Brilliance of the Seas - November 18 -30, 2009

We arrived in Barcelona mid-morning, (local time), on November 16. I would recommend that anyone dealing with a significant time change, as we did coming from Canada, allow at least a day to re-adjust your "inner clock". We built in a second day in Barcelona to see the sights and weren't disappointed. If you only have a full day before your cruise, then the hop-on hop-off Tourist Bus is a perfect way to see the highlights of Barcelona. For about 20 Euro/person, you can ride all around the city, and get on and off to see the sights as it suits you.

The boarding process was relatively smooth and efficient, and we boarded "Brilliance" around noon on November 18. We had lunch and a drink in the Windjammer Cafe while waiting for our stateroom to become available at 1:00 P.M. We had been upgraded from an outside to a balcony stateroom, and will probably book a balcony for all future cruises. Never having had a balcony room before, I didn't realize how nice it is being able to sit outside, watching the ocean go by, when the weather is pleasant. Read more