This was just a weekend away and so a short hop cruise between 2 ports.
Nevertheless, despite boarding difficulties it was an enjoyable time and the ship is a tasteful mix of opulence and modernity, big ship facilities with a more intimate vibe.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
The ship was departing for Brazil and can only imagine that customs were either under staffed or over zealous in checking passports etc, as i was last person to board the ship at 5.50pm having waited over 3 hrs to do so - embarkation was due to close at 3pm and the ship was supposed to sail at 5pm 🤔
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food and drink was the usual high standard that i've come to expect from MSC.
The design of the buffet on this class of ship is very good & there didn't seem the usual fight to find somewhere to sit even at busy times.
I was assigned the Il Cerchio D'Oro main dining room which some find hard to find as you have to access from the deck above only from the aft stairwell. However, the decor is a tastefully good mix of opulent and modern in golden tones.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
Didn't really get a chance to experience any activities onboard but did see some fitness activities.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
As it was first night of a long repositioning cruise there was no theatre show & entertainment was limited to live music throughout the ship.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The crew were pleasant as always & if you engaged them in conversation were happy to chat.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
This class of MSC ship is one of my favourites. It might not have all the bells and whistles of its bigger cousins but its design & layout is very pleasing.
All common areas seemed to be clean and didn't show any signs of ageing.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Cabin was surprisingly roomy for an inside cabin (10136) and was also accessed from a small passageway separate from the main passageway which excluded any noise. Layout was good, plenty of hanging space for 2 people, decent sized shower and a comfy chair with table to sit and relax in. The dark wood finishes gave a good contrast to the beige walls. Being on deck 10 was easy to access the various locations whether on deck 14 upwards or deck 7 downwards. All in all a superb choice of cabin.
Ship tip
Work out which main dining room you are allocated to and how to find it!
Enjoy the atmosphere in the main attrium or the bars around it.
Sports bar on this class ship are a good place to catch live sports on the tv, esp if football is on!
There's various things to see in Marseille itself although a lot of people head out into Provence.
The Vieux Pirt area is good to sjak in the atmosphere plus some photo opprtunities. A trip up the hill ro rhe Bascilica Notre Dame de Gare is well worth the effort for the stunning views of the city alone.
Since i only had hand luggage i could leave the ship at any time i liked. Also since the drinks package works right up until you leave, i was able to sit relax and enjoy my final moments on the ship with a drink. In fact some passengers had newly embarked before i even decided to leave.
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