evgal/nj

We smoke and always book a balcony. Thank god Hal still allows smoking on the balconies. We will stop cruising if the policy changes. I totally think having smoking on one side of the ship is acceptable. People do you really think smoking in the open air will cause you a health risk, if that were true there would be none of us born in the 50's alive! Lol

Was just on Toulons port web site. Showed a holland America ship in port. Link to their calander showed our oct. 30 Oosterdam docked in Toulon! Not across the harbor at seyne-sur mer.

Apparently, they opened a new cruise terminal 2016 to accomadate larger ships. Not sure if it can handle the really big ones lol.

I was introduced to the wang wang on my oct.2015 cruise. Bartender told me it's named after the sound an ambulance makes in the Philippines. Drink too many & they have to be called! Lol

I am also a Long Island ice tea girl, 2 I could handle 3..... Had to go to bed lol! They kinda sneak up on you! Lol

Very tasty!

Thanks for the replies!

We have cruised out of Barcelonia four times over the last 10 years, have never encountered so many sold out hotels?

I googled Barcelonia in October , couldn't find anything unusual.

Our ship leaves oct. 22, doesn't seem to be unusual number of ships in port.

Anyone know what's happening that week?

Karen

We were on the Zuiderdam last oct. In rm 6001.

The interior of the room was fine,even though it has a pillar in the room. Bathroom is what you would expect,large, a shelf under the sinks plenty of storage! The problem was the balcony!

My DH has MS, he can walk short distances with a crutch. He is unsteady even with the crutch. The balcony is TINY! The ramp is steep. Since it soooo small I actually had to bring the chairs into the room so he could ride his scooter onto the balcony. I then brought back a chair for me,back in with the chair for him to turn his tiny scooter to get back in! After 21 days....lol

In the front of the ship naturally you feel more movement. The balcony was unsafe for a unsteady person to use without a wheelchair or scooter. Calling this Handicapped balcony is a joke!

If you contact Venice tourist info they will send you access able routes maps and a key to access the lifts at the bridges on those routes. My DH. Was using a wheelchair then. ( 2012)

I posted on the Hal page, no one replied!

Would love to see pix's lol

Maybe no ones stayed in this cabin!

clear definations of full accessable & partically accessable cabins

pictures/ diagrams of the actual handicapped cabins somewhwere on the cruise line site

automatic doors

hc cabins close to elevators

I posted on the diasabled cruiser page & someone suggested i post here also.

Has anyone stayed in cabin hc 6004?

Is the balcony big enough to take the scooter out on to?

I'm kinda concerned since it's the first cabin forward. ? wind

Having second thoughts about this cabin, but the other HC cabins seem to be the same size as a non HC cabin & I know that will be too tight to K turn!

Thanks

Karen

Thanks. Yes, it does get confusing.I googled Zuiderdam hc cabins & one site that claimed to have pix's of cabin 6004 showed a non hc catagory VA cabin! lol Clearly NOT cabin 6004.

We enjoy the balcony,dh has ms, can walk some but sometimes.....:(, to ensure the use of the balcony access is important!

I will repost on the hal page.Thanks for the suggestion.

Has anyone stayed in cabin 6004?

Is the balcony big enough to take the scooter out on to?

I'm kinda concerned since it's the first cabin forward.

Having second thoughts about this cabin, but the other HC cabins seem to be the same size as a non HC cabin & I know that will be too tight!

Karen

I agree with the previous posters. Hotel Continental Barcelonia is about 1/2 block ( toward the port) from the plaza, easy safe walk. The location is GREAT! The italian restaurant a few store fronts away is good. There is carrfore market diagonally across the street.

Have not been to the other hotel.

karen

We LOVE hotel continental barcelonia!

It is 1/2 block -Plaza Catalunya, very close to Train, Right on Las Rambalas

Have stayed there 3 x's. it is small but has an elevator. The rooms are very PINK ! lol probably the best features are the staff, location and of course the 24/7 buffet with free beer & wine on tap! The hotel is usually full of cruisers. and books fast.I love the balcony, just people watching !

karen

Don't know why the web sites didn't post

1800 fly.com

One travel.com

E dreams.com

Karen

I agree with the previous posters, arrive at least 1 day early unless you use the cruise line airfare.

