352-552-0421

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barcelona 7-Night Cruise on Symphony of the Seas

Donawa Family Cruise

Cruise the Western Mediterranean on one of Royal Caribbean's nicest ships - Symphony of the Seas. 

Everyone's invited!

Join Desrie on this fantastic family vacation!

June 11 to 18, 2023

Contact Desrie or Gerry with Ash Travel with questions. Gerry@AshTravel.com (352) 552-0421

Itinerary
 

Flights will leave the US on June 9th and arrive in Barcelona on the morning of the 10th. One prenight hotel and board the ship about noon on the 11th. We can add more nights before or after to individual bookings.

 

 

Our group rates have a fully refundable deposit until next March. Only on the balconies, does Royal have a better price than my group, but with a non-refundable rate. I can book that rate and also can book any cabin on the ship at the best rate offered.

With each cabin, we will check for promotions. (Resident rates, Senior, Military, Law enforcement, past guest rates, etc.) You would not be able to book this cruise at a better price on your own.

The prices in red are the total cost for a cabin(Only) with two guests. (More details further down the page) We will be adding air, insurance, hotel, and transfers. It is too early to quote air for these dates. Royal Caribbean will have the best  prices on air, and we will see what hotels they offer.

 

We are quoting ocean view rooms at the front of deck 11. There are some facing forward - overlooking the front of the ship, and some on the sides, looking past a railing. So, they call this partially obstructed view. The ocean view rooms on deck 3, have a large round window with no obstruction. They are close to the water, and if you get motion sickness, you don't want to stare out the window. 

Along with holding 10 of these ocean view cabins, we are holding 2 inside cabins and 4 balcony cabins in the same area. These will hold 2 guests each. There are cabins that will hold up to 5 passengers in this area. We will quote those on request.

 

Pricing

Our group rates are locked in and will stay the same as long as we have cabins available. These rates are only good for a cabin holding 2 guests.

  • Interior cabin
    • $1,018 per person + $111.20 per person for taxes, fees, and port charges. Total price per person = $1,129.20 ($2,258.40 per cabin)
    • $250 per person fully refundable deposit due at time of booking
  • Oceanview balcony
    • $1,473 per person + $111.20 per person for taxes, fees, and port charges. Total price per person = $1,584.20 ($3,168.40 per cabin)
    • $250 per person fully refundable deposit due at time of booking
    • Royal Caribbean's current best price with a non-refundable deposit is a total price per person = $3,078.40
  • Ocean View
    • $1,154 per person + $111,20 per person for taxes, fees, and port charges. Total price per person = $1,265.20 ($2,530.40 per cabin)
    • $250 per person fully refundable deposit due at time of booking

Call for pricing on cabins with more than 2 guests, or any other cabin type on this ship.

 With the group rate, the $250 per person deposit is fully refundable.  If a current sale has a lower price, we can book you one of these cabins at a lower rate with a $250 per person non-refundable* deposit, and then move it into the group.  When we move the cabin into the group, you will get a second onboard credit and be included in our group dining. Contact us for the current best pricing and to see what works best for you.

 

We can also book any cabin type available on this sailing at the best rate offered by Royal Caribbean, and then move you into the group.

For those needing more space, there are very nice balcony suites starting at 267 sqft with 81 sqft balconies. Call us for current pricing.

If you are booking a cabin with more than 2 guests, we will book under the best available sale price, and move you into the group before adding the deposit. This allows you to pay a $500 cabin deposit, even if you have 4 guests in the room. Outside of a group, it would take a $1,000 deposit to reserve a room with 4 guests ($250pp).

You should not be able to book this cruise cheaper on your own. We can get your discounts from Crown & Anchor, senior, military, etc.If you book any other way, you will miss out on the additional onboard credit with the group and our guaranteed group dining.

We can set you up with a payment plan to spread the cost out - ask us how!

IF YOU DID BOOK ON YOUR OWN: If within the past 60 days, we can move your booking into our group, add an onboard credit, and guarantee your dining with our group.

Travel Protection

Ash Travel recommends travel protection. Especially during the Pandemic. For sailing until the end of the year, this is required.

For this cruise, without airfare, we recommend using Royal Caribbean's vacation protection. This is an optional purchase and can be taken or declined on a per cabin basis. The price for the cabins we have quoted is $198 per cabin ($99 per person).   

