First time to the Mediterranean June 6 through June 13. 2015 and were surprised at the prices of cruise excursions for two adults at all of the ports we will be stopping. We are used to the excursions in the Caribbean where the price is fixed and not based on the amount of people attending the tour. We would to like explore Cannes and the surrounding areas and create our own excursion. I have seen Monte Carlo and Nice as suggested options. We would like to stroll along the popular beaches but do not need to linger there. We are confortable with hiking but would like some suggestions about using the public transportation from the port to various locations. We will be in port 10:30 AM - 7:00 PM. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated. Quick museum stops are good but we prefer to walk through the towns, get a feel for the neighborhoods, and stop for a drink or quick meal at outdoor cafes. Thanking you in advise for your kind responses.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Many popular stops along the coast are served by both train and bus, so you should have plenty flexibility with public transport. Bus is quite cheap; train is a little faster for covering longer distances. You can see a summary of French Riviera destinations here and get more detail in any of these 3 Rick Steves guidebooks: France, Provence/Riviera, or Mediterranean Cruise Ports. One of the closest destinations from Cannes is Antibes, known for it's market hall, Picasso Musuem (closed Mondays), and yacht harbor. Nice is a bigger city, but still has a very attractive waterfront, pebble beach, old town, and Chagall and Matisse museums (closed Tuesdays).
How to Look Up Train Schedules and Routes Online gives you the DB train schedule link and tips for using it. Buses are by www.lignesdazur.com.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I strongly recommend you get Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports. It will have all the details you need to do Cannes and other nearby places on your own, as well as lots of help for other ports on your cruise.
The trains from Cannes to Nice to Monaco (for Monte Carlo) run twice an hour. You'll need euro coins to buy tickets from machines, so try to have these when you disembark, or else you'll have to wait in line to buy from a live person.
Train is the way to go from Cannes with your limited time. The bus runs three times an hour from Cannes to Nice, and then a different bus runs four times an hour from Nice to Monaco. But the buses take at least twice as long, and the trains aren't expensive (under €10 each way per person).
As for places closer to Cannes, I actually preferred Juan-les-Pins to Antibes; they're close to each other. And don't overlook the possibility of just walking around Cannes. I disagree with Rick that the town has little to offer. The "glamour zone" is only right at the beach; further back, it's a workaday town, and if you go up the hill to the west of the beach, it's a pretty neighborhood without being "plastic."
Posted by
OP
Chicago, IL, USA
25 posts
Thank you everyone for your kind responses. We are looking forward to our trip.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7885 posts
I'm not saying you should obediently pay the large fees for excursions. But you really need to be sure that you are back in time for the last tender, or before they pull up the gangplank. When a high-priced excursion is caught in a traffic jam, they hold the ship.
Posted by
OP
Chicago, IL, USA
25 posts
Thank you Tim, I agree with you. We are hoping to find that once we are on the ship we can assess the excursions to see if they can group interested passengers together thus lowering the costs. We are not able to purchase any excursions ahead of time through MSC as they require you to list the number in your party (2) and charge us accordingly. My husband and I have just begun travelling to Europe and are trying to be a bit more adventurous each time. Thank you again for your guidance. It is greatly appreciated, De
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
" We are hoping to find that once we are on the ship we can assess the excursions to see if they can group interested passengers together thus lowering the costs."
No need to wait. If you want to do this, sign up for your ship's Roll Call on the Cruise Critic forum. Then, you can set up a "private" small group excursion before you leave, thus giving you the advantage of a smaller group than the ship's tours: http://tinyurl.com/ap7h55m
For your other Cannes questions, here's their France Ports Forum: http://tinyurl.com/cdbsfhn
And here's their Cannes Port Review: http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=182
Posted by
2 posts
I was also going to suggest Cruise Critic ... It was invaluable to me in my planning our Med cruise in 2013 ... besides getting to chat with others on your exact cruise many people were able to pair up to book private tours. We were six people so I didn't share tours but there were so many people that did. Good luck planning!!! You will love it. I also found Rick's Med cruise port guide book to have some amazing information and tips on every port we were going to.
Posted by
OP
Chicago, IL, USA
25 posts
Thank you for your guidance. We have picked up a copy of Rick Steves Mediterranian Travel Guide and will look at it this weekend.