W hen we want a seaside vacation in Egypt, we typically head for one of three options: El Sahel, Sinai or the Red Sea coast. The escape from Cairo is nice, but let’s be honest, these kind of destinations don’t really offer you a true escape from your everyday self. For the most part, you eat the same food, hear the same language and take part in the same activities you do on every holiday. Sometimes, to really let go, you have to immerse yourself in entirely new surroundings.

Before the inaugural voyage of the MSC Splendida, the newest ship built by Italian cruise line MSC Crociere, I spent two days exploring the giant vessel, learning what vacationing on the high seas is all about. I’d never been on a cruise ship before and had always carried the opinion that taking a cruise was a strange way to vacation — being ‘cooped up’ on a boat for a week, as I saw it, sounded rather restrictive and boring.

A cruise on any of MSC’s ten ships, which will become 11 when the Magnifica is christened in 2010, is far from boring and quite the opposite of restrictive. In fact, there is so much to enjoy that you’re likely to go home reflecting on the good times shared with fellow passengers and lamenting all the things you didn’t get enough of.

Sharing a vacation with thousands of people aboard a ship sounds crowded but, as it turns out, these boats are incredibly expansive and offer so many activities that the guests remain comfortably spread out. In no place on board the Splendida does it feel like there are more than a handful of other passengers and staff members around.

The MSC Splendida, and its predecessor Fantasia, are the largest ships ever built by a European line, weighing in at 137,936 tons and measuring 333 meters long and 66.8 meters high. It’s a bit difficult to picture what this really means unless you’re actually standing before the ship: The Splendida is longer than the Eiffel Tower laid on its side and as tall as a 23-story skyscraper, with total deck area equal to about 60 football pitches and two propellers that are each larger than a double-decker bus. Standing on the dock in the shadow of the great ship was impressive enough, but being onboard is what really changed my view.

The living quarters on this floating city come in a range of rooms for varying budgets and space requirements. Passengers can choose between 29-square-meter suites with balconies, slightly smaller outside cabins with or without balconies and inside cabins; the 1,637 rooms are spread out on nine of the 18 decks, which are named after famous Italians like Botticelli and Michelangelo. I stayed in an outside cabin with a balcony on the de Chirico deck, which is cozy for two people and offers plenty of stylish comfort — between the on-board activities and shore excursions, you’ll only need your room to sleep anyhow. The interior features Italian-inspired décor in warm tones and the private balcony made to be the perfect morning spot to drink café au-lait in a fluffy white robe while gazing at the water and gearing up for the day.

After tearing myself away from the exquisitely snug bed and enjoying breakfast on one of the uppermost decks, I fought the urge to head straight for a poolside chaise lounge so I could attempt to tour the massive boat. Beginning at Deck 5, the lowest level that passengers are allowed on, Splendida offers everything you need to stay connected and at ease on board. With the help of the accommodating multilingual staff at the reception and shore excursion desks, the business center, a well-stocked library and internet room, daily international news updates, a medical center, and a GSM WiFi system, I felt able to disconnect from my life on land while still having access to the outside world.

As with every inch of the ship, the lobbies and halls are decorated in a range of styles to suit everyone. Cozy alcoves with plush cushions are great for savoring a creamy cappuccino, flat screen TVs cover the latest scores in the sports center, and in the opulent main foyer, a glittering grand piano covered with Swarovski crystals is an ideal centerpiece for cocktail hour. Descending into the space around the foyer are gold-lined staircases whose crystal-infused glass surfaces glint with every step, while domed chandeliers and amber track lighting cast a luxurious glow. If you feel a bit out of place in some of the glitzier areas, fear not, as there is an abundance of more casual venues — such as the Virtual Room equipped with Nintendo Wii consoles — to provide a balance, and serve as hangouts for the young (or young at heart) onboard.

While the look and layout of the Splendida certainly caught my attention, what really changed my mind about taking a cruise was that anything I could think of to do was available — even if it was nothing at all. After checking out the game room, 4D cinema, F1 Simulator and casino, I went for a jog in the sun along the top-deck running track and finished my workout in the gym, suspended over the water. The volleyball and squash courts looked appealing too, but after all that exploration, it was naptime; I grabbed a towel and settled into a leaf-shaped rattan deck lounger to soak up some Mediterranean sun. In the evening, the discotheque and dance clubs blast popular songs, while musicians and variety shows from around the world perform in the Strand Theater. Before turning in, I watched the moon rise and chatted with some fellow passengers as we all enjoyed a late-night drink on the top deck.

Shore excursions add to the already extensive list of onboard activities. Depending on the region and itinerary of the ship, day trips to places like Tunis, Tunisia; Venice or Taormina, Italy; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Mindelo, Cape Verde offer the chance to take in ancient ruins, palm-lined beaches, diverse wildlife and new cultures. Starting this November, Alexandria will be a port of call for a number of Mediterranean itineraries, and passengers will be able to choose from seven different excursions including visits to the Pyramids, Memphis, Cairo, a Nile cruise and of course, Alexandria. All excursions, no matter where in the world they take place, are an extra charge and can be purchased in advance when booking the cruise, or from the boat at any point in the trip, through the Shore Excursions center.

