Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Marseille FAQ

fmax

Recommended Posts

fmax

fmax

Posted
Posted

aw a posting on the Princess thread which might be worth duplicating. Have a posting for each of the ports where people can post tips and answers to most often asked questions and it can be the first place to look.

 

I think the idea was that people didn't ask questions in the thread it was purely for posting useful information. And if the information couldn't be found there, they could start their own new thread, or search the boards This way the link doesn't get hijacked and become irrelevant.

 

So here goes

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fmax

fmax

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Getting around Marseille

 

You can get a taxi or shuttle from the port to Marseille's Old Port or "Vieux Port". If you arrive on a Sunday there's not much to do as the stores are mostly closed.

 

Here is a link which describes the Marseille Metro system

http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/mar/marseil.htm

 

 

There is also a hop on/off bus which will take you around the town. I believe the tourist train that goes around the town will take you closer o the top of Notre Dame de Garde than the tourist bus does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fmax

fmax

Posted
  • Author
Posted

In 1524 a fortress was built to protect Marseille against sea-attacks. The island was later used as a state prison for slaves and republicans. The place has become famous from the novel written by Alexandre Dumas (The Count of Montecristo)and has been opened to public since 1890

 

 

You can take a ferry/boat from Marseille's Old Port. Once there you can tour the prison, the museum, and other parts of the island. Also, there is a snack bar

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vivian02

vivian02

Posted
Posted

My wife and I did a cruise in the Meditterean in late May of 2004. I did a booking for "Les Bureax" and the tour really worked out well for us. First of all this was the first port to stop and it was on a Sunday. We noticed most of the passengers on this cruise were still jet lagged so the 12:30 PM departure time appealed to us. The scenery was wonderful especially the farther away you got from Marsalle. We will be doing another Meditterean cruise in 2006 but will be porting in Nice and not Marsalle. I would do the Les Bureax tour again or go into the Providence area. Its just so "different". I hate to say this but the word was out about Marsalle when we were there...watch your purses ladies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
fmax

fmax

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Excerpt from

http://www.cruise-addicts.com/reviews/readreview.php?id=0000003336

We decided to take the local train to Aix-en-Provence. Unfortunately, on a Sunday, the trains are not so frequent. Arriving in Marseille, we took a 10-15 minute uphill walk to the station and had a 90 minute wait for a train. The queue to buy tickets took nearly 40 minutes though. I think it may be possible to buy them online in advance. There is a Metro line that runs from Vieux Port to Marseille St. Charles. It is only 2 stops and costs 1 and a half Euros single. Please note that the map provided by the ship does not show the station, which is slightly further north.

Eventually we caught the 10.48 train, arriving in Aix at 11.37. It is a lovely ride, the line climbs steeply out of the city and into to the Provencal countryside. There was an artisan’s (craft) market all along the main street of Aix. We had a good wander around, a beer watching the world go by and caught the 14.01 train back, arriving in Marseille at 14.41. We could have stayed until later; the last train would have been 16.39, arriving in Marseille at 17.30, allowing plenty of time to catch the metro and coach back to the ship.

 

A site with lots of good info on Aix-en-provence. You can probably post to their forum and get a local to answer your questions

http://www.cruise-addicts.com/reviews/readreview.php?id=0000003336

Link to comment
Share on other sites
leighuf

leighuf

Posted
Posted

Always have a back up plan . . . there was a public transportation strike (no trains, no buses) on the day we were in Marseille. We bought tickets for the Petit Train tour up to the Notre Dame and also the tour of the old city. In addition, we walked to the Abbey (toured the crypts) and the Nicholas Fort. There are many outdoor cafes lining the Vieux port.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
willy paul

willy paul

Posted
Posted

Last August our ship stopped in Marseilles and my wife arranged a private tour using Catherine from provence-tours.com ( I think that is the correct address). My wife gave her a list of things she wanted to see or do - a private wine tasting, lunch in a country setting, visit to Aix, etc. Catherine arranged all that was asked for and more. We shared the tour with two other couples and had a wonderful time. With the two other cpuples the cost was very reasonable for the services provided. She has a Mercedes 8 passenger van. We recommend her highly. There are other posts about her tours on this site and they are all positive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
smurph

smurph

Posted
Posted

We've stopped at Marseilles twice now, and the best bet to see the town is the little hop on/off train or bus from the Old Port. Boullaibaise (fish stew) was invented in Marseilles so the other must do thing is sit at a restaurant, order boulliabaise, enjoy the ritual of it being served to you (an enormous platter of every kind of fish arrives, together with a tureen of fish stock/soup, and the fish is added to the soup at the table). Eat slowly, enjoy a glass of fine wine, and watch the ships in the port and the world going by.

