Family of 8 needs pre-cruise hotel

[Alakeam]

We are a family of 8 who will be cruising on the Disney Magic next June (my husband and I along with our 6 kids who will be 19, 17, 14, 11, 8, and 6 years old). We plan to fly into Barcelona a day or two early, and I am getting a migraine trying to sort through all of the hotel information in order to find something that will accommodate us. This will be our first trip out of the US, and I would prefer not to be separated into 3 or 4 different hotel rooms. I would prefer something in the mid to upper price range.

 

Also traveling with us will be a family of 6 (2 parents along with kids aged 19, 17, 16, and 12), so I need to find accommodation for them as well.

 

I am nervous about leaving the country but also excited about finally seeing these beautiful locations along our route. Any tips on getting from the airport to the hotel with 8 people?

 

Any information you can give me will be much appreciated in order to narrow down my search.

 

Thank you very much.

[luvtheships]

you either need to rent an apartment or get 2 quads... or ..2 triples and a double.

 

FWIW...we are a family of 6 and are renting an apartment in Rome for 5 nights that will easily accomdate us.

 

We are also spending 2 nights post cruise in Barcelona in a hotel and are staying in a quad and a double. the kids ages are 22 18 16 and 11....My DH and I may or may not split up for the nights or we may or may not just put the 2 oldest alone. I was not at all impressed with the apartment offerrrings in Barcelona...security deposits and all that stuff...in Rome we have a highly rated apartment with no security deposit.

 

Also, the company I used to book was venere.com...no deposit or prepayment required and excellent prices.

 

Do not be afraid about splitting up your family should you need to...stick to the least amount of rooms possible and you and your spouse can always split up. Lots of bedding options in Europe and venere.com does a great job on their website in providing booking options and needs for a family your size.

 

Book the other family separately..and have their own booking numbers....no particular reason for this advice except I am used to taking care of mine...so others should do the same.....book stuff at the same places..tours..rooms etc.....just make sure that the hotels have the other families name....and different reservation numbers.....that is just me...and they should use their own credit cards as well should you need to put one down in the event of a a one night fee should you cancel..

 

and by all means put the hotel costs on a credit card....because if you decide to pay in cash the amount of cash you will need will be enormous for what you need to do and unless you bring it with you from home...you will be searching for ATMs every waking moment...there is a limit to the amount of cash you can withdraw per day..per atm...per bank..etc..

 

 

And regardless of what you will hear and read on these boards....when traveling with a family your size...the smartest thing to do is to leave home with lots of Euro in your pocket as the ATM limits will make it nearly impossible to get the euro you will need to function properly in Europe for your family size.....so do not worry about it...use a credit card whenever possible...Capital One is the best...no foreign transaction fees and an excellent exchange rate.....figure out how much Euro you THINK you will need..then double it..LOL...and get it from home...you can always dip your card at an atm should you need to..that is no problem...most of the time.

 

It will cost you much more than you think for your family and many posters here are just traveling as a couple or a family with 2 kids and do not realize the expenses...heck..gelato in Rome will cost you 50 Euro...and that would be a cash transaction most of the time. See what I mean?

 

Anyway..regardless of cost..taking the family to Europe is the best thing you can ever do for them...go with a great attitude...do not complain..and read the riot act to any in your family that may cause turmoil...like a crotchety elder or a bratty kid..LOL.....do your research...read everything on these boards that is pertinent...google everything you can think of...plan an itin.....make up a to do list...and devote yourself to research as this is your first trip. Honestly and while you may think this is overkill..it is not by any means...and remember that there is something wonderful about Europe that brings people back over and over again....between all 6 of us we have close to 40 trips there! Mostly mine:D..but my 3 oldest have a great track record as well...

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Wow, I'm disappointed with your comments about apartments in Barcelona, since that's what I intend to do next fall, and was going to suggest it here. I won't be doing my own research for at least 6 months.

