Port

Your cruise stop in Marseille

A cruise stop in Marseille gives you a few hours in a city with 2,600 years of history, and an easy start to the rest of Provence. Provence Amazing Tours offers half-day and full-day shore excursions, most of them for 1 to 8 guests, led by Laurent Cygler, a local guide, in an air-conditioned eight-seat minivan.

Choose a 4-hour tour of the city, or a half day in Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, the lavender fields or a wine estate. If your ship stays in port longer, a 7-hour day takes you to Avignon, Arles, the Luberon or the Camargue.

Where ships dock and how to reach the city

Most of our guests arrive at the Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal (MPCT), at the Môle Léon Gourret, where passengers enter the cruise port through Gate 4. Some ships dock at the J4 terminal at La Joliette, which the port describes as next to the Old Port. Your cruise line confirms which terminal you use for your day.

From the terminals to the city center, you have these options:

  • Free port shuttle: it runs every day when ships are in port and leaves about every 20 minutes. The city-side stop is at 9 quai du Lazaret, between the Terrasses du Port shopping center and the Joliette maritime station.
  • Cruise line shuttle: if your line offers one, it is paid (about €20 round trip) and leaves more often than the port shuttle.
  • Bus 35T: on port days, this RTM bus links Place de la Joliette with the cruise terminal at Gate 4.
  • On foot: from the J4 terminal, the port says the city center is a few minutes away. The tourist office gives about 25 minutes on foot from Place de la Joliette to the Old Port.
  • Taxi: about €40 to €50 one way from the cruise terminal. There is also a taxi stand on Place de la Joliette, and the ride to the Old Port takes about 10 minutes, depending on traffic.

Terminals and schedules can change from one call to the next, so check your cruise line’s port information for your day.

Short tours for a port day

Our half-day tours last 4 hours, and our food tours 3 hours. Each tour page has the full program and the price.

  • Marseille city tour, 4 hours: the Panier district, Palais Longchamp, Notre-Dame de la Garde and a drive along the coastal road.
  • Marseille food tour, 3 hours, minimum 4 guests: the Noailles district and the city center, with snacks and local drinks.
  • Cassis half-day tour, 4 hours: the waterfront and the Route des Crêtes, with the view from Cap Canaille.
  • Aix-en-Provence half-day tour, 4 hours: the old town’s alleys and fountains, Saint-Sauveur Cathedral and calisson tasting.
  • Aix-en-Provence food tour, 3 hours, minimum 4 guests: calissons, olive oils, tapenade and goat cheese.
  • Lavender tour, 4 hours: a distillery and the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau.
  • Wine tour, 4 hours: tastings at two estates.
  • Jewish heritage tour, 4 hours: the synagogue of Cavaillon and the historic ghetto of Aix-en-Provence.

Full-day trips from Marseille

Our full-day tours last 7 hours, for 1 to 8 guests. A few of them:

See all our tours in the tour list, or customize a tour: choose the departure point, the duration and the highlights.

Meeting point and getting back on board

We meet you at the cruise port, at the exit of your ship, with a sign showing your name. If you have already left the port on your own, we can also meet you in the center of Marseille.

For a half-day tour, the meeting time is usually between 8 and 9 a.m. for a morning tour and between 12:15 and 1:15 p.m. for an afternoon tour.

We bring you back to your ship at least 1 hour before it leaves. If your ship skips Marseille or cannot dock, your booking is refunded in full.

Toulon and La Seyne-sur-Mer cruise ports

Does your ship call at Toulon or La Seyne-sur-Mer instead? Toulon has two cruise terminals, one in the city center and one at La Seyne-sur-Mer, across the bay. Many of our tours can start at either port. Because we are based in Marseille, a supplement of €90 applies for the 2-hour round trip. The page of each tour says whether pickup at these ports is offered.

What is included

On most of our tours, the price covers the minivan, the guide, fuel, tolls, insurance and taxes. Lunch, drinks and entrance fees are usually extra. Each tour page lists what is included and what is not.

How to book your shore excursion

To book a shore excursion, write to us by email, WhatsApp or the contact form with your ship’s name, the date of your call and the times your ship docks and leaves. We reply with tour options that fit your time ashore.

Questions about cruise stops in Marseille

Where do cruise ships dock in Marseille?

Ships dock at one of two cruise terminals. The Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal (MPCT) is at the Môle Léon Gourret, in the north of the city, and passengers enter the cruise port through Gate 4. The J4 terminal is at La Joliette, which the port describes as next to the Old Port. The terminal can change from one call to the next, so confirm yours with your cruise line.

How far is the cruise port from the city center?

According to MedCruise, the MPCT is about 8 km from the city center and the J4 terminal about 500 m. The port says the city center is a few minutes away on foot from the J4 terminal.

Can I walk from the cruise port into Marseille?

From the J4 terminal, the port says the city center is a few minutes away on foot, and the tourist office says you can walk to the Old Port. From the MPCT at Gate 4, the tourist office advises public transport or a taxi, and a free port shuttle runs on days when ships are in. The tourist office gives about 25 minutes on foot from Place de la Joliette to the Old Port.

How do I get from the cruise port to the city center?

You can take the free port shuttle, which leaves about every 20 minutes on days when ships are in port, your cruise line’s shuttle if it offers one (about €20 round trip), the RTM bus 35T to Place de la Joliette, or a taxi, which costs about €40 to €50 one way from the cruise terminal. From Place de la Joliette, bus lines 55 and 82 reach the Old Port in 10 to 15 minutes.

How long should I plan for Marseille on a cruise stop?

Our city tour takes 4 hours: 90 minutes in the Panier district, 30 minutes at Palais Longchamp, an hour at Notre-Dame de la Garde and an hour on the coastal road. A half-day trip to Aix-en-Provence, Cassis or the lavender fields also takes 4 hours, and a full-day trip takes 7 hours.

What can I see in Marseille in 4 hours?

On our 4-hour city tour, you walk through the Panier district and its street art, see the 19th-century Palais Longchamp, go up to Notre-Dame de la Garde for a 360-degree view of the Old Port, the mountains and the sea, and finish with a drive along the coastal road.

What are good day trips from Marseille?

Our 7-hour day trips go to Avignon and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Arles and Les Baux, the Luberon villages, the Camargue and the lavender fields. You can also spend the day on a boat around the Frioul Islands and the Calanques.

Can you pick us up at the Toulon or La Seyne-sur-Mer cruise port?

Yes, for many of our tours. A supplement of €90 applies for the 2-hour round trip from Marseille. The page of each tour says whether pickup at Toulon or La Seyne-sur-Mer is offered.

Do you pick up guests at the cruise terminal?

Yes. We meet you at the exit of your ship, with a sign showing your name.

Will I be back on the ship in time?

We bring you back to your ship at least 1 hour before it leaves.

What if my ship cannot dock?

If your ship skips Marseille or cannot dock, your booking is refunded in full (100%).