Boarding the Epic on Sunday in Barcelona

[don1976]

We board the Epic tomorrow in Barcelona. We've never been to this port before. Where specifically do we go? There seems to be a couple of separate entrances to the port on Google maps.

Is is Ponta de la porta Europa that we should be going to?

 

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[JohnIreland]

Go here :

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Moll+de+Ponent,+Barcelona,+Spain/@41.3588117,2.1773486,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x12a4a24eb2e97b89:0x1967662b16441d15!8m2!3d41.3588117!4d2.1795373

 

There is a number of terminals in row. Got to the one under the Epic !

[don1976]

Thanks! Much appreciated.

 

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[ColinIllinois]

Don, I just Googled "Port of Barcelona". According to the monthly schedule the Epic utilizes Terminal "A".

[Quilting_Cruiser]

How are you getting there? Unless you're driving there yourself, just tell your taxi driver. He'll know where to go. Super easy boarding if you go at 2:00 or a little later. I arrived there at about 1:50 and after checking in just walked right on board. :)

Edited July 16, 2016 by Quilting_Cruiser

[Son of a son of a ...]

How are you getting there? Unless you're driving there yourself, just tell you taxi driver. He'll know where to go. Super easy boarding if you go at 2:00 or a little later. I arrived there at about 1:50 and after checking in just walked right on board. :)

 

This ... the taxi drivers know.

[dcipjr]

When we were in Barcelona, we tried walking to the pier (I read somewhere that you could do it), but we didn't have any luck. We got close, but had to take a taxi over the bridge. Cab is the way to go.

[kathybelcher2433]

And once you get within a 1/2 mile of it you literally cannot miss the Epic!

[JohnIreland]

When we were in Barcelona, we tried walking to the pier (I read somewhere that you could do it), but we didn't have any luck. We got close, but had to take a taxi over the bridge. Cab is the way to go.

 

Unless things have changed since 2008 you can walk over the bridge.

[FreestyleNovice]

Unless things have changed since 2008 you can walk over the bridge.

 

Seen them in recent years walking the bridge, people say it's quite a steep climb lugging your suitcase in hot weather. The blue portbus (IIRC) takes you over the bridge to the terminal for a few Euros per person.

[FreestyleNovice]

 

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/transport/barcelona-cruise-port.html

[MarkCheshire]

FreestyleNovice, many thanks for posting that map of the terminals. It's really helpful.

Cheers.

[sandancer]

This ... the taxi drivers know.

 

 

Well, the one we used didn't. We were on the way to the airport before we realised he didn't understand we were going to the cruise port. A lot of loud protests and pointing got us there in the end. When we join the Epic in October I am going to get the concierge to write down the details in Spanish. My heart won't take another trip like that.

 

 

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[Quilting_Cruiser]

Well, the one we used didn't. We were on the way to the airport before we realised he didn't understand we were going to the cruise port. A lot of loud protests and pointing got us there in the end. When we join the Epic in October I am going to get the concierge to write down the details in Spanish. My heart won't take another trip like that.

 

 

Catalon might be better than Spanish. :D My driver didn't speak much English, but I had asked the concierge to tell him where I wanted to go, and I showed him my boarding documents. When in a country where I don't speak the language, I always ask whomever is helping me with my bags to help me make sure the cab driver understands where I want to go. :D

[BamaVol]

We spent the night before embarkation at a hotel. I had the taxi drive past the port on the way to our hotel to scope it out. I wouldn't have walked it but I was several that did.

[don1976]

Well, the one we used didn't. We were on the way to the airport before we realised he didn't understand we were going to the cruise port. A lot of loud protests and pointing got us there in the end. When we join the Epic in October I am going to get the concierge to write down the details in Spanish. My heart won't take another trip like that.

 

 

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Why not try to learn that particular phrase in their language rather than asking someone to write it down?

 

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[BreeYark]

I checked Google Maps yesterday to figure out where the Epic was docked (I'm leaving in a few weeks myself), and if you zoom enough, you can literally see the ship at it's dock, with all the details of the top decks. I guess Google Maps took their Barcelona pictures on a Sunday!

[KeithJenner]

I have taken a taxi to the port 6 times now. Every time, I just say "cruise port" and "Norwegian Epic" (or whatever ship it is) and there has been no problem.

 

Often the taxi driver has had a sheet with the locations of the different ships when there are a few in port at the same time.

 

Whilst there can be problems (and the example above demonstrates this), it would be very much the exception.

 

Be sure to emphasise the name of the ship though. I can see how "cruise port" and "airport" can be confused, the name of the ship makes things much clearer.

[KeithJenner]

I checked Google Maps yesterday to figure out where the Epic was docked (I'm leaving in a few weeks myself), and if you zoom enough, you can literally see the ship at it's dock, with all the details of the top decks. I guess Google Maps took their Barcelona pictures on a Sunday!

