Tour Privado: Entre em uma das cidades medievais mais antigas da Europa - Girona

We left Phoenix May 18 and traveled via Air Canada to Lisbon. There we spent 3 wonderful days exploring the city before we boarded a flight to Barcelona. We had one day to spend in Barcelona before boarding a 7 day Mediterranean cruise on the MSC Splendida. Our itinerary took us to Marseille (Provence), France, Livorno (Florence), Italy, Cagliari (Sardinia), Palermo Italy, La Valletta Malta and back to Barcelona. Of the above sites we could easily have bypassed Marseille and Palermo. Palmero was the worst stop. Garbage was everywhere, traffic jams and horns blaring filled the air. It was complete waste of time. The MSC cruise ship/experience was very similar to the Royal Caribbean cruise we took out of Venice last year. The difference came down to three items: 1. MSC stopped water service after breakfast. If you wanted a glass of water you had to pay for it! 2. The smell of smoke was everywhere on the MSC ship. It was supposed to be limited to specific sections but we regularly saw people walking on all decks both smoking cigarettes and vaping while crew members ignored it. 3. There was no adult pool on the MSC ship. You always had children to contend with wherever you laid out. The crew and entertainment were first rate. The food was what you expect to get on a cruise. If you want something "special" you book a reservation at a specialty restaurant and pay extra, which we did one night. One final note; there were probably under 20 Americans on this cruise and we were delighted to spend time with so many people from Europe. We never had a bad experience and if MSC would make just a couple of changes we might book with them again.

My husband & I embarked on the French vessel MS Raymonde one evening in October 2025. This comfortable, well-appointed barge would take us cruising along the waterways of Belgium for 7 days and 6 nights. MS Raymonde is part of the fleet owned by the French company, Croisi Europe. After settling into our cabins, we were greeted by the friendly English-speaking crew with a welcome cocktail, followed by our first on-board French cuisine dinner, prepared by the very talented and creative French chef. This was a promising start to a friendly and comfortable cruise along the amazing network of Belgian canals and the excellent excursions to heritage Belgian cities and the thrill of passing through numerous locks, one in particular - the Strépy-Thieu boat lift. Construction of this lift began in 1982 and was completed in 2002 to replace a system of two locks and four 16 metre lifts dating from 1888 to 1900 at an estimated cost of €160 million. I must admit, when going through the locks, I found it difficult to tell if our barge was going up or down! I wasn’t the only one!!! On board, the cabins are small but adequate, well-equipped and bright with a full-size en-suite. There is a Lovely sitting area with a bar and a hot spa on the lower deck, plus a large sun deck for sun-seekers. All meals and drinks are included with free WiFi on board. Headsets are included for excursions and guided tours. Guided tours included the beautiful cities of Ghent, Bruges, Mons, Halle, and, of course, the capital of Belgium, Brussels, where we marvelled at the Grand-Place with its magnificent, richly decorated facade and tower of City Hall, one of the most beautiful buildings in the country. Cruising is gentle, and it is relaxing to watch the scenery as we sail by. I would highly recommend this relaxing Croisi Europe Barge Cruise to discover the best of Belgium's waterways and historic cities. Jeanette Savage

Mesmerized with the serene natural environment, amazed how the heritage castle is revived to bring about an ambience of tranquility and harmony. The community is warm and spiritually united. Thank you for the oasis that you have built together with love and care.