MSC Armonia Review

MSC Armonia has been sailing in the Caribbean for several years, but until recently, it primarily targeted Europeans; now it's drawing a North American crowd as well.

A decently sized ship at about 2,500 passengers, MSC Armonia is smaller than most modern mega-ships and feels cozier than you'd think. Similarly, despite it being an older ship, the decor feels comfortable, rather than passe; imagine a high-end chain hotel that's become pleasantly worn-in over the years.

One of the best things about MSC Armonia, especially for social cruisers, is its passenger makeup -- a real melting pot of the world, with dozens of nationalities represented and a plethora of languages heard onboard. No matter where anyone is from, though, everyone is onboard to have fun.

Cruisers have a real appreciation for the relatively small-scale size of the ship, which allows you, the crew and other passengers to get on a first-name basis quickly. Participation in group activities (from poolside aerobics to dance competitions) is overwhelming and the theater is packed at night.

MSC Armonia is also a particularly kid-friendly ship, packed with kids' clubs that benefit from brand partnerships including Chicco, the Italian baby care brand, and Lego, the well-known toy block manufacturer, both of which resulted in the creation of five separate onboard child care centers, kids' and teen clubs.

For those who want to cruise on a ship surrounded by English-speakers, it's worth noting that all the announcements onboard are made in several languages (English, Italian, French, Spanish and German), which can get tedious at times. That said, English is the first language on MSC Cruises ships and we never had difficulty communicating. Crew quickly learned our names and even our favorite coffee and drink preferences. Special requests were handled with aplomb, and we found service to be quite friendly, if sometimes slow.