Review of Ascent Italy, France, Spain Cruise 10th-17th August: A Hiker’s Perspective

[Scottishclover]

On 8/20/2024 at 7:40 PM, Lastdance said:

Also, hiking in the Azores and Madeira, especially, are just outstanding for views.  

I totally agree. Madeira is one of our favourite holiday destinations, especially for some winter sun. I went over New Year many times growing up and we have been quite a few times in spring with our daughters for some hiking. The Azores is on my “to go” list but unfortunately there’s no direct flights from Scotland. 

[zitsky]

What I like is that Celebrity appeals to all kinds of people.  You could be eating dinner next to a secretary on one side and a CEO on the other.  I like looking at those cars.  We are lucky here in Raleigh to have quite a few fancy car dealerships in such a small city.  I think it’s the “old money” here.

[Scottishclover]

 

 

Thank you to everyone who is still reading this. Apologies the updates are slowing down but unfortunately work is getting in the way. Can’t be helped - how else can I pay for my cruises! If anyone has any questions about the cruise or Ascent, please ask away. 

Day 6 Sea Day 

After days of wall to wall sunshine, the Captain came over the tannoy at breakfast and said “The weather sucks!” 😂 Wasn’t that just typical! I should have known by the creaking that woke me up in the early hours. Up until around 6pm that day things were certainly rocky. How is it that we look drunk but have no drinks package?

 

Originally the Captain had been scheduled to give a Beyond the Podium talk at 10:15 which I’m sure would have been pretty entertaining given his morning announcements but this got changed to a talk on Spain. I wondered if it was possibly due to the ferocity of the waves and he wanted to stay on the bridge? We decided to go to trivia and lo and behold we actually won after trivia after years of trying! It was totally worth it for that pop socket😂

 

It really wasn’t the best day for lying out - hard to believe we had better sea day weather in the Arctic Circle than the Med, but it was actually a nice respite from the scorching sun of previous days. We did lie out for a while before going to watch the jazz band Dream Waves do a special Brit Divas set in Eden. It was really poorly attended which was a  shame as there was an amazing Corrine Bailey Rae number and when they did some Amy Winehouse, you would have thought she was actually there in the room. The onboard musicians were pretty talented on this cruise.

 

We went to Normandie for Chic night. We moved round all 4 restaurants on this cruise and again strolled in, well after 7, with no line. The headliner in the theatre tonight was virtuoso pianist and singer Clare Maidin. She was absolutely in a class of her own. See her if you ever get the chance. 

 

Day 7 - Palma

We woke up this morning to find that the weather had vastly improved. The sun was out but it was a few degrees cooler than Italy and France making for more pleasant walking conditions.

 

I had originally wanted to go to Valldemossa/Deia/Soller to hike but it just seemed like a bit of an effort when I looked into it and as we had never been to Palma before, the decision was made to stay in the city. 

 

The Ascent had the worst docking position today and was 6km from the cathedral. You guessed it, we got our miles in walking there and back. The walk hugged the Marina but there was a lot of construction on the route as well as a lot of dilapidated,  70s monstrosities which had obviously been built in the height of the tourist boom. I was getting more sceptical with each step until we spotted some moorish architecture up ahead. 

The historic centre was finally in sight. 
 

Just outside the Roman walls. 
 

We were both pretty impressed by the warren of little alleyways in the historic centre and the area around the cathedral has been nicely developed. We stopped for a coffee after exploring ( always go to the place with the locals😃). While replenishing our energy levels with some caffeine, we decided to book online tickets to view the inside of the cathedral. You can get combo tickets to go up on the roof terrace but they seemed quite a lot more expensive for the privilege.

 

Palma Cathedral is really quite an imposing piece of architecture. When you looked from the docked Ascent it stood out completely from its surrounds. It’s Mediterranean Gothic and is huge. Antoni Gaudi carried out some restoration work inside, including the alter and stained glass windows. There are also other examples of Gaudi’s modernisme style throughout the city. 

 

The front of the cathedral. Entry was around the side. 

 

The stained glass windows inside were beautiful.

Can Forteza Rey. The bakery underneath was very popular too. 

 

After visiting the cathedral we decided to head back to the ship as we knew we had a very long day the next day in Barcelona. It seemed every metre of the 6km on the way back. The MSC Seaview which had been our neighbour in some ports had the better dock around 4 km away from the centre. There was however a big shopping centre near our dock which a lot of the crew used. 

