Port Shuttles

[Kiwi Kruzer]

When you book a cruise , do you expect that the cruise line should deliver you to the destination they advertise , or drop you off at a dock , miles from anywhere , and then charge to take you where they said they would take you in the itinerary ?

 

 

 

 

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

I see on my documentation for our Arcadia cruise that all ships transfers are complimentary. Which is good marketing on their part really because they could dock at a 'working' area miles away but because they offer to transfer everyone to the town/city area they might be saving in port charges by not docking in the most central area. So I'm happy with that.

Jill:)

[diy dave]

If the company states a destination name EG. sydney, well that could be anywhere in sydney harbour. A bit like saying Dunedin, but your nowhere near it.

[NSWP]

I see on my documentation for our Arcadia cruise that all ships transfers are complimentary. Which is good marketing on their part really because they could dock at a 'working' area miles away but because they offer to transfer everyone to the town/city area they might be saving in port charges by not docking in the most central area. So I'm happy with that.

Jill:)

Jill, we were on Arcadia in March/April, Sydney to Southampton, via Asia/Africa. P&O UK put on complimentary shuttles out of the Port area to local centres where applicable. Excellent service. True often they berth at container ports but you still get the FOC shuttles.

 

Enjoy ! Arcadia is a nice ship.

[rugbypopsie]

Paying for shuttles is really penny pinching...its hardly the passengers fault the ships end up in commercial berths kilometers out of town.... with no other alternative..:mad:

 

Sue

[pattle66]

This is one of my pet hates.. I think if you advertise a port stop the cruise line should drop you there, whether that is by ship or adding a shuttle. RCI are great at adding a cost for their shuttle buses. After each cruise I add this to my feedback card..

[bazzaw]

Both P&O UK and Cunard generally speaking have free shuttle buses. There are some exceptions to this general rule - depending on who actually organizes/supplies the buses in different parts of the World. Also, in some Ports, the place where they actually shuttle people to can be not particularly desirable. So, for example, in a place like Phu My (port for Saigon) or Port Kelang (port for Bangkok) don't expect a free shuttle to those cities - the free shuttle will only take you to perhaps some small nearby shopping centre. Same thing here - free shuttle bus in the Port of Burnie, Tasmania (probably supplied by the civil authorities there) takes you to exciting downtown Burnie -- woopee!!!:rolleyes:

 

 

Barry

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

We have been to ports where Princess (actually the local authorities) provided free shuttles to the nearest shopping centre. We have also been to ports where Princess (actually the local authorities) provides shuttles for a fee to the nearest shopping centre. In Mykonos they charged $7UE return (once only) for the bus into town.... I would hate to walk it! In Venice Princess automatically charge you for the vioretta (if you don't want the tickets you have to take them to the PSD for refund) Princess must get a cut for this (aren't I cynical!). In Rome (Civitavecchia) they town provides a free shuttle which takes you into the centre of town.... to get into Rome you have to be on a tour whether with Princess or private. In Busan, South Korea, the local authorities provide a free shuttle into the actual city. There was another port where the locals came onboard at the previous port and sold tickets for the shuttle at the next port (sorry, can't remember which port this was).

 

What I am trying to say is that I don't think Princess, as such, provides any free shuttles, Princess leaves it up to the local authorities to provide this service, if they wish, to get people into town to spend money.

[newfarmers]

A friend has just come off Sun P and Fijian Jewels cruise.

 

Belinda said that Princess put on a free (FREE!) shuttle to Noumea's Lemon Bay (I think that's where she said) in the early evening that ran into the night to get passengers to and from the restaurants there.

 

Suits me cos we'll be there on my 50th next year (we're in Noumea on the day) and were intending to be dining on shore.

 

Cynical me thinks that this would be to Princess' advantage. Considering the number of people eating on shore the already paid for supplies onboard will be saved for another day :D

 

pete

[callmewhatever]

Yes they should!

[The_Big_M]

I see on my documentation for our Arcadia cruise that all ships transfers are complimentary.

 

Could you tell me where that is? I want to see if it's on our Aurora cruise, which goes to the Brisbane grain terminal.

[cjm66]

When you book a cruise , do you expect that the cruise line should deliver you to the destination they advertise , or drop you off at a dock , miles from anywhere , and then charge to take you where they said they would take you in the itinerary ?

