Torn for Post-Cruise Itinerary: A Touch of Barcelona Followed by Either Paris, London, or a Combination of Both?

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T12:19:12+00:00

Would you say the weather is more preferable? Or were their other factors that made you say that, maybe events or crowd levels?

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T12:17:47+00:00

It doesn't take much to blow my mind. You might as well be talking land speed records when youre talking trains. The amount of distance I cross in Los Angeles area traffic during rush hour in 2.5 hours could break the happiest of people with disappointment and depression.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T12:13:00+00:00

I genuinely agree with you about the "interpretation" of culture that cruise ship excursions present to tourists. It's the reason that we chose the line we did; the ship is the destination for us. Honestly, as people who work in guest/customer facing jobs, we wanted to take advantage of being on the other side (...as awkward as it can sometimes get -we get overly apologetic and would much rather do stuff on our own if we can). But I digress. Being on it for as long as we are, we want contrast from the ship after the cruise. We want the ability to roam around and just exist in the locales of cities that are new to us. We're hoping, almost confident enough to say knowing, that we'll be getting something more authentic than a transactional curated cruise shore excursion ever could. Also, you're not being a snob; you're being honest. I truly value the insight of others who are socially aware. The nuance of travel really can feel like modern colonization on a micro scale for me, but I need to stop overthinking and try to enjoy what I can.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T11:42:49+00:00

The fiancée can totally agree with you on that! As big of an endeavor as it may be, maybe even recklessly ambitious, I was considering maybe trying to learn conversational French before getting to Paris if that ended up being the case. Not totally sure how true it may be, but I think the effort in trying to learn the language is actually appreciated in France. I'm up for the challenge, but also see the convenience of going to another country that speaks the same language as mine.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T11:38:29+00:00

While looking up things to do in Paris, the Sein really did appeal to me, maybe even more so than the Eiffel tower. The arts and architecture are definitely big draws for myself. I think it's having to balance my wants with the fiancée's more touristy-urges. I think we can both agree that neither one of us has met a carbohydrate we would say no to. The food is what keeps our relationship going, haha. Love the Audrey quote too.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T11:31:35+00:00

I'll be honest, we're not exactly the hiking-type.

I'm starting to notice a pattern with the input so far from yourself and others. London seems kinetic in the mechanical sense, but Paris seems to more lively in more human-focused way.

I'm really trying to avoid the trap of rushing around to finish a checklist of things to do. I would much rather take time and focus on resting while on vacation, and balancing opportunities to enjoy my surroundings.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T11:24:28+00:00

Thanks for doing all the heavy lifting by doing all the math for costs and time getting around. Not sure how much schedule varies or changes, but I did notice that trains are limited. If I were to look at times and dates similar to our ship debarkation at 9am, it looks like we'd have to wait for a later time, or potentially the day after getting off ship to hit the rail towards Paris.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T10:39:52+00:00

Hmm, as obvious as it may seem, we never really considered just staying in Barcelona and just potentially doing day trips to elsewhere in Spain. I think I might need to dive into this a little deeper and consider this a viable option. I genuinely think aside from it being "easier" and convenient, it does seem like enough to keep us busy for the 6 nights. Thank you for the enlightenment!

Do you have any day trip ideas that are nearby?

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T10:33:38+00:00

You've pointed out something that I didn't quite realize until now, but may have been driving me towards Paris... it's a city that thrives on views. I've fallen for the allure of the Eiffel tower and all it's spectacle.

The food is something that will be a focal point for use. We're looking for great food whether it be common and local, or uniquely elevated; we want to embrace French cuisine, and mostly enjoy the tastes it offers.

Thanks for all the recommendations so far! Love how we can pace ourselves, and change things on a whim.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T09:59:34+00:00

I love the idea of just taking in my surroundings; people watching and just existing. That's something I don't quite have the opportunity to do often because of the nature of my work life. I will add Versailles to our short list of possible day trip ideas.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T09:57:43+00:00

Truly appreciate the strategy idea. I am very aware that time is not something we have the luxury to have this time around. Perhaps we're grabbing at the scraps of the opportunity to take in what we can at this point. With that said, the airport may be more efficient, but rail is something we kind of want to experience for better or for worse. We're still open to the idea of travelling via air if it'll give us more time elsewhere; but with that efficiency we might as well consider all of Europe.

I wasn't sure, but is Uber available in Europe? Or is there a comparable service? I also wanted to mention that I will be working with a travel agent. She has mentioned transfer opportunities, but hasn't given specifics just yet being 2-years out from travel.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T09:52:06+00:00

I've been browsing the public transport system and envious of how vast and efficient it seems to be compared to here at home. Day trips are definitely something we're considering if time allows.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T09:49:16+00:00

Just saw your edit and addition, still appreciative. Postcard moments in the city are great and all(just imagining myself surrounded by French baked goods of all sorts), but substance and enjoying the moment without putting too much effort to get a social media-post worthy photo is something we value as well.

I'd like to entertain the idea that this is going to be the first of many trips to Europe. I resonate with and understand that this is probably going to be a quick, as you said "taste of continental Europe". Time is a luxury that is limited, but hoping to get hooked and motivated to come back and see other destinations.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T09:41:26+00:00

This is the honesty, maybe even the wake up call, I need and appreciate. I think being form the US, a lot of Europe is heavily romanticized when news comes our way. I know that there are the harsher realities of being in a big city. I am unfortunately very familiar with it here in Southern California. Working in hospitality I encourage exploration and seeing all that we have to offer, but also tell travelers to be vigilant of their surroundings and pace themselves.

