I read some of the reviews on this cruise right before leaving and was concerned about our decision. But we had a great time. There were 4 of us - 2 parents with a teen and an early 20.

The embarkation was flawless - arrived around noon with 6 bags for 2 cabins, waited less than 5 minutes in line and was on the ship in no time, some of that because we completed all the registration paperwork online the week before. All bags were delivered to our rooms in a matter of less than 2 hours. We roamed the ship, grabbed a bite to eat and were unpacked all before dinner. Three of the four got the soda deal - it was worth it for us.

Food was okay - we mostly ate in the dining room for dinner but did the buffet for breakfast. We had a great assistant waiter, very friendly which the kids appreciated but also very perceptive, figuring out quickly our personal preferences. There were some good choices for entrees, appetizers and deserts but none of them were spectacular but all edible. The food at the buffet was another story - I recommend staying away from the meats in the buffet but the breads and deserts were pretty good. We had only 2 excursions - Imperial Rome and Pompeii - both were very good. The guide in Rome liked his job a little too much! We were in the Forum and the Colosseum in the afternoon because the funeral of a cardinal required that we visit St. Peter's in the morning and it was very hot. I would recommend visiting Pompeii in the morning and go to Capri in the afternoon. Prior reviews told of excursions being 'hijacked' by guests who spoke other languages but this was not a problem in our experience. Read more