 

The last evening was packed with shows so I got the packing done prior to dinner. We went to Tuscan and had a really lovely  final meal and enjoyed chatting with our server Cherry. Then we went to see the production show Residency - iconic songs so some big vocals are needed to do them justice- and then to Eden to see “Dreams.” We have seen this Alice in Wonderland themed show a number of times, most recently on the Apex on our Arctic Circle cruise but it is our favourite of the shows in Eden. Our cruise had sadly come to an end, although we had practically a whole day ahead of us to see some of Barcelona before catching our flight back to Edinburgh. 
 

Next up: Embarkation and our day in Barcelona.

[Scottishclover]

Debarkation and Bonus Day in Barcelona 

 

Must apologise as my photos of Barcelona are few and far between. In truth, I didn’t find it the most scenic of places- I think it’s more about atmosphere and I think I had just run out of steam by this stage! 

 

We had planned a longer lie as we were in no rush to get off the ship due to a 9:30pm flight but unfortunately the announcement for the first walk-offs at 6:30am was our early morning alarm call😩 Our group 29 was called off a bit early at 8:15 and I just expected the luggage to be there but we had a good half hour wait before our luggage actually appeared on the carousel. The queue for the taxis seemed long but in reality it moved quickly and one man was doing a grand job of making sure everyone got one. For reference our taxi to Placa de Catalunya cost €18. 

 

I had booked a luggage  storage locker with Stow Your Bags just off Placa de Catalunya as I knew the airport bus left from there later. It’s a convenient location and fortuitously right next to a great cafe. We decided to walk down La Rambla first, before the crowds and pickpockets were out. I have no idea why this street is so famous🤷‍♀️It has very little to commend it. Construction (again🤦‍♀️) did not help matters.

 

Anyway, we took a left onto Placa Reial which was much more inviting and was the starting point for our 3 hour “free” walking tour of the Gothic Quarter with Runnerbean Tours. The tour was great ( thanks Cruise Critic for the recommendation), hit all the essential spots and the guide Noah provided a great overview of  Spanish and Catalan history as well as to life in Barcelona. They also do a Gaudi tour which I plan to do next time we are in Barcelona. 
 

One of the prettiest squares in the city. 
 

These Roman remains were unearthed in the Gothic Quarter after it was well established. The flats behind had a great view from their windows!  
 

Our tour finished in the Born district and we had a late lunch in Honest Greens. It’s a small chain of restaurants, originating in Barcelona, which serves garden bowls, proteins with salads and healthy cuisine. We have eaten there in Porto and Lisbon due to it being very gluten-free and vegan friendly. I noticed they have restaurants all over the city.

 

Afterwards we walked up to see Sagrada Familia (yep still getting those steps in🚶‍♀️.) I had tried to get tickets for the inside but was a bit late and missed out. I’m not too sad about it as we will probably be back in Barcelona next year with our daughters so will get another chance.

 

We spent a long time looking at the features of the building. 

 

By this time, I was feeling the effects of all the walking in the heat so remember that cafe next to our bag storage? We headed back there for a coffee. Wow! The espresso was fantastic- best I’ve had in ages. Lots of locals were in and it was a welcome respite from the buzz of the city. 

 

After another wander around in the areas adjacent to Placa de Catalunya, we decided to call it a day and go to the airport.  It had been a busy week and we were pleased we managed to get a decent overview of the city. We realised there’s lots more to see but if we stick with the future cruise we have booked, we will get a chance to return next summer. 

 

Up Next: Final thoughts and our summer cruise comparison. 

[zitsky]

Do they still have the Samsung ads on the top of the Sagrada Familia?  They were there a few years back.  It seemed tacky.  A little sign in front might be better.

[Scottishclover]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

Do they still have the Samsung ads on the top of the Sagrada Familia?  They were there a few years back.  It seemed tacky.  A little sign in front might be better.

Not that I noticed. 

[hawkesbaynz]

@Scottishclover thanks for the great trip report. We debark on the Ascent in 9 days from Barcelona.
 

I wish I could do more hiking on our cruises but DW had knee replacements and says no. I walk four or so hours each day with my Labrador and miss it on holiday. Recently did the hikes on a Princess Northern Lights cruise (DW had a friend for company). I could have done them for a 10th of the price with my trail App.

 

Great tip for the pre-cruise stay in Lucca. Our last Civitavechia cruise we paid about 200 euro for a taxi and then a poor local hotel. Lucca has been on our weekender radar for a while.

 

I was reading your recent Apex TR but lost it in the usual CC deluge of repeat/googable threads.

