Trip Report - Barcelona & SOS 6/10/12 Sailing

[teddybl]

Great review. Your flight problems at the end were similar to our going on the Brilliance in 2005 from Barcelona.We left Charleston, SC and we missed flights in Philadelphia, and London due to weather . On the way from London to Barcelona,we convinced the ship to call Barcelona and ask them to hold the ship. They actually did. As soon as we jumped on, the gangplank went up and the Brilliance left.

My wife did not get her suitcases until we had been home from the cruise for two weeks ( no clothes) and this cruise featured the " Honeymooner" who was murdered and thrown overboard.

Talk about ups and downs.

Hope to get back soon to Europe.

[MERCE4]

CyberTag,

 

Loved your review!

 

When you had 8 passengers for the Rome excursion in Rome in Limo, what kind of vehicle was used? The website refers to a mini-van, but I was confused as to how 8 adult passengers could fit in a regular mini-van. Did you feel cramped during the ride?

 

Thanks again for taking time to post the review and pictures. I am looking forward to cruising on Serenade this month.

 

Ann

[CyberTag]

Great review. Your flight problems at the end were similar to our going on the Brilliance in 2005 from Barcelona.We left Charleston, SC and we missed flights in Philadelphia, and London due to weather . On the way from London to Barcelona,we convinced the ship to call Barcelona and ask them to hold the ship. They actually did. As soon as we jumped on, the gangplank went up and the Brilliance left.

My wife did not get her suitcases until we had been home from the cruise for two weeks ( no clothes) and this cruise featured the " Honeymooner" who was murdered and thrown overboard.

Talk about ups and downs.

Hope to get back soon to Europe.

 

Yikes! That's horrible! We were just glad ours occurrred at the end of our trip and not the beginning!

[Iamthesea]

Not sure if you are asking if we felt safe or had a safe in the apartment. Yes to both. There is a safe in the apartment. We never felt unsafe while walking around Barcelona. We made sure we were aware of our surroundings and avoided being in the middle of large crowds.

It was A safe, and thank you. The description of the apartments does not mention having a safe. We are seriously thinking of getting a 2 or even 3 bedroom apartment for just the two of us because they are so much less than the hotel.

 

Loved your review.

[CyberTag]

CyberTag,

 

Loved your review!

 

When you had 8 passengers for the Rome excursion in Rome in Limo, what kind of vehicle was used? The website refers to a mini-van, but I was confused as to how 8 adult passengers could fit in a regular mini-van. Did you feel cramped during the ride?

 

Thanks again for taking time to post the review and pictures. I am looking forward to cruising on Serenade this month.

 

Ann

 

You're welcome! The 8 passenger van had 2 bench seats, each bench seats 3. The two extra passengers sat up front with the driver. It was a little tight up front. I sat up front in the middle and did fine (I'm not that big of a person).

[CyberTag]

It was A safe, and thank you. The description of the apartments does not mention having a safe. We are seriously thinking of getting a 2 or even 3 bedroom apartment for just the two of us because they are so much less than the hotel.

 

Loved your review.

 

Thanks! When we go back and there are just 2 of us, we will definitley go the apartment route again. The extra space was wonderful!

[Ballerinamom]

Cybertag: I enjoyed your review very much! My husband and I are traveling to Barcelona before our cruise on 9/15 and I appreciate all the info. I was thinking of arranging a private city tour that also goes to Montserrat - do you have any opinion on that? Thank you! By the way are you a member of USAA? Lorraine

[CyberTag]

Cybertag: I enjoyed your review very much! My husband and I are traveling to Barcelona before our cruise on 9/15 and I appreciate all the info. I was thinking of arranging a private city tour that also goes to Montserrat - do you have any opinion on that? Thank you! By the way are you a member of USAA? Lorraine

 

So glad you are finding the review helpful! We didn't make it to Montserat, and hope to do that if we return some day. We are USAA members. My father-in-law is a retired Lt. Colonial in the Air Force, so we are able to be members through him

 

 

Kari

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for a review of your cruise. Glad you had a good time, except for the end with your flight problems.

[Ransthewiz]

Thank you for a most amazing job of posting all of the above.

We are excited to board the ship on 7/28.

Regards, Randy :)

[mp2010]

Great review!

[nzdisneymom]

Kari - I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your trip report and seeing the lovely pictures. We have a Mediterranean cruise booked for next summer and will definitely be checking out the apartment accommodations in Barcelona.

 

You're lucky that you went to Pompeii in the morning; in 2007 we had a tour of Capri, Sorrento (which I agree is beautiful), and Pompeii - and our Pompeii portion was after lunch when it was seriously hot out. But so interesting! Wish you'd had a chance to climb the tower in Pisa - it's a beautiful view from the top and fun to say you've done it :)

 

I'm definitely interested in Lucca as an option for the day we are in La Spezia since we've been to Pisa before. We'll do Florence on one of our cruises but on the other, we wanted to do something else, so we were thinking Cinque Terra but now that I've read more about Lucca, we might do that instead.

