Sun Princess - Transatlantic: Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale

Where this cruise calls, day by day

6 ports and 10 sea days over 15 Nights.

1. Day 1

   Barcelona

   SpainDepart

   The busiest cruise port in Europe, and for many Western Mediterranean itineraries the place the whole trip starts or ends. Barcelona is a full-scale city rather than a port town: Gaudi's unfinished basilica, a dense medieval quarter, and a working waterfront all within a few metro stops. Ships berth on a long industrial mole well outside the centre, so the day begins with a bus ride rather than a gangway stroll.

   • Sagrada Familia - book a timed entry well ahead; walk-ups are usually turned away
   • Park Guell and the Gaudi mosaics on Carmel hill
   • The Gothic Quarter and Barcelona Cathedral, on foot from Placa de Catalunya
   • La Boqueria market and a walk down La Rambla to the Columbus monument

   Getting ashore

   All cruise ships now use the Moll d'Adossat terminals roughly 3 km from the old city; the paid blue Portbus shuttle runs to the foot of La Rambla, and walking out is not practical.

   Best months

   Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct (Jul-Aug is hot, crowded and expensive)

2. Day 2 · At sea

3. Day 3

   Malaga

   SpainPort

   The main gateway to the Costa del Sol, but the city itself has quietly become an art destination - Picasso was born here and there are now several serious museums within walking distance of each other. A Moorish fortress and the castle above it dominate the centre, and the remodelled port district puts shops and restaurants right where you disembark. Granada and Ronda are both feasible as full-day trips.

   • The Alcazaba fortress and the Gibralfaro castle walk above it
   • Museo Picasso Malaga in the Buenavista palace
   • The cathedral, known locally as La Manquita for its unfinished second tower
   • A day trip to the Alhambra in Granada, roughly 1.5 hours inland

   Getting ashore

   Most ships use the Levante quay by Muelle Uno, a 15-20 minute waterfront walk into the centre; larger ships at Muelle 2 rely on a shuttle.

   Best months

   Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct

4. Day 4

   Gibraltar

   GibraltarPort

   Gibraltar is a British territory occupying a 426m limestone monolith at the mouth of the Mediterranean, and the Rock dominates every view from the ship. Ashore it is oddly hybrid: pubs, chain shops and pounds sterling on Main Street, with Spain a ten-minute walk away across an active airport runway. The Upper Rock, with its tunnels, caves and macaques, is the real attraction.

   • The Upper Rock Nature Reserve and its Barbary macaques, Europe's only wild monkeys
   • St Michael's Cave and the Great Siege Tunnels cut through the limestone
   • The cable car to the summit, or the climb up the Mediterranean Steps
   • Main Street and Casemates Square for duty-free and a very British lunch

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at the cruise terminal on the North Mole, about a 15-20 minute walk from Casemates Square at the top of Main Street.

   Best months

   Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct (the Levanter cloud can cap the Rock in any season)

5. Day 5

   Cadiz

   SpainPort

   One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, sitting on a spit of land almost entirely surrounded by water. The old town is compact, salt-worn and easy to cover on foot, but most passengers treat Cadiz as the doorway to Seville, which is about an hour and a half inland. The rail station is right beside the port, which makes independent day trips unusually straightforward here.

   • Cadiz Cathedral and the yellow-tiled dome above the old town
   • Torre Tavira and its camera obscura view over the rooftops
   • The Mercado Central and the seafood bars around it
   • Seville's Alcazar and cathedral, or a sherry bodega tour in Jerez

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock a few minutes' walk from the old-town gate, so no shuttle is needed; the train and bus stations are adjacent for Seville and Jerez.

   Best months

   Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct (inland Seville is punishing in Jul-Aug)

6. Day 6 · At sea

7. Day 7

   Santa Cruz de Tenerife

   SpainPort

   Tenerife's capital is a business and government town, with a Calatrava-designed opera house on the waterfront and very little in the way of resort character. The real reason to be here is Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak, an hour up into a volcanic caldera that looks nothing like the coast. The UNESCO-listed old town of La Laguna is a shorter and often better-value alternative.

   • Teide National Park and the cable car towards the 3,715 m summit
   • La Laguna's grid of colonial streets and painted mansions
   • The Auditorio de Tenerife on the seafront
   • Playa de Las Teresitas, the imported-sand beach at San Andres

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock in the centre of Santa Cruz, a short walk from Plaza de Espana and the shopping streets.

   Best months

   Year-round; Nov-Apr is mild, and Teide can be snowbound in winter

8. Day 8 · At sea

9. Day 9 · At sea

10. Day 10 · At sea

11. Day 11 · At sea

12. Day 12 · At sea

13. Day 13 · At sea

14. Day 14 · At sea

15. Day 15 · At sea

16. Day 16

    Fort Lauderdale, FL

    United StatesArrive

    Port Everglades is the easy one. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International sits barely two miles from the berths - the shortest airport-to-ship hop of any major US homeport - and the eight passenger terminals are spread far enough apart that traffic rarely knots the way Miami's does. Check your terminal number before you set off; they are not close together.

    • Las Olas Boulevard for lunch, then the walk down to the beach
    • The Water Taxi loop along the New River and Intracoastal, past the yacht basins
    • Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, a 1920s estate hemmed in by condo towers
    • Hollywood Broadwalk, 20 minutes south, for a flatter and cheaper beach day

    Getting ashore

    Eight passenger terminals (2, 4, 18, 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29) ring the harbour on separate access roads, and FLL is about 2 miles out - often under 15 minutes door to door.

    Best months

    Nov-Apr (Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season)