Anyone done the Bruges on your own tour?

[pj-atsea]

We are trying to decide between a "Bruges on your own tour" and a Bruges & Ghent tour. We we wondering if anyone has done either one and can give us some input. I am leaning toward the Bruges on your own, but in my tour description it says that you get dropped off a mile and a half from the centre of town. This seem a little far out to me but maybe someone can enlighten me on it. I didn't want to spend a half hour there and half hour back out of our time to be in Bruges. It is with Princess Cruiseline, but perhaps they all drop off in a certain location. Thanks pj

[croosinjulie2]

Brugge is very easy to get to without a ship's tour.

 

The ship's shuttle drops you at the Blakenberg train station. Buy a roundtrip ticket to Brugge. Off the train and out of the station just start walking. There is a big map posted across the street. Also, the train station has brochures. It's easy to walk, and you can do this at your own pace. Brugge is a small, quaint, old town.

 

Cost is about $15 per person, including the ship's shuttle ticket.

 

If the tour is dropping you at a "central location", then it's probably the train station in Brugge, or the shopping area in the center of town.

 

Here's some pics of Brugge; we were there a month ago in April. Gorgeous place:

 

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=m1236qp.770ei8ix&Uy=-7xr07v&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0

[pj-atsea]

croosinjulie2. Thanks for the info. Your pictures are really nice, it looks like a really quaint town/city. How often do the trains from Zeebruge to Bruges run? It seems like a straightforward thing to do, maybe we'll try it. pj

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Tour Buses are not allowed into centre of Burges, so there is a short walk, however it is well worth it to see the sites, going back again in August doing my own thing,

 

 

yours Shogun

[ab0si]

croosinjulie2. Thanks for the info. Your pictures are really nice, it looks like a really quaint town/city. How often do the trains from Zeebruge to Bruges run? It seems like a straightforward thing to do, maybe we'll try it. pj

 

There is at least one train per hour .. leaving Zeebrugge at 16 after and on the return leaving Brugge at 09 after. There are other trains at peak times.

 

As mentioned, the bus would drop you off at the Brugge train station. There are some interesting sights on the walk from there to the center of town or you can take a city bus or a taxi. Grat town, you will enjoy it.

 

Paul

[pj-atsea]

Thanks everyone for the info. I am looking forward to this trip.

Shogun, I have read many of your posts, and we may be on the same cruise, as we go in August too. pj

[Shogun]

Hi PJ,

 

I am one the Grand first week in August, is this the same cruise as yourself.

 

Looking at doing Canada/Alaska next year have you done this.

 

 

yours Shogun

[pj-atsea]

Hi Shogun, yes that is the one we are on. No I haven't done the Alaska one. I wish I had... People I know have done it and loved it. I have done several Med cruises, a Baltic and a few caribbean.. Lots of different cruise lines. This will be my 3rd Princess..I have been on the Star Princess and the old Royal Princess. I have been on several other cruise lines too. How about yourself, do you just cruise with Princess? pj

[Shogun]

Hi PJ,

 

Started with Cunard, then a gap of ten years, went on an older ship ex RCI it was called the Sunbird, very nasty cruise, however one day sailed into a port and the Golden Princess docked next to us, had never seen anything like her, we came home and booked a cruise on her, could not afford it hud to borrow money etc but was just one of these things that I wanted to cruise on that ship, things changed and a year latter got a chance of a last minute cruise with Princess at Christmas so took it since then we go on a cruise every six months, I pick the cheapest cabins and for my second cruise each year I wait until what is the best offer I can find and take it. So over the past frew years have done a few Princess will do a RCI at Christmas maybe in 2008 or 2009 doing a very short P&O in 2008 will do one or two other two or three day ones that year on different ships.

 

yours Shogun

[pj-atsea]

Shogun, I know the feeling. On our first cruise on the Celebrity Century, we were docked in Barcelona, along side of the Grand Princess. I said at the time that I'd love to go on that ship, I think she was just new then, and now I am finally sailing on her. Looking forward to it. pj