Held hostage in Livorno port!!

[Level six]

Am I the only one who is mad that you are REQUIRED to PAY to leave the port in Livorno? I think that the fee should just be included in the cruise fee. Why are cruise ships saying they are docking in a port, but then you are not allowed to exit the port unless you take their $12 pp shuttle?

What if a plane said it was going to NYC, but when you landed, you could not leave the plane unless you paid more money?

I was very upset when NCL Jade did this on our cruise in Feb. No taxi, no private tour, no one but NCL shuttle could get you out of the port. Of course the ship excursion buses were there, but no other way to leave port. I understand it is a large, active port and it would not be practical to walk, but, I think the shuttle fee should just be added to the cruise fee.

In other ports I was more than happy to pay for the shuttle, BUT IT WAS AN OPTION!!! I was able to walk, taxi or whatever I wanted, but not at Livorno. Even then, maybe 3 euros, 5 euros, but 12???? per person. Imagine a family of 5 or 6? Almost $100 just to leave the port???

So, heads up fellow cruisers, you are held hostage at the port!! haha, or should it be hehe?

Just venting, but also wanted others to know about this so that they can plan ahead.

[minaco]

Thank you for the heads up. I have emailed NCL corporate offices asking for an explanation. We are booked on a cruise which stops in Livorno this August. I will post their official reply here once I hear back from them.

[CathyCruises]

I've taken a taxi from Livorno with no problem, on Celebrity. . .could this just be an NCL thing?

[leighuf]

There were taxis when I was there years and years ago.... it's a industrial/shipping area, so you will need to take a taxi or shuttle. Alternatively, you could arrange a tour. Perhaps taxis aren't allowed anymore? IDK. Either way, you will need to pay someone something.

 

[Level six]

I was told by the head of hotel services on the ship that it was the only option. I also saw people who wanted to walk out stopped at a guarded gate and made to turn back.

[luv2gonow]

Did they make a ton of announcements.

Have it written in the cruise documents anywhere?

 

I guess they don't include it in case some people don't leave the ship.

 

But can you just add it to the room charge at least. I for one would be furious to be surprised by this AND not have enough cash.

Kerri

[insanemagnet]

Am I the only one who is mad that you are REQUIRED to PAY to leave the port in Livorno?

 

New to me.

 

Was there twice last year. The first time the ship (P&O) was docked at a fairly distant berth, but there was a free shuttle bus to the town centre. The second time the ship (Costa) was berthed much closer, I just walked off the ship and into town.

[texancruzer]

NO ONE is allowed to walk depending on where your ship docks. It is not the ships decision but the port authority. This is a huge industrial port and they cannot have people walking all over for safety reason as well as security reasons. I would imagine some of the smaller ships berth at a different location and therefore may be allowed to walk since they would be going through the same area. Same for taxis being let in. Depends on the location.

 

I also believe the shuttle is not owned by the cruise lines but rather the port. So in reality you are not paying the cruise line for the shuttle but rather the port authority. You may pay through the ship but its not their money.

I would also imagine that some cruise lines (the all inclusive or luxury lines) might absorb the cost of the shuttle.

 

When docking in ports the cruise line is at the mercy of the ports rules.

 

As for not having enough money ?????? If you go all the way to Europe (airfare $$$) book a cruise ($$$) and cannot afford $12.00 for a ride - I don't know - that might not be a good idea.

 

As a side note: we paid $8.00 per person for a shuttle in Dubrovnik. Now you COULD walk into town but it was a long way…….. we paid for a shuttle in Mykonos as the dock was some distance from town also. No sidewalk and dangerous to walk - but you COULD if you wanted to. We did NOT pay for the shuttle in Athens to exit the port and you could walk if you wanted to.

[QuattroRomeo]

New to me, too. We were on the Jade last November, and in Livorno our private tour driver and van were waiting on the dock, just a short distance from the ship. Has this changed since then?

[Trevor Fountain]

I think most hostages would gladly pay $12 to be freed.

[minaco]

I just received a reply from our private tour guide who informed me that only licensed guides (which he is one) are permitted within the port area. Unlicensed guides, taxis, etc must wait beyond the secured area. I am not sure of the chargeable shuttle, but am waiting for a reply directly from NCL.

[John Bull]

And new to me.

 

A couple of years back we simply jumped in one of the taxis lined up at the quay.

 

In many many cruises to dozens of ports worldwide there's not been one where I was obliged to use a payable shuttle in order to get off a ship. Where a shuttle has been obligatory the port has always laid it on free-of-charge at least as far as the port gate.

 

I'm hoping the OP has got their wires crossed, perhaps Mike can come up with NCL's response.

 

Texan - the OP wasn't saying they couldn't afford a shuttle, more that it's unfair to spring an extra charge on passengers.

If its obligatory it should be free of charge or included in the cruise ticket price. And I agree.

