A question about Dubrovnik.

[sea-explorer]

Hi,

Just a quick question (or two) for any of you have sailed into Dubrovnik on MSC, in particular, on the Poesia, please. I know there are a few ships in port at the same time.

 

Where does the ship dock? Are you tendered? If so, how long does it generally take to get off the ship? Finally, how long does it take to get to the old town & is it all congested when you return? Just wondering how much time we will have to spend in the town itself.

 

Thanks for your help.:)

[valderee]

Hi, We have just returned from MSC Musica we docked in Dubrovnik it cost 7eu from the ship (purchase ticket on ship) took about 30 mins by bus, it is busy in Dubrovnik but so very lovley. You can go into the castle (free)

inside there are lots of small shops there is a street inside, behind the castle are boats and nice eating places. There was quite a line up for the bus back but it moves quickly.

This is the only way to get there as you dont have a lot of time but well worth it.

[liverpoollad]

Hi, my wife & I will be going to Dubrovnik in October. You say that it took 30mins by bus to get to the town,this I don't understand, if it takes that long to get to the town,where does it dock? Is it not actually in Dubrovnik?

Thankyou & Cheers.

[sea-explorer]

Hi valderee..thank you, that gives me something to work on as time is short. :)

I was also wondering if taxis are freely available as this should be cheaper for us..a party of 4, if shuttle tickets are 7E.

 

liverpoollad..I wasn't sure myself as I haven't been yet, but it looks as though the ship will dock in Gruz in the new part & you need to take the shuttle to the old town. I suspect the time involved is traffic rather than distance.

 

There has been a recent thread on the med board which you might like to look at, although it doesn't of course give you the specifics for MSC which is why I asked.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=783766

[happy1]

We visited Dubrovnik on another ship but the same information should apply. There are no ships that dock in the "old town". The harbor for cruise ships is about a 30 minute walk away. We took a cab to downtown (paid in Euros) and chose to walk back to the ship. The town itself is delightful. You can either pay to walk the wall around the old city or just enjoy the many streets and harbor area with smaller boats coming and going. It is a memorable place - enjoy!

[liverpoollad]

I think the charge of 7 euros to get to the old town is a bit over the top, I have looked into different ways of getting to the old town and have found that several local buses pass the dock exit that will get you there. My wife & I will use one of them.....Cheers

[happy1]

I recall a bus station on the route headed to the old town, less than a 5 minute walk from the ship.

[happy1]

Dubrovnik: We took a taxi to the walled city for 10 Euro (pre-negotiated at the pier.) The driver kept trying to “sell” us on a local tour about the area, but we were firm in wanting to just visit the city. Make sure you have change in Euro, as the driver claimed he was unable to change a larger bill (luckily we had enough coin to cover the fare). Walking the walled city was delightful though the climb up the stairs reminded me I’d eaten too many meals with not enough exercise. We used an ATM machine to obtain Kuna (most places took both Euro and Kuna, but the price was better if one used the local currency). Overall prices seemed to be the least expensive here, so plan to purchase souvenirs if there is something you are seeking. We chose to walk back to the ship which was mostly downhill, about 20-30 minutes. Before entering the dock we walked through a local co-op grocery store and stocked up on sodas and other misc. items that were cheaper than on the ship. A bus station is located beside the area where the ship docks, so future travelers may want to investigate this service to the walled city.

[AmoMondo]

Whene called at Dubrovnik on the Opera (which is smaller than the Poesia) we were tendered in right to the old town itself. It was only about a 100 yard walk to the old square. We were the first off as we'd booked the walking tour. Had a bit of a wait to get back on though as there was a long queue waiting for the tenders back. Dubrovnik is a beautiful city and very easy to stroll around. It's hard to get lost as most streets lead back to the main square. If I was doing it again, i wouldn't bother with a tour but just wander.

 

The town hall and old convent 9or was it a monastery) are worth a visit.

 

Really loved that some of the bars had upholstered armchairs outside instead of the usual hard metal or wooden cafe chairs. Mustn't rain much there!

[Booked]

We're just back from the Musica and were in Drubovnik on the 21st - simply gorgeous!

We found the ship shuttle really convenient and fast - the 7E is one ticket there and back (less for kids, can't remember how much), so competes with the 10E one way taxi ride - and the shuttles run one after the other and are basically step-off-the-ship-onto-the-shuttle, no time wasted negotiating or finding a taxi, or waiting for a local bus.

Also, it was incredibly hot in the sun, so even a 30 minute walk, especially after enjoying the old town would have been pretty rough.

There's also the possibility you may be tendering - the Costa ship was tendering directly into the old town the day we were there.

Enjoy every minute. It's lovely.

And you can even squeeze in a last beer or local wine, on the terrace overlooking the castle and sea before catching the last shuttle!

[sea-explorer]

Thanks all for the replys. I'm really looking forward to Dubrovnik but there is little time.

 

I think Booked, the shuttle does make sense if it saves a little time, overall the cost won't be much greater than a taxi & it does sound easier. Thanks.