Can't get definite answer. Please help.

[Ned11]

Please can you help?

 

I'm going to Barcelona in May for a trip round the Med on Epic but want to take a quick look at the Gothic Cathedral before we embark.

Can we take our luggage to the port, check in and then leave the port to do a bit of sightseeing and then go back to the ship?

If not, there is a company that we can use go Bags and Go that take the luggage from the airport and drop them off at the ship and you don't see your luggage till you're on the ship. Has anyone used this company before?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Oh, and Happy New Year everyone! 😀🎊🎉

[FranknBeans]

I suggest you post your question on you port of call that your departing from.

 

I would have said yes as we have done that in Venice but not sure how tight security is in Europe of late.

[Son of a son of a ...]

Thinking out loud, but can't you just drop the bags at the port, go to the Cathedral, and then return to port to check in?

[Da-Painter]

You can drop your bags off at the ship, folks will take your bags, take a taxi to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, tour it, and return to the ship and check in.

I assume you are coming in the same day.

 

In May you should pre-book your tickets for the S.F. on line, as there will be quite a line to buy tickets, maybe 1-2 hours. Take a taxi back to the ship and check in.

 

Be sure you know the latest you can check in on the ship.

 

Since your time will be limited, you will want to take taxis to get there and back.

 

You will be rushed doing so, it can be done, I wouldn't do it like that, but you can.

 

Good luck, let us know how it works out.:eek:

[SteveH2508]

Any possibility of arriving in Barcelona a day early?

 

BTW - the cathedral is not Gothic.;)

[Rhea98]

The Catedral de Barcelona is gothic. It's beautiful and located in the Gothic Quarter. Yes, Sagrada Familia is not a gothic cathedral. I haven't done so, but dropping off your bags without checking in should work. In Oct., we were in line long enough to have made the trip and returned so pretty sure the luggage is safe.

 

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Edited January 3, 2017 by Rhea98

[SteveH2508]

The Catedral de Barcelona is gothic. It's beautiful and located in the Gothic Quarter. Yes, Sagrada Familia is not a gothic cathedral. I haven't done so, but dropping off your bags without checking in should work. In Oct., we were in line long enough to have made the trip and returned so pretty sure the luggage is safe.

 

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That'll teach me to assume OP meant Sagrada Familia:o.

[Ned11]

Thanks for all your answers. I can't arrive a day earlier unfortunately. We arrive into Barcelona at 9.45am. The ship sails at 6pm. How do I find out when the latest to check in is?

 

 

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Edited January 3, 2017 by Ned11

[cml4958]

Thanks for all your answers. I can't arrive a day earlier unfortunately. We arrive into Barcelona at 9.45am. The ship sails at 6pm. How do I find out when the latest to check in is?

 

 

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I think you have to be checked in and on board an hour before departure. Your cruise documents will have the information.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for all your answers. I can't arrive a day earlier unfortunately. We arrive into Barcelona at 9.45am. The ship sails at 6pm. How do I find out when the latest to check in is?

 

 

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Certainly - you can drop off you, bags without checking in. In the past, check in had to be, at the latest, 90 min. prior to sailing.

 

It won't be a 'cheap" day, since, It's recommended you use cabs, with needing 3. Have plenty of euros with you.

[cdnsteelman]

Thanks for all your answers. I can't arrive a day earlier unfortunately. We arrive into Barcelona at 9.45am. The ship sails at 6pm. How do I find out when the latest to check in is?

 

From NCL FAQs

What time do I board the ship on embarkation day and in ports of call?

Arrival at the Cruise Terminal:

For your comfort and convenience, we recommend that guests who have not completed their Online Check-In arrive at the cruise terminal no later than two (2) hours prior to the scheduled embarkation time printed on your cruise documents. Guests who have completed their Online Check-In should arrive at the terminal no later than one (1) hour prior to the scheduled embarkation time printed on your cruise documents. We STRONGLY recommend guests complete their Online Check-In at least four (4) days prior to sailing.

