We stayed on board all day!! We had been to Monte Carlo before and decided to use this day to rest and relax. It was a very pleasant day all together.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Monte Carlo
We stayed on board all day!! We had been to Monte Carlo before and decided to use this day to rest and relax. It was a very pleasant day all together.
To the Ship
We were up early for breakfast at the hotel and then on to the ship. It was just coffee and fruit for me and a variety from the buffet for Jack.
One of our friends had arranged for a bus to pick us up at the hotel and drop us at the port. It was a bargain at 5,50 Euro each. We were in our rooms and unpacked by 11:00 AM. We went exploring, had lunch and then on to the cocktail party.
Annette from our Cruise Critic group had arranged the party. For $16.00 it was an open bar for an hour and a half. Jack certainly got he money's worth as did most of the others. It was a really fun party and another chance for us to get to know our fellow cruisers. I used the time to collect money for the tour I arranged to Pompeii.
After the party we participated in the safety drill, ate Sushi and took a short nap until time for dinner.
Dinner was very special. Bianca was our waitress on the Carnival Magic for 49 days when we sailed around South America. We adored her and friended her on Facebook. When I realized that she would be on this cruise, I asked her to get us seated at her table. She did just that. What a wonderful reunion. We embraced and were greeted as family by her table team. They were all expecting us. Bianca even gifted us with a bottle of wine. The best part of this cruise will be getting to spend time with Bianca again.
The late night comedy show was funny. It was almost midnight before bed. A really late night for me!!
One of our friends had arranged for a bus to pick us up at the hotel and drop us at the port. It was a bargain at 5,50 Euro each. We were in our rooms and unpacked by 11:00 AM. We went exploring, had lunch and then on to the cocktail party.
Annette from our Cruise Critic group had arranged the party. For $16.00 it was an open bar for an hour and a half. Jack certainly got he money's worth as did most of the others. It was a really fun party and another chance for us to get to know our fellow cruisers. I used the time to collect money for the tour I arranged to Pompeii.
After the party we participated in the safety drill, ate Sushi and took a short nap until time for dinner.
Dinner was very special. Bianca was our waitress on the Carnival Magic for 49 days when we sailed around South America. We adored her and friended her on Facebook. When I realized that she would be on this cruise, I asked her to get us seated at her table. She did just that. What a wonderful reunion. We embraced and were greeted as family by her table team. They were all expecting us. Bianca even gifted us with a bottle of wine. The best part of this cruise will be getting to spend time with Bianca again.
The late night comedy show was funny. It was almost midnight before bed. A really late night for me!!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Day trip to Montserrat
What a fun day we had with new friends. Ten of us who met on Cruise Critic made the pilgrimage to Montserrat. Jack was our guide and did a wonderful job leading us through the metro and getting us on the right train.
We left the hotel at 9:00 this morning, found our way to the train station, bought the tickets, had breakfast and then caught the 10:36 train. The ride to the monastery took an hour and a half.
When we got there we took the cable car up. Once there we toured the museum, went to noon mass, toured the Basilica and had lunch. After lunch we rode the funicular up the mountain and hiked the trails to the top. The view was spectacular.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Barcelona
We made it to Barcelona. The trip was pretty uneventful. All flights were on tome and went as scheduled. We checked into the Hotel Continental Barcelona around noon and had a fun afternoon.
We had lunch at the food bar in the hotel, sat on the balcony, met lots of friends from our Cruise Critic board and walked down La Ramblas.
Off to Montserrat in the morning.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Geting there
Our flight on American Air was purchased through 1.800.fly.europe. The one way ticket was really cheep.... about 400.00 each, but the routing is crazy. We fly from GSP to DFW to JFK to Barcelona! We are scheduled to arrive in Barcelona at 10:30 on Oct 5. We will use the AeroBus to get to our hotel.
We are booked for two nights at The Hotel Barcelona Continental http://www.hotelcontinental.com/web/biznietos.php?apartado=43&Plugar=1&opcion=12&barcelona . It is a great location on Las Ramblas. A big group is staying there and we have planned to get together a couple of times before sailing.
We met Sandi and Gary on Cruise Critic. They live in Boiling Springs and New York. Sandi emailed me and we met for dinner last winter. Then we all took Shag lessons together!! It was fun but can't say any of us are super dancers. Anyway they get into Barcelona about an hour after us, so we are going to try to find them when they get off their plane and share a ride to the hotel, leave our bags, get some lunch and wander around for few hours until our rooms are ready.
