Review: A 12-day Barcelona/NCL Gem Adventure

[NSWP]

Crikey..this has to be the biggest review I have ever seen, 10/10 as for the pics, ginormous, is your camera tired?

 

Anyway well done..

[SandraW]

 

DS decides he wants to eat “real” french fries in France, so we attempt to find somewhere where he can do so. Attempt, that is. We were not successful. There were lots of sandwich shops that sold potatoes, and other such restaurants, and everything seemed expensive. I have a feeling that french fries are not really French.

 

 

French Fries are not french. They were contrived in Belgium....

 

By the way: You wrote a wonderful review. I´m very exalted about it.

 

Greetings,

Sandra

[hypercafe]

We are going on the GEM in April for it's trip back to Europe. I was wondering about the air from Baraclona back to JFK. Did you get a direct trip? Great review, this is a 15 day trip going to most of the same ports. After seeing your pictures I want to go now.

[JCD62]

Thank you for answering all my questions. I have one more. What type of bag (pocketbook) did you carry while in Barcelona and Italy? Did you use a backpack? I usually carry a backpack (because Mom has to carry everything) however I was wondering if that would be a wise choice.

 

Good for you taking public transportation! I am very impressed.

 

PS - your Mom sounds like my Mom

[DCT61]

Without a doubt the BEST review Ive ever read. Does Cruisecritic give out awards? Thanks for all the time youve taken to post it. WONDERFUL!

[lkb125]

We have traveled to all these places and you brought it all back, Thank you. Lorelle

[LegalEagle2012]

Great review and great photos. BUT I cannot believe the amount of eating you and your party did off the ship!!

Did you put on any weight?

 

However, I am sure that the dining recommendations will, no doubt, come in handy to us when we sail out on 24th August.

 

Any cabin photos?

 

Thanks again

 

K

[bluesea777]

We are going on the GEM in April for it's trip back to Europe. I was wondering about the air from Baraclona back to JFK. Did you get a direct trip? Great review, this is a 15 day trip going to most of the same ports. After seeing your pictures I want to go now.

 

We're booked to fly round-trip to BCN via JFK on AA. The flights JFK-BCN-JFK are direct. Ideal!

 

Yeppers, I agree with you that we want to go now!! But we'll wait patiently until December, by which time I'll be finished with the big project I'm currently on. Our cruise is a 14 days one and the ports include Rome, Naples and Malta that the OP's ship called at.

[wdwf]

Wow! what a great trip report. I loved all of the pictures. Hey CeleBrat, I will be taking the same Malta excursion that you took to the craft village. I was just wondering, did they give you a break to grab a meal or a snack? Seems like a long time to go without a bite to eat. Also, how long did you have at the glass works to look around? Thanks!:)

[jhryb]

I look forward to my evenings because I have been reading your daily update. When I am done I go to bed, but I leave the thread open so that my husband can read it. In the morning we talk about your experiences at each port. I admit that I was a little sad last night that there was no update :( . I feel like it is a TV show and my episode was cancelled .

We will be visiting most of the same ports that you are describing. We are also bringing our DD and DS so your review has been very helpful.

How far in advance did you book your private tours? Were they a fixed price or were they based on the number of members in your party? There will be 5 members in our party so I am not sure if a private tour makes sense? Based on the amount of sites that your were able to see, I would really like to go the private tour route especially in Rome and Pompeii.

Thanks for taking the time to write an excellent trip report.

Jennifer

[awatt]

Thanks for such a colorful review. We are presently seriously booking the Gem for next June and your info is swaying us in that direction!

 

A question: What time did the ship clear the last morning so people could debark? Am trying to figure out a good time for a return flight.

[cafe rose]

JHRYB, Look on the ports of call to find information about the private tours. We are also a party of five and we have found that going the private route is usually less expensive than the ship's excursions.

[jhryb]

JHRYB, Look on the ports of call to find information about the private tours. We are also a party of five and we have found that going the private route is usually less expensive than the ship's excursions.

Thanks I will take a look - your reply sounds promising. The private tour route seems amazing (after reading the trip report from Celebrat). I desperately want to feel like we saw Rome and not just a single sight in Rome etc....It also sounds like we would have better control over the tour (especially with kids).

Thanks

[cafe rose]

That is a definite.**2006, we did Northern Europe. Kids were 20, 14, 11. Did not know until reading the Ports of call boards that Southampton is more than one hour ride from airport in London. Found out about Woodford Motor coach which was actually a mini van Taxi service that picked us up and dropped us off round trip. We even stopped at Stonehenge (extra small fee but worth it). Also, Paris is almost 2 hour ship bus ride and they do not let you off at the Eiffel tower, you just drive around. Found out about private car service. It was cheaper than the ship excursion, we passed all of the ship buses AND we got to go to the top of the Eiffel tower and stopped wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Sure is worth the money.:)

[CeleBrat]

Hi everyone!

 

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. Busy day/evening, with no time to post. And, I have run out of pre-written stuff to post. So--this weekend I will be writing the rest of the review, and sharing our disembark/day in Spain/loooong trip home.

 

In the meanwhile, I will answer some of your questions....

