help and advice on the MED cruise this Sept

[dznypal]

I just finished paying off our cruise tonight--now Im at a lose

 

we sail out of Barcelona and plan on getting in the night before--the hotels disney uses for transfers are all booked so first off if anyone could recommend a hotel in barcelona and which is the best and easiest way to get there

 

also we need transfers from the hotel to the port and back to the airport--

 

any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated--

 

this seems like such a different cruise trying to get everything planned--th ones that leave out of port canvaral are the easiest

 

a few years ago we did a European that left out of Southampton but have a friend that goes to London alot so she recommended a great hotel that a wonderful concigere desk that arranged our transfers from the airport to hotel to port and back to airport--but his this one Im totally lost

 

thanks

[moki'smommy]

Our favorite hotel near the airport in Barcelona is the Tryp Aeropuerto. They have a complimentary shuttle from the airport to the hotel. In the morning, they have a paid shuttle to the cruise terminal or you can take the complimentary shuttle back to the airport and pay for the DCL bus to the terminal. This hotel is not near a lot of sightseeing or anything, it is like a typical US "near the airport" hotel. But it is clean, safe, has decent internet, etc. It is right on a city bus line if you decide you want to go to Las Rambla (sp?) or whatever. Honestly we're usually tired enough that we get to the hotel and sleep. There is a business center area, a restaurant, etc. This is the hotel that DCL uses for CMs when starting their contracts in Barcelona--you do have to be sure they are placing you on the paid shuttle to the cruise, not the DCL CM shuttle.

 

The only thing you are missing by not using the DCL approved hotels is a fat charge. Unlike US hotels, DCL does not get a price cut from the hotel...so you can actually book those hotels at lower cost on your own than thru DCL! But again, unless you have a reason to want to use them, there's no real reason. They are top level, 5* type hotels in downtown locations while the Tryp is in many ways similar to a Hyatt or other 4* with the airport location. Airport noise was not an issue--we heard nothing.

 

The one advantage to the DCL bus to the port is that they don't want you at the port till about 10:30 or 11. Boarding started about 12. Because flights get in early (like 9), the DCL bus took us on a sightseeing tour of the city with a guide narrating. It made 2 brief stops so we could see stuff, use a restroom, etc. It was interesting to see the difference between this and the hop on, hop off bus tour that I'd done on a previous trip. This tour was free--it was DCL's way of keeping us occupied till they wanted us at the terminal!

 

I wouldn't stay at the Tryp if I was coming in a few days early to enjoy the city, but it is super for the night before. NOTE--rooms are for 2 people. It cost me as much to add a roll away bed as it would have to book 2 rooms! Trivago, etc. has decent rates.

 

To get back to the airport after the cruise, the easiest way is DCL transfer. If you are flying Delta, they have a check in place right in the terminal--you can check in your bags here and totally skip this step at the airport. Avoid a taxi back to the airport--the add a zillion extra charges and speak as much English as they want to. There is a charge for Saturday pick up, a charge for airport drop off, a charge for cruise terminal pick up, etc. I've done it both ways and found DCL bus to be cheaper and easier.

 

We've gone out of Barcelona at least 3 times. What else do you want to know?

 

To get to the shuttle pick up area (for the complimentary from airport to hotel), go to luggage claim and pick up your luggage. Then you take a walkway outside to the pick up area. It is marked, and you can ask people. All the hotels pick up at the same area, so you wait for the van marked with your hotel.

 

Of course, the best way to get back to the US is to do the last Med and then the TA.....

Edited May 12, 2017 by moki'smommy

[cheermom2four]

Hey! wonder if we are on the same cruise! Sept 9th?? We are a family of 6 so we had to find a hotel that could handle all 6 of us without having to rent a bunch of rooms. We ended up at Aspasios Rambla Catalunya suites which is more like an apartment type hotel with a kitchen. We arrive a couple days before the cruise and wanted something more central. This one is right around the corner of Casa Batllo so the HOHO and public transportation are really close.

 

We plan on taking the aerobus to our hotel and then hired a private driver to the port and then back to the hotel for one night after the cruise. A taxi is reasonable too so depending on how many people you have, maybe look into that? Most hotels will call for a taxi and I've read on the boards here its fairly reasonable. We just have 6 people with lots of luggage so a tax wouldnt work for us.

 

Im also used to planning cruises out of Port Canaveral so this is a lot more planning for me.

[moki'smommy]

Yes, there are some very decent apartment like hotels downtown....but for one night, they aren't my top choice....and there have never been more than three of us. For staying a few days, they are wonderful.