Do Disney put on free shuttles into the towns/cities once they dock at each port?

[tinkerbell1991]

Hi,

As the post says really - does disney put on free buses/shuttles from each port they dock to get into the city centre/towns or is this down to each passenger to arrange? I realise you can book excursions but if I wanted to take everything in at my own leisure without a tour guide, would I just need to book a taxi, uber or take the train if one nearby?

 

[Calantha]

if I wanted to take everything in at my own leisure without a tour guide, would I just need to book a taxi, uber or take the train if one nearby

Disney doesn’t offer transportation unless you are on one of their excursions. Depending on the port, there will be taxis most likely. Uber or other options maybe.

 

[tinkerbell1991]

Disney doesn’t offer transportation unless you are on one of their excursions. Depending on the port, there will be taxis most likely. Uber or other options maybe.

Amazing, thank you

 

[Marc D]

There are some ports in Europe where a free downtown shuttle is offered. Dublin is one of them, but my understanding is that those shuttles are offered by a local agency (tourist office, port authority…) and not by the cruise line itself.

 

[hmsTigger]

Depending on the cruise DCL does offer buses into some city centers Which cruise are you on?

 

[Flossbolna]

We had free shuttles in Juneau, Livorno, Civitavecchia (into town, you had to pay for train station) and Palma on our Med and Alaska cruises. Maybe also in Skagway…

I think it depends on the port, but if the port is not really walkable from town and people would want to walk through town they have a shuttle.

 

[tlprice]

It definitely depends on the port. We had shuttles into Livorno, Genoa, and will in Stavanger (I believe). Many others, no. We didn't in Ringaskiddy (Cork, Cobh) and that port is out in the middle of nowhere. Some others may have had shuttles, but either I was on a DCL excursion or had arranged my own excursions so I didn't notice.

 

[pearljammer]

Hi,

As the post says really - does disney put on free buses/shuttles from each port they dock to get into the city centre/towns or is this down to each passenger to arrange? I realise you can book excursions but if I wanted to take everything in at my own leisure without a tour guide, would I just need to book a taxi, uber or take the train if one nearby?

Sorry but I got a kick out of Disney and Free in the same sentence. *wink*

 

[Marthasor]

It really depends on the port. We just did the 11-night Northern Europe cruise and a free shuttle was only offered in Skagen. Some of the other towns were walkable, but ports that were further away - Stockholm, Bruges for example- required us to book an excursion or find our own transportation.

 

[PurplePencil]

It definitely depends on the port. We had shuttles into Livorno, Genoa, and will in Stavanger (I believe). Many others, no. We didn't in Ringaskiddy (Cork, Cobh) and that port is out in the middle of nowhere. Some others may have had shuttles, but either I was on a DCL excursion or had arranged my own excursions so I didn't notice.

Which cruise are you going on? The September 3 Dream cruise is porting in Mekjarvik, and cannot figure out if there will be a shuttle to Stavanger. The port is a very industrial area, and is 15 minutes from Stavanger, with not a lot of excursions being offered by Disney.

 

[DisneyConvert]

We had free shuttles in Juneau, Livorno, Civitavecchia (into town, you had to pay for train station) and Palma on our Med and Alaska cruises. Maybe also in Skagway…

I think it depends on the port, but if the port is not really walkable from town and people would want to walk through town they have a shuttle.

Best answer (sometimes, it depends).
Yes to Juneau. Basically, where the town is more than a short walk away.
Skagway was done by a private company that charged $2(!), for adults, in 2014.
Ketchikan is right there. Not even a walk.
Reykjavik had a free shuttle.
Alesund was proximate and there were HOHO busses too.
Stavanger was proximate and very walkable. Loved that place.
I dont remember Kristiansand, I think it was walkable.
Even Copenhagen on one of our cruises docked at Langeline which I dont think is used anymore, but was walkable, and they offered bus services too.
InverGordon is walkable too, but most folks take excursions or taxi's to go beyond the town.

