Cocktail time on musical liner

AS the cocktails flow and the distant lights of Venice dim, Mike Smith joins settle in for the first of many five-course meals on what is billed a 'gastronomic cruise'.

Luxury afloat ... MSC Musica in port at Split, in Croatia. Picture: Mike Smith

VENICE looks a picture as we cruise slowly past its waterfront of hotels and parks. It's just after sunset, and the lights are coming on throughout the Italian port and its narrow paths, arched bridges and ornate architecture.

Instead of being serenaded in a gondola, though, we're standing on the deck of a modern cruise ship with 2000 or more other passengers, tapping away to music of a more upbeat kind.

The balmy Saturday evening may have attracted hordes of visitors to famous St Mark's Square, but it's on the ship MSC Musica that the biggest party is being staged.

For most, it's a happy rather than tearful farewell, the start of an 11-night Mediterranean cruise that will have us in Croatia, Greece, Tunisia, Spain and France before returning to Italy. Nine ports in six countries.

As the cocktails flow and the distant lights of Venice dim, passengers move downstairs to dine on the first of many five-course meals on what is billed a "gastronomic cruise".

"Beware of the sea air," warns a fellow passenger. "It's sure to shrink the clothes," he jokes.

At 89,600 tonnes, topped by 14 decks, MSC Musica has little trouble dwarfing the passing leisure craft as it sets sail for Croatia's Dalmatian Coast and the port of Split.

It's a big ship almost the length of three football fields, one of a wave of new mega-vessels created to meet a rapidly growing worldwide cruise market. Add a crew of more than 1000, and you have a virtual city at sea.

MSC Musica made its grand entrance on to the Mediterranean cruise scene earlier this year when Italy's ageless glamour queen Sophia Loren christened it in a colourful ceremony.

At the helm is Italian skipper Ferdinando Ponti, who has completed countless Mediterranean cruises in a long seagoing career.

Supporting Captain Ponti as the face and voice of MSC Musica is cruise director Ketty Tacerbi, who began her working life 10 years ago and, after "several million miles", heads 80 entertainers and musicians.

The fact that she speaks fluent English, Spanish, French, German and, of course, her native Italian, makes her a favourite among the different nationalities.

For anyone who loves cruising and socialising with the Europeans, the four-star MSC Musica strikes a pleasant chord.

From the morning welcome of "buongiorno" to the aroma of freshly made espresso, it's typically Italian, although, judging by the number of languages, it's more like the United Nations.

Passengers are accommodated in 1275 beautifully decorated air-conditioned cabins, a vast majority with ocean views, 809 of them with a balcony – a growing trend among cruise ships.

Pay the premium price and you are treated to all the spoils of a spacious suite with balcony, one of 18 on the ship.

Traditional dining – there are two nightly seatings – centres on the primarily red-decorated and furnished Le Maxim's restaurant where as many as five courses can be ordered without worrying about the sizes of the portions (they're just right).

While the food is generally tasty, it's handy to ask the table steward for the chef's signature dish to avoid disappointment (some wanted more spice to the courses).

For an alternative after-dark dining experience, there's the Il Giardino a la carte restaurant for a romantic meal with the partner, or the much smaller Kaito Sushi Bar for some tantalising Japanese fare.

An extra charge accompanies both choices, but it's minimal.

The writer was a guest of MSC Cruises and Austrian Airlines.

The Sunday Telegraph