Rivera and Spanish Splendours

[lstewart123]

So when you do dinner in Barcelona (or anywhere else that the boat is docked until 11 p.m.-- St. Tropez I think?), what time do you dinner? I was thinking of looking into reservations, but I'm not sure what time one needs to begin heading back to the ship.

 

Also, on the first day of the cruise the ship sails at 11:00 p.m. So what time does everyone board? Do you eat dinner before you get on the ship?

[wripro]

This is just my opinion but if you want to see nothing but other tourists, many of them from the ship, got to 7 Doors. It's paella in Disneyland. There are so many more authentic, locally frequented restaurants in this great city.

[Lefty Bob]

We were a group of 8 after a cruise. We wanted a reservation at a well recomended place by a local. WE called and they said they were full. No matter how hard we tried - it was full, UNLESS we wanted to come at 8:30. We said great. When we arrived there was one person at the bar and then us.

 

The service was wonderfull as was the food. There were a lot of waiters would come out to see these crazy people eating so early.

 

Bob

[JaneBP]

>"There are so many more authentic, locally frequented restaurants in this great city."

 

Naturally a good point, but it's open on Mondays and from 1300-0100. That makes it accessible at not such a late time as to miss departure.

[stan01]

We were on this cruise a few weeks ago.

 

In Barcelona the Legend held the outdoor BBQ dinner by the Sky Bar/pool which I would not want to miss since giant Nigerian prawns were featured!

 

The ship's Gaudi shore excursion was well run. It is difficult to see the Sagrada Familia or Gaudi houses by yourself since the queues can be hours long. The Sagrada Familia was consecrated in 2010, and although there is still decades of work to be done it is now fully enclosed. The tour went to the Casa Mila la Pidrera as well as the Sagrada Familia. The attention to detail in Casa Mila is amazing.

[jagger16]

Just back from this cruise on Legend. I can answer some of the questions that were asked in this thread. In no particular order…

 

Monte Carlo was one of our favorite stops. There is so much to do and see but do not miss the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium. It is the most gorgeous museum and the aquarium is amazing. There is also a special exhibit right now dedicated to the marriage of Prince Albert. We got off the ship, walked through the park up to the Cathedral, then to the Petit Train for a tour of Monaco. The train tour starts and finishes across from the museum. We bought a combination ticket to the palace, the Napoleon museum and the Oceanographic museum. Changing of the guard is at 11:55 a.m. at the palace but be there a little early to be up front so you can see everything.

 

Antibes is a very cute and pleasant town. There are a lot of wine bars there, particularly near the market so if you are a wine drinker, I recommend going to a bar having a glass and some small plates. We really enjoyed a place called L’Enoteca. The owner was very helpful in explaining his wines by the glass. The Picasso museum was very nice as well. We also spent time on the city beach.

 

Barcelona is very crowded and very busy. We headed over to the Barceloneta area instead and did our own little tapas and wine tour in the afternoon. As an alternate to paella, try fideua which a local recommended to us. It has noodles instead of rice. Our ship BBQ was in Barcelona (the other was in Livorno) and I wouldn’t miss that for all the money in the world. It was the best night on the ship. We also shopped with Chef Franck in the morning and that was another highlight. He is a great chef and we learned so much from him in the market. Interacting with Chef Franck throughout the cruise was something we really appreciated. If you have never been to the Sagrada Familia you must do that as well.

 

You will also find paella, fideua and tapas all over Palamos which was much more low-key than Barcelona. So you can try those things there and not feel like you have to pack everything into Barcelona. Palamos has a very nice, long beach very near the town. We enjoyed our day on the beach there as well.

 

On our first day, we sailed away at 11 p.m. But once we got on the ship we just stayed on and unpacked after the life boat drill. We were so glad that we unpacked right away because once we got going, we didn’t want to have to worry about that ever again. Also, you will probably be invited to sit at one of the hosted tables for dinner which is at 7:30 p.m. We really enjoyed that and it was a great way to meet someone from the staff and some of the passengers. The Legend was very social and you will meet many people but sitting at the hosted table that first night really helped us get things off on the right foot and learn about the cruise, the ship, the staff, the entertainment etc. from a knowledgeable staff member. Being new to Seabourn we really enjoyed this night.

 

Have a great time. You will love the Legend, love the staff and the cruise will be marvelous! We hope that we will have the opportunity to sail with them again.

[redheadednancy]

We love Barcelona and love to eat in any big city. We belong to a gourmet food group, the Chaine de Rotisseurs. Anyway the hotel we stayed in had hosted a Chaine dinner and they recommended a small restaurant called "Druida". The owner is a member of the Chaine also. It was out of this world and the proprietor and his wife prepared a special meal. We gave him the freedom to do his thing. It was wonderful and the atmosphere and presentation outstanding. We have since recommended it to several of our friends who have also just loved it.

[texasgal01]

I have heard this mentioned by several people. How does this work with the shore excursions?:confused:

[chefchick]

For April or May, 2012. We are new to Seabourn and Europe. The small ship and the small ports really appeal to us. Question, May is our 20th anniversary so we were planning a trip then but is April a better month? (obviously less crowded but how is the weather generally)? Also, since the Legend doesnt have "true" balconies we were planning on booking an ocean suite but are there plenty of open spaces on deck for sunning or public inside spaces so one does not feel crowded on the Legend? Finally, was the restaurant open for BLD or only the buffet area? (could be a deal breaker for us as we are also looking into a Regent cruise)

 

Thank you in advance for your answers!

[JaneBP]

There is plenty of space, in my opinion, on the smaller ships, and one is just a minute or two away! However, there are many more nooks and crannies on the larger ones. I much prefer the 'LIttle Sisters'.

 

MDR is alway open for BLD because there is not enough room in the Veranda in case of inclement weather, port days included.

 

One of my favorite spots, after lunch is to sit at a table on the Veranda deck and read. It's usually quite secluded and quiet unless there are card players who enjoy the space as well. Don't forget the Jacuzzi area forward on Deck 5, that's great too.

[johnnycruise]

For April or May, 2012. We are new to Seabourn and Europe. The small ship and the small ports really appeal to us. Question, May is our 20th anniversary so we were planning a trip then but is April a better month?

 

May is a better month for cruising southern France. Generally, the weather will be warmer and drier than April. You'll have more opportunity to enjoy the open deck spaces.

 

For lunch, the Restaurant is usually open 12:30 - 1:30, the Veranda 12:00 - 2:00 and the Sky Grill/Sky Bar 1:30 - 3:00. After 3:00 (or anytime, really), you can order room service and have it delivered to the Sky Bar area.

 

That is the summer schedule ... it may be different during the cooler months.

[jdaa]

We are going Aug. 19th on this same itinerary on the Legend and would appreciate any feedback on the tours and anything that we shouldn't miss............and of course any tips for the ship herself (our first with Seabourn)

Debbie:)

 

We really enjoyed the Dali excursion in Palamos. In Port Vendres make SURE that you go to Collouire, either on tour or on your own on the tourist train. In Barcelona take a taxi to Parc Guell--it is delightful. In Porquerolles you can rent bikes in town and then explore the island on your own.

[cbun]

I would love to hear more about the Legend cruise and what's best to do in each port. We are leaving from Rome to Monte Carlo and then returning to Monte Carlo on October 7th thru October 21.