[sing]

We spent 3 days pre-cruise in Barcelona in April 2012. Our family of 6 had a wonderful time and really enjoyed our apartment. It's located about a 10-min walk from Sagrada Familia, in a nice residential district in Barcelona. There are supermarkets, a market, and metro stations within a five-minute walk. We booked directly through the owner who apparently owns many apartments in a building, so your and the other family can probably stay quite close to one another if you decide to stay here. Not sure if there is a minimum stay requirement though. We rented through:

http://apt.negre.us/

 

Booked a van that took us from the airport to the apartment, and then to the port on embarkation day. They were very reliable and the price was reasonable (same price if not cheaper than getting two cabs; plus we didn't have to split up):

http://www.autosvilar.com/

 

Good luck with your search! The research beforehand does pay off - I did lots of homework before the trip on these boards, and it went very smoothly!

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Have you booked the airfare already? Personally I would not do Barcelona as my first European city. I've traveled all over Europe- north, south, east and west and Barcelona was probably my least favorite city.

 

 

Others will argue this and everyone has an opinion. I'll tell you my experience.

 

Pros: The airport is a short taxi ride to the port.

 

Con: The waterfront area is dirty, with stray dog and piles of poop here and there. The parks are overgrown with trash and graffiti.

 

Las Ramblas was not what I expected. it was crowded and dirty. They have people doing little shows to distract you while you get pickpocketed- how fun!

 

Their are lots of pickpockets- just read the guidebooks, they warn of this and I was robbed of my brand new digital camera (with 14 days of photos) and my change purse.

 

The food in Spain is nothing to write home about.

 

Taxi driver and most people don't speak English- unlike other parts of Europe where almost everyone speaks some English.

 

Personally I would save your money and fly in the day of the cruise and go directly to the ship.

[luvtheships]

Wow, I'm disappointed with your comments about apartments in Barcelona, since that's what I intend to do next fall, and was going to suggest it here. I won't be doing my own research for at least 6 months.

I am sure that many people would find very nice apartments in Barcelona...my issue was twofold..

 

1. I have a close friend who travels to Barca frequently and has rented apartments..but will no longer do that as they do not always provide enough towels for a large family...and once in her case..they only provided small towels..not bath towels...and only replaced them every 3 days....This was a problem for her and her family...but may not be an issue for others...:eek:

 

2. Through my research...I could not find an apartment that I liked..came with good reviews....and did not ask for a security deposit...for whatever reason, I am not comfortable giving an off site owner a security deposit..that will be returned after inspection....and while I know we will not cause damage....I just dont feel comfortable with it...

 

also....when booking an apartment you sometimes need to meet the owner at a location and he/she needs to accompany you to the apartment....thus requiring an international cell phone (we do have one however)..a phone call...(sometimes not easy to figure out how to do this)...and while I do like renting apartments....for our next trip we chose to book 2 hotel rooms in both Barca and Venice...because the price was cheaper...the location better...and we did not have to pre pay or give a security deposit....no dealing with a landlord....in Rome...we are renting an apartment for 5 nights..because...it was cheaper than 2 rooms...there was no security deposit..and no hassle....

 

for 2 nights..I would get a hotel in Barca and just be done with it...and be able to pay by creditcard and no security deposit....look into venere.com...you will be pleased with their offerrings...enjoy

 

I actually got an excellent price on 2 rooms for 2 nights through Venere.com in Barca and a great price in Venice.

[luvtheships]

Have you booked the airfare already? Personally I would not do Barcelona as my first European city. I've traveled all over Europe- north, south, east and west and Barcelona was probably my least favorite city.

 

 

Others will argue this and everyone has an opinion. I'll tell you my experience.

 

Pros: The airport is a short taxi ride to the port.

 

Con: The waterfront area is dirty, with stray dog and piles of poop here and there. The parks are overgrown with trash and graffiti.

 

Las Ramblas was not what I expected. it was crowded and dirty. They have people doing little shows to distract you while you get pickpocketed- how fun!

