MSC Fantasia Western Med NOW

[plucasana]

Good morning everybody!

 

This morning we ordered breakfast and ate on our balcony. It arrived promptly on the minute and was delicious. I love having breakfast on the balcony. You hear nothing but the ocean and the munching of your beloved one

We have all the time in the world today because we will be in Palma at 14 h.

So we plan on relaxing and maybe putting a toe into the freezing cold pool on one pool deck. Also, I have yet to try a cocktail, will do this afternoon when we come back.

 

In Palma we will take the Bus N°1 into town followed by N°25 and go to the beach in El Arenal. I have been to Playa del Palma on a land based vacation with my husband many many years ago, so I know not to expect Caribbean turquoise water. But the beach is still nice, sandy and really seems to go kilometres long.

 

The Daily states that the ship will dock 20 minutes from the centre which suggests that it docks in Porto Pi rather than at club de mar. That is a pity because from Porto Pi you can hardly walk into the city. They also offer a shuttle bus but it is ridiculously expensive (12,90 €/10,90 € child). The shuttle will take the exact same route as the townbus and this one only will cost you 1,50 € PP.

I don’t think that many passengers will choose the shuttle… even a taxi will be cheaper.

 

Excursions go to the Dragon’s Caves (56€) , to Soller (86 €), there is a Catamaran Tour (60 €) an a Dinner & Show at “Son Amar” (80€). Prices are the usual imho.

Palma is such a lovely city. The cathedral La Seu alone could fill a whole afternoon, then you should sample some tapas (if you don’t drag around a teenager who eats nothing but food she already knows), or spanish ice cream (though people say it is not as good as Italian gelato I find it hard to taste any difference).

 

So the weather is lovely again, let’s see what the day brings. Have a nice day everybody!

[plucasana]

my personal nightmare:

you flush the toilet and it does not stop. water starts spilling all over the bathroom floor. there is a drain but still -

I am not a calm person to begin with but this got my heart racing and ended in a very hysterical version of me calling reception, trying to phrase what just happened, not finding the english words only to be told by a very calm receptionist

"Kein Problem, wir schicken jemanden".

(I cannot believe how many different languages these wonderful employees speak!!!)

 

well a bit calmer I pressed the flush button again and - oh wonder - it stopped spilling...

 

stupid me standing in the bathroom when the butlerette arrives and having to tell her, that actually there is no problem anymore...

 

Note to self: Become a relaxed person...

[plucasana]

double post

Edited August 9, 2016 by plucasana

[Beamafar]

Enjoying the menus, Plucasana ............ seeing some old favourites bringing back memories - I love the French Onion soup and would have it most evenings :). Also, some interesting items I haven't seen before.

 

Great information on Palma - I'm always looking for ideas for that port. I can add this to some wonderful advice I got from Sidari before.

 

Don't be too hard on yourself re the bathroom mishap - I can imagine anybody panicking in that situation. Hope you're feeling calmer now ;)

 

Enjoy your day!

[Mycraft]

Enjoy Palma...love to read your review...How is the german Cruise Director?

 

We'll be on the same Route and ship in about a month...so please tell me more :)

[easyboy]

Thanks for your live update. I enjoy reading it.

[plucasana]

We are back from the beach. the water was not that far from turquoise, warm, the sand was white and clean. it was very easy tonget there.

 

we did dock at club de mar. the town installed a shuttle (3€ pp) or you coule take the 1 for 1,5€, which is a bit slower as it stops at every corner. we then hopped into line 25 and stopped 2 stations after "hotel el cid". the driver said that the beach is pretty much the same where ever you get off. we srayed at the beach for about an hour and went back the same way. there are all the facilities you need at the beach, you can rent boats and get massages etc.

 

we really liked our trip and broucht a little sunbirn souvenir as usual.

[plucasana]

,I have to admit that I have not yet seen the cruise director and am a little astonished that he or she is german. I never has a german cd yet (only on the mein schiff and that does not count) ,,I promise to go to at least one show and report back

[plucasana]

Palma

[plucasana]

tonight we tried the buffet. it is inexistant I have to say. pizza, terrible burgers that is it. U suppose you gave to wait untul later for other lines to open. the burgers on the divina out of miami were great. Here I had twi different ones at different zimes snd they were both horrible.

