Barcelona Escape Pre-Cruise Experience Meets Thread

[sayhello]

Please post here if you would like to talk with anyone else who has signed up for one of the ABD/DCL Barcelona pre-cruise Experiences with ABD.

You can also share information/ask questions about any of the Barcelona pre-cruise Experiences on the Disney Magic.

Please try and keep this thread on topic to discussion and questions about the Barcelona ABD pre-days. Off topic posts will be deleted or moved.

Thanks!
Sayhello

Roll Call:

Current:

 

[walnut611]

Hello, hubby and I are going on a 7 days Med cruise in 2016. We've never been to Europe (totally clueless), would the 3 days pre-cruise Barcelona stay with ABD be the best way to explore the city or should we explore on our own? Thanks in advance!

 

[sayhello]

Hello, hubby and I are going on a 7 days Med cruise in 2016. We've never been to Europe (totally clueless), would the 3 days pre-cruise Barcelona stay with ABD be the best way to explore the city or should we explore on our own? Thanks in advance!

Boy, that's a tough question. Depends on what you like. Barcelona is fairly easy to see on your own (they have an amazing Hop-on/Hop-off bus system). The problem with that is, potentially waiting around for the bus, and also, the fact that they will sometimes leave you at the bottom of a hill, and you'll need to climb to get to where you want to be. They also have an excellent Metro system. That said, ABD always does a wonderful job with these trips, and I *totally* would have signed up for the ABD add-on in Barcelona if it had been offered in 2010. A big plus of ABD is not standing in the huge lines, like at La Sagrada Familia. The ABD definitely does hit the highlights of Barcelona, which is an amazing, beautiful city.

My opinion is, go for the ABD, but I'm a little biased. I *love* ABD!

Sayhello

 

[walnut611]

Boy, that's a tough question. Depends on what you like. Barcelona is fairly easy to see on your own (they have an amazing Hop-on/Hop-off bus system). The problem with that is, potentially waiting around for the bus, and also, the fact that they will sometimes leave you at the bottom of a hill, and you'll need to climb to get to where you want to be. They also have an excellent Metro system. That said, ABD always does a wonderful job with these trips, and I *totally* would have signed up for the ABD add-on in Barcelona if it had been offered in 2010. A big plus of ABD is not standing in the huge lines, like at La Sagrada Familia. The ABD definitely does hit the highlights of Barcelona, which is an amazing, beautiful city.

My opinion is, go for the ABD, but I'm a little biased. I *love* ABD!

Sayhello

Thank you, Sayhello! This would be our first cruise experience and we're looking forward to it. I'm also playing with the idea of going to Paris after the Med cruise for a couple of days to just relax and possibly checking out Disneyland Paris. If we do the 3 days pre-cruise Barcelona + 7 days Med cruise w/ABD + a couple of days in Paris....would that be too ambitious?

 

[sayhello]

Thank you, Sayhello! This would be our first cruise experience and we're looking forward to it. I'm also playing with the idea of going to Paris after the Med cruise for a couple of days to just relax and possibly checking out Disneyland Paris. If we do the 3 days pre-cruise Barcelona + 7 days Med cruise w/ABD + a couple of days in Paris....would that be too ambitious?

Only if you really don't intend to relax in Paris. The Barcelona part should be pretty cool, but a Med cruise can be a pretty port-intensive trip, with really long days and very little down time. Although it looks like the 7-day has a day at Sea at each end. Disneyland Paris is *very* easy to get to from Paris by train, and is fairly small, so you can see a lot of it in a day.

Sayhello

 

[walnut611]

Only if you really don't intend to relax in Paris. The Barcelona part should be pretty cool, but a Med cruise can be a pretty port-intensive trip, with really long days and very little down time. Although it looks like the 7-day has a day at Sea at each end. Disneyland Paris is *very* easy to get to from Paris by train, and is fairly small, so you can see a lot of it in a day.

