We set out on our first Mediterranean cruise expecting a ship full of Europeans and individuals from other parts of the world. Instead, we found the ship full of middle-class Americans as if we were cruising the Caribbean. Overall, our experience was one of a lifetime. Partly because of the new ship but mostly because of the beautiful scenery and captivating ports. The ship still had a 'new carpet' smell in several of the areas. Food was American and average for a Carnival ship. The shows and musical entertainment were better than previous cruises. Most likely because this was the inaugural season of the Vista. We had a wonderful time at each of the ports. We used Can't Be Missed (CBM) tours for all of our excursions in Italy. They were recommended by trip advisor and Rick Steves. They delivered on all that they offered for each excursion and made sure that we made it back to the ship in plenty of time. Plus, they offered more sights at almost half the price of the Carnival Excursions. We would highly recommend them! I wish they would have selected a different port in France than Marseille. There were security concerns during our visit so we didn't even disembark. Overall, we would highly recommend this cruise!!