 

We are now on our balcibies with a cocktail. that is sooo nice!!!

 

the photographer sent the pictures to our room. we csn choose the ones we like snd gice back those we don't.

 

I have to admit we do nit line ourselves on any of them, feeling bad though not taking any...

[plucasana]

 

tonight's menu.

[Mycraft]

,I have to admit that I have not yet seen the cruise director and am a little astonished that he or she is german. I never has a german cd yet (only on the mein schiff and that does not count) ,,I promise to go to at least one show and report back

 

Me neither, that's why i'm asking :)

 

But yes she is from Germany:

[plucasana]

[plucasana]

barcelona

 

sitting in the most chaotic hoho bus i have ever been on. waiting lines are huge. no fun at all. next time we will take the metri!!

[plucasana]

 

tibidabo

[Ti2m]

barcelona

 

sitting in the most chaotic hoho bus i have ever been on. waiting lines are huge. no fun at all. next time we will take the metri!!

 

 

That was not our experience at all. We thought the Barcelona HOHO was fantastic. We did it twice.

[1fifthavenue]

i'd hazard a guess that Barcelona is busy due to the summer holidays

[plucasana]

I am looking forward to seeing the CD, but it is not going to happen tonight. We are really tired after our excursion in Barcelona.

 

The ship docked at 9 o clock and with the cruise-terminal (B) in the back we found the blue port bus on our left hand side. The return ticket is 4 € pP and takes you to the Columbus Statue. From there we could have boarded the HoHo bus (red line) but we walked the ramblas, passed the marked hall (bought an orange juice – not a good one though, tasted really bitter) and bought the usual hard-rock-café T-Shirt for the spoiled daughter.

Then, at Placa Catalunya we got into the queue for the blue line. We passed la Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, and got off the bus at Camp Nou to buy a Jersey for the other spoilt child at home. OMG. The queues everywhere. The pushing and the shoving.

Nothing I could get used to.

 

The HoHo-Company had a lot of busses but it took them forever to let the people on the bus. At Camp Nou we waited for over 30 Minutes, at Placa Catalunya it was even longer.

 

We didn’t really fancy getting off the bus again so we went back to the ship at around 15h.

There again: long long lines to get on the ship.

 

Finally on board we went for a bite at the YC Buffet and had the most amazing pasta!

It was absolutely delicious. They always have a salad bar, strangely enough they never have any dressing for the salad though. They do have vinegar (but today no oil).

Also, you can choose between 3 main dishes (fish, vegetarian and meat).

 

After lunch we tried the pool. And guess what!? It is not freezing at all. They say 28 °C, which may be the case. We also used the jaccuzzi, as there where literally no people around.

 

Now we are tired and relax in the cabin. Maybe I will trouble our waiter for a little room service tea later. But a nap sounds really intriguing right now.

[plucasana]

todays menu gala II

 

[plucasana]

ajaccio was very nice. we wanted to take the local bus to parata (iles sanguinaired) but there were so msny people that we decided to walk to the beach instead. there are two beaches in walkable distance. we chose the second on (trottel beach). we stayed there until I had cultivsted my sunburn and then went back to the ship walking through the old city. today the spa had every treatment at 50%. (announced via spesker in 4 diff. languages). Once I am back home I will post the spa prices for anyone who is interested. yesterday we ordered room service. the bbq chicken wrap was quite tasty!

[plucasana]

[plucasana]

pizza could be ordered for free after 21h. much too late for us.

[plucasana]

I cannot begin to tell you how delicious our dinner was!!! the meat was tender, the pasta was just perfect snd the baked alaska was beautiful. back in our cabin, the butler had left petit fours. not, that we had not eaten enough,alfeady but dessert always finds a place in my stomach...

 

 

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[easyboy]

I really enjoy following your posts:)

[plucasana]

Good morning, we are approaching Naples

 

 

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