Millenium Transatlantic 11/18/05

[Brucemcdou]

Hi - I know from the roll call boards that there are a few of us already on this cruise - Dan and I, PD and Rick, and Ahoymatey. Anyone else? We're trying to put together a boys' night out the evening before we leave Barcelona. Dan and I also plan to have some FOD get togethers on the big verandah of our aft-facing FV!

 

Bruce

[Faygelah]

Bruce:

 

Thanks for starting the thread over here. Rick & I would like to checkout at least a couple of gay venues in Barcelona. If the cruise critics folks are getting together for tapas and paella Thursday night,maybe we could do something afterwards, or excuse ourselves early.

[Brucemcdou]

PD - that sounds like a good plan. The more I think about it, I'm sure we'll be pretty tired by Thursday evening, but we'd also like to see some of Barcelona's nightlife. We might take Disco naps in the evening before dinner so we have some energy. Do I recall correctly that you'll be arriving a day earlier, so hopefully you'll be a little fresher?

 

Bruce

[Faygelah]

We're actually arriving Tuesday, so we should almost be on BCN time by Thursday. And remember, we can nap Friday after we board and unpack.

[Jerry & Kirk]

Greetings from Jerry and Kirk in Tinseltown!

 

There is a possibility that we will be joining you on this cruise, although slim. Let me explain.....

 

Friends of ours, Bill and Alice, (a gay friendly str8 couple) will be on this cruise and they have invited us to join them. We have sailed with them on 2 previous transatlantic crossing and enjoyed their company immensely!!!

 

Alice is a ball on fire and loves the gay guys. She is fun loving and very scocilable....and a knock-out dresser on formal nights. Also, she shuts down the the bars every night (even though she's not much of a drinker).....just one more dance, PLEASE! Bill is a semi retired MD, a very brainy laid back kind of guy and goes with the flow. If you need a cure for your ailments, just ask Bill, he will be happy to advise you. BUT if your doing anything naughty with your body, get ready for a BIG lecture, I know!

 

Anyway, here's the deal, we prefer longer cruises so we thought we would combine the previous cruise with the crossing, but the prices for the previous cruise are currently outrageous, and we wouldn't be willing to pay the price. Most cruise lines will lower (or raise) the fares 3 months prior to sailing, so we will wait until the middle of next month to see if there are any changes.

You'll be the first to know if we book it.

 

J & K

[Faygelah]

Jerry & Kirk:

 

Hope you guys decide to come! Your friends sound like fun, too. Send them over to our rollcall. On our last trip, Rick & I were the only folks in the disco after midnight or so. We'd love to have company, especially with all of the 25 hour days we're going to have (moving west through time zones).

 

PD

[ahoymatey3]

I'd like to check out a couple of the nightclubs, also. I get in Wednesday morning so hopefully I'll be reset. I'm planning full sight-seeing days, already have the turisto bus pass purchased.

[Brucemcdou]

Jerry & Kirk - I second Faygelah's welcome - we hope you decide to come along with your crazy friends. You're right, prices should drop a little after the final payments are due and some people cancel their reservations. I believe the final payment is due September 9th (at least that's the date I have circled on my calendar...) so check immediately afterwards.

 

Ahoymatey - sounds like we've got a group. Dan and I will just have a nap and then a cup of espresso to give us some energy to go out.

[ahoymatey3]

What are everyone's plans for Rome. I had wanted to get on one of the private tours being organized, but didn't move quick enough. I'm not terribly thrilled with any of the ship's excursions.

 

We have enough here for a private tour, anyone interested?

[Brucemcdou]

We don't tend to book shore excursions in too far in advance, although we do just enough research so we have a sense of what the options are, what sights are close to a port stop, and if we might want to go out on our own so we can arrange for a rental car. I think that PD and Rick have already made up a separate private van tour to Rome with some of the others from the main Roll Call board.

 

We've both been to Rome before, and any of the ship's excursions there as well as any private tour are pretty much all-day commitments. We figure we'll just have to go back and stay in Rome for a while to really "see" the city!

 

I did do some web browsing to see what's in the vicinity of Civitavecchia without spending all day going in to Rome and back, and came up empty handed. Just looking at the ship's shore excursion choices, Dan and I were thinking of taking the ship's bicycling and olive oil excursion (oh, the image that creates...) in order to see the countryside from a different perspective, i.e., not from a tour bus. We tend to enjoy more "active" excursions as a contrast to the cruise experience. Five years ago while on a Royal Caribbean cruise (pre-Dan) I did an interesting half-day excursion at Civitavecchia to visit some underground Etruscan tombs in the nearby countryside, but X isn't offering that one.

