we really wanted to love it…this was our 1st msc so there was a learning curve as they do somethings differently then the other lines. staff was absolutely AMAZING! Ship was beautiful & well maintained. Drink package was weird. Food situation was BAD

Getting on at port was easy and smooth

This was where MSC lost us. Lunch buffet on embarkation day was the best meal we had. Dinner in the dining room was just bad, dishes were cold, food over cooked or under cooked very inconsistent. We cruise a lot so we know how it works, feeding so many people at once is difficult but first night my Caesar salad was crisp and cold, my husbands was warm and wilted Entrees were cold, mine at least was edible had the prime rib it was over cooked, I ordered rare it was more like medium hubby ordered New York strip medium well he got a cold well done steak, waiter did bring him another it was also cold and still well done. Second night not any better salads wilted, French onion soup was okay, hubby got ribs not great but edible, I ordered pasta figured it was a safe bet it was cold and penne was under cooked. Wait staff was amazing but food just not worth it night three we skipped the dining room thinking maybe buffet would at least have warm food. Dinner buffet was sad, pizza was good, not much of a selection only half the buffet was even set up. Food was at least warm but seemed to be the leftovers from the dining room the previous night. Breakfast in the buffet was basic nothing special but was adequate. The other big issue was timing, No food except pizza and cookies in the buffet on board after 9 and nothing at all after midnight. the private island day lunch buffet closed at two there was nothing open after that, they food trucks were supposed to be open until five but they all closed at 3 except for the seafood shack which was an additional charge. thankfully the coffee bar on board had sandwiches was always open until at least 11 Also DRINK PACKAGE. We purchased the premium package includes waters coffee soda drinks up to $15 and is truly unlimited HOWEVER if you purchase a drink that is $16 you pay the full $16 not the dollar difference like on celebrity royal and ncl. My hubby drinks bourbons and scotches many of these cost more then $15 so these extra charges were unexpected same for wines by the glass that are over the $15 mark.

SPA they do not have a true thermal suite on Davina the website is misleading there is a sauna and a steam room. The relaxation area has pool lounge chairs not thermal beds that are shown in the photos on the website. And there is not a whirlpool It is not worth the charge for the pass I purchased a thermal suite pass for $68 prior to boarding I almost always purchase ahead of time. Lesson Learned do more research as the website is not accurate. Pool you HAVE to bring the towels from your room to the garden pool they have NO towels available The garden bar was nice staff was friendly no kids was a plus. The bowling alley was not working the duration of our cruise.

Theater shows Juggler was fantastic and the variety acts were very talented. The singers were good, the dancers seamed to be having a really off weekend. The choreography was strange and costuming didn’t make sense. Autumn in Paris was the best show. The xtreme show had potential but the theme didn’t really work although the talent of the variety acts was incredible. The juggler was the star of the show.

This is where MSC really shines Everyone and I mean everyone was friendly and helpful. The staff really seams to enjoy their jobs and interacting with the guests.

The ship is well maintained very clean and easy to navigate

So this is a two and a half The room itself was fantastic, very clean and comfortable lots of space and storage. Location was central however from about 8 pm to midnight it is so loud you can here the music from the jazz club even over the television. We generally stay on most ships in this area we like to be close to the center and a deck or two above the nightlife just easier usually to be able to take stairs then use elevators. This is the first time we have had a noise issue and we cruise a lot. This was super loud.

Easy smooth