We planned on spending 5 weeks in Italy and then sailing home (Rome to Galveston) on the Mariner of the Seas. We booked time in Venice, Naples, Sorrento and Rome during that time and then found this cruise to Greece and Montenegro at a very reasonable price. After reading some of the reviews and speaking to our travel agent, we were somewhat concerned about the negative comments made about MSC in general and the Armonia specifically. This is our impression of the trip.
We embarked at 12:30 PM in Venice and it may have been the easiest boarding we have ever encountered. The staff was wonderful, the process was well managed and it took less than 20 minutes before we were actually led to our cabin. Other lines could learn something here! Lunch was served, we took time to walk around the ship and returned to our cabin to find our luggage already in the room. This was around 3:00 pm. We actually had time to unpack prior to the lifeboat drill (jackets required) and still had time to change before dinner. All of this was a first in our cruise experience, and a pleasant one at that.
Meals were our concern, mostly because of the reviews, including the water and language issues. It is apparent that most of the negative reviews are from American travellers who have never truly immersed themselves in the culture of another country. We had no problems whatsoever, the food was very good, the entertainment was first class and we were always seated with English speaking guests when possible. We received a large mineral water each day which was more than enough for dinner, and were able to get all the drinks we needed at breakfast and lunch. Complaints about the cost of water were puzzling. They charged Euro 2.70 for a large bottle which was comparable to, and in cases less expensive, than we paid in most restaurants in Italy. Our waiter, maitre d and captain at dinner all spoke passable English and were professional, friendly and competent. The menus were better than the Mariner on most days, and the portions were just right. The wine prices seemed to be on a par with most other cruise lines, as were the soft drink prices. I would rate the food in the top 25% of all cruises we have taken (50+).
Cabin 7124. Quiet location, good view out the window. Smaller than some, but adequate. Plenty of closet space, but a few more drawers would be nice. Bathroom was good size and laid out well.