First impressions are sometimes everything, but sadly it was all downhill after our impressive tour after boarding the MSC Divina. There is nothing subtle about the décor - it is over the top, from the Swarovski crystal staircases ($13,500/step) to the beautifully appointed lounges, and stunning theater, and intimate dining rooms and buffet. That being said, the ship is difficult to navigate - only deck 7 runs the complete length of the ship, so be prepared to get lost frequently, especially finding dining rooms and lounges.

If there was any highlight on the ship it is the ENTERTAINMENT! The main tenors have beautiful Italian voices, and the production quality of the shows was outstanding. Andre, the cruise director, was very friendly and approachable.

The food is in one word - mediocre and uncreative at best, sometimes bordering on inedible. We had expected the finest of Italy, and aside from the freshly-made very thin crust pizza and gelato, nothing was worth writing home about. Buffet choices were very limited and repetitive, main dining room food was always served lukewarm to cold, and portions were so small you're forced to order the dessert. There is no "Captain's Night" dinner as with other cruise lines, although one night there was an "Atlantic Lobster tail" entrée that was not much larger than a giant prawn and the "Baked Alaska" was a 1/2" sliver on a plate. We dined in the up-charge "Galaxy" restaurant one night and although the service was better and the food was served hot, my filet was inedible shoe leather although the pasta was excellent. Read more