Shuttle buses Virtuosa

[elmsliebev]

We are on Virtuosa in March. Not sailed with MSC before & understand we have to pay for shuttle buses. How does it work? Do you buy in advance or is your cruise card scanned when you get on the bus?

 

Hamburg - we are there on a Sunday so no little ferry across to the city so we will take the shuttle bus

 

Zeebrugge - will probably go to Bruges on the coach you can get from outside the port entrance (20e pp return?)

 

Rotterdam - is a shuttle bus needed or can we walk?

 

Le Havre - I think I read somewhere that it's a 30 minute walk which we might do if it is a nice day, otherwise is a shuttle bus provided?

 

In Marseille with Costa once we found that Costa wanted to charge 10e pp but the town council provided free shuttles once you'd walked through the duty free etc - is this the case on any of these ports?

many thanks

[TheJester]

Hamburg: totally *not* walkable. MSC Shuttle bus cost is probably slightly more that the cost of an UBER to and from the port, and less convenient. No public transport to/from the port on Sunday. 

 

Zeebrugge: Best plan, although Blankenburg is just a tram ride from the port and is quite interesting if you don’t fancy Bruges (I do recommend watching the film “In Bruges: before you go!) 

 

Rotterdam: Not done, but we’re intending to walk it in Feb when we go. I

 

J

 

[Stockjock]

I'm not answering your question precisely but, we just got off Virtuosa about a week ago.

In Hamburg, we did the MSC tour to Lubeck and liked it a lot.  It included a German lunch and beer or soda.  There was a fair amount of walking involved, so maybe not great for the less mobile.

 

I think a train, cab or coach to Bruges would be fine, or the MSC shuttle if the price is reasonable.  Because we had been to Bruges, we took the MSC tour to Ghent and liked it more than expected.  I'd recommend Bruges for those who haven't been there and Ghent on the 2nd visit.

In Rotterdam, we did the MSC tour to Amsterdam.  We liked it, but more emphasis on pot and adult themes than we would prefer.

No experience with Le Havre, which was our departure point.  We took the train from Paris to Le Harve, but likely too far for a round-trip visit.

Enjoy your cruise!

[sidari]

As a previous poster mentioned Blankenberg is a nice place and the tram stop is a short walk from the port gate, turn right out of the port and you will find the stop near a submarine moored nearby.

Rotterdam to the town is walkable, turn left out of the port and go to the road junction, turn left again and cross the road bridge, follow the road on the right hand side which takes you past an open air museum with old railway trucks on a quayside. Continue walking and you will come to a shopping centre. To return just retrace the route, worth looking at Google maps of the route beforehand. There are also trip boats across the river from the the ship moors up.

[SweetsugarNL]

You can also go from Blankenbere to Gent with the train.

[perakcruiser]

On 1/12/2023 at 6:44 PM, elmsliebev said:

In Marseille with Costa once we found that Costa wanted to charge 10e pp but the town council provided free shuttles once you'd walked through the duty free etc - is this the case on any of these ports?

I don´t know any other place apart from Marseille, for sure nothing on this trip. 

 

Hamburg on a Sunday the MSC shuttle probably is your best choice. 

 

Zeebrugge you can also take the public bus to Brugge, the stop is close to the port at the church. 

[Cardiff girl]

@elmsliebev How did you get on with your cruise? Hope you had a good time. 

I'm reviving this for up to date shuttle prices and travel tips for Le Havre and Bilbao, if anyone has them. 

I`ve found my programme from 2022, when the Le Havre shuttle was €10.99 return for adults, €8.99 for children (3-13 years). Tickets were left in cabins the night before, bar codes scanned as you board, so you only paid if you used it. The shuttle ran 2km to Place Perrett, leaving every 40 minutes. First shuttle 9.30, last from ship 16.00, last back to the ship 19.30. Any updates? 

I'm also looking for current info on:

La Rochelle - I think you walk from the ship 

Bilbao - docks in Getxo 20 km away, and last time I got the local metro 

La Coruña - I think you walk from the ship

Thanks in advance. 

[alserrod]

Bilbao port (Getxo) has a metro station besides the port. It is enough you walk along the pier and get it through Bilbao centre

 

[Cardiff girl]

1 minute ago, alserrod said:

Bilbao port (Getxo) has a metro station besides the port. It is enough you walk along the pier and get it through Bilbao centre

 

Thanks @alserrod. I'll probably do that, like I did a year ago, but I was wondering how much the shuttle was, which might be easier and quicker. It's a half hour walk up to the metro. 