  • Royal Caribbean travel protection offers:
    • Full cash refund for cancellation due to an emergency or medical reason
    • 75% future cruise credit for any non-covered cancellation.
    • Emergency medical care on the ship and in the ports.

If you are flying in, and don’t use Royal Caribbean’s Choice Air program, we recommend Allianz Global insurance. 

  • Allianz travel protection offers:
    • Full medical and emergency coverage from the time you leave home until you return home.
    • Full cash refund for cancellation due to any covered reason
    • Kids free
    • Pre-existing condition coverage when purchased within 14 days of deposit date.

The cruise line does not cover cancellation due to a problem with a pre-existing condition, but, you would get a 75% future cruise credit.  Contact us for more details.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For international sailings, we always recommend at least one pre-night hotel. Ash Travel will look into blocking some rooms at a downtown hotel, at a good rate. Then compare to Royal Caribbean's price on adding the hotel to your booking.

Also, Royal Caribbean usually has as good of air cost as anyone. We can add air to your booking, that does not have to be paid until the final payment. This allows you to change your flight details by March, without any penalties.

We will update this webpage with the hotel, transfer, and air information around October.

 

VACCINE-REQUIRED CRUISES

For sailings departing from Barcelona, as of August 1, the age requirement for vaccination is 12 and older. We will continually evaluate these requirements and make updates as local public health standards evolve. Europe has opened up faster than the US, so the Vaccine requirement could change before your sailing.

Guests under the age of 12 don't need to be vaccinated and will receive a COVID-19 test at the terminal before boarding. If a guest younger than the age requirement happens to be fully vaccinated, they should bring their original vaccination record card to board and should follow all vaccinated guest protocols while boarding and throughout their vacation.

Read more about what vaccines are accepted and what documents are accepted as proof of vaccination.

 

Drink packages

With Royal Caribbean, if one passenger in a cabin wants to purchase an alcohol package, other adult passengers in the same cabin also have to purchase the package. Royal Caribbean does provide an exemption to that rule for guests that do not consume alcohol for personal, health or religious reasons.  Instead, those guests may purchase the Royal Refreshment package.  To arrange for an exemption, you must call Royal Caribbean and explain the situation. They will allow you to purchase one alcohol drink package and one coffee/non-alcohol package if one does not drink.

 

Other Common Q & A

Q:  How much are gratuities (tips) and when do we pay them?

A:  Current Gratuitie rates for RC are $101.50 per person ($14.50pp per day). Gratuities on suites are higher (ask for details). Royal Caribbean will add them to your room key account. Or, at any time before the cruise, we can add a payment to your credit card to cover the gratuities. Some clients do this because they don’t want to see that expense a month after the cruise on their credit card bill.

 

Q:  Do I have to have a passport to go on this cruise?

A:  Yes. Mainly due to flying international

 

Q:  Why purchase Cruise Protection? (Insurance)

A:  Your personal health insurance policy will not work on the cruise ship. And most will not work internationally, Along with cancellation coverage, cruise protection will cover the cost of emergency medical care on the ship or in the cruise ports. If an emergency interrupts your trip, it will cover the cost of getting back home other than on the ship. If we add Royal’s policy to your booking, it will be with your final payment.

 

Q:  Does everyone in my cabin have to purchase a drink package if I want to?

A: Yes - If an alcohol package is purchased, each adult in the cabin has to purchase a drink package. If the other adult(s) do not drink alcohol, they can purchase the Royal Refreshment package at a lower cost. This includes all non-alcoholic drinks (specialty coffees, bottled water, soda, smoothies, virgin pina colada, etc.) For this exception, you have to call in your purchase and let Royal Caribbean know that the other adult can't drink alcohol for a specific reason. Not drinking enough to make the cost worth it is not an acceptable excuse (ask for details).

 

Q:  What is the dress code?

A:  The café requires a cover-up and shoes, at a minimum. For breakfast and lunch, shorts are acceptable in the main dining room. For dinner, we suggest Dockers & Polo shirt/golf shirt or better for men, and slacks and blouse or dress for women. Nice jeans with a nice blouse or shirt could work. One night on your cruise will be the Captain’s Dinner, also known as Elegant Night. The menu is a little better and you will have a chance to dress up and have pictures taken. There will be a dozen or so photo ops set up around the ship. There is no cost to have pictures taken; you can purchase if you choose. Even if you don’t want to bring a jacket or cocktail dress, you can dress nicely and go to the Captain’s Dinner, dine in a specialty restaurant, or dine in the café.

