swifs Posted May 30, 2011 #1 Share Posted May 30, 2011 My TA just informed us that Oceania has changed the port for our June 2012 sailing from Barcelona (overnight) to Tarragona (overnight). Is anyone familiar with that port? Has Oceania made this kind of change before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted May 30, 2011 #2 Share Posted May 30, 2011 My TA just informed us that Oceania has changed the port for our June 2012 sailing from Barcelona (overnight) to Tarragona (overnight). Is anyone familiar with that port? Has Oceania made this kind of change before? Yes, they have the right and sometimes do change ports. If your a first-timer it is a shame to miss Barcelona but it sounds like your in for a treat!:) Tarragona is the southernmost province in Catalonia, Spain, which also boasts a capital of the same name. Located on the Costa Dorada, Tarragona and its beautiful beaches are exactly what you are searching for if you are yearning for golden sand, crystal clear waters and basking in the sun. But if you also wish to discover the revealing ancient vestiges standing testament to Spain s glorious past, the diverse archaeological complexes and museums spread about the Tarragona province and its capital are perfect for you. Just walk around towns like the picturesque Reus or the hectic Salou and discover its important heritage, along with the lifestyle of its hospitable dwellers. Also nature lovers are welcome, since the chances offered by Tarragona s natural parks and gardens are immense. From the artistic point of view, there are not many places that have such a large number of monuments and tourist attractions concentrated in such a small area as Tarragona has. Iberian civilization remains are plentiful in the whole region, as well as multiple Roman vestiges, especially in Tarragona city, where you can follow the traces of Rome in the Catalonian region. The splendorous past of the city is enclosed in its several well preserved edifices. Its most notable landmarks and tourist attractions are the Roman Amphitheatre in Tarragona and the Cistercian monastery in Poblet, as well as many other places of interest within the capital city, just to mention some examples. Reus, home town of the internationally famous Gaudí, is nowadays a centre for Modernism architecture, a kind of art also to be found in many wine cellars through the whole Tarragona province. The sequence of sunny shores and attractive capes, together with its massive cliffs, have made of the Costa Dorada beach resorts a perfect destination for those yearning for unforgettable beach holidays in Spain. The fame this region has gained in the entire world is undoubtedly attributed to the sunny beaches to be found in Salou, Tarragona and other Costa Dorada beach resorts, which are the destination of millions of people who travel to Spain during the summer holidays. Packed with individuals or families, the Costa Dorada beaches are a must if you are on summer holidays in Spain. If you wish to visit the towns of Salou, Reus or other Costa Dorada resorts, you may be willing to go on family holidays to Port Aventura theme park. With four different themes, Universal s Port Aventura is ideal for both family holidays and summer holidays. Just a cheap flight to Reus airport and soon you will be able to enjoy its exciting rides, vivid shows, rich assortment of restaurants and, of course, the comfortable hotels dotted about the whole Costa Dorada to relax when you need to recharge your batteries. On this matter, we can help you to book a hotel in Salou, a hotel in Tarragona or in other towns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted May 30, 2011 #3 Share Posted May 30, 2011 My TA just informed us that Oceania has changed the port for our June 2012 sailing from Barcelona (overnight) to Tarragona (overnight). Is anyone familiar with that port? Has Oceania made this kind of change before? Don't be distressed, the change is probably the result of too many ships wanting to use the Barcelona port facilities on the day that you are scheduled to be there, and Tarragona is close enough (just over an hours drive) that many Barcelona tour companies offer day trips to and from Tarragona: http://barcelonacitytours.rezgo.com/details/3163/Tarragona-Glamorous-Sitges So, if you had your heart set on seeing something particular in Barcelona, it is still doable. Frankly, I'm a little jealous of you. We're sailing from Southern Spain, next April, and, having been to Barcelona ten or twelve times, we were thinking of hopping over to Tarragona because it was the capitol of the Roman province of Iberia, and the ruins are supposed to be breathtaking. As you are sailing later in the year, if the weather cooperates, you may even be able to get to some of those famous Tarragona beaches (it is the Spanish Riviera, you know). Bring your swimsuit........or not! ;) Enjoy your trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potterhill Posted May 30, 2011 #4 Share Posted May 30, 2011 We stayed in Tarragona at a timeshare prior to our last cruise. We took the train into Barcelona for the day and it was very easy to do. It is about an hour and a lovely ride along the coast. Easy Peasy. Mo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubledobles Posted May 30, 2011 #5 Share Posted May 30, 2011 We too received the change from our TA. I "Googled" Tarragona and it looks to me like a medium but unexciting town without too much to see but there is a train that goes to Barcelona. If this is your first opportunity to see Barcelona, I would suggest you take the train and spend your time in Barcelona. It's a wonderful city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifs Posted May 30, 2011 Author #6 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Since I live in Florida, and close the beach, the Spanish beaches are not terribly enticing (especially as they will probably be crowded). I would be interested in the Roman ruins but that doesn't sound like it would take much time to see. It seems like a shame to be overnight in an out-of-the way place, instead of a major city (with 3 significant museums on my to-do list). If someone has information on the trains to Barcelona, I would be interested- on the other hand, it seems like Oceania is imposing that extra cost of getting there on us. We may go along with this, given that other cruises will come along that originate in Barcelona. On the other hand, we choose the more expensive cruises for their itineraries, so if it is too big a change, we will cancel prior to final payment. We understand that things happen, such as our recent Seabourn cruise where we were diverted