Background Information : My husband and I have upwards of 25 cruises, ranging from Carnival, RC, Princess, and Renaissance when it was around. We like to have fun, have been to the Western Med several times, and decided to try X just to shake things up a bit ( try something new).

Hotel Info: We've been to Rome a few times before, and we always stay at the Hotel Quirinale; breakfast included. It's around the Termini area, but far enough so that it's not around the "elements"—it's on Via Nazionale—the Republica stop. Steps to the metro, and a short doable walk to Termini to take busses to the Borghese. The room had a chandelier in it, large bathroom, well-appointed, clean and air-conditioned. The Hotel also has two great sitting rooms and a breakfast and dinner room that you can eat outside or inside with capuccino, coffee, water, breakfast items, etc.. It is a European style hotel, not one of your box hotels. Concierge was great.

Ship Info: This was our first X cruise, and I am hooked. The ship itself was beautiful, and I was blown away by the professionalism of the crew, cabin stewards, Guest Relations desk and welcoming. The colors of the ship are tans, creams, browns, blues, with some maroon for accent. The Martini ice-bar was innovative, the blown glass form the Hot Glass Show was displayed, we had a nice balcony, larger than expected bathroom, amenities, and we weren't too far from the elevators. Read more