 

Final Boarding Time:

In order to facilitate the embarkation process and the processing of your eDocs, and to comply with new government regulations governing departure manifest, all guests are required to complete Online Check-In at least one day prior to sailing and must complete check-in at the cruise terminal and be onboard the ship no later than one hour prior to the departure time noted on their cruise documents or they will not be permitted to sail. Please note guests who have not filled out their Online Check-In must arrive at port two (2) hours prior to sailing. Any late arriving guest may join the ship at an approved port of call in the scheduled itinerary. Such guest will be responsible for all applicable fees and travel expenses to that subsequent port of call.

 

We were once delayed flying to Athens and were the last to board (about an hour before debark) and WOW is that ever a stress-free process - no lines, no crowds.

 

Not sure how you plan to get to the port in Barcelona but there's no reason I can think of that you couldn't pull up in a cab, pop the trunk, hand your bags to the porter and stay with the same cabbie to head to your destination. The rest of your question fully depends on traffic and your comfort with time-related stress (and access to a wad of Euros for your driver). If I were you I'd make a deal with your driver at the airport and see if he has a day rate that may be cheaper than airport-port-church-port metered fares.

 

Happy cruising,

csm

[fdpevey]

I recommend looking into a private tour operator.

 

They could be waiting for you when you land at the airport, stow your luggage in their car/van as you tour (saving you the time to/from the port that your could be spending on tour), arrange for tickets in advance and have them in hand so you don't have to stand in line for anything. When you think of the time you'd spend and money for taxis, this is a good option.

 

We used Spanish Trails Tours for the exact same thing a few years ago and it was great! Not inexpensive, but absolutely worth it!

[808cruisef]

I agree with having a private tour arranged. When we woke up on our embarkation day there was a taxi and public transportation strike. Lovely. I later found out this has happened to two other friends when they were in Barcelona.

 

 

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[Carlaclaw]

We did exactly what you are suggesting on the Spirit last fall so it is possible. Can't remember exactly what our departure time was though. Took a cab from our hotel and dropped our luggage. Since the line wasn't long we checked in so we didn't have to do that when we got back and could walk right on. Took the port bus from the ship to the Columbus monument and walked to the cathedral. It's a decent walk so that option depends on your mobility. Then we walked back to the monument and took the bus back to the ship. The Spain forum had all the information about buses etc. I think it was a few euros each. We just decided on the spur of the moment to go see it and we were so glad we did.

 

We made sure we were back in time for the muster drill as we didn't want to have to do the make up one. So that is also something to consider.

[luvtheships]

You can drop your bags off at the ship, folks will take your bags, take a taxi to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, tour it, and return to the ship and check in.

 

I assume you are coming in the same day.

 

 

 

In May you should pre-book your tickets for the S.F. on line, as there will be quite a line to buy tickets, maybe 1-2 hours. Take a taxi back to the ship and check in.

 

 

 

Be sure you know the latest you can check in on the ship.

 

 

 

Since your time will be limited, you will want to take taxis to get there and back.

 

 

 

You will be rushed doing so, it can be done, I wouldn't do it like that, but you can.

 

 

 

Good luck, let us know how it works out.:eek:

 

 

They said the gothic cathedral not sagrada familia

 

2 different places

 

Someone is confused as the sagrada is not gothic and as a matter of fact was only fully completed a year ago I believe

 

 

Fwiw...I hope the op is the one confused and meant to say SF but said gothic by mistake

 

 

Big difference in magnificence as well as location

 

Skip the gothic and go to SF

 

 

 

 

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[Ned11]

It is the Cathedral of Barcelona that we are wishing to go to which is closer to the port so I'm thinking that the cost won't be as much.

It's more the dropping off the bags as NCL have told me I can't do it but you guys are saying we can. Obviously, the lady at NCL is sitting in an office and may not of sailed from Barcelona.

