Montserrat excursion

[easy spirit]

Montserrat & City Center Transfer - Barcelona

 

We are planning on taking this this excursion on Nov.4, 2011 the debarkation day.

 

 

"The info provided is that guests will be taken to a central Barcelona location to make their own way to the hotel."

 

 

I called Celebrity's customer service but they were unable to give me an exact location. Was told that the info could be given onboard on the shore excursion desk. Welll... that I know , but my idea was if possible to go walking to the hotel from that location. And I need to book a hotel, beforehand.

 

Someone....Any idea what's that drop off location???

[cruisestitch]

Your plan is actually a lot of bother, just to save a small cab fare, and might not even work. The drop off points on such things often vary depending on the traffic, road construction and city-wide events (be they parades or strikes). Barcelona isn't that big and a cab wouldn't cost very much so just pick a hotel in the city center area that appeals to you and is a good price and take a cab once you are dropped off if it turns off not to be within easy walking distance.

[Lsimon]

Your other alternative, if you're even looking for one, is to arrange a similar trip with a private tour company. If you google Barcelona tours you'll find several tour companies and many of them will do a similar trip - pick up you and your luggage and do a tour, including Montserrat tours, then transport you and luggage to hotel.

 

Yet another option is to just take a cab to your hotel and check your luggage (presuming your room won't be ready until later in the day) then travel to Montserrat on your own. If you go to the port of call forum and search for Montserrat and train you'll find some instructions on doing this. Or look here: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/tour/barcelona-montserrat.html

We haven't done this yet but are considering it for a future trip, but we have gone there with a private tour during a longer pre-cruise stay a few years back.

[CCAustin]

Frustrating that they can't tell you, but I would assume it will be Placa Catalunya. It is considered the city center and is the hub for buses and tours. There is also a metro station and a department store.

 

It is at the top of La Rambla, a few blocks from the Barrio Gothic, and near many of the more popular hotels. If you travel light and have wheels on your suitcases you could walk to a large number of hotels from there.

 

When I was there last fall it is where we caught the tour bus to go to Montserrat.

 

Good luck!

[CathyCruises]

You can also EASILY take the train yourself to Montserrat for a small fraction of what the cruise line will charge. You could check in at your hotel and leave your baggage, then take the train, get back and take a cab back to your hotel. It is a beautiful place and very accessible.

 

Agreed that the tour will leave you near Placa Catalunya--that is what is considered the 'city center'. Lots of good hotels--look at Hotel Jazz.

[easy spirit]

"Agreed that the tour will leave you near Placa Catalunya--that is what is considered the 'city center'. Lots of good hotels--look at Hotel Jazz."

 

That was what I was thinking. I know Barcelona pretty well & have my hotel favorite around that area.

 

The reason for booking a hotel near the drop off area is NOT at all for saving in a taxi fare.

 

I know for a fact that many spanish taxi drivers gets sooooo upset if they are hired for a very short distance & I mean really upset. I know spanish & will be able to deal with them but I do not need that aggravation if I can avoid it.

 

We are only doing a one day post cruise day in Barcelona & wanted to make the most of it. Going to Monserrat early morning with the ship's excursion (which I think is priced OK) will save me A LOT of time.

 

Taking a cab upon debarkation, going to the hotel, leaving the luggage & then taking the excursion on my own, I"m looking going to Monserrat mid morning or noon & I want to do other things around Barcelona in the afternoon... so thanks everyone for the info.....

 

It always helps to get many points of view.

[Thornbird]

Another option is just to make sure your hotel is close to a metro station. I found it very easy to navigate the metro even with my luggage, and by choosing a hotel near a station I was able to manage without a cab. And I don't speak much Spanish, had a (winter) month's worth of luggage, I don't pack light and I was on my own, so it's not like I made it easy on myself. It sounds like you will be way ahead of me, already knowing the city and speaking Spanish, so I don't htink you'll have any problems.

[CathyCruises]

"Agreed that the tour will leave you near Placa Catalunya--that is what is considered the 'city center'. Lots of good hotels--look at Hotel Jazz."

 

That was what I was thinking. I know Barcelona pretty well & have my hotel favorite around that area.

 

The reason for booking a hotel near the drop off area is NOT at all for saving in a taxi fare.

 

I know for a fact that many spanish taxi drivers gets sooooo upset if they are hired for a very short distance & I mean really upset. I know spanish & will be able to deal with them but I do not need that aggravation if I can avoid it.

 

We are only doing a one day post cruise day in Barcelona & wanted to make the most of it. Going to Monserrat early morning with the ship's excursion (which I think is priced OK) will save me A LOT of time.

 

Taking a cab upon debarkation, going to the hotel, leaving the luggage & then taking the excursion on my own, I"m looking going to Monserrat mid morning or noon & I want to do other things around Barcelona in the afternoon... so thanks everyone for the info.....

 

It always helps to get many points of view.

 

Your plan should work for you. Just so you know, we have always had agreeable cab drivers, whether hotel to port, port to train station (5 minute ride) etc. Never a complaint nor a refusal to take us for a short distance. I also speak Spanish but I have never been in a situation where I really needed it.

