As promised, here is some more information about the excursions we'll be taking on the cruise, and what I'm most looking forward to in each one.

Gothic Quarter City Walk... Barcelona was recently listed in Travelocity's top 10 destinations for epicurians, and I suspect one of the reasons this is so is the variety of excellent tapas served along las Ramblas.
Sights of Palermo... I've never been to Sicily, and I suspect that the highlight of this visit isn't the excursion but the combination of beautiful beaches only minutes away from ruins and monuments from civilizations thousands of years old.
Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri... Without a doubt, I'm looking forward to Pompeii. The volcanic eruption essentially captured this city in time and preserved it for the ages. I've walked along ruins in some of the world's oldest cities (the Hittite capital of Hattusas, for example, some 4,000 years old), and some of the best-preserved (the amphitheater in Aspendos) but I doubt any other site will be able to reach as deeply on both historic interest and quality of preservation.
La Cinta Beach... This will probably be the beach highlight of our trip. I suspect not a lot of people make their way to Sardinia since it is, after all, an out-of-the-way island.
Jumping Back To Eternal Rome... I've never visited Rome as an adult, and am looking forward to a full day of sights and spectacles, including Vatican City. If I see the Pope, maybe I can get him to autograph my Flying Spaghetti Monster t-shirt :-).
Florence and Pisa... What else can I say. Florence is a testament to what patronage of the arts can do for a city, and Pisa is a similar testament to what poor engineering surveying can do for your tourism.
Marseille City Tour... The central attraction here for me is the Chateau d'If, of Alexander Dumas fame.
Scenic French Riviera... If anything is the LA of Europe, this is it. Cannes is Hollywood, Monaco is Beverly Hills, and Nice is Long Beach.

My next installment will cover some of our travel preparations...