BARCELONA, SPAIN

8/6/2023

We docked in Barcelona at around 6:30 PM last evening. There were several evening tours offered for guests including dinner in the Gothic Quarter, an opera performance, a Flamenco show with tapas dinner and a tour of Barcelona.

We enjoyed a terrific dinner with two special people organized by our wonderful butler Rao. Appetizers alone could have been the dinner. Rao brought up some of the newer butlers before our guests arrived to show them the set-up as part of their instruction. We knew many of them as they were in other roles on the ship over the past several years.

We had pre-ordered the chateaubriand an vegetables and the guests ordered appetizer and salad. As it turned out everyone had caesar salad and the two of us had the prawn appetizer.

And then there was the wine.

The featured entertainment was a performance by The Crystal Showband & Friends

Our first visit to Barcelona was during a pre-cruise stay in 1997. Since that time, we have visited many times and most recently in 2018 and 2019. It’s a vibrant city with lots to do and see. We appreciate the architecture of the buildings, its people, history and walking Las Rambles and adjacent streets in the downtown area.

Although not in the forecast the morning had on and off rain and at one point downtown it was pouring. Highs of only high 70's which is much different than back home.

Some of you have been asking about the on-board Stores. We visited them yesterday but didn't take photos while inside. These are photos we took from the outside each store. More merchandize arrived in Lisbon.

Hubert Jewelers returned and the location for the watch shop is the same. The high rollers room was converted back to a store. In the early days it was used for art that was part of the art auction. Then it became a store selling Crystal logo items. Then the high rollers room and now back to a store selling Crystal Logo and beachwear. Captain's Choice the larger store is organized very similar to before except many of the brands have changed, at least for now.