ost Americans have not yet been properly introduced to the Valtur Prima, a gem that the Italians have been hoarding for themselves for the last half-decade. That's all changing now with its introduction to the U.S. market. First launched in 1948 as the Stockholm, the ships was given a miraculous top-to-bottom $150 million facelift in 1994, creating, as one reviewer called it "a masterpiece of layout, design, decor and ambience."

From the stunning atrium, replete with marble and chrome, to the Panorama Bar, to the Grand' Italia Restaurant, the Valtur Prima is all that. It's also small - a nice change from the modern-day monster cruise ships. You won't have any trouble finding your way from the Duetto Bar, the social center of the ship, to the multi-tiered sun decks encircling the pool.

You have everything you need here: comfortable cabins, a lively night life at the Club Selene Disco, an array of shops, the Canal Grande Casino, and for the health-minded, the Aphrodite Spa at the very top of the ship. True, to Americans, the true appeal of any cruise aboard the Valtur Prima is a visit to Havana. But isn't it nice that you can make your long-awaited sojourn to Cuba in style?