Of all the tour guides we have encountered over years of cruising — and all have been varying degrees of good at their craft — no one was better than Maria Nadina. For us, she is the First Lady of Barcelona. It's not just because she speaks six languages, all of them (as near as… Continue reading Barcelona And The Woman Who Knows It Best
Tag: Barcelona
An Epic Move in Norwegian Entertainment?
Of all the cruise ships we've sailed on, the Norwegian Epic still ranks at or near the top of the list. This, despite the fact that many have railed against it as the ugly duckling of the family for any number of reasons, starting with its "box top" appearance. Frankly, what a ship looked like… Continue reading An Epic Move in Norwegian Entertainment?
New Ship: Royal Princess
There will be four new cruise ships launched this year, fewer than usual. This week, we're giving you a snapshot of all four, and the Royal Princess is number four… Launch date: June 10 Capacity: 3,600 Staterooms: 1,780 Decks: 17 Sister ship: Regal Princess (2014) Home Port: Barcelona, Fort Lauderdale Where it's sailing: Mediterranean… Continue reading New Ship: Royal Princess
Cruise Awards from the UK
There are so many cruise lines, passengers, critics and assorted opinions in North America that it's easy to forget about what the rest of the world thinks about cruise lines. Today, we bring you a sampling. It comes from the United Kingdom, where readers of Cruise International Magazine cast 20,000 ballots to pick the best… Continue reading Cruise Awards from the UK
Cruise Home Port A Changed City
BARCELONA — This is our recollection of the first time we enjoyed Barcelona, four years ago… Drive in from a beautiful seaside resort. Pay a small fortune to park the car, somewhere near the tourist haven known as La Rambla. Wander the narrow streets. Get lost. Stumble across a church that's been in a… Continue reading Cruise Home Port A Changed City