NicF612 Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 Hi all, first time posting :huh:. Cruising on Harmony in August in the Med- wondering if anyone has been to Marseilles... I looked at the excursions and none of them really seemed a fit for my fiancé and I. Anyone been to this port? Any recommendations or suggestions? Ive cruised in the Med before but never visited this port... Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 I have not, but hope someone here can assist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Welcome to the blog and I am very envious of your cruise to the Med. Enjoy ! Unfortunately, I have never been to Marseilles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Welcome - I have not personally been but I have had clients actually do a day at the beach at a local resort and loved it. I will try and find the information but they were picked up by a private driver and taken there for the day = also may want to look at www.toursbylocals.com and book something with a local guides Great site - I've done several in many European cities Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flacruiser99 Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi all, first time posting :huh:. Cruising on Harmony in August in the Med- wondering if anyone has been to Marseilles... I looked at the excursions and none of them really seemed a fit for my fiancé and I. Anyone been to this port? Any recommendations or suggestions? Ive cruised in the Med before but never visited this port... Thanks in advance! Yes, I took the cruise ship shuttle to the town and then took the Ferry Boat and the "Le Petit Train" It was a good day. http://www.marseille-tourisme.com/en/ Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wobble31 Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 We are on the Harmony in June and none of the trips for Marseille appeal to us so we are just going to have a wander around on our own. Sorry not much help but I will post what it's like there when we get back if that's any help. Enjoy your cruise, we are really looking forward to it, especially Pompeii, Pisa and Rome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobroo Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 You'll find Marseille a pleasant departure from your other ports. Your boat will dock quite aways from the city of Marseille, to get there will require an excursion. Perhaps after watching the Anthony Bourdain episode on Marseille will wet your appetite? As I've said it is different than your other ports in that it is France. As you might imagine France is organized, structured, classy, detail minded, and like Italy; inherently beautiful. So, it won't be ancient. It won't be over run. It won't be touristy. We went in 2014. Our RCL excursion brought us to the town of Cassis and then to a tour of Marseille and a large church called Notre Dame. I don't know if this tour is still available. The town of Cassis was very special. Quintessentially Provence. The farmers market we wondered through taught me so much about France and that they care so much about food. By comparison, here in the US we go through a drive through and for a $10 bill you get a brown bag with some junk in it. The cobblestone streets not only are white stone but they have snowflakes etched into them for traction. A man walking down the street with a corsage on his lapel not because he is standing up for a wedding but because it is....Tuesday. A bicycle leaning against a lamppost: photographic like a Thomas Kincade painting. The fishing boats in the harbor are all freshly painted, bright, vibrant, and not a spot of rust to be found on any of them. If I could afford it, Cassis is so far my #1 pick of a place to retire. The city of Marseille is very urban, yet still French. The Ferris Wheel is a iconic symbol. I found the Notre Dame church to be boring. But just a day or two beforehand we had been to the Vatican so after you see something like the Vatican ( or/ in addition to The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona); every other place of worship you walk into will pale by comparison. I will say we had lunch on our own at one of the outdoor cafes along the harbor and near the Ferris Wheel in Marseilles. It was a great lunch and for dessert we ordered profiteroles. I began to wonder because they took quite a while-- because they were made from scratch! They were by no means a signature dish or unusually specialty; that's just the way they do things in France. I don't need to tell you they were amazing beyond words. Worthy of getting on an airplane to fly to France just to eat them again. Don't discount your stop in Marseilles just because it doesn't appear to have any Oh Wow! attractions. Go there because you are getting a taste of France. A country unique and quite different. Don't worry about the language barrier, they know you are a tourist and with some respect to their culture every one speaks enough English so you get what you want. Most of all I hope you find you own profiteroles--or a great bottle of wine in the sunshine in a cafe, a great experience in a market buying Herbs d' Provence, a candy store right out of Willie Wonka, or maybe it's just a cup of expresso... Once your trip is over, please report back here; I'd like to hear how it went. Matt and WAAAYTOOO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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