When visiting the cruise port of Barcelona, passengers can organize their own transportation and transfers independent of the cruise line if they want to save money. For 2010, both Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises will be offering Mediterranean cruises roundtrip from Barcelona. Here are some independent transport options for transferring between the city of Barcelona, the airport, the cruise terminal and nearby Barcelona hotels.
Facts about Barcelona Cruise Terminal
- Location of Cruise Terminal from Barcelona Airport – Passengers on Europe cruises that originate or end in Barcelona, can use the Barcelona International Airport (BCE). The airport is approximately 13 km (just under 8 miles) from the city center (also called Placa de Catalunya) of Barcelona with the port of Barcelona located at the bottom of Las Ramblas (Barcelona’s famous boulevard).
- Getting Around the Barcelona Cruise Terminal – There are seven cruise terminals at the port of Barcelona. Four cruise terminals are located at Adossat Quay, while the other three cruise terminals are at the World Trade Center (WTC), near the Columbus Monument. The WTC is a 10-minute walk from the bottom of Las Ramblas. Passengers on ships berthed at Adossat Quay can use the Blue Bus shuttle, which travels between berths and stops at the Columbus Monument at the bottom of Las Ramblas.
- Taxi from Airport – Official Barcelona taxis are black and yellow and charge the value on the meter, but there is also a surcharge for each suitcase. Expect to pay around EUR 25 to get from the airport to the city center, taking around 20 to 30 minutes. Also, expect to pay around EUR 8 to get from the city center to the cruise port.
- Airport Shuttle – The Aerobus service is a shuttle bus that travels from all three terminals at the Barcelona airport, to the city center. The ride takes around 20 to 30 minutes and there is a bus leaving the airport every 15 minutes. Passengers can choose from a number of different stops within Barcelona, such as Placa de Catalunya (Catalonia Square located at the top of Las Ramblas). Tickets can be purchased on the bus for EUR 4.25.
- Train from Airport – The RENFE train runs every 30 minutes to and from the Barcelona airport to the city center, and the trip takes about 25 minutes. Unfortunately, from the downtown train stations, passengers will still need to choose alternate transportation (metro underground or a taxi) to get to their hotel or the cruise terminal. The cost of the train from the airport to downtown is EUR 6.
For cruises that start or end in Barcelona, most cruise lines offer a transfer that includes some type of sightseeing, too. For example, Royal Caribbean offers a Barcelona City and Airport Transfer that takes four hours and costs US$56 per person. The motor coach tour includes a photo stop at the Sagrada Familia and a walking tour of the Medieval Gothic Quarter before transferring passengers to the airport.
Renee Ruggero - Renee is a published travel writer and cruise industry insider with more than 1,000 days on cruise ships, visiting over 50 countries.
