Real Honeymoon: Europe Cruise

At Park Guell in Barcelona 

Garrett and Jessica recently celebrated their honeymoon by staying in Barcelona, taking a 7 night cruise to France and Italy, then returning to Barcelona and taking a train up to Madrid for a few nights.  Cruises are a great way to see a lot of different destinations, and then you can return to your favorite places at a later time!

Here is what Garrett and Jessica had to say about their honeymoon:

1. Where did you go?

We flew into Barcelona and stayed for 2 nights before embarking on our 7 day cruise to Nice (France), Genoa, Florence, Rome and Salerno (Italy) and back to Barcelona. Then we took the train to Madrid for another 2 nights and flew back to the states.

2.  How did you decide on this destination?

We knew that we wanted some new destinations to explore together and we love cities and experiencing various cultures. Europe has always struck us as being the ideal honeymoon destination so we went for it.

In Cinque Terre, Italy

3. Did you like where you stayed?

We enjoyed the locations of the hotels. We also loved how each of them was unique. They are not your typical big-chain hotels but had a very local flavor in addition to the English speaking staff.

4. What did you think about the destination?

Each city was very enjoyable and we really overdid ourselves with the exploration but it was well worth the physical effort.

5. Did you receive any special honeymoon amenities or upgrades?

We did receive a fruit platter at the U232 hotel but everything else was fairly standard.

At the Colosseum in Rome

6. What was your favorite part of your honeymoon?

We loved exploring Rome on our own. We took the train in from the port and got around on a tourist map using their public transportation system. It was neat seeing history blended with modern Rome.

7. Do you have any suggestions for other couples going on a similar honeymoon?

There is no pressure to book the shore excursions with the cruise. All of them are overpriced and you are able to get the information you need to get around from the concierge. There’s so much to enjoy on your own that it’s well worth the effort and planning. Also, don’t overdo yourself, otherwise you will spend many weeks recovering from what was supposed to be a relaxing time after the wedding.

8. What 3 words would you use to describe your honeymoon?

Adventurous, Cultural, Busy