MSC Euribia Ports: Hamburg, Bruges, and Rotterdam

In my last blog post, I have given the details about the MSC Euribia. However, in this blog post, I go into the details of each port in Europe: Hamburg, Bruges, Rotterdam and Le Harve (although I didn’t get off here)...so, let’s begin.

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The first useful thing to know is that MSC leaves a ticket in your cabin the night before arriving at a port for transport into the main town. They do this for all the ports and instructions on how to use them. I found this really useful. 

If you use it, your account will be charged. Hand the ticket in as you board the coach. They will leave you with a section of the ticket for the return. 

Visiting Hamburg

Our first stop was Hamburg, I hadn’t been here before. I knew the day would be just a little dip into the city and not particularly extensive. It was a Sunday and a Memorial Day, and it was raining. It’s okay; it's good to get off the ship and get a glimpse. 

Today's adventure brought me to the centre of Hamburg, opposite the Elbe River. The first thing that caught my eye was this incredibly ornate building—it turns out it's the Hamburg City Hall. 

The architecture is beautiful; it's Neo-Renaissance.  It is the seat for local government. It has a wonderful copper roof that has turned green, a good background for the ornate upper windows. 

Built at a time of prosperity, the building started in 1886. Usually, this building would be open. There is a courtyard at the back, a square with a fountain, and public access to the ground floor, but not today. Never mind, the outside is fabulous and very impressive.

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I walked along the river, and preparations were going on everywhere. There are a couple of market stalls open. It’s a shame everything is closed as there are a lot of people walking around.

If I visit here again, I will do a tour inside the Town Hall. I checked out the details on TripAdvisor, and the interior looks even more impressive than the outside.  Also, a harbour cruise. There is one on Get your guide. Check it out here. It looks great, particularly in the summer.

I wandered on and entered a beautiful church. Every time I’m on my journey, I light a candle in remembrance of my husband. 

I made a circle in the sand of a heart and placed a candle. I was promptly joined by other ladies, with their candles added to the heart. They silently said their prayers. I thought it was rather lovely. 

Anyway, back to the designated place to pick up the coach. It's been a pleasant few hours in Hamburg. 

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Zeebrugge, and visiting Bruges. 

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Zeebrugge is the port for Bruges. Once again, a ticket for the bus to the outskirts of Bruges was left in my cabin the night before. 

Bruges is beautiful, and it's the capital of West Flanders in Belgium. It has cobbled streets, canals, coffee shops, gift shops, and a host of chocolate shops. The mediaeval buildings give the city a lot of old worldly charm. 

It’s a very walkable city. Upon arriving on the bus across the road, you will see this red bridge. Cross this, and into the beautiful park. 

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It was a lovely day. It's about a 10-minute walk until you get to Bruges.

As you enter, there are many horses and carriages lined up. I did this on my previous trip; it's a great, relaxing way to tour the city. The cost on this particular day was 60 euros for about a 35-minute tour. The horses stop for food and water halfway through. You get a knowledgeable guide, and the horses look extremely healthy. The guide expects a tip. 

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It’s a very easy stroll around, going from gift shops to chocolate shops. Some of the shops are making the chocolate at the rear. It’s very Christmassy, and I was lucky to have a glorious sunny day. 

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I decided to take a trip on the canals. It's a great tour; you get a different perspective of the buildings.  Some bridges are really low, and you have to bend down a little if you are tall. If you are lucky, you get a witty captain who will tell you interesting facts about some of the buildings. 

There are options to get the boat from lots of points through the city. I would say do this first as it gives you a good layout of everywhere. Good value at eur12. The captain expected a tip. 

After the canal adventure, I meandered a bit more and couldn't resist grabbing some local chocolates to bring home. And those coffee shops are so charming! A pit stop for refreshments was the perfect way to recharge before the lovely walk through the park and back to the bus. 

Stopping by the church on my way back was a touching moment. Lighting another candle might seem small, but it's my way of carrying my husband with me, even though he couldn't physically be there. It's not about religion for me—it's more about feeling connected, almost like he's sharing these experiences with me. 