Kayak has :

6/4 JFK to bcn 399

Boston to bcn 456 ( 26 hrs yuck) 675 11 hrs

I have had good luck in the past with:

Hope this helps

Karen's

Ronda is one of DW's favorite towns in the region and during our most recent visit (about 2 years ago) we were stunned at how much the city has "sprawled" outside from its historic center-gorge area. I think that many parts of Ronda are wheelchair accessible and, of course, there are some areas with limitations (especially some restaurants right on the gorge). This is probably where having a professional guide will pay dividends as they should know exactly where to go and what to avoid. But the streets and sidewalks around the gorge part of town (where you want to be) should be very accessible. The bride over the gorge (with amazing views) is certainly accessible and most of the nearby shopping streets are relatively flat and fully developed. If you enjoy eating Paella for lunch, you might consider asking your guide to take you to a restaurant that specializes in this dish.

 

You already know it is a relatively long drive from Malaga to Ronda, but parts of this drive are really picturesque and part of the fun. You might want to also ask your guide if its reasonably to make a quick stop in Mijas which is a cute village with some great views. Parts of Mijas would not be very accessible (too hilly) but some of the central streets would be wheelchair accessible. Mijas makes sense if you find yourselves with some extra time as you return towards Malaga.

Thanks. What do you think about the time? Do you think 2-3 hrs is enough time?

Thanks again

Karen

We also did hoho on our first trip to barcelonia. We bought 2 day passs ( back in 2006) not sure if multi pass are still available. That being said, we loved it! We saw the entire city, or so we thought. Lol we have been back to barcelonia 3 x's since & have found things we missed... Lol LOVE barcelonia! Last year we went to the amusement park on top of the mountain, views were incredible .

We always stay @ hotel contintal barcelonia, location is great, about 1 block from plaza Catalonia ( where hoho start) & right on LasRamblas. Love sitting on the balconies people watching. Lol not to mention it has always been filled with fellow cruise pax's, last year we had a pot luck cocktail party, everyone bought a snack & we made sangrier with the wine &fruit that's free @ the hotel.

Karen

Hank,

You seem to have a lot of first hand knowledge about this area.

We are contemplating a tour to Rhonda,(my dh uses a mobility scooter).

The tour operator said Rhonda is accessible.

We will be in port 10 hrs but prefer 6-7 hr tours.

I understand travel will be 3 hrs round trip, that leaves 3-4 hrs for tour .

Do you think that's enough?

Any suggestions?

karen

Has anyone used VipToursMalaga

Tripadvisor had only one review unfortunately in a language I could not read lol

I don't think it was good tho lol

Thanks

Karen

Is Monserrat accesable to wheelchairs? Are the trains, funicular,cable cars?

Dh can walk a short distance, uses a scooter. Since there have been so many recent visitors I thought someone might have noticed .

Thanks

Karen

P

It's recommended that the charger is replaced with an OEM model which is identical to the charger included by Pride when first purchased. If you buy a cheaper model and not as well made the charger may last even less time than the original one.

 

Just curious...... It was stated that the charger stopped working and than you purchased a new charger when you reached the Floridian. That would leave only 1 working charger not 2 ?

Lol we have chargers from other scooters. Our first scooter was a another brand, but the charger was the same as the go go.

Our go go is 3 yrs old not sure why but after using it in barcelonia for 5 days (charging every nite ) when we got on the ship the charger didn't work! We had been to the same hotel,even same room the yr before without a problem with the charger. Just a coincidence ??? . Lol Do the chargers have a life span? We had just replaced the batteries soooo maybe the chargers last about the same amount of time?

We called the front desk on the ship and they sent some one who picked up the battery every nite and delivered it in the morning charged!

Once we reached Floridian we bought a new charger. Since we now have 2 will bring both next time!

Karen

Thank you what a great review! Do you suggest a tour of Liverno or is it a wonder around on your own port ?

Karen

Barcelonia, Lisbon and maderia were scooter friendly.

We used wheelchair in Corfu,Gibraltar, Malaga,Cadiz.

Karen