Free Shuttles-?

[teacherman]

We are doing a b2b on Century in September (Amsterdam to Barcelona; 10-night Med). It seems from my research that some ports require a paid ship shuttle to town and others offer a free shuttle to town (but ship tries to sell shuttles). Can some of you offer info on this? Ports are Zeebruge, Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Ajaccio, LaCorunna. Thank you for any info you can share.

[carlmm]

I am afraid it does not only depend on the port but also on the cruiseline.

Thus you might inquire on the applicable forum, too.

Cunard for example never charged for any shuttle I have ever used with them while I just read about other lines who charge for it (eg. Livorno), sometimes even in ports where a free shuttle by courtesy of the port runs, too (eg.Civitavecchia).

[Queenk2]

Celebrity charges for the shuttles.

Karen

[almitra]

There is a free shuttle in Rome running from airport to port in Civitavecchia?

[HeinBloed]

There is a free shuttle in Rome running from airport to port in Civitavecchia?

 

Did you book your flights with the cruise line???

 

Which ship? When???

 

Sounds very interesting - but never heared before.

 

Thanks for more info.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Welshlady]

There is a free shuttle to the dock gate every 20 minutes. RCI charges $8 return for their shuttle to the same place every half hour so beware!

[carlmm]

There is a free shuttle in Rome running from airport to port in Civitavecchia?

 

I am sorry, no. I was referring to the free shuttle from the ship to the port exit / city entrance as further explained by Welshlady.

[almitra]

Oh, ok---got it. Thanks, though. Does anyone know how much the train costs from airport to pier? I've heard of some taking the train from their flight to the pier.

[Welshlady]

There is no public station at the dockside. The station is 10 minutes walk from the dock gate. However, one of the trips offered by RCI was a specially chartered train from the 'docks' into Rome and return again. Perhaps some cruise lines put on a charter train from the airport to the docks but it seems unlikely as the trains from the airport run into Rome Termini station and then you catch the train from there out to Civitavecchia station. We didn't see any trains close to the ship though when we docked there 4 weeks ago.

[Hlitner]

Oh my God! Times have changed and Celebrity has now lowered itself to the standards enjoyed by the other "mass market cruise lines." You will need to pay (actually overpay) for shuttles in every port. However, there is a free shuttle in Civatavecchia (only free because its run by the port...not Celebrity) that will take you from the pier to the port entrance (from where you can walk to the train station). In some ports the price of the cruise line shuttles (usually $5 per person one-way) will exceed the cost of a taxi (when split 4 ways). The train from the Rome airport does not go directly to the pier. You must first go into Rome (there are two possible stations,,,but that is another story) and than you can catch a train to Civ. But once you get to "Civ" you are still quite a distance from the ship, but if you do not have much luggage you can walk to the port entrance (5 or 6 blocks) where you can catch the free port shuttle bus to the ship. There is a lot of info on cruise critic about the details of these options, so you might want to simply do a search for "Civ".

 

Hank

[lambs2]

The free shuttle in Civitivecchia worked great, but if you are docking in Venice there may or may not be a free shuttle to the docks from Piazza Roma (?). We waited and waited for more than an hour with two other couples, both French speaking, andthey were going on a different cruise ship, at the place where we had all read in online searches that there was a free shuttle bus to the port. The bus never did show up and we could not get anyone to give us any more information about it either! Between us all we spoke four different languages, but still could get no info on the "free" shuttle bus. We all ended up catching a city bus that took us to the cruise port entrance so don't know what went wrong with the shuttle bus service we have read about here on this board. When we docked back in Venice Holland America charged $13. per person for a shuttle back to Piazza Roma. We decided to walk the less than one mile dragging our suitcases and save the $26.!

 

HAL also had a free shuttle bus out of the dock area in Livorno. You are not allowed to walk out of or back into the port there, but I heard that some of the cruiselines charge $5. each way for a shuttle for that port. Also, in Dubrovnik HAL offered a shuttle to and from the old city for $10. a person. We ended up taking a cab with another couple for $10. each way, so that was half the price of the ship's shuttle for the four of us.

[pcur]

We are doing a b2b on Century in September (Amsterdam to Barcelona; 10-night Med). It seems from my research that some ports require a paid ship shuttle to town and others offer a free shuttle to town (but ship tries to sell shuttles). Can some of you offer info on this? Ports are Zeebruge, Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Ajaccio, LaCorunna. Thank you for any info you can share.

 

We were on Celebrity's Millie in May, and the shuttle in Zeebrugge is to the Blankenburge train station where you can catch the train to where you want to go. The trip to Brugge is about 20 minutes. The ship's shuttle was $8 per person for the entire day.

