Review of Silhouette Nov 2016 Transatlantic

[tweetylori]

Enjoying your review as we will,be on this trip next fall.

 

Thank you, you have sooooo much to look forward to!!!

[tweetylori]

Before I move on to Barcelona, I should probably clarify that we did not dock in Toulon. We actually docked at Mole Nord, La Seyne Sur Mer. Thus the reasoning for the ferry. The ferry picked us up on one side of the ship, then sailed around it to the other side and beyond to get us to Toulon. So if you plan an excursion at this port, be sure to allow time to get there. We had to wait for the ferry for about 20 minutes. If I remember correctly it was arriving about every 30 minutes. There was a small outdoor area to wait that was super windy and cold. Also a building to get out of the cold with folks inside with information. But the boarding area began from that windy outside area.

 

But all that is behind us at this point because we sailed 208 nautical miles overnight and woke up to this view from our balcony in Barcelona! My first ever look at Spain, so exciting!

 

[tweetylori]

According to Celebrity Today we docked at Muelie Adosado Terminal B and we arrived at 8:30am. Before we began our voyage, after a lot of research, I knew it was smart to buy advance tickets to the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. I had read that otherwise we could possibly have to stand in line for an hour or more to buy tickets. :eek: Being in town for only a few precious hours, that's not how we wanted to spend our time! The only catch is they sell tickets in fifteen minute increments, so we had to pick a time. Being totally unfamiliar with anything Barcelona and how long it would take to get there, all I could do was guess. For fifteen euros each I purchased 10:30 to 10:45 from the official Sagrada Familia website.

 

According to ship information there were local white shuttle buses operating from 8:30 am to 7 pm, running continuously with travel time projected at around 15 minutes. Tickets were 5 euros per person. It said it would drop us off at City Center World Trade Center). Unfortunately, that meant nothing to us in relation to the the Basilica, so we decided to hop in a taxi to be on the safe side.

 

We took our time first, with a run up to the Oceanview Cafe for a small breakfast to tide us over until lunch time. Had to have another of those wonderful Mexican Benedict. Along with a turkey sausage and a broiled tomato. Yum!

 

[tweetylori]

After our nice breakfast we were able to easily walk off the ship and easily get a taxi. I believe the ride to the Sagrada was around 13 or 15 euro. We were dropped off right across from it, exactly within the 15 minute window that we needed to be there. Of course, I couldn't find the paper tickets I had printed out:( Fortunately I was able to pull them up from my email on my phone, yay! :D

 

Seeing the line to buy tickets, we were so very glad we had gotten ours ahead of time. After a short line to show our tickets, we were in and totally awestruck!

 

 

 

[tweetylori]

Seriously amazing!

 

 

 

 

There was what appeared to be a wedding photo shoot taking place:

 

[tweetylori]

The detail all around the outside is phenomenal as well!

 

 

[sippican]

Wandering landed us at the Ensemble Lounge. Attempted this lounge a couple times but didn't feel overly welcome. Since it is near Michael's, perhaps we should not have been there? They did (somewhat begrudgingly) serve us, however.

 

The Ensemble Lounge and Michael's Club are not related, other than their proximity to each other. Those using MC would most likely be inside. There is no reason whatsoever that the bartenders had any reason not to treat you like any other patron. If you felt so, please be sure to mention it in your survey.

It did seem as though that area was always very busy, a favorite meeting place for seasoned cruisers and perhaps specialty diners having a pre-dinner drink.

[tweetylori]

And if all that isn't wonderful enough, there is a whole museum down below!

 

 

 

And the work continues!

 

 

[tweetylori]

The Ensemble Lounge and Michael's Club are not related, other than their proximity to each other. Those using MC would most likely be inside. There is no reason whatsoever that the bartenders had any reason not to treat you like any other patron. If you felt so, please be sure to mention it in your survey.

It did seem as though that area was always very busy, a favorite meeting place for seasoned cruisers and perhaps specialty diners having a pre-dinner drink.

 

Good to know, thank you! The times we went there we were actually there early, pre-crowds. The bartenders seemed to be trying to get organized. I'm not worried about it, as there was always elsewhere! :p

[SHIP TRAVELER]

Thanks for the review. Love the pics, especially the food porn.

Brings back memories.

[tweetylori]

So the plan for after Sagrada was to walk to the Las Ramblas area. A friend of mine had just been in Barcelona with her kids for soccer camp and sent a suggestion on how to get there walking. Unfortunately it started with "start down from", and look for "so and so street". Well, we must have picked the wrong way to start down, as we never saw said street, and once again none of our gps devices were helping us either. I tell you, after this trip I have a new appreciation for the folks on The Amazing Race! ;)

 

After aimlessly wandering for quite some time and starting to get in need of a restroom, we decided to throw in the towel and find a taxi. Unfortunately we couldn't find any of them either! So we did the only thing we could think of which was to backtrack to the Sagrada.

