Cruise Italian Style aboard the newest member of the Costa fleet, the Costa Magica. Discover hospitality at its best and toast to a well-deserved vacation with a glass of vino or campari. Savor the quality of Italian culinary classics served in elegant restaurants or meet new friends in stylish lounges. The spa offers rejuvenating treatments for the mind, body, and soul, while the sun-splashed deck and three swimming pools are the perfect place to spend a day at sea. Applaud dazzling performances in the theater. Try your hand at table games and slot machines at the casino. La dolce vita - and a stunning new ocean liner - await.

Overview

More than any of its other brands, Carnival Corp.'s Costa Crociere, acquired in 2001, has taken the mantle of its big sister Carnival Cruise Lines and has parlayed it into "Cruising Italian Style" with savvy flair. Upon boarding Costa's newest ship, CostaMagica, which debuted in November of 2004, there's no question that you have just entered the whimsical world of Joe Farcus (Carnival's longtime interior architect and designer) ... with an Italian accent.

CostaMagica is enormous, especially for Europe, at 105,000 tons and carrying 2,720 passengers. (But it isn't the first: Its sister CostaFortuna debuted in 2003 to equal success.) And on CostaMagica, "Cruising Italian Style" takes on new meaning, since the interior theme of the ship is Italian holiday spots. Blown-up posters (manipulated by computer to look like Impressionist-era paintings) of destinations as diverse as Portofino and the Italian Alps line the walls and center the Italia Magica Atrium theme; the public rooms are also named for these places.

The ship is spending its first full year in Europe, moving to Ft. Lauderdale in November of 2005 where it will alternate Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries and sail two trips to Bermuda. Until then, it does circular seven-day itineraries around the Western Mediterranean, from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Savona, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tunis, Malta and Palermo, Sicily.

Many of the attributes discussed in this review will change when the ship comes to the United States for the winter: Buffet hours will be expanded, the shows will be more production-oriented, the casino slot machines will be switched from Euro-based to dollar-based, and the menus in the main dining rooms will change somewhat.

Still, this is an Italian ship, and "Cruising Italian Style" in Europe is an experience in cultural diversity that shouldn't be missed. Not only is it great fun -- and occasionally challenging -- but it's also eye-opening in terms of societal differences. I learned that kids are kids (and behave the same way in any language), that Europeans love to dance and will find any opportunity to swing around a ballroom floor, and that Americans, Canadians and Brits were the only people who attempted to stand in line for anything until finally giving in to the chaos around them.

It is my fervent hope that when CostaMagica does arrive on U.S. shores in November, very little will be changed so that the ship keeps its spirit, bonhomie and true Italian style.

Public rooms

One of the first things you notice on an exploration of CostaMagica's public spaces is the artwork displayed; in fact, there are 5,652 works of art on this ship, most provided by the Milan-based Brera Academy of Fine Art's students and professors. Vases, sculptures, original canvases and prints grace the walls, staircases, corners and crevasses throughout.

And then, of course, there is Joe Farcus's design, with royal golds and reds anchoring the other elements that celebrate Italy's vacation spots.

My favorite is the Grand Bar Salento, located mid-ship on Deck 5, with the largest bar and dance floor on the seas (along with that on sister CostaFortuna). Pillars of gold and flashes of cherry red merge with the rich brocades of the loungers and chairs around the dance floor, which itself is inlaid with different woods in an intricate pattern at its edge. But it isn't the design of the space that had me so happy, it was the fact that this room in particular, a midpoint between the aft lounges and the atrium on the main indoor promenade, got the most use when there was music anywhere around it. In fact, the dance floor could be twice as big and it still would get ample use.

The shops on the Deck 5 promenade are probably the most enjoyable I have ever visited, with high-end clothing, logo items, perfumes, jewelry, duty-free, baubles and tchotchkes in stores that circle the Italia Magica Atrium. The shilling of "inch of gold" and other specials still takes place in the corridors, but it seems like there is plenty of room and it didn't feel as intrusive as on other ships.