By 2010, MSC will have 11 ships departing from 14 different ports in Spain, as well as several other Mediterranean, Caribbean, European and North American ports, offering over 300 ports of call. There will be 125 different itineraries to choose from and MSC is the first in the industry to include calls to South Africa.

The cuisine onboard the ship is a gastronomic voyage around the world. Menus from 14 different Mediterranean countries are available each day, as well as spicy Mexican fare, an extensive buffet and the Enoteca wine bar, where fine vintages are paired with rustic tapas. In all, there are 9,000 square meters of dining area, offering over 2,000 recipes during a seven-day cruise. The ethnic patterns and colors of the décor are unique in each restaurant and bar, recalling various themes and regions of the world from which the dishes draw their inspiration.

I had a memorable lunch in the panoramic Villa Verde restaurant, gazing at the sea as I sampled some of the Splendida’s many seafood options. A salad of lightly salted Tuna carpaccio, served on a bed of arugula and roasted vegetables dressed in balsamic vinegar proved an appetizing starter. Lemony king prawns in sweet garlic and morning glory with pine nuts went perfectly with a glass of Pinot Grigio. A cool, creamy piece of tiramisu sprinkled with cocoa and drizzled with chocolate-espresso syrup completed the meal.

When a respite from so much food and fun is necessary, the MSC Aurea Spa offers rejuvenating services that aim to restore inner harmony and enhance your wellbeing. Located at the stern of the ship, offering great views out to sea, staff members in traditional Balinese dress welcome guests to a reception furnished with dark rattan chairs and white cushions, accented by the scent of exotic incense. I sampled a freshly prepared natural cocktail of orange, carrot and pear juices at the spa’s health-conscious juice bar while checking out the menu of services; unfortunately I didn’t have time to try any, but they all sounded divine. From hot stone and reflexology massages, to facials and body wraps, mud treatments and thalassotherapy, Aurea’s long list of therapeutic indulgences are performed by expert Indonesian staff, and begin at EU99 (LE 758) for a one hour massage. The spa also features saunas and Turkish baths, tanning beds, a salon with beauty services, yoga and personal training, all aimed at infusing the cruise experience with the tranquility and stress relief that holidays are meant to have.

MSC Crociere cultivates a respect for the environment that passengers are encouraged to adopt. “We live on the sea, the sea represents our future [ It] is life for us, so it’s very important for us to be clean,” says CEO Pierfrancesco Vago. The ecologically-conscious tone that the company sets also helped reform my opinion of cruise vacations.

The mindset starts with the design and building of the ships. Technologies such as a five-stage water filtration process, a cabin monitoring system that adjusts air conditioning and heating if the doors or windows are opened, and special incinerators and compactors to aid in recycling are all integrated into the design of the boat. Such eco-friendly concepts helped Splendida’s sister ship, the Fantasia, to win a ‘6 Golden Pearls’ award from Bureau Veritas. The company is focused on taking the environmental concerns of the G-8 group of nations into account in its operations, and is hoping to set an example for other lines and tourism operators to follow.

In addition to being earth conscious, MSC is socially conscious as well. A company with an eye on the future should also have a social responsibility and involvement, says Splendida’s Captain Giuliano Bossi, who with Vago has led MSC to develop its UNICEF “Get on Board for Children” program, providing educational material for some of the 30 million children living in poverty in Rio de Janeiro’s shantytowns. Passengers on Splendida cruises are invited to donate to the cause.

In Egypt, cruises aren’t the most popular or well-known holiday options. If you’ve never considered one before, now is a great time as prices have gone down considerably with the economic slump, and cruise lines’ continued fleet expansion means that fares are competitive. For those in Egypt, booking a cruise can be easily done through the MSC office in Alexandria. Agents there can help you pick the most suitable cruise for your budget and timeframe, and provide other general information — although it might be a good idea to shop around for prices with local travel agents once you know what you’d like to do.

While Alexandria is one of the Mediterranean ports of call on the winter schedule, the city is not a point of embarkation, so you’ll have to fly to Italy or Spain to catch the boat for a Mediterranean cruise, or to another region of the world, if you’re exploring far-off waters. Visas are required for some off-boat excursions, and MSC takes care of the visa issuing procedures; related costs will be included in the excursion price. Passports and other travel documents for minors are necessary for all passengers.

The average length of a cruise is seven days, but can be as short as three nights — though these are only possible in the Mediterranean due to distances, and would only visit Spanish and Italian ports — or as long as 22 nights for trans-oceanic voyages. Given the cost of flying to an entry port, it’s much better value for your time and money to do at least a week-long trip.

That said, it’s hard to beat a holiday that combines the relaxation you get at a typical Sahel getaway with the excitement of experiencing new places and ways of life, and the chance to recreate and relax with a truly diverse crowd. Cruise-goers are looking to let go of the stresses and restrictions of their lives on the land, and are eager to meet fellow passengers and share in the pleasures of life. et