First Cruise on NCL Gem any Tips Please

[Parrot Mom]

We cruise on 5/3 and get into Barcelona at 2 p.m. I will let you know how it goes. I wanted to leave a day or two early, but didn't have the time.

 

YOUR REALLY PUSHING IT,,,, Hopefully NCL will have their rep their and a bus.. should be about $18.00 for the transfer..Which airline? If there are others on your flight your all set.. what time is the ship due to leave? Barcelona is the first or the second biggest cruise port in Europe..Love the airport though

[Grandpaul]

We were in Barcelona last October and there were 9 ships in the harbor. Big I guess.

[Parrot Mom]

We were in Barcelona last October and there were 9 ships in the harbor. Big I guess.

 

Aurielo, our driver said that there were more tourists on La Rambla than people from Barcelona... I doubted it..lol. and in the market many people were shopping for food.. so they couldn't all be tourists..

[richstan]

YOUR REALLY PUSHING IT,,,, Hopefully NCL will have their rep their and a bus.. should be about $18.00 for the transfer..Which airline? If there are others on your flight your all set.. what time is the ship due to leave? Barcelona is the first or the second biggest cruise port in Europe..Love the airport though

 

We are on Swiss Air and have arranged for transfers with NCL. The ship is due to leave at 7 p.m.

[Parrot Mom]

We are on Swiss Air and have arranged for transfers with NCL. The ship is due to leave at 7 p.m.

 

 

HAVE Flown Swiss Air...you will have to change terminals..and if you have transfers with NCL they will wait.. our present favorite is Aer Lingus...which we just booked one way

[Leewaygirl]

Thank you all for the help and advice.

 

The flight & cruise was booked through a Travel Agent so not much choice about times.

 

We are flying with Lufthansa whom we have never flown before, but all adds to the great adventure! LOL

[numberguy]

HAVE Flown Swiss Air...you will have to change terminals..and if you have transfers with NCL they will wait.. our present favorite is Aer Lingus...which we just booked one way

 

My partner and I were on the Gem last November on a Western Mediterranean/Transatlantic cruise. I loved every minute of it (except for our first day on the Atlantic--bad waves and I slept all day). Days 2-4 at sea were almost like the Caribbean--everyone was sunbathing!

 

As for Barcelona: we got to the pier after taking a cab from our hotel at around noon (I think). You have snakelines like you do at an airport terminal, and they x-ray your carryon(s) and you go through a metal detector. Then you'll queue up to be checked in. The check-in is just like one of the previous posters said, although one clarification: unless they've changed since Nov. 2008, your room key will not have your picture on it. They take your picture and it pops up on their computer screen every time you get on and off the ship, and security checks it to make sure you're using your own key to get on the ship.

 

You'll go up an escalator, and then walk the covered gangway to the ship. Once there, they'll scan your room key, so that they know you've checked in and not gotten caught shopping in the few shops between check-in and the escalator. They'll offer you champagne or orange juice. Since your plane lands at 2:50, your room will be ready for you to unload and unpack. And then, well, it's time to explore!!!

 

And the reason I quoted the above poster's message? We flew one way on Aer Lingus from Chicago, with a 9 hour layover in Dublin. Got a taste of Dublin, and then landed in Barcelona around 9 pm the night before we left. Got to see a little bit of Barcelona, too, the morning before we embarked.

 

--Michael

[Leewaygirl]

Sorry I have not been on for a while as I have started a new job and did n ot seem to have any time for the computer.

So a very late many thanks for all the advice.

Another thing where is the best place to eat other than the "cover" restaurants:)