MSC Melody Help getting to Genoa

I am looking at the June 28 sailing. How difficult is it to get to Genoa? Did you fly into Milan and then train it to Genoa? Was this expensive and/or difficult?

Also, if you took this cruise that stops in Egypt would you take it again?

Thanks

Sparks

It's kind of hard to answer your question because you don't say where you'll be coming from. I usually fly directly into Genoa when my ship is leaving from there. However, if your flight takes you to Milano you can take a train down to Genoa without major problems. The Genoa train station is very close to the cruise terminal.

Regarding your question about stopping in Egypt, I don't understand you. Perhaps if you identified the cruise you'll be on and the Egyptian port, it would make more sense. I've been on lots of cruises with stops at Egyptian ports. No problems.

I always fly direct to Genoa now (from Gatwick) with BA. If I'm doing the flights myself, I usually fly out the day before (just in case). Flight time back at 13.50 works out perfectly. If MSC are organising the flight, they usually have me flying out on the day. It does work out ok but you don't get to the ship as early as I prefer.

I've also done it twice in the past from malpensa (Milan). First time MSC provided a coach transfer and that took around 2 hours or so. next time I did it by train and it took about 4 hours as I had to get the train from Malpensa to Cadorna and then change to centrale for a train journey that took about 2 and a half hours. There are no lifts at the platform at genoa (or not on the ones I used), so you have to carry luggage up a flight of staisr.

I would be flying in from the US Chicago. I am looking at the June 29th sailing of MSC Melody. It stops in Port Said and the other stop of high interest to me is Ashdod. I have taken cruises in Europe on Princess, Costa, Carnival, and Royal. Each one was unique and interesting. I am not into all the fancy dining and dress that goes with it. I cruise mainly for the destination. Anything I should consider before booking? It will be me and daughter just 18 yrs.

Thanks

It's kind of hard to answer your question because you don't say where you'll be coming from. I usually fly directly into Genoa when my ship is leaving from there. However, if your flight takes you to Milano you can take a train down to Genoa without major problems. The Genoa train station is very close to the cruise terminal.

Regarding your question about stopping in Egypt, I don't understand you. Perhaps if you identified the cruise you'll be on and the Egyptian port, it would make more sense. I've been on lots of cruises with stops at Egyptian ports. No problems.

I would be flying in from the US Chicago. I am looking at the June 29th sailing of MSC Melody. It stops in Port Said and the other stop of high interest to me is Ashdod. I have taken cruises in Europe on Princess, Costa, Carnival, and Royal. Each one was unique and interesting. I am not into all the fancy dining and dress that goes with it. I cruise mainly for the destination. Anything I should consider before booking? It will be me and daughter just 18 yrs.

 

 

Thanks

Sparkers, did you decide to book? I just came across this same cruise yesterday and it is probably the one we are going to book. We are a family of three, taking our 13-year-old with us. Our eldest is in college but will be working in Amsterdam and Copenhagen this summer so we hope to get to visit her either before or after this cruise. It is an amazing itinerary.

We flew from YYZ-MUC-GOA via Lufthansa last year and there is no direct flight from YYZ to GOA and I believe it is the same from ORD. Genoa airport is very small, to fly over atlantic, usually flight only landed on major airports, such as BCN, FRA, MUC, LHR, CDG etc... I would highly recommend to fly into GOA a day before rather than taking the train from Milan to Genoa, too much hassle. Try kayak dot com and put the dates in, the cost is not that much difference.

Good luck.

IMHO the best major airport to fly into would be Milano, either Malpensa (MXP) or Linate (LIN) (I say this because GOA is small with few flights and adverse weather conditions frequently cause delays and cancellations). Rather than taking the train to Genoa, MSC contracts a shuttle bus from Milano directly to the dock at Genoa on the day of embarkation. In my case, I'm booked on a Melody cruise which is scheduled to depart Genoa at 16.00 on 27 April. The MSC shuttle departs from a south Milano metro station at 11.30 and takes two hours to get to the ship, i.e. 13.30. The ticket cost is €27.00 and the reservation must be made ahead of time by your TA. If the cruise returns to Genoa, the same shuttle is available to get you back to Milano.

We are book on the March 25 sailing and flying into Milan because it was much cheaper (Tampa, JFK, Milan). There is a train that leaves about every hour and if you take the 12:25 train arriving 2:22 cost is about $12 otherwise other trains $23. Train website

http://www.trenitalia.com

Click to be in English

We are book on the March 25 sailing and flying into Milan because it was much cheaper (Tampa, JFK, Milan). There is a train that leaves about every hour and if you take the 12:25 train arriving 2:22 cost is about $12 otherwise other trains $23. Train website

http://www.trenitalia.com

Click to be in English

Just be aware that you need to get this train from Stazione centrale (Central Station). If you are arriving at Malpensa and detting the train in to Milan, it takes about an hour and stops at Cardona(sp?) not Centrale. You will then need to take a taxi to get to the correct station. Alternatively you may be better with the airport bus as it ends at Stazione Centrale.

When deciding on which train to get, I'd factor in 1.5-2 hours to get to the station itself from the airport.