Anyone been to Ghent from Zeebrugge?

[LibraLass41]

Looking for somewhere different to visit from Zeebrugge on December 30th, while on the Oceana NY cruise. Have been into Bruges many times, including at Christmas and seen the christmas market and ice-rink.

 

Anyone been to Ghent?, looking at the afternoon tour for a change. Nothing else offered like the war graves, suppose because its in-between Christmas and New Year and coach drivers are in short supply.:rolleyes:

[jojo67]

Oh! We're on this one too. Has the excursion list gone up on cruise personaliser?? Off to have a look now :)

[BrianI]

We have been to Ghent but it was not on a cruise. It's a fairly ordinary town compared to Bruges but if you are interested in art, there is a famous Van Eyck painting in the cathedral.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent_Altarpiece

Even if you are not interested in art it is well worth seeing? The detail in the painting is unbelievable.

Brian

[LibraLass41]

JoJo, I only booked a few days ago, went to put passport details in today in personliser and yes trips were loaded.:)

[smileon]

Sorry to hijack this thread but just wondering, libralass as you have been to Bruges at Christmas, what you would recommend/ We will be there on Oceana on 23rd December with our 17 and 13 year old. Any recommendations would be great.

 

We will also be docking at Amsterdam, Copenhagen and finally Gothenburg so if you have been at any of those at that time of year any help would bereally appreciated. We have been to both Amsterdam and Copenhagen before but obviously not at Christmas.

Very excited about our first Christmas cruise!

 

Thank you and apologies again

[LibraLass41]

Hi, no problem. If you haven't been to Bruges then GO especially at christmas time, its lovely then. There are different ways to get there, but for 4 a taxi at around 50 euros each way would be the most convenient and cheapest for a family.

 

The p and o 'Bruges on your own' coach trip is convenient but at £30 odd per person slightly dearer, the train from nearby blankenburg will be the cheapest (free shuttle from the ship to Blankenburg) get train from there to Bruges. BUT it will be very very busy,at christmas time, and I would be worrying about full trains and missing the ship myself . If I was you I would get a taxi or book the pando coach tour.

 

There is an ice-rink in the square, live music, a christmas market , food on sale shops, its lovely.

 

some photos here:

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/CrowsNestPartyCruiseNov2010#5544991168102345330

[jojo67]

Although my husband & I have been to Bruge before the children haven't, so I was looking at the Christmas in Bruge half day trip as I too would be worried about doing DIY & catching the train at that time of year. I'm a little concerned though that the 'christmas market' might be looking a little jaded by the 30th December?? We're planning on doing Amsterdam ourselves so don't mind booking a P&O excursion in Bruge. I was surprised not to see any evening trips for Amsterdam though, as I believe we are there for a full day & a full night?? I suppose most people will spend NYE on board though :D We booked as soon as the cruise went on sail, so seem to have been waiting ages..... We were on Oceana for 12 nights in the summer, so are looking forward to seeing if we can spot any difference after the re fit.:)

[smileon]

Libralass - thank you for your advice - we are quite adept at DIYing but had thought we might go for the taxi. In- laws are now coming aswell and less able so taxi will work well and not much more expensive than train. Have checked and we can get a taxi for 6 so ideal!

 

Thank you also for the link to the photos -it looks lovely (couldn't help noticing a very familiar brown Phase eight dress - good thing we're not on the same cruise!)

 

Do you have any recommendations for trying a belgian hot chocolate or particular chocolate shops to visit?

 

Many thanks again

[Brayman]

Libralass - thank you for your advice - we are quite adept at DIYing but had thought we might go for the taxi. In- laws are now coming aswell and less able so taxi will work well and not much more expensive than train. Have checked and we can get a taxi for 6 so ideal!

 

Thank you also for the link to the photos -it looks lovely (couldn't help noticing a very familiar brown Phase eight dress - good thing we're not on the same cruise!)

 

Do you have any recommendations for trying a belgian hot chocolate or particular chocolate shops to visit?

 

Many thanks again

 

The biggest advantage of a taxi is that they can normally drop you right in the middle of the city, near or in the main square. Not so easy to find them to come back though with it being so bustly.

[2irisheyes]

LibraLass41 - To answer your original question re Ghent I would say it is worth a visit. We took the train from Blankenberg station - the same one that goes to Bruges but continue on to Bb. From the station we took a 1 euro tram to centre (could be more now). It could be chilly in December. We were there at a warmer time of year and went up the Belfry, good views, and took a canal ride followed by Belgian beer in a Beerhaus followed by waffles on our way back to the tram. We had thought we would stay onboard but were glad we went to Ghent. If you plan to do this, check train times as I think they run hourly.

[LibraLass41]

JoJo

we have fireworks in Amsterdam on New Years Eve, I bet it will be heaving there in the evening, I hope it will be a formal night onboard, I think I'll stay onboard and watch the fireworks from the deck:

http://www.amsterdam.info/events/newyear/

 

 

The berth is only 15 mins walk into Amsterdam, I think we will do our thing there,. have now booked Ghent from Zeebrugge, but only because I have 'done' Bruges about 5 times now in past 6 years, and fancy going somewhere different for the afternoon.

[LibraLass41]

JoJo

see we are both from Bristol>>>

 

I may go here in Amsterdam , looks good

 

http://www.heinekenexperience.com/

 

 

Sue Veale - meet you on facebook if you want to talk more?