[Bet & Peg]

easy spirit ~ on our 2008 Med Cruise we took the very same tour to Montserrat with City Center drop off for almost the same reasons as you explain.

 

I think we had 2 days port-cruise in Barcelona but we wanted to see as much as possible. I had wanted to see Montserrat but didn't want to take the time to do it on our own - and the ship's excursion worked fabulously!

 

After we got luggage we walked just a short distance to our bus - well marked - andwe were off - much, much easier and faster than getting a taxi, leaving luggage, taking the train on your own!

 

If I remember correctly the bus let us off at the Placa Catalunya and I know we walked to our hotel, about 2 blocks away - only negative was the cobbled stone street - but still doable. By the time we got to the hotel, maybe 2pm, our room was ready and we were back on the street by about 3pm.

 

One suggestion - on the way up to Montserrat the tour guide gave us the history of the area - very well done. When we out of the bus we walked a while together and then she "set us free" to explore on our own. We wanted to see more and we did, rather than spent the time eating lunch. So just before we had to get on the bus for the return trip, I went into the cafeteria and got us lunch to eat on the bus trip back into the city - bought 2 small bottles of wine, a baguette with local ham, while DH bought some local cheese sold outside at a little tent. It was one of our most memorable meals!!!

[easy spirit]

easy spirit ~ on our 2008 Med Cruise we took the very same tour to Montserrat with City Center drop off for almost the same reasons as you explain.

 

I think we had 2 days port-cruise in Barcelona but we wanted to see as much as possible. I had wanted to see Montserrat but didn't want to take the time to do it on our own - and the ship's excursion worked fabulously!

 

After we got luggage we walked just a short distance to our bus - well marked - andwe were off - much, much easier and faster than getting a taxi, leaving luggage, taking the train on your own!

 

If I remember correctly the bus let us off at the Placa Catalunya and I know we walked to our hotel, about 2 blocks away - only negative was the cobbled stone street - but still doable. By the time we got to the hotel, maybe 2pm, our room was ready and we were back on the street by about 3pm.

 

One suggestion - on the way up to Montserrat the tour guide gave us the history of the area - very well done. When we out of the bus we walked a while together and then she "set us free" to explore on our own. We wanted to see more and we did, rather than spent the time eating lunch. So just before we had to get on the bus for the return trip, I went into the cafeteria and got us lunch to eat on the bus trip back into the city - bought 2 small bottles of wine, a baguette with local ham, while DH bought some local cheese sold outside at a little tent. It was one of our most memorable meals!!!

Thanks so much for the info. I am so glad that the ship's excursion was worthwhile. The tip for the lunch is fabulous....

Doris

[Bet & Peg]

Doris ~ thanks for your comment! I should have added that we rarely take ship's excursions much preferring to DIYs in most ports! But, in the case of Montserrat, I felt the convenience and price far outweighed anything else. I saved us the taxi, but much more the time which is SO precious!!

 

As for lunch - while we were eating in the bus - something we still talk about! - we heard a voice from the back saying "Do I smell cheese?". My DH and I will still now, 3 years larter, still laugh at our good fortune at having that lunch - it was one of those unexpected magic moments for us - and I because the "hero" !!

 

Have a GREAT cruise!!

[NJ Gal]

Here is an excerpt from a review that I did on our fall Brilliance Med. cruise on RC. We took the ship tour to Montserrat & it turned out to be a fantastic choice. I imagine that Celebrity does a similar tour:

 

 

Disembarkation-Since we staying in Barcelona one more night, we decided to take the ship tour to Montserrat. It turned out to be another good decision as we were orginally going to go there on our own using public transportation. We were off the ship, found our luggage & on the bus in less than 15 minutes. Everything was so well organized. The bus was only half full. We arrived in Montserrat very early, in fact, we were the first big bus there. That meant we got to see everything without the crowds. By the time we left a few hours later, there had to be more than 30 buses in the parking lot with people everywhere. The bus took us back to Barcelona & we were dropped off at a square where there were cabs to take us to our hotel in the port area.

[hcat]

we also took this excursion..it was really fabulous..a great drive up into the mts & the site itself was lovely--our bus arrived among the first so no crowds...(BTW: if you are going to buy music of the famous choir do it there-- we did not & couldn't get it from home!)

 

those booking a post-cruise hotel through X were dropped at those few hotels--the rest at Placa catalunya--(lots of cabs)

 

we stayed on for one of the hotels closests to ours & wheeled our stuff down Las Ramblas..felt silly but no problem!

 

Hope you enjoy the cruise & this excursion...

[easy spirit]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I really appreciate them.

[budster]

Make sure if you use a cab that you have the hotel address with you. Our friends were dropped off after the tour and did not know the hotel was only 1/2 block away. They did not have the address, only the name. The taxi driver drove them all over town claiming he never heard of the hotel. He yelled at them constantly and made for a miserable experience. Lessons learned can be expensive.

[sasset]

Try to be at the basicillica at noon. The boys choir sings daily.