Barcelona Included tour question

[OneSixtyToOne]

22 hours ago, tobique33040 said:

It mentions a cathedral, which was probably the one we saw in the old town.

A cathedral is the seat of the bishop and in Barcelona it is indeed the one you saw in Old Town.

 

LSF is a basilica, a Roman word to describe a large meeting hall with two rows of columns, a center aisle, and passageways on enter side. It was adopted by early Christians and is the model for almost all large western churches. 

[zzookiemookiw]

How early should we make reservations with the tour company for tickets to Familia Sagrada? Our cruise is this October.

[OneSixtyToOne]

2 hours ago, zzookiemookiw said:

How early should we make reservations with the tour company for tickets to Familia Sagrada? Our cruise is this October.

We arranged our tours about 3 months before but I would do it as soon as you can. Barcelona Day Tours is very flexible and if your plans change or are modified, they will fully reimburse you. When you book through them they will handle the tickets and email you the code to load them into the LSF app when the tickets are available.

 

 

Edited March 7 by OneSixtyToOne

[dwlmg]

On 3/3/2024 at 4:09 PM, ddeprez said:

We end our Mediterranean Odyssey tour in Barcelona, and only have the one day although we are there overnight. We head to Madrid the next day. Since we’re in a V cabin, we could only get the 2:30 slot for the included tour. Is this tour worth taking? Are there shuttles to get into the city in the morning that would put us close to a metro station?  I would like to tour La Segrada Familia, and I know we can do this on our own. So, is it reasonable to think we could get there for a morning tour, and get back to the ship to meet the included tour?  Or just scrap the included tour? Sorry for so many questions, but I thank you for your help and time!

If you do the Sagrada Familia on you own, be sure to get your tickets online before you get there. The lines are very long.

[ddeprez]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I contacted Barcelona Day Tours, and they emailed info about private tours costing between 210-330 euros/person for a half day tour. I replied back that I was interested in the semi-private “Best of Barcelona” tour shown on the website at 69 euro/ person. Here’s the response I received:

 

Unfortunately we are only able to offer private tours for guests who arrive on Viking cruise ships.  The reason for this is that Viking does not follow the docking schedule and has consistently been late to dock at port.  For this reason we can only provide private tours for any passengers arriving from Viking, since from our past experience we cannot provide small group tours for its passengers –thank you for your understanding.

 

So, not sure if this is a change from what previous guests have experienced, or if they were paying for private tours. Unfortunately, not in our budget.  Thanks to everyone who offered assurances of the ease in doing it ourselves- that’s my plan at this point.

 

[OneSixtyToOne]

3 minutes ago, ddeprez said:

So, not sure if this is a change from what previous guests have experienced, or if they were paying for private tours. Unfortunately, not in our budget.  Thanks to everyone who offered assurances of the ease in doing it ourselves- that’s my plan at this point.

This is unfortunate. We were on the post cruise extension and were staying at a hotel when we took the group tour. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time on your own.

[PRH]

If you have not been, go to Familia Sagrada and go inside.  

[millybess]

Very nice photos.  We visited on a cloudy day last year, so my photos aren't as nice. 

[PRH]

1 minute ago, millybess said:

Very nice photos.  We visited on a cloudy day last year, so my photos aren't as nice. 

We had a guide who kept talking outside with clouds coming in.  A few of us went ahead inside before the sun disappeared.  This was our third time and I am amazed how much is actually done.  We visited both before and after the sanctuary was consecrated.  I think the building is supposed to be completed next year?

[millybess]

1 minute ago, PRH said:

We had a guide who kept talking outside with clouds coming in.  A few of us went ahead inside before the sun disappeared.  This was our third time and I am amazed how much is actually done.  We visited both before and after the sanctuary was consecrated.  I think the building is supposed to be completed next year?

Smart move, getting in there before the clouds moved in.  Our guide said it would be structurally finished in 2026.

[LindaS272]

 

[millybess]

2 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

 

Frameable!  Very nice.

[LindaS272]

Taken in early April 2022. We’ll be back on TA from BCN to BA this October.

[Duane S.]

On 3/7/2024 at 9:30 AM, OneSixtyToOne said:

This is unfortunate. We were on the post cruise extension and were staying at a hotel when we took the group tour. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time on your own.

