It took us 29 hours to fly from our home town of Adelaide to Barcelona. We arrived 5 days prior to the cruise and stayed at Silken Ramblas Hotel, just 50 yards from La Rambla. Great location and we would stay there again but I requested a non-smoking room and was disappointed to have a room that reeked of cigarette smoke and even had an ash-tray. I queried with the desk staff if it was a non-smoking room and why would it have an ash-tray. I was assured it was a non-smoking room. Whatever!!!!!

4 days exploring Barcelona was great but we were itching to begin the cruise.

Embarkation was a breeze and soon we were in our Balcony Cabin on deck 9 - a surprise for my wife who had believed my story about us having a window cabin on deck 4. After all, this cruise was to celebrate our 40th wedding Anniversary. Read more