May 28, 2011 - 11 Night Mediterranean Sailing from Barcelona

[scrapycruiser]

I sent a copy of my airline tickets with my request for a postponement of my service on jury duty. I also mentioned that I served on a Federal jury for six weeks. I think I did my share of jury duty.

We did not make any lunch reservations. Rick Steves' mentions buying a picnic lunch in a couple of the towns. We may look into that. We have not settled all the details of that port. Do you have any suggestions?

Bruce and I have read a lot about Cinque Terre. Here is a good website that we used in addition to Rick Steve's book :

http://www.cinqueterre.com/eng/

It seems that Vernazza and Monterossa offer the most in terms of sight-seeing , restaurants and shopping.

We plan to take the train from La Spezia to Riomaggiore, then walk the "Lovers trail" to Manarola. Spend maybe 30 ' there, then take the train to Vernazza and have lunch, shop and look around. Then the train to Monterossa. Again, look around, get some gelatto and may let my 6 yo Grandson play at the beach for a while. I'd love to take the ferry back to Le Spezia to see the villages from the water, but I'm not sure about the schedule. We definitely don't like to cut it close when we're touring on our on.And we have to allow time to tender back to the ship.

I would love to hear what your thoughts are on touring Cinque Terre !

 

[sktrstangs]

Ahoy there to those on the May 28th Med. cruise!
I wanted to get an idea of where ones decided on staying in Barcelona prior to the cruise. Anyone else staying at the AC Diplomatic on May 27 prior to the cruise? What are some of your plans to see while in the city?

Jason

 

[silvergoldberry]

Can't believe I haven't checked this board in SO long. Took me an entire day to catch up! It's hard to believe it's almost here.

We're staying at the Grand Hotel Central. Arriving in Barcelona on 6/25. No definite plans except we want to see Sagrada Familia and hopefully the Gothic Quarter and hope to get around on the HOHO buses.

 

[scrapycruiser]

Ahoy there to those on the May 28th Med. cruise!
I wanted to get an idea of where ones decided on staying in Barcelona prior to the cruise. Anyone else staying at the AC Diplomatic on May 27 prior to the cruise? What are some of your plans to see while in the city?

Jason

We are staying at the Hotel 1898
My son is staying at the Le Meridian

This is our 2nd time in barcelona. We are going back to the Sagrada Familia
and the Park Guell. This time we have tour booked for the Gothic Quarter.
My son also made a res at a local restuarant for Fri pm then we'll go to see the Magic Fountains.Oh, and of course we'll walk down the Ramblas and go to the market.

Have a wonderful cruise !!!

GINA

 

[Maltese5]

Hi Jason,
We are arriving on 5/27 around 12noon. Probably with a bit of jet lag as my son has a weeks worth of final exams that week and won't be getting much sleep. His last day of school is 5/26 and we are leaving that day!
Anyway, we are at the Le Meridien that night as well. Not any real plans yet. We are staying 1 night post cruise and probably will do most of our touring on that day. Look forward to meeting you soon!

 

[disney_bob]

Ahoy there to those on the May 28th Med. cruise!
I wanted to get an idea of where ones decided on staying in Barcelona prior to the cruise. Anyone else staying at the AC Diplomatic on May 27 prior to the cruise? What are some of your plans to see while in the city?

Jason

We'll be at that hotel for a few days before. Nothing firm right now but we'll be likely visiting Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, maybe Las Ramblas during the daytime (I hear it gets shady at night). The wife would know more about our specific plans than I would

 

[htmlkid]

Well its only 3 weeks away!!!!!!

We are arriving in Barcelona late on the 27th and staying at the hotel at the airport. Its was less then $150usd with breakfast and transfers.

We are doing all Disney Excursions:

Highlights of Malta
Erice and Segesta - Palermo
Mt Vesuvius Hike and Pompeii
The Best of Rome
Pisa - Climb the Tower
Les Calanches - Ajaccio
Value Package - Nice and Monoco

If anyone has comments on any of these tours or suggestions on a better one, please let me know.

We are spending two days after the cruise in Barcelona at Hotel Olivia and probally will do Sagrada Familia, Las Rambles and the Magic Fountain the first day and Monserratt the second.

Can't wait to meet everyone!!!!!

 

[Canadian_Koda]

We always look on tripadvisor to help give us ideas of different things to do and something we found in Barcelona (that was in the top 10 attractions) was a private motocycle/sidecar tour. They are called, ride bright side, just google it and it pops up. So that is an idea if anyone is looking for something a little more wacky. We are also planning on finding the Magic Fountain. The videos online are amazing! We are getting so excited now, and I'm starting t get nervous because it is so close!

Rachel

 

[RaglanRoad]

Were all getting very excited now, counting down the days now instead of the weeks.
Last few days been working on the fe gifts and making those last minute purchases.
I cant wait for this trip to get here!