[alserrod]

6 minutes ago, Cardiff girl said:

Thanks @alserrod. I'll probably do that, like I did a year ago, but I was wondering how much the shuttle was, which might be easier and quicker. It's a half hour walk up to the metro. 

 

 

I know... once you are inside the metro, all will be quite fast. They run underground to city centre and drive every 5 minutes

 

But there are 1,9 km from the pier.... not because station is far away but because pier is quite long.

 

[mcoler181]

I've been looking for Bruges and the train from Zeebrugge-Dorp (or maybe Strand) → Bruges looks about the quickest. Looks like its a 20 min walk form the cruise terminal to the station and then about a 15 min walk into the centre of Bruges from the station. 

 

I have heard the shuttle bus can be quite chaotic, especially on the way back.

Edited Thursday at 12:59 PM by mcoler181

[Cardiff girl]

50 minutes ago, mcoler181 said:

I've been looking for Bruges and the train from Zeebrugge-Dorp (or maybe Strand) → Bruges looks about the quickest. Looks like its a 20 min walk form the cruise terminal to the station and then about a 15 min walk into the centre of Bruges from the station. 

 

I have heard the shuttle bus can be quite chaotic, especially on the way back.

My experience with the local shuttle two years ago was chaotic and time-wasting, though the people on P&O/MSC shuttles didn't have complaints, apart from paying more.

Last year I got the train from Blankenberge and that worked well. Finding a group to share the cost of a big taxi would be quickest and easiest, as they drop you in the centre. 

[mcoler181]

13 minutes ago, Cardiff girl said:

My experience with the local shuttle two years ago was chaotic and time-wasting, though the people on P&O/MSC shuttles didn't have complaints, apart from paying more.

Last year I got the train from Blankenberge and that worked well. Finding a group to share the cost of a big taxi would be quickest and easiest, as they drop you in the centre. 

Yeah I have seen people say about sharing a taxi, might try and get chatting to some people, see if they want to share one

[perakcruiser]

3 hours ago, mcoler181 said:

I've been looking for Bruges and the train from Zeebrugge-Dorp (or maybe Strand) → Bruges looks about the quickest.

Much faster is the bus from Zeebrugge-Kerk, it starts just 5 minutes away from the ship. Only disadvantage, you have to adjust your schedule to the bus schedule as the bus is not running too often. But there is a useful morning bus from Zeebrugge and a useful afternoon bus back from Brugge. 

[Cardiff girl]

5 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

Much faster is the bus from Zeebrugge-Kerk, it starts just 5 minutes away from the ship. Only disadvantage, you have to adjust your schedule to the bus schedule as the bus is not running too often. But there is a useful morning bus from Zeebrugge and a useful afternoon bus back from Brugge. 

Thanks @perakcruiser, I'll check bus times next time.

Also, travellers should allow time for the shuttle from the ship to the gates - you aren't allowed to walk, and it can take a while to fill up.

[amurray88]

22 hours ago, Cardiff girl said:

Thanks @perakcruiser, I'll check bus times next time.

Also, travellers should allow time for the shuttle from the ship to the gates - you aren't allowed to walk, and it can take a while to fill up.

You can't walk off in La Rochelle as far as I'm aware. Shuttle only as the port doesn't allow it 👍

[Cardiff girl]

3 hours ago, amurray88 said:

You can't walk off in La Rochelle as far as I'm aware. Shuttle only as the port doesn't allow it 👍

@amurray88 you're right - I'd completely forgotten that. Last year there was a complimentary shuttle from the ship to Place de Verdun, by the cathedral, about 20-25 minutes away. 

[Cardiff girl]

Also, I found the Bilbao shuttle details on last year's programme - £13 adult & £11 child for a return from the pier to the centre of Bilbao, around 30 minutes drive. 

[amurray88]

5 hours ago, Cardiff girl said:

@amurray88 you're right - I'd completely forgotten that. Last year there was a complimentary shuttle from the ship to Place de Verdun, by the cathedral, about 20-25 minutes away. 

Great info - I didn't know where it dropped us. Thank you!