 

 

 

Apple Maps 3D view of the Port of Miami is one to look at for this.

[dcipjr]

Seen them in recent years walking the bridge, people say it's quite a steep climb lugging your suitcase in hot weather. The blue portbus (IIRC) takes you over the bridge to the terminal for a few Euros per person.

 

As I recall, this was in 2011, it was hot, and we had lugged our suitcases all the way down Las Ramblas. We were on our honeymoon, and my wife was not pleased by the walk already. She took one look at the bridge and gave me a look that said that if I wanted the marriage to last, I'd get a cab to take us the rest of the way. Easy decision to cab it from there. :D

 

Maybe there was a bus too, but we were in no condition to look for one at the time! :p

[ollienbertsmum]

Catalon might be better than Spanish. :D My driver didn't speak much English, but I had asked the concierge to tell him where I wanted to go, and I showed him my boarding documents. When in a country where I don't speak the language, I always ask whomever is helping me with my bags to help me make sure the cab driver understands where I want to go. :D

 

My husband speaks fluent Spanish (not Catalan) and when we got in the taxi we said that we wanted the Cruise Terminal. The driver expected a more detailed address - so I showed him the cruise docs. I knew we would recognise the EPIC anyway. The driver remained a bit grouchy about the quality of the information we had given him. .... It was fine!!

 

So just have your cruise docs to hand - they have the address. NCL ships are a bit loud and obvious on the outside. Once you show the address written down, you will get to the correct ship.

[Chocolate Teapot]

It always seems like most of the taxi drivers in Barcelona spend their Sundays shuttling passengers between the airport, city and cruise terminal!

 

I found this website very helpful for transport information:

 

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/

[BamaVol]

I have taken a taxi to the port 6 times now. Every time, I just say "cruise port" and "Norwegian Epic" (or whatever ship it is) and there has been no problem.

 

Often the taxi driver has had a sheet with the locations of the different ships when there are a few in port at the same time.

 

Whilst there can be problems (and the example above demonstrates this), it would be very much the exception.

 

Be sure to emphasise the name of the ship though. I can see how "cruise port" and "airport" can be confused, the name of the ship makes things much clearer.

 

It helps to have the driver repeat it. I said "Epic". He repeated "Olympic". I said "Epic". He repeated "Olympic". A second driver intervened and said "Epic" with the proper Catalan accent. The driver was a little cranky as a result and did not speak to us on the way, which is just as well since my Catalan is non-existent and my Spanish is muy malo. I have no idea if there even is a ship with the name "Olympic" or if so, that it was in port that day.

[hawkeyetlse]

It helps to have the driver repeat it. I said "Epic". He repeated "Olympic". I said "Epic". He repeated "Olympic". A second driver intervened and said "Epic" with the proper Catalan accent. The driver was a little cranky as a result and did not speak to us on the way, which is just as well since my Catalan is non-existent and my Spanish is muy malo. I have no idea if there even is a ship with the name "Olympic" or if so, that it was in port that day.

He probably thought you wanted to go to the "Port Olímpic", which is a major landmark and tourist area in Barcelona (about 4-5 miles away from where you needed to go).

 

I don't think you can count on taxi drivers knowing all the cruise ships that stop in Barcelona by name. And if you just say "Epic", how are they supposed to know that's the name of a ship? They are expecting you to tell them the name of a place to drive to. The phrase to say in this situation is "Moll Adossat" (Catalan) or "Muelle Adosado" (Spanish). That is the name of the pier where the Epic berths, and the driver will know where that is, even if they have never heard of the Epic. And once you get there, you can point at the ship and it will be clear which terminal you need (or you can stop and get instructions from the security checkpoint at the entrance to the pier).

Edited July 22, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[ollienbertsmum]

He probably thought you wanted to go to the "Port Olímpic", which is a major landmark and tourist area in Barcelona (about 4-5 miles away from where you needed to go).

 

I don't think you can count on taxi drivers knowing all the cruise ships that stop in Barcelona by name. And if you just say "Epic", how are they supposed to know that's the name of a ship? They are expecting you to tell them the name of a place to drive to. The phrase to say in this situation is "Moll Adossat" (Catalan) or "Muelle Adosado" (Spanish). That is the name of the pier where the Epic berths, and the driver will know where that is, even if they have never heard of the Epic. And once you get there, you can point at the ship and it will be clear which terminal you need (or you can stop and get instructions from the security checkpoint at the entrance to the pier).

 

I would always have the port address which is shown on the cruise docs. Once you are there, the Epic is shamelessly obvious - and pointing with a very clear "look, there" is clear in any language.