 

Their are lots of pickpockets- just read the guidebooks, they warn of this and I was robbed of my brand new digital camera (with 14 days of photos) and my change purse.

 

The food in Spain is nothing to write home about.

 

Taxi driver and most people don't speak English- unlike other parts of Europe where almost everyone speaks some English.

 

Personally I would save your money and fly in the day of the cruise and go directly to the ship.

however..the OP has no choice as she/he is doing the Disney cruise and doesn't it leave from Barca?

[rebeccalouiseagain]

She has the choice of either going directly to the ship on embarkation day or doing a pre-cruise stay in Barcelona. With a huge group and the added expense. This is not be the city that I would spend lots of $$$ in.

 

Barcelona is interesting- the Gaudi buildings are very interesting and if you do an organized tour you can have a nice experience but Barcelona didn't win my heart and I've been there twice.

[Alakeam]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. That gives me a few directions in which to do my research.

 

Just to clarify our situation, we haven't booked our flights yet, but I have researched them. We would leave the US around noon and arrive in Barcelona at 9:30 the next morning. We want to fly in at least a day ahead in case there is a flight delay along the way so that it won't interfere with our cruise departure.

[luvtheships]

She has the choice of either going directly to the ship on embarkation day or doing a pre-cruise stay in Barcelona. With a huge group and the added expense. This is not be the city that I would spend lots of $$$ in.

 

Barcelona is interesting- the Gaudi buildings are very interesting and if you do an organized tour you can have a nice experience but Barcelona didn't win my heart and I've been there twice.

I happen to agree with you about Barcelona..I too have been there twice as has my family...and we just don't see the appeal...that being said...we are staying 2 nights post cruise and are going to explore further and go to Monserrat the Sagrada Familia etc...maybe more than just a port stop is what it will take for us.

 

I thought I was the only person in the world who was not impressed with Barcelona.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

luvtheships

 

I am always worried I'm going to get flamed on her for not liking Barcelona. I did really try to like it and we did the HOHO bus the second time and I liked that especially when you go up to the top (Montjuic). I loved our Hotel too- the Hotel Arts Barcelona. It was very nice but it is a Ritz Carlton so it should be.

There was good food at our hotel and it was really nice but as for the rest of Barcelona- just not as pretty to me as Madrid and Malaga. I absolutely loved Madrid and Malaga.

[Baseball fan]

If you don't want to get an apartment, we stayed at the Hotel Continental Barcelona. We had 3 in the room, and although it was tight, we weren't in the room much. They have a breakfast and all day snacks and beverages. It is very convenient at the top of Las Ramblas. It is about 2 doors down from Placa Catalunya.

 

I did find Barcelona very smoky but I would not fly in the day of the cruise because that does not give you many options if there are flight delays.

 

We had a tour guide pick us up at the ship (5 of us plus luggage) and give us a 1/2 day tour before bringing us to our hotel. I am sure you could find one to pick you up at the airport (do a 1/2 day tour) and take you to your hotel. Yes, be aware of pick pockets but that goes for pretty much every large city....I can find the name of our guide if you are interested.

[4774Papa]

Have you booked the airfare already? Personally I would not do Barcelona as my first European city. I've traveled all over Europe- north, south, east and west and Barcelona was probably my least favorite city.

 

 

Others will argue this and everyone has an opinion. I'll tell you my experience.

 

Pros: The airport is a short taxi ride to the port.

 

Con: The waterfront area is dirty, with stray dog and piles of poop here and there. The parks are overgrown with trash and graffiti.

 

Las Ramblas was not what I expected. it was crowded and dirty. They have people doing little shows to distract you while you get pickpocketed- how fun!

 

Their are lots of pickpockets- just read the guidebooks, they warn of this and I was robbed of my brand new digital camera (with 14 days of photos) and my change purse.

 

The food in Spain is nothing to write home about.

 

Taxi driver and most people don't speak English- unlike other parts of Europe where almost everyone speaks some English.

 

Personally I would save your money and fly in the day of the cruise and go directly to the ship.

