I returned recently from a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, with a pre and post stay in Barcelona. What a fantastic experience! Visiting historical sites such as the Colosseum in Rome, the Ruins of Pompeii, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the museums in Florence just to name a few gave me a much greater appreciation of history and it's significance.
Seeing firsthand the cultures of Spain, Italy, and France gave me a better understanding of how others live, work, and relax. One of the many wonderful experiences was watching and hearing a 2 man band playing on instruments from Australia on a street corner in Barcelona. This type of experience is priceless and one that cannot be planned!
I highly recommend taking a Mediterranean Cruise. It is a vacation you will always remember!
Jay Harry