New Free Shuttle - Marseille Port

[lamchops]

I was in Marseille on a cruise earlier this month. The shuttle service is just outside of the port gates if I remember correctly. The issue is how far your ship is docked from the gates as sometimes there’s more than 3 or 4 cruise ships in port. As our stop was an itinerary change, we paid $15us for the ships shuttle.

[nho9504]

I wonder if the shuttle would operate if there is only one ship that day?

 

Will be on Crown Princess calling on Apr 18, and is the only ship in board that day.

[Dancer Bob]

I sailed from Marseille last year. Boarding, got to Joliette station just as the driver went on break, dropped at port gate for security check which is at least 1 km from terminal, overall took at least two hours to get to ship. Used the cruise line shuttle to the train. As we passed the shuttle stop there were well over 100 people waiting. For a port stop, not really useful, you need a contingency plan, as I recall line 35 serves port entrance.

[springtx249]

FYI Holland America Koningsdam will also be in port on April 18th.

[Travelling2Some]

To think about taking the free shuttle service is a pure waste of time ! You will lose your day and will be in trouble to come back to the ship.

Moreover, depending on wehre your ship is docked you may walk 1 mile to the shuttle station !!!

 

Share a taxi to the old port is always the best option in Marseille (25 euros one way).

 

Cheers

 

My understanding from reading these boards is that this is no longer possible since the pier(s) the cruise lines use are owned by them and they will not allow the taxi companies to come in. This makes the long walk to the port gate in Marseilles impossible to avoid unless you take a ship sponsored excursion. I would love to hear that this is not true from anyone who has been there recently??? Maybe it depends on which ship you are on?

[JMHamburg]

Excerpt from my 'MSC Meraviglia' cruise report of March 2018:

I left 'MSC Meraviglia' at 11:05am from deck 6 midships, taxis were available in front of the terminal, but I followed the green painted pavement for pedestrians to the stop of the free shuttle bus 'Navettes Croisières', at which I arrived after 16 minutes of walking. The schedule display listed departures of the 'Free Shuttle Bus' every 20 minutes, but that was just the schedule

... [snip] ...

Originally, I had planned to use the public bus RTM 'Ligne 35' from stop 'Littoral Gourret', about 800m away from the free shuttle bus stop to Place De La Joliette in the city center of Marseille; single ticket costs €2.00. There is also the RTM 'Ligne T35' stop 'Terminal Croisières', some 500m east of the free shuttle bus stop. This line operates especially for cruise passengers. But since there was a free shuttle bus coming just in time, I took it, departed at 11:38am and arrived 16 minutes later at the 'Navettes Croisières' stop in the city center of Marseille, which is actually located within the harbor area at some sort of a backyard. The passageway is at a small gate with check point near the public bus stop 'Terrasses Du Port' opposite of the German consulate, diagonally across from Place De La Joliette.

... [snip] ...

After waiting nearly a half an hour, the 'Free Shuttle Bus' departed at 01:28pm and arrived 9 minutes later next to the check point, where every guest had to present the 'Cruise Card'. I went faster back to the 'Marseille Cruise Terminal A', where I arrived at 01:50pm.

'MSC Meraviglia' was berthed at the pier with the farest distance to the free shuttle bus stop, about 1000m away, not '1 mile' (1600m) as David Rayburn wrote some posts above. Including walking and waiting times, I needed 49 minutes from cruise terminal to city center of Marseille and about 50 minutes for the same way back to the ship, at the cost of 0 (zero) €.

[ClaireandHollie]

Hello this has probably been asked loads so I do apologise. We're on symphony of the seas in July and want to go to the main city centre. Well take the free shuttle or bus 35 depending on ques. Once we get dropped off, how far is the walk and which direction? Also where do we catch it for going back to the ship?

 

The shopping centre is also a maybe...can anyone confirm that the free shuttle and bus 35 also stop here

 

Many thanks

[Beth and Bailey]

Hello this has probably been asked loads so I do apologise. We're on symphony of the seas in July and want to go to the main city centre. Well take the free shuttle or bus 35 depending on ques. Once we get dropped off, how far is the walk and which direction? Also where do we catch it for going back to the ship?

 

The shopping centre is also a maybe...can anyone confirm that the free shuttle and bus 35 also stop here

 

Many thanks

 

 

 

We are on the SOS for the 9/30 sailing. Would love to hear back about your plans and if they worked out or what suggestions you might have. Thanks, Beth

[willde]

Hello,

 

Can anyone provide an update or confirmation of the availability of taxis, and the free shuttle at the Marseille Provence Cruise Center (Gate 4)?  There was a picture of the 2017 schedule posted in this thread:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2403650-marseille-free-shuttle-timetable/

but there has been no real activity there for about a year, this is a more recent thread on the topic. 

If anyone has, or can get a current picture or schedule it would be appreciated.

[willde]

I sent the following email inquiry to Marseille Port Authority:

I understand there is a free Cruise Shuttle that operates at the port between La Joliette and the Môle Léon Gourret, and would like to know the status and current schedule ...  

 

and received the following reply on 5/22/19:

 

"Bonjour, ... Free shuttle is available during all day. Schedule is every 30 minutes maximum."

 

[willde]

Green dates are those on which the shuttle is in operation.

 

 

Edited June 14, 2019 by willde

[victory2020]

On ‎6‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 9:29 AM, willde said:

Green dates are those on which the shuttle is in operation.

 

 

I'm assuming  this is for this year - has anyone had recent experience with shuttle?

[willde]

It is for 2019, printed in top right corner of poster.

We used the shuttle both ways on June 11.

Edited July 23, 2019 by willde

[rmats]

On 7/9/2019 at 5:21 PM, victory2020 said:

I'm assuming  this is for this year - has anyone had recent experience with shuttle?

Yes.  The service is poor.  There is no schedule.  You may wait 30 minutes or more.  Worst of all the stop is about a half mile from the ship.

 

HAL was offering shuttle service for $16 round trip.

Edited July 29, 2019 by rmats