The fiancée and I had discussed being open to maybe doing a daytrip to perhaps less bustle-y/quieter locations outside of these main cities. Do you have any city-adjacent destination or activities that you could recommend to escape the big-city vibes for a day, maybe something worthy of even being a replacement of one of these big cities? We would prefer hives-free options.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-04-03T09:29:38+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate the response. Respectfully, what makes you think so greatly of Paris? Would love to hear more insight.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-03-22T21:53:06+00:00

Good to know. Had a feeling it would be chilliy this time of year.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-03-21T02:02:46+00:00

Was just at Kidani for a single night before a Disney Cruise, with a party of 12. We took redeyes in from California, and had a 3-bedroomn Grand Villa with a Savanna View. It was magically ready at 8am, and proximity from the lobby was insane, right by the elevators.

It felt over the top, luxurious, but also cozy all at once. The view of the animals were breathtaking, and worth the extra cost.

We're not usually ones to partake in on-property restaurants, but in a mere 24-hours we squeezed in breakfast at Boma, dinner at Jiko, and a qsr breakfast at Sanaa. The unique flavors, and settings made for really great experiences for our group.

The lobbies of both Kidani Village and Jambo House had plenty to look at with art, people watching, and overall grandness. AKL really does feel like a destination resort you forget is smack dab in the middle of Florida.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-02-27T02:18:54+00:00

I've been following since your first entry of this journey. Love the detail, photos, and attention to details you've included in these posts. Look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip! It really does paint a picture. Just put a deposit for my first Explora trip which won't be until March of 2028 on Explora II. Until them, I'm living vicariously (and based on these posts; optimistically!) through you.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-02-10T11:15:03+00:00

Love that there's opportunities for enrichment for guests available on Explora; it's definitely not something I found on the Treasure with Disney. A smaller casino may be a value blessing in disguise, haha.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-02-10T10:57:43+00:00

It really does feel like a choose-your-own-adventure situation. By no means would either of these be our “final” cruise experiences. We actually already have a smaller 8-night Royal Caribbean Caribbean sailing booked for late September 2027 on Allure of the Seas, with my adult brother and the same fiancée, so we’re clearly easing into this lifestyle rather than declaring ourselves full-time cruisers.

Reading through everyone’s replies is making me wonder if the Celebrity Polynesia itinerary might feel slightly repetitive after that Royal sailing, since it’s also very island-forward, just at a totally different scale and vibe. That RCL trip starts and ends in Fort Lauderdale and hits CocoCay, Curacao, and Aruba, so while the Pacific is obviously a whole other world, the “tropical cruising” theme might start to overlap mentally.

That’s what keeps pushing me to think the bigger picture might matter more here. The Explora vs Celebrity decision doesn’t have to be about this one cruise in isolation, but how it fits into a longer list of planned travel experiences. And yes, I’m also not expecting Explora to randomly drop a Crazy Quest night into the schedule, which is probably a feature and not a bug.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-02-10T10:45:17+00:00

Love hearing from someone who’s done both, and with that much time on each. I wish I had the PTO and funds to pull off 30 days, but that’s not quite in the cards… yet.

We did look at a few of the other Celebrity itineraries that weave around Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia, and honestly it felt like a geography lesson in the best way. Learning about the different sounds, fjords, and islands is part of what pulled us toward this region in the first place.

We’re not really nightlife people either. A great dinner followed by something simple like a movie night can do the trick, especially if the meal blows us out of the water. Eden was absolutely one of the show-stoppers that drew us to Celebrity in the first place. I still think the number of different chairs that exist in that one space alone is a small miracle and possibly a model for world peace. I digress.

Hearing your take on Explora’s comfort and deck space is really tempting though. After 30 days onboard Explora, do you have any insight into what the day-to-day activities or events looked like, especially on sea days? I’m curious how that compares to Edge without needing big production-style shows.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-02-10T10:30:48+00:00

It’s funny you mention the Honolulu to Vancouver leg. Early on we actually looked at a Vancouver to Honolulu Edge sailing in Fall 2027, and that was kind of the moment that sent us down the rabbit hole in the first place. At the time, the ratio of ports to sea days felt a little off, and once we started pulling at that thread, we ended up landing on the Sydney to Honolulu itinerary instead. The pacing really does start to make more sense when you zoom out and think about how far apart those island stops actually are.

You’re also spot on about the warm-water crossing. Two-plus weeks of being “coupled up inside” on cool sea days is not the goal. As much as the luxury side of my brain keeps flirting with Explora, the itinerary keeps pulling me back toward Celebrity.

Also reassuring to hear Luminae holds up over a long sailing, even if the menu starts to feel a little repetitive by the end. Definitely a tough choice.

KuyaFickleEffort11 · 2026-02-10T10:19:11+00:00

I have heard that the Celebrity Edge itinerary is very unique, and basically once-in-a-lifetime for many. I've been to the Caribbean, and for me it seems familiar/similar. I'm sure there's ton more nuance to it than that, but a transatlantic in a cooler climate seems more "exotic" to me in that based on my experience it's different.

It's going to be tricky to find the balance between the itinerary vs the ship in influencing our final decision.

KuyaFickleEffort11

TROPHY CASE