 

 

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[JohnIreland]

You can

 

a)

Drop bags and leave the port without check in

 

b)

Drop bags , check in and leave the port

 

c)

Drop bags, check in , board ship for lunch and then leave the port

[Ned11]

You can

 

a)

Drop bags and leave the port without check in

 

b)

Drop bags , check in and leave the port

 

c)

Drop bags, check in , board ship for lunch and then leave the port

 

 

 

Thank you. [emoji4]

 

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

It's more the dropping off the bags as NCL have told me I can't do it but you guys are saying we can. Obviously, the lady at NCL is sitting in an office and may not of sailed from Barcelona.

I'm not surprised that they give that as the official line, but the fact is there is no way they can force you to board the ship after checking in, as opposed to walking right back out of the terminal.

 

On the other hand, if they notice you dropping off luggage and then not entering the terminal to check-in (JohnIreland's option "a"), they will hopefully stop you (for security reasons). But then again, there is so much going on at the terminal entrance that it's unlikely that they'll notice. And the last time I saw the Epic in Barcelona in October, the line to get into the terminal wrapped all the way around the outside of the terminal :eek: If I saw that, I would leave and come back later, too.

[mcdermott]

Thank you. [emoji4]

 

 

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I may be wrong bu I dont think you pay to ente Gothic Cathedral we didn't but it is some time ago

[hawkeyetlse]

I may be wrong bu I dont think you pay to ente Gothic Cathedral we didn't but it is some time ago

If you go in the afternoon it's "entry with donation (7 euros)" but you get access to several areas that you can't see for free (hours and details here).

 

As for the Sagrada Família, it is not a cathedral, and it is nowhere near "fully completed". :)

[Ned11]

Thank you for all you suggestions. Where and how do I 'drop off' my luggage. Is there somewhere where I leave it, get a ticket and then reclaim it?

 

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

Before you enter the terminal, on the street/parking lot, there is a luggage drop off area for embarking passengers. Make sure each bag has a luggage tag with your cabin number on it, give it to one of the porters, and that's it. It will be loaded on to the ship and delivered to your cabin.

 

You do not get a luggage claim tag, and they don't record in any way that you gave them your bags, or how many bags, or check that you are even a passenger on the ship. It's best not to think about that too much. Just drop off your bags and hope for the best!

[Ned11]

Before you enter the terminal, on the street/parking lot, there is a luggage drop off area for embarking passengers. Make sure each bag has a luggage tag with your cabin number on it, give it to one of the porters, and that's it. It will be loaded on to the ship and delivered to your cabin.

 

You do not get a luggage claim tag, and they don't record in any way that you gave them your bags, or how many bags, or check that you are even a passenger on the ship. It's best not to think about that too much. Just drop off your bags and hope for the best!

 

 

 

So I'm assuming I would do that anyway if I was going straight to check in?

 

 

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[luvtheships]

I recommend looking into a private tour operator.

 

 

 

They could be waiting for you when you land at the airport, stow your luggage in their car/van as you tour (saving you the time to/from the port that your could be spending on tour), arrange for tickets in advance and have them in hand so you don't have to stand in line for anything. When you think of the time you'd spend and money for taxis, this is a good option.

 

 

 

We used Spanish Trails Tours for the exact same thing a few years ago and it was great! Not inexpensive, but absolutely worth it!

 

 

This would be my suggestion as well. Since a private tour won't be cheap I'd suggest making the most of it by arranging a half day tour from the airport and ending at the port with enough time for check in

 

This could include not only the gothic cathedral (small entrance fee btw)

 

But SF as well (with timed admission tix)

 

And even a half day tour to Monserrat

 

 

Upon debark from the ship we had a private driver give us a half day tour of Monserrat and then a drop off at the hotel by 2 pm. Very nice day

 

For this op Monserrat might be too adventurous and time consuming but ...

 

A prearranged private pickup at the airport...timed admission to SF with elevator to the steeples and easy walk down....then a swing by the gothic cathedral...and perhaps a walk over a few blocks to see all the real excitement...

 

Then off to the port

 

Nice way to get a real bang for your buck with plenty of time to make the ship....and the bonus if incredible convenience!!!!!

 

 

 

 

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