Sayhello

LOL no, we need a couple of days to just relax and unwind before going home. Especially since I want to do port excursions through ABD

 

[bonnielynn]

We are considering an ABD for precruise in August 2016. I'm on a will call list and am waiting for $$ info.

 

[sayhello]

We are considering an ABD for precruise in August 2016. I'm on a will call list and am waiting for $$ info.

I'm confused. The only Summer 2016 ABD dates out are for the Danube river cruises. Who put you on a waitlist? What exactly are you waitlisted for?

Sayhello

 

[walnut611]

I'm confused. The only Summer 2016 ABD dates out are for the Danube river cruises. Who put you on a waitlist? What exactly are you waitlisted for?

Sayhello

I'm confused too. Information for Barcelona ABD precruise for 2016 won't be released until 06/06/2015, there is a waitlist already? Is the waitlist through ABD or DCL?

 

[bonnielynn]

I'm confused. The only Summer 2016 ABD dates out are for the Danube river cruises. Who put you on a waitlist? What exactly are you waitlisted for?

Sayhello

I was told that I am on a list and I would get a call when it was available. Maybe using the word waitlist wasn't correct.
Sorry if I confused you.

 

[sayhello]

I was told that I am on a list and I would get a call when it was available. Maybe using the word waitlist wasn't correct.
Sorry if I confused you.

No problem. Thanks for your answer. But I still wonder, you were told by whom? DCL? ABD? Your Travel Agent? I've never heard of DCL or ABD doing this before.

Sayhello

 

[bonnielynn]

No problem. Thanks for your answer. But I still wonder, you were told by whom? DCL? ABD? Your Travel Agent? I've never heard of DCL or ABD doing this before.

Sayhello

ABD.. I called them directing and was told the prices were not out but they would call me when they had the prices. Do I think they will, possibly, but if not I will sure call them.

 

[sayhello]

ABD.. I called them directing and was told the prices were not out but they would call me when they had the prices. Do I think they will, possibly, but if not I will sure call them.

Thanks, bonnielynn! That's really interesting. I wonder if this is a new policy, or none of us ever asked before?

Sayhello

 

[bonnielynn]

Thanks, bonnielynn! That's really interesting. I wonder if this is a new policy, or none of us ever asked before?

Sayhello

Sometimes I wonder if they just say that or if I hit someone who didn't know better. I will let you know if they call and what they say.

 

[sayhello]

Sometimes I wonder if they just say that or if I hit someone who didn't know better. I will let you know if they call and what they say.

Thanks!

Sayhello

 

[tracyz]

I received the same offer from one of the vacationistas at ABD when I called to ask about 2016 dates. She made note of the trip I was interested in and told me she'd call a couple of days before booking opens to give me a heads up.

 

[walnut611]

The 3 days Barcelona pre-cruise for Aug 2016 is $1979/person, and the 7 days ABD for cruise is $2369/person.

 

[walnut611]

Bonnielynn and Tracyz, did ABD followed up on calling you guys as soon as the pre-cruise and ABD add on became available?

I'm quite curious...I called DCL and the TA said she would call me back as soon the 2016 Summer itinerary becomes available but I didn't get the call until a week after opening day.

 

[bonnielynn]

I got an email from them. The price was 1900+ pp for the 3 day pre cruise. You called today and they told you that? I actually found that information out this past Tuesday. So essentially almost $4K for 3 nights for 2 people. We didn't book it. I understand that Barcelona is not that difficult to navigate and so we are going it alone! :-(

 

[carpenta]

Barcelona is very easy to navigate. You can purchase tickets on line for La Familia. There is a Hop On-Hop Off bus system that is great to get around to all the sites. Montserrat can be toured by many local tour companies that you can reserve at your hotel front desk or reached by subway. The subway system is very easy to use. We traveled around quickly and efficiently. LOVE<LOVE>LOVE Barcelona. The food, the wine, the people are wonderful. Been there four times and wish to go back. Eyewitness Travel prints great guide books on all the major cities and countries that are a real help.