 

Lisbon is the same: $8 - $10 per person, and it takes you to the Baxia shopping plaza entrance where there are tour buses and the HOHO available right at the drop off point.

 

I am pretty sure the Barcelona Port Authority runs a shuttle from the dock to the entrance of Las Ramblas for about $2 euros per person each way.

[lambs2]

Sounds great! This would most likely interest cruisers who had already "done" Rome previously, but that should be a substantial number!

[lambs2]

Ajaccio - Easy port to walk to town from. No shuttle needed, but I am sure you can get a taxi if needed. We went on a tour that day, but walked back from the town and the market in a couple minutes.

[luvnorway]

Vetralla - the bus to towns, wine/olive oil producers you're suggesting would be wonderful - we'd definitely use it - and it wouldn't have to be a really low price since the cruiseline shorexes are so overpriced - just a fair price would be a great attraction!

[Hlitner]

Vetrella (Mary Jane), What a great idea! On most cruises that go into "Civ" there are a fair number of passengers who have been to Rome and are looking for other options. However, you would probably have to rely on this cruise critic board and word-of-mouth, because its unlikely the cruise ships would do anything to help publicize such a tour. Lately the cruise lines do not promote anything unless its profitable for the cruise line. In fact, in many cases the port lecturers are employed by private companies that will only promote those who pay "promotional fees." I hate to sound so cynical, but its the current reality.

 

Hank

[Albert Ross]

There is a free shuttle in Rome running from airport to port in Civitavecchia?

Civitavecchia - the free shuttle goes from the ship to the port gates - it stops right by the main road where there is a MacDonalds :cool: . From there it is an easy 10 min walk to the main train station. For us there was only a 10 min wait or less between busses

 

Venice - there is meant to be a free bus to Piazzale Roma but it has been known never to show - at the entrance to the port you can catch the #6/ bus [ the / is important!] to Piazzale Roma

 

Barcelona - there is a bus from the port to the statue of Columbus at the bottom of Las Ramblas.

 

Livorno - the port is so huge that you must take the cruise bus to the gates otherwise you would be stuck there all day!

 

This is a good thread where all info can be consolidated! Well done to TeacherMan for starting it!

[dbh62ark]

What would you think about a free/inexpensive bus to take cruisers inland to visit the local wine and olive oil producers and see some of the nearby small towns ? It could be sponsored by the local tourism boards.

I think it would be great. I'm not interested in wineries (I'm not a wine drinker but have visited a lot of wineries) but would be interested in visiting the small villages for sure. I think it would help you to identify the cruise lines with passengers who are repeat guests to this area of Italy. On our recent Med cruise on the Celebrity Millennium, the vast majority of passengers headed into Rome for the day. I think many of the passengers sailing Disney or Carnival would be going to the Med for the first time and would want to go to Rome for the day. Oceania cruise line would be a great market for this service because most passengers on those ships have traveled extensively (we sailed that line last year). We've used the train to go into Rome from Civitavecchia during port stops, but a lot of passengers take either a private tour or a ship's tour due to the commute between Civitavecchia and the other areas, so this would be a good alternative for passengers.

 

Donna

[dbh62ark]

Can some of you offer info on this? Ports are Zeebruge, Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Ajaccio, LaCorunna. Thank you for any info you can share.

Some of your ports have been covered well, so I'll add info on those that haven't been covered yet.

 

Where do you want to go in Ajaccio? We were there a couple of years ago on a Holland ship, and I recall walking off the ship into the charming old town.

 

In LaCoruna (A Coruna), Oceania did not offer a shuttle for our sailing. We took a taxi from the port to the train station and then took the train to Santiago de Compestella. It was a great day, so I can leave more info about that, if needed.

 

In Marseille, our Holland ship offered a free shuttle to the Vieux Port area where you could walk approx a mile to the train and bus station to connect. When I was in Marseille last year on Oceania, I took a private tour to Avignon (Palace of the Popes), Les Baux, and Arles, which I HIGHLY recommend. I don't know whether or not Oceania had a shuttle there because our private driver met us there at the (yucky) industrial port.

 

In Lisbon, we sailed from this port on Holland, so no free shuttle there. When we returned on Oceania Insignia last year, there was no free shuttle. There are at least 3 docking locations in Lisbon, so I would advise you to start planning for that port by determining where you will dock because that might affect the shuttle situation. I have docked near Belem and think that is the most convenient for sightseeing in a port stop (can go to the Coach Museum, monastery, and tower easily, but I would also recommend the Alfama).

