Liberty med

[purescottish]

We are thinking of booking Liberty of the Seas for next October and there will be 13 of us.... I have been given the wonderful job of organising and booking !

what I can't find on the RCI website is flights for this sailing (leaving from Toulon, France) it says there are no service air packages available...

SO...... if I have to book flights separate, will we still be able to pick up transport from the airport to the port ? through royal or private

 

 

thanks in advance

 

wendy

x

[gourmet guide]

Hi W. you might struggle to get air package from Glasgow to Toulon. Liberty is doing multi embarkations in 2013 and if you can go one day earlier the flights will be to Barcelona instead which is much easier. RCI tend to use Thomson or thomas cook air from Glasgow and both those lines prefer to go to Barcelona. The flights don't normally show up till about 10 months before the cruise. If you speak nice to RCI or a TA you should be able to negotiate an upgrade for being the organiser for that many people.

[purescottish]

Thank you gourmet guide

we actually just done this cruise in July of this year but the inlaws have decided on it for next October.... they were actually hoping to fly from Edinburgh but I don't think it's an option, I remember we had to do the 4am glasgow thing ugh !!! we were kinda hoping to have Barcelona as a port day, that's why we wanted to board in France, but hey ho !

So....... looks like it's a Glasgow to Barcelona,, this interport thing is confusing, seemingly they are doing it 3 times from next year, Barcelona, Provence and Naples..... don't know how they keep track of everybody LOL

 

Thanks for your reply

 

wendy

x

[Gordo]

Normally the airlines won't book anything until you are 330 days from the return. But it may be different from your location.

 

We are sailing on her in a few days, so if you have any questions about sailing later in the season please let us know.

 

Have a fabulous vacation.

[purescottish]

Hi Gordo

Thank you for your reply,we sailed her in July and found the weather to be really hot, just wondered what it's like later on.let me know when you return, and thank you again

 

wendy

x

[Gordo]

Wendy - we will report back upon our return.

[purescottish]

Thank you Gordo

 

Spoke to the TA this afternoon and got booked for 13 of us :eek:

We couldn't get a flight package as it is an "interport" cruise so they don't do it as a package... you have to book your own flights and transfers.. so we decided to just fly from Glasgow to Barcelona and get it all done in one big package since there is so many of us, it was starting to give me a headache LOL

anyway we are now sailing Freedom west Caribbean on 7th July 2013 and the Liberty west med on 13th October 2013

feels good to have 2 to look forward to

 

 

wendy

x

[Gordo]

Wendy - sounds like you have some great travels planned for 2013. I love having two trips booked - it makes coming home from the first trip a little easier. :-)

 

We have a family on our cruise doing the interport from Wales. I am sure he would be happy to share his experience if you had interest.

 

Barcelona seems to be an amazing place to visit. Maybe you can spend some time there pre-cruise.

[purescottish]

Gordo

we had planned to do some sightseeing in Barcelona (we just did the Liberty west med in July )

but by the time our flights got in and we done the seapass stuff we got on the ship and 2 hours later we were on our way.

and when we left the ship on the last day it was straight to the airport for the flight home !

I think I would do the "interport" if it was just the 3 of us....we don't mind travelling to another airport, but because there are 13 of us from ages 13 to 76 I think it's just easier to do it from Barcelona..... maybe next time though

 

wendy

x

[nomad098]

purescottish

 

we are with Gordo on the LOTS but boarding in Toulon will let you know how it goes if you like

 

was chatting on here with a lady who booked transfers from Marseille to Toulon through RCI UK no problem

 

Damon

[Gordo]

Wendy - Damon and family are the cruisers I mentioned in my post. Feel free to ask him questions as I am sure he will be happy to share.

[Pushka]

The advantages I see from embarking in Toulon is avoiding the muster drill for 3000 people! They start rounding you up 30 minutes prior, so if you get moved with that batch, you then stand for the next 45 minutes while late stragglers simply meander their way to their lifeboat without a care for those who are waiting for them.

 

Muster for Toulon people is done separately. I did see a family of four wearing their lifejackets, :D in the lift, going down to their Toulon muster.

 

Also, in Barcelona, you get to stay onboard, although I guess most people go touring and come back to a full ship of new people getting lost.

 

The bad thing, having to get off again while everyone else is excited after their first night onboard. And walking with your case to the ferry stop while everyone else has their breakfast.

 

To those embarking in Toulon, security was REALLY strict - they searched through three guys luggage (I guess they have time to do this in Toulon) but did it in front of those people who were waiting to leave the ship for their excursions. And they weren't exactly polite, either.