November 21, 2010 Cruise

[NJGRANNY]

We're booking a cruise out of Barcelona on NCL on Nov. 21, 2010. We're going to do our own airline reservations.

 

Our departure time is 7 p.m. Has anyone ever flown the night before the cruise arriving on the morning of the cruise?

 

How early do you think we could board the ship if it leaves at 7 p.m.?

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[hubofhockey]

We're booking a cruise out of Barcelona on NCL on Nov. 21, 2010. We're going to do our own airline reservations.

 

Our departure time is 7 p.m. Has anyone ever flown the night before the cruise arriving on the morning of the cruise?

 

How early do you think we could board the ship if it leaves at 7 p.m.?

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

I wouldn't book a flight that arrives same day as cruise leaves, especially considering international travel is involved. Looks like you're also passing up a chance to spend time in Barcelona. Good luck with you travel plans.

[Got2Cruise]

We're booking a cruise out of Barcelona on NCL on Nov. 21, 2010. We're going to do our own airline reservations.

 

Our departure time is 7 p.m. Has anyone ever flown the night before the cruise arriving on the morning of the cruise?

 

How early do you think we could board the ship if it leaves at 7 p.m.?

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Yes. We flew from JFK to BCN on a Sat. night, our cruise was Sun. We had no problems. We stayed in Barcelona for two nights post cruise. Some people can't adjust their vacation schedules to add in an extra day before the cruise.

[NJGRANNY]

Gottocruise - what time was your departure on the cruise? I just don't know what we'd do in Barcelona for most of a day with luggage.

[psbtrvlr]

This company was posted on the boards as willing to pick you and your luggage up, take you on a tour and watch your luggage, then drop you where you want.

http://www.barcelonadaytours.com/

[hkto]

Luggage can be stored in self serve lockers at Barcelona Sants rail station. They offer large (4.5 euro) and small (3 euro) lockers. Both charges are for 24 period. Large locker will fit 3 20" suitcases or 1 large. If one wants to that then take train from airport to Sants (2.8 euro). Cab from Sants to pier is no more than 15 euros (on weekends and evenings) but less on weekdays.

[financialgrl]

I'm another that wouldn't attempt to fly in the day of a cruise in the US, let alone overseas travel. Just way too much that can go wrong. I too am sailing from Barcelona in May but I've built in a few days precruise to see the city and my cruise ends in Venice and I am staying there extra days also. The thought of spending so much on a cruise and possibly missing it, even with insurance would be a huge disappointment and I won't chance it.

[dsw39]

We're booking a cruise out of Barcelona on NCL on Nov. 21, 2010. We're going to do our own airline reservations.

 

Our departure time is 7 p.m. Has anyone ever flown the night before the cruise arriving on the morning of the cruise?

 

How early do you think we could board the ship if it leaves at 7 p.m.?

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Hi: If you are on NCL Jade for this sailing come on over to the roll call for our sailing. We are doing the 21 day cruise leaving 11/21/2010. We are going to setup private tours for many ports. We fly in on the same day using a direct flight from the US only arriving around 8am.

dave

[HeinBloed]

We're booking a cruise out of Barcelona on NCL on Nov. 21, 2010. We're going to do our own airline reservations.

 

Our departure time is 7 p.m. Has anyone ever flown the night before the cruise arriving on the morning of the cruise?

 

How early do you think we could board the ship if it leaves at 7 p.m.?

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Sounds like NORWEGIAN JADE...

 

Baggage acceptance around 10.00-10.30 hrs.

Check-in started around 11.00 hrs

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[euro cruiser]

We flew from Newark to Barcelona in July for our NCL cruise, arriving around 9 AM for a cruise that left at 5 PM the same day.

 

We arranged for a van from the airport to the cruise port (there were 11 of us, including two wheelchairs and we felt this would be the easiest) with http://www.barcelona-airport-transfers.com/. If there are only two of you, a cab will work just as well.

 

Our flight was on time and luggage came up quickly; we were at the cruise port by about 10:30 AM, although they didn't start checking people in until 11:30 or noon. They checked our luggage as we arrived at the cruise port, so we didn't need to worry about that.

 

We had planned to try and walk into town while waiting to get on the ship, but it was further away than we expected so we sat in the waiting area.

[MISSYLOU]

Weather is a huge factor in the US and Europe during that time of year. A snow or ice storm in the US or torrential rains in Europe could alter all of your plans. I would seriously consider flying in at least one day ahead.

[HeinBloed]

Weather is a huge factor in the US and Europe during that time of year. A snow or ice storm in the US or torrential rains in Europe could alter all of your plans. I would seriously consider flying in at least one day ahead.

 

Nobody can garantee that it will becomes "bad" for a November like with us:

 

November 15 in Barcelona:

 

 

November 17 on Malta

 

 

November 18 in Naples

 

 

November 19 in Civitavecchia

 

 

November 20 in Florence

 

 

November 21 in Cannes

 

 

It does not matter if you pray, or checking for old weather reports or checking here the board...

 

If it is bad weather it's bad weather - if it is good weather it's good weather... and there is nothing you can do...

 

Even you shift it to high-priced monthes like July or August with a lot of loud Southern European families... it could rain...

 

Have fun on your November cruise. We had a great time in November and I wish you the same...

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[MISSYLOU]

Heinbloed: I just returned from a Med cruise that began Nov 22 and then a TA that sailed Nov 29. We had absolutely beautiful weather in the med and on the TA however on Nov 29 there was a lot of rain and storms in Barcelona and torrential rains in the UK.

