Courtesy buses to nearest main town

[hazy123]

Hi everyone

 

This will be our first time with Princess in June and I have been trying to decide what trips we will be doing etc.

 

We have been with P&O lots of times and they always ran a courtesy bus from the dockside to the nearest main town. This was always well organised and FREE! Can anybody confirm if Princess do the same?

 

We usually like to do a mixture of some trips and some exploring on our own.:)

 

I have been trying to read on previous threads and I think I read that Princess charge $10 a person which seems extreme for a short journery?

 

Any info would be much appreciated.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Depends on lots of things,

 

Often if a large port you get a free bus to the main gates, some times

 

down town if not far,

 

Others you need to pay for.

 

Others you pay a small fee and can use it all day.

 

then threre are the water taxis etc

 

 

If you tell us which ports might be able to help more.

 

 

yours Shogun

[paul929207]

Princess does not provide a free shuttle in most (any?) ports. Occasionally, the port will offer a free shuttle. In some ports, Princess does offer a shutle that you have to pay for, usually charged to your onboard account.

[koreakruiser]

On a recent Asian cruise on the Diamond Princess there were free shuttle busses at every port. Not sure who paid for them, but they were free. Due to the size of the ship, she usually docked in container areas away from the town areas, so the shuttles were appreciated.

[hazy123]

We are going into the Mediterranean.

 

Ports of call are Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Gibraltar, Ajaccio.

 

We have trips booked for Rome and Naples. In Monte Carlo a bus wouldn't be required anyway as we will tender in and Gibraltar will be small enough to just walk as will Ajaccio I am assuming?

 

So that leaves Malaga, Cartagena and Barcelona. Do the ports run free buses there or are they safe to walk? We like walking but it needs to be safe ie. pavements!

 

Any help/advice is so much appreciated!

[Pia1913]

We are going into the Mediterranean.

 

Ports of call are Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Gibraltar, Ajaccio.

 

We have trips booked for Rome and Naples. In Monte Carlo a bus wouldn't be required anyway as we will tender in and Gibraltar will be small enough to just walk as will Ajaccio I am assuming?

 

So that leaves Malaga, Cartagena and Barcelona. Do the ports run free buses there or are they safe to walk? We like walking but it needs to be safe ie. pavements!

 

Any help/advice is so much appreciated!

 

Last time we were in Barcelona we paid for the shuttle. In fact, we very rarely don't have to pay for a shuttle. As I recall Cartagena (It's been a lot of years) we were were docked in town.

[traveling1969]

Barcelona is a paid shuttle; $5 each way. It is safe to walk; it's about 1-2 miles. Gibraltar has a local port shuttle which will take you into town for 1 euro but it's only about 1 km and safe to walk.

[FredS]

In Barcelona my wife and I walked into town and back. that walk coupled with all the walking in town can get quite long; but good exercise. No problems.

 

In Gibralter it is easy to walk. It is a ways to get to town but it is all level and you can do it at your own pace. We took the cable car to the top and then walked down the road back into town. Saw the monkeys and were able to spend time just enjoying their antics, hanging on car mirrors.

[MTElkwhistle]

Cartagena you will not need a shuttle - its not far at all from the pier into the town. Great place to visit but watch as everything closes from 1 - 4ish, we got caught out by that.

 

I looked at Google earth for Malaga and it would appear slightly further but not too bad a walk.

 

Not sure about the other places.

[notts cruiser]

Barcelona also have a port bus into town 2 euros each way this picks up at the ship in the same area as the ship shuttle