 

[DopeyFan1966]

Can't believe I haven't checked this board in SO long. Took me an entire day to catch up! It's hard to believe it's almost here.

We're staying at the Grand Hotel Central. Arriving in Barcelona on 6/25. No definite plans except we want to see Sagrada Familia and hopefully the Gothic Quarter and hope to get around on the HOHO buses.

If you can you should try to get to Montserrat, it is beautiful up there.

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/tour/montserrat-spain.html

Ahoy there to those on the May 28th Med. cruise!
I wanted to get an idea of where ones decided on staying in Barcelona prior to the cruise. Anyone else staying at the AC Diplomatic on May 27 prior to the cruise? What are some of your plans to see while in the city?


Jason

Welcome to our forum, would you like to be added to our roll call? You can also get more information by going to the website that is in my signature block

Well its only 3 weeks away!!!!!!

We are arriving in Barcelona late on the 27th and staying at the hotel at the airport. Its was less then $150usd with breakfast and transfers.

We are doing all Disney Excursions:

Highlights of Malta
Erice and Segesta - Palermo
Mt Vesuvius Hike and Pompeii
The Best of Rome
Pisa - Climb the Tower
Les Calanches - Ajaccio
Value Package - Nice and Monoco

If anyone has comments on any of these tours or suggestions on a better one, please let me know.

We are spending two days after the cruise in Barcelona at Hotel Olivia and probally will do Sagrada Familia, Las Rambles and the Magic Fountain the first day and Monserratt the second.

Can't wait to meet everyone!!!!!

Montserrat is a must, it is incredible up there. I went there in 2009.

 

[LaEsmralda]

Well its only 3 weeks away!!!!!!

We are arriving in Barcelona late on the 27th and staying at the hotel at the airport. Its was less then $150usd with breakfast and transfers.

We are doing all Disney Excursions:

Highlights of Malta
Erice and Segesta - Palermo
Mt Vesuvius Hike and Pompeii
The Best of Rome
Pisa - Climb the Tower
Les Calanches - Ajaccio
Value Package - Nice and Monoco

If anyone has comments on any of these tours or suggestions on a better one, please let me know.


We are spending two days after the cruise in Barcelona at Hotel Olivia and probally will do Sagrada Familia, Las Rambles and the Magic Fountain the first day and Monserratt the second.

Can't wait to meet everyone!!!!!

We are doing all DCL excursions too. The only ones that match up for us are the Mt Vesuvius hike (my husband is the only one doing it though) and the Value package for Nice and Monaco (we all are doing that).

We have a 5 year old daughter and so we are doing the Boat Ride to Zingaro Park in Palermo (she loves boats). In Rome we are doing the Vatican City/Colisseum/Catacombs excursion (that is going to be a long day, lol). Easy Pisa in La Spezia and Sweet Corsica in Ajaccio (Sweet Corsica is my choosing, I love wine and candy, heheh).

I am so excited about this trip though I have been having bad dreams about the cruise and it is freaking me out. I had a dream where we got to our room and I opened my suitcase and I hadn't packed any shoes. I am an avid shoe lover and I almost woke up crying. lol

 

[htmlkid]

We are doing all DCL excursions too. The only ones that match up for us are the Mt Vesuvius hike (my husband is the only one doing it though) and the Value package for Nice and Monaco (we all are doing that).

We have a 5 year old daughter and so we are doing the Boat Ride to Zingaro Park in Palermo (she loves boats). In Rome we are doing the Vatican City/Colisseum/Catacombs excursion (that is going to be a long day, lol). Easy Pisa in La Spezia and Sweet Corsica in Ajaccio (Sweet Corsica is my choosing, I love wine and candy, heheh).

I am so excited about this trip though I have been having bad dreams about the cruise and it is freaking me out. I had a dream where we got to our room and I opened my suitcase and I hadn't packed any shoes. I am an avid shoe lover and I almost woke up crying. lol

Well your husband is more then welcome to hang with us on the hike!!!!!

 

[tizzrdlizzrd]

Hi Jason,
We are arriving on 5/27 around 12noon. Probably with a bit of jet lag as my son has a weeks worth of final exams that week and won't be getting much sleep. His last day of school is 5/26 and we are leaving that day!
Anyway, we are at the Le Meridien that night as well. Not any real plans yet. We are staying 1 night post cruise and probably will do most of our touring on that day. Look forward to meeting you soon!

Hey Shirley,

We are staying at Le Meridien pre-cruise as well, and get in around 9 on the 27th. I think we are just going to play it by ear. We may do the tourist bus and just take it easy.

 

[Maltese5]

Hey Shirley,

We are staying at Le Meridien pre-cruise as well, and get in around 9 on the 27th. I think we are just going to play it by ear. We may do the tourist bus and just take it easy.

