Pullmantur Monarch Transatlantic 9/17/2016 Spain to Panama

From everything I read about the cruise terminal, it looks like taking the Bilbao metro to the Neguri station puts me within a short walk of the ship. I hope I'm right, but allowing lots of extra time just in case.

i am in bilbao now. if you are still reading the threads up to this time, let me share with you what i found out. there is a free shuttle bus that picks up passengers for the monarch cruise ship tomorrow at either the alborta or areeta metro stops. i checked with both the tourism offices at getxo and p. moyua. at getxo, the rep. told me it starts at 10:30 at either alborta or areeta. at pl. moyua, the guy called the shuttle bus, was told it starts at 11 am at alborta. the shuttle bus runs every 40 minutes. so, i plan to go to alborta at 10:30 a.m. i hope you plan to be there that time. i am thinking that in case this info is wrong, i can take a taxi to the port which would be cheaper because it is nearer than taking a taxi at the bilbao center. sounds like a plan, rico?

Hi all

 

So if we want to dine in the same area we need to contact the Maitre Di

 

I guess the first people on the ship should inquire. I know we hope to be on as early as possible. We are staying in Santurce just a short cab ride to the ship.

 

If anyone wants to post their cabin numbers just do it and hopefully we can compile a list before we leave on Thursday. I usually check this board once a day.

 

I will start I want to be able to sit with other solo English speaking cruisers or English speaking couples.

 

Pat

cabin 7052

 

Just post your first name and cabin number I will keep a log and hopefully be onboard early enough to find out when to see the maitre de

 

pat

Hi Pat, I'm a solo English-speaking traveler on the early dinner seating, and would like to be included if you're trying to get a table of English-speakers together. I'm in 9578. Thanks! -Judy

I've been here in Getxo for the past week and I have done massive amounts of walking around so I will mention this:

It is true that the Neguri station is close enough to walk IF you do not have luggage. With almost any luggage it would be a long haul. Even wheelie luggage would be tough since all the surfaces are bumpy. On a map it doesn't look that far but the location where the ship docks is a long way around the dock--that part alone almost doubles the walk.

Although a taxi ride from Neguri station would be inexpensive, I haven't seen taxis waiting at any of the metro stations this past week--even today when a large P & O ship was in port.

I'd reccommend getting the shuttle from the stations before Neguri as mentioned above.

kat

Many thanks for sharing this info tagabukid & Kat. I'll plan accordingly although based on my location in Bilbao my ETA will be closer to noon in the cruise ship area today. Looking forward to a fun cruise!

hello all,

i am looking out my window to an empty port! Has anyone heard anything from their travel agents about the ship being late?

ship tracker website has the ship still a couple hours out of Getxo. Oh, my!

kat

hi

we are at the uhr palacio hotel across from the port

the monarch will not be in port until 1:pm

where is everyone waiting?????

pat

hello all,

i am looking out my window to an empty port! Has anyone heard anything from their travel agents about the ship being late?

 

ship tracker website has the ship still a couple hours out of Getxo. Oh, my!

kat

what hotel are you at? we are going to try and stay here at our hotel tll 1:30

but do not know how the seating is at the port what are you doing?

pat and joan

IT IS HERE!!!!!

Hope everyone is here!

Pat

Hello, intrepid cruise criticas,

Monarch is now at the dock. The ride was too low for her to enter earlier. The new time for embarkation is 4PM. If you go to the port you will be directed to an area to check in your luggage and then you can go to a nearby pub ( I am at Silvers Pub--the best but the furthest in the row and WiFi!) or mc Donald's if that is your pleasure, to wait.

For the energetic there is a wonderful walk along the harbor with signs telling about the arxhitecture of the mansions along the way. Starting at the beginning of the port it is about 2 miles long but worth it!

There is also an aquarium but I haven't been so I can't say.

see you mas tarde!

kat

Also within a 30-minute walk is the Vizkaya Bridge, a UNESCO world heritage site (transporting people and vehicles in a cable car suspended from the bridge -- unique sort of construction.) I'm headed there now.-Judy

We will not be leaving port until at least 8. They just finished disembarking at 6. We have been 9n since rostock. Sitting at the frigates bar now. This will be a quiet 2 day cruise. We went from 2300 to 1000 passengers

We heard that we could request the refund of the Aruba port tax ($45 each) from Pullmantur.

Has anyone tried to get this refund?

I have emailed my VTG agent twice not received any reply from him on this issue.

I have not contacted Pullmantur directly yet.

Linda

It is so hard getting anywhere with pullmantur I asked for a call back nothing VTG were not much help either I was charged twice onboard

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I'm looking at Pullmantur for a Ta next year. What is best way to get to Panama. What can I expect to pay for flights? Was the ship/food etc ok?

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I'm looking at Pullmantur for a Ta next year. What is best way to get to Panama. What can I expect to pay for flights? Was the ship/food etc ok?

 

 

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Don't know about flights etc, I am from the UK.

Food was good, not quite as much choice in the buffet as other lines but enough.Food was more European, which I liked. Dinner menu was the same for 2 weeks, but 7 courses and at least 3 choices in each and they did add specials the last few nights. No buffet in the evening, only pizza. Wine was good with meals or you could upgrade for one or two euros a glass. You could have as much as you wanted all day.