from Zakynthos to Katakolon due to weather, which we viewed as a bonus because we wanted to see Olympia. But this is pretty far out for a change of this type, so we need more information before we decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted May 30, 2011 #7 Share Posted May 30, 2011 You can always cancel the included hotel & book one in the city then embarkation day make your way to the new port You are not REQUIRED to use Oceania hotel choice I am not sure how difficult it would be to get to the new port but people manage to get from Rome or London to the port of embarkation for those cruises on their own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifs Posted May 30, 2011 Author #8 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Thanks LT28 but Barcelona was not an embarkation port for this cruise but rather an overnight port on a cruise beginning in Lisbon and ending in Italy. As this is an anniversary trip, we were willing to pay a little extra for the smaller=ship luxury of Oceania so if this itinerary no longer works for us, we will cancel and rebook with some other cruise line. Sadly we had to cancel with Oceania once before for medical reasons and we were really looking forward to this trip. However, there are many choices out there so I am researching and weighing my options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted May 30, 2011 #9 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Thanks LT28 but Barcelona was not an embarkation port for this cruise but rather an overnight port on a cruise beginning in Lisbon and ending in Italy. sorry I thought when you said you were sailing from Barcelona it was an embarkation port. Maybe O will have a shuttle ??? Hope you find something that works for you Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boerneDQ Posted May 31, 2011 #10 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I am on the same cruise. My TA said the changes was indeed due to too many ships at the Barcelona port. We are now planning to take the train (as someone else said) from Tarragona to Barcelona. Looks very easy and inexpensive to do. Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifs Posted June 1, 2011 Author #11 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I spoke to Oceania tonight and they also said that the Barcelona port had overbooked. The explaination for why their website still lists the port as Barcelona is that they still consider it to be a Barcelona port and they are trying to revise their excursions to Barcelona to accomodate it. They might even run some kind of "transfer" to get passengers to the center of Barcelona so they could tour on their own. Not clear whether there would be multiple departure times on either end. She also could not completely guarantee that they would do it either. Perhaps we should keep in touch, in case we want to rent a car to get back and forth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted June 1, 2011 #12 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Tarragona is the southernmost province in Catalonia, Spain, which also boasts a capital of the same name. Located on the Costa Dorada, Tarragona and its beautiful beaches are exactly what you are searching for if you are yearning for golden sand, crystal clear waters and basking in the sun. But if you also wish to discover the revealing ancient vestiges standing testament to Spain s glorious past, the diverse archaeological complexes and museums spread about the Tarragona province and its capital are perfect for you. Just walk around towns like the picturesque Reus or the hectic Salou and discover its important heritage, along with the lifestyle of its hospitable dwellers. Also nature lovers are welcome, since the chances offered by Tarragona s natural parks and gardens are immense. From the artistic point of view, there are not many places that have such a large number of monuments and tourist attractions concentrated in such a small area as Tarragona has. Iberian civilization remains are plentiful in the whole region, as well as multiple Roman vestiges, especially in Tarragona city, where you can follow the traces of Rome in the Catalonian region. The splendorous past of the city is enclosed in its several well preserved edifices. Its most notable landmarks and tourist attractions are the Roman Amphitheatre in Tarragona and the Cistercian monastery in Poblet, as well as many other places of interest within the capital city, just to mention some examples. Reus, home town of the internationally famous Gaudí, is nowadays a centre for Modernism architecture, a kind of art also to be found in many wine cellars through the whole Tarragona province. The sequence of sunny shores and attractive capes, together with its massive cliffs, have made of the Costa Dorada beach resorts a perfect destination for those yearning for unforgettable beach holidays in Spain. The fame this region has gained in the entire world is undoubtedly attributed to the sunny beaches to be found in Salou, Tarragona and other Costa Dorada beach resorts, which are the destination of millions of people who travel to Spain during the summer holidays. Packed with individuals or families, the Costa Dorada beaches are a must if you are on summer holidays in Spain. If you wish to visit the towns of Salou, Reus or other Costa Dorada resorts, you may be willing to go on family holidays to Port Aventura theme park. With four different themes, Universal s Port Aventura is ideal for both family holidays and summer holidays. Just a cheap flight to Reus airport and soon you will be able to enjoy its exciting rides, vivid shows, rich assortment of restaurants and, of course, the comfortable hotels dotted about the whole Costa Dorada to relax when you need to recharge your batteries. On this matter, we can help you to book a hotel in Salou, a hotel in Tarragona or in other towns. This sounds like it was written by the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism for Tarragona rather than by a travel guide. There is a good reason why the port of Barcelona is overbooked and that of Tarragona is not ;) It's your money and thus your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifs Posted June 2, 2011 Author #13 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Agreed. We think the analogy is planning an overnight visit to NYC with dinner and a Broadway show and being switched to Atlantic City and being told to enjoy the Boardwalk and the beach. "Not the same" as they used to say in Sesame Street. Even assuming it is not Oceania's fault, I think it would have been nice to try to do something for the already-booked