transatlantic cruise

Taking my first 14 days transatlantic cruise on NCL Star next April 2018 to Barcelona. Any suggestion or tips on what to bring and must do on the ship

I did this sailing two years ago on Epic - it was like adult day camp with alcohol - I brought books (never read them) and had grand plans to spa/relax but was so busy each day I never made the spa

I met so many great people on that cruise at daily trivia, martini tasting, etc - I wasn't a fan of EPIC staff who kept saying "no" but we looked past that given price. we (my friend and I) went to solo lounge each night and met travelers from 23-83 with great stories.

in Barcelona book a Devour Barcelona food tour (a highlight I wrote about on PhilaTravelGirl blog)

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Just subscribing since DH and I are hoping to take a TA next spring to start our retirement year and want to learn all I can. Unfortunately,the current prices won't fit in our budget so haven't booked yet but fingers are crossed that they will fall.

Check with with AAA their prices for 14 days TA are not bad

Just subscribing since DH and I are hoping to take a TA next spring to start our retirement year and want to learn all I can. Unfortunately,the current prices won't fit in our budget so haven't booked yet but fingers are crossed that they will fall.

The prices go down as you get closer to the date, likely by December. I took my first TA last Fall (Westbound). The nice was 25 hour days. You know that feeling when you turn the clock back an hour, imagine doing it several times. :hearteyes:

Yes, I'm hoping for a price drop. We plan on taking a TA over in April so will loose an hour a day but at least we will get those hours back when we come back in the fall!

The prices go down as you get closer to the date, likely by December. I took my first TA last Fall (Westbound). The nice was 25 hour days. You know that feeling when you turn the clock back an hour, imagine doing it several times. :hearteyes:

I am on an Epic transatlantic from Barcelona to Ft Lauderdale in November. Prices have been steadily increasing.

We did a TA from Copenhagen to Miami on the Star. Loved it.

I recommend that you join the roll call here on cc for your cruise. People will organize activities like the gift exchange, slot pull, cabin crawl and murder mystery.

We like to do wine tasting. Also, I usually read 3-4 books on a TA. I take throw aways and donate them to the ship's library.

A TA is much better than flying. Also, they are inexpensive.

I love TAs, but respectfully disagree with some advice given above. AAA is one of the worst agencies to go through as they historically don't like NCL and half of the posters on CC know more about sailing than they do. You will get similar or far better deals elsewhere.

We were on the Star and it was a lovely sailing. There are a few disappointing things about the ship as they turned the lovely observation lounge into suites. The crew was great and the other passengers were a lot of fun, so we had a great experience.

Two wonderful things to do in Barcelona were the LaSagrada Familia (get there early, order your tickets before you go). We also took the subway, a regional train and then a cable car to get to Montserrat, a thousand-year-old monastery. I was a great day and easy to do. We stayed at the Hotel Continental Barcelona right on Las Ramblas and were very happy. If you are there on May Day, try to avoid the marches. It looked safe at the beginning, but later the protesters got out of control and the police were jumping out of their wagons to pursue them. Our path back was blocked for a while. I had been told not to worry and that they were contained in a certain area but that was NOT true.

Look at RCL for TAs also. We had two wonderful TAs with them. The best captain was Marek Slaby, a young and very dashing Polish captain. He sang, mingled with the passengers and shook EVERYONE'S hand as they disembarked in Barcelona. We are going again on RCL.

One thing about Europe- if you are really hoping to visit a certain city or country and a great sailing doesn't go there, know that the airlines within Europe are very inexpensive. We flew from Barcelona to Warsaw for $65 on Norwegian Airlines (not NCL). Other cities have similar prices.

BTW- I prefer to book directly through the cruise line so that I can communicate directly with them. I would only go to an agent if I was asking for a pricier cabin and expecting some nice perks.

I love TAs, but respectfully disagree with some advice given above. AAA is one of the worst agencies to go through as they historically don't like NCL and half of the posters on CC know more about sailing than they do. You will get similar or far better deals elsewhere.