The Italia Magica Atrium itself is a pleasant spot to stop and have a drink or cup of coffee; you can watch the glass-enclosed elevators ascend; there is a glass dome over the space that allows light to filter in. On one side is the tour desk and on the other is customer service. Port side is the smoking section and starboard is strictly non-smoking.

The three-story Urbino Theatre, located at the bow, features a chandelier of Murano glass and columns inlaid with designs of musical instruments. This is where the nightly shows take place, but is by no means the only entertainment venue on board.

Located at the aft of Deck 5 are three lounges: the Capri Lounge, designed to replicate the Blue Grotto, with blue lighting and shards of yellow granite; the Spoleto Lounge, unique in that it's entirely non-smoking; and the Capo Piano Bar, a delightful hideaway tucked into a corner at the aft end of the casino.

The Sicily Casino, located between the Grand Bar Salento and the aft lounges, is broken into two sections, with banks of slot machines on the starboard side of the ship and tables on the port side. On European itineraries all gaming is in Euros. It's somewhat startling to be playing with a one-armed bandit and discover that your every move is monitored by a puppet, but there are, indeed, 65 puppets in glass display cases scattered around the room.

Deck 4 has the Internet Center, an expensive and almost useless affair, with trendy Italian-designed chairs that are so low (or computer stations that are so high) that you are working at chin level. In Europe the cost is half of a Euro per minute; when the ship switches to U.S. waters it will be 50 cents.

Adjacent to the Internet Center is the Grado Disco, which is also visible from the casino floor above. Oddly, while the Capri Lounge and Grand Bar Salento had crowds dancing the night away, including young people, the disco got very little use except for a couple of Pilates sessions that I noticed during the daytime and some very, very, very late-night stalwarts.

Also on Deck 4 is a small chapel and the quiet, attractive library, and access to the outside promenade, where there are no deck chairs or loungers.

I found the flow on this ship to be problematic, even on Deck 5 which has the signature Carnival indoor promenade. To access most of the public spaces on the ship from either end, you have to figure out whether a restaurant, galley or otherwise closed structure blocks your path and work around it by going either up or down. On Deck 5, the crowds at the casino and in the Grand Bar Salento make movement difficult. There are a couple of meeting rooms on Deck 5, and the Photo Gallery circles the atrium on Deck 4.

Smoking is allowed only in certain places and not at all in the main theatre or in any of the dining venues, including the enclosed aft pool on the Lido Deck. Although it wasn't strictly enforced, and although Europeans smoke more than do North Americans, most people were very respectful of the smoking restrictions onboard and followed the rules. The casino, which was filled with smokers, didn't get too smoky because it's a very large and well-ventilated space.

Activities

The Costa Magica is a spectacular and surprising ship, and especially its large and spacious outdoor decks: the main swimming pool deck, shaped like an amphitheatre, is very sunny and nicely sheltered, while the stern swimming pool can be used under all weather conditions thanks to its mobile transparent roof.

The greatest thing about a cruise is that you get to pamper youself in all ways. Try out Costa Magica's wellness and beauty centre, 4 swimming pools, including one for children, and 6 Jacuzzis: everything needed to enjoy all the luxury of a dream vacation. Some of the most important areas on the Costa Magica include the wellness center (1,500 sq. m), which is equipped with an ultramodern gym with glass walls overlooking the sea, sauna, Turkish bath plus numerous relaxation and wellness services.

• 4 Swimming pools (1 indoor )
• 6 Jacuzzi HydroMassage baths
• Approx. 140 m jogging track
• Terme Saturnia Fitness Centre
• Beauty Salon
• Maratea Lido
• Palinuro Lido

Almost every public room onboard CostaMagica has entertainment of some sort or another, whether it's the pool band, individual vocalists, the classical duo in the atrium or the pianist in the Capo lounge.

