Bruge for the less mobile

[mean jean]

We are sailing on the 8th Dec QM2 4 night Northern Europe break. We would like to visit Bruges from the port of Zeebrugge. I know that Cunard offer trips either escorted or 'Bruges at your own pace' They provide a coach to Bruges and then you please yourselves before returning at a set time to the coach.

My problem is Cunard state that there is a 20 to 30 minute walk to and from the coach over cobbled streets. This would cause me great difficulty as I have mobility problems and a long walk over cobbles would be impossible.

I would like to take a taxi from Zeebrugge to Bruges, I have no idea of the distance or coast, if anyone can help (with the amount approx not the actual cash!!). Would the taxi be able to drop us in the centre of the city? After our visit is it then easy to get a taxi willing to return us to the port. We do not wish to be tied to times as health issues are involved and we need to be independent as much as possible.

All your thoughts would be appreciated.

[Ray66]

Capnpugwash took a taxi back to the ship from Bruges just the other day. Maybe he can expand a little more for you.

 

 

Update no 5

 

There is quite a breeze blowing as we sit in the container area of Zeebrugge. We went on the shuttle bus to Blankenberg to catch the10.10 train to Bruges, it is only a 10 minute journey and there was no conductor around so it ended up being free. We did a taxi tour of this beautiful city which is like a nice Amsterdam, ending up in the market square where we had a much needed coffee. After that we walked around for a while looking at the lovely architecture of the old buildings. We then sat outside a restaurant which had the gas heaters warming the chilly air and had a sweet crepe, this is exactly what we should have had yesterday but didn’t realise it then. We ordered a small and a medium beer and the small one was big and the medium, massive. We managed to struggle through them and then after a further wander around and being faced with a 50 wait for the hourly return train, got a taxi to the ship. It was a little expensive at 50 Euros but it was far preferable to sitting on a windy platform for that long.

 

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1505661&page=2

[capnpugwash]

We are sailing on the 8th Dec QM2 4 night Northern Europe break. We would like to visit Bruges from the port of Zeebrugge. I know that Cunard offer trips either escorted or 'Bruges at your own pace' They provide a coach to Bruges and then you please yourselves before returning at a set time to the coach.

My problem is Cunard state that there is a 20 to 30 minute walk to and from the coach over cobbled streets. This would cause me great difficulty as I have mobility problems and a long walk over cobbles would be impossible.

I would like to take a taxi from Zeebrugge to Bruges, I have no idea of the distance or coast, if anyone can help (with the amount approx not the actual cash!!). Would the taxi be able to drop us in the centre of the city? After our visit is it then easy to get a taxi willing to return us to the port. We do not wish to be tied to times as health issues are involved and we need to be independent as much as possible.

All your thoughts would be appreciated.

 

The simple way to go is to ignore the Cunard tours and take the free shuttle bus from the ship to Blankenberg, there will be a 100 yard walk over level ground to the train. There are steps up or down into the carriage and then a 10 minute ride. Tickets are available on board the train although no-one came by so it was free. At Bruges there is a lift down to the exit and to get out there is a 150 yard walk over level ground. There are plenty of cabs available and we did a 1 hour drive around the town seeing most sites for 30 Euros. We got dropped in the main square which is cobbled and wandered around a bit. There are plenty of restaurants and then as Ray said we took a cab back straight to the ship, I paid 50 Euros and I am certain that I could have bartered that price down but for some inexplicable reason I didn't. You could get a cab to the station and reverse your morning route but there is one train per hour each way. In to Bruges it leaves at 10 minutes past the hour and leaves Bruges at 30 minutes past.

[mean jean]

Thank you all for your help and advice, particular Captain Pugwash who has recent first hand experience. This will help us enjoy our visit to Bruges so much more. I also apologise for the double post of my original one.

[sikipoo]

Hi there

We are in the same boat, excuse pun! we would be interested in perhaps a taxi share from ship to Bruges as i cant walk too far and dont want the hassle of trains.

would this be of interest to you?

thanks

sikipoo

[mean jean]

Good morning Sikipoo,

I cannot walk for miles and certainly not over cobbles as I have arthritis in my feet, ankles and spine. Although only 49 I have had it 20 years. I am not complaining as I work hard and lead a full life. I just have to 'pace' myself.

I dislike public transport as I don't do hanging around. Standing for any length of time can be excruciating on a bad day and I never know which will be good or bad days.

We need to discuss if what we intend to do is similar to your plans. Also do you use a wheelchair as we would need a taxi that can accommodate one if you do. I do not need a wheelchair.

I am a morning person so we planned to have breakfast and then go into Bruges for a few hours. I don't think it would be for a full day as that would probably be beyond me. Is that of any use to you??? We would have to arrange a place and time to meet again to get a taxi back.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Best wishes

Meanjean (a very excited meanjean as our voyage will soon be here!!)