passengers (ala the rebellion of the Azamara cruisers where the excursion promises were not kept). And, ironically, this is a cruise designed for their returning passengers (ie "best" customers?) although for us, as newcomers to Oceania, it is not a good start. Unfortunately I haven't seen another itinerary for the same time period, even on Seabourn where we have an OBC, that knocks my socks off, so we haven't made a decision to switch yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougt1957 Posted June 2, 2011 #14 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I was notified by e-mail of the change to Tarragona from Barcelona as the disembark port for our cruise in August on the Riviera. One advantage is we now overnight in Ibiza, which is known for its night life. We will probably just stay a day or two post-cruise and enjoy Barcelona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmgmd50 Posted June 2, 2011 #15 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I spoke to Oceania tonight and they also said that the Barcelona port had overbooked. The explaination for why their website still lists the port as Barcelona is that they still consider it to be a Barcelona port and they are trying to revise their excursions to Barcelona to accomodate it. They might even run some kind of "transfer" to get passengers to the center of Barcelona so they could tour on their own. Based on what they charge for transfers in other ports (such as Livorno to Florence), it proabably would be much more economical to take a train or have a group hire a private car. I would definitely look at other options for getting to Barcelona which is one of our favorite European cities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted June 2, 2011 #16 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I was checking yesterday on June 17 cruise and was advised the overnight in Tarragona has now been changed to overnight in Monte Carlo.The dates now are 6/22 Tarragona, 6/23 Marseille and 6/24/25 Monte Carlo. I didn't inquire about time in port, as we are just now thinking about possibilty of going on this cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normandie-BCN Posted June 4, 2011 #17 Share Posted June 4, 2011 http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/travel/in-tarragona-roman-ruins-an-hour-from-barcelona.html?ref=travel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunding Posted June 5, 2011 #18 Share Posted June 5, 2011 http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/travel/in-tarragona-roman-ruins-an-hour-from-barcelona.html?ref=travel Normandie-BCN You are a prince (princess?) to post this. Many thanks! We are scheduled for Riviera's first TA in November, 2012, and have decided to fly into Barcelona even earlier than we originally planned in order to spend time in Tarragona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
su-arizona Posted June 8, 2011 #19 Share Posted June 8, 2011 We were on a Windstar cruise a couple years ago that stopped in Tarragona and ended in Barcelona (where we spent several days). Barcelona is wonderful, but so is Tarragona - but in very different ways. The old parts of Tarragona are charming, and there are many interesting ruins and sights. We had a great time wandering around and visiting the sights. It's a very nice stop. But if you've never been to Barcelona, Sagrada Familia and the Palau de la Musica are simply amazing, and not to be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new salt Posted June 8, 2011 #20 Share Posted June 8, 2011 If you do consider using the train you might find the Renfe site below useful. Sadly, Tarragona is outside the Barcelona urban commuter service range so fares are quite high by Spanish standards. Journey times seem to be around the 1 to 1.30hrs. We have done the rail journey from Valencia to Barcelona a number of times; the trip along the coast is quite attractive but you get to see a lot of the landward side of apartments and hotels as well! http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifs Posted June 8, 2011 Author #21 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Thank you for the finformation about the trains. Assuming it is still 2 days in Tarragona we may use one day to see the Roman sites in Tarragona and the other to see a bit of Barcelona. This is very good help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noriboating Posted June 9, 2011 #22 Share Posted June 9, 2011 We have a different Oceana cruise date in 2012 and the same switch was just made. One of the reasons we booked this cruise was to spend a few days in Barcelona. I feel Oceania should compensate us for the inconvenience and additional cost in time and money to transfer to Barcelona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted June 9, 2011 #23 Share Posted June 9, 2011 We have a different Oceana cruise date in 2012 and the same switch was just made. One of the reasons we booked this cruise was to spend a few days in Barcelona. I feel Oceania should compensate us for the inconvenience and additional cost in time and money to transfer to Barcelona. People always have that knee jerk reaction to a change in port, but if you think about it, the Barcelona Port Authority are the ones who messed up your plans. It is not as if Oceania (or any other cruise line) has any control over who they let dock in their harbor, and who they don't. There are few constants in cruising, but it has been in the fine print ever since people started cruising for pleasure and not just transportation that "The carrier reserves the right to cancel change or postpone the date, time of sailing or arrival at any port, including the port of embarkation and debarkation" We tend to think of a cruise as being about the ports, but to the legal system, we are just buying the boat ride ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noriboating Posted June 10, 2011 #24 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I note your point but I do feel it would be nice if they transported passengers to Barcelona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted June 10, 2011 #25 Share Posted June 10, 2011 We have a different Oceana cruise date in 2012 and the same switch was just made. One of the reasons we booked this cruise was to spend a few days in Barcelona. I feel Oceania should compensate us for the inconvenience and additional cost in time and money to transfer to Barcelona. Why should anyone be compensated when they have the right to cancel without penalty.:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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