Barcelona to Lisbon- Your thoughts?

[stickey_mouse]

I'm eyeing an 8-night itinerary going from Barcelona to Lisbon and have a few random questions.

Any hesitations to sailing on Infinity, an older ship? Which is the better side for at-sea views on this particular itinerary, port or starboard?

 

I studied abroad in Spain a few years back and know what Madrid and Barcelona (pre-cruise) have to offer, but am less familiar with some of the coastal stops. Any excursion highlights or port duds you want to comment on? I wish the cruise stopped in Gibraltar, but we can't win them all. 🙂 Any thoughts on the itinerary, in general?

The itinerary is as follows:
Barcelona
Mallorca
Alicante
Cartagena
Málaga
Cadiz/Sevilla
Day at Sea
Porto, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal

 

Thanks!

 

[kwokpot]

Great itinerary. Some great coastal Spanish cities. When is this cruise?

[cruisestitch]

You are almost always too far out at sea to have any views so I wouldn’t worry about which side of the ship to be on as far as scenery goes.

[Denny01]

As to ports:

Mallorca: Try the vintage train from Palma to Sollar. And Sollar is a Beautiful cliff harbor town.

Cartagena: Is the home port for the Spanish Navy. Fantastic place to just wander around in. It’s a bit of an odd feeling to see the statue memorializing the fallen Spanish sailors.....we killed in the Spanish / American war! And I was in the US Navy.....Not then though!

Malaga: went to see the Alhambra in Granada. One of the best tours I’ve been on. Fantastic comparison of Catholic and Islam architecture and history. One of the major things to see in all of Spain/Med. 

Cadiz: Yes, Sevella is very interesting, but i loved staying in Cadiz. Tough call.

Lisboa: so much to see and do. Did a general walking tour and was great. Dine there for sure!

 

enjoy. Fantastic itinerary. And you said you knew Barcelona but try to spend a few days prior there. Just soooo much. We walked to the Picasso Art Museum and it was one of the best. 

 

Den

[stickey_mouse]

55 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Great itinerary. Some great coastal Spanish cities. When is this cruise?

 

October 30, 2021 (fingers crossed!). Want to join our group? We have a fun group of around 24 people. 

[stickey_mouse]

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

You are almost always too far out at sea to have any views so I wouldn’t worry about which side of the ship to be on as far as scenery goes.

 

It was more the passage through Gibraltar that I had thought of, but I'm guessing that will be after dark, anyway. 

 

Is not stopping at Gibraltar a major loss?

[NCHPcruiser]

Our excursion to the Alhambra while docked in Malaga sticks in our minds as one of our best!  If you have the opportunity to go, do not pass it up!  

[Ozzmund]

Agree wholeheartedly with others, a visit to the Alhambra is an absolute must when your port is Malaga. Long day, lots of walking, but an absolute must.

[kwokpot]

3 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

 

October 30, 2021 (fingers crossed!). Want to join our group? We have a fun group of around 24 people. 

I would love this cruise but we aren't planning to travel overseas this year. We have a previously booked Canada/NE cruise in October which hasn't been cancelled yet and a newly booked. Caribbean cruise on the Edge also in October. Then a family Christmas cruise from NJ. 

We'll consider Europe for next year.

 

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

 

It was more the passage through Gibraltar that I had thought of, but I'm guessing that will be after dark, anyway. 

 

Is not stopping at Gibraltar a major loss?

Unless it's a bucket list for you Gibraltar isn't all that. You take the cable car to the top of the rock,see the monkeys,and that's about it. The town itself is a tourist trap of gift shops and pubs.

[kwokpot]

Some of my photos from the Alhambra on a family Christmas South of Spain trip December,2018

Edited March 26, 2021 by kwokpot

[stickey_mouse]

Lovely pictures! My wife made it to the Alhambra when she studied in Madrid, but I was not as smart and skipped it. Looking forward to remedying that error.

[curmudgeon98]

That's a nice itinerary.  We've done a couple of cruises in that area, as well as some road tripping.  Of those ports, I think Alicante might be the weakest in terms of interest in the city itself; that's a spot I would consider an excursion for something in the area.  

 

We enjoyed the Alhambra much more spending a couple of nights in the old quarter of Granada (and catching a flamenco show in one night in the caves).  Doing it on a day-trip bus tour from Malaga would be a long day, though possibly worthwhile if you wouldn't otherwise have a chance to visit. 

