Western Mediterranean

[DublinFC]

Hello, 

We are scheduled to take our 1st Med cruise June 2025.  Sailing out of Barcelona.  1st any tips/tricks would be welcomed regarding sailing the Med.   2nd I am wondering if the port stops offer a shuttle or bus or something to bring us to the city we are visiting? If so is this included or a paid service?  I am not talking about an excursion, I understand that will be a different arrangement.

 

Thanks!

[Essiesmom]

Ship? Itinerary?  We can’t speak of shuttles without knowing the ports.  Be aware that Mediterranean cruises are like a bus route, with new guests boarding at most of the ports.  EM

[alserrod]

Hi,

 

please, say where are you going to embark and which ports of call will you have. Obviously answer is not the same.

 

 

[notley-cruise]

@DublinFC

MSC has six different ships and itineraries departing Barcelona / Tarragona in June...

[CruisingFox27]

It would be useful to know your ports but if there is a shuttle,  as there is for Barcelona, Marseille,  it is a paid service. The tickets are left in your cabin and you just hand them in when boarding the bus. The charge is then applied to your cabin account. 

[DublinFC]

Hello @Essiesmom, @CruisingFox27, @notley-cruise, and @alserrod I guess the ports would have been helpful 😅

 

 

Starting in Barcelona, last port is Marseille.  MSC Seaside, June 3-10 2025

[CruisingFox27]

Hi @DublinFC, we're doing your exact itinerary in June 2024. I was just reviewing our itinerary and plans and thought yours looked familiar 😁 I do wish we were sailing on Seaside though! 

 

I can confirm there's a shuttle bus for Marseille, and it is needed as the port is quite a way out of the City, 15 - 20 minutes on said bus, if memory serves. We used it last year on our Med cruise. 

 

I believe in Naples the ship docks near enough to the City that a shuttle isn't required. I hope so, as we plan to explore after our excursion to Sorrento. I also believe this is true of Palermo, again, hopefully, as we plan to just explore on our own. 

 

Florence and Pisa are not close to Livorno, 90 minutes and 60 minutes by coach, if you're looking to visit those, you'd need an excursion or arrange your own independent trip. 

 

Our La Goulette excursion states it's 40 minutes to Tunis, although, Google states 20 minutes by car, so it's possible that there will be a shuttle bus. 

 

My main tip for your cruise would be have a great time 😊

 

ETA:  although people will embark and disembark at multiple ports on this itinerary, if you're off the ship exploring, you'll have no impact of this happening. Unless you happen to return during a muster do when the lifts/ bars are closed. 

Edited May 16 by CruisingFox27

[DublinFC]

6 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

Hi @DublinFC, we're doing your exact itinerary in June 2024. I was just reviewing our itinerary and plans and thought yours looked familiar 😁 I do wish we were sailing on Seaside though! 

 

I can confirm there's a shuttle bus for Marseille, and it is needed as the port is quite a way out of the City, 15 - 20 minutes on said bus, if memory serves. We used it last year on our Med cruise. 

 

I believe in Naples the ship docks near enough to the City that a shuttle isn't required. I hope so, as we plan to explore after our excursion to Sorrento. I also believe this is true of Palermo, again, hopefully, as we plan to just explore on our own. 

 

Florence and Pisa are not close to Livorno, 90 minutes and 60 minutes by coach, if you're looking to visit those, you'd need an excursion or arrange your own independent trip. 

 

Our La Goulette excursion states it's 40 minutes to Tunis, although, Google states 20 minutes by car, so it's possible that there will be a shuttle bus. 

 

My main tip for your cruise would be have a great time 😊

Hahaha nice!

 

We have Pompeii already booked when we arrive in Naples.  Good to know there is a shuttle for Marseille.  

 

My uncle has done this itinerary and said to" get on the busses and go have a look around".  However, he wasn't clear on excursion over provided shuttle lol.  Just trying to get some clarification from the message board cruisers. 

[sverigecruiser]

24 minutes ago, DublinFC said:

Hahaha nice!

 

We have Pompeii already booked when we arrive in Naples.  Good to know there is a shuttle for Marseille.  

