I am a great fan of crossings, and this year Silver Cloud offered a very good itinerary from Barcelona to Barbados, via ports on Southern Spain, Casablanca, and then 7 delightful sea days in warm southerly waters prior to arrival in Barbados.
I had booked this cruise almost as soon as the 2013 sailing schedule was announced and was able to book British Airways flights to Barcelona (Club Class) and home from Barbados (First Class) using my Avios points. A definite bonus as the Silversea flights are not competitively priced.
Boarding at Barcelona on Friday 25 October was a 'breeze'. We arrived at the ship at 12 noon, embarked immediately, and then enjoyed a glass of wine poolside before going to La Terrazza for lunch. By the time we got to our cabins just after 2.30, the luggage had begun to arrive which enabled us to unpack.