Carnival Breeze Mediterranean Cruise Travel Journal

By Linda Garrison, About.com Guide

Debarkation from the Carnival Breeze could not have been simpler. Passengers have two options for getting their luggage off the ship. They can choose to either tag their luggage with the tag provided by the cruise ship that is colored based on debarkation time, place their luggage outside their cabin door late in the evening before going to bed, and then claim it in the cruise terminal the next morning. Or, they can do "self-assist", which means they keep their luggage and are responsible for carrying it off the ship and to their airport transportation. The first option is the traditional method and is best for those who either have a lot of luggage or can't wheel/carry it through the ship and terminal. The second option is best for those who either don't have much luggage or have the kind that wheels easily. The cruise terminal in Barcelona has both an elevator and an escalator, so you don't have to carry the luggage up or down stairs, although the wait at the elevator can take a little while. I really like the self-assist method since it provides maximum flexibility of when you debark.

Carnival offers transfers to the airport, but taxis are also available outside the terminal. One warning--the taxi line gets extremely long. If you are flying out of Barcelona on debarkation day, I recommend you either book a Carnival transfer to the airport or you reserve a private transfer. Those staying in Barcelona overnight have more flexibility. They can leave the Carnival Breeze very early to miss the crowds in the taxi line, or they can wait until everyone is asked to leave the ship, which was about 9 am on our cruise. Carnival offered optional shore excursion tours of Barcelona and Monserrat for those who either had late flights or were staying in the city. If you didn't get an opportunity to visit the fascinating city of Barcelona before your cruise, you definitely need to take the time after you leave the Carnival Breeze.

Our cruise on the Carnival Breeze was a wonderful twelve days on the Mediterranean. The ship is beautiful, and Carnival has added some terrific new dining, bar, and entertainment venues. I think it's a great choice and a great value for a family or multi-generational vacation, although your total vacation cost can really add up if you drink a lot, gamble, or book many shore excursions. Anyone who enjoys a tropical resort or large cruise ship vacation should find the Carnival Breeze to be fun and memorable--just as Carnival promises.

Carnival Breeze Mediterranean Cruise Itinerary

• Barcelona
• Marseille
• Livorno (Florence, Pisa, Tuscany, Cinque Terre)
• Civitavecchia (Rome)
• Salerno
• Dubrovnik
• Venice
• Messina
• Palma de Mallorca
• Barcelona
• Overview of Carnival Cruises in Europe

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary cruise accommodation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our Ethics Policy.