Genoa Pre-Cruise Hotel/Tours

[joseph123]

Can anyone recommend a pre-cruise hotel that would be walkable to both the city center and the cruise port in Genoa? Will be planning on checking in the evening before and would like to see a bit of the city and do an excursion the next morning to Portifino before boarding the Fantasia later the same day. Do the ferry or van tours to Portifino leave from the same general vicinity? Also, I will need to get to Genoa from Nice by train unless I can determine if I can get a shuttle through MSC, and would like to be able to walk from the train station to the hotel. Does anyone know if MSC offers a shuttle service? It is all going to be a bit rushed, so any suggestions to make this as easy and stress-free as possible would be appreciated since I have never been to Genoa or Nice before.

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

The Grand Savoia Hotel in Genova is excellent and we have stayed there twice before cruising MSC from Genova. It's 5 minutes walking from the train station, 10 minutes walking from the MSC Cruise terminal ( You can see the ship from the hotel ) and about 10-15 minutes walking to the citycenter. The famous Genova Aquarium is also a few minutes away. The hotel have a nice restaurant and bar on the roof top with wonderful views.

 

You can certainly book a MSC Transfer from the ship to Nice as we did that but check with your TA or MSC.

 

Highly recommended hotel :)

Edited July 13, 2015 by Norwegian Cruiser 73

[AmoMondo]

Can anyone recommend a pre-cruise hotel that would be walkable to both the city center and the cruise port in Genoa? Will be planning on checking in the evening before and would like to see a bit of the city and do an excursion the next morning to Portifino before boarding the Fantasia later the same day. Do the ferry or van tours to Portifino leave from the same general vicinity? Also, I will need to get to Genoa from Nice by train unless I can determine if I can get a shuttle through MSC, and would like to be able to walk from the train station to the hotel. Does anyone know if MSC offers a shuttle service? It is all going to be a bit rushed, so any suggestions to make this as easy and stress-free as possible would be appreciated since I have never been to Genoa or Nice before.

 

My favourite is the Bristol Palace Hotel, really quirky with huge rooms beautiful arcades and in the centre of town. You can walk to the port from there as long as you don't pack as much as I do. I grab a taxi as I don't want to have to negotiate too many cobbled streets with a big heavy case.

 

On the other hand if you want ultra modern and chic, the Melia is really nice too.

[Skier52]

My favourite is the Bristol Palace Hotel, really quirky with huge rooms beautiful arcades and in the centre of town. You can walk to the port from there as long as you don't pack as much as I do. I grab a taxi as I don't want to have to negotiate too many cobbled streets with a big heavy case.

 

On the other hand if you want ultra modern and chic, the Melia is really nice too.

We stayed in the Melia pre-cruise, in oct 2013, and found it to be a smart modern and comfortable hotel , at a cost of €103 for a double room with an all you can eat breakfast. We also ate pour evening meal in the very bijoux resaurant and that cost €66 two meals and bottle of wine.

 

The hotel is within easy , downhill walking distance of the old town where there are plenty of eateries. It is an uphill walk back but not to steep

 

Conveniently there is a taxi rank straight outside the door and the fare to the port was €13.

As the train station is next to the port I would expect the taxi fare to be the same.

 

The taxi fares are set by the city council and are run by meter and strictly controlled, so you won't get ripped off.

 

 

Pete

[stuart2468]

The Grand Savoia Hotel in Genova is excellent and we have stayed there twice before cruising MSC from Genova. It's 5 minutes walking from the train station, 10 minutes walking from the MSC Cruise terminal ( You can see the ship from the hotel ) and about 10-15 minutes walking to the citycenter. The famous Genova Aquarium is also a few minutes away. The hotel have a nice restaurant and bar on the roof top with wonderful views.

 

You can certainly book a MSC Transfer from the ship to Nice as we did that but check with your TA or MSC.

 

Highly recommended hotel

 

Totally agree with this. The Grand Savoia Hotel is across the road from the train station, and from the room we had we could see our boat docked the morning we woke. Literally 5 minutes walk

 

We also walked into the centre the following week on returning and we asked the hotel if they could store our baggage until our return flight home. A superb hotel.

 

I may have a photo somewhere that shows how close the ship was. I'll attempt to find it and upload it.

[stuart2468]

Here you go. Managed to find them

 

Pic 1 is without a zoom. And shows the Splendida docked the night before our cruise. The entrance to the train station was through the building to the lower right.

 

Pic 1 is the following morning with a zoomed in view of our baby. The Preziosa

 

The road you see heading between those buildings is the road that takes you down to the ship.... and (although out of shot on my pics) there is a pedestrian path way to the left of the building on the left which also takes you to the ship. All downhill though from the hotel.

 

Both pics are taken from our room window.

 

hope that helps :D

Edited July 14, 2015 by stuart2468

[joseph123]

Thanks all for the hotel recommendations, they all sound wonderful especially the Savoia which is so close to where the ship will embark as well as the train station. The pics were also much appreciated! I will presume that the ferries that go to Portofino will be in the same general vicinity. Now all I need to do is figure out how to obtain an MSC transfer from Nice to Genoa, or if that is not possible take the train. Getting excited to visit Genoa now!

[stuart2468]

Just to make you aware also, The train station outside the Savoia is Genova P.Principe (the main station for long distance) and there is a second station also within the centre of Genoa - Genova Brignole. Both are linked and travel between the 2 is easy.

 

Also outside the main station GPP there are buses and trams terminating and passing all the time so travel around the city i should think is fairly easy.

 

I had a look to try and answer your question on ferries to Portifino but sadly my Italian is no good and so cannot translate anything. Sorry