Ports distance.

[Moordown]

We have booked our first cruise on Royal Caribbean independence of the seas for May next year.  Discovery of the Canaries 12 nights cruise.

 

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND
CRUISING 
BILBAO, SPAIN 
CRUISING 
LISBON, PORTUGAL 
CRUISING 
GRAN CANARIA, CANARY ISLANDS 
TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS
MADEIRA (FUNCHAL), PORTUGAL 
CRUISING 
LA CORUNA, SPAIN 
CRUISING 
SOUTHAMPTON, 

 

Are these ports within walking distance of the towns or would we need to book transport?

Also do cabins have tea/coffee making facilities?

I'm travelling from the West Midlands and wondering if I would be better travelling down by coach the day before or driving down and parking in Southampton? Any advice would help put a nervous first time cruiser at ease. 

 

•  
• Quote
•  
•  

Unread replies

[cj_one2000]

Highly suggest you join the roll call for your cruise and visit the ports of call section on the forums, you have a lot of ports for people to comment on here and you’ll have a lot of info on the ports of call boards.
 

Junior suites and higher cabin categories have a coffee maker, if you are not booked in one of those rooms you can request room service for breakfast and they will bring you a pot of coffee. 

[UKWLDCruise]

For UK cruises there are usually kettles in every room and of course a non smoking casino, one is by law though some people think that both should be.

 

In Lisbon the ship docks in town, Tenerife there is normally a shuttle and Madeira is about a 25/30 minute walk to town,  I don't know the others.

 

I would always suggest travelling down the day before and I would think about checking out the car parking fees before deciding to drive or not.

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Moordown said:

Are these ports within walking distance of the towns or would we need to book transport?

Same answer as in your other thread - search the ports of call section here at CC.

[sddsddean]

Of the ones I've been to:

 

Lisbon : Cruise terminal is about 1/2 mile upstream from the suspension bridge. Ten minute walk to Lisbon centre, HOHO bus at the terminal, easy city to get round but very hilly on cobbles...wear sensible shoes!

 

Gran Canaria : 5 min walk (if that) to shopping centre inc. supermarket and HOHO bus stop.

 

Tenerife: Moored in town

 

Madeira : Cruise terminal is opposite the town, but its an easy 15-20 min walk to get to the cable car up to the gardens, then get the basket 'toboggans' back down!

 

We live by M1 J18 (not so far from you) and can easily do the trip to Southampton in 2 1/2 hrs at the speed limit(!). Depending where you are in W. Mids. you could do M40 to Bicester, then A34 and M3 down to Southampton. Sometimes we stop at the Premier Inn at Nursling...normally only about £40-£50 for a night.

 

Simon

[smokeybandit]

People should always google their ports and view the area on a map for any new port. One person's version of "close" or "far" may not match yours.

Edited January 26 by smokeybandit

[Moordown]

2 hours ago, UKWLDCruise said:

For UK cruises there are usually kettles in every room and of course a non smoking casino, one is by law though some people think that both should be.

 

In Lisbon the ship docks in town, Tenerife there is normally a shuttle and Madeira is about a 25/30 minute walk to town,  I don't know the others.

 

I would always suggest travelling down the day before and I would think about checking out the car parking fees before deciding to drive or not.

Thanks for the helpful response 👍 

[kernow]

No need to be nervous, you will have a great time.

Sailing from Southampton is very easy, if you drive you can park right at the port with AB parking and it's a very short walk to the terminal. There are some other cheaper parking options but we always feel the convenience of AB is well worth the cost. Lots of hotels very close to the port if you come the night before which adds to the holiday too.

Have only been to the ports already mentioned and agree that they are easy walking distance, Gran Canaria also has a nice beach about 15 minutes walk.

Always kettles in the cabin from Southampton, I never use it but DH loves that he can make his own early morning cuppa😀

[Moordown]

26 minutes ago, sddsddean said:

Of the ones I've been to:

 

Lisbon : Cruise terminal is about 1/2 mile upstream from the suspension bridge. Ten minute walk to Lisbon centre, HOHO bus at the terminal, easy city to get round but very hilly on cobbles...wear sensible shoes!

 

Gran Canaria : 5 min walk (if that) to shopping centre inc. supermarket and HOHO bus stop.

 

Tenerife: Moored in town

 

Madeira : Cruise terminal is opposite the town, but its an easy 15-20 min walk to get to the cable car up to the gardens, then get the basket 'toboggans' back down!

 

We live by M1 J18 (not so far from you) and can easily do the trip to Southampton in 2 1/2 hrs at the speed limit(!). Depending where you are in W. Mids. you could do M40 to Bicester, then A34 and M3 down to Southampton. Sometimes we stop at the Premier Inn at Nursling...normally only about £40-£50 for a night.

 

Simon

Thanks for the helpful response 👍 

[cj_one2000]

On 1/26/2024 at 9:35 AM, smokeybandit said:

People should always google their ports and view the area on a map for any new port. One person's version of "close" or "far" may not match yours.

This, so true!! A lot of the European ports require a lot of walking too, so some cruisers are not aware nor prepared. Some of the sightseeing requires an hour or more to get to by car/bus, not everyone understands that. 

[Tin can]

On 1/26/2024 at 12:30 PM, UKWLDCruise said:

For UK cruises there are usually kettles in every room and of course a non smoking casino, one is by law though some people think that both should be.

 

 

Thats interesting, is the smoke free casino a new development. We last sailed from Southampton in 2022 and I'm sure the casino had smokers in it.

[UKWLDCruise]

It has been the law for quite a few years now, since 2007, for UK sailings.

 

I did the October transatlantic last year and that was non smoking all the way across.