 

We were on the Star and it was a lovely sailing. There are a few disappointing things about the ship as they turned the lovely observation lounge into suites. The crew was great and the other passengers were a lot of fun, so we had a great experience.

 

Two wonderful things to do in Barcelona were the LaSagrada Familia (get there early, order your tickets before you go). We also took the subway, a regional train and then a cable car to get to Montserrat, a thousand-year-old monastery. I was a great day and easy to do. We stayed at the Hotel Continental Barcelona right on Las Ramblas and were very happy. If you are there on May Day, try to avoid the marches. It looked safe at the beginning, but later the protesters got out of control and the police were jumping out of their wagons to pursue them. Our path back was blocked for a while. I had been told not to worry and that they were contained in a certain area but that was NOT true.

 

Look at RCL for TAs also. We had two wonderful TAs with them. The best captain was Marek Slaby, a young and very dashing Polish captain. He sang, mingled with the passengers and shook EVERYONE'S hand as they disembarked in Barcelona. We are going again on RCL.

 

One thing about Europe- if you are really hoping to visit a certain city or country and a great sailing doesn't go there, know that the airlines within Europe are very inexpensive. We flew from Barcelona to Warsaw for $65 on Norwegian Airlines (not NCL). Other cities have similar prices.

 

BTW- I prefer to book directly through the cruise line so that I can communicate directly with them. I would only go to an agent if I was asking for a pricier cabin and expecting some nice perks.

Which ship and when are you doing the TA with RCL? We put a deposit on the May 2018 from Barcelona to Miami on Mariner of the Seas, the only RCL ship we had cruised on previously, in 2006.

We did the Mariner of the Seas on a TA from Rome to the US about four years ago and that was one of our very best cruises. We loved that ship. We also did the Vision of the Seas to Barcelona. We are taking a TP and a TA on the Mariner's sister ships. We love that layout and the facilities.

I wasn't a fan of EPIC staff who kept saying "no" but we looked past that given price.

what is meant by this?

My first NCL cruise will be on this Star TA also (but I'm on my 30th and 31st cruises before then). So, OP, if you haven't, please come join the Roll Call.

I'm going big with my first TA - we arrive in Barcelona on Sunday morning, May 6th, staying three nights with some others who are sailing in an Airbnb, then boarding Carnival's newest ship, Horizon on May 9, for a 14-night return TA! There are several people doing this unique B2B TA. And I'm solo both legs. It's going to be glorious!!

Haven't actually requested the time off work yet. But it's a semi-celebration for me, hoping that I'll have just lived through my last full-time tax season since I plan to semi-retire at the end of 2018. :D

what is meant by this?

throughout the cruise we asked for X and were told no. for example, could we have cookies as dessert "no" so we found those in the casino high roller food area. my friend asked for prime rib that was medium rare was twice was given well done and told by the manager to eat it. in fact he argued with her in the pub in front of us - we had never seen such a thing. we were all experienced passengers with various cruise lines and this was first time we all had examples of no for easy asks.

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Hey Clay, I didn't think you were anywhere near the age to retire![emoji12] Bonnie and I did the Jade from Barcelona to Tampa last November. That extra hour isn't all it's cracked up to when you get them every day or two!

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I will be 59.5 in November which means I can start spending from my 401k without penalty so.......

Mike is the lucky one, he will only be 55!

Which ship and when are you doing the TA with RCL? We put a deposit on the May 2018 from Barcelona to Miami on Mariner of the Seas, the only RCL ship we had cruised on previously, in 2006.

:) We're on Mariner too in May Barcelona to Miami--See you onboard.

Love RCL's Voyager class of ships.

I am on an Epic transatlantic from Barcelona to Ft Lauderdale in November. Prices have been steadily increasing.

FLAHAM I booked that cruise in December or January when the price was lower. The Star came down in May and I switched.