Need suggestions for cruise stop for a day in Marsaille

see my suggestion in your other post

There are so many things to do and see in Marseille, I suggest starting your own explorations using a guide book or at least a Google search to help you work out a plan of attack.

We had a day in Marseille before picking up a rental car and heading to places father north. We’d cone in from the airport by bus, so I’m not sure where your ship unloads passengers, but we had lunch at a restaurant that had awning-covered outdoor seating, then strolled to the port area, where we visited the splendid Cathedrale La Major cathedral, and on to the fantastic MuCEM museum - the Musee des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Mediterranean. Wide-ranging exhibits on Mediterranean culture and history, in a fantastic new building with a fascinating black web-like exterior.

The Rick Steves Med Cruise Ports guidebook includes Marseille. It also gives great tips on DIY shore excursions. I'd look there first.

If you're up for a hike, wander up to Notre Dame. It's beautiful and has the most amazing views!

I used this article for some reference
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/travel/36-hours-in-marseille.html

The train station isn't far from the port so it would be easy to go elsewhere, but Marseille was bustling and beautiful I would spend time wandering around the city, shopping, eating, and drinking.

"if you are up for a hike, wander up to Notre Dame."

It is quite a hike indeed above the city of Marseille to the Basilica Notre Dame de la Garde, and then there are 200 steps further uphill from the road to the church entrance. Be warned. We were not.

Yes, be warned lol! There are buses or of course you can get a taxi to the base of the church.

We are in our thirties and my boyfriend is very athletic and was fine with the walk and the stairs. I am only somewhat athletic and it was a tough walk for me!

We too will be docking in Marseille for a day on our cruise. We are looking on a tour with https://italytours.eu/marseille-shore-excursions/ . This is a small group, I believe there will only be 8 of us and it will cater to our interests.

We used the Rick Steves Mediterranean port guide. Wound up booking a cruise ship excursion to Pont du Gard and Avignon because it seemed a good fit for our interests in history and photography. It was a large bus full of people, but at both sights the guide turned us loose to explore at our own pace. Well, technically, in Avignon we were supposed to do lunch on our own and regroup to see the Palais des Papes but we skipped that and took photos of the bridge from a nearby park, then toured the bridge itself. It's a long tiring day and the bus was almost late getting back to the ship, so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.

tyrker had good advice. I would not stay in Marseille.

We liked Aix, Arles and Avignon.

Suggestion, check this out: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/port-guides/marseille-cruise-port-guide/

We are not big fans of long bus rides on shore excursions, so we started with a short city tour from the port to "get the lay of the land", and then we explored the old town and city centre on our own by foot. Marseille for us was a very pleasant surprise during our 2016 Med cruise.

Thank you all for the suggestions, I'll be reading up in RS port book!

Don't forget you can tear the port guidebook apart and bring ashore only the section you need for that port. Rick even sells cardboard "covers" for your sections. If you're a librarian's daughter like I am don't tell her you did this.