LACruiser88

Here are the passenger counts for this voyage: Blue- 971 Gold- 533 Ruby- 289 Platinum- 716 Elite- 771 Total= 3,280

I don't know??? It has been our experience that GS has charged us for tokens when the dispenser was broken. I'll let you know if I find out something different.

We are onboard!!! The flight from Madrid was on-time and went by very fast. We arrived at the terminal at 2:25 and we were in our cabin in 5 mins! Easy-peasy. Once we arrived in our cabin we were met with a few surprises. We were going to the IC for a quick snack, but no need for that! It's nice to have friends onboard. The view from our balcony.

Yes, Vickie has posted several times on this thread.

I'm glad we are leaving Madrid for the airport at 0830 tomorrow. There is a major demonstration scheduled from noon to 3 pm that will have the downtown in gridlock. Also, for Barcelona tomorrow there is a women's marathon that will have many street closures. Hope no one, including us, get affected by it. 🤷‍♂️

Great introduction! So glad you made it to the ship in one piece. And now, it looks like you are set. Have a great journey! 🙂

Last few photos on our last day in Madrid. It is a beautiful city and the people were extremely friendly. We will definitely return! Now to start re-packing...

Will do!

Nicola Furlan, he boarded on Oct 8th and will stay on until January. He moved over from the Regal.

It should have been unless you were married prior to 1894! 🤣🤣🤣

The "La Mallorquina" bakery is a must stop when in Madrid. It is ALWAYS crowded, but definitely worth it. It has been open since 1894! It is in Plaza del Sol. They have been working on erecting this Christmas tree all week in Plaza del Sol. I don't think we will see it finished before we leave Sunday morning.

Today we spent half the day inside the Prado Museum. AMAZING!!! Btw, no photos allowed.

Thanks for the updates, we board on Sunday.

We used Julia Tours. Yes, it was around 9 hrs. It was a long day, but it was worth it to see both locations. We slept well last night!

Madrid, day or night!

Today we had a very busy and long day! We visited Ávila and Segovia. Ávila lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m above sea level, the city is the highest provincial capital in Spain. It is distinctively known by its medieval walls and the birthplace of Saint Teresa. It has complete and prominent medieval town walls. Outside the walls of Ávila Entrance to Ávila Ávila Cathedral Saint Teresa City of Ávila Our next stop was Segovia, known for its elevated aqueduct built by the Romans. The stones are stacked without the use of any mortar. Queen Isabella I was proclaimed queen of Castile in the Cathedral of Segovia in 1474. Cathedral of Segovia The Palace, it was the influence for the Disneyland Castle The Moat, now dry Throne Room All this walking made me thirsty!

Thank you for the kind words! Have a great time in Rome and we will look forward to meeting you! The cruise will be fantastic! 🛳

Going back some years, when Princess owned their own art program, we made quite a few purchases. At that time, their prices were great on quality art work.

Hi! Hope you are enjoying your time in Madrid. I purchased the tickets for Marilyn and me from the website you quoted. For liverno to Florence. It’s Marilyn’s first so she needed the classic ticket for tour guide information. We will see you at the shuttle or liverno bus stop. Thanks again. Flying out of florida tomorrow. Staying in Barcelona 2 nights. Same hotel Gaudi where we stayed last year. See you for cocktail hour on board. @Marshyone Great, we will see you two onboard! Safe travels!

We do it all the time.

Today we made a day trip to the former capital of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain & Portugal), Toledo. The city sits atop a steep-sided mountain surrounded by the Tagus River. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city was built in 500 BC by the Romans. We spent quite awhile inside their extremely impressive Cathedral. Having been inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican numerous times, it takes quite a bit to impress us. We were impressed! There are at least a dozen Cardinals entombed inside the Cathedral. No one has an exact number. The Cathedral's spire between the foreground buildings. The front of the Cathedral. The famous ‘Monstrance’, the Custodia de Enrique de Arfe; an extraordinary priceless work of art dating from 1515, made of gold, silver, pearls and other precious gems and weighing in at over 160 kilos! The double organs, on both sides of the photo, and where the choir would sit during mass. The horseshoe shaped choir seating dates back to the 1500's.

So far, we have been in four El Cortes Ingles stores. They are huge! That is where I bought the Turron and my black hat. I have kept Debbie off the level with the high-end bags! 🤣 See you onboard! 🛳

After our food coma tour today and 5 miles of walking, we choose to have dinner tonight at our hotel. We both had grilled octopus in a mole sauce and a very nice tempranillo. Tomorrow, we go to Spain's former capital, Toledo.

Thank you! I no longer travel with a camera. Photos taken with my Samsung Galaxy S21 phone.