NCL shuttle bus info Western Med ports?

[Miriam75]

Hi all,

 

We will be sailing the Western Mediterranean on the Jade next year. I'm trying to figure out what NCL is offering in terms of shuttle bus services into the cities, as we have a preference to go on our own where possible. Is that information available somewhere?

 

For Napels, Monaco and Palermo I know no shuttle will be needed as we will dock very centrally.

 

For Livorno, Barcelona, Valencia and Toulon I assume there will be shuttle services. Does anyone know? What will be the price? I visited Barcelona once before with Costa. They brought us to the end of the Ramblas for 4 euros return ticket. From there it is easy to walk/take the metro.

 

What about Cagliari, will we dock within walking distance from the city centre?

 

Thanks for your help!

[glogodschild]

Hello, I am on the same cruise I believe. There are 5 of us...all ladies. I am the leader so to speak. I have done some work on our trip since we are staying in Rome for 3 nights before the cruise. We did not use NCL for anything but the cruise and will probably not do anything but Hop on Hop Off. We like the flexibility and not the long drawn out tours....sometimes so boring and tiring.

 

As for your questions on ports...I have not started that part of my research yet but I think I have noticed that for us to get Hop on off in Barcelona...we need a taxi for about 5 euros to the first stop. You may want to go to that first stop as a reference point. Other places we are using HoHo are small and have the stops walking distance from port I believe.

Like I said....still checking but I did get our transportation taken care of to and from the port. Not using NCL, I understand the charge is $75 one way. Pretty steep for a 45 minute ride...they are saying it is 1 1/2 hours...which is not true. You have to watch these trips on the cruises.

[Mrs Shell]

Toulon was a free water ferry to town on our cruise. Can't remember other ports. Some were free bus others small fee

 

 

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[Miriam75]

Toulon was a free water ferry to town on our cruise. Can't remember other ports. Some were free bus others small fee

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Okay, great! That will be easy in that case.

[Miriam75]

Hello, I am on the same cruise I believe. There are 5 of us...all ladies. I am the leader so to speak. I have done some work on our trip since we are staying in Rome for 3 nights before the cruise. We did not use NCL for anything but the cruise and will probably not do anything but Hop on Hop Off. We like the flexibility and not the long drawn out tours....sometimes so boring and tiring.

 

As for your questions on ports...I have not started that part of my research yet but I think I have noticed that for us to get Hop on off in Barcelona...we need a taxi for about 5 euros to the first stop. You may want to go to that first stop as a reference point. Other places we are using HoHo are small and have the stops walking distance from port I believe.

Like I said....still checking but I did get our transportation taken care of to and from the port. Not using NCL, I understand the charge is $75 one way. Pretty steep for a 45 minute ride...they are saying it is 1 1/2 hours...which is not true. You have to watch these trips on the cruises.

 

Thanks. As I have been to Barcelona I can comment on that one. I assume that it will be like the other cruise line, that NCL will drop us in front of the World Trade Centre, very close to the end of the Ramblas near the water. That is a good starting point. HoHo has it pros and cons. I do like the Barri Gothic area (east of the Ramblas) very much. That is the old city centre with its small streets where the HoHo can not reach. So make sure you reserve some time for that as well!

[em-sk]

Thanks. As I have been to Barcelona I can comment on that one. I assume that it will be like the other cruise line, that NCL will drop us in front of the World Trade Centre, very close to the end of the Ramblas near the water. That is a good starting point. HoHo has it pros and cons. I do like the Barri Gothic area (east of the Ramblas) very much. That is the old city centre with its small streets where the HoHo can not reach. So make sure you reserve some time for that as well!

 

Unless it has changed there is a shuttle bus operated by the port that takes you from where the ship docks to the Rambias. I think is a few Euro and stops at each birth that has a ship.

[Cruiserbarbie]

I had same questions about those very ports. Just off the Jade on Wed.

 

Livorno: NCL had shuttle buses for $12 per person RT. Cabs were 25E one way. Both went to train station. Port authorities did not allow walking from ship to port gate so you had to take either the bus or cab. For us trying to get to Cinque Terre on the 743 train, we had to take the cab as the first bus did not leave the ship until 730.

 

Barcelona: you can walk from the terminal to the city center which we have done a couple of times. NCL provides a bus for 5E each one way. You can catch the public bus for 3E outside the terminal. Exit the terminal, head left and pass all the shuttle buses and the public bus will be at the end. It leaves much more frequently than the NCL bus.

 

Public bus drops you off at the Chris Columbus statue at the beginning of La Rambla while the NCL bus drops you off at the maritime terminal.

 

Valencia: NCL had free shuttle buses to take you from the ship to the port gate. Port authorities do not allow you to walk from the ship to the port and it is too far anyway. At the port gate take the #4 city bus for I believe 1.5E and pay onboard. It can't be missed cause everyone is heading for the #4. NCL also had buses to take you to the city center but can't recall how much they were. Both dropped you off at the plaza in front of the cathedrale.