 

My uncle has done this itinerary and said to" get on the busses and go have a look around".  However, he wasn't clear on excursion over provided shuttle lol.  Just trying to get some clarification from the message board cruisers. 

 

We have the same cruise booked but in July 2025.

 

We were in Pompeii on a cruiseexcursion last summer, interesting but hot! It was worth doing it but the first beer back onboard tasted very good!

[DublinFC]

11 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

We have the same cruise booked but in July 2025.

 

We were in Pompeii on a cruiseexcursion last summer, interesting but hot! It was worth doing it but the first beer back onboard tasted very good!

I am hoping early June will be bearable while on the excursion(s). Plenty of cold beer will be welcomed to help cool off when back on the ship.

[sverigecruiser]

30 minutes ago, DublinFC said:

I am hoping early June will be bearable while on the excursion(s). Plenty of cold beer will be welcomed to help cool off when back on the ship.

 

It was almost not bearable on our cruise but the thought of all the beer available on the ship helped a lot!

[alserrod]

5 hours ago, DublinFC said:

Hello @Essiesmom, @CruisingFox27, @notley-cruise, and @alserrod I guess the ports would have been helpful 😅

 

 

Starting in Barcelona, last port is Marseille.  MSC Seaside, June 3-10 2025

 

 

Hi

 

About Barcelona, there's a shuttle bus from the nearest underground station. 4,5 euro return ticket.

 

I invite you to read this thread about Barcelona transport

 

 

 

[Damo74]

On 5/16/2024 at 4:19 PM, DublinFC said:

Hello @Essiesmom, @CruisingFox27, @notley-cruise, and @alserrod I guess the ports would have been helpful 😅

 

 

Starting in Barcelona, last port is Marseille.  MSC Seaside, June 3-10 2025

Hi, I can vouch for a couple of these ports. There is a free shuttle bus operated by the port in Marseille, it’s about a 10 min walk form the terminal and takes you to the the gates of the port and you are then theoretically in the city centre. I’m sure I found out about this from the site whatsinport 

 

Naples is much simpler as you dock right in the centre. We’ve done both Capri and Sorrento on different occasions. Right next to the cruise terminal there is what I can only describe as a bus terminal for boats and you’ll find boats taking you to various destinations in the area 😁

[DublinFC]

On 5/19/2024 at 5:06 AM, Damo74 said:

Hi, I can vouch for a couple of these ports. There is a free shuttle bus operated by the port in Marseille, it’s about a 10 min walk form the terminal and takes you to the the gates of the port and you are then theoretically in the city centre. I’m sure I found out about this from the site whatsinport 

 

Naples is much simpler as you dock right in the centre. We’ve done both Capri and Sorrento on different occasions. Right next to the cruise terminal there is what I can only describe as a bus terminal for boats and you’ll find boats taking you to various destinations in the area 😁

OK good to know!

[DublinFC]

On 5/16/2024 at 4:58 PM, alserrod said:

 

 

Hi

 

About Barcelona, there's a shuttle bus from the nearest underground station. 4,5 euro return ticket.

 

I invite you to read this thread about Barcelona transport

 

 

 

Will be having a look at this thread, thank you

[DublinFC]

Does anyone know when more MSC sponsored excursions will load online?  I can see a 3-4per port currently.  Or are these all that will be available through the cruise line?

[alserrod]

2 hours ago, DublinFC said:

Does anyone know when more MSC sponsored excursions will load online?  I can see a 3-4per port currently.  Or are these all that will be available through the cruise line?

 

 

I do not know.

 

I am going to have a cruise with MSC on Mediterranean. I glanced yesterday and there were ports with more than 8 excursions available, whilst some months ago, just 3-4

 

Anyway, in which ports are you interested on?

[DublinFC]

17 minutes ago, alserrod said:

 

 

I do not know.

 

I am going to have a cruise with MSC on Mediterranean. I glanced yesterday and there were ports with more than 8 excursions available, whilst some months ago, just 3-4

 

Anyway, in which ports are you interested on?

Palermo and Marseille are the 2 I am most interested in since we already have an excursion arranged for Naples.