Well you are getting there much earlier than we do. What flight are you taking out of DFW?? We are on the DFW-Madrid flight late on the 26th. My son's last final is over at 12noon! Nothing like cutting it close...right! We are sooooo excited about this trip. Just need to start getting ready. I do have a house-sitter/dog-sitter lined up. Just have to take care of finding someone to check in on my aunt (92) while I am gone!

 

[tizzrdlizzrd]

Well you are getting there much earlier than we do. What flight are you taking out of DFW?? We are on the DFW-Madrid flight late on the 26th. My son's last final is over at 12noon! Nothing like cutting it close...right! We are sooooo excited about this trip. Just need to start getting ready. I do have a house-sitter/dog-sitter lined up. Just have to take care of finding someone to check in on my aunt (92) while I am gone!

We leave out of DFW around 1:30 and have a short layover in Atlanta. We decided having the shortest travel time possible would be the easiest for the 4 year old. Fortunately for us, Chelsea graduates on the 21st.

Packing lists have been completed, dog sitter is lined up, we are READY!

 

[kaceyisme]

Our pre and post cruise plans are:

We arrive on Friday the 27th at around 10:30 AM and are staying at the Renaissance at the airport. I have no idea what we'll be doing that day since we'll be tired from the overnight flight.

After the cruise, we're staying at the Europark hotel for two nights. I've arranged for a tour company to pick us up at the port when we get off the ship, and take us on a half-day tour of Barcelona, and drop us off at the Europark around lunch-time. I figured this would alleviate the need for transportation to the hotel from the port, as well as giving us a city tour. We'll go to the Magic Fountain that evening. The next day, the same tour company is picking us up at the hotel and taking us for a full day tour of Montserrat and to a Cava winery. They will also pick us up the next day to take us to the airport.

I'm getting super excited!!

 

[annichan]

Well its only 3 weeks away!!!!!!

We are arriving in Barcelona late on the 27th and staying at the hotel at the airport. Its was less then $150usd with breakfast and transfers.

We are doing all Disney Excursions:

Highlights of Malta
Erice and Segesta - Palermo
Mt Vesuvius Hike and Pompeii
The Best of Rome
Pisa - Climb the Tower
Les Calanches - Ajaccio
Value Package - Nice and Monoco

If anyone has comments on any of these tours or suggestions on a better one, please let me know.

We are spending two days after the cruise in Barcelona at Hotel Olivia and probally will do Sagrada Familia, Las Rambles and the Magic Fountain the first day and Monserratt the second.

Can't wait to meet everyone!!!!!

We will be on the Les Calanches excursion with you, I'm looking forward to meet you!

 

[Maltese5]

We leave out of DFW around 1:30 and have a short layover in Atlanta. We decided having the shortest travel time possible would be the easiest for the 4 year old. Fortunately for us, Chelsea graduates on the 21st.

Packing lists have been completed, dog sitter is lined up, we are READY!

I guess that is the benefit of having a senior. Our seniors graduate on 5/21 too! I certainly understand traveling internationally with a 4 year old. We traveled to Europe when my son was that age and it was fine. Although he didn't sleep at all. But I had others with me to keep him entertained! Have a safe trip!

 

[kaceyisme]

This is what the DCL website says about our cruise now. I wonder if the Civitavecchia and Naples times are correct. We were supposed to be in Civitavecchia until 9:00 I believe. At least they fixed the switched dates.

11-Night Mediterranean Cruise on Disney Magic

Sail Date:
May 28 to June 8
Ship:
Disney Magic

Day Port Ashore Onboard
1 Barcelona, Spain - 4:00 p.m.
2 At Sea - -
3 Valletta, Malta 8:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
4 Palermo, Sicily 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.
5 Naples, Italy 7:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m.
6 Civitavecchia, Italy 8:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
7 At Sea - -
8 La Spezia, Italy 7:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m.
9 Ajaccio, Corsica 7:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
10 Villefranche, France 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
11 At Sea - -
12 Barcelona, Spain 7:00 a.m. -

 

[Maltese5]

This is what the DCL website says about our cruise now. I wonder if the Civitavecchia and Naples times are correct. We were supposed to be in Civitavecchia until 9:00 I believe. At least they fixed the switched dates.

11-Night Mediterranean Cruise on Disney Magic

Sail Date:
May 28 to June 8
Ship:
Disney Magic

Day Port Ashore Onboard
1 Barcelona, Spain - 4:00 p.m.
2 At Sea - -
3 Valletta, Malta 8:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
4 Palermo, Sicily 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.
5 Naples, Italy 7:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m.
6 Civitavecchia, Italy 8:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
7 At Sea - -
8 La Spezia, Italy 7:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m.
9 Ajaccio, Corsica 7:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
10 Villefranche, France 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
11 At Sea - -
12 Barcelona, Spain 7:00 a.m. -

Ok....Looks like they have the times different for Palmero, Naples, and Civitavecchia. All of the others look the same as my documents. Port times can change but I wish they would figure it out. Right now I am going to go with my documents since they seem to be having some issues in updating their website!