I don't do well on these overnight flights so expect to crash early. We have to be up fairly early the next morning to go to Montserrat.
Jack is going to be the leader of our group of 10. He has directions and a map so I know we are in good hands. The ticket includes the train ride, lunch and all the sights including a museum (you know what I think about museums!) . It is suppose to be beautiful..... I'll let you know.
There is a dinner that night at a Tapas place that about 25 people are attending. We are not going. Maybe if I change my mind, I will but right now I'm thinking an early night.
We have chartered a bus to pick up 36 of us at the hotel and take us to the port at 10:30 the next morning. I think we are to meet at 9:00 for breakfast.
We are booked for two nights at The Hotel Barcelona Continental http://www.hotelcontinental.com/web/biznietos.php?apartado=43&Plugar=1&opcion=12&barcelona . It is a great location on Las Ramblas. A big group is staying there and we have planned to get together a couple of times before sailing.
We met Sandi and Gary on Cruise Critic. They live in Boiling Springs and New York. Sandi emailed me and we met for dinner last winter. Then we all took Shag lessons together!! It was fun but can't say any of us are super dancers. Anyway they get into Barcelona about an hour after us, so we are going to try to find them when they get off their plane and share a ride to the hotel, leave our bags, get some lunch and wander around for few hours until our rooms are ready.
I don't do well on these overnight flights so expect to crash early. We have to be up fairly early the next morning to go to Montserrat.
Jack is going to be the leader of our group of 10. He has directions and a map so I know we are in good hands. The ticket includes the train ride, lunch and all the sights including a museum (you know what I think about museums!) . It is suppose to be beautiful..... I'll let you know.
There is a dinner that night at a Tapas place that about 25 people are attending. We are not going. Maybe if I change my mind, I will but right now I'm thinking an early night.
We have chartered a bus to pick up 36 of us at the hotel and take us to the port at 10:30 the next morning. I think we are to meet at 9:00 for breakfast.
We leave in 5 days!
The planning is complete, the Euros bought and the bags packed!
We are taking Max to Eliza on Sunday and Moosie to Keller's on Monday.
Our flight leaves at 6:30 Tuesday morning. We arrive in Barcelona at 10:30 Oct 5th.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Itinerary of the Med and trans-Atlantic cruise Oct 7 - Nov 12, 2011
For the first leg, we will begin in Barcelona on the Carnival Magic
Oct 7 Barcelona
Oct 16 Barcelona
The second leg leaves Barcelona the afternoon of Oct 16 on the Carnival Magic
Oct 16 Barcelona
Oct 17 Marseilles (Marseille & Cassis)
Oct 18 Savona
Oct 19 Rome (Beautiful Lake Bracciano)
Oct 20 Naples (Sorrento - Amalfi Coast )
Oct 22 Dubrovnik (Walking the City Ramparts)
Oct 24/25 Venice (St. Marks Experience / Murano, St. George's Island & Gondola)
Oct 26 Messina (Mt. Etna at 2900 Meters)
Oct 28 Barcelona (City tour and Hotel Principal drop off)
We overnight in Barcelona Oct 28 and then switch ships to Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas for the trans-Atlantic leg.
Barcelona ..................Oct 29
Cartageña..................Oct 30
Oct 7 Barcelona
Oct 8 Monaco
Oct 9 Livorno (Cinque Terre)
Oct 10 Rome (Rome at its Best)
Oct 9 Livorno (Cinque Terre)
Oct 10 Rome (Rome at its Best)
Oct 11 Naples (Pompeii - Vesuvius - Herculaneum)
Oct 12 Messina (The Godfather Tour)
Oct 14 Palma de Mallorca
Oct 15 Marseilles (Aix En Provence)
Oct 15 Marseilles (Aix En Provence)
Oct 16 Barcelona
The second leg leaves Barcelona the afternoon of Oct 16 on the Carnival Magic
Oct 16 Barcelona
Oct 18 Savona
Oct 24/25 Venice (St. Marks Experience / Murano, St. George's Island & Gondola)
Oct 26 Messina (Mt. Etna at 2900 Meters)
Oct 28 Barcelona (City tour and Hotel Principal drop off)
We overnight in Barcelona Oct 28 and then switch ships to Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas for the trans-Atlantic leg.
Barcelona ..................Oct 29
Cartageña..................Oct 30
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