 

I was in no way trying to discurage OP from cruising in Nov. I was merely trying to point out that the weather in November can have a major impact on flights coming from the US and the UK. There were several passengers on our cruise who's luggage didn't make it to the ship until 5 days into the cruise. Also some passengers missed the ship because of weather delays and did not meet up with the ship until day 3.

 

IMO it is just too risky and stressful to fly into the port the same day of the cruise when traveling from the US to any part of Europe.

[HeinBloed]

IMO it is just too risky and stressful to fly into the port the same day of the cruise when traveling from the US to any part of Europe.

 

... it could happen in any part of the world... at any time... not just November in Barcelona...

 

It's always good to arrive one day ahead - especially to compensate time difference for full enjoyment - and to have a plan B... the farer you are from the safer it is to have extra days...

 

By the way: November 21 is already the 12-nighter we are doing in January 2011... so next stop is Civitavecchia two days later... a train ride from Barcelona alongside the Côte d'Azur and Italian Riviera could be very nice... instead of a day on sea...

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[TLCOhio]

... it could happen in any part of the world... at any time... not just November in Barcelona...

It's always good to arrive one day ahead - especially to compensate time difference for full enjoyment - and to have a plan B... the farer you are from the safer it is to have extra days... HeinBloed

 

Agree with HeinBloed and the others that getting there a day ahead allows extra protection, IF, there are any weather and/or flight delays. It also allows time for your "body clock" to get adjusted from a long trans Atlantic flights and the cramped nature of such long airline trips. The odds are that you'll have some nice weather in the Med, but nothing is known ahead and/or certain. Appreciate the nice pictures. Lots of great history in your departure city. Then there is super wonderful Barcelona. It's an exciting and historic city with so much to see and discover.

 

This city bubbles with special vibrancy in its narrow Gothic Quarter alleys and along the grand boulevards. This top Mediterranean trading center is also the capital of the proud region of Catalunya. With Franco's fascism now history, Catalunyan flags wave once again and the stirring, patriotic Sardana dances are a weekly event at the cathedral. Barcelona has had an illustrious past as a Roman colony, Visigothic capital and 14th-century maritime power. Just enjoy it. LIVE IT! IF YOU'RE IN THE MOOD TO SURRENDER TO A CITY'S CHARMS, LET IT BE BARCELONA.

 

Stroll down the main street, the RAMBLAS. This grand boulevard, more than a Champs-Elysees, takes you from the elegant Placa de Catalunya to the rough port, a 20-minute walk. You'll find the grand opera house, ornate churches, plain prostitutes, pickpockets, flower stalls, artists, street mimes, an outdoor bird market, classy cafes, great shopping, and people eager to charge more for a shoeshine than you paid for the shoes. Rent a white metal chair for 50 pesetas and observe. The Ramblas, which means "stream" in Arabic, is an endless current of people and action.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[DOJO466]

Agree with HeinBloed and the others that getting there a day ahead allows extra protection, IF, there are any weather and/or flight delays. It also allows time for your "body clock" to get adjusted from a long trans Atlantic flights and the cramped nature of such long airline trips. The odds are that you'll have some nice weather in the Med, but nothing is known ahead and/or certain. Appreciate the nice pictures. Lots of great history in your departure city. Then there is super wonderful Barcelona. It's an exciting and historic city with so much to see and discover.

 

This city bubbles with special vibrancy in its narrow Gothic Quarter alleys and along the grand boulevards. This top Mediterranean trading center is also the capital of the proud region of Catalunya. With Franco's fascism now history, Catalunyan flags wave once again and the stirring, patriotic Sardana dances are a weekly event at the cathedral. Barcelona has had an illustrious past as a Roman colony, Visigothic capital and 14th-century maritime power. Just enjoy it. LIVE IT! IF YOU'RE IN THE MOOD TO SURRENDER TO A CITY'S CHARMS, LET IT BE BARCELONA.

 

Stroll down the main street, the RAMBLAS. This grand boulevard, more than a Champs-Elysees, takes you from the elegant Placa de Catalunya to the rough port, a 20-minute walk. You'll find the grand opera house, ornate churches, plain prostitutes, pickpockets, flower stalls, artists, street mimes, an outdoor bird market, classy cafes, great shopping, and people eager to charge more for a shoeshine than you paid for the shoes. Rent a white metal chair for 50 pesetas and observe. The Ramblas, which means "stream" in Arabic, is an endless current of people and action.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Thank you Terry for your wonderful reply. Says it all

[CintiPam]

Stroll down the main street, the RAMBLAS. This grand boulevard, more than a Champs-Elysees, takes you from the elegant Placa de Catalunya to the rough port, a 20-minute walk. You'll find the grand opera house, ornate churches, plain prostitutes, pickpockets, flower stalls, artists, street mimes, an outdoor bird market, classy cafes, great shopping, and people eager to charge more for a shoeshine than you paid for the shoes. Rent a white metal chair for 50 pesetas and observe. The Ramblas, which means "stream" in Arabic, is an endless current of people and action.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

I believe that it indeed was a stream outside the old city walls (now the Gothic Quarter).

[TLCOhio]

I believe that it indeed was a stream outside the old city walls (now the Gothic Quarter).

 

THANKS, Pam! Good added little item of history from my neighbor in chilly Cincinnati. I learned something today. Barcelona is a city you will never forget. Very special and unique. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[CintiPam]

I cannot wait for my first visit there in May! We have three days post-cruise and Barcelona sounds like such a fun fascinating city.

 

And, wow, it certainly is chilly here now so thinking of a Med cruise certainly helps.

 

I should credit my factoid to Rick Steves, my god of touring DIY in Europe.