlendida at Ponte dei Mille

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sjpkgp]

@raino144 @Mark_T @perakcruiser @Heartgrove  Thank you so much for all of the fabulous information and pictures and tip on having cruise papers.  I am happy that we are going out of one of the docks in the horseshoe bay, it won't matter too much which one I guess, just needed to know it wasn't the other port area.  Thanks also for the hotel help, I am going to have a look at the suggestions, and will book nearby.  The hotel photos also look great.  

[Mark_T]

... another way to be sure you know exactly where your ship is located is to use one of the tracking websites: https://www.vesselfinder.com/

 

I quick check in the morning and you'll see precisely where your ship is docked, or where it is if it hasn't yet docked....