Barcelona Violence

[memoak]

With the violence in Catalonia (including Barcelona) has anyone heard if Princess is thinking of not stopping there for awhile as the area is trying top secede from Spain ? I am scheduled to stop there on a TransAtlanic cruise in December.

[easyboy]

Have not heard of any change in plans on Barcelona for the Adriatic & Aegean Medley cruise in May.

 

 

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[antsp]

The violence was from the Police, the scenes where disgusting.

[capriccio]

The violence was from the Police, the scenes where disgusting.

 

And was directly related to the election held this past weekend.

 

We will be in Barcelona on October 21st and would be incredibly disappointed if Princess cancelled the port based on this past weekend. Considering that the Royal Princess is disembarking/embarking thousands of passengers on the 21st I think it isn't likely that the port will be cancelled.

[Redwing55]

DD was just there. Disembarked Sat and flew out Monday a.m. It's not that bad. Just mind your P's&Q's and things will be fine.

[tailspintom]

The violence was from the Police, the scenes where disgusting.

It is what Governments do when elements within their Country decide to unilaterally declare independence. Please review the history of the US, and more recently, Ireland. Not that scenes were not disturbing.

[Momma Mojito]

And was directly related to the election held this past weekend.

 

We will be in Barcelona on October 21st and would be incredibly disappointed if Princess cancelled the port based on this past weekend. Considering that the Royal Princess is disembarking/embarking thousands of passengers on the 21st I think it isn't likely that the port will be cancelled.

 

We will be boarding the Royal Princess on the 21st from Barcelona and really can't see Princess changing ports.

[Kauai Kid]

We will be boarding the Royal Princess on the 21st from Barcelona and really can't see Princess changing ports.

 

We’re on the October 21st cruise also and have 3 nights booked in Barcelona. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

[Madio]

We are also on the Royal's Oct. 21 TA, staying the 3 previous nights at the Marriott Renaissance in L'Eixample. Wondering if that is near where violence took place, and also worried about change of ports. DH is freaking out. We have a non-stop flight from MIA arriving on 10/18.

[srpilo]

As reported this morning ...

The real trouble will start on Monday when the independence movement say that Catalonia will officially declare it's independence from Spain.

 

Srpilo

[Bimmer09]

We’re on the October 21st cruise also and have 3 nights booked in Barcelona. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

 

Mark, you're sailing on the day I get off the Regal so I'll take this opportunity to wish you a Bon Voyage. Enjoy Barcelona-it was love at first sight for us in October 2015.

Cheers!

Norris

[macsmum1]

We are also on the Royal October 21 cruise departing from Barcelona. We are meeting friends flying in from UK and nobody seems worried about flights, cancellations, etc. Hopefully, it settles down by then.

[Andromea]

Don‘t worry in advance [emoji6]and let‘s wish us the very best. [emoji256]we arrive the 22. and are leaving with the MSC Fantasia to Greece. Marriott Hotel is nice and not far from the Ramblad and Plaza Catalunya.

 

 

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[pris993]

We are taking the Royal on the 21st as well, flying in a few days early. I doubt Princess will change the port, since it is the beginning of the TA. I would not expect demonstrations to have an impact on the entire city... Barcelona is a large city... we have been there many times. We booked a hotel out near the conference center... off the beaten path. We always take taxis... would feel very safe doing.

[Momma Mojito]

JUST RECEIVED THIS EMAIL!!

Embassy of the United States of America

Madrid, Spain

Consulate General of the United States of America

Barcelona, Spain

Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Demonstrations Regarding Catalan Political Situation

October 6, 2017

The U.S. Embassy in Madrid and the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona inform U.S. citizens thatdemonstrations related to the political situation in Catalonia are expected to continue to take place in Barcelona, Madrid, and in other locations across Spain in the coming days and weeks. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. Avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of a demonstration.

U.S. citizens traveling or residing in affected areas, including Barcelona, should expect possible disruptions to public transportation and other services. We encourage U.S. citizens to check for updates at the following Twitter accounts of local authorities:Mossos d’Esquadra, Guardia Civil, Spanish National Police, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona, Guardia Urbana de Barcelona, Rodalies Catalunya, Emergencies Catalunya, Catalan Transit Services.

For further information about security in Spain, including our most recent Security Messages:

· See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Spain’s Country Specific Information.

· Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

· Contact the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, located at Calle de Serrano, 75, via email atAskACS@state.gov or by phone at + (34) 91-587-2200, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The after-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is the same: + (34) 91-587-2200

· Contact the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona, located at Paseo Reina Elisenda, in the neighborhood of Sarria at + (34) 93-280-2227, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or via email at BarcelonaACS@state.gov. The after-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is + (34) 91-587-2200.

· Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

· Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

[susancruzs]

I'm not concerned, I never pre-worry about things I cannot control as an individual. I will be aware of what is going on but will not let it be a distraction. I know people get concerned, I get it. I'm not wired that way, not a worrier, take one day at a time, think about only things for today, maybe tomorrow.

 

I'm doing arranged transfer though, instead of taxi or aero bus, which I've used in the past. I don't want to arrive at BCN and find there is a public transport stoppage or something.