[Scottishclover]

@hawkesbaynz thank you so much! Most of the hikes we did were quite tough on the knees so not suitable for your DW. It’s  the downhill that’s the killer, not the uphill. If you happen to be going to Cinque Terre on your cruise, you could hike between a couple of villages and your DW could train? The views on the Cinque Terre hikes were some of the best we have experienced. For something easier, the  walk on Saint Marguerite was nice and flat and a very pleasant experience.

 

I agree with you on the hikes. If you have an App then no need to go with a guide or on a shore excursion. We did pass a Celebrity tour hike when we were in Portofino regional park. They had paid over $100 for the privilege and this was probably one of the easiest places to DIY as the maps and signage was excellent. I also am not keen hiking in a group. I either feel pressured to keep up or get frustrated that we’re not going fast enough. 
 

Enjoy your cruise! 9 days is the ideal time frame. If you haven’t been on the Ascent it’s a great ship😀

[Scottishclover]

@hawkesbaynz here’s the link from the Arctic Circle Cruise, if you’d like to continue reading. 

[vickykay]

Book your tickets on line for the cathedral when you go to Barcelona with your daughters.

[Scottishclover]

Thanks. I will do. I’m usually a bit more on top of these things and book things months in advance. I had been too busy researching all the ports and possible hikes that I kind of forgot about our day in Barcelona. We only really got to scratch the surface of the city but will probably stay a couple of days pre- cruise next year.

[Scottishclover]

Final Thoughts and Cruise Comparison 

 

Cabin: We had a guarantee inside cabin and got it at rock bottom price, so absolutely no complaints. It’s not for everyone but we only use our cabin to sleep in and it was just perfect. We’d rather spend the savings on activities in the ports. 

 

Drinks Package: After much debate, we decided against the drink package for a few reasons.1) This was a wee extra trip for us so we were trying to do things as cheaply as possible. 2) With it being so port intensive we didn’t think we would be drinking much. We were right! 3) We are not really big drinkers and knew after our Arctic Circle Cruise experience it would be really difficult to get our money’s worth. Did I miss it? Well we had a few pay as you go drinks and it was cheaper just to have a drink/coffee off the ship. I think it really depends on the type of cruise. I would still be tempted on a longer cruise but for a 7 day Med cruise, I’d go without again.

 

Ship: We loved the Ascent! Even though it was a sold out ship , it never seemed crowded in any area. You could walk into any activity/show at the last minute and get a seat. This was a very different scenario from the Apex. I think the different demographics had a lot to do with that. I think the entertainment on the Ascent was maybe a touch better, although we enjoyed the main production cast and Eden cast shows on both ships. All the crew we encountered on both cruises were top notch. They really do work very hard. 

 

Food: There were just a few improvements to the buffet that gave it the edge over the Apex. Gluten- free was handled well without the rigmarole of pre-ordering. The MDRs in both ships were excellent, although much quieter on the Ascent, which we liked. 

 

Itinerary: This is something which is difficult to compare. I will say it was great waking up in the morning knowing you were going to get good weather on the Med and we particularly liked that we could hike in most of the ports. Cinque Terre from La Spezia was the standout for us. The Arctic Circle cruise felt more like a bucket list cruise and very few places can beat the scenery and nature in Norway. Of course, we had super weather in Norway, had it rained every day, we may have formed a different opinion. 

 

So what’s next for us? Well we booked a Malta/Greece/Turkey cruise with our daughters for early next summer as we want them to experience all the Ascent has to offer. The itinerary was their choice- maybe we will manage the Fira-Oia hike on Santorini. We will probably combine it with some days hiking in the Cote Vermeille in Southern France and a couple of days in Barcelona pre-cruise. I wish Celebrity would change up their European itineraries a bit more in the summer holiday period. 

 

Thanks to everyone who’s followed along. I’m happy to answer any questions on the ship or itinerary. 

 

 

 

[Ciaranaman]

Thank you for your fantastic review and final thoughts.  It's given us lots to consider for future holidays.

~Bernadette

[Scottishclover]

@Ciaranaman thank you very much. This was a slightly abridged version compared to normal as I’m a teacher and the new term started last week in Scotland. Glad to be of help. I’ve had lots of ideas over the years from suggestions on cruise critic so I’m pleased it also works the other way round.

[chemmo]

22 minutes ago, Scottishclover said:

@Ciaranaman thank you very much. This was a slightly abridged version compared to normal as I’m a teacher and the new term started last week in Scotland. Glad to be of help. I’ve had lots of ideas over the years from suggestions on cruise critic so I’m pleased it also works the other way round.