[sikipoo]

Hi Mean jean

thank you so much for replying. I have v similar problems that you do. No wheelchair, just need to pace myself as you do. I also prefer to do stuff in the morning as i run out of energy as the day goes on.

any suggestions what we do about arranging this and do we have to prebook a cab? let me know what you think best to do and we will fit in wiht you, its just me and my husband travelling and we are in our 50's.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Sikipoo

[capnpugwash]

Hi Mean jean

thank you so much for replying. I have v similar problems that you do. No wheelchair, just need to pace myself as you do. I also prefer to do stuff in the morning as i run out of energy as the day goes on.

any suggestions what we do about arranging this and do we have to prebook a cab? let me know what you think best to do and we will fit in wiht you, its just me and my husband travelling and we are in our 50's.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Sikipoo

 

There are normally cabs at the ship.

[mean jean]

Good afternoon sikipoo,

Capnpugwash says there are cabs at the dock which I don't doubt as there usually are plenty wanting to take your money!!

Do you want to meet prior to the day or just on the day immediately prior to grabbing the cab? Have you been on the QM2 before so know the layout? We have, so could suggest somewhere specific to meet.

It seems strange trying to organise this when you know that many other people are reading what we write! We could arrange a place to meet with say a specific item of clothing to identify ourselves to each other. There may well be 20 pairs of eyes on us just to see if we do meet and they may all be wearing canary yellow ties and tops inside out!!

I will look forward to hearing from you.

Meanjean

[Ray66]

If you want to speak a bit more privately about arrangements, you could try using your roll call for this trip.

 

It's entitled 10th December but I believe this is the trip that was extended by two days and now starts 8th December.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1419184

[sikipoo]

Hi Mean jean

wish there was a private message facility on here.

we would love to meet you prior to the Bruges day and perhaps have a drink together.

and yes ,please give us some guidance about where best to meet up.

all sounds brilliant and looking forward to meeting you.

Sikipoo

[sho]

I went on Queen Elizabeth cruise in May with my 80 year old mother who has walking difficulty. I knew that there was no way she could join the cruise organised excursions and walk from the coach parking area into Brugge town centre. So I organised a private taxi for the trip.

A very nice lady taxi driver met us when we stepped off the ship, took us to Brugge (about 20 minutes drive, short journey really), dropped us right in the centre of Brugge and picked us up 3 hours later to the ship. This return taxi trip cost Eur 90 -- not cheap but this was the best deal I could obtain after having searched through various websites.

I have been to Brugge before and it's a small town, hence I had no problem showing my mother around. We even took a small boat tour along the canals for one hour.

For the other 2 hours, we walked around the main square, looked at some medieval buildings and visited a church (beautiful stain-glass windows) -- had coffee and snacks in a cafe and did some shopping.

I love Brugge as it still retains its medieval atmosphere, and with the many canals, definitively earns its title as the Venice of the North (though much smaller in scale).

[mean jean]

Are you out there sikipoo or have you lost this threads whereabouts?

Meanjean

[mean jean]

Good morning Sikipoo. I am sorry I didn't see your reply when I posted about 'are you out there' Doesn't bode well for meeting you as I obviously have very bad eyesight!!!

We could meet for a drink as you suggest, Andy and I would be delighted to meet you. What about on the first evening as it is such a short cruise? What sitting are you for dinner as that will determine the time to meet? We could meet in the Commodore Club or Sir Samuels bar.

May I ask where about in the UK you come from? Not that that matters but we are down to earth Yorkshire folk who enjoy a good giggle!

[sikipoo]

Hi Mean jean

That all sounds great. would love to meet up. we are from the south! not far from London and we are Londoners born and bred.

we are on the early dinner sitting.

you tell me where to meet and we will be there. still thinkiing about how to identify myself!

its all getting closer. not cruised with cunard before, so very much looking forward to it all.

sikipoo

[mean jean]

Good evening Sikipoo, I thought we could meet about 8.30pm at the Golden Lion Pub or the Commodore Club. The pubs a pub and the club is more of a cocktail bar. We will all have had dinner by then. The men should be easy to spot as it is formal night and they will be in a dinner suit........along with about a thousand others!!!

Andy is a strapping 6ft Yorkshire lad with a mustache and I am a willowy blonde (I wish!!!) He is all I said but I am a 5ft 2inch size zero (as in, if you look down from directly above me I am a perfect circle shape O !!!)

Any ideas about how to identify ourselves would be good!

[sikipoo]

Hi again

the only thing that occured to me was what time the show is? as we enjoy the entertainment on the cruises.

But yes meeting up sounds good to me, that would be great.

Just would like if possible to be able to see the show.

Apart from that we will fit in with you.

looking forward to meeting you both.

will have a think today about identifying ourselves!

It's a long long time since i have been on a blind date LOL!

sikipoo

[mean jean]

Hi Sikipoo,

I agree about the shows we were wondering the same and can't remember, it's a couple of years since we have been on the QM2. I will put a post on the main forum as there should be plenty of people who will know the answer as we too enjoy the shows. We can work around that then if we need to.

It always makes me smile when people put LOL as that is my nickname, my real name is Lorraine and friends call me Lol.:)

Meanjean

[mean jean]

Good evening Sikipoo,

I put a request about the times of the shows on the main forum and it seems like the 2nd show must start at 8.30pm. Perhaps we could meet after the show? what do you think and where?