Return Cruise Shuttle Service Zeebrugge to Bruges

This will be my FIRST cruise. Is anyone familiar with the Return Cruise Shuttle Service Zeebrugge to Bruges? They say you can get a round-trip ticket for 20 euros. Thank you for any help.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You don't say which line you are sailing but I would post this question on that forum as well.

Bottom line on shuttles. At least in our experience, you never really know what shuttles will be available and at what cost until a day our two prior to arriving. There are some exceptions when the port itself does the shuttle.

We are sailing the Regal Princess.

I think the OP is referring to a new privately-operated transfer service being offered from this year - nothing to do with the cruise lines or the port authority.

The operator posted about it on Cruise Critic, but the post was deleted as unsolicited advertising. Sorry, I didn't note the operator's details.

It's listed on the agency website https://www.cruisingexcursions.com/search-port.php?port=400 and it's also mentioned on

http://www.whatsinport.com/Zeebrugge.htm

Confusingly the two references quote two different prices, the €20 return per person quoted on whatsinport sounds acceptable compared to a taxi at €100 return, but cruisingexcursion's £25 pp (on my UK computer) is probably no better value than ships' "Bruges on your own" transfers. All buses drop at Bargeplein, alongside Minniewater, about a 15 minute walk from the centre because buses aren't allowed in the narrow cobbled streets of the centre. Taxis can drop & collect in the centre - Grotemarkt is the usual place.

Apart from this service, ship's "Bruges on your own", and taxis, the other option is ship's shuttle (usually payable) the 2 to 3 miles to Blankenberge station where you can catch the train to Bruges. Train costs only about €6 day-return and takes less than 15 minutes but the service is only hourly.

JMHO, but although a new shuttle service to Bruges is welcome I think this new offering is uncompetitive against the existing options.

JB :)

Based on your explanation John, I would agree. We have used the ships shuttle/train in the past.

Two years ago we used Taxi Snel for a transfer from Zeebrugge to central Bruges. We had 2 groups of 8 arranged through our Roll Call. Cost of each van was 100 Euros round trip, or about 13E per person. We arranged for the same driver to pick us up at a set time and take us back to the port.

Two years ago we used Taxi Snel for a transfer from Zeebrugge to central Bruges. We had 2 groups of 8 arranged through our Roll Call. Cost of each van was 100 Euros round trip, or about 13E per person. We arranged for the same driver to pick us up at a set time and take us back to the port.

Yep, certainly for those numbers a pre-booked taxi-van makes a lot of sense - probably cheaper than ship's shuttle to Blankenberge plus train fare, and certainly more convenient than that or any other arrangements. :)

Some of the taxis available to hire on-spec at the port carry up to 8, some just four - so it's the luck of the draw (or first off the ship) whether you get a large taxi-van and find others to share it. Lucky & it'll cost the same as sotiris' €13 each, unlucky & a taxi for just four (its not difficult to find a couple of sharers on the quayside) will cost €25 each. Very unlucky (or late off the ship) & there'll probably be no taxis left.

All figures for round-trip.

JB :)

Thanks to all for your input!!

Hello there,

I think we sail on the same cruise ship. Is this the one on April 17th to Copenhagen? I did some researched and find this shuttle service from this website and it's very affordable. here is the link http://www.viator.com/updateShoppingCartItem.jspa?itemId=572207247 I was thinking buying a shuttle service from these guys too.

Good evening. We are cruising with Regal Princess. We booked with Cruise Express. 20E/person round trip. Below is the link. Maybe we will meet up.:)

http://www.cruise-express.be/cruise-express/

Last December I used the Cruise Excursions transfer to Bruges and we were dropped off and picked up right in the centre of the town by the Market place. The service was excellent.

I heard several people who'd booked the ships transfer complaining about the local walk into and back from the town.

It's listed on the agency website https://www.cruisingexcursions.com/search-port.php?port=400 and it's also mentioned on

http://www.whatsinport.com/Zeebrugge.htm

 

Confusingly the two references quote two different prices, the €20 return per person quoted on whatsinport sounds acceptable compared to a taxi at €100 return, but cruisingexcursion's £25 pp (on my UK computer) is probably no better value than ships' "Bruges on your own" transfers.

JB :)

Hi John

'CruisingExcursions' and 'Viator' are two different products.

With Cruisingexcursions you will have one time in the morning to get a bus to Bruges and one time in the afternoon to get the bus back to your Cruise Ship.

The Viator service tells that there is a bus every 30 minutes to Bruges - from 08h30 untill 12h00. In the afternoon there are also shuttles back to Zeebrugge, every 30 minutes. (start first shuttle back depends on the departure of your ship.)

That's why there is a difference in price.