 

[auntlynne]

Since she is doing 7-N Med out of Rome, it should be these ports:

• Naples (Pompeii), Italy
• Mykonos, Greece
• Santorini, Greece
• Chania, Greece
• Piraeus (Athens), Greece

When we ported in Naples, we were right near downtown. We walked a few blocks to a tobacconist and bought train tickets. Then several blocks to the train to go to Pompeii. Its train station was right at the entrance to the area. No other transportation needed.

Naples: Just checked a YT video from Chris Wong. Ferries to nearby islands are just around the corner from the cruise terminal.

 

[auntlynne]

Santorini: Check out this video

I had seen videos with people waiting to do the return cable car. This video would have me doing a shore excursion. He explains the various ports used to get the visitors to the top of the island and avoid many hours wait for the cable car on arrival (it has the capability to move only 1,000 people/ hour).

 

[auntlynne]

Start watching YouTube videos! There is so much info out there. Filter to get the details you need. (Not to discourage your asking us questions, but you can read and watch in relation to how you travel. Plus, it can be fun to see the places where you will be going). Not every video is helpful.

Or read Trip Reports Found on Page 1 of this Forum. There are some very detailed reports on there. Use the Search feature to look for specific information - or just read all the lovely words.

 

[Flossbolna]

One thing to note: DCL is not very good at advertising the free shuttles. I didn’t see any info in the app on them. My best source was watching the Good Morning Disney Dream/Winder show on the TV each morning while getting ready.

I have to say that show was so much more enjoyable with Jimmy as Cruise Director in Alaska than with the CD we had on the Med. Already forgot his name…

 

[Geomom]

Which cruise are you going on? The September 3 Dream cruise is porting in Mekjarvik, and cannot figure out if there will be a shuttle to Stavanger. The port is a very industrial area, and is 15 minutes from Stavanger, with not a lot of excursions being offered by Disney.

We were on the 8/19-8/26 Fjords cruise. They had free shuttles from Mekjarvik to Stavanger, not advertised in advance. According to our Facebook group there was an hour plus wait coming back to the ship around 5pm. We had a port adventure booked, so didn't use the shuttle.

 

[tlprice]

Which cruise are you going on? The September 3 Dream cruise is porting in Mekjarvik, and cannot figure out if there will be a shuttle to Stavanger. The port is a very industrial area, and is 15 minutes from Stavanger, with not a lot of excursions being offered by Disney.

I am on the September 3rd Dream cruise and I assumed there was a shuttle because on my excursion and on many other ones I looked at it said:

• Head off the ship from Mekjarvik to Stavanger by shuttle bus for approximately 30 minutes.

I feel like I also read it somewhere else, but I can't remember where or may be mistaken.

 

[soniam]

Santorini: Check out this video

I had seen videos with people waiting to do the return cable car. This video would have me doing a shore excursion. He explains the various ports used to get the visitors to the top of the island and avoid many hours wait for the cable car on arrival (it has the capability to move only 1,000 people/ hour).

If it's a busy time, ie summer, absolutely do an excursion in Santorini or stay on the boat. You will have to do the cable car, donkeys, or walk at least getting back to the ship, but with an excursion you avoid the going up problem. We didn't do DCL, but we just did it on Celebrity. We lucked out with a morning excursion. When they dropped us back in Fira, the town above the port that has the cable car, it was about 1pm and the wait was only about 20 minutes. Not even 30 minutes after, the wait had grown to over an hour. It got up to 2-3 hours. I thought the 4-5 boats in port (3 with 3000+ passengers) were a lot, but according to the tour guide, they can get up to 11 boats in port some days Only the walk is free. The cable car isn't expensive though and some excursions give you a free return trip cable car ticket.

You get dropped off with a tender right in town for Mykonos, so not really a need for a shuttle.

 

[Cheburashka]

Not typically, no.