AMA Provence & Spain help

We are trying to gather some "optional" excursion costs that AMA offers for this rivercruise. If anyone has done this cruise can you help? Also, what was the average € spent in Paris and Barcelona for food, etc? Just wondering how much more $$ will be needed. Looking at € today and see its at $1.111. A lot lower than our last trip! Many thanks for whatever knowledge you can enlighten us with!

We did the AMA Rhone river cruise starting in Paris ending in Barcelona.

We cut two days off the Paris side, but did the three days in Barcelona.

If we did the trip again, we would have only done the river cruise. The pre and post portions were too expensive.

I was concerned about getting from Arles, France to Barcelona, since the rail connections are a bit strange.

To try to answer your question on the cost of food. We have found Paris to be expensive for dining. We lived in Europe for four years and have been to Paris several times, so we don't stay there long if we go there. We look for a bistro or something on the not so pricey side.

As for exact estimates of prices, it seemed that a bistro dinner with a beer or glass of wine would run 30 euros per couple minimum.

Barcelona is not as expensive and we generally did the Tapas thing in the evening, not wanting to eat at 10pm.

Here are some great places to eat in Barcelona.

We had tapas at a large tapas bar, located on the corner of a large market about 100 yards east of the Cathedral Square, across the street from the Gothic area. The name of the restaurant was Cuines Santa Caterina.

We had dinner at ATN, which was located close to a Roman excavation of tombs just off Las Ramblas on Canuda Street. The restaurant was open, even though it was about early by Spanish dinner standards. We had a wonderful meal with great service. Separate checks were not a problem with a party of six and credit cards were accepted. The next day, we had dinner at small tapas restaurant near the Plaza Sant Just on Palma De Sant Just. That restaurant, Bodega LaPalma, was not modern like ATN, but small and rustic. The tapas were excellent, with large servings for very reasonable prices. I highly recommend both restaurants.

We did the AMA Rhone river cruise starting in Paris ending in Barcelona.

 

We cut two days off the Paris side, but did the three days in Barcelona.

 

If we did the trip again, we would have only done the river cruise. The pre and post portions were too expensive.

 

I was concerned about getting from Arles, France to Barcelona, since the rail connections are a bit strange.

 

To try to answer your question on the cost of food. We have found Paris to be expensive for dining. We lived in Europe for four years and have been to Paris several times, so we don't stay there long if we go there. We look for a bistro or something on the not so pricey side.

As for exact estimates of prices, it seemed that a bistro dinner with a beer or glass of wine would run 30 euros per couple minimum.

 

Barcelona is not as expensive and we generally did the Tapas thing in the evening, not wanting to eat at 10pm.

 

Here are some great places to eat in Barcelona.

 

We had tapas at a large tapas bar, located on the corner of a large market about 100 yards east of the Cathedral Square, across the street from the Gothic area. The name of the restaurant was Cuines Santa Caterina.

 

 

We had dinner at ATN, which was located close to a Roman excavation of tombs just off Las Ramblas on Canuda Street. The restaurant was open, even though it was about early by Spanish dinner standards. We had a wonderful meal with great service. Separate checks were not a problem with a party of six and credit cards were accepted. The next day, we had dinner at small tapas restaurant near the Plaza Sant Just on Palma De Sant Just. That restaurant, Bodega LaPalma, was not modern like ATN, but small and rustic. The tapas were excellent, with large servings for very reasonable prices. I highly recommend both restaurants.

Thanks you for your time and info! It will come in handy. What month did you go? We are looking at cruising the very beginning of Sept or beginning of Oct.

Thanks you for your time and info! It will come in handy. What month did you go? We are looking at cruising the very beginning of Sept or beginning of Oct.

The time we did the Rhone River, it was May 2012.

We had previously been to Barcelona in March 2011. I think Sept/Oct would be a nice time to go.

The time we did the Rhone River, it was May 2012.

 

We had previously been to Barcelona in March 2011. I think Sept/Oct would be a nice time to go.

Thanks again

Thanks you for your time and info! It will come in handy. What month did you go? We are looking at cruising the very beginning of Sept or beginning of Oct.

We cruised the Douro in early Sept of 2008 and it was a lovely time of year to travel. The vineyards were filled with grapes and in some cases we saw pickers in the fields. Had we traveled a couple weeks later we would have been in the middle of all the wine harvesting festivals.

We cruised the Douro in early Sept of 2008 and it was a lovely time of year to travel. The vineyards were filled with grapes and in some cases we saw pickers in the fields. Had we traveled a couple weeks later we would have been in the middle of all the wine harvesting festivals.

Thanks. Just found out from my TS the late Sep cruise is almost sold out!

We stayed in a Barcelona hotel we love that was cheaper than the AMA land portion. We did book the bus transfer from Barcelona to the ship through Ama. Then we rode the train from Lyon to Paris on our own and did Paris independently. We do not eat large meals but can't recall the prices. In Paris we ate at some of the small delis.

