Should we take cruise line transfers?

[CarolRoy]

We are planning a cruise from Barcelona for Sept. 2011. Not sure how to get from the airport to cruise terminal. Royal Caribbean wants $60 RT per person for the transfers. Is this too much? Also we have a 10:30AM flight out of Barcelona after the cruise. Would we get to the airport in time for our 10:30AM flight? How far in advance should we get to the airport?

 

This is our first European cruise.

 

Thanks for any info, Carol

 

2010 – Nieuw Amsterdam HAL - Dec.- W. Caribbean

2010 – Celebrity Summit – Sept. - Bermuda

2010 – Serenade of the Seas - March - S. Caribbean

2009 – Crown Princess – W. Caribbean

2009 – Golden Princess - Alaska - Inside Passage

2009 – Coral Princess - Panama Canal Transit

2008 – Caribbean Princess - New Eng. & Canada

2008 – Serenade of the Seas - S. Caribbean

2007 – Explorer of the Seas - W. Caribbean

2006 – Golden Princess - S. Caribbean

2004 – Serenade of the Seas - S. Caribbean

2002 – Star Princess - Mexican Riviera

2002 – Dawn Princess - S. Caribbean

2000 – Carnival Inspiration - S. Caribbean

1999 – Carnival Paradise - W. Caribbean

1996 – Majesty (private) - Key West

1989 – Sovereign of the Seas - E. Caribbean

[hubofhockey]

I would think that pre or post cruise that you would want to spend a couple of days in Barcelona. :confused:

 

In any case, it is about 25 euros before tip airport to cruise terminal in a cab. With tip that is 60 round trip or around $80 total in USD. There is no need for cruise transfers or shuttles.

[riffatsea]

The airport is a short way out of the city. It will take about 30min. or so in a taxi. Depending on how many people you have in your traveling group and how much luggage you have, the cost should be between 30 and 40ish euro total NOT per person, each way.

[CarolRoy]

Thanks for the info. But if we have a 10:30AM flight, is there enough time to disembark and get to the airport by taxi? How is customs handled at disembarkation. Carol

 

2010 – Nieuw Amsterdam HAL - Dec.- W. Caribbean

2010 – Celebrity Summit – Sept. - Bermuda

2010 – Serenade of the Seas - March - S. Caribbean

2009 – Crown Princess – W. Caribbean

2009 – Golden Princess - Alaska - Inside Passage

2009 – Coral Princess - Panama Canal Transit

2008 – Caribbean Princess - New Eng. & Canada

2008 – Serenade of the Seas - S. Caribbean

2007 – Explorer of the Seas - W. Caribbean

2006 – Golden Princess - S. Caribbean

2004 – Serenade of the Seas - S. Caribbean

2002 – Star Princess - Mexican Riviera

2002 – Dawn Princess - S. Caribbean

2000 – Carnival Inspiration - S. Caribbean

1999 – Carnival Paradise - W. Caribbean

1996 – Majesty (private) - Key West

1989 – Sovereign of the Seas - E. Caribbean

[riffatsea]

There are lots of previous discussions on here about the 10:30AM flight. It is fine if nothing is late but it is a close call if anything holds up the docking procedure. A cruise ship transfer may take even MORE time because it usually has to wait for folks and is not geared really for that early flight!

[artypharty]

We are planning a cruise from Barcelona for Sept. 2011. Not sure how to get from the airport to cruise terminal. Royal Caribbean wants $60 RT per person for the transfers. Is this too much? Also we have a 10:30AM flight out of Barcelona after the cruise. Would we get to the airport in time for our 10:30AM flight? How far in advance should we get to the airport?

 

This is our first European cruise.

 

Thanks for any info, Carol

 

 

Because I speak a little Spanish, we decided to take the taxi from the airport to the port. I was stunned to find that our taxi driver spoke no English. Most places we've been, the taxi drivers speak some English. He was wonderful and patient with my murduring of his language. He figured it out, we made it to the port and we even had a few laughs! :D

 

Considering our early departure at the end of the cruise (10:35 AM), we booked the ship transport back to the airport. They got us off the ship, into the bus and to the airport in plenty of time. And again, if you don't speak any Spanish, you don't have to worry about that barrier.

