I have signed up for a cruise which includes the Southern coast of Spain. Has anyone taken such a cruise and what is your opinion of that cruise? Would this be as nice as a cruise of the Southern coast of France?

Which cruise? There are several.

This is a cruise with Seabourn.

That doesn't tell me anything. What are the ports of call? Is it the Istanbul to Malaga cruise?

Hi

You may get more info by switching to the Fodors cruise forum and searching and/or posting on that forum. See also - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum...sprune=7&f=130

We made a similar cruise with stops in Lissabon, Cadiz, Malaga, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca. Other cruises include stops in Gibraltar and North Africa.

Here some quick impressions:

- Lissabon is charming, lively city with lots to see and to do, including listening to fado music in bars and restaurants.

- Cadiz gives access to a visit of Jerez de la Frontera (Sherry bodegas), Sevilla (cathedral), white villages and jeep tours. One of the most interesting ports.

- Malaga has the Picasso Museum, but the main destination is a one-hour trip to Granada. The Alhambra is breathtaking and absolutely unique. We did not join the ship's excursion, but reserved a ticket via internet in advance and drove to Granada with a car which we rented in Malaga.

- Valencia is a typical Spanish city with lots of charm, however not too spectacular.

- If your cruise includes Mallorca, expect an islands with lots of options what to do: Museum-hopping in Palma, strolling through the beautiful city of Palma, taking the train across the mountains to Soller, visiting a historical Finca in the hinterland, touring the island including the former monastery of Valldemossa, enjoying on of the beaches..

- North African ports of call may give you a touch of exotic atmosphere, with colorful bazaars.

In sum: you won't get bored.

Thanks for the info and the referral to the cruise forum. We are making the stops you mentioned, except we are seeing Cartagena and Alicante and not Cadiz.

bfsr9,

You should also go to the Seabourn message board on Cruise critic www.cruisecritic.com