 

Right now we're planning a cruise at the end of August, so we'll probably turn our attention to the Transatlantic after that.

[Jerry & Kirk]

Hi all,

 

Our friends Bill and Alice, have been bugging us to book this cruise NOW and not wait any longer, and added, that a fun lesbian couple (new friends they made on their last cruise) would also be joing us. I thought that might make for a nice mix, so I got busy and searched the web to look for the best deal currently available. Everybody's pricing was the "same" (high) UNTIL I ran acroos a travel agency that still had an old promo available that was allocated to them by Celebrity, however, there were only 2 cabins left. One was a standard outside cabin and the other was Concierge Class (NO choice of location for either cabin...take what you get). The standard outside cabin would have been fine with me, but Kirk insisted on the balcony cabin....so he could push me out the door when I lit a cigarette...that'll cost him (and me) an extra thousand. Now I feel poor! Maybe I should stop smoking???

 

Looks like we won't be going on the previous cruise, as we wanted too. Why? The ship will be in dry dock...boo hoo!

 

Anyway, I booked and deposited today, but we are not yet "official" confirmed. I expect that to happen tomorrow.

 

Because we have never really seen Barcelona ( just the bus ride from the airport to the port) we are thinking about arriving early and doing some touristy stuff. I assume that some of you have already done research on hotels, tours, etc. Would you please share with us? "Anything" would be appreciated.

 

Later....Jerry (and Kirk)

[ahoymatey3]

Hi - I know from the roll call boards that there are a few of us already on this cruise - Dan and I, PD and Rick, and Ahoymatey. Anyone else? We're trying to put together a boys' night out the evening before we leave Barcelona. Dan and I also plan to have some FOD get togethers on the big verandah of our aft-facing FV!

 

Bruce

 

Gives a whole new meaning to the term 'family view'

[ahoymatey3]

Hi Jerry & Kirk. The group is growing, great! That bicycle tour sounds interesting. I’m debating about ‘saving’ Rome proper for another time, given the relatively short time allowed. I know I’ll be back someday. I have 104 days <sigh> before I leave so there’s no need to rush into anything.

 

Regarding Barcelona, I’ve not been before either. I’ve purchased a ticket for the hop-on-hop-off tourist bus. It seemed like a good deal at $26 for the 2 day pass (including shipping). It includes discounts on admission to a lot of the major attractions (and 2-for-1 at Mk Donald’s – honestly, who would eat there after traveling that far?)

 

The link is: http://www.barcelona-on-line.es/eng/reserves/bus_turistic.htm

 

A friend of Brucemcdou’s is staying at the Hotel Axel shortly. It is a boutique hotel, gay-owned and operated. Rooms look on the small side but nice. Nice amenities. Very good location. I have a tentative reservation, and am eagerly awaiting a review. I found the hotel’s website, www.hotelaxel.com had the best prices.

 

[campingman]

Im sure you will enjoy the crossing and the ports and the Chicago boys.Oh i forgot the Hollywood boys.

Why arent i going?

Cheers Anthony

[ahoymatey3]

faygelah - I just 'got' your name. LOL. took me long enough.

[Faygelah]

Anthony! How is it in Oz? Can't you come with us?? It's going to be much more fun sailing west and gaining time than it was sailing east and losing time. How was your transatlantic? So sorry we couldn't go.

 

PD (and Rick)

[campingman]

PD and Rick.Hope your both well along with your family.

This is what we did.Three of us shared a Celebrity Suite midships which was excellent.Did not miss the Balcony.

The Circ De sole is a disapointment and just utilises the space of what was once a great lounge area,forward.The set up looks like a elegant backpackers Dorm.Complete with matresses with Arabian style pull around curtains and cushions.Shiek.

We had many FOD meets, 3 Luncheon Clubs.We had about 30 at the FODs and 20 for lunches.

 

It was a big trip.Flying from Sydney to LAX then visting friends from these boards in LA (Jerry and Kirk)then Amtrak to Chicago then to DC then to Orlando.All sleepers 4 nights 3 trains.A great experience, (albeit i had done a similar before).

Overnighting in Orlando we then flew to San Juan,2 nights.