I respectfully disagree. I have traveled to over 50 countries and 3/4 of Europe. My favorite country is Italy, but Barcelona is a great place to start. Sure, it is not Paris, Rome or London, but it is easy to get around and the airport is closer to the city and easy to use, unlike the other three cities I mentioned.

Also, I did not find Barcelona dirty or nasty. I saw more graffiti in Paris and more trash recently.

 

Pickpockets are a huge problem there, so take precautions. Men should wear a money belt, women have a packsafe purse.

Don't carry your wallets and passports with you, put them in the hotel room safe and take a photocopy of your passports.

 

Barcelona is great.

[Kerry's Girls]

Look at Hispanos Siete Suiza, an apartment hotel where you could get two 2-bedroom apartments that would include kitchens, laundry, etc and is very close to Sagrada Familia, metro and a nice pedestrian area with markets, take-away eateries and restaurants. My family counts Barcelona as one of our favorite cities. We've been twice and will return next year. I think it's fantastic for kids - great walking, efficient and easy Metro, friendly people and we found the parks clean and there seemed to be one every time we turned around. Parc Guell alone is a wonderful full morning or afternoon to wander through. I do agree that there is no need to visit Las Rambla except for the excellent market there, but we loved everything else. I'm a single mom and never felt unsafe there with my children, even walking at night.

 

Best,

Mia

[CyberTag]

We spent 3 days pre-cruise in Barcelona in April 2012. Our family of 6 had a wonderful time and really enjoyed our apartment. It's located about a 10-min walk from Sagrada Familia, in a nice residential district in Barcelona. There are supermarkets, a market, and metro stations within a five-minute walk. We booked directly through the owner who apparently owns many apartments in a building, so your and the other family can probably stay quite close to one another if you decide to stay here. Not sure if there is a minimum stay requirement though. We rented through:

http://apt.negre.us/

 

Booked a van that took us from the airport to the apartment, and then to the port on embarkation day. They were very reliable and the price was reasonable (same price if not cheaper than getting two cabs; plus we didn't have to split up):

http://www.autosvilar.com/

 

We just returned on June 22nd after sailing for 12 days on the Serenade of the Seas. We were a family of 5 traveling (ages 15, 18, myself, DH, and FIL). We were in Barcelona 3 days precruise and opted to rent an apartment instead of 2 hotel rooms. We too used the above website to rent a 3 bedroom,3 bath apartment. We were in the pink suite and it was exactly as the photos show. The apt has the original mosaic floors, a full kitchen, and a washer and dryer which came in handy. They also provided toilet paper and one bath towel per person. It comfortably slept 5, but could easily accommodate 8. we also used autosvilar.com for our transportation. They were very reliable and responsive to emails. Their price was lower than some of the other companies I researched.

 

Our family all loved Barcelona. It is an easy city to navigate and many places are within walking distance. This was our first time traveling to Europe, and I was very nervous after reading about all the pickpockets. We were very aware of our surroundings, I had a pacsafe purse, and we left valuables in the apt safe. We did not experience any problems. We found many people speak some English, which helped with our limited high school Spanish. We also found the people very friendly. Good luck in your search.

[H2Otstr]

Look at Hispanos Siete Suiza' date=' an apartment hotel where you could get two 2-bedroom apartments that would include kitchens, laundry, etc and is very close to Sagrada Familia, metro and a nice pedestrian area with markets, take-away eateries and restaurants. My family counts Barcelona as one of our favorite cities. We've been twice and will return next year. I think it's fantastic for kids - great walking, efficient and easy Metro, friendly people and we found the parks clean and there seemed to be one every time we turned around. Parc Guell alone is a wonderful full morning or afternoon to wander through. I do agree that there is no need to visit Las Rambla except for the excellent market there, but we loved everything else. I'm a single mom and never felt unsafe there with my children, even walking at night.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

Our party of 7 stayed here, too. We had the large, three bedroom apartment on the top floor. Living room, dining room, kitchen, 2 baths and a wonderful porch.