Sun Princess Barcelona‑to‑Rome Mediterranean Cruise
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If you’re researching a Barcelona‑to‑Rome Mediterranean cruise or planning a sailing on the Sun Princess, this guide walks you through our complete itinerary, dining plan, shore excursions, and everything we booked in advance. We sailed the Sun Princess last summer from Rome to Athens and loved it so much that we booked this Mediterranean route the moment it was announced. This itinerary is packed with iconic ports in Spain, Gibraltar, and Italy — plus a rare bonus: a scenic day dedicated to the 2026 total solar eclipse.
We’re flying into Barcelona a day early (highly recommended!) to revisit Sagrada Familia and enjoy the city before boarding. For this cruise, we chose an oceanview cabin and splurged on the Premier Package, which is perfect for a ship with standout specialty dining like Butcher’s Block, Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, and Love by Britto. I booked all our dinner reservations months ahead, and we planned our excursions through a mix of Viator, Shore Excursion Group, and our Premier Package credit.
Below you’ll find our full Barcelona‑to‑Rome Sun Princess itinerary, including what we booked, why we chose each experience, and placeholders for the full reviews I’ll add once we’re home. Whether you’re planning a Mediterranean cruise, comparing Princess itineraries, or deciding if the Premier Package is worth it, this guide will help you plan smarter and travel easier.
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✈️ Pre‑Cruise: Barcelona
We’re arriving one day early to settle in, eat tapas, and revisit Sagrada Familia. Barcelona is one of those cities that feels magical every time, and starting a cruise here just feels right. I bought our Sagrada Familia tickets online so we can walk right in without waiting.
Day‑by‑Day Itinerary, Dining & Excursions
Day 1 — Barcelona, Spain (Embarkation Day)
Dinner: Butcher’s Block by Dario — 5:30 PM We ate here last year, but I never posted my review because we walked in way too full from one of the best lunches of my life in Naples. This time, we’re arriving hungry and ready to give it a fair shot.
Day 2 — At Sea
Dinner: Crown Grill — 6:20 PM A classic sea‑day steakhouse night. Cozy, familiar, and perfect for settling into the rhythm of the ship.
This was my husband’s favorite place we ate last year so I booked it early!
Day 3 — Gibraltar, Great Britain
Excursion: Food & Wine Tasting with Views of Africa Booked using my $100 Premier Package shore excursion credit — love when the package pays for itself. This tasting overlooks the Strait of Gibraltar with views of Africa in the distance.
Dinner: Umai Hot Pot — 6:40 PM Interactive, cozy, and perfect after a foodie port day.
Day 4 — Cartagena, Spain
Excursion: Ancient Rome Wine Tasting (Viator) Yes, we’re dressing up as Romans and drinking wine. This is exactly the kind of quirky, immersive experience I love booking through Viator.
Dinner: The Catch by Rudi — 6:40 PM Seafood night! Rudi’s dishes are always beautifully plated and full of flavor.
Day 5 — Total Solar Eclipse Scenic Cruising
This is the main event — Princess has special programming planned, and we’ll be on deck for the eclipse with cameras ready.
Dinner: Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria — 8:20 PM A romantic Italian dinner after the eclipse feels perfect.
Day 6 — At Sea
Dinner: Love by Britto — 7:00 PM This restaurant is pure art — colorful, creative, and such a fun date night.
We ate here last year, and it was spectacular a real treat!
Day 7 — La Spezia (Florence/Pisa), Italy
Excursion: Cinque Terre Full‑Day Tour (Shore Excursion Group) This is going to be a long day, but Shore Excursion Group guarantees they’ll get you back to the ship on time. We’re visiting multiple villages and soaking in all the coastal beauty.
Dinner: Umai Teppanyaki — 7:00 PM Ending the cruise with a show — sizzling plates and chef tricks.
Day 8 — Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy — Disembarkation
Breakfast onboard, then heading into Rome for the day before we fly home the next day. We booked a fabulous Hyatt on points! Close to the Spanish Steps. I debated coming home right after the cruise, but we had such a great day in Rome pre-cruise last year, I decided we needed to spend the day there before we flew home.
Before you set sail, check out my top 10 Cruise Essentials the exact items I bring on every cruise to stay organized, comfortable, and stress‑free.
🍽️ Dining Highlights: Why We Chose the Premier Package
The Sun Princess has some of the best specialty dining at sea, and the Premier Package made it easy to enjoy a different restaurant every night without worrying about extra costs. Since we sailed this ship last year, we knew exactly which restaurants we wanted to revisit — and which new ones we wanted to try.
Our lineup includes:
Butcher’s Block by Dario
Crown Grill
Umai Hot Pot
The Catch by Rudi
Sabatini’s
Love by Britto
Umai Teppanyaki
🏛️ Shore Excursion Highlights
We booked our excursions through a mix of Viator, Shore Excursion Group, and Princess (using Premier credit). This is my favorite way to cruise — choosing the best experience for each port, not just sticking to one booking method.
Cartagena: Ancient Rome Wine Tasting (Viator)
Gibraltar: Food & Wine Tasting (Premier Package credit)
La Spezia: Cinque Terre Full‑Day Tour (Shore Excursion Group)
Each one fits the vibe of the port perfectly. Read my guide on how I decide who to book my shore excursions with → How to Book Shore Excursions: Cruise Line vs Third‑Party vs DIY
🌟 Final Thoughts Before We Sail
This cruise feels like the perfect blend of adventure, food, romance, and once‑in‑a‑lifetime moments. I’ll update this post with full reviews when we get back — especially the dining experiences, the eclipse day, and how the Premier Package performed on a specialty‑dining‑heavy itinerary.
👩🏼💻 About the Author
Julie Davis is the creator of No Point Left Behind, a travel‑hacking blog dedicated to helping everyday travelers save money, earn points, and travel smarter without overwhelm. She’s a former stay‑at‑home mom turned travel‑hacking expert, cruise lover, and creator of the Lazy Girl Travel systems. Julie lives in Smyrna, Tennessee with her husband Brandon and their two college‑aged sons, Tanner and Finn. When she’s not cruising or planning her next trip, she’s teaching her 2,000‑member Facebook community how to stack deals, maximize points, and travel better for less.
