I look at this cruise as a way to get home. I have cruised many times before, although this is my first time alone, and this one just happened to get me back to the US for about the same price as a flight.

This is also my first time on Royal Caribbean. This ship, the Vision of the Seas, is quite small by cruise ship standards. It have all one needs but I was surprised at the small gym and my experience is mostly on the Celebrity line where there are many more choices of food.

I have also found a difference in clientele and a much more relaxed dress standard. Not that my Cunard experience with four nights in a tuxedo should be the standard, but I never found it snobby to require long pants in the dining room or to require shirts worn in the cafeteria.

We departed Barcelona Friday afternoon, spent a beautiful day in the amazing natural port in Cartagena na as we departed several hours later, we were treated to a great sunset.

As I write this, the sun is rising over Malaga where I plan to visit the mountain village of Migas, a favorite of both Jean and Betty from our first time here in 1979.