Detailed Photo Review of Carnival Sunshine 12-Night Mediterranean Cruise 9/8/13

[deladane]

[B][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Purple"]Once we were finished, we took the metro to the Passeig de Gracia stop and walked along the Block of Discord up to Casa Batllo.

[IMG]https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1379382_10102299871470939_1887350804_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1385592_10102299871585709_589967850_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1393518_10102299871675529_222868180_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1381768_10102299872329219_2063950992_n.jpg[/IMG]

Casa Batllo was one of the houses that Antonio Gaudi built. It was whimsical and ornate, and there are no straight lines in the structure so all the corners and windows and door frames have rounded edges. The balconies on the front facade are designed to look like Venetian masks.

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1382133_10102299872334209_1036294024_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1393642_10102299872438999_1289059668_n.jpg[/IMG]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

[deladane]

[B][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Purple"]The line to enter was not too long when we arrived, but we had pre-purchased our tickets anyway. The tickets for Casa Batllo are bought for a specific day, but you can enter at any time, and it included the audio guide as well. We walked through all the floors and up to the roof. There were a lot of stairs involved, but they also have an elevator if you need it (just be prepared to wait a loooong time because the elevator only holds 2-3 people and there is only 1 so it takes a while before it stops at your floor and is empty enough for you to get on lol)

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/578720_10102299872623629_2043557920_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1391927_10102299872773329_1334746099_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/579163_10102299873057759_321721590_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1382401_10102299873122629_1347856578_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1382005_10102299873222429_1034462041_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1374293_10102299873402069_1937935145_n.jpg[/IMG]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

[deladane]

[SIZE="3"][COLOR="Purple"][B][IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/544064_10102299874360149_1241064828_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1393921_10102299874614639_64238_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1392826_10102299875547769_884943463_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1378772_10102299875622619_493331123_n.jpg[/IMG]

This was a video display that was really cool to watch. It repeats on a 3-minute loop, and the lights and music were exciting to watch.

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1384253_10102299875747369_1675246965_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/578724_10102299875892079_332840910_n.jpg[/IMG]
[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[deladane]

[B][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Purple"]After the video display, I walked up these stairs...

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1393753_10102299875887089_2103882162_n.jpg[/IMG]

to reach the roof! I certainly had never seen a roof or chimney like this before!

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1379899_10102299876371119_671218728_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1376639_10102299876396069_2050776403_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/37043_10102299876755349_1486323281_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1385033_10102299876969919_1841433212_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1392533_10102299877089679_851207177_n.jpg[/IMG]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

[deladane]

In case you wanted to see some photos of the station...

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/541868_10102270213485779_982709538_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1374071_10102270213550649_311217141_n.jpg[/IMG]

[deladane]

[SIZE="3"][B][COLOR="Purple"]oops, my bad, ignore that last post, i just realized i posted it in the wrong thread! that's what happens when you have way too many tabs open and you are rushing to post on cruise critic before going to work!! LOL[/COLOR][/B][/SIZE]

[girlscruise2011]

[quote name='deladane'][SIZE="3"][B][COLOR="Purple"]oops, my bad, ignore that last post, i just realized i posted it in the wrong thread! that's what happens when you have way too many tabs open and you are rushing to post on cruise critic before going to work!! LOL[/COLOR][/B][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

Thats ok. What thread is that posted on? I'm curious as to what ships have the pour your own beer. Not sure if its a really good thing though for DH ;)

On another note, great review. I love the pictures. They show so much detail of the architecture. I'm thinking of a Mediterrean cruise for 2015. Your review definately makes it very tempting.

Keep up the good work :)

[deladane]

[quote name='girlscruise2011']Thats ok. What thread is that posted on? I'm curious as to what ships have the pour your own beer. Not sure if its a really good thing though for DH ;)

On another note, great review. I love the pictures. They show so much detail of the architecture. I'm thinking of a Mediterrean cruise for 2015. Your review definately makes it very tempting.

Keep up the good work :)[/QUOTE]

Thank you! There was a thread yesterday morning about the beer station specifically on the Sunshine. I'm not positive, but I think the Breeze also has it.

[deladane]

[B][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Purple"]We left Casa Batllo around 1pm and were ready for lunch, but surprisingly, there were very few options. We headed in the direction of the next Gaudi house and kept our eyes open for somewhere to eat.

Burberry store (too bad it was closed because it was a Sunday!)
[IMG]https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1380569_10102299877763329_1038947813_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1383498_10102299878297259_1243544475_n.jpg[/IMG]

We ended up finding a nice restaurant on the second floor of this fancy, old building.

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1383670_10102299878232389_180040671_n.jpg[/IMG]

I ordered the seafood risotto... it was very tasty, and it reminded me of yet another variety of paella (my third in 3 days haha)

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1378454_10102299878312229_300836309_n.jpg[/IMG]

We pre-purchased tickets for 3pm to see Gaudi's other house, Casa Mila. We arrived at 2:20pm and they allowed us to enter early. Since the audio guides had been so helpful at Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo, we decided to upgrade our tickets for an extra 4 Euros to add the audio guide here. It is interesting to note that people actually live in this building on the lower floors. I couldn't imagine really living in a public museum like that, but the residents use a separate elevator bank, and visitors are escorted to the museum floors so we weren't walking through the private apartments.

