We had a choice between Carnival and NCL, however, both had larger, newer ships departing Barcelona for the Western Mediterranean. The Carnival "Harmony" had just completed sea trials after a maiden voyage - the NCL "Epic" had been in service longer, so we chose her. Embarkation on June 5th was a breeze. We were in our stateroom in under 30 minutes and were soon having lunch! Our stateroom was fully prepared and our steward standing by. Luggage arrived in under an hour on a ship with over 4,000 guests - we boarded other cruise ships out of Baltimore in the past and had to wait until six or seven pm for our luggage with a piece missing with a passenger load of 2,1000 passengers. The food, especially in the Garden buffet was SUPERB EACH DAY of the cruise and ancillary dining opportunities were excellent Staff were attentive and cordial at all times. Debarkation for shore excursions went smoothly at each port of call.

NEGATIVES:

1. Casino wagering did not include nickle, quarter, or fifty-cent slots, hence you lost money quicker. Read more