Travel Holiday
September 1, 2001
Had enough of vacationing with Americans? Here's another idea.

Had enough of vacationing with Americans? Here's another idea.

Cruise director Franco Pili introduces the evening's juggling act,
effortlessly gliding in and out of five languages. "Hello ladies
and gentlemen," he begins. "Guten tag damen und herren, bonjour
mesdames et messieurs, buon giorno signore e signori, and buenos
noches damas y caballeros." The words pour from his nimble lips
as though he's part of the show himself. And, to some degree, he
is. With an equal mix of Germans, Italians, French, Spaniards, Swiss,
and Brits, First Europeans' 1,200-passenger Mistral is truly a European
community. It's also a good deal: Outside cabins on Mistral's seven-night
Mediterranean itineraries start at $1,314, with the early-booking
discount - similar to Costa Cruises (mostly Italians) and Royal
Caribbean (mostly Americans), though costlier than Renaissance's
deeply discounted cruises.

If you're the kind of American who wants to travel to European ports
with Europeans, the Mistral is for you. The currency is the Euro,
steam rooms are co-ed, kids and adults mingle in the disco late
into the night, and sneaker-clad Americans are upstaged by Europeans
in silk scarves. During Europe's many long holidays, there are also
plenty of children onboard, and there are plenty of smoking passengers
throughout the season.

The ship itself has less personality, with generic decor (caramel
veneer, blue and sage fabrics), a boxy profile, and small, identical
blond-wood cabins (140 square feet, compared with Celebrity's 170
square feet and Carnival's 185). There's a small library, a roomy
gym, a card room, and a kids' playroom and teen center, but what
stands out is the Steiner spa.

Among the best at sea, the multi-chamber steam room setup has one
room misting eucalyptus and another a mix of jasmine, lavender,
and chamomile. The long roster of activities for the days at sea
is equally impressive. Passengers are kept busy with Greek language
classes and samba lessons, along with bingo. At night, musical acts
range from a Greek folk trio to a four-piece pop band to a classical
pianist. Other entertainment remains purely visual to limit translations,
reducing comedians to slapstick routines and goofy contests that
keep passengers in stitches as they pop balloons in each other's
laps. While the Mistral hits some of the most interesting Mediterranean
ports, time in each is frustratingly short (five to six hours).
Your best bet? Explore these European cities solo. At night, when
you return to the ship for dinner, choose from continental dishes
and cruise ship standards in the crowded dining room, or pay the
extra $21.50 per person to dine on grilled lamb kabobs and delicate
mushroom-stuffed cannelloni (worth every Euro) in the Rialto Grill.
Either way, you'll be relieved to find one very important nod to
stateside sensibilities: Dinner is always smoke-free.