Just off med cruise Barcelona. Any questions?

[Joel0917]

Currently flying back to the states so will log a quick note and more later.
We took the July 17 5 day cruise.
Flew in 7/14 and stayed in a VBRO apt in the gothic quarter. Fantastic!!!
Relied on taxis. They literally are everywhere and super easy.
Barcelona port is easy and smooth to board.
Cannes: did a catamaran cruise. Least favorite thing we did. Not the same as snorkeling in the Caribbean at all.
Pisa: booked just bus on our own to Pisa. Hot hot walk to the tower for an afternoon.
Rome we hired a private driver and that is the way to do it. Literally picked up at shop. Dropped off to a private guide at the Vatican for a two hour tour. Then an amazing home made lunch!
Then back with our driver who drove us right up to the most sites and back to the air conditioned van. Then back to port by 5.
Sea day was pretty rocky.
Getting off the ship was a snap. There is no customs. U walk off get your luggage and go.
10 minutes top so don’t rush.
Got to the airport fast and waited almost three hours for our flight. Simple customs in the airport and use sky priority if u have it for their fast lane.
We flew to Paris for a day and stayed at Hilton at CDG. Saw the Eiffel Tower and Norte Dame. Are a great dinner and macaroons. Used Uber there and back to hotel.
Then through CDG and back to the US.
I’ll add some more thoughts later.

 

[disneyholic family]

you flew all the way to europe for a 5 day cruise?
we were thinking about this cruise for next summer, since it's the only med cruise being offered in july next year (all the other med cruises are in may and june)...
but instead we booked the 7 day barcelona to dover cruise....

i'd rather do the med than the barcelona to dover, but 5 days seems too short..

.

 

[Dug720]

you flew all the way to europe for a 5 day cruise?
we were thinking about this cruise for next summer, since it's the only med cruise being offered in july next year (all the other med cruises are in may and june)...
but instead we booked the 7 day barcelona to dover cruise....

i'd rather do the med than the barcelona to dover, but 5 days seems too short..

.

It does sound like they tied it in with some land time though, so that helps.

 

[Joel0917]

you flew all the way to europe for a 5 day cruise?
we were thinking about this cruise for next summer, since it's the only med cruise being offered in july next year (all the other med cruises are in may and june)...
but instead we booked the 7 day barcelona to dover cruise....

i'd rather do the med than the barcelona to dover, but 5 days seems too short..

.

The five day cruise was part of it. We spent three great days in Spain capped off by a great day in Paris so it was 10 days overall

 

[Disneyfriend]

Would you tell us more about your Barcelona rental in the Gothic quarter? I'm looking now for our post-cruise stay . . .

Sounds like you had a lovely time!

 

[Joel0917]

My apt in barri gothic was a fifth floor walk up. So the 76 steps were tough...but location was amazing. 1 block from national cathedral yet quiet road. 2 streets off Las Ramblas and 10 minute walk from arc de triumph. The streets were like from a movie, winding twisting with amazing little bars, restaurants. Not a lot of foot traffic but enough so I felt safe. It’s far enough off the tourist streets that it’s so quiet.
It was two bedroom with a queen bed and twin with twin trundle. Bathroom and full kitchen. Easy walk to grocery store six blocks away to get some food and items to eat. We had a nice rooftop terrace as well. It was $569 for three days. Other than the stairs it was so much better than a hotel. The living room. 2 small balconies. Great stone shower and amazing wooden beam ceilings. On VBRO it was called gottic white. Post cruise just so taxi. It’s so easy. I did lug two 50lb suitcases up and down so that was tough.

 

[Disneyfriend]

My apt in barri gothic was a fifth floor walk up. So the 76 steps were tough...but location was amazing. 1 block from national cathedral yet quiet road. 2 streets off Las Ramblas and 10 minute walk from arc de triumph. The streets were like from a movie, winding twisting with amazing little bars, restaurants. Not a lot of foot traffic but enough so I felt safe. It’s far enough off the tourist streets that it’s so quiet.
It was two bedroom with a queen bed and twin with twin trundle. Bathroom and full kitchen. Easy walk to grocery store six blocks away to get some food and items to eat. We had a nice rooftop terrace as well. It was $569 for three days. Other than the stairs it was so much better than a hotel. The living room. 2 small balconies. Great stone shower and amazing wooden beam ceilings. On VBRO it was called gottic white. Post cruise just so taxi. It’s so easy. I did lug two 50lb suitcases up and down so that was tough.

Thank you very much for that lovely and complete description! Very helpful.

