Liberty of the Seas TA April 14, 2012 FLL-BCN

[091971Cruiser]

Cannot find a thread for this cruise. Just got off the Liberty this past weekend and looking to get back on and head back! Who else is going? :)

[Chicken_Lips]

What's happening people! I'm on this cruise and I'm a transatlantic virgin, so go easy on me. ;-)

[AFuncruiser]

Glad to see a start on this thread... There are five of "us" booked on this cruise.. I look forward to happy hour with old and new friends..

Dennis

Jacksonville, Fl

475 days at sea

40 cruises

11 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon

[hotdog647]

Hello everyone, I'm Doug from Gainesville, FL. I just returned yesterday from TA Rome to FLL crossing on Navigator of the Seas and am booked on Liberty for next year. I can't wait til another TA-it was a blast. I talked with a Crown & Anchor rep about upgrading to a balcony, it was almost $1780pp for 2, and for $1875pp for 8(taxes and fees included) you could share a royal family suite with 1215 sq feet, 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, dining room,815 sf balcony looking aft with a private hot tub---what posibilities.

 

Back to reality. We booked early in an inside cabin and the ship is about 60% full or more depending on category. No matter where you stay it will be a great time. I hope we can keep in touch, maybe plan an event or two and really rock the boat. Is anyone staying over after the cruise in Barcelona?

 

Doug

[hotdog647]

Check the threads below. I just returned from the TA on the Navigator with my friend Bob, and he started a poll about the Liberty cruise. It's nice to get to know a bit about your fellow travellers. Drop by that thread as well, and be sure to tell your friends about this cruisecritic board.

Doug

[AFuncruiser]

I enjoy Trans Atlantic cruises. The sea days are a great opportunity to play bridge. Any other bridge players? I have been on Trans Atlantic cruises when the ocean was so calm you could have crossed in a canoe and on others that we rock and rolled the whole way. I enjoy happy hours starting 5 ish and hope we can get a nice group together every day. Our group of five will be a good start.

Dennis

475 days at sea

40 cruises

11 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon

[AFuncruiser]

Hello shy people..I figure if this site has had 157 views at least 30 of those views are fellow passengers to shy or in the closet to join us in conversation.. Don't be shy what are people going to do, tell your mother?

Dennis

 

475 days at sea

40 cruises

11 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon

[Chicken_Lips]

Has anybody done a TA in April before? I haven't been on one before, so I'm pretty excited about it. What is the weather going to be like during our cruise? Will it be too cold to lounge by the pool all day? I don't want to over pack my suitcase. I gotta lug that monster around for 4 weeks longer after the cruise.

 

I love Spain. I have been to Barcelona, Mallorca, Madrid and the Costa del Sol before, so I am going to explore the rest of Spain. Plus it has a rockin gay scene, there's nothing like it.

 

Isn't it a great feeling anticipating a good cruise!

[AFuncruiser]

Has anybody done a TA in April before? I haven't been on one before, so I'm pretty excited about it. What is the weather going to be like during our cruise? Will it be too cold to lounge by the pool all day? I don't want to over pack my suitcase. I gotta lug that monster around for 4 weeks longer after the cruise.

 

I love Spain. I have been to Barcelona, Mallorca, Madrid and the Costa del Sol before, so I am going to explore the rest of Spain. Plus it has a rockin gay scene, there's nothing like it.

 

Isn't it a great feeling anticipating a good cruise!

 

Hello Chicken Lips,

Good to see someone posting for this cruise.. RE; weather April is a mixed bag sorry to be vague but the crossing could be chilly or mild, calm or rough. Spain itself should be mild with averages in the 55-65 F.

You are right about Barcelona being a "rockin city". Barcelona has somewhere around 29 gay bars & clubs, 21 cafes & restaurants, 9 saunas & sex clubs. On my last trip I stayed at the AXEL hotel and I can highly recommend it although it is expensive... Our group is staying on the La Rambla this go around.

