Plasticbrain

Thank you! Well, dont jynx it , still a few days until we are onboard, but fingers crossed. But yes, thabks for all the help. This will be so good!

By popular demand (I am looking at you @PPPJJ-GCVAB ) I will try to blog about our first ever cruise! First of all sorry for any typos/autocorrects from Norwegian As I am writing this we are 12 hours away from departure from Kristiansand towards Barcelona About me: For those of you who havent "met" me yet: Nice to meet you! I am Chris 39 from Kristiansand,Norway (half British as well!). I usually work with marketing and I write song lyrics. I am going on a first ever cruise together with my mom (age 63) and my 2 daughters age 9 and 10. (I am a single parent) The cruise: Oasis of the seas (WHAT a ship for our virgin cruise!) Western Meditteranean. Itinerary: Day 1 (28 of July): Barcelona Day 2 (29 of July): Mallorca Day 3 (30 of july): Marseille (they alternate between sea day and port day on day 3, our cruise has port day) Day 4 (31 of July): La Spezia (with connection to Florence/Piza) Day 5 (1 of august): Civitavecchia (Rome)- this cruise is made up of cruises from Barcelona-Barcelona and Rome-Rome, so "half" the passengers will swap on this day, so many new people to meet! Day 6 (2 of August): Naples Day 7 (3 of august): Sea day (our only sea day of the whole cruise!) Day 8 (4 of august): Barcelona Our travel plans (we are spending 3 days in Barcelona precruise, since my daughtwrs have never been there, it will be my third Time there and my moms 7th or something) : July 25th: departure 04:30 Kristiansand-Amsterdam-Barcelona. Arrival 10:25 July 26: Barcelona July 27: Barcelona July 28/day 1: Barcelona (embark ship, early, we have the key) July 29/day 2: Mallorca - Beach July 30/day 3: stay on ship, maybe a quick outing in Marseille July 31/day 4: we were supposed to do Florence but due to my daughter having motion sickness (2 hours bus each way) and the foretatt saying 39 degrees celsius, we are just going for a stroll in La Spezia instead August 1/day5: Rome like in a movie with lunch (full day excursion) August 2/day 6: Capri/Casita - my mom want to go to Capri so she is taking the ferry there, whilst me and the girls have reserved a Casita for the day August 3/day 7: Everyone is on the ship, wonder how full ut will feel.. August 4/day 8. Fly home at 11.30 from Barcelona, arrive home in Kristiansand at 17.30. I will try to make one post with some pictures from each day, starting with Barcelona tomorrow. Hope you guys want to follow me/us, and feel free to ask questions. -C-

Just to add to this, today many flights to Barcelona were cancelled due to the global computer issues. Slim chance of it happening again, but if it had happened when you travel you would have missed the ship... So I dont know what you ended up doing, but just saying that things happen, I personally know people who missed events today/this weekend because of mass cancellations today

When it comes to payment, almost everywhere in Spain accept cards, so you will need very little cash/euros. The cruise terminal in Barcelona is far walk from city centre (like 1 hour), the others I do not know.

I am doing Cruise from Barcelona in 2 weeks, and we are arriving ln Thursday (Cruise leaves on sunday) both to be safe, but also to have time in Lovely Barcelona. I would say 24hpurs prior to Cruise check in time is a minimum.. someone i know just got delayed 18h getting from hwre to Barcelona, so...

You are welcome! Happy to hear you enjoyed my country!

No lobster night on European cruises

27 days to go to my first ever cruise!!

Thanks everyone, it seems there are 3 or 4 different kinds of charms/bracelets being handed out, We will figure it out when we are onboard, and if my daughters wants any of them, I will patiently listen (I mean, I am a middle income single man, so definitely no use for the salespersons to waste time one me, but if they want to, be my guest )

Just wanted to point out that the Art silo have opened here in Kristiansand, and it is getting worldwide attention. I visited it with my daughters and all I can say is WOW! It is located 2 minute walk from the cruise port, so if you ever do a Cruise that stops in Kristiansand, GO! https://www.kunstsilo.no/en

Anyone know anything avout the free bracelet/charm/bling thingies? (Question 2)

Thank you Regarding question 3, they have all these drinks available in the MDR?! (Juices and sodas and so on) Did not see it on the menus.

So 4 weeks to go to our first ever cruise. 3 things I have been wondering, that I have not seen fully explained yet. 1. Does kids get fed while in AO, or do we get them and take them to lunch/snacks and then drop them off again? And how about drinks? (My kids has the refreshment package, they are 9 and 10 years, and i figurewe will do like 4-5meps a day (breakfast,lunch, afternoon snacks,dinner and possibly nighttime snacks)) 2. The free bracelet things that they give out are they for kids? Do kids like them? And do you have to be there at exactly the time? (We have mdr scheduled at many of the free bracelet times) 3. Do you get Coffee for your dessert in mdr, and how about drinks when you have the refreshment package? What can you choose? The meny only mentioned base drinks and alcoholic. Thanks guys -Chris-

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/45082-norway-excursions-and-general-advice/

Hello! Just wanted to wish you a great cruise, and to let you know that I have a post under excursions with general advice about Norway (I am Norwegian) hope that can help. For the other questions, I will let others answer, since I am doing my first ever cruise in July myself.