12 Day, Grand Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Barcelona.

This cruise was a fantastic value and the itinerary was amazing. By the end of our vacation we were exhausted but we saw some spectacular sights and had a phenomenal vacation. We are 26 and 30 years old and moderately active. We chose to do all but one port on our own in an effort to save money and maximize our experiences. We easily walked over 5 miles at each port. If you are traveling in a similar style as us, my best advice is to try to be off the ship first, which we failed to do a few times. Sometimes, being 15 minutes late will put you 1 hour behind schedule because of missed busses/trains and longer lines. Also, research the public transportation options before you go. Print out Train/Subway maps and buy the international data plan for your phone, even if you only use it for Google maps. Because when you get off the boat, it's not always obvious which direction you need to go to find the train/bus/metro. Also, usually you can find other people on your boat that are doing the same thing that you are doing, so don't be afraid to ask those people (or even locals) for directions or information on train schedules. Most people that we encountered spoke English and tried to be helpful. We relied heavily on Rick Steve’s "Mediterranean Cruise Ports” book and downloaded a lot of his free audio guides to our phones.

The Spirit  In a word, this boat is just "OK”. Our cruise focused more on the ports so a lack luster experience on the ship was not a big deal. We ate at the Raffles buffet and both of the free dining rooms (Windows and The Garden, which were very similar except for the dress code). I would compare the buffet food to the quality of a Golden Corral. The dining room food was a little better and I would try to eat there when I had the chance. The dress code was casual. I packed one shirt and tie (just in case), but it wasn’t really necessary. I wasn’t too impressed with the shows, but they were a good way to pass the time. They were mostly song and dance, but there were also acrobats and a magician. The passengers were mostly older. There were a few other couples around our age (late 20s), but not many. There were meet-and-greet focus groups, but nothing for your regular, English speaking, straight, young-adult couples. The staff was wonderful. Read more