Barcelona city stay package

[emelle]

We are going on the Equinox western mediterranean cruise in the spring of 2016, 10 days....round trip in and out of Barcelona. My husband and I are traveling with at least 3 other couples that are friends... within a group of about 2 dozen others.

 

We eight want to fly in a few days early and visit Barcelona and the possibility of the Celebrity city stay package at the Renaissance Hotel is a consideration via our TA. Our TA is not a "full service" TA, so booking multiple things via them is not really an option.

 

I have searched the CC site and can only find the announcement from Jan 2015 about city stay packages. The Celebrity site is of little help (Ha!).

 

Has anyone done this? I know we can "do it ourselves," but it may be easier for the group if it is done by someone else.

 

Opinions please, and thank you.

[alcpa1]

Barcelona is a wonderful embarkation port. You will love the city.

I, however, recommend you book your own hotels. It may seem easier to book through Celebrity but it really isn't if you do a little homework. There are recommendations on the Ports of Call boards, of course. You can also find hotels on Trip Advisor. Read a few reviews at the same time you are looking at attractions you will visit. Follow the routes of the hop-on-hop-off busses and you will quickly find a convenient neighborhood. Many visitor stay on La Rambla but it is very congested and VERY noisy.

If you like the location of the Renaissance why not book directly? You might find the difference in price substantial. Or look for 4-5 star hotels nearby.

I can't remember the taxi rate from a nearby hotel but it was modest. Also with 8 you can hire a recommended transfer from the airport to hotel to ship and back again. Many also have touring options which would take you to places the HOHO cannot approach.

Just another rec....make sure the hotel is air conditioned. Most of the majors are but some of the smaller hotels, even the 4-5 stars ones might not be.

Have a wonderful cruise. Any Med cruise is port intensive so starting with a few "restful" days in Barcelona will help keep your stamina at a peak.

[dodger1964]

Barcelona (like most cities) is very easy to get around on your own...I would also recommend just booking on your own..It will cost much less and will be more convenient. Just take taxi from airport to hotel and then to ship if you aren't trying to pinch pennies (for example you can take a "port" bus to ship vs Taxi).

 

We have done 2 "pre-stays" in Barcelona...we are "budget" travelers, so one time we used bus from airport to La Rambla, where our hotel was just a short walk, and the other time we used taxi.

 

We managed to find a great rate at the Eurostars Grand Marina. It was a great hotel, on the water, near the end of La Rambla.

 

Have a great trip!

 

WATCH OUT for pick pockets..We have traveled many places and we had our only "attempt" in Barcelona...Don't let it scare you away...just be alert and use common sense!

[Loujul]

The two previous suggestions sound great, but if you're like me, I don't have the wherewithal to plan for not only myself but 3 other couples. I always use the ship's pre or post hotels because I like knowing that someone it going to get me to or from the airport without my having to worry. I also like the fact that there is a representative at the hotel at certain times to answer questions. And I like knowing that if I have a problem, I have someone to complain to. Remember, friends are friends until they don't like what YOU'VE planned for them.

 

P.S. Will be traveling to Barcelona next September. Can't wait. Have a fabu trip.

[jjk9946]

I too recommend you book your own hotel. We stayed at the Meridian La Rambla. Loved the location. You are close to so much. While Las Ramblas is very busy, it is also fun and beautiful at the same time.

 

The HoHo was great. If you've never been, it's a great way to get a feel for the city. Rick Steves will have a book on Barcelona. Any thing by him is worth the read. The taxi to the ship was under ten euros for two of us. I pre booked a driver from the airport, but have no memory of the cost.

 

Big fan of Trip Advisor.

 

Barcelona is one of our favorite cities. You will love it.

 

Judy

[TKS]

I understand your concerns about planning for others. However, I agree that 'do it yourself' is not only possible, but preferable in Barcelona. Getting from the airport downtown is very easy (taxi, bus or metro). And, yes, the cost will likely be incrementally lower if you diy. The suggestions given above are all valid - all the hotels mentioned are wonderful. Eurostar Grand Marina is at the pier and at the ocean end of Las Ramblas. A taxi will only be a few euros from hotel to ship, which you will see from the hotel - just in a different area of the marina so walking isn't really possible.

 

The HoHo is a great way to spend a day (and it stops just in front of the Eurostar Grand Marina), but with 8 of you a private guide could be a real bargain - assuming you all want to do essentially the same things.