BTW if you have the time the coastal village of Sitges is a beach getaway for residents of nearby Barcelona and a favorite vacation spot for gay men from all across Europe. Sitges has at least three dozen gay restaurants and clubs, scores of shops, and plenty of gay beaches.

Dennis

475 days at sea

40 cruises

11 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific, Rio/ Amazon

[Blackice]

Hi this is Sabine and Kev - hope you can remember us! We´ve been together on the Indy and we will be on the Liberty TA April 2012 and there is already a quite active roll call going!!! Look for 14 April 2012 Transatlantic on Liberty

Looking forward to see you again ;-) at the Quest

 

Sabine & Kevan

[hotdog647]

Dennis is so right about Barcelona annd Sitges. Besides being a beautiful area to visit, the nite life is great. Things really don't get started til later in the evenings at most bars etc. We plan to stay in Sitges for a few days after the cruise, and hop the bus or train in to Barcelona for touring or other 'cultural' activities.

[Chicken_Lips]

My gay uncle Ray told me that when he was a young guy in the military (late 60s, came back with a Purple Heart from Vietnam), he was stationed in Europe and went to Sitges. He said that one day he went swimming buck naked in the ocean and left his clothes on the beach. Lo and behold, somebody stole his clothes while he was swimming. He never did tell me how he got back to his hotel room! Lesson learned: don't ever leave your personal belongings unattended while on vacation.

[AFuncruiser]

My gay uncle Ray told me that when he was a young guy in the military (late 60s, came back with a Purple Heart from Vietnam), he was stationed in Europe and went to Sitges. He said that one day he went swimming buck naked in the ocean and left his clothes on the beach. Lo and behold, somebody stole his clothes while he was swimming. He never did tell me how he got back to his hotel room! Lesson learned: don't ever leave your personal belongings unattended while on vacation.

 

Perhaps those of us staying in Barcelona for a few days can get together and take a day trip to Sitges.

 

Dennis

[hotdog647]

We can work something out I'm sure. My travel partner Bob and I booked a neat gay hotel in Stiges-its a 3Euro ride by bus (easier than train) to Barcelona. Maybe we can meet one day in Barcelona and another in Stiges. Doug

[AFuncruiser]

We can work something out I'm sure. My travel partner Bob and I booked a neat gay hotel in Stiges-its a 3Euro ride by bus (easier than train) to Barcelona. Maybe we can meet one day in Barcelona and another in Stiges. Doug

 

Hi Doug,

Unsure what I am doing after Barcelona, maybe a night or two in Stiges.

Where are you staying in Stiges?

Dennis

[hotdog647]

My cabin mate Bob made our reservation at the Hotel Platjador.

http://www.gaysitgesguide.com/hotels/hotel-platjador.html

Others have told me the Best Western is good but this one is all gay, has a sauna, is near night time activities, train and bus, and across the street from the beach. The gay beach is also within walking distance-the nude beach is further.

 

Barcelona is great place to visit. During the daytime Las Ramblas is crowded with tourists and later at night the locals come out. I was ill on our TA in Oct 11 and didn't make the night crawl, and some one in our group didn't make it back before dawn. Much great food, wonderful architecture, fabulous market and intriguing antique section. Looking forward to meeting you. Be sure to sign up for the meet and mingle on cruise critic, and tell others you know on the cruise to look for us. We will have a great time.

Doug

[AFuncruiser]

My cabin mate Bob made our reservation at the Hotel Platjador.

http://www.gaysitgesguide.com/hotels/hotel-platjador.html

Others have told me the Best Western is good but this one is all gay, has a sauna, is near night time activities, train and bus, and across the street from the beach. The gay beach is also within walking distance-the nude beach is further.