The cruise is wonderful. AMA rocks! Good luck!

We stayed in a Barcelona hotel we love that was cheaper than the AMA land portion. We did book the bus transfer from Barcelona to the ship through Ama. Then we rode the train from Lyon to Paris on our own and did Paris independently. We do not eat large meals but can't recall the prices. In Paris we ate at some of the small delis.

 

The cruise is wonderful. AMA rocks! Good luck!

Thanks! Looking forward to cruising AMA again.

We did this cruise last year in the beginning of September. We did the land portions on our own, but used AMA for land transfers from Paris to Lyon and from Arles to Barcelona. (We stayed 5 nights in Paris and 2 nights in Barcelona and then to Mallorca for 7 nights.)

We booked our own flights (from CLT to CDG, from Barcelona to Mallorca, and Barcelona to CLT), and leveraged hotel points and a timeshare exchange for lodging. (Breakfasts were free for us at the hotels with our reward membership status.) We're not good at keeping meticulous score of our spending, but in Paris we probably spent around $1000 (Exchange rate was $1.40 to 1 EU when we first obtained currency), which included Museum Passes, Taxi/Uber, dining -- eating out a few times at Bistros, Metro fare, and gifts/souvenirs. We also did a Paris by Mouth tour which we highly recommend. If I had to do it over again, we probably try to do the rail transfer from Paris to Lyon on our own, as it did not seem complicated.

From Arles to Barcelona, the bus ride was rather long and boring -- around 7 hours. Many on this cruise were annoyed by the length of the ride. We probably spent around $250 for our 2 nights in Barcelona, which included hop-on-hop off bus tickets, La Sagrada Familia tickets, shopping, and dining out.

We did this cruise last year in the beginning of September. We did the land portions on our own, but used AMA for land transfers from Paris to Lyon and from Arles to Barcelona. (We stayed 5 nights in Paris and 2 nights in Barcelona and then to Mallorca for 7 nights.)

 

We booked our own flights (from CLT to CDG, from Barcelona to Mallorca, and Barcelona to CLT), and leveraged hotel points and a timeshare exchange for lodging. (Breakfasts were free for us at the hotels with our reward membership status.) We're not good at keeping meticulous score of our spending, but in Paris we probably spent around $1000 (Exchange rate was $1.40 to 1 EU when we first obtained currency), which included Museum Passes, Taxi/Uber, dining -- eating out a few times at Bistros, Metro fare, and gifts/souvenirs. We also did a Paris by Mouth tour which we highly recommend. If I had to do it over again, we probably try to do the rail transfer from Paris to Lyon on our own, as it did not seem complicated.

 

From Arles to Barcelona, the bus ride was rather long and boring -- around 7 hours. Many on this cruise were annoyed by the length of the ride. We probably spent around $250 for our 2 nights in Barcelona, which included hop-on-hop off bus tickets, La Sagrada Familia tickets, shopping, and dining out.

We plan on using ff for our air. Why was everyone board with ride to Barcelona? Not pretty countryside? It is a long way but they stop for a lunch break from what they advertise. Good price for Barcelona hotel and tix.

This is one trip I just want to sit back and be directed and not think. We did a British isle cruise the year before and I headed a few private excursions and was exhausted. Parts I truly didn't enjoy because of it. Need to relax and sit back this time. Thanks for the info!

We plan on using ff for our air. Why was everyone board with ride to Barcelona? Not pretty countryside? It is a long way but they stop for a lunch break from what they advertise. Good price for Barcelona hotel and tix.

 

This is one trip I just want to sit back and be directed and not think. We did a British isle cruise the year before and I headed a few private excursions and was exhausted. Parts I truly didn't enjoy because of it. Need to relax and sit back this time. Thanks for the info!

I'm sure not everyone was bored on the ride. I didn't find the countryside pretty or interesting. It was primarily highway driving. For those with challenging knees or hips, the ride on a cramped bus can be a pain. The leg room for many of the buses was not good, except for small or petite people. Yes, there was a lunch break stop at a border gas station (where we changed French buses and drivers for Spanish buses and drivers under existing protocols.)

I'm sure not everyone was bored on the ride. I didn't find the countryside pretty or interesting. It was primarily highway driving. For those with challenging knees or hips, the ride on a cramped bus can be a pain. The leg room for many of the buses was not good, except for small or petite people. Yes, there was a lunch break stop at a border gas station (where we changed French buses and drivers for Spanish buses and drivers under existing protocols.)

In 2012, our bus was a normal European bus.

We stopped at a city in Southern France and did some siteseeing. Also, we had lunch on our own. We enjoyed that part of the trip. Buses switched at the border.

In 2012, our bus was a normal European bus.

 

We stopped at a city in Southern France and did some siteseeing. Also, we had lunch on our own. We enjoyed that part of the trip. Buses switched at the border.

Thanks!