 

Finally we landed on a main area with police and taxis. Police were busy arresting a gal and putting her in the back of a car. Taxi drivers were busy watching and chatting among themselves and we were a bit frustrated. :(

 

I somehow managed to get a taxi driver's attention and he agreed to take us. But when we got in his car, another driver started an argument with him. Concerned, I asked what it was about and he indicated that it was the other guy's turn. Oh well. Stupido Tourists :o

 

At least we were finally on our way to Las Ramblas, and it was quite a distance from where we had been walking! He dropped us off and we started looking for a restaurant for lunch (and so I could use the restroom!)

[tweetylori]

Thanks for the review. Love the pics, especially the food porn.

Brings back memories.

 

Thank you! And stay tuned, food porn is my favorite part, and I've got a LOT more!

[tweetylori]

Once again, just like Toulon, I had arrived armed with restaurant suggestions that I had researched before coming. Unfortunately we couldn't find our way anywhere specific, so we had to use our instincts. Which led us to what appeared to be a relatively new place on the main drag which was offering a special of paella with two appetizers for 13.95 euro. So in we went and were seated upstairs at L'Esglao.

 

Despite priding myself on being a bit of a foodie, once again (like Toulon), I was at a loss with the language barrier. (In Toulon, I ended up with a Chicken dish because I could tell that's what I was ordering). Our Server here in Barcelona was very patient with us and tried his best to explain. First confusion was the wine. It was way more expensive than we had been experiencing in Italy and even France. I finally ordered something for 15 euro, and it turned out to be a small bottle. Good, but pricey! Husband went with a 5.90 beer.

 

 

We would have loved to share one Paella special, but it was clear that we needed to each order one. We decided to get one chicken and one seafood (slight up charge for the seafood of 2 euro). We had no clue which tapas to pick to go with it. Some on the menu were eligible for the special and others were not. We finally told our Server to decide and all this came out!

 

 

Whoa no calories there! :eek:

 

He had also talked us into some 2.50 euro bread, that turned out to be my favorite part of the meal...YUM!

 

Edited November 27, 2016 by tweetylori

[tweetylori]

And all that was just the BEGINNING :eek:

 

Soon the paellas arrived. Fortunately the dishes are way more shallow than they look!

 

 

 

They were both good. Chicken one was my favorite as the seafood one was especially seafoody :p

 

We couldn't even look at the dessert menu. Just had these to keep us going:

 

 

And here was the final damage...not cheap, but for our once-in-a-lifetime lunch experience in Barcelona, it was well worth it!

 

[tweetylori]

So we started waddling around and came upon this amazing Market! (which looked like it would have been an awesome place to get a bite to eat)

 

 

Not sure how we could even LOOK at food again so soon, but the sights were so beautiful everywhere in the market!

 

We did buy a few things for later from here:

 

 

Otherwise just walked around with our jaws dropped!

 

 

 

These were the biggest red peppers I have ever seen!

 

[tweetylori]

After more walking around the Las Ramblas, we found a taxi to take us back to the Port

 

 

 

It was a pretty short and not expensive ride to the almost-empty port:

 

 

 

Always a welcome sight!

 

 

Back on board we went!

 

[Cruise Junky]

Now I'm Hungry :) It's such a great market. I remember stuffing myself with figs from there.

[zoncom]

Next time pull up everything ,make copies and bring on cruise.

[tweetylori]

Now I'm Hungry :) It's such a great market. I remember stuffing myself with figs from there.

 

Oooooh, I bet those were awesome!

[tweetylori]

Next time pull up everything ,make copies and bring on cruise.

 

I tried to be prepared, but we have discovered that our instincts and devices for getting around in the US, didn't help us at all in Europe! We are apparently direction-challenged! :o

[tweetylori]

Back on the ship, I wanted to make an appointment for a manicure on the first sea day (mine were a mess from all the frantic getting-ready-to-go-preparations), and we also wanted to get a peek at the Fitness Center that we anticipated using on sea days, so up to Deck 12 we went:

 

 

 

 

What a nice, spotless, inviting looking gym! But then, these were even more inviting:

 

 

 

 

[lindy sails]

I am loving your review! Enjoying your writing style and the photos are fabulous. I feel like I'm sharing meals with you! Keep it coming & Thank You!

Linda

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[tweetylori]

But we with our Premium Drink Package ended up on one of the comfy sofas in the Ensemble Lounge

 

 

Then wandered off for a last look of Barcelona

 

 

More wandering led us to this most amazing World Bar...this is where the Bartenders are Scientists & Artists!

 

 

[tweetylori]

I am loving your review! Enjoying your writing style and the photos are fabulous. I feel like I'm sharing meals with you! Keep it coming & Thank You!

Linda

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Thank you Linda! Hope you're hungry, because I have a lot more to share! :D

[tweetylori]

Husband had to try this:

 

 

Could it live up to its description? Oh yes, and then some! Even the glasses and ice are special here!

 

 

 

I wanted to try something refreshing but not too sweet, so I tried this:

 

 

 

Later, wanting something smoky, there was this:

 

 

It is quite a process to make this drink, they really do bring out the smoke for it, and you end up with a simple, but fantastic drink