RCCL is the owner now, and the guy that made Celebrity is head of MSC now. They are a shipping family that started cruisers in the 90's. Italian food and service, and lots of clean air aboard. They give a lot of bang for the buck.
My ideal cruise begins with a flight to Italy, a week or two in the fall feasting on the local fare, then a 16-18 day transatlantic. I don't normally spring for the suites, but the price on these are cheap. Most cruise lines offer a discounted T/A both ways. I spend my money on shore, not the casinos. I don't spend a lot of time in my room, so I buy cheap. The ship is open for all...
Here is one from Spain to Miami next month! Click the pic for itinerary.
Oct 25-Nov 08, 2010 inside 699.00 USD window SOLD OUT balcony 1,099.00 USD Suite 1,699.00 USD
All prices per person + fees and taxes of around $150
We went to Italy and Sicily for 2 weeks on a Globus bus trip in 2008. It was tough, with 10 different hotels. I’ll never do it again since I discovered cruising. You mentioned Celebrity, but do you ever cruise with RCI?
I agree with you about the casinos.