[LibraLass41]

LibraLass41 - To answer your original question re Ghent I would say it is worth a visit. We took the train from Blankenberg station - the same one that goes to Bruges but continue on to Bb. From the station we took a 1 euro tram to centre (could be more now). It could be chilly in December. We were there at a warmer time of year and went up the Belfry, good views, and took a canal ride followed by Belgian beer in a Beerhaus followed by waffles on our way back to the tram. We had thought we would stay onboard but were glad we went to Ghent. If you plan to do this, check train times as I think they run hourly.

 

Thanks, we will go there, have a walking tour included in the price :)

[LibraLass41]

We have been to Ghent but it was not on a cruise. It's a fairly ordinary town compared to Bruges but if you are interested in art, there is a famous Van Eyck painting in the cathedral.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent_Altarpiece

Even if you are not interested in art it is well worth seeing? The detail in the painting is unbelievable.

Brian

 

Thanks Brian, a visit to Cathedral is included in the tour will see this no doubt!

[LibraLass41]

The biggest advantage of a taxi is that they can normally drop you right in the middle of the city, near or in the main square. Not so easy to find them to come back though with it being so bustly.

 

I agree !! We asked the taxi driver to return for us to take us back to the ship and he never showed, a very stressful 1/2 hr trying to get another taxi followed with the ship departing a hour later.... I prefer the P&O 'Bruges on your own' coach trip.!

[jojo67]

JoJo

we have fireworks in Amsterdam on New Years Eve, I bet it will be heaving there in the evening, I hope it will be a formal night onboard, I think I'll stay onboard and watch the fireworks from the deck:

http://www.amsterdam.info/events/newyear/

 

 

The berth is only 15 mins walk into Amsterdam, I think we will do our thing there,. have now booked Ghent from Zeebrugge, but only because I have 'done' Bruges about 5 times now in past 6 years, and fancy going somewhere different for the afternoon.

 

The fireworks look great, as does the Heinekin experience, but with 3 teenagers in tow I may have to leave this until a future trip :D I am hoping to do our own thing and have a wander around Amsterdam, never having visited before, and would love to include a visit to Anne Franks house. However being NYE I am expecting it to be busy. I may look into prebooking online before we go. I can see from the pre cruise info that we've only 1 formal night & 3 semi formal, so I'm assuming that NYE will be the formal night, with big coats for watching the fireworks up on deck at midnight!

[LibraLass41]

Yes do hope NYE isd the formal night. Nice way to spend it, makes a change from watching Jools Holland on tv !:rolleyes:

[LibraLass41]

Yes do hope NYE is the formal night. Nice way to spend it, makes a change from watching Jools Holland on tv !:rolleyes:

[bazzaw]

We went to both Brugges and Ghent - using the train from Blankenberge (on two separate occasions with Cunard). This was in Spring this year , so I am not sure I would recommend the train in December.

 

We enjoyed both places - but if I had the opportunity to return to only one of them, it would be Ghent.

 

Brugges is undoubtedly beautiful - but it is strictly a tourist town, almost Disney-like - while Ghent is a real town with real people/residents.

 

Barry

[jeanlyon]

I agree, Ghent is beautifu, I think I preferred it to Bruges. The churches are amazing. We also went for a canal ride on a boat with commentary.

[LibraLass41]

Thanks both of you. I'm glad I've book Ghent now. As much as I love Bruges I've been there every year for 5 years, and its time to see somewhere else from Zeebruges. Like the idea of a afternoon tour too, so not too early a start in the morning.

[bazzaw]

We didn't go into THIS in Ghent -- right in the very centre of town, but not enough time for us -- but I would have liked to. It would be quite eery in Winter, I think.

 

Barry

[LibraLass41]

What a fantastic castle Barry !

[Kaleidoscope]

I have to start by confessing that Ghent is one of my favourite cities, so you will see that this is not an unbiased view! The Gravensteen castle that Barry mentions above is well worth a visit, and is close to where the tour boats depart for short trips around the canals. The castle has a very spooky metal spiderweb outside, which is beautifully illuminated at night. Last month, there was a big set of letters just around the corner by the canal bridge spelling out "Search and Destroy" (must be Iggy & The Stooges fans in the vicinity!).

 

The Graslei where the boats are situated is beautiful and merits a wander around; there are stunning architectural details to spot on the buildings. Also nearby is the "Waterhouse on the Beer Canal" (Waterhuis en der Bierkant - I think), which is a lovely bar with lots of Belgian beer to sample, and a nice warm stove to snuggle up to in the winter. :)

 

The main square hosts the beautiful Belfry (and a number of chocolate shops in the adjacent square where the theatre is located - also a beautiful building). When we visited in the winter, there has been an ice rink in the square, although a new building is being erected there now, so any ice rink will have moved! ;) There was also a Christmas market in the square by the theatre.

[LibraLass41]

Thank you,

 

now...Amsterdam - what to do?

 

Last time we berthed at Rotterdam and did a coach trip to Amsterdam which included the canal boat ride through Amsterdam, saw windmills and a clog factory etc... fancy seeing more of Amsterdam this time.... When we berth there, do we walk into the city? Is there a free shuttle? What shall we do?

 

Someone mentioned the Heiniken museum experience, which sounds good, a bit like Guiness storehouse at Dublin I think

....any ideas?