 

Lisbon is well worth a couple of days added to the end if you can; take a taxi out to Sintra one day, and also plan to have dinner one night in one of the little Fado bars (the bigger, more tourist-oriented ones are ok, but the some of the little dives are a treat). 

Edited March 26, 2021 by curmudgeon98

[stickey_mouse]

4 minutes ago, curmudgeon98 said:

That's a nice itinerary.  We've done a couple of cruises in that area, as well as some road tripping.  Of those ports, I think Alicante might be the weakest in terms of interest in the city itself; that's a spot I would consider an excursion for something in the area.  

 

We enjoyed the Alhambra much more spending a couple of nights in the old quarter of Granada (and catching a flamenco show in one night in the caves).  Doing it on a day-trip bus tour from Malaga would be a long day, though possibly worthwhile if you wouldn't otherwise have a chance to visit. 

 

Lisbon is well worth a couple of days added to the end if you can; take a taxi out to Sintra one day, and also plan to have dinner one night in one of the little Fado bars (the bigger, more tourist-oriented ones are ok, but the some of the little dives are a treat). 

 

Granada sounds lovely. Alhambra will have to be an excursion for us, I'm afraid. But I do hope to arrange some sort of Flamenco show in Madrid prior to the cruise. 

[Maya_C]

On a similar sailing, we took a train from Malaga to Cordoba, where we toured the cathedral/mosque (it's been one or the other over the centuries). It's unique and impressive building with a long history, well worth seeing. We also had a wonderful lunch in a small restaurant there and walked around the picturesque town. We took cab rides between the port and the train station in Malaga, and between the train station and the historic center of Cordoba. The transportation was inexpensive. The next time I'm in Malaga, though, I plan to tour that city which has ruins and an art museum worth visiting. Enjoy your trip.

[Tiggertastic]

We were booked on this last year and have it booked this year. We’ve been to a few of these ports and they are great places.

 

Barcelona itself has one of the best hoho tours because it’s so spread out, the gaudi places especially the cathedral is a must see.

 

lisbon has so much to see

 

Don’t worry about the infinity, it’s a lovely ship, yes it’s smaller and doesn’t have the bells and whistles of the apex but it’s got a great atmosphere and feels homely.

 

 

[stickey_mouse]

4 minutes ago, Tiggertastic said:

We were booked on this last year and have it booked this year. We’ve been to a few of these ports and they are great places.

 

Barcelona itself has one of the best hoho tours because it’s so spread out, the gaudi places especially the cathedral is a must see.

 

lisbon has so much to see

 

Don’t worry about the infinity, it’s a lovely ship, yes it’s smaller and doesn’t have the bells and whistles of the apex but it’s got a great atmosphere and feels homely.

 

 

Yes, I adored Barcelona. I went in January while it was snowing, so looking forward to a visit during milder climates. Because you're from the UK, I will take your notation of the ship's feeling homely as a compliment (it means something a little different in the US). 🙂 

[ExArkie]

14 hours ago, curmudgeon98 said:

...Lisbon is well worth a couple of days added to the end if you can; take a taxi out to Sintra one day...

Except I would take the train. Rossio station to Sintra station is about an hour, with trains scheduled every half-hour or so (last time I was there), and the round trip costs five euro (or less?). Buses at the Sintra train station will take you to the Palácio Nacional da Pena (worth the visit).

 

There were (if I recall correctly) also trains to Sintra from Sete Rios, which is north of central Lisbon (by the zoo) and not as convenient if one is in the main business/tourist area. 

[LGW59]

19 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

I'm eyeing an 8-night itinerary going from Barcelona to Lisbon and have a few random questions.

Any hesitations to sailing on Infinity, an older ship? Which is the better side for at-sea views on this particular itinerary, port or starboard?

 

I studied abroad in Spain a few years back and know what Madrid and Barcelona (pre-cruise) have to offer, but am less familiar with some of the coastal stops. Any excursion highlights or port duds you want to comment on? I wish the cruise stopped in Gibraltar, but we can't win them all. 🙂 Any thoughts on the itinerary, in general?

The itinerary is as follows:
Barcelona
Mallorca
Alicante
Cartagena
Málaga
Cadiz/Sevilla
Day at Sea
Porto, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal

 

Thanks!

