My husband and I (in our late 30's) cruised on the Brilliance of the Seas out of Barcelona from May 22, 2009 to June 3, 2009 to celebrate our 15th anniversary.  We chose this cruise because of the great itinerary, which did not disappoint. 

DAY 1 - We had arrived in Barcelona the night before.  Unfortunately none of our luggage arrived with us.  We stayed at the Hotel Duquesa De Cardona which is a few blocks from La Rambla along the waterfront.  The hotel was nice, in a convenient location, and the staff was very helpful attempting to resolve the luggage problem.  We had intended to see some of Barcelona that day before boarding the ship.  We did walk around the Gothic Quarter and visited the Cathedral.  We decided if at noon British Air still didn't know where our luggage was, then we should start shopping.  The hotel concierge told us where the closest department store was, so that was where we spent our afternoon.  Not fun when you don't speak the language, can't read the labels, sizing is all different than what we're used to, and you have limited time with a lot to find!  It was almost 4pm by the time we got to the ship.  There was no line and we quickly checked-in and boarded.

TIP - If you lose your luggage, RCI will work with the airline to get your luggage delivered to the ship in another port.  They also provided us with bathrobes, slippers, and toiletries.  CruiseCare, the cruise insurance through RCI, includes baggage delay assistance.  They weren't very helpful locating the bags, but they will cover $500 beyond what the airline covers if your luggage is delayed more than 24 hours. Read more