 

We didn't get much time in Barcelona that time so we are headed back next September, spending 3 days there before the cruise. The picture of the sleeping artist, at the bottom of this post was taken on Las Ramblas.

 

You will have a ball. I got pretty much addicted to the Mediterranean...we keep going back..

[hkto]

Just wondering why do you need an English speaking driver? To talk weather? Or how his family is doing? Most drivers done airport - port run many times. They know where to go; just tell them "puerto de cruceros". Cabs are around 35 euros; no waits and are more cost effective even for 2 people.

[iancal]

We NEVER take cruise line transfers. For us, they tend to be too slow (wait for the bus to load), or just too expensive for something that we can easily do on our own. We feel the same way about pre and post cruise hotels.

[artypharty]

Just wondering why do you need an English speaking driver? To talk weather? Or how his family is doing? Most drivers done airport - port run many times. They know where to go; just tell them "puerto de cruceros". Cabs are around 35 euros; no waits and are more cost effective even for 2 people.

 

As a first time Mediterranean cruiser, even speaking some Spanish, it would never have occured to me to say "puerto de cruceros" I wasn't familiar with the phrase. If you do not speak Spanish, how could you possibly know this? A taxi driver that speaks some English would have been a benefit for someone who knows no Spanish. And...as a matter of fact, we did discuss a number of things on the trip to the port.

 

BTW...Rudeness is never appreciated.

[Turtles06]

As a first time Mediterranean cruiser, even speaking some Spanish, it would never have occured to me to say "puerto de cruceros" I wasn't familiar with the phrase. If you do not speak Spanish, how could you possibly know this? A taxi driver that speaks some English would have been a benefit for someone who knows no Spanish. And...as a matter of fact, we did discuss a number of things on the trip to the port.

 

BTW...Rudeness is never appreciated.

 

I had the same reaction you did to this poster; it was rude. It is always helpful to be able to communicate with a taxi driver, whether in the driver's own language, or your own.

 

We were in Barcelona in January. I had read here on CC that most of the cab drivers did not speak English. Fortunately, I can still speak enough Spanish (thank you, high school!) that I could communicate with the non-English speaking cab driver who took us from the airport to our hotel. Along the way, he voluntarily pointed out and told us about places of interest, including Montjuic. I'm sure I didn't understand everything he said, but I got the gist, and I much appreciated the conversation.

[chipmaster]

Taxi is easy and far cheaper, matter of fact almost everything arranged outside of the cruiseline is cheaper :D

 

As to taxi from port directly to airport for any early morning flight be careful! We saw very long lines and waited a good 30' and we weren't the first off the ship, the lines early in the morning were very long. I'd suggest to see if you can pre-reserve a reliable shuttle.

 

 

As to speaking english, I think drivers appreciate if you can communicate in their native lanaguage, but we found no trouble in communicating with our driver in English ( we were sure Chinese would be less understood. Its Americans so they often know just one language and the rest of the world knows that already, unlike most countries in the world where the citizens grow up speaking two if not three :mad:

[ab0si]

If you do not speak Spanish, how could you possibly know this?

 

Google English to Spanish. Click on the website. Enter cruise port.

 

I did that on google's top pick and the result was ...puerto de cruceros

[Kerry's Girls]

We visited Barcelona twice this year and took many cabs, which are plentiful and cheap, but had only one driver who spoke any English, though they were all very friendly. I took the good advice I found here and always had my destination address written down - printed out from the website when possible. It was also good I had my hotel phone number written down so he was able to call and ask for directions when he had trouble finding it. I wouldn't bother with prearranged transportation from the airport since there are always plenty of cabs. As a previous poster mentioned, there was a line when we got off the ship, but it moved very quickly, so I would only make pre-arrangements if I needed to race to the airport.

 

Best,

Mia

[artypharty]

Google English to Spanish. Click on the website. Enter cruise port.

 

I did that on google's top pick and the result was ...puerto de cruceros

 

I have been to a number of countries, used taxi's in most all. Each taxi driver knew some English (and, I always learn enough of a foreign language to get by) EXCEPT in Spain. I was surprised because of prior experience. Because I am most familiar with Spanish, I never thought to look up puerto de cruceros.

 

All I've been saying is "if you don't know, you don't know"...I was just giving a word of advice to a new Mediterranian cruiser.

 

Bablefish is a great translation site....love it!