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Dumb question for a first timer in Europe


carrieluvsgreg
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I’m not sure if this is best posted here in on the Europe board. We are sailing on the Horizon out of Barcelona next April. My Carnival countdown on my hub app shows that I’m 159 days and “00” hours before boarding. Currently it’s just past 11 in the morning here. Our ship is set to leave at 6 pm. Is the app taking into account the time differential? Also- since I’m accustomed to the standard 4 pm departure for Caribbean cruises- what time should we plan to be able to board in Barcelona?

 

 

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Hi there - I could be wrong, but I believe the App just looks at you leaving at noon on the day you enter.

 

Enjoy your cruise!! We did a med sailing from Athens to Barcelona on the Vista and it was incredible!

 

 

 

Thank you! I can’t wait- but I feel like a fish out of water. We’ve traveled so much in the Caribbean, it’s old hat. This all seems so different!

 

 

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Barcelona is (or at least was last year) a hassle for boarding. It took us quite a while. I'd think you should try to get there around 11:00 a.m.(Barcelona time) and plan on waiting. The interesting thing was the Platinum and Diamond boarders took LONGER to board, because there were so many-----and the S&S cards were in that area, so they couldn't go to the shorter red, gold blue lines.

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Boarding time always uses embarkation port’s local time. You can start start reconciling your time activities with boarding time once you are in Barcelona that is 6 hours ahead of Eastern time.

 

 

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Barcelona is (or at least was last year) a hassle for boarding. It took us quite a while. I'd think you should try to get there around 11:00 a.m.(Barcelona time) and plan on waiting. The interesting thing was the Platinum and Diamond boarders took LONGER to board, because there were so many-----and the S&S cards were in that area, so they couldn't go to the shorter red, gold blue lines.

 

 

 

Ok- then that sounds like a typical time for us with the 4 pm sailings. I just wondered if they made you wait later to board since we leave later. I know it’ll all be on the cruise docs but we don’t sail til April and I’m trying to figure out our hotel/ time in Barcelona prior to leaning on Sunday. Sounds like we can check out if our hotel at a standard time and head to the port. I thought we might have to “dally” somewhere first.

Thank you!!

 

 

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Cities in Europe will certainly be different than cruising and visiting islands in the Caribbean. You won't be just laying out on a beach. You will actually be seeing fascinating historically rich places.

I hope you enjoy it. You cannot possibly see it all in just a one day cruise stop so pace yourself so you don't get worn out.

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I was going to say that going on a Med cruise is completely different than going on a Caribbean cruise! I have done two Med cruises and loved them but they were so hectic that I felt like I needed a vacation from the vacation. Hopefully you have more than one sea day as that really helps with not feeling so exhausted. Med cruises really take a lot of planning as there is so much to see and not enough time. Hope you have a great time.

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Cities in Europe will certainly be different than cruising and visiting islands in the Caribbean. You won't be just laying out on a beach. You will actually be seeing fascinating historically rich places.

I hope you enjoy it. You cannot possibly see it all in just a one day cruise stop so pace yourself so you don't get worn out.

Our cruising in the Caribbean never involves laying on any beach. We live in Florida-10 miles from the beach and only go there when we want to walk. We look for things to do on all of our trips, sometimes that is an excursion, sometimes that is walking around the port town to see the sights. We are building up endurance now so that we make sure we are up to hikes like Vesuvius. We realize we will most likely be exhausted but are contemplating extending our stay a day afterward just to prepare for the flight home.

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Where are you your stops?

Barcelona, Spain----5:00 PMExplore this Port

4/16/2018Fun Day At Sea--------4/17/2018Cagliari (Sardinia), Italy7:00 AM3:30 PMExplore this Port

4/18/2018Naples (Capri/Pompeii), Italy7:00 AM7:00 PMExplore this Port

4/19/2018Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy7:00 AM8:00 PMExplore this Port

4/20/2018Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy7:00 AM7:00 PMExplore this Port

4/21/2018Marseilles (Provence), France9:00 AM6:00 PMExplore this Port

4/22/2018Barcelona, Spain

 

We will be arriving in Spain a couple of days early to do some sightseeing there.

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Glad you are getting in a few days early! Barcelona is my favorite city in Europe! Naples itself is quite interesting without going to Vesuvius or Capri.

Be aware that Capri during the day can be wall to wall people(literally). I found it more crowded than Times Square on NYE!