 

And I definitely want to go to Monte Carlo - we're porting in Villefranche so we will have to make our way there, but I agree with you about the Rick Steves' books/audio tours - it makes things absolutely doable on your own.

 

Can't wait to be in Venice and as we get closer to travel time, I will be asking you more details :) And continuing to comb cruise critic.

 

Thanks again for a detailed report!

[Ballerinamom]

Hi Kari - I work for USAA and had noticed you mentioned it in one of your reviews. thanks to your father in law for his past service. Happy 4th! Lorraine

[Bobal]

Great review with wonderful pictures. We just booked a trip on Serenade for next year (post refit) with our 2 sons. The itinerary is slightly different but we have an overnight in Venice and Salerno was a particular attraction for us as one of our sons will be going off to study for a year in Salerno only a few weeks after this trip, so it seemed like a good way for him to brush up on his Italian and sort out any last minute stuff.

 

Shame about the Seaview Cafe as we really loved that place but on the plus side I believe they'll be adding a Park Cafe :)

[Sinppu]

Kyle, our 15 year old, ordered nachos and was very surprised at the size when it was delivered. We aren't in California any more!!

 

 

Oh no, he didn't know what tapas are? You are supposed to order 3-4 of them per person and then share :D

Poor Kyle :o

[CVU]

Shame about the Seaview Cafe as we really loved that place but on the plus side I believe they'll be adding a Park Cafe :)

Park Cafe is in the Solarium on the Radiance. We found it Too stuffy in there to eat though and few tables to sit at anyway. Many take their food to the Windjammer to eat.

Very sad we didn't have the Seaview on our long B2B++.....

[CyberTag]

Thanks for a review of your cruise. Glad you had a good time, except for the end with your flight problems.

 

Thanks! We got home, eventually, and were just glad it was at the end of our trip and not the beginning.

[CyberTag]

Thank you for a most amazing job of posting all of the above.

We are excited to board the ship on 7/28.

Regards, Randy :)

 

You will have an amazing time!

[CyberTag]

Kari - I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your trip report and seeing the lovely pictures. We have a Mediterranean cruise booked for next summer and will definitely be checking out the apartment accommodations in Barcelona.

 

You're lucky that you went to Pompeii in the morning; in 2007 we had a tour of Capri, Sorrento (which I agree is beautiful), and Pompeii - and our Pompeii portion was after lunch when it was seriously hot out. But so interesting! Wish you'd had a chance to climb the tower in Pisa - it's a beautiful view from the top and fun to say you've done it :)

 

I'm definitely interested in Lucca as an option for the day we are in La Spezia since we've been to Pisa before. We'll do Florence on one of our cruises but on the other, we wanted to do something else, so we were thinking Cinque Terra but now that I've read more about Lucca, we might do that instead.

 

And I definitely want to go to Monte Carlo - we're porting in Villefranche so we will have to make our way there, but I agree with you about the Rick Steves' books/audio tours - it makes things absolutely doable on your own.

 

Can't wait to be in Venice and as we get closer to travel time, I will be asking you more details :) And continuing to comb cruise critic.

 

Thanks again for a detailed report!

 

Your welcome, Cindy! I will try and help any way I can... so jealous of your B2B!

 

Kari

[CyberTag]

Oh no, he didn't know what tapas are? You are supposed to order 3-4 of them per person and then share :D

Poor Kyle :o

 

We knew what tapas are and did several p/p for each of us to share. I guess we just didn't "think" the nachos would be that small. Just used to enough for many people to share. Trust me .. he didn't starve!

[CyberTag]

Hi Kari - I work for USAA and had noticed you mentioned it in one of your reviews. thanks to your father in law for his past service. Happy 4th! Lorraine

 

Great company!!!!

[nellydean]

Great review, we have been to many of the ports you visited, and particularly enjoyed our day in Lucca, which we got a train to from Livorno.

 

Just one small correction - it was the Pantheon you visited in Rome - the Parthenon is a temple on the Acropolis in Athens - must have still been jet lagged when you wrote that ;) :)

Edited July 4, 2012 by nellydean

[CyberTag]

Great review, we have been to many of the ports you visited, and particularly enjoyed our day in Lucca, which we got a train to from Livorno.

 

Just one small correction - it was the Pantheon you visited in Rome - the Parthenon is a temple on the Acropolis in Athens - must have still been jet lagged when you wrote that ;) :)

 

Oops...you are so right. Thanks for the correction.

 

Kari

[Iamthesea]

I get that one mixed up all the time, especially when I visited both in the same cruise. Easy to do. ;) I have to stop and think about it before writing or speaking about the two places.

[monn_a]

Next we visited the Parthenon, the Trevi Fountain, and slowly drove by the Spanish Steps.

 

 

I loved your review, great pictures. I missed the Pantheon on my tour in May and it was something I really wanted to see, but I'm going back in December and will see it for sure next time. I don't want to be a smarta$@ but the Parthenon is in in Greece and the Pantheon is in Rome...a lot of people confuse them...

Edited July 5, 2012 by monn_a