 

What a wonderful itinerary!  If you have time, in Malaga, I would highly recommend a few hours at the Picasso Museum.  Also if time allows, I highly suggest dining at El Meson de Cervantes, located in the La Merced area, best tapas ever, fish so fresh.  Enjoy your trip!!

Edited March 26, 2021 by LGW59

[4774Papa]

23 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

I'm eyeing an 8-night itinerary going from Barcelona to Lisbon and have a few random questions.

Any hesitations to sailing on Infinity, an older ship? Which is the better side for at-sea views on this particular itinerary, port or starboard?

 

I studied abroad in Spain a few years back and know what Madrid and Barcelona (pre-cruise) have to offer, but am less familiar with some of the coastal stops. Any excursion highlights or port duds you want to comment on? I wish the cruise stopped in Gibraltar, but we can't win them all. 🙂 Any thoughts on the itinerary, in general?

The itinerary is as follows:
Barcelona
Mallorca
Alicante
Cartagena
Málaga
Cadiz/Sevilla
Day at Sea
Porto, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal

 

Thanks!

 

I've been to all but Mallorca, Alicante and Cartagena.  Barcelona deserves 3-4 days minimum.  Plan to go early and tour pre-cruise.   Also, take a day trip to Monserratt Monastery.  From Malaga, there are several things to do.   My favorite was going to Granada to see the Alhambra.  Seville is amazing, be sure you go there.  It is one of my favorite Spanish cities.

Porto, Portugal is great and can be done in a day.  You can do it on your own.  The hills can be steep.   It is worth staying more than one day to go up the Douro River Valley.

Lisbon is a jewel in Portugal's crown.  Lots to see and do.  Take a tour, but if you want to do it own your own, walk from the port up the hill to St. George's Castle.

 

[stickey_mouse]

32 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

I've been to all but Mallorca, Alicante and Cartagena.  Barcelona deserves 3-4 days minimum.  Plan to go early and tour pre-cruise.   Also, take a day trip to Monserratt Monastery.  From Malaga, there are several things to do.   My favorite was going to Granada to see the Alhambra.  Seville is amazing, be sure you go there.  It is one of my favorite Spanish cities.

Porto, Portugal is great and can be done in a day.  You can do it on your own.  The hills can be steep.   It is worth staying more than one day to go up the Douro River Valley.

Lisbon is a jewel in Portugal's crown.  Lots to see and do.  Take a tour, but if you want to do it own your own, walk from the port up the hill to St. George's Castle.

 

I’ve been to Monserrat- had the pleasure of attending a religious retreat there when I lived in Madrid. It’s beautiful, and as someone who received 7 years of Jesuit education, it held a special significance to me. I’ve also been to Sevilla- that’s a must do for our group as well. 
 

This has gotten me very excited for this trip. However, who knows if sailing in this part of the world will resume by late October. 

[stickey_mouse]

I assume the Infinity is an okay ship? I know she's old, but I don't mind. I have only sailed on the Silhouette, and I know to taper my expectations when comparing it with the S-Class. 

[Manchester is blue]

On 3/25/2021 at 10:52 PM, stickey_mouse said:

 

It was more the passage through Gibraltar that I had thought of, but I'm guessing that will be after dark, anyway. 

 

Is not stopping at Gibraltar a major loss?

I would say missing out on Gibraltar is most definitely a big loss. It’s truly a wonderful place, a small piece of England at the southern tip of Spain.

The “Rock” is an amazing place , full of curious Barbary macaques.The caves a wonder to visit,....as are some of the fantastic British pubs in Casemates square.

Personally, I’d be gutted to miss it Whenever in that part of the world.

[kwokpot]

4 minutes ago, Manchester is blue said:

I would say missing out on Gibraltar is most definitely a big loss. It’s truly a wonderful place, a small piece of England at the southern tip of Spain.

The “Rock” is an amazing place , full of curious Barbary macaques.The caves a wonder to visit,....as are some of the fantastic British pubs in Casemates square.

Personally, I’d be gutted to miss it Whenever in that part of the world.

I think being from the UK influences how you see Gibraltar. 

[GeorgesGal]

33 minutes ago, Manchester is blue said:

 

Personally, I’d be gutted to miss it Whenever in that part of the world.

I agree!  On my first solo TA cruise about 28 years ago our Princess cruise stopped in Gibraltar and what an absolute treat that was!  Since that time, each cruise I've been on that went around the Iberian Peninsula we have never stopped there.  I always felt cheated for missing Gibraltar each of those seven times.