Info on boarding times for Epic in Barcelona

I am thinking of taking an early access trip to Monserrat the Sunday we board. It would be back about 130 in the afternoon and it looks like we leave port at 6 Pm. The hotel would be willing to store my luggage so I would just have to pick up the luggage and go to the port.

Wondering if I am crazy to try and get this in on embarkation day. Getting on board early is not a big thing for me as I will be on board for a B2B so will have plenty of time on the ship.

Also wondering if anyone has an idea of peak boarding times? Would love to avoid some of the crowds.

I got on in Rome, and did something similar to what you are planning for Barcelona. I had arranged for a car to pick us up from our Rome hotel with our luggage, take us to Tivoli (about an hour east of Rome) for a day trip to the gardens out there, then bring us to the port. So no need to return to the hotel and make an extra stop to grab the bags, they were with me the whole time. I'm sure you can find a similar service in Barcelona willing to do a trip like that.

In Barcelona we used this group for a day trip through the city - they were great. Reach out to them, they may have a trip that suits you, or they can customize one that would work better depending on the size of your group. https://barcelonadaytours.com They do offer a Montserrat tour, so you can see if they can customize it for you for a hotel pickup but port drop off: https://barcelonadaytours.com/montserrat-shore-excursion/

We returned to the port from our city tour around 2:30pm and it was a madhouse. The lines for Barcelona passengers just getting through security and onto the ship was several hundred people deep. So a morning tour getting you to the port around 4pm or so would probably help avoid some of these lines, with plenty of time to board.

For comparison, our Rome private tour was just the 3 of us in our group, hotel pick up, transfer to Tivoli (3 different stops), then transfer to the port for 450 euros total. 8am pick up, and we were checked in and on the boat by 4:30pm with plenty of time before the ship pulled out. It was one of our favorite excursions because it was so private and intimate and a stress free way to get from hotel to ship with luggage.

If the ship leaves at 6 pm, all aboard for embarking passengers is 4:00 (5:30 for those who embarked in Rome). Peak times are around lunch time when people are getting kicked out of their hotels and are making their way to the ship. If you pick up your bags at 1:30 and head to the port, you should be at the tail end of the rush.

If the ship leaves at 6 pm, all aboard for embarking passengers is 4:00 (5:30 for those who embarked in Rome). Peak times are around lunch time when people are getting kicked out of their hotels and are making their way to the ship. If you pick up your bags at 1:30 and head to the port, you should be at the tail end of the rush.

Question: does late all aboard time also mean that there isn’t a super early disembark time? I mean I know they have to turn over the rooms, but I’m used to the “get off before 9am” idea and would love not to be so rushed getting off in Barcelona.

Boarding deadline for newly embarking guests is 4pm.... that way you are all aboard for Muster Drill.

Last year i arrived at the port around 1.30pm... and it was packed - Ive actually never seen it so busy (i normally try to get to the port and checked in early when its quieter)

I got checked in somewhere between 2 and 2.30 and the queue behind me was still huge! So i would definately say peak time was between 12pm and 3pm.

However, at the end of the day as long as you are there and in the queue to be checked in by 3pm i dont think you will have an issue.

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You should be fine with your plan.

Question: does late all aboard time also mean that there isn’t a super early disembark time? I mean I know they have to turn over the rooms, but I’m used to the “get off before 9am” idea and would love not to be so rushed getting off in Barcelona.

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What would be the earliest time we could board?

Why bother with a "tour"? It is simple to just go to Montserrat on your own. Most "tours" are far most costly and include less.

You can enjoy going in the morning and be back to your hotel in plenty of time to board the ship.

You can get your transportation there/back by train, and either cable car or rack rail up/down for under 25euros.

What would be the earliest time we could board?

11.30am..... but you would have to be in boarding group 1 to get that time slot so you would need to be at port and checked in by 9.30/10am

Why bother with a "tour"? It is simple to just go to Montserrat on your own. Most "tours" are far most costly and include less.

 

You can enjoy going in the morning and be back to your hotel in plenty of time to board the ship.

 

You can get your transportation there/back by train, and either cable car or rack rail up/down for under 25euros.

I did look at taking the train but the earliest one leaves 2 hours after the tour and it is not much more for the tour. This way I get to spend a couple hours longer at Montserrat. I am like you and love to take the local options when possible. Thanks for the possible suggestion.

I did a tour (not to Montserrat) recently with Barcelona Day Tours and found that they were very accommodating about pick-up and drop-off locations. Because passengers on the Epic western Mediterranean route can embark and disembark at either Barcelona or Rome, we had a mix of people (a) going to a hotel after the tour, (b) returning to the ship, © being dropped off at Plaza Catalunya for sightseeing on foot (that was me), to return to the ship independently, and (d) being picked up at a hotel at the beginning of the tour and boarding the ship after it.

I did a tour (not to Montserrat) recently with Barcelona Day Tours and found that they were very accommodating about pick-up and drop-off locations. Because passengers on the Epic western Mediterranean route can embark and disembark at either Barcelona or Rome, we had a mix of people (a) going to a hotel after the tour, (b) returning to the ship, © being dropped off at Plaza Catalunya for sightseeing on foot (that was me), to return to the ship independently, and (d) being picked up at a hotel at the beginning of the tour and boarding the ship after it.

Thanks I will check in to that.

Got to say I love the support around here.