Departed on the beautiful Constellation for a 14 day crossing to Dover.Drove to the North of England same day then did a 14 day self catering Canal Boat hire to Wales taking in what they call the Llangollen Canal and the 3 Canals forming the Cheshire Ring.About 130 locks in all over 2 weeks.

We then did a 5 day 1st Class Britarail Pass taking in Inverness,York,London, Bath,London.

Flew then to Koln then utilised a 1st Class Eurail Pass 10 days over 18 days taking in Germany,Switzerland,Austria,Italy,Amsterdam.

Departing out of Frankfurt flying back to LAX then 2 nights rest before going home to Sydney.

 

We are off again ex Sydney in September for 2 cruises.14 days on the Summit ex Vancouver and a 7 Day Mexican, Oosterdam.

[Jerry & Kirk]

I know why Campingman won't be joining us on this crossing, because he and 4 of his friends are visiting us next month for several days prior to their 14 day cruise to Alaska, and hopefully a vist from them after their cruise, just prior to 2 of them cruising to Mexico on the Oosterdam. All that cruising in a short period makes my mouthwater. Why not go for it if you have the time and $$$, I always say.

 

About Campingman and how we know him......

 

We first met him on Cruise Critics message boards, not quite 2 years ago. I had posted a message looking for others going on the Star Princess from L.A. to New Zealand and Aussieland. He responded by saying that he will be boarding the ship the day we get off, and he wanted to know all about the ship, knowing that we had been on the inaugeral sailing (Singapore-L.A) in 2002. Well, that started something! I think we emailed each other 30-40 times in a month, then that led to phone calls. So we got to know each other pretty well before we ever met in person.....which was the day we docked in Sydney (where he lives). He and a friend picked us up at the dock and took us on an all day excursion, by ferry boat and train. What a FABULOUS day !!!!! Campingman and friends have visited us a couple of times since we first met. Now, I think you could say, we are tight! So you see, there are advantages to chatting with people on message boards.

 

Ahoymatey..... thanks for sending us the info about the tourist bus (our travel agent says that's the best way to see the city) and the hotel. At this point, we are not sure whether we'll arrive early in Barcelona. Did you book your air through Celebrity....and have to pay a $75 air diviation fee for and early arrival, and how will you transfer from airort to hotel, and hotel to the port?

 

Later....Jerry (and Kirk)

[ahoymatey3]

Jerry & Kirk:

 

Yes, I did book m airfare through the cruiseline. I tried various ways (2 one-way, multi-city and 2 roundtrips) and couldn’t beat the fare, even with the deviation fee. Airfares from Des Moines are very pricey. It is my understanding that if you book one of X’s hotels you do not have to pay the fee and the transfers are provided. I did the math and found that for 1 night, the price was about even. For two nights, the savings was about $200. That’s A LOT of martinis. Check with your TA, because the pricing I did was for a single.

 

I’ll use taxis, it is my understanding the fare to the hotel will be about $35 US. Should be no more that $10 to the ship (unless I get charged extra for my luggage).

 

I’ll never arrive the day of embarkation again. I made it to the ship with only ½ hour to spare once (mechanical problems). Too much stress. Iowa can have very bad weather in November and I’m just not going to risk it. I figured as long as I am going all that way (and a $900 airfare :eek: ) I am going to spend 2 nights in Barcelona. That will give me almost 3 full days to see everything and adjust to the time change.

 

103 days to go...

[Brucemcdou]

Jerry & Kirk - glad you'll be joining the group, along with your friends Bill and Alice and the "fun lesbian couple." I'm always in favor of diversity!

 

We had cruiseline air booked and I actually just called yesterday and cancelled it - keeping the cruise reservation, of course. From San Francisco it seems that we can do almost as good as cruiseline air (about $50-100 more per person) and we'll be able to earn the miles and pick our airline and seats. My understanding is that you can't do any of that if you use the cruiseline air arrangements; you're somewhat at their mercy even using the deviation. That's by booking a r/t from SFO to BCN and throwing away the return, and booking a one-way from FLL back to SFO. And we can't use our miles because it's an "open jaw." Ahoymatey, it sounds as if you tried all those options and the cruiseline air is still cheaper. I'm also trying to keep our flights on United or other Star Alliance airlines to earn mileage, but their prices seem to be in line with everyone elses.

[Jerry & Kirk]

Ahoymatey......I have a question for you. How much "extra" luggage are you taking? Can I borrow some of your clothes so I can pack lighter? What size are you? (joke).

 

You are correct, if you buy the cruiselines air and hotel package you won't be charged for air deviation and the transfers are included. BUT, I have a big problem with the $200 pp per night + charges they are asking for, or at least that's what I think our TA told me. Maybe I'll call Celebrity just to double check. Geeeeze, if we had to pay $400 per night for a room, we could actually go on a 7 day Mexico cruise for that price, really!

 

About hotels.....Our TA said she has been to Barcelona 8 times and knows the city well. For 3 star hotels, she recommends The Royal and The Gaudy (sp) , both are in the desireable Gothic district, I believe. According to her, the nicest hotel is the Majestic, which is about 15 blocks from the Gothic district...bus and underground transportation are about 2 blocks away. She really likes the Majestic best. We won't be making any decissions any to soon, and who knows, we might not even arrive early.

 

Later....Jerry (and Kirk)

[campingman]

Im not sure if this is a help?

 

We recently ticketed Air India one way from Frankfurt to LAX.Cost is $350 one way online however i think ours was 265 Euros.

 

They even have flights from Chicago and NYC to London.

EASYJET.COM to Barcelona.59 Euros

 

We overnighted in Frankfurt at the Marriot/Priceline for $60.00.Excellant hotel.Just up from the station which was so easy by Subway from the Airport.

 

There are connecting flights or next day with BERLINAIR.COM AND GERMANWINGS from Frankfurt.They are discounted proven airlines.

 

The flight that we were on was cancelled last minute and we were immediately put on a Lufthansa flight that left at the same time.

 

Alternatively i would be serious to consider a return discounted flight along with a small charge on (redating return)that the return portion can be redated within the 12 months.I would be using the return so i can cruise Transatlantic on any one of the many heavily discounted repositioning sailings next spring or a last minute discounted QM2 crossings

 

One ways are difficult.If you read these boards you will note that even the cruise lines put you on their air charters etc,much to the disapointment of the pax.

 

Hope that this gives you some thought and not confusion?

Anthony

[Brucemcdou]

Campingman - Your suggestion to "redate" the return is a great one. I've read about others buying a r/t airline ticket for a transatlantic cruise, then paying the change fee to move the return date out 12 months even without a cruise booked. If you find a cruise, you can change the airline tix one more time, and if not, you haven't wasted too much money. Hmm, but we already have our "big" 2006 cruise booked. I guess we'll need to do another.

[campingman]

Im not sure how Airlines work in the US however i imagine its all IATA similar.

Now apart from say Easyjet in the UK,which is simply rock bottom and non refundable no change pricing. Our discounted ticketing here in Australia usually says you must fly out on the booked date however the return can be altered with a small rewrite fee.It is of course not encouraged.

 

Wish we were coming as i love all those sea days.I spent 17 years in the Australian Merchant Navy and got to hate sea days.Very different indeed on a Cruise Ship.We are doing a 14 Day Summit Alaskan in September.Very port intensive,Because i have done and Alaskan before there will be ports that i may not go ashore ie Sitka.

 

Its a difficult life?

[ahoymatey3]

Brucemcdou – It must be nice to live in a city where you can get reasonable airfares. That is my biggest complaint with living here. One note though, with custom air you are able to pick your flights and seats. The flight X booked for my return was 9 hours, which was ridiculous. My TA was able to get that changed. I’ve been able to change my seats on-line through Delta a couple times. Once you get the confirmation # its easy.

 

Jerry and Kirk – I’m taking two 29" bags and a 22" carry-on :eek: . No such thing as extra room, sorry. Packing for this trip is a challenge. We’ll be in a couple different climates, from what I’ve read elsewhere. Celebrity is supposed to be a very dressy line, depending on which side of the dress code wars you fall on. With 3 formal nights, (I love playing dress up and will have a different look each night) and 4 informal nights, it starts adding up. The laundry bills will be amazing. No self-serve laundry on this ship like there was on HAL.

 

The Majestic looked very nice but it was $$$$$, I believe it was 300 Euros per night for a single room. I got a superior outside at the Hotel Axel for 138 Euros a night. The Axel is within walking distance of a lot of the major sights, and is in the middle of the gay district. The hotel is only 2 blocks from the tour bus line.

 

Campingman – Thanks for the info. I’m sure your Alaska cruise will be nice. I plan on doing one someday. For next year’s big trip I’m looking at a 21-day transcanal, NYC to Vancouver. A 7-day Alaska would be an easy add-on. Still in the ‘looking phase’ for that one.