We chose NCL because we cruised with them once before and really enjoyed our experience. At the time of booking they were offering a great promotion, which made the trip much more affordable and we think a balcony room makes the trip more comfortable and enjoyable. Once again, the service of all the cruise staff was incredible. They work so hard and are so pleasant. We did get a bit tired of the food. After a while it all tasted the same.

We booked one NCL shore excursion, as we did last time. It was very good but a bit rushed. I'm grateful for discovering CruiseCritic where I discovered useful excursion information, joined an excursion with a group on our rollcall and started an ItalyTourSharing excursion which turned out to be fantastic. It was just what we wanted, our guide/driver Luca, was exceptional, and the family we shared the trip with was wonderful. It was the best excursion we ever had. Bonus, it was far less expensive than the NCL tour.

We stayed in Barcelona for 3 days before embarking on the cruise which turned out great to get over jet lag, and explore the city and sites at a more leisurely pace. We also booked 3 days in Venice at the end of the trip which was equally wonderful. It's really nice to have some extra time in a city after all the one day visits. Read more