[Adventures ahead]

On Sept 22, our taxi experienced only a slight detour between our hotel near Placa Catalunya and the cruise terminal. It might have been around a street closure having a peaceful demonstration, not sure. On Oct 4, the day after the large demonstrations and general strike, there were no issues with getting a taxi directly from the ship to the airport. The route is a fast highway that goes out of the city. The taxi driver told us that taxi service on the previous day (for the general strike) had been cut to 20%.

 

The night before we disembarked, the ship distributed a letter asking post-cruise visitors to exercise caution around areas where demonstrations may be happening.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We were in Barcelona on October 1st and, apart from seeing more police in various places, it was business as usual. We spent a pleasant few hours wandering around the Gothic Quarter. We did pass through one square fronting an official looking building and there were a significant number of police with riot shields lining the front of the building, however there were no incidents and we felt perfectly safe.

 

Barcelona is a gorgeous city and well worth visiting.

 

Note, if you are doing a Med cruise you will probably notice police and military personnel keeping a close eye out in major squares and around the port entrances at many ports, especially in Italy. Be sensible and you will have a wonderful and completely safe time in Europe.

[dforeigner]

Some of the other cruise lines as switching ports from Barcelona to Valencia. Not sure what Princess will do.

[Astro Flyer]

And most cruise lines are continuing to make stops in Barcelona...

 

http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/cruise-business-as-usual-at-port-of-barcelona.html

 

Cruise ship operations at the Port of Barcelona are continuing as usual confirmed the Port Authority and several customers today, despite yesterday’s protests in the city and general strike following the disputed referendum on Catalonian independence which took place on Sunday.

 

On Sunday, four out of the five cruise ships scheduled to call in Barcelona did. Only TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3 decided to turn bow and head for Valencia. Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom of the Seas undertook a full turnaround without any issues and the company reports Brilliance of the Seas called as normal today.

 

‘Freedom is expected to call again Thursday for a full turnaround and we expect no issues impacting our operations,’ remarked Alessandro Carollo, head of port operations, EMEA, Royal Caribbean.

 

Michel Nestour, vp EuroMed at Carnival Corp & plc also confirmed to Seatrade Cruise News scheduled calls by Costa Diadema (Monday), Costa Pacifica (Tuesday) and Costa Mediterranea (today) all went ahead, 'as planned and as usual'.

 

MSC Cruises also confirmed a ‘business as usual’ scenario for its regular operations for MSC Fantasia (which called Sunday), MSC Orchestra today and MSC Meraviglia and Magnifica, both scheduled to visit on Friday.

 

TUI Cruises took the decision to also drop Mein Schiff 5’s scheduled overnight in Barcelona last Monday/Tuesday and go to Valencia instead. A spokesman said the line was concerned what impact the strike might have on the passenger experience ashore. Mein Schiff 3 and 5 are due to call in Barcelona again next week and the line said it is monitoring the situation daily and will make a decision nearer the time whether to call as planned or divert.

 

Posted 04 October 2017

[OzKiwiJJ]

MSC Cruises also confirmed a ‘business as usual’ scenario for its regular operations for MSC Fantasia (which called Sunday), MSC Orchestra today and MSC Meraviglia and Magnifica, both scheduled to visit on Friday.

 

MSC weren't quite doing 'business as usual' last Sunday. I have friends who are cruising on Fantasia at the moment and apparently MSC cancelled all their excursions that day. :(

[leck57]

MSC weren't quite doing 'business as usual' last Sunday. I have friends who are cruising on Fantasia at the moment and apparently MSC cancelled all their excursions that day. :(

 

Likewise, I have friends on that ship and all they did was catch a shuttle to the port area and walk around that area, not such a bad place but they felt restricted. I think the ship calls back there in a few days so hopefully they will feel a bit more inclined to explore. I'd heard here that many hundreds of people were injured by rubber bullets on the day of the main protests so you needed to be careful where you walked.

We were there two months back and it's a wonderful city.

[BarbinMich]

Likewise, I have friends on that ship and all they did was catch a shuttle to the port area and walk around that area, not such a bad place but they felt restricted. I think the ship calls back there in a few days so hopefully they will feel a bit more inclined to explore. I'd heard here that many hundreds of people were injured by rubber bullets on the day of the main protests so you needed to be careful where you walked.

We were there two months back and it's a wonderful city.

 

We've been to Barcelona on cruises several times and were to be there on 10/21 to board the Royal (had to cancel for reasons unrelated to recent problems). As I recall, the shuttle takes you out of the port area to or near the World Trade Center where we have gotten on a hop-on, hop-off bus. Afterwards, I believe we walked back to the ship, as it wasn't far.

[stevenr597]

The violence was from the Police, the scenes where disgusting.

Have to disagree. It appear that the violence was instigated by a group of individuals who want the province to break away from Spain, although they entered into the Spanish Constiution which prohibits this. The Spanish policy were reacting to an illegal vote. Polls have showed that the majority of people in Catalonia do wish to remain part of Spain.

[antsp]

Have to disagree. It appear that the violence was instigated by a group of individuals who want the province to break away from Spain, although they entered into the Spanish Constiution which prohibits this. The Spanish policy were reacting to an illegal vote. Polls have showed that the majority of people in Catalonia do wish to remain part of Spain.

I guess your tv didn’t show women being dragged out of polling stations by the hair by police