katct

When I booked last week for the july 9 sun trip to cuba, I found that NCL went ahead and charged my CC for the VISA without my having to ask for it.

Can someone define the abreviations, please? What is OP, DSC, etc?

Hello, intrepid cruise criticas,

Monarch is now at the dock. The ride was too low for her to enter earlier. The new time for embarkation is 4PM. If you go to the port you will be directed to an area to check in your luggage and then you can go to a nearby pub ( I am at Silvers Pub--the best but the furthest in the row and WiFi!) or mc Donald's if that is your pleasure, to wait.

For the energetic there is a wonderful walk along the harbor with signs telling about the arxhitecture of the mansions along the way. Starting at the beginning of the port it is about 2 miles long but worth it!

There is also an aquarium but I haven't been so I can't say.

see you mas tarde!

kat

hello all,

i am looking out my window to an empty port! Has anyone heard anything from their travel agents about the ship being late?

ship tracker website has the ship still a couple hours out of Getxo. Oh, my!

kat

I've been here in Getxo for the past week and I have done massive amounts of walking around so I will mention this:

It is true that the Neguri station is close enough to walk IF you do not have luggage. With almost any luggage it would be a long haul. Even wheelie luggage would be tough since all the surfaces are bumpy. On a map it doesn't look that far but the location where the ship docks is a long way around the dock--that part alone almost doubles the walk.

Although a taxi ride from Neguri station would be inexpensive, I haven't seen taxis waiting at any of the metro stations this past week--even today when a large P & O ship was in port.

I'd reccommend getting the shuttle from the stations before Neguri as mentioned above.

kat

hello,

There have been a few posts questioning the best way to get to the port of Getxo from the airport in Bilbao. it is very easy to get a taxi at the airport. The taxi queue is right outside the door from customs (Also customs was a breeze here!) I was impressed with the high quality of the cars used as taxis-lots of mercedes and audis. i paid 50 EUROS including tip for transport to my hotel on Avenida Zugarzarte, which is less than a mile from the cruise ship dock. i had one large suitcase and it took less than half an hour.

Just FYI for non-native speakers Getxo is pronounced "Get-cho"

hope that all helps,

kat

I have signed up for this tour via the myfriendmario website. In the comments section I mentioned your names as traveling companions. I am traveling solo so I will add one to your tally. I am fine with any Panama City drop off. I can catch a taxi if my hotel is too far from the drop off location. Thanks,

Kat

Wlhug and pat,

I also need transport to Panama City and I would also like to take a tour of the locks and highlights on the way. How are you each going about arranging this? Shall we meet up once aboard? Will there be a cruise critic party?

Kat

Flutocrat and those others of you who have mentioned Spanish language practice as one motivation for taking this cruise. Wouldn't it be great if Pullmantur offered daily Spanish lessons for us? I wonder if anyone has ever suggested it to them?

Hmmm.

Thanks, for the help on smoking policy. I will keep an eye out for folks going on the May through September monarch cruises to see what they have to say.

I know that the concept of cheap airfare is different for everyone but for me the splurge to business class (with a lie flat seat) is one I value since it lets me be up and running when I arrive across the pond. I don't remember the cruise critic policy about posting things like this but I got a Lufthansa business class one way from Tampa to Frankfurt and then on to Bilbao for $2500. I used an online flight aggregator called alpha guru.

The one way coach flight from Panama City to Tampa on Copa was $283.

Also, I second the request for more info about the all-inclusive drink service. Is it only at meals? Only at meals in the main dining room?

Does anybody know if other packages are offered (for a fee, of course) that allow one to get soft drinks and or drinks at other times?

Thanks,

Hello,

I booked a single on this cruise at an amazing price. I am from Florida and I have been studying Spanish for a few years now and I hope to be able to immerse myself in the language on this trip. I have cruised many times before but never on Pullmantur with that rating of 3.5 so I am not expecting luxury. Also, I love sea days in the middle of the Atlantic!

One thing I am concerned about is smoking onboard. I know the official stance is that smoking is not permitted in cabins, only designated smoking areas but I have been other places in Europe and South America where the rules are not enforced. I have an allergic reaction to smoke. Anyone know how Pullmantur handles this?

I'm so glad to see this thread for this cruise. Thanks to whomever started it.