We will be doing the post Barcelona 2 nite stay in 2025, I am researching what to do for the 2 nites we are there.  Interested in your experiences of the post Barcelona stay specifically where you stayed in relation to the sites and what did you do the morning of deemabarkation from the ship. Any input is appreciated thank you

 

[Opinica]

Not sure where Viking is putting people these days for pre/post.

 

In November of 2022 we stayed at Hotel Nobu near Sants Station, near Plaza de Espana.  Six months later we spent several nights at Hotel Colon which is directly across from the Cathedral in the Gothic District.  Would stay in either again, but Hotel Colon is better situated for getting around on foot.

 

I would mention that Barcelona is noteworthy as a foodie town.  Many, many Guide Michelin restaurants to be found if that is something you're interested in.  We had a very memorable meal at Nectari which was walking distance from Hotel Nobu.

[Duane S.]

thanks for the info, we are definitely all in on a Michelin star  meal will keep Nectari on our list

 

[OneSixtyToOne]

1 hour ago, Duane S. said:

We will be doing the post Barcelona 2 nite stay in 2025, I am researching what to do for the 2 nites we are there.  Interested in your experiences of the post Barcelona stay specifically where you stayed in relation to the sites and what did you do the morning of deemabarkation from the ship. Any input is appreciated thank you

 

We stayed at the Nobu. After departing the ship we went on what is essentially a modified included Barcelona tour. That is why it’s a good idea to forgo the included tour while on the ship and instead take one of the optional tours. The privileged access Gaudi houses of modernism tour was tremendous. It sells out quickly as was the first thing we booked when excursions opened.

 

Here is my live posting of our trip from last year, Barcelona starts at post 55:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2927474-almost-live-viking-sky-mediterranean-odyssey-april-2023/?do=findComment&comment=65262761

 

[Duane S.]

thank you very helpful

[PRH]

The subway and bus system is very easy to use.  Especially if you want to go out to the Olympic area.

[millybess]

On 3/7/2024 at 9:24 AM, ddeprez said:

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I contacted Barcelona Day Tours, and they emailed info about private tours costing between 210-330 euros/person for a half day tour. I replied back that I was interested in the semi-private “Best of Barcelona” tour shown on the website at 69 euro/ person. Here’s the response I received:

 

Unfortunately we are only able to offer private tours for guests who arrive on Viking cruise ships.  The reason for this is that Viking does not follow the docking schedule and has consistently been late to dock at port.  For this reason we can only provide private tours for any passengers arriving from Viking, since from our past experience we cannot provide small group tours for its passengers –thank you for your understanding.

 

So, not sure if this is a change from what previous guests have experienced, or if they were paying for private tours. Unfortunately, not in our budget.  Thanks to everyone who offered assurances of the ease in doing it ourselves- that’s my plan at this point.

 

This surprises me.  In all our voyages with Viking, I can't recall them ever being late to dock.  This includes two trips to Barcelona.

[LissaKay]

We are booked on the "Gaudi Architecture and La Sagrada Familia" tour with Viking. Does this enter the LSG? If not, is there an option to get tickets and go on our own, leaving the booked tour at this point? 

[Kountess]

36 minutes ago, LissaKay said:

We are booked on the "Gaudi Architecture and La Sagrada Familia" tour with Viking. Does this enter the LSG? If not, is there an option to get tickets and go on our own, leaving the booked tour at this point? 

Yes, the tour does include the interior of LSG.

[ddeprez]

54 minutes ago, Kountess said:

Yes, the tour does include the interior of LSG.

Is a guided tour inside LSG included, or just a visit inside?

[OneSixtyToOne]

10 minutes ago, ddeprez said:

Is a guided tour inside LSG included, or just a visit inside?

Inside is self guided via the LSG phone app. Since COVID the church no longer hands out headphones or listening devices so be sure to bring something compatible to listen with your phone.
 

BTW you can download the LSG app anytime and listen to the tour. It may be better to do that ahead of time to be aware of what you are seeing.

[Kountess]

19 minutes ago, ddeprez said:

Is a guided tour inside LSG included, or just a visit inside?

On our tour in December, our Viking guide gave us a short tour inside using our QuietVox system before letting us wander on our own.  She said she had to speak very quietly, so I don't know if she was supposed to give us a tour or not.  The LSG app sounds like a great idea.