Perhaps a more suitable equivalent would be a cruise line charging for a tender to a port in the itinerary.

 

JB :)

[minaco]

I will post as soon as I hear something official.

[lahlah57]

Tempting to just stay on the ship and not spend my tourist $$ in their port city!:cool:

[Love the beach]

Tempting to just stay on the ship and not spend my tourist $$ in their port city!:cool:

 

That would be a shame. We did not go into Livorno itself but booked a private tour with others from our roll call to Florence & Pisa. Had a fabulous day!

Edited March 1, 2015 by Love the beach

[lahlah57]

Principles can be painful:D

[scottbee]

It's the taxi drivers I blame here, or the lack of enforcement by the regulating authority. We had two choices

 

1) Port/Cruise run shuttle into central Livorno; €10/ea return IIRC; or

2) Taxi, who wanted €25 for the 4km trip to Livorno Centrale; which is WAAAAY more than it should cost (should be about €10 for that distance)

 

#1 is reasonable enough (normal overpriced cruise shuttle), but the taxis having you by the short and curlies really pissed me off. The port/tourist/taxi authorities not holding the taxis accountable is the issue.

[OCruisers]

When docking in ports the cruise line is at the mercy of the ports rules.

.

 

True and sometimes "port rules" change so what was once allowed, no longer is.

LuLu

[Hlitner]

I have oft been outspoken (a norm) here on CC calling Livorno the least friendly major cruise port in Western Europe. We have run into the "hostage" situation and managed to defeat their system a couple of times, but not without a lot of effort. We have, twice, walked back to cruise ships from the main port entrance (this violates many rules) and the port Police/Security seemed to have no clue how to deal with us...so they let us make the trek (over a mile).

 

We have also used taxis and rental cars in this port. If we want to go to a place like Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre) or perhaps the wine route (S222 between Florence and Sienna) we simply rent a car which we can pick up pier-side. Getting a rental car delivered inside the port (Sifracar.com does this) costs a bit more, but does also allow one to get to and from the ship without using a taxi or bus.

 

Hank

[Level six]

Did they make a ton of announcements.

Have it written in the cruise documents anywhere?

 

I guess they don't include it in case some people don't leave the ship.

 

But can you just add it to the room charge at least. I for one would be furious to be surprised by this AND not have enough cash.

Kerri

 

They had someone from the ship with a notebook charging it to your room.

There was a small write up on the daily news, but it did not say it was the only thing you could do.

[Level six]

I think most hostages would gladly pay $12 to be freed.

 

Love it!!

[Level six]

And new to me.

 

A couple of years back we simply jumped in one of the taxis lined up at the quay.

 

In many many cruises to dozens of ports worldwide there's not been one where I was obliged to use a payable shuttle in order to get off a ship. Where a shuttle has been obligatory the port has always laid it on free-of-charge at least as far as the port gate.

 

I'm hoping the OP has got their wires crossed, perhaps Mike can come up with NCL's response.

 

Texan - the OP wasn't saying they couldn't afford a shuttle, more that it's unfair to spring an extra charge on passengers.

If its obligatory it should be free of charge or included in the cruise ticket price. And I agree.

Perhaps a more suitable equivalent would be a cruise line charging for a tender to a port in the itinerary.

 

JB :)

 

Exactly, it would be like having to pay to take the tender in.

I hope Mike does hear from NCL. I talked to everyone at the port about it and voiced my unhappiness about the matter to the head of Hotel services, Jovo, his assistant, the cruise director, the person organizing the NCL shuttle. So, there were no wires crossed.

[dogs4fun]

Wow! This must be something new. I know you can't walk in the industrial port, but we were on the NCL Spirit last year and our taxi was waiting for us at the pier.

[scottbee]

Wow! This must be something new. I know you can't walk in the industrial port, but we were on the NCL Spirit last year and our taxi was waiting for us at the pier.

 

Nothing new. Basically if you don't have a taxi for a longer haul trip, the taxis aren't interested in you, they want a minimum.

 

So if you say "Livorno Centrale", they'll want €25 for what should be a €12 trip.

[John Bull]

Nothing new. Basically if you don't have a taxi for a longer haul trip, the taxis aren't interested in you, they want a minimum.

 

So if you say "Livorno Centrale", they'll want €25 for what should be a €12 trip.

 

Right. Though if 8 folk share (as we did) that's less than 4 euros a-piece. Compared to the shuttle, which doesn't even go to the station, at around 10 euros a-piece.

 

But what is new, & the point that Level Six is making, is that now taxis are not permitted in the port - only ship's tour buses or pre-booked licensed tours or the payable city centre shuttle.

Since walking out of the port understandably isn't permitted for most berths, and there's not even a free shuttle to the port gate, it means you have to pay someone to get you out of the port.

And that is wrong for a cruise which on its itinerary quotes Livorno (or Florence or Pisa, but that's a different rant :D).

 

JB :)