 

Can't be beaten! :) :)

 

Sue

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
tom_uk

tom_uk

Posted
Posted

When on an MSC cruise last summer we did a half-day excursion to Cassis. This is a very lovely small fishing village (well it was just a fishing village) that isn't too touristy. We only had a couple of hours there which wasn't enough. Here's a link to the pictures I took that day:

http://www.*****/travelpage/aspgallery/view_ad.asp?Ad_ID=1917

 

Then back to Marseilles, lunch in a cafe by the Vieux Port, and a beer in a harbour-side cafe a while later. An excellent, easy restful day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fmax

fmax

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Some private drivers mentioned on these boards for the area

 

Olivier N’guyen from Rendez-vous Provence.com

Catherine at http://www.provence-travel.com

Tania from Provence Tours http://provencetours.free.fr/accueil_anglais.htm

http://provencetours.free.fr/combines_uk.htm

Eva Devemy. It is Provence Sightseeing Cote d’Azur email: contact@provencesightseeing.com

 

Frances

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
LadyoftheLake

LadyoftheLake

Posted
Posted

We have been on a Cruise before and used tour guides but this is the first time we have been to Marseille and are looking for a good tour guide

 

If anyone has used Eva Devemy please respond. She is suggesting lunch at a Michelin Restaurant named L'Oustaou de Beaumaniere, if anyone is familiar with this also please respond

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
fmax

fmax

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Some information for getting from Marseille to Aix en Provence

 

The Marseille bus station is conveniently located next to the train station. The bus from Marseille to Aix down-town costs 4,10 euros, leaves every ten minutes.

From Aix TGV station to down-town 3,60 euros, leaves every half hour.

From Marseille airport to Aix down-town 7,30 euros, leaves every half hour.

Bus station "Gare Routière" in Aix

Information : +33 442 912 680

Tickets : +33 442 912 681

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is taken from the following website:

http://www.provencelive.com/practical/travel/gettoaix.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frances

Link to comment
Share on other sites
melodyis ashore

melodyis ashore

Posted
Posted

Lady of the Lake:

 

We used Eva in September 2003. She picked up 4 of us in Villefranche and we toured the coast from Antibes to Monte Carlo, exactly the itinerary I requested. I do not have any experience with her dining recommendations. We are early eaters (for France) and were scrounging around Nice for lunch about noon. Nothing open that early for lunch, most places still serving Breakfast. We should have raided the ship and packed the cooler. The only deviation from my itinerary was a Perfume Factory. We agreed to check it out, and were actually pleasantly suprised at the informative "factory" Presentation and had a ball mixing our own "scents".

 

She gives a good quality tour, and went out of her way to make sure we were happy, and any physical needs were accomodated. She's flexible, and will deviate from the itinerary if requested.

 

Actually, we'll be in Marseille in August, and would use her again, if I can find someone else on my Ship to share. No thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
edinburgher

edinburgher

Posted
Posted

I have always enjoyed Marseille. There is much to see here and because of its history has some excellent museums, Notre Dame de la Garde, the Old Port, some very good shopping, and from the Old Port, take a boat trip either along the coast to the beautiful Calanques (by Cassis) or across the bay to the Chateau d'If. There is lots to see and do, it only takes a little planning. It is a bit of a building site right now...has been for the last several years, as the city expands and modernises. It is very much a boom town these days with many individuals and businesses relocating here. It is also becoming a popular week end or short stay destination. It is very much on the "up" although I feel that it has lost some of the charm it had in the past.

 

A few links which some mght find useful.

 

http://www.marseille-cruise.com/gb/Access/access.html

 

http://www.mrsairport.com/eng/acces/acces_bus.jsp#digne

 

http://www.marseille-tourisme.com/servlet/otcm?dist=2GP

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 5 months later...
fmax

fmax

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I thought it was about time to add to this thread and get it back to the front given the fact we've probably got a lot of new cruisers onboard.

 

So here's a link to the Conde Naste site with an article on Provence. it might give some idea of other places to visit for those who may have already done Marseille or who want to venture further.

 

http://www.concierge.com/destination/provence/seeanddo

 

 

Frances

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...