The production shows in Europe tend to use fewer vocal effects due to language issues, so except for a Broadway show-tune revue (which is pretty much universal) the nightly offerings consist of a lot of dancing, acrobatics and magic.

The sail-away parties and music are particularly enjoyable ("Ciao Ciao Barcelona," for example) with music and revelry either at poolside or in the Grand Bar Salento, and the dancing in Salento and Capri lounge is fantastic, whether it's tango, polka, waltz, cha-cha or merengue. Whole families dance together, or get together to learn the steps. It was wonderful for me to watch, even though I didn't participate.

There are lively art auctions, and bingo (10 Euros for one card, 20 for three), plus games around the pools and in the lounges ... Name That Tune, The Hat Game, Magic Box ... in all the languages, of course. And at dinner time, one or another of the soloists is on hand to serenade the diners.

Fitness and Recreation

The Saturnia Spa, located forward at the top of the ship, is a 4,600-square-ft. facility with all sorts of goodies for both men and women: Turkish bath, sauna, treatment rooms and beauty salon, plus a large workout room with new Technogym equipment. Work out while overlooking the bow and the vista ahead.

There are aerobics classes for all, no charge. Yoga, spinning and Pilates are offered for 11 Euros per class.

Spa treatments run the gamut from Swedish massage to (my favorite) an hour and a half special of full-body exfoliation, steam, milk-bath lotion rub, aromatherapy back massage and mini-facial for a special price of 99 Euros. Not bad. The salon offers hair care, manicures and pedicures.

Elsewhere on the ship, there are three pools on the Lido Deck, each separate and each with a different atmosphere, and six hot tubs. Although the forward pool is located next to the big slide, it is usually one of the quietest since most guests in that area use the middle pool. The aft pool is behind the Bellagio Cafe, under a glass dome, and was usually filled with families, as was the central pool. There seemed to be little oversight of kids on my cruise, there were many who were belly flopping in almost all of the hot tubs on board with no parental supervision.

There's a jogging track on top of the ship, and a full, regulation-sized tennis court with stadium seating.

There are dance lessons by the pool every day with an aerobic beat to them, and dance lessons inside for salsa, merengue, waltz, tango, cha-cha and the like.

Family

Good heavens, yes! This ship is filled with families, and while the Squok Club was busy at certain times of the day and night on my cruise, families tended to stay and play together, even until the wee hours.

The Squok Club facility, located on Deck 12, is bright and cheerful with several computer stations and play areas. There is only one room for all ages, but the kids don't seem to mind. Their "counselors" run them all over the ship in any event; the groups of children, from age 3 to 12, can be seen as pirates or chefs or in dance or art classes. One of the most enjoyable moments onboard for me was the group portrait being taken at a photography station. Approximately 20 kids, all ages, were sitting cross-legged on the floor, all dressed in costume, cheerfully yelling the Italian version of "cheese" while the photographer clicked away.

Costa also allows parents to go on shore excursions while their children are in the club, and there is no charge for the service.

There is a separate teen club with various activities for the 13 - 17 crowd.

Fellow passengers

On the Europe itineraries about 75 percent of the guests are Italian, with the rest being a mix of Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, British, Canadian and American, and a few from the Baltic regions. The ages range from very young families to very old seniors -- in other words, no one would feel uncomfortable onboard. Announcements are in several languages, which is wearing after awhile, and the multicultural mix can be chaotic, but I think that if world leaders took this cruise and saw how everyone managed to communicate and get along, we'd all be better off.

Dress

Casual during the day, smart casual in the evenings, with one formal night and one semi-formal night on a seven-day cruise.

Gratuity

In Europe, 6 Euros a day are added to your shipboard account as gratuities for the staff; in the Caribbean the rate will be $10 per day. Most people give an extra tip on the last night to their waiters, the wonderful maitre d's and especially the hardworking stateroom staff.