Glad to know that you are doing lots of planning!

Have fun!

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We've sailed out of Barcelona twice. Both times we checked out of our hotel around 9:30 or so and took a cab to the port. We were there before boarding started. We got checked in and waited a brief time. We got on the boat quick both times doing it this way.

 

We've normally arrived in Barcelona a day or two early (more if you can). There is a lot to do in that city. The metro is very simple to use as well so getting around is easy. Buy a T-10 ticket (good for 10 rides) and your entire party can use that one ticket. Just leave it on the turnstile for the person behind you to use.

 

If possible, I'd stay as long as you can after the cruise as well.

 

Vesuvius isn't too bad of a hike either. The pics of Naples from near the top are quite good as well.

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...My Carnival countdown on my hub app shows that I’m 159 days and “00” hours before boarding. Currently it’s just past 11 in the morning here. Our ship is set to leave at 6 pm. Is the app taking into account the time differential?....

 

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Please tell us why this would matter(???)

 

 

 

 

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I have sailed two times out of Barcelona, I think both were between 4-6 pm. Cant recall exact time. I do recall they go on the time zone you are in, so stick with that time, not the app's time (which should be the same, anyway). We had no hassle getting on the ship in 2016/ Vista's 4 cruise.

 

You do need to worry about the new world that opened up to you now that you are cruising in Europe. Back in 2006 we took our first cruise out of Barcelona and I can now say in 2017 we have traveled all over Europe.

 

Frankly, I wish I was you, the first time you go overseas is so very exiting, so new and so memorable. There is a Mark Twain travel saying:

 

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime".

 

Its so very true, keep on traveling.

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We went on Vista in June 2016. We stayed the night before in Barcelona at the Las Ramblas Hotel. Great little hotel. We woke up early the day of the cruise and went out had breakfast and some sightseeing. By 10 am I was ready to go to the ship. I'm like a little kid on Xmas morning on embarkation day. We arrived at pier by 10:20 and were onboard by 11. Glad we got there when we did because people started arriving in droves and the line formed in the parking lot, in the hot sun and no shade. Get there early if you can.

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Please tell us why this would matter(???)

 

 

 

 

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....um because I was wondering about embarking and how it compared to what I’ve done on the last 14 cruises here. I was checking my hub app and it happened to be at a “0” hours mark and it was 11 am. As the title of the thread clearly states- dumb question-

I was not hanging on bated breath - simply curious.

 

 

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I have sailed two times out of Barcelona, I think both were between 4-6 pm. Cant recall exact time. I do recall they go on the time zone you are in, so stick with that time, not the app's time (which should be the same, anyway). We had no hassle getting on the ship in 2016/ Vista's 4 cruise.

 

 

 

You do need to worry about the new world that opened up to you now that you are cruising in Europe. Back in 2006 we took our first cruise out of Barcelona and I can now say in 2017 we have traveled all over Europe.

 

 

 

Frankly, I wish I was you, the first time you go overseas is so very exiting, so new and so memorable. There is a Mark Twain travel saying:

 

 

 

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime".

 

 

 

Its so very true, keep on traveling.

 

 

 

Thank you- we truly are looking forward to every minute!

 

 

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We went out of Barcelona around four and I don’t believe we arrived to the ship until about 2:30 and the pier was almost vacant. Super easy to get on and if you want to grab a couple of bottles of wine there is a nice liquor store at the pier. Bought a large bottle of sparkling wine and shared with a couple later in the week we had met on ship.

We loved Barcelona folks were so friendly and the city was easy to get around. Enjoy!

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We went out of Barcelona around four and I don’t believe we arrived to the ship until about 2:30 and the pier was almost vacant. Super easy to get on and if you want to grab a couple of bottles of wine there is a nice liquor store at the pier. Bought a large bottle of sparkling wine and shared with a couple later in the week we had met on ship.

 

We loved Barcelona folks were so friendly and the city was easy to get around. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Thank you so much for this information! I already was wondering where would be the best place to pick up wine after we landed because getting it to Spain would definitely be a challenge!

 

 

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Every European cruise I've done I haven't arrived to board until about 3 or 4. It's not the same as the Caribbean for me....I want to spend time in the city I'm in before getting on the ship! When we boarded in Venice on one cruise we were actually dead last to get on! Oh and first off at the end...more cities to see!

 

 

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