Is there any way to hit both Brussels & Bruges in 1 day from cruise?

Just take your time, walk, sit, eat and do Bruges.

My opinion would be no, you can't do both. We really liked Bruges and have not been to Brussels. One limitation with Bruges is that their train station is at least a mile from the historic center.

You could save time by taking the train to Brussels actually from Zeebrugge, and back from Bruges to Zeebrugge.

I know the ships try to tell you that Blankenberge is the station for Zeebrugge, well Zeebrugge has two of it's own. Trains run hourly at 9 minutes past the hour, and hourly from Blankeberge at 53 minutes past the hour.

From Zeebrugge Dorp on Monday to Saturday and Zeebrugge Strand on Sunday.

You need to be back by 1 hour before departure, and it is unlikely, as you are not on a ship's tour that you will be first off at 7am- tours are usually given priority disembarkation. Also bear in mind the tram only runs every 15 to 20 minutes and will be busy. When the ship arrives there is paperwork to do and the gangway to set up before anyone gets off.

Depending what time you are off ship, check the tram timetable and work out whether Knokke (also hourly trains), Blankenberge or Zeebrugge are the best station to use.

This is all lost time. It feels a tight schedule to me. I would settle for Bruges. If I had any spare time maybe return by train to Knokke and take the tram back from there to Zeebrugge. Or explore more of the longest tramway in the world towards De Panne.

We've been to both, and I would absolutely pick Bruges over Brussels. I, personally, would not try to do both.

In Bruges, there's a free Centrum Shuttle that picks folks up at the train station and circles through the old town, 7am to 7 pm, 7 days a week. It's a green/ white half- sized bus. Look for the green and white sign with a shuttle pix, after walking directly from the main exist/ entrance of the train station to the curb.
There's a route map online. It runs about every 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy this charming city, and buy lots of chocolate . My favorite is Dumon, just the plain creamy milk chocolate bars.

I would not try to do both. I would research both and then pick the one that interests you most.

If time left in Bruges you can bike along the canal to Damme. Or take the train back to Zeebrugge-Dorp and have a stop in lovely Lissewege. In the latter and Damme you can climb during the summer season the bell towers for a magnificent view. Doable not having physical issues and don't mind climbing narrow winding stairs.

If more time left you can take the train to Ostend / Oostende and the coastal tram to De Haan, a lovely seaside resort known for it’s Belle Epoque architecture. Albert Einstein stayed there for a half year in 1933, his temporarely home “Villa Savojarde” is still there. Following explanation boards you can walk in his footsteps. From De Haan go straight to Zeebrugge with the coastal tram too.

Going to Brussels or not remains ofcourse your decision. With the good railway connections you can even decide on the spot, but if you can't do both I would skip Brussels.

Sometimes people who never use public transportation at home fail to understand how (for their house cleaners, for example) the AVERAGE wait is statistically 1/2 the interval between busses or trains. Then add time for finding the right stop, and making sure it is "in the correct direction", whether the driver takes cash, and how to buy 2 or 4 tickets, and whether there are more cruise passengers in line than will fit on the next trip! And, sometimes the transit is, imagine that, not on time!

For 7-8-8:30 to 5PM, you need to accept that you are on a high-end trip, and PAY for the ship excursion (that the ship will wait for if there's a road accident and it's late.) BTW, leave at 5 probably means All Aboard at 4:45 or 4:30. Is it a docked port or ... a tender port?

You can't see Brussels in two hours, and it's not really worth the effort (in your situation.) You can't even see the Ancient/Modern Art Museums in 2 hours.

Many on this forum don’t like Brussels very much. I think it’s ok, but its strength is museums, so if you’re not interested in those, it’s basically the Grand Place which is lovely, but takes 15 minutes to see, so given the travel time I also would recommend sticking to Bruges.

Thanks so much to everyone who responded! You really helped me understand the process a little better to guide me toward a good decision - not do both in one day! I am so thankful for your smart advice and for taking the time to help! Take care and happy travels!!