Hi,<BR>I am thinking about booking 2 cruises back to back in mid September:<BR>The Windsurf from Lisbon to Barcelona <BR>(Lisbon, Portimao, Tangier, Marbella, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Barcelona) and the Windsurf from Barcelona to Nice (Menorca, Port Vendres, Sanary sur mer, Marseille, Cannes, Nice).<BR><BR>Do you have any comments about this cruise?<BR>Have you taken this route on the Windsurf?<BR>Is it possible to use the sports platform at any of the Ports?<BR>Any comments about the ports that the cruise visits?<BR>Thank you for your help.<BR><BR>Alexandra

Alexandra- We took the Windsurf last year from Rome to Nice- it was awesome!<BR>We were going to book Barcelona to Nice this year , but because of 9/11, we stayed home--<BR><BR>You will LOVE the ship= Make sure you book a cain MIDSHIP on the 2nd level-NOT the bottom.<BR><BR>The cabins are a little small but very well equipped! the bathrooms are even smaller! LOL- but they do have a safe, tv with VCR,plenty of storage area for everything. The cabin steward brings ina fruit basket and refills it daily.<BR><BR>The marina was down when we were in Portofino,and 2 other ports- it all depends on the weather- BUt the people that used them loved it-they had kayaking,water skiing and windsurfing-NO JET SKIS.<BR><BR>The atmosphere on board is ELEGANT CASUAL- for dinner--Men only need a Polo Shirt and khakis for dinner and women wear either a sun dress,slax set, or linen pants with silk tops--NO JACKET needed at all UNLESS you are going in to the CASINO in Monte Carlo.<BR><BR>The ship is TERRIFIC!!! There is NO major show at nite- just a great band in the cocktail lounge that can play anything...<BR><BR>The casino had enough room for all to play and they even had $2 tables- so you could have fun all nite for $20! <BR><BR>The food was 5 star and wonderful!<BR>Make sure when you board the ship, that you make reservations in the Grill Room-it is the 2nd dining room on the ship and it is reservation only.<BR><BR>If you need more info, email me direct-<BR><BR>Have a GREAT TIME!!!!<BR>

Alexandra,<BR><BR>I visited some of the ports you mentioned.<BR><BR>Barcelona is wonderful, I've been there three times already. make sure of visiting Sagrada Familia, the cathedral, and gaudi buildings as la Pedrera, Casa Mila, Casa Batlo. I love the Picasso museum in Barcelona, it allows you to get in touch with Picasso evolution, since the beginning. The building itself, a medieval castle, is also interesting, and as it's small, it won't take much time.<BR><BR>Port Vendres- very uninteresting port. Go touring Colliure from there.<BR><BR>Sanary sur Mer is lovely, as is Cassis, nearby.<BR><BR>Marseille- I didn't really enjoy it. I went touring Aix en Provence, and didn't like it either.<BR><BR>There are many villages close to ( or between) Nice and Cannes, my favorites being Cap D'Antibes ( another lovely Picasso Museum over there, displaying mostly pottery), Eze, Villefranche Sur Mer, St. Paul de Vence and Vence itself. There's also Grasse, where most perfumes are done although I didn't enjoy it that much.<BR><BR>I hope it helps,<BR><BR>S

Hi,<BR>Thank you Andy and Surlok for your responses.<BR><BR>I have a couple of questions:<BR><BR>Andy: Why do you say that we shouldn't get a cabin at the bottom? <BR>I had read somewhere else that those cabins are the ones that "rock" less, and might be better if you get seasick.<BR><BR>Do you know whether they will keep our passports? Or after check-in, do they give them back to the passengers?<BR><BR>Surlok:<BR>Is it easy to get to Antibes from Cannes? Are there "intercity/intervillage" buses that travel along the waterfront between most of the cities? Or do we have to go to the train/bus station?<BR>Do you know if it is possible or a good idea to try to go to Figueras to see the Dali museum while we are in Port Vendres? (considering that we have to cross the border from France into Spain?)<BR><BR>Thank you for your help.<BR><BR>-Alexandra<BR><BR>

Alexandra- the reason not to get a cabin on the bottom is you are right OVER the motors and engine and it is very noisey-- ALso on the bottom (esp.toward the rear of the ship-you can smell diesel fumes)--<BR><BR>You will not have any more rocking on the 2nd level-- MUCH better in my opinion--and that is the deck we were booking for the 2nd WINDSURF cruise....<BR><BR>They take your passports when you first get on the ship and lock them in the safe-- the only time we got them back was if someone wanted to go off the ship in Monte Carlo to gamble- a passport is required in ALL casinos in Europe..SO if your ship is stopping somewhere there is a casino, you will get your passport--<BR><BR>I have no idea why they do this- they don't explain it to you-- And we took this cruise PRIOR to 9/11--so I can't explain their actions- All I know is I didn't need my passport in all the tiny ports-it wasn't required when I purchased something on a credit card-UNLESS you are going to request your VAT tax back- THEN you will NEED your passport- and all you have to do is go to the purser's desk and request it.....<BR>Ask when you board the ship....<BR><BR><BR><BR>And MAJOR thing you need to request:<BR>When you enter the MAIN DINING ROOM-( it is open seating) ask for a table about 4 tables in from the entrance, on the right hand side....DO NOT LET THEM PUT YOU IN THE BOW (FRONT) OF THE SHIP--that area ROCKS like a you know what!<BR>The table we had , about 4 from the entrance,was a table for 6-we asked to be seated with other couples- and we had NO movement at all the entire time!!<BR><BR>IF you need any other info, email me direct......

topping

We had cabin 111 (bottom passenger deck, aft section of cabins) on the Wind Surf for 15 nights in April and engine noise was never a problem.

JP- good that you heard nothing--<BR><BR>Maybe I am just a lighter sleeper-who knows--<BR><BR>But we did have the diesel smell-Didn't you?

Alexandra,<BR><BR>Trying to answer:<BR><BR>"Is it easy to get to Antibes from Cannes? Are there "intercity/intervillage" buses that travel along the waterfront between most of the cities? Or do we have to go to the train/bus station?"<BR><BR>I took the bus nearly in front of the train station. As a matter of fact, I don't recall if other people took it along the way, however, it might have happened. The bus not always travel along the waterfront.<BR><BR>"Do you know if it is possible or a good idea to try to go to Figueras to see the Dali museum while we are in Port Vendres? (considering that we have to cross the border from France into Spain?)"<BR><BR>I'm not sure if you'd easily get to Figueras from Port Vendres. I'd advise to post this question on the Europe board. You'll surely get some answers there. Crossing the boarder, I think, won't pose a problem, since it's the European Community, and you'll be already in a member country.<BR><BR>Regards, and good luck,<BR><BR>S <BR><BR>