We were on the 11 day Western Mediterranean cruise out of Rome. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience. We enjoyed the luxury of having a variety of meal options and having our room cleaned every day. Our steward Christian Ruiz was very helpful and made a different towel animal for us every night. There were many activities available to suit different tastes. It was helpful to read over the newsletter every night so we could plan the next day. We went on four excursions, which we enjoyed, and visited every port that the ship stopped at. We also used the library which had a good choice of books in English. We would have enjoyed sunning and swimming on the pool deck but the weather didn't cooperate. Most people enjoyed the entertainment. We particularly liked the in-house Jade band who could play many music genres.

I have two criticisms. There was a constant pressure to buy additional items or services on the ship - drinks, photos, specialty dining, jewelry, the spa, future cruises, etc. However, revenue from these items probably keeps cruise costs down so I can't complain too much.

The second criticism is that we couldn't get a good cup of tea at any of the restaurants. The wait staff didn't seem to be trained in how to make tea. They would bring pots of lukewarm water to the table and we had to make our own tea. There was nowhere to get afternoon tea and a cookie or pastry without paying. Eventually we resorted to making tea in our cabin in the coffee maker.