Not a big ship but lots to do. No problem with English, all announcements in English and Spanish and all staff speak both.

I really enjoyed it and would certainly cruise with them again. Joan

I read that most cruise lines offer store credit if they cannot make it to a port, etc, but they have right to do thing as well. In the case of missing Aruba, since the port was closed, I doubt Pullmantur would offer refund to us since it was beyond the Captain's capability of getting us there.

As far as flights, food, etc...unsure where you are traveling from so cannot help with flights. The food on our sailing was very good, in my opinion. Variety. We, unlike the May sailing, only had one dining time and no evening buffet as an option (dinner only served at 7:30 pm in dining room unless you went for pizza or bought a sandwich or tapas elsewhere)...this was because we only had 1,000 passengers on our sailing. This is also why we were only given one set menu, but there were many choices offered on the menu, and at gala night, we were given a five course meal of different offerings. I wouldn't hesitate to take this cruise again.

I'm getting $42 rebate back from Pullmantur via VTG for the missed visit to Aruba.

Not sure if anyone is still checking this thread from last year, but I'm taking the Monarch from Grand Canaria to Panama September 25, 2017. I need to get off early, in Aruba and I noticed that some folks from last year were talking about that. Just wondered what you have to go thru for that? I was thinking that perhaps I should contact Aruba immigration and get their blessing.

I've also read about the Wave club on the Monarch, sounds like something I'd like to buy into, but I'm not in a suite. Has anyone had any luck getting to purchase it if not in a suite?

The trip from Bilbao to Panama in 2016 had folks getting on board in Lisbon as well as Bilbao. Some folks were scheduled to get off at Aruba rather than Colon. Pullmantur is different than typical American cruises and allowed flexibility in boarding and off loading locations. However due to Hurricane Matthew, Aruba closed its port and folks planning to get off and had arranged transport back to the states or stay in Aruba for awhile couldn't. They had to stay onboard and work out return from Panama instead.

If you are working with travel agent or check with the cruise line then you can find out if they are allowing that flexibility this time. I really enjoyed the ship and staff and met a lot of interesting folks. Since it was a re-positioning cruise there was only 1000 on board on a ship that holds 2600.

I did not use the WAVE, but I believe you can pay extra (based on thread talk) and get access w/o being in suite. Someone who did use this may respond and give you the details.

Thank you very much for the info! Very helpful! I didn't realize that you couldn't get to Aruba. That would really stink for me as I have Delta tickets already purchased and need to be back in the states that night. Very rare that Aruba gets a Hurricane so hopefully this year will be fine.

Everything I've read about the Monarch has been mostly positive. We've done a lot of cruises, and a lot of lines. I won't even go back on a Carnival anymore!

But what I've read so-far is that the Waves is really exclusive to suites, free to the higher end and about $80 for the Jr. Suites. I'm in an ocean view, it's all that V2G had to offer. Not sure if that means everything is sold out or what, but your experience of only half the ship sold sounds great! Love to go on cruises that are not full.

Thanks again, Ed

Hurricane Matthew did indeed cause some havoc for those wanting to exit the ship in Aruba. I would strongly recommend insuring your travel if you choose to do this, because it could save you a lot of grief and money. We were not in a suite or a junior suite. We could not pay (we booked very early) never, ever to get into the WAVE club (we tried haha). My friend, who sailed on the May cruise, only got into the WAVE club because his room was poorly assigned (below the jogging deck, and the staff was not implementing the rule strictly enough the "do not jog before seven am, please". The passengers, of course, were the one's breaking the rule. (His cruise was completely booked unlike ours, also. I thoroughly enjoyed this cruise and am taking it again in September!). I do not believe you will have any luck getting into the WAVE club. We are traveling with six other couples back from Europe to our homes here in Panama. Three couples could not get junior suites or suites, so they do not have access to the club but are consistently trying to upgrade their room assignement. Junior Suites were completely booked in December. Good luck, keep us posted, and enjoy!

Thanks for the great info. Never been to Canary islands so we're looking forward to this. We're flying in on 9/21 so we can spend a few days there. Perhaps you know, it looks like there's an Avis right at the port so thought I'd get a car at the airport and return at the port.

Any suggestions on "must do" on the island?

Perhaps we can hook up on the ship one day. We're in cabin 6540, leave a note or something.

Ed & Linda

I'm getting $42 rebate back from Pullmantur via VTG for the missed visit to Aruba.

Did you ever get your $42.00 rebate back from VTG?

I never questioned them for it and never got it.

Don't know if it's too late to try to request it.

JOAN

In response to the refund, we did receive a check from Pullmantur (we did not ask) for $84.

In response to Gran Canaria, we are arriving the day before and won't have a lot of "touring time". We are staying near the port. I don't have any information in regards to rental car agencies. I'll keep your room number on hand! :)

We will have traveled from Panama to Amsterdam (saw this beautiful city last year before the cruise, and we want to return for more!), Munich (Oktoberfest!), Morocco, and then to Gran Canaria.