This was my first cruise, so I depended heavily on the Cruise Critic reviews, so I do want to give back. This ship and cruise line were chosen because of the itinerary and the desire to be in a casual environment. With so much to do in each port, the last hing we wanted to do is think about dressing up to go to dinner.

We arrived in Barcelona 6 days before departure. Barcelona is a beautiful city, with a nonstop nightlife. The hotel we stayed in was Hotel Jazz that also offered breakfast. Great place, clean, new and 2 blocks from Catalunya Plaza.

A quick cab ride to the peer on embarkation day took us to the terminal. The process was reasonably fast, and could have gone faster if there had not been two lines, with one line deciding they could just cut in. My recommendation would be to go to a single line. However, we were on the ship quickly, and our cabin was ready. A quick unpack of carry ons, and we went for lunch in Windows. What a great room. Lunch was tasty and service excellent, which really was the theme of this cruise. Read more