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

Great question, great answer.... BUT if you didn't have to split the bill would you have been able to use your credit card? I was kind of counting on that too.

 

Yes--if we were traveling solo, we would have used the credit card for most/all of the meals. It's just that we ate en-masse with our family, so had to pay cash.

 

Other things we paid cash for:

 

--Cabs

--Entrance fees to sites/museums

--Ice cream!!

--Local artists/vendors

 

Next time, I will definitely take more spending money!

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

We are going on the GEM in April for it's trip back to Europe. I was wondering about the air from Baraclona back to JFK. Did you get a direct trip? Great review, this is a 15 day trip going to most of the same ports. After seeing your pictures I want to go now.

 

Yes--we did fly direct from JFK/Barcelona and back. We live in Orlando, so also had to fly to/from NY.

 

I have quite the story to tell about our return trip--but you'll just have to wait for that...

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

Thank you for answering all my questions. I have one more. What type of bag (pocketbook) did you carry while in Barcelona and Italy? Did you use a backpack? I usually carry a backpack (because Mom has to carry everything) however I was wondering if that would be a wise choice.

 

Good for you taking public transportation! I am very impressed.

 

PS - your Mom sounds like my Mom

 

I had an oversized purse/bad thing, with a zipper across the top and a zillion pockets. I kept my wallet in an inside zipper pocket to deter pickpocketers. It got to be a very heavy bag at times because I carried the kids water bottles, maps, guidebooks, DD stuffed animals, sunglasses, hats, etc.

 

My mom had a backpack purse, and had no trouble at all with her wallet or losing anything out of it. It was a small sized backpack/purse combo.

 

I love that you totally understand my Mom! Heheheheheeeee!

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

Great review and great photos. BUT I cannot believe the amount of eating you and your party did off the ship!!

Did you put on any weight?

 

However, I am sure that the dining recommendations will, no doubt, come in handy to us when we sail out on 24th August.

 

Any cabin photos?

 

Thanks again

 

K

 

Believe it or not, I didn't gain any weight. Perhaps because we walked so much, and perhaps because I was a little sick on the last day in Spain so I didn't eat...:(

 

Sorry--I didn't take a lot of cabin photos. I realize that now....Actually, we didn't really spend too much time in the cabin other than to sleep.

 

CeleBrat

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

 

I have quite the story to tell about our return trip--but you'll just have to wait for that...

 

CeleBrat

But we are in withdrawal! :eek: :D

[CeleBrat]

Wow! what a great trip report. I loved all of the pictures. Hey CeleBrat, I will be taking the same Malta excursion that you took to the craft village. I was just wondering, did they give you a break to grab a meal or a snack? Seems like a long time to go without a bite to eat. Also, how long did you have at the glass works to look around? Thanks!:)

 

On the Malta tour, there wasn't anywhere to grab a snack until we got to the city of Mdina, at the last hour of the tour. We had an ice cream break, but waited to eat lunch until we got back on the ship--about 1:30ish. I had taken along fruit snacks and such for the kids.

 

Great tour though!

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

We are also bringing our DD and DS so your review has been very helpful.

How far in advance did you book your private tours? Were they a fixed price or were they based on the number of members in your party? There will be 5 members in our party so I am not sure if a private tour makes sense? Based on the amount of sites that your were able to see, I would really like to go the private tour route especially in Rome and Pompeii.

 

 

So--I booked the tours about 3 months in advance of our trip. Since there were 8 in our party, I knew I would be paying the price for the 8-person van. All of the tours were advertised on the internet for approximately 600E, but one of the tour operators actually gave us a discount and only charged 500E because of our kids. Very nice.

 

If you google Italian shore excursions, you will find about a dozen different tour operators. I looked at them all, them cross-referenced to see who was most talked about on the Europe boards.

 

Someone else also suggested that you post on the Europe boards or the Roll Call boards looking for 3 others to share tours with. That way you can save some $$$. I also read a review somewhere along the way about 2 families who had agreed to share a tour, and they were on 2 totally different ships. So--it can be worked out!

 

If we had to do it again, we would definitely book private tours again, regardless of our party size.

 

Hope that helps!

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

Thanks for such a colorful review. We are presently seriously booking the Gem for next June and your info is swaying us in that direction!

 

A question: What time did the ship clear the last morning so people could debark? Am trying to figure out a good time for a return flight.

 

People were getting off the ship as early as 6:30am. We chose to get off at 9:30am, since we weren't going anywhere except BACK to our hotel, and knew we couldn't check in until 2pm.

 

You should allow at least 2 hours to travel to the airport, check in, and board your flight. I wouldn't recommend you fly out before 11am, just to be sure.

 

CeleBrat

[skynyrd]

CeleBrat

 

I would like to add my thanks to you for a wonderful and colorful review of your vacation and the fabulous photography. I am going to Europe next week :D - not on a cruise, but I am getting more and more excited after reading about all of your excursions. Again, thank you so much for sharing with everyone!

[uppitycats]

Your review is wonderful! I especially have enjoyed it as there is no way I'll ever get to that part of the world and your colorful tales have made it all come alive. Thank you so much!