 

 

 

 

 

I prefer a free shuttle but accept that there will be charges in some ports, where the itinerary reads xxxxx for yyyyy. Eg Port Chalmers for Dunedin. Where the itinerary states Brisbane and the ship docks at the grain terminal without any reference to this in the itinerary, then yes I do expect a free shuttle. Ditto for docking at the commercial wharf in Noumea instead of the Maritime Terminal, which is set up for visitors with tour desks and stalls AND is truly walk off / walk back on for access to the destination. HAL did provide free shuttles in both ports (Noumea and Brisbane) and there was no lack of buses, BUT in Noumea none were accessible for wheelchairs and in Brisbane there were less buses with ramp access than is usual in NZ ports. Another plus for NZ.

 

 

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[rkmw]

Could you tell me where that is? I want to see if it's on our Aurora cruise, which goes to the Brisbane grain terminal.

 

if the shuttles are free they might add it on to the price of the cruise

[happyaussies]

Yes! to the advertised destination! :mad:

[Aus Traveller]

A friend has just come off Sun P and Fijian Jewels cruise.

 

Belinda said that Princess put on a free (FREE!) shuttle to Noumea's Lemon Bay (I think that's where she said) in the early evening that ran into the night to get passengers to and from the restaurants there.

 

Suits me cos we'll be there on my 50th next year (we're in Noumea on the day) and were intending to be dining on shore.

 

Cynical me thinks that this would be to Princess' advantage. Considering the number of people eating on shore the already paid for supplies onboard will be saved for another day :D

 

pete

We have had a free shuttle in Noumea on cruises where the ship was due to arrive by 3pm, but arrived a couple of hours late causing all tours to be cancelled. The locals said that the cruiseline wouldn't let them operate a free shuttle when tours were available, and it was only when the ship arrived late that they could put free buses on. This was a couple of years ago and I don't know if the same situation still applies.

[The_Big_M]

if the shuttles are free they might add it on to the price of the cruise

 

Pricing is variable. If they're free they've already been included in the price, so it's just a matter of whether you're happy with the price or not.

 

In any case I've already booked so the question is just whether they are included.

[Aus Traveller]

Pricing is variable. If they're free they've already been included in the price, so it's just a matter of whether you're happy with the price or not.

 

In any case I've already booked so the question is just whether they are included.

I don't agree that free shuttles are always included in the cruise price. They are sometimes put on by local businesses (or Chamber of Commerce) when I don't think the cruiseline pays anything. Then there are the ones where the Port Authority doesn't want passengers walking through their working port. Often these shuttles are free.

[Allis154]

I prefer a free shuttle but accept that there will be charges in some ports, where the itinerary reads xxxxx for yyyyy. Eg Port Chalmers for Dunedin. Where the itinerary states Brisbane and the ship docks at the grain terminal without any reference to this in the itinerary, then yes I do expect a free shuttle. Ditto for docking at the commercial wharf in Noumea instead of the Maritime Terminal, which is set up for visitors with tour desks and stalls AND is truly walk off / walk back on for access to the destination. HAL did provide free shuttles in both ports (Noumea and Brisbane) and there was no lack of buses, BUT in Noumea none were accessible for wheelchairs and in Brisbane there were less buses with ramp access than is usual in NZ ports. Another plus for NZ.

 

 

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Agree completely...

[The_Big_M]

I don't agree that free shuttles are always included in the cruise price.

 

I was responding to rkmw who suggested they would add it on to the cruise price.

[sheridan318]

are china cruise to Bejing docked two hours plus out of the city with Holland America and no free shuttles the price they wanted for a transfer was astrinomical lucky we had a private tour booked, we did discuss this with people on board and some people who hadnt really looked into where we docked got a nasty shock at the prices.:eek:

Jacquie

[cjm66]

I wonder what will be done at White Bay? Unlike Barrangaroo, which is walking distance to Darling Harbour and up the hill to the CBD, there is little nearby and public transport is not plentiful . Unless of course someone pulls a digit out and sorts out a ferry service. OR all ships with O/N stopovers are berthed at OPT. Doesn't help passengers on B2B's.

 

 

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