 

Hi Doug,

Well David & I are booked (at a good rate) at the Best Western May 1st & 2ed. The Paltjador appeared fully booked. I am not absulutly sure I will follow through with the booking as it is easily cancelable with no pentaly. I have heard many nice things about Sitges and if I do go it should be a great experience. I will look forward to talking with you about Sitges at "Happy Hour" on the ship...:)

 

Dennis

[hotdog647]

"Happy Hour" on the ship? Have you cruised much on Royal Caribbean? Tell me more. Seriously I'm looking forward to meeting you on the cruise. When Bob booked our room at the Platjador last year he got the last ocean view balcony and there were very few rooms left then. It's very popular, but peoples' plans do change, and they don't have cancellation fees either. My private email is FL352@aol.com. Shoot me an email any time. Doug

[091971Cruiser]

Glad to see there are is some posting in here. We have recently gotten a new cabin for this cruise which was quite a bit less expensive and was still a better category to boot! Is there any interest in getting our reservations attached and sitting at one large table? We did this on the last cruise and it was quite a bit of fun. Thoughts?

[hotdog647]

Glad to see there are is some posting in here. We have recently gotten a new cabin for this cruise which was quite a bit less expensive and was still a better category to boot! Is there any interest in getting our reservations attached and sitting at one large table? We did this on the last cruise and it was quite a bit of fun. Thoughts?

 

Congrats on the new cabin. Bob and I were talking about linking dinner reservations together with others yesterday. Anyone else interested? Drop me a line at FL352@aol.com. It makes for a great time. Doug

[sumorai]

G'day all,

 

Could not find this thread till now...was not looking hard enough, I suppose :o. Our 1st many things on this trip. Vegas, Fort Lauderdale (thinking of guest house instead of main stream hotel), Barcelona.

 

We'll be staying for 2 ngts in Barcelona before embarking on Voyager for a B2B to S'pore. It would be great to meet up with you all. The last FOD with Radiance were kinda lack lustre but we manage to befriend another couple on FB group prior...have met up onboard and kept in touch.

 

Doug...the Platjador is sold out :(. Hi Dennis...we've replied to each other posts on the main thread. We are on anytime dining but happy to change :).

[hotdog647]

It's supposed to be a very popular place. Bob apparently was very lucky to get the last ocean view balcony last year when he booked for us. There should be a nice group of men on the crossing. Looking froward to meeting everyone. We have early dining. Not sure what others like.

 

Doug

[bobcruise45]

Glad to see there are is some posting in here. We have recently gotten a new cabin for this cruise which was quite a bit less expensive and was still a better category to boot! Is there any interest in getting our reservations attached and sitting at one large table? We did this on the last cruise and it was quite a bit of fun. Thoughts?

 

Wonderful idea! Doug and I are at the 6 o'clock seating. We prefer a table for 8 to 10 near a window. I found out on my last cruise that it can be difficult to get our travel agents and RCI coordinated to get our reservations linked, so we should start now if we want to do it.

 

Also, we found on the Navigator TA last Nov that port excursions can be arranged by small groups (6 to 8 people) that are cheaper and much more flexible than the RCI excursions or larger groups like Spain Day Tours. I think we want to go to Granada and the Alhambra from Malaga. Haven't decided on the other ports. But we'd love to look into getting together some small groups to rent a van and driver or even a cab.

 

Also, I find communication through CruiseCritic boards complicated. Anyone who is interested in linking dinner reservations or combining forces on excursions please contact me at bob.egan@gmail.com

[091971Cruiser]

Hotdog,

I sent you an email.

[sumorai]

Cheston House booked, pre cruise. Our 1st and a surprise for Brian :D.

 

The thoughts on sitting with all of you on a big table is great, but it's our first on Freedom Class and we most likely will venture into their specialty restaurants and wish not to let our dinner mates down by not commiting ourselves or turning up.

 

I've to date, confirmed reservation for the Cadiz to Seville shore excursion (Spain Day Tours) on the main thread but am happy to join you on other excursions, except Malaga. It's a tad too early for us :o.