Sincere thanks for a wonderful review. All the best for the new school term. I retired 2014 after 30+ years as a teacher…It was wonderful to (at last) visit places at the best time of year rather than when the holidays fall…I celebrated retirement with a flight to Hawaii, a week there then a TP cruise…Fantastic. During my cruise I could not resist sending regular emails with pictures to my colleagues as they settled into the winter term…

[Jazzbo]

Thank you for another enjoyable review! One of our favorite vacations was 2 weeks outside of Lucca. My Mum and I planned it. We had a group of 12 friends and family members the first week and 10 the second. We couldn’t get one villa for both weeks so we moved from one in the flat farmland area outside of Lucca to the second in the foothills of the mountains nearby. My husband’s and my day trip to Cinque Terre was a highlight. 
For Barcelona next year, you may want to check out Aspasios.com. We have rented apartments from them for a couple of days pre-cruise in 2022 (pre- Transatlantic) and in 2023 (pre-Med, 9-days to Rome). The apartments were basic, but clean and in great locations (one was steps from Placa Reial). Good value for money and we kept fruit and yogurt for breakfasts and snack items in the apartment.

[Scottishclover]

11 hours ago, chemmo said:

Sincere thanks for a wonderful review. All the best for the new school term. I retired 2014 after 30+ years as a teacher…It was wonderful to (at last) visit places at the best time of year rather than when the holidays fall…I celebrated retirement with a flight to Hawaii, a week there then a TP cruise…Fantastic. During my cruise I could not resist sending regular emails with pictures to my colleagues as they settled into the winter term…

Thank you so much or your kind words. I still have a few years to go before retirement… It must be nice to have the freedom to travel at quieter

(and cheaper!) times of year. It is especially annoying now that both our daughters are at university and finish for summer in the middle of May. We normally try to get away immediately after the Scottish schools finish at the end of June to avoid clashing with the slightly later English and European school holiday periods. 

[Scottishclover]

9 hours ago, Jazzbo said:

Thank you for another enjoyable review! One of our favorite vacations was 2 weeks outside of Lucca. My Mum and I planned it. We had a group of 12 friends and family members the first week and 10 the second. We couldn’t get one villa for both weeks so we moved from one in the flat farmland area outside of Lucca to the second in the foothills of the mountains nearby. My husband’s and my day trip to Cinque Terre was a highlight. 
For Barcelona next year, you may want to check out Aspasios.com. We have rented apartments from them for a couple of days pre-cruise in 2022 (pre- Transatlantic) and in 2023 (pre-Med, 9-days to Rome). The apartments were basic, but clean and in great locations (one was steps from Placa Reial). Good value for money and we kept fruit and yogurt for breakfasts and snack items in the apartment.

 I think we will revisit Lucca/Italian Riviera/Cinque Terre many times in the future. It is such a beautiful area and quite accessible for us. Portovenere is definitely on my radar. 
 

Thanks for the Barcelona recommendation. Our tentative plans are 5 nights in an apartment in Collioure in the south of France for some coastal hikes, then 2 nights in Barcelona before getting on the cruise. We might opt for a hotel in the city as I think the licensing for Airbnbs/apartments is going to be difficult. 

[Jim_Iain]

I've been lurking and reading your wonderful review.   We are big hikers and explorers also and I often plot day excursions on our own.   We try to avoid cruising in the Summer Months --- mostly due to heat and crowds but looks like you found some wonderful hikes. 

 

Thanks for taking the time to post.

[Scottishclover]

Glad you have been enjoying it. My photography is not up to your usual standards, but I try😂

Normally, we tend to hike in the Alps in the summer as it’s cooler at the really high elevations. However, this year we were glad to have the opportunity to get some heat and sunshine in the Med as we have had the worst summer in Scotland that I can remember. Hiking has always been a big part of our trips- you get to see some places off the beaten track, it’s cheap and it means you can eat all that “holiday” food guilt-free.
Regarding the crowds, other than the tiny villages in Cinque Terre and Portofino, crowds weren’t as bad as I expected. The worst crowds I have witnessed lately were in Edinburgh this past weekend. It was the last day of the festival but that combined with summer tourists made it a truly awful experience. 

[hawkesbaynz]

@Scottishclover make sure you check out the Bluelight card if you have not already as now available to teachers. 10% off Celebrity (and Princess) cruises.

https://teachers.bluelightcard.co.uk/

 

The Summer has been terrible. We had planned some hiking in the Borders earlier this month after visiting family in Annan and Gourock. The forecast was atrocious so headed back down South. DW talks about returning to Scotland. The weather does put me off.