It was such a wonderful day. What's great about this tour is that if you're travelling solo and feel a bit uncertain about going ashore, this is the perfect option. The city itself is charming and beautiful, and the transportation from the ship is reliable. Plus, it's an easy walk back to the coach, which can bring a sense of comfort when exploring alone. 

It's these conveniences that make the experience so enjoyable and stress-free, especially when you're navigating a new place by yourself. When you get back to the coach park, there are many coaches lined up, but your one will have an MSC card in the window. 

There are many details about Bruges here on Trip Advisor. 

Rotterdam

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Arriving at Rotterdam's port early in the morning was an absolute delight. The sun was just beginning to rise behind the city's skyline, casting a golden hue over the buildings. It was a stunning sight, a picturesque start to my day. I love having a balcony. I would've missed this if I had an inside cabin. 

I've been to Rotterdam before and wasn’t sure whether to wander in again. There are quite a few coffee shops and restaurants around the port. So you could easily just please yourself and have a meander round.

I decided to get the coach into the city, as the shopping centre is great, and it was a good opportunity to get a few Christmas presents. 

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Well, same again; there was an MSC coach into the city, and a ticket was left in my cabin the night before. I’m very impressed, they are very organised. You could actually walk into the city by crossing the Erasmus bridge, a 10-minute walk if you wish. I could see several people doing this. 

There are also tour buses waiting, as you can do tours into Amsterdam.

As you enter the cruise terminal, there is a tourist information stand. There are plenty of maps here to help guide you around, as well as suggestions of what to do. The terminal has a cafe and free WI-FI. So, if you don't have a ship's connection package and your data is low, you get a good connection here. Many crew members were sitting around on their phones.  

Once I arrived in Rotterdam on the coach, you will see the Cube houses to your right in the distance, which Rotterdam is famous for. It’s a well-known attraction; its cube is tilted at a 45-degree angle. You can look inside one of these houses at the Kijk-Kubus Museum house. 

I headed to the wonderful Market Hall, Markthal. It’s just a short walk from the coach stop. Cross over the tram line, and watch out for the bikes; they are everywhere. 

The Market Hall is a riot of colour. Packed with over 100 stalls selling fresh food and restaurants. When you go inside, look up at the ceiling. It's amazing. Great artwork of fish, flowers, fruit and vegetables. The hall itself is a large archway, a bit like a horseshoe. 

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I continued by just perusing the shops. Everything here. I didn't buy much, but I enjoyed looking around.

I love Rotterdam. It has a special feel about it. It feels so organised. This wonderful transport system includes bus, tram, metro, and ferries. The bikes have their own traffic lights, which everyone obeys. 

Rotterdam has this way of feeling both progressive and welcoming, making it a standout place for me and feels very safe. A very modern and interesting city. 

I didn't do any tours or visit any museums, but there’s quite a selection of things to do if you wish, including a visit to The Hague, walking tours of Rotterdam, the old town and the zoo. Have a look on TripAdvisor for some ideas.

Le Havre

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Well, what can I say, absolutely nothing! I was hoping to go on a tour to Normandy or a D-Day landing tour, depending on what was available from the cruise's excursion desk. But, we had one of those long announcements in several languages to say that the French, or more specifically, the Stevedores at the port of Le Havre, were on strike, and we were going back to Zeebrugge. So sorry, another time, maybe. I didn't get off the ship again in Zeebrugge.

Zeebrugge turned into a stay-on-board day, but I made the most of it lounging around the indoor pool with my book. Sometimes, those unplanned, relaxing days end up being quite enjoyable.

And just like that, we sailed back to Southampton. The proximity to home always surprises me after a trip—just a 15-minute taxi ride, and I'm back home. It's incredible how quickly you can transition from being on a cruise to stepping right back into your own space. 

I always think I’m fortunate to live where I am. If a bargain cruise comes up, I can be packed and off again in no time. I'm sure it won't be long.