MSC Cruises

MSC is the cruising arm of a Geneva-based shipping group still owned by the Aponte family, and its ships carry that European stamp. Announcements come in several languages, dinner runs late, and the passenger list is more international than on most big-ship lines. The vessels themselves are large and showy, with marble, glass and long promenades lined with bars and shops.

Within the newer ships sits the MSC Yacht Club, a private enclave of suites with its own lounge, restaurant and pool deck, which gives a quieter voyage inside a much bigger one. In the Caribbean, many sailings call at Ocean Cay, the line's own island reserve in the Bahamas, where the ship stays alongside into the evening.