[IMG]https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1379768_10102299878526799_823915110_n.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1044082_10102299878801249_280690411_n.jpg[/IMG]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

[deladane]

 

 

Our first stop was to go straight up to the roof. This roof was even more impressive than the one at Casa Batllo! There were tons of stairs going up and down the wavy roofline, and the chimneys all resembled warriors. Yet another example of Gaudi's creative genius!

 

 

 

 

[3dashers]

Thanks for this awesome review. You mentioned getting euros from the ATM. Were you using a bank ATM card or cc? If bank card, I've read that sometimes ppl have problems using them from the US? Any insight? Tks

[deladane]

Thanks for this awesome review. You mentioned getting euros from the ATM. Were you using a bank ATM card or cc? If bank card, I've read that sometimes ppl have problems using them from the US? Any insight? Tks

 

We opened accounts with Charles Schwab- they don't charge any ATM fees abroad so we were able to use the ATMs all over Europe with no problems :) We had to open a brokerage account where we deposited our money, and then open a checking account to transfer the money over and have ATM access. It was also helpful because in case anyone stole our ATM cards, they would only be able to potentially steal the limited cash we had in that account specifically for the cruise, and not have access to our usual bank accounts! Hope that helps :)

[deladane]

The roof also offered great views of the Eixample district.

 

 

Once we were finished enjoying the roof, we went down one floor to the attic level. The red brick arches that run throughout the attic were beautiful, and the museum featured lots of information about Antonio Gaudi (some of which we had already learned earlier today at the other buildings haha), and it also had examples of his ergonomic furniture designs.

 

 

 

 

 

[deladane]

Our last stop was to the next floor down, which was a furnished apartment. Unlike Casa Batllo, Casa Mila is fully furnished and set up like an apartment at the turn of the century. It was interesting to see how someone would have lived in this building over 100 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[deladane]

We left around 3:30pm and used our unlimited metro cards to ride the bus back to Placa Catalunya. We decided to head back to the hotel to rest and repack our bags. At 6:30pm, we walked down to Las Ramblas in search of some more souvenirs. I bought a tshirt for my dad, and mom bought a few things too.

 

Around 8:30, we were hungry for dinner and decided to eat at a tapas restaurant near the top of Las Ramblas. I didn't get to take photos because we were so hungry that we ate the food before I had a chance to take out my camera haha The food was very good, and it made for a nice last meal in Spain. After dinner, we went back to the hotel around 10pm to finish packing.

 

On Monday, we ate our last breakfast at the hotel, and had the hotel concierge call us a taxi to go to the airport. Our flight home was uneventful... we had beautiful views of the southern coast of Spain, and they served lunch midway through the flight.

 

 

 

 

 

Well, that's it folks! I hope you enjoyed reading my review :) Please let me know if you have any other questions about anything! I took over 2,500 photos on this trip, so if there was something else you wanted to see a photo of, let me know and I'll check to see if I have one.

[urlana]

Aww Dana have so enjoyed reliving our cruise through your reviews. Feel sad that you've finished and our cruise now feels over :( Hope you manage to do more cruises and review them as well. Liz

[deb63]

What a great review. I really enjoyed your writing and the wonderful pics. Thank you so much for taking the time to share!

[lifeisgoodPat]

Thank you so much for your review and wonderful pictures. I was on the Breeze in the Med in Oct. of 2012 and enjoyed all of what you saw, but it was so nice to relive it with you. You have done it so much better then I ever could have. I want to go back so bad, but without Carnival going there next year, it might be too expensive on another line. I will keep checking prices and see what I can do. Thanks again for a fantastic review.

[worldbound30]

Great review - thanks for sharing!

[luvcdays]

Awesome review!!! Thank you very much for taking the time to post it for all of us to either relive our past med cruise or see & hear about these great places for the first time.

[stlrboo]

Enjoyed your review, and its amazing how different your experiences were than ours, and we were on the same cruise, and shared several excursions together! :) Guess there are still many things to see and do in the Med, so D and I may do another, altho' we have a few other 'Bucket List' items to take care of first!;):rolleyes:

Our thanks to you and Lonnie for a wonderful time; Hope to meet up in the future!!:p:D

[deladane]

Thanks everyone! I'm sort of sad to be finished with the review because it was fun for me to relive my the vacation as I wrote about it :) Not sure when I will get to cruise again, but hopefully some of us can cross paths again (or for the first time!)

[rosecruise]

Thank you for your review. One day we'd like to do the Med cruise.

 

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Forums mobile app

[gua gua]

I would like to join the "chorus" in thanking you for the truly amazing review and pictures.

 

What camera did you use ?

 

Thanks,

gua gua

[deladane]

I would like to join the "chorus" in thanking you for the truly amazing review and pictures.

 

What camera did you use ?

 

Thanks,

gua gua

 

Thank you! I don't have a fancy camera... just a Canon point and shoot (Canon HS 330). I really liked the camera and it took great photos, but nothing nearly as amazing as a DSLR would have done! I just decided that I didn't want to carry the extra weight of a DSLR, so I bought the point and shoot instead :)