There's a rock cover band on the Costa Toscana that, without exaggerating, is up there among the best cover bands I've ever seen — counting every concert I've been to outside of a cruise too, and there have been a lot. I saw them on two different cruises, six months apart, and both times they packed the bar where they played, night after night. That's the point I want you to take away before anything else: onboard entertainment isn't filler for a slow evening — a lot of the time, it's better than what you'd find on shore.

It depends on whether the ship is in port or at sea. On port days, entertainment usually kicks off around 2 or 3pm — there's almost nothing scheduled in the morning, since everyone's ashore. On sea days, though, there's something going on from early morning until late at night.

Daytime tends to be more about activities: games, dance classes, scavenger hunts. Evenings bring in theater-style shows and musicals. And the live music format varies a lot: a solo pianist, a guitar-and-vocal duo, a saxophonist with a singer (like on the Costa Toscana), all the way up to full bands playing salsa, merengue, or rock and pop covers.

The type of crowd also shapes the vibe a lot. Costa and MSC lean more toward a party atmosphere; a line like Princess, with an older crowd, barely has any DJs or that livelier style of music.

On every cruise I've been on, there's always a party after the shows — many nights themed (white party, red party, Hawaiian night...), though some are more low-key than others. After that comes the nightclub, for anyone who wants something more intense.

The casino is always open, with international currency exchange, and usually has its own ambient music. Personally I don't find it the most fun option — it's just not my thing — but for anyone who enjoys gambling, it's there.

Without a doubt, the two rock cover bands on the Costa Toscana I mentioned earlier: a killer solo guitarist, and a full band with vocals, guitar, bass, and drums. I saw them six months apart, on two different cruises, and both times they were, without exaggerating, among the best cover bands I've ever seen — counting every concert I've been to outside of a cruise too, and there have been a lot. They packed the bar every single night. Sometimes the best show of the trip isn't in a port — it's on the ship itself.

Honestly, not really. They both target roughly the same kind of crowd, and both have a nightclub, parties, and a very similar music offering.

Loads: pools, hot tubs, ping pong tables, and on some ships a sports court for volleyball, basketball, or soccer. The rock-climbing-style ropes course is on the MSC Grandiosa and the Virtuosa (not on the Seaview or the Seascape); the water park with slides, though, is spectacular on all four: Grandiosa, Virtuosa, Seaview, and Seascape. On Costa, both the Toscana and the Esmeralda also have really good slides, even without a ropes course.

Almost all ships have several pools — one indoors, for cooler weather — and multiple hot tubs. Some of my best memories: the MSC Grandiosa has covered hot tubs that jut out over the side of the ship, with direct ocean views, and on the Costa Diadema, during my cruise to the Norwegian fjords, there were several huge outdoor hot tubs — freezing air outside, seriously hot water, and since they were so big there was always room. Stunning — one of the prettiest corners I remember on any ship.

There's always a relaxed alternative: a pianist, a soloist, a duo playing something mellower. One of the best I've experienced was on the MSC Grandiosa, in an adults-only lounge with calm live music (piano, a couple of musicians, and a vocalist), sofas, and ocean views from almost the entire room — stunning.

And honestly, even if you're not chasing the party on purpose, you don't need to force it much either: between everything you do during the day, most nights you'll end up wanting to turn in early anyway.

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