Our 50/50 cruise. My partner was turning 50, and this was my 50th cruise. First time for us both to visit this area. We flew to Barcelona two days before boarding the ship. Since we were flying from Washingtin DC we thought we should see Barcelona for some time bofore getting on the ship. Our hotel was very basic, very clean, and in the heart of La Ramblas. The staff were nice and we had free WiFI. My favorite spot to visit was the huge market in town that offered just about everything you wanted to eat, or take back to your home and cook yourself. Prices were reasonable, we purchased fruit several times and was all excellent. The 2nd day we took one of the "big red bus" tours. They are nice, you can buy an all day pass for about 24 euros and get on and off as much as you wish. Purchasing meals can be expensive. Be sure to ask the price of items (DRINKS - ALL TYPES) before you accept. I think they make up some of the prices as they wish, unless you ask first, and even bargain with them. I say this because I was charged almost 4 euros (that would be over $5.00 US Dollars) for a half litre of bottled water! That is crazy. Many places offer nice specials (on signs out front) that do not include the beverages and these can be very expensive.

Time to board the ship.

The Brilliance has held up well considering its age and traffic she sees. The ship was very clean for the entire cruise, and the staff were all very nice. A few rust spots here and there and several of the wood outside railings (on our balcony especially) need to be refinished. Read more