When you book a cruise beyond the fleets of ships that provide a North American experience, be prepared to accept different vacation approaches to meals, entertainment, and expenses.
The rewards for such an adventurous spirit may be substantial, as the differences can be part of the fun.
For seven nights in November, I cruised the Mediterranean Sea on MSC Splendida, pictured right, off Naples, Italy. It's a grand new 3,300-passenger vessel owned by the biggest shipping company you may never have heard of. MSC, which owns cargo ships at work all over the world, also operates one of the most modern fleets of international cruise ships.
A few MSC ships sail out of Florida and elsewhere on the U.S. East Coast, and on these cruises the ships make some allowances for passengers who are more American than European. Most MSC ships, however, are based full time in Europe, where they cruise the Mediterranean year-round.
I chose Splendida because I had never sailed on a European ship in Europe and I liked the itinerary. We started and ended in Genoa, and did a port stop each day, including Malta and Tunis, which has been dropped temporarily from the itinerary due to the battles taking place in North Africa.
My review of MSC Splendida for Cruise Critic.