 

In Barcelona, Holland charged for a shuttle the last time we called in that port (we have called there three times and also stayed on ground trips), but we stumbled upon a local bus that was running for free. That may vary for your sailing too, so as another board member suggested, I would advise you to check the boards for your cruise line.

 

It sounds like a great itinerary, so I hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

Donna

[dbh62ark]

Oh my God! Times have changed and Celebrity has now lowered itself to the standards enjoyed by the other "mass market cruise lines." Hank

Yup. This started in 2006. When we sailed from the Millennium last month, the shuttle fee from the ship to St. Mark's Square was $20 per person per day (we overnighted there at the beginning of the trip so had two days). Tacky, tacky, tacky. If I had known in advance, I would have coordinated some water taxis with fellow CC members because I'd rather pay the locals than be overcharged like that. It just made me more determined not to spend money on the ship. ;)

 

Donna

[Paul&Kathy]

We twice caught the free shuttle in Venice - it goes from the car park in front of the main port building. BUT on neither occasion did it show up to take us back !!

[Hlitner]

Donna, This past February we took a 14 day Infinity Cruise (from Buenos Aires to Rio for canival) and found much to whine about when it came to Celebrity. This was not our first Celebrity Cruise nor are we crusie newbies (been on more than 50 different ships) so we love to cruise and seldom whine. But, we thought Celebrity had become "full of themselves" and in many ways was lower class than RCI, Princess, HA and even Carnival. The line has taken their philosophy of "maximizing on-board revenue" to new heights...even to the extent of giving bad information to passengers in order to promote certain tours and stores that pay promotional fees to Celebrity. Overpriced shuttles are just the tip of the issue, but we prefer to avoid all the complaining and speak with our wallets. We typcially book 5 or 6 cruises a year (many of them more than 10 days) and we will avoid Celebrity unless there is not another option to do a certain itinerary.

 

Hank

[pcur]

In all fairness to Celebrity, Hank, we just got back from a 12-night Millenium cruise in Europe, and found them to be very accommodating where onboard revenue is concerned.

 

They refunded everyone's money when the Bilbo port authority provided a free shuttle, so all those who purchased the ship's shuttle got our money back. They also promptly refunded our money when we canceled one of our shore excursions with very little notice, although they said we had to wait until someone asked to purchase the same one. This happened in about 2 hours, though.

 

I find them no more commercial than RCCL with promoting certain stores on shore, the art auctions, the buyers book thing.

 

We just tend to ignore most of the commercial stuff, anyway.

[dbh62ark]

In all fairness to Celebrity, Hank, we just got back from a 12-night Millenium cruise in Europe, and found them to be very accommodating where onboard revenue is concerned.

We disembarked the Millennium on June 6th and have a completely different opinion (and I hate to disagree with you because I always enjoy reading your messages and Hank’s too). Most of the “activities” on the ship were nothing more than a sales presentation with little or no practical information provided. We had two fellow passengers at our dinner table from Ireland who were cruising for the first time, and they had a lot to say about this in addition to our own personal observations and those of others on our sailing. I’m sure the Celebrity cheerleaders—and I’m not including you in that group—hate it that Conde Nast magazine has written an article busting Celebrity on this practice (see the discussion at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=10558462#post10558462).

 

By saying that RCCL is as bad, I guess that’s not surprising because they’re both owned by the same company. We did not see as much of the hawking on RCCL, but we haven’t sailed that line for the past three years so can’t speak for recent RCCL sailings. In comparing Celebrity’s practices to all the other lines that we have sailed (all of the mass market lines and a few others, including two that are now out of business), I have to say that Celebrity was the most egregious in this area and that other cruise lines handled these matters with much more class. Oceania was head and shoulders above the rest and does very little of this type of practice. I understand what you’re saying about just saying no to products/services that you don’t want, but it does affect the overall cruise experience for us and for others.

 

I’m glad that Celebrity was accommodating for you with the revenue issues, but that is not our experience with Celebrity.

 

Donna

[dbh62ark]

Overpriced shuttles are just the tip of the issue, but we prefer to avoid all the complaining and speak with our wallets. Hank

I agree and used the shuttle matter as an example but saw lots more. As you said, I would sail Celebrity again on a unique itinerary that isn't offered by other lines, but I'm glad that some of the lines that we like better such as Princess, Holland, and Oceania have a lot to offer since we are actively looking to book our next cruise. Have you tried Oceania? They are great for independent travelers like us and have local tourist officials on the ship when you arrive in port to help you in planning for the day. I hope our paths will cross in the future on board (pcur too) and wish you the best in the meantime.

 

Donna