The stairs would be tough for us, I think, as I am developing a mobility problem.

How did you like staying in the Barri Gotic in general? I have found a few nice rentals in the area, but wasn't sure about the neighborhood since this will be our first trip to Barcelona.

Thanks again!

 

[disneyholic family]

DD and DSIL rented through AirBNB 2 years ago.
While the apartment was ok, they had 3 flights of stairs to contend with.

i looked through airbnb for our trip next year, but anything that would fit all 9 of us in a good neighborhood was even more expensive than taking 3 rooms (with kitchens) in an apartment hotel. So that's what i opted for.

.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Could you share the name/website of the private driver you used, and the cost (for Rome)? Thanks!

 

[GuardMusic]

Were most of the port adventure call times really early? We're looking at some really long options (8-10hrs), so trying to figure out if they return late to the point it will be a challenge to make dinner (if early) or get to sleep at a decent hour (if late dining).

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Were most of the port adventure call times really early? We're looking at some really long options (8-10hrs), so trying to figure out if they return late to the point it will be a challenge to make dinner (if early) or get to sleep at a decent hour (if late dining).

Yes, port times were early. For our 2 DCL excursions, we met at 7:30 AM and 7:15 AM. The ship was usually docked in port by 7:00 AM.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

in Barcelona next week. A group of 8, half of whom have some mobility issues. We got a hotel, with an elevator, that is near a Metro station. But an apartment would have been way cool. Don't have kitchens, but we want tapas anyway

On a Med cruise, there will often be very early port times and often very late return times. At ports like Civitavechhia you need an hour and a half to get into Rome and to get back, so they want to take you ASAP and many of them go all day to maximize time in the city. If you take an excursion like that, you won't make it back for early dinner, you may not even make it back for the start of late dinner, but DCL would work with you if there were many persons on late excursions.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

in Barcelona next week. A group of 8, half of whom have some mobility issues. We got a hotel, with an elevator, that is near a Metro station. But an apartment would have been way cool. Don't have kitchens, but we want tapas anyway

On a Med cruise, there will often be very early port times and often very late return times. At ports like Civitavechhia you need an hour and a half to get into Rome and to get back, so they want to take you ASAP and many of them go all day to maximize time in the city. If you take an excursion like that, you won't make it back for early dinner, you may not even make it back for the start of late dinner, but DCL would work with you if there were many persons on late excursions.

The all aboard for each night of our Med cruise was well before second dinner seating.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

yes so was ours, but at least one of them was late getting back. They held the ship because DCL excursion.

 

[Joel0917]

Could you share the name/website of the private driver you used, and the cost (for Rome)? Thanks!

milesandmiles was the company

 

[Joel0917]

i had the first seating at 6pm. we made it to dinner every night at 615 just to beat the first rush of folks sitting down.

 

[TestingH2O]

Would you tell us more about your Barcelona rental in the Gothic quarter? I'm looking now for our post-cruise stay . . .

Sounds like you had a lovely time!

What size space are you looking for??Our AirBnB in l'Eixampl had an elevator and was outstanding.

 

[wanderlust7]

The stairs would be tough for us, I think, as I am developing a mobility problem.

How did you like staying in the Barri Gotic in general? I have found a few nice rentals in the area, but wasn't sure about the neighborhood since this will be our first trip to Barcelona.

We stayed in the El Born area, which is right next to the Barri Gotic. Absolutely loved the area and the serviced apartment BCNGotic. I think it was our favorite apartment of the whole trip - super clean and very spacious. I thought it looked even nicer than the pictures. There is a small elevator, with maybe 3 steps to get to the elevator (there's a ramp next to it).

http://en.bcngotic.com/

 

[fredandkell]

Were most of the port adventure call times really early? We're looking at some really long options (8-10hrs), so trying to figure out if they return late to the point it will be a challenge to make dinner (if early) or get to sleep at a decent hour (if late dining).

Our Eze/Monaco excursion had an 8:30 time and we got back at almost 7pm. This was due to horrible traffic around Cannes. We went to Cabanas that night.
Our Rome excursion had a 7:15 time and we got back at 6pm. Made it to early dinner no problem. Server told us as long as we were there by 6:45 he could still serve us, after 6:45 no go.
I thought the Rome day would be the worst but we were actually much more hot and tired with Cannes/Eze.

 

[Disneyfriend]

What size space are you looking for??Our AirBnB in l'Eixampl had an elevator and was outstanding.

Sorry, just now saw this! Ideally we would be looking for a 3 bedroom. Thank you for any info you could share!!