 

Toulon: only day out of 19 on board the ship and 7 additional days on land that it rained off and on all day. Ship docked outside Le Seyne Sur Mer a pleasant small town with a Tuesday market. We walked from the port area to the bus stop and took the bus into Le Seyne. Head left from the ferry dock into the center of town to find the market. Very small and quaint. For 2E you can take the ferry from Le Seyne to Toulon.

 

NCL provides complimentary water ferry service from the pier where the ship docks outside Le Seyne to Toulon.

[glogodschild]

Cruiserbarbie,

thank you so much for taking the time to give all these details. I had found out so much in my research, but this really answered those questions I had.

Please comment on the NCL Jade's food and let me know what you thought about it and where did you enjoy the food the best.

The other frequent asked question for most of us is the return to the airport time? 50 min. and the speed by which you were able to move through customs at the airport? What time was the disembarkation available in Rome?

I believe these questions would help quiet a few of us.

Thanks so much

[glogodschild]

To All..:)

For information on all ports in our itinerary and more....go to http://www.shorebee.com

Tells the distance, buses needed, etc. Very helpful website. Check it out!!!!

[Cruiserbarbie]

Food---really depends on you. We ate at buffet almost every day for breakfast and lunch. Had dinner there most nights even though had reservations in Grand Pacific (MDR). BBQs were good and Garden Café buffet special nights were great.

 

Disembarcation: Ship arrives 5am, easy walk off program can get off 615-930 This means any luggage you can manage yourself. Pax were already lined up at 615 but unforeseen problems did not allow the exit process until 650. It was drizzly and wet. Situations that caused great delays: we carry 1 airline bin size carryon each. 99.9% of other pax had extremely large roller bags. So extremely large roller bags and some had more than one plus smaller bags on top of those, and slippery gangway and drizzly, you had for a nightmare. You then still had to get yourself the short distance to the complimentary bus BUT there is no assistance as that is the purpose of early walk off. You walk off easy with your bags. You have to do it yourself.

 

So that situation and time it takes depends on your luggage. If you wait for the luggage to be delivered to the luggage pick up tent, I believe that is after 930. Luggage pickup is colored coded and timed.

 

So getting off ship depends on your luggage and then how are you getting to airport also depends on luggage and if you can take a cab or NCL shuttle which I believe does not begin until after 10am. We stayed in Rome for a few days after the ship docked so took the train in.

 

Airport security: actually made note that it took us an hour to get through all the security process. We flew Delta so had to go to T5 which required a shuttle bus at the airport and left every 15-20minutes to T5. At the terminal our passports were checked and sticker put on it. Then we had Delta counter checkin, then security screening. My Delta notification said to be there 3 hours before for an international flight.

 

Most important thing to know: are you your flight's priority member and are you an NCL silver, gold or platinum member as there are special lines for those (although I "assumed" I was and went on those lines). When they were empty the Reps called folks from the other line also.

[glogodschild]

Cruiserbarbie,

 

Yes you answered my questions very well. I appreciate you. I know the unforeseen occurrences do happen and the rain was certainly not in anyone's favor. We do plan to walk off with bags and travel light with one checked bag & purse. I have tried to teach my group of friends how to pack light.

Our private car/van states that they are at the ship but of course that means we still have to walk a little distance to get to the car. I have been on one cruise with NCL where NCL assigned me to the 1st bus ride to airport and things went smoothly on that trip, my flight was in the 3 hour window. This time we are staying in Rome 3 days pre-cruise and opted not to stay at the end....we will pray that things go well for our disembarkation. Thank You for the information...it will help many people reading this thread. :)

[Miriam75]

I had same questions about those very ports. Just off the Jade on Wed.

 

Livorno: NCL had shuttle buses for $12 per person RT. Cabs were 25E one way. Both went to train station. Port authorities did not allow walking from ship to port gate so you had to take either the bus or cab. For us trying to get to Cinque Terre on the 743 train, we had to take the cab as the first bus did not leave the ship until 730.

 

Barcelona: you can walk from the terminal to the city center which we have done a couple of times. NCL provides a bus for 5E each one way. You can catch the public bus for 3E outside the terminal. Exit the terminal, head left and pass all the shuttle buses and the public bus will be at the end. It leaves much more frequently than the NCL bus.

 

Public bus drops you off at the Chris Columbus statue at the beginning of La Rambla while the NCL bus drops you off at the maritime terminal.

 

Valencia: NCL had free shuttle buses to take you from the ship to the port gate. Port authorities do not allow you to walk from the ship to the port and it is too far anyway. At the port gate take the #4 city bus for I believe 1.5E and pay onboard. It can't be missed cause everyone is heading for the #4. NCL also had buses to take you to the city center but can't recall how much they were. Both dropped you off at the plaza in front of the cathedrale.

 

Toulon: only day out of 19 on board the ship and 7 additional days on land that it rained off and on all day. Ship docked outside Le Seyne Sur Mer a pleasant small town with a Tuesday market. We walked from the port area to the bus stop and took the bus into Le Seyne. Head left from the ferry dock into the center of town to find the market. Very small and quaint. For 2E you can take the ferry from Le Seyne to Toulon.

 

NCL provides complimentary water ferry service from the pier where the ship docks outside Le Seyne to Toulon.

 

 

Thanks so much for sharing this information. Hope you enjoyed your holiday!