 

Q:  How much luggage can I bring?

A:  Two bags per person is the suggested limit. We have taken more than this with no complaints from anyone.

 

Q:  Can I bring drinks/alcohol on the ship?

A:  Each adult can bring one bottle of wine or champagne in their carry-on luggage. The rules state: that you can't bring liquor, beer, more than 1 bottle of wine, or bottles/cans of water or soda with your carry-on bags (and none in your checked bags). The cruise lines are checking more bags than in the past and confiscating excessive soda and bottles of alcohol. We hear stories of how some people get booze aboard, but we always point out that the fine print states that if you are caught trying to take items on board that are forbidden, the cruise line can deny you passage on the cruise. We have heard of many bottles being confiscated but never heard of them not letting you cruise if you were caught. If it happens, we can say "We told you so".

 

Q:  What if I require a special diet?

A:  We will state your requirements on your booking, and your waiter will be aware of this and take care of you.

 

Q:  Do I have to pay for food and drinks?

A:  You will find plenty of good food on board that will be at no charge. There are some specialty dining restaurants that charge an additional cost of ~$45pp. Pizza is available almost any time of the day or night. You will find milk, tea, water, coffee, and some kind of punch/lemonade available at no charge. Sodas, orange juice, and bar drinks will be at an additional charge.

 

Q:  Is there a cost for room service and what can I order?

A:  Room service is available any time of the day or night - simply order from the room service menu located in your stateroom/suite (latest update - service charge of $7.95* applies). An 18% gratuity is additional and will automatically be added to your check. Our new room service menu features several upgraded selections including a Wagyu Beef Hamburger, Philly Cheesesteak, and Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Mint Yogurt and Roasted Asparagus.

 

Q:  Is there a charge for shows?

A:  There is no charge for any entertainment on cruise ships. You will have much to choose from. Comedy shows, Vegas-style song & dance, piano bar, live audience game shows, poolside shows and activities, movies on a 22' screen poolside, and more are included. Closer to the sail date, you will reserve show times, as there are not enough seats for the full ship. So they have each of the main shows twice. We will watch to see how soon you can reserve shows because if you wait, some will fill up and it makes it hard to plan out your week of shows.

 

Q:  How do I book a shore excursion?

A:  Closer to the cruise date, you can book online with the cruise line. We can answer questions and help with excursions if needed.

 

Q:  What if I don’t have a roommate?

A:  We can book a cabin with a second name and change the second name with no problem until a week before the sail date. For the best rate, go ahead and book your cruise with you and 'Mr/Mrs. Smith' traveling with you. Pay the deposit and work on a roommate for now. When your new roommate pays their deposit, we will apply the full amount you paid to your name on the booking. If you travel solo, you will pay double the base rate, only saving the taxes for the second person.

 

Q:  Can we add a 3rd/4th person to our cabin?

A:  Yes. When we book a cabin for 2, we may use a cabin that only holds 2 passengers and is less expensive than a category that is the same size but has a pull-down bed.  To add a 3rd/4th person, we may have to move you to a different cabin (that will hold up to 4) and the cost on the first two is a little more, but the cost on the 3rd/4th could be $100+ less. When we average this out, everyone in the cabin pays less. This may not be the case if you deposit on a cabin now, and want to add another person later. Remember – the rooms are small, but the bathroom gets very small when 4 adults need to shower and get ready for dinner at the same time.

 

Q:  What can I purchase on the ship and how do I pay for it?

A: When you do your online check-in, you will enter the credit card that will be used for all purchases on the ship. You will purchase items (gifts, drinks, excursions, etc.) using your room key. You can go to the service desk at any time to see the details/balance of your onboard account. During the cruise, you can have the cruise line apply a cash or credit card payment to your room account. Most commonly, guests will leave the ship without doing anything and the cruise line will apply the charges to your card after the cruise. On the last night of the cruise, each cabin will be given a printout of the charges to review. So, if you review this and see no problem, just allow Royal to charge your card on file and don’t worry about it.

 

As I get more questions from the group members, I will add them here, to supply the answers to everyone.