Symphony of the Seas in Western Mediterranean

[NC Grateful Dead Dad]

I am going on Symphony on Aug 17-24 through Rome.  Rome, Naples, sea day, Barcelona, Palma, France, La Spezia, and back to Rome.  I noticed that there are no Cruise Compass for that.  However, what I do find is the Barcelona cruise.

Am I understanding it right that those who get on in Rome are just joining the Barcelona cruise?  Or are theyt just changing ports in the next week?

If it is the case that the people in Rome are just joining the Barcelona cruise half way through, does that mean that we do not get a sail away party/balloon drop?  I mean I guess we get one...half way through our cruise.  A little anti-climatic.

Is this done in other places as well?  

Still looking forward to a great trip.

[cedricmr]

It is a cruise that has two departure ports: Barcelona and Rome
On these two ports, there are departures and arrivals. Each one is a week anyway:-)

[TXcruzer]

57 minutes ago, NC Grateful Dead Dad said:

I am going on Symphony on Aug 17-24 through Rome.  Rome, Naples, sea day, Barcelona, Palma, France, La Spezia, and back to Rome.  I noticed that there are no Cruise Compass for that.  However, what I do find is the Barcelona cruise.

Am I understanding it right that those who get on in Rome are just joining the Barcelona cruise?  Or are theyt just changing ports in the next week?

If it is the case that the people in Rome are just joining the Barcelona cruise half way through, does that mean that we do not get a sail away party/balloon drop?  I mean I guess we get one...half way through our cruise.  A little anti-climatic.

Is this done in other places as well?  

Still looking forward to a great trip.

This is called interporting.  The ship does not have a traditional "turnaround day".  One either sales Rome to Rome or Barcelona to Barcelona.  Half the people on the ship will be on different "cruise days" as the other half.

[NC Grateful Dead Dad]

I will say that as a Rome cruiser, it feels as if we are crashing the Barcelona people's party.  They get the sail away party.  They have the first-time cruisers orientation tour (this is my first cruise since the mid-90s).  For me, that's on day 4.  I guess I'm disappointed the sail away and orientation and such is not offered to both cruises since we all spent good money to be there.

But in the end, who am I kidding?  I'm not staying up until midnight for balloons unless I'm on a heater in the casino, and maybe getting around the boat will be so easy that on day 4 I will snicker (to myself of course) at those poor rookies in the first-time cruise class.

[berkeleykel]

The majority of the passengers do embark and disembark at Barcelona, I think something like 2/3?  It sounds like they've made improvements from last year though, in that Rome embarkers can now use the app and book things ahead of time. I think this had been wonky previously and put them at a disadvantage.  And I have heard that the boarding process is smooth in Rome as there are fewer people to contend with.

I will be joining in Barcelona and crashing your parade on Aug 20!

[NC Grateful Dead Dad]

Outstanding berkeleykel!!!

Ahhh, the Barcelona night.  I know that is (hopefully) the 3-point shooting competetion that afternoon, ice-skating show that night, followed by listening to music at Copper & Kettle or Schooner (anyone know what kind of music the Plagio Band plays?  I see them listed about on the ship.) 

I will be easily recognized as most times outside of dinner I will have on a Grateful Dead shirt (makes it easy for the fam to see me in a crowd).