 

We stayed about a half block off Las Ramblas the last time we were in Barcelona, and it was very quiet just a few steps off the main street. (Stayed in a boutique hotel near La Boqueria market - turned out we were just across the street from a beautiful church - that served the homeless. We were concerned at first, but we had no problems at all - just a little 'local color.' We had a good laugh and loved the hotel!)

 

There are several very good travel books on Barcelona. Get one, do some research and 'go for it!' You have plenty of time, and the preparation for a trip is almost as much fun as being there, IMHO.

 

Whatever you decide, enjoy Barcelona. It is one of our favorite European cities. The art, food, history and friendly people are a very special experience.

Edited October 21, 2015 by TKS

[cheriooo]

We are going on the Equinox western mediterranean cruise in the spring of 2016, 10 days....round trip in and out of Barcelona. My husband and I are traveling with at least 3 other couples that are friends... within a group of about 2 dozen others.

 

We eight want to fly in a few days early and visit Barcelona and the possibility of the Celebrity city stay package at the Renaissance Hotel is a consideration via our TA. Our TA is not a "full service" TA, so booking multiple things via them is not really an option.

 

I have searched the CC site and can only find the announcement from Jan 2015 about city stay packages. The Celebrity site is of little help (Ha!).

 

Has anyone done this? I know we can "do it ourselves," but it may be easier for the group if it is done by someone else.

 

Opinions please, and thank you.

 

Last year we stayed 3 nights pre cruise in Barcelona at a Renaissance Hotel. Lovely city to walk. A lot of small tapes restaurants and lovely place to walk. The city is relatively safe to walk but you must be very aware of pickpockets especially in Las Rambas area. We did a couple of walking of tours plus went to Monserate I believe. If your into architecture and whimsical you must see some of the Gaudi buildings and churches in town. Amazing

[Lily Feghoot]

The City Stay packages are hidden under "Specials" on the Celebrity website, here: http://www.celebritycruises.com/htmlpage/celebrity-city-stays

 

My husband and I have signed up for a Barcelona City Stay package before our October 25, 2016 transatlantic. We're getting

 

•3 nights in a 4-star, luxury hotel (the Renaissance), including breakfasts

•Full day, fully-guided City Highlights Tour, including lunch

•Half day, fully-guided Evening City Tour, including a farewell dinner

•Celebrity Cruises Hospitality Desk in your hotel

•All Transfers (airport to hotel, hotel to pier, pier to airport in FLL)

 

When we talked to a man in Future Cruises on the Infinity in August, he told us the city stay packages include a classic beverage package---and that's what it says in the fine print on the page I linked above.

 

However, when our travel agent added the tour to our already-booked cruise, they told her they weren't including the beverage packages any more. Whether this is just for the transatlantic (where beverage packages are never included) or for all city stay/cruises, I don't know. When she protested that we'd been misinformed, we got the beverage package anyway!

 

All the above for $950 apiece.

 

If we were in, say, Sydney, we'd do it all ourselves. We've been there before and speak the language. But Barcelona is new to us, so we felt this was a good deal.

 

I hope this helps.:)

[dodger1964]

We are going on the Equinox western mediterranean cruise in the spring of 2016, 10 days....round trip in and out of Barcelona. My husband and I are traveling with at least 3 other couples that are friends... within a group of about 2 dozen others.

 

We eight want to fly in a few days early and visit Barcelona and the possibility of the Celebrity city stay package at the Renaissance Hotel is a consideration via our TA. Our TA is not a "full service" TA, so booking multiple things via them is not really an option.

 

I have searched the CC site and can only find the announcement from Jan 2015 about city stay packages. The Celebrity site is of little help (Ha!).

 

Has anyone done this? I know we can "do it ourselves," but it may be easier for the group if it is done by someone else.

 

Opinions please, and thank you.

 

You (and the group) have to decide what your "on your own" risk tolerance is...You can easily save $500 per couple doing it on your own, doing exact same hotels/tours, or at least very similar...Is it worth that much to have to do the work yourself? Some would say yes, and some no!

 

One example, you can book all 4 rooms online in less 5 minutes if you are used to online booking...you can arrange group transports in advance or just take cabs...It is easy (for some) to do, but others don't want to bother with it on their own.

 

 

We love Barcelona...Have a great trip!

[cheriooo]

You (and the group) have to decide what your "on your own" risk tolerance is...You can easily save $500 per couple doing it on your own, doing exact same hotels/tours, or at least very similar...Is it worth that much to have to do the work yourself? Some would say yes, and some no!

 

One example, you can book all 4 rooms online in less 5 minutes if you are used to online booking...you can arrange group transports in advance or just take cabs...It is easy (for some) to do, but others don't want to bother with it on their own.

 

 

We love Barcelona...Have a great trip!

 

You are 100% correct of being able to do the hotel and tours on your own cheaper than using Celebrity. Celebrity makes it very easy, but if your willing to do a little bit of work you can save some money. Cabs are plentiful and it is relatively easy to get to cruise port. Barcelona is a beautiful city and easy to get around. You will enjoy it no matter what you do

[colliercruiser]

We are going on the Equinox western mediterranean cruise in the spring of 2016, 10 days....round trip in and out of Barcelona. My husband and I are traveling with at least 3 other couples that are friends... within a group of about 2 dozen others.

 

We eight want to fly in a few days early and visit Barcelona and the possibility of the Celebrity city stay package at the Renaissance Hotel is a consideration via our TA. Our TA is not a "full service" TA, so booking multiple things via them is not really an option.

 

I have searched the CC site and can only find the announcement from Jan 2015 about city stay packages. The Celebrity site is of little help (Ha!).

 

Has anyone done this? I know we can "do it ourselves," but it may be easier for the group if it is done by someone else.

 

Opinions please, and thank you.

 

My wife & I are currently on the Oct 15 Equinox sailing (Mediterranean) and included the 3-night Barcelona City Stay in our package. (We're also doing the Oct 27 TA as a B2B.) Overall, we were very happy with the pre-cruise package and would do it again. It was an excellent way to get acclimated to the time change, a new city and some of the fellow passengers on our cruise. (There were 38 City Stay guests, almost all couples.)

 

I can send you the details of the itinerary (or post them here) if you want. The overall items included in the package are as stated by the earlier poster, with one exception that the Day 3 dinner was replaced by an earlier half-day tour departure and included lunch. That worked out better for us since we had more time to do a bit of last-minute shopping, a dinner on our own (tapas place recommended by the local Celebrity rep) and repacking our bags for the transfer to the ship the next day. There were a few other minor tweaks to the itinerary, but nothing significant.

 

We had the same tour guide both days, and she was excellent. Quite knowledgable and took care of all touring arrangements/logistics. As described in the itinerary, we visited the must-see attractions in Barcelona, including Montserrat and multiple Gaudi-designed locations including Park Güell and his "signature" achievement, Sagrada Familia.

 

The Barcelona Renaissance Hotel (a Marriott property) was excellent and in a great location for walking to nearby sites, shopping, etc. Since I am a Marriott "gold" member, we were given an upgraded room (bigger than the standard one), free internet (usually an extra expense) and extra Marriott points (since I would normally get a free breakfast, but since it was included in the package, they compensated me with extra points). The hotel staff was very friendly and went out of their way to please.

 

Our BCN-to-hotel transfer was a driver with a nice car (not a bus). I assume Celebrity decides what makes sense based on each guest's arrival time, etc. All pre-cruise guests were transferred to the ship via a very nice motor coach, and we won't be using the ship-to-BCN transfer since we're staying for the B2B. (My son will be picking us up in Fort Lauderdale when we return since we live with an hour & a half of the port.)

 

One nice feature was that Celebrity picked up our bags from our rooms on the departure day, and we didn't have to handle them again through the embarkation process. The next time we saw them were in our rooms on the ship.

 

Finally, regarding the price versus "doing it yourself", I didn't give it a second thought. As soon as I saw the complete package for our first visit, I was happy to pay whatever "extra" it might cost for having everything handled by Celebrity (and very well I would say). Some folks (and many on Cruise Critic) prefer to do their own planning, hotel reservations, tour planning, etc. That's fine, but that not my way of doing a cruise. I like the Celebrity excursions (and we're had excellent ones on this cruise), so the City Stay package was an easy sell for us.

 

Hope this helps and gives you another perspective.

[ClaudiaB]

With several couples you can have your own little van and I'd highly recommend Barcelona Day Tours (or Spain Day Tours - same company really). We had a fabulous time. You can see more things for less $$ and have a smaller group.

We stayed at the Room Mate Pau (great included breakfast) which is right off Las Ramblas and was perfect for walking around and getting from place to place. Lots of people on our Roll Call were staying there and we had some dinners together. The hotel was very helpful with suggestions and one night we had dinner at a lovely paella place right on the Mediterranean. Wonderful!

 

The tour company had very clear English speaking guides and they were very flexible. We used them all over Spain. Best tour guides we've ever had. Made us fall in love with Spain.

 

We had a wonderful 2-1/2 days in Barcelona before our cruise last year. We want to stay longer next time. So much to do and see, a wonderful city.

[midwestchick]

The City Stay packages are hidden under "Specials" on the Celebrity website, here: http://www.celebritycruises.com/htmlpage/celebrity-city-stays

 

My husband and I have signed up for a Barcelona City Stay package before our October 25, 2016 transatlantic. We're getting

 

•3 nights in a 4-star, luxury hotel (the Renaissance), including breakfasts

•Full day, fully-guided City Highlights Tour, including lunch

•Half day, fully-guided Evening City Tour, including a farewell dinner

•Celebrity Cruises Hospitality Desk in your hotel

•All Transfers (airport to hotel, hotel to pier, pier to airport in FLL)

 

When we talked to a man in Future Cruises on the Infinity in August, he told us the city stay packages include a classic beverage package---and that's what it says in the fine print on the page I linked above.

 

However, when our travel agent added the tour to our already-booked cruise, they told her they weren't including the beverage packages any more. Whether this is just for the transatlantic (where beverage packages are never included) or for all city stay/cruises, I don't know. When she protested that we'd been misinformed, we got the beverage package anyway!

 

All the above for $950 apiece.

 

If we were in, say, Sydney, we'd do it all ourselves. We've been there before and speak the language. But Barcelona is new to us, so we felt this was a good deal.

 

I hope this helps.:)

The link does not work for me...I can't find information on the City Stay Package without adding a cruise to it and the cruise is already booked. :confused:

[royalcruz]

If anyone is looking to book their own Barcelona hotel on a budget, we stayed at the Hotel Gaudi. We got a room overlooking Palau Guell rooftop for about 110 euros/night this summer. It was in a convenient location, a half block from Las Ramblas and Placa Reial, the room was nice enough with a huge bathroom and a rooftop bar. The street did get a little seedy in the evening, but we didn't feel unsafe. We learned from tripadvisor to prepay...not only do you get a better rate but you don't have to worry about them cancelling if you miss the confirmation request email during your trip.

 

If you want to stay in a quiet, safe, more upscale area that is also central, look at the Eixample/Rambla de Catalunya area.

 

Here is the view from our corner balcony at Hotel Gaudi.

Edited October 22, 2015 by royalcruz

[Lily Feghoot]

The link does not work for me...I can't find information on the City Stay Package without adding a cruise to it and the cruise is already booked. :confused:

 

I'm sorry to have confused you!

 

Yes, the linked page only gives the overall information on the City Stay Packages. We had to first ask Future Cruises on the Infinity about the details and price of the Barcelona package, then go to our travel agent to add it to the cruise she'd booked earlier this year.

 

As many have noted before, the Celebrity site is splashy but not entirely user-friendly.

[janrey1234]

The City Stay packages are hidden under "Specials" on the Celebrity website, here: http://www.celebritycruises.com/htmlpage/celebrity-city-stays

 

My husband and I have signed up for a Barcelona City Stay package before our October 25, 2016 transatlantic. We're getting

 

•3 nights in a 4-star, luxury hotel (the Renaissance), including breakfasts

•Full day, fully-guided City Highlights Tour, including lunch

•Half day, fully-guided Evening City Tour, including a farewell dinner

•Celebrity Cruises Hospitality Desk in your hotel

•All Transfers (airport to hotel, hotel to pier, pier to airport in FLL)

 

When we talked to a man in Future Cruises on the Infinity in August, he told us the city stay packages include a classic beverage package---and that's what it says in the fine print on the page I linked above.

 

However, when our travel agent added the tour to our already-booked cruise, they told her they weren't including the beverage packages any more. Whether this is just for the transatlantic (where beverage packages are never included) or for all city stay/cruises, I don't know. When she protested that we'd been misinformed, we got the beverage package anyway!

 

 

All the above for $950 apiece.

 

If we were in, say, Sydney, we'd do it all ourselves. We've been there before and speak the language. But Barcelona is new to us, so we felt this was a good deal.

 

I hope this helps.:)

 

That is a lot of money. I was in Barcelona 3 days before cruise this past Sept. We stayed at the Universal, a couple of blocks off Ramblas that included a nice breakfast. We bought a 2 days hop on hop off bus at the top of Rambas and that was fabulous for viewing Barcelona. Cab fares from airport and to terminal were reasonable @ about 35 euros for 3 plus our luggage.

 

Cost for hotel was less than $700 for 3 people in a large triple room for 3 nights.