Live review with pics, Equinox, Oct 27, TA Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale.

[Barwick Cruiser]

We also stayed at the Atrium Palace five years ago for 2 nights pre-cruise. We loved the location, easy to walk everywhere and were pleasantly surprised when they gave us a complimentary upgrade at check-in to a suite...was like a mini apartment with a full length deck with a built-in hot tub. If we hadn't been leaving on a cruise it would've been tempting to extend our stay there! Looking forward to hearing how you like it!

 

Enjoy!

[Us Two]

We were on the Oct 2nd sailing , 12 nts Italy and Greek Isles , with 3 nts stay in an apt in Barcelona . You will love Barc and suroundings , we also went to the seafront.

Food good on ship, staff very good . We learned to watercolour and it was a fun time with people we met. We too travel light ,the very small suitcase , a little bigger than carryone. You have it made, not having to wait at the carosel and always having the bags with you means no lost luggage.

 

It was our 24th anniversary, went to Muranos for dinner , it was wonderful!

So enjoy your trip, stay safe and fond memories!....Joan.

[s1amblue]

Water should be fine in Barcelona! Will read your posts with interest since we're doing same cruise next year! Not sure what to do yet in Valencia & Canary Islands, interested in what you do & see as 'on the dock' options! Have a great time!

[hcat]

We also enjoyed a 2 night pre cruise stay at Atrium Palace...great location, free internet, helpful staff and nice on site breakfast buffet,,,tapas at the bar as well.

 

Loved Barcelona...historic roman ruins, gaudi bldgs, beautiful music palace, shopping..but agree about watching for pickpockets...nicknamed City of Thieves!

 

enjoy!

[eyecantwait]

I'm so happy to have found this thread as we're just starting to look at booking our first transatlantic for next November, Rome--->Ft. Lauderdale on the Constellation.

Happy Anniversary and have a fabulous trip!

 

Angela Z.

[Jessejo]

So glad to have found this thread! DH and I were booked on this cruise but had to cancel. Looking forward to reading more - and traveling along with you...

[lacemaker]

Hi we are from Columbia also. The Equinox is our favorite ship and Aqua has spoiled us for anything else. We did a TA on her but from Ft. Lauderdale to Rome, stayed on board for the E. Med., wonderful trip. It will be fun following you on this trip. Happy Anniversary and have a great time.

[cazzi]

congrats to the both of you

 

Have a great vacation cant wait to follow you along

 

Ciao for now

[wisteria1019]

Hope to meet you tonight at the pre cruise cocktail party. If not, then tomorrow at sail away. We cruised this TA last year as well. You are in for a treat. Happy celebrating!

 

Dawn

[Crusin-Suzan]

Joel, congrats to you and your wife on your anniversary!

 

We have friends sailing with you, and I hope you all have a fabulous crossing! I won't get to read about all of it live as my spouse and I will be following shortly behind you through the Med and across the pond as we embark on the Silhouette TA (Nov. 1), and we like to vacation "unplugged." But I look forward to catching up when we return, and I am particularly interested in how you do this with just one bag.

 

I think you will love the S-class ships!

 

Happy crossing!

And we are one of the friends that will be on your ship!!!! Looking forward to meeting you!!!

[cl.klink]

Crashed into bed 9ish after not much sleep on airplane and getting to Baecelona 3 ish. After relaxing briefly at hotel, walked the city streets and went to Picasso Museum. Highle recommend and not expensive. Representative works from all his life on display, beautiful building, in heart of. Very vibrant area of town with narrow streets in which local children played, families walked hand in hand, tourists too, lots of shops, and restaurants. Had tapas at Bar del Pla, just a block from

Museo Picasso. Fabulous food. Not a tourist place. Had a great nice sleep with an extra hour for daylight savings change. Now off for a tour with Barcelona Day Tours, seeing city plus Montserrat. So happy.

 

A city scene

 

 

 

 

 

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[cl.klink]

Sign on Picasso museum

 

Great tapas to be had at Bar del Pla

 

Breakfast at hotel

 

 

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[cocker2]

Do hope you get to see at least the outside of the Sagrada Familia today.

 

[wallie5446]

Just in case you didn't get the score on the game:)

Edited October 26, 2014 by wallie5446

[OhioDogLover]

Enjoying your review. We also went to the Picasso Museum and liked it a lot. We took the same tour you are with Barcelona Day Tours and enjoyed it, too. Have fun. Barcelona is a fun city. It had the same feel to us as San Francisco and Florence, two of our favorite cities.

 

Ohiodoglover

[westcoastcruiser]

My husband and I were to be on this cruise and had to cancel because of my surgery. So will be anxiously following along. I, too, am interested in your packing strategies although we were to be on the Mediterranean portion preceding the T/A -- not that that would justify all the extra luggage we would have brought!

 

Bon Voyage!

[cl.klink]

So glad to have found this thread! DH and I were booked on this cruise but had to cancel. Looking forward to reading more - and traveling along with you...

 

 

I hope. I can bring you a feel of the cruise vicariously, then!

 

- Joel

 

 

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[cl.klink]

Everything about your post interests me. I am curious about your flights to and your overnight stay in Barcelona pre-cruise, your one carry on bag packing method and if you enjoy all those consecutive days at sea. I will be taking what I've termed my first "backpack" cruise next month. Hubby has always said I overpack for cruises so I am set on proving him wrong. My challenge to myself. . .I will bring only what I can fit in one backpack this time. Should be interesting. . .looking forward to your posts. Thanks for sharing!

 

 

The flights went ok but with each leg had to check in anew and go through security fresh. Barely made the connection in London.

 

Check out one bag dot com and learn how to travel with one bag only. Totally do-able. I heard its creator on a radio show once and have been hooked since.

 

- Joel

 

 

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[cl.klink]

We're doing the return to Barcelona in Apr, so really looking forward to your info. Your bag was in an AA sizer, is that who you flew. Haven't booked our air yet so wondering about the plane, seatback screen looked interesting.

 

 

Yes, American Airlines to Chicago, then British Airways Chicago to London and London to Barcelona. My TA set up with Choice Air. Each time my bag fit into overhead bin (even St. Louis to Chicago on a regional jet). So, ALL my stuff for trip was with me as carry on but even with a few choice things in seat with me, plenty of free keg room still. Easy peasy. Hated having to go through security with every stop, and I never can sleep much on planes, else was ok.

 

- Joel

 

 

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[cl.klink]

Just in case you didn't get the score on the game:)

 

 

Thanks!

- Joel

 

 

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[cl.klink]

We also enjoyed a 2 night pre cruise stay at Atrium Palace...great location, free internet, helpful staff and nice on site breakfast buffet,,,tapas at the bar as well.

 

 

 

Loved Barcelona...historic roman ruins, gaudi bldgs, beautiful music palace, shopping..but agree about watching for pickpockets...nicknamed City of Thieves!

 

 

 

enjoy!

 

 

Spot on. I was a little concerned because no one on CC was writing about this hotel or had heard of it when I asked, but had decent reviews on trip advisor.

 

- Joel

 

 

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[Maz_1]

Looking forward to reading your posts.

 

We sailed on the Equinox at the beginning of the month & had a fantastic time :D

 

We will be sailing on her again on her Transatlantic back to Barcelona. Have a wonderful cruise & Happy Anniversary :)

 

Marion.

[Luckynana]

The flights went ok but with each leg had to check in anew and go through security fresh. Barely made the connection in London.

 

Check out one bag dot com and learn how to travel with one bag only. Totally do-able. I heard its creator on a radio show once and have been hooked since.

 

- Joel

 

 

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Hi Joel..Congratulations on your Anniversary! I am enjoying following you on your exciting journey and looking forward to your posts while on the Equinox. I am looking forward to our Caribbean cruise on the Equinox next March. My DH and I stayed in Barcelona prior to our Mediterranean cruise a few years back and fell in love with that beautiful city. We stayed right on Las Rambles...what a lively and bustling area!

 

I am curious to see how you travel with just a carry-on bag, so I thank you for the one bag.com website you posted. Enjoy your cruise! We'll all be following you!;)

 

Maryann

[cl.klink]

Live review with pics, Equinox, Oct 27, Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Enjoyable tour with Barcelona Day Tours, highly rated in Trip Advisor. Had a 1/2 day city tour combined with 1/2 say Montserrat tour. Competently done.

 

I really like the vibe of this city. Agree with poster that it feels some like San Francisco. So many streets lined with 5-7 story apartments, each with a small balcony, with restaurants and ships and businesses below. With people milling about it feels alive, electric, a place to be. Just roaming the streets is an activity unto itself, and in some way beats "the sights."

 

The region Barcelona is in is called Catalan, and they have their own culture and language, distinct from rest of Spain. I've read it described as a "country without a state." Yellow and red flags with a star represent a political party that has argued for cessation and independence, though it appears there is not enough popular support to make this likely to succeed. Interesting and difficult political issues surround the matter, too.

 

 

La Familia Sagrata is a church that started being built in 1882. Despite the grand scale, it's a church, not a cathedral, since Barcelona already has a cathedral, and the rule is one cathedral per bishop (or so I'm told; I'm not Catholic). The famous architect Gaudi laid out plans for this highly thought out building but died before it was complete. It lay in fallow for a time, and some busts were destroyed in war, but a competition in the 1960s got new architectural blood infused, and Gaudi's careful documentation is allowing his vision to be completed. The hope is to be done by 2026, 100 years after Gaudi's death.

 

Park Guell is in the hills overlooking Barcelona. It was once a planned high end residential community with stunning views, started in early 20th century. Never took off. Son buildings survive, else now it's a city park.

 

Panoramic view of Barcelona from Mon Ric facing to the north. The sea is barely visible to the right, and just to the right of that (out of view) would be the pier for the cruise ships, which we later drove to in order to drop some folks off. There were at least 4 large ships docked (couldn't see past that ... Holy smokes).

 

Montserrat is 45-60 min from Barcellona. Impossible built into serrated looking rocks jutting high into the air is an impressive monastery and church. In the church is a 12th century statue of Virgin Mary that is a black color, and is a sacred icon for this area. The first structures up here we're built in the 11th century.

 

To bed. Tomorrow, I get to meet Equinox!

- Joel

 

 

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[cl.klink]

Here's the Barcelona pier for cruise ships when we dropped off folks today. That's NCL Epic in Terminal A, and RCL Liberty of the Seas in B, and that's all I could tell.

- Joel

 

 

 

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