Morocco, The Canary Islands, Portugal & Spain

I love me some cruises and this trip was done on the Norwegian Jade back around January 2011! It was a nine night cruise that took us thru Spain (Barcelona & Malaga), Madeira Portugal, the Canary Islands and Morocco!

We got to see soo much in such a short period of time and we loved it! I have to say what I enjoy most about cruises is that everything is rolled up into one experience -- hotel, food, transportation, entertainment, etc.

We loved Barcelona so much when we first went in 2007 -- that we jumped on the opportunity to go there again and stay a while. So we spent a few days before and after our cruise there and got a great deal on the hotel using my sister's RCI points and we saw some touristy places we didn't get to see last time, revisited some favorites and just spent time living and enjoying Barcelona! It was awesome and we would go back there again in a heartbeat!!!

For the other countries -- we made no plans and toured around on our own when we disembarked which was very easy to do in Madeira and the Canary Islands. In Casablanca we walked where we could walk to and cabbed it everywhere else. In the other Moroccan port -- Essaouira. -- we were part of a cruise critic tour that saved us money from the Norwegian's tour! Another money saver -- on this particular cruise was the cruise cost -- about $700pp including taxes for 9 nights! All of the ports were in their off season!!

Total cost: 2k for a 2 week vacation!!