MSC Lirica Cruise Review: Disappointed and Disrupted

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 2

Review summary

We recently took a cruise on the MSC Lirica from May 18th to May 25th, 2024, and unfortunately, it fell short of expectations on many levels. Here's a breakdown of our experience: Major Issues: Noisy Balcony Room: We paid extra for a balcony room, only to discover it was located near a common deck with loud parties at night. This significantly disrupted sleep for our entire family. Missed Port & Inadequate Compensation: A technical issue caused a schedule delay, resulting in a missed port stop at Ancona. The offered compensation of $50 per person was unacceptable considering it represented a quarter of the promised itinerary. Limited Pool & Crowding: The pool area was small and constantly overcrowded, making it difficult to relax. Other Disappointments: Restricted Beverage Options: The non-alcoholic beverage package options were limited, making it a regrettable purchase. Repetitive Entertainment: The nightly shows featured the same performers, leading to boredom after a few days. Unreliable WiFi: Despite paying for WiFi access, it wouldn't work in our room, only in common areas. Disorganized Santorini Excursion: The overpriced Santorini excursion wasted valuable time waiting for other passengers and resulted in a rushed visit to Oia village, the main highlight. We left the tour group in Oia and could have saved money exploring independently. Limited Washrooms: The common areas, especially near restaurants, had limited restrooms with only two stalls per toilet and two toilets per floor. Restrictive Breakfast Schedule: The plated breakfast service had a limited timeframe of 7:30 am to 9:00 am. Extra Charges for Activities: Many activities we were interested in, like yoga classes, came with additional costs. Smoking Area with Better Views: The designated smoking area offered superior views, which felt unfair to non-smokers. Overall Experience: Our experience on the MSC Lirica cruise was disappointing. The missed port due to technical issues, coupled with inadequate compensation, was a major letdown. Several other aspects, like limited amenities, repetitive entertainment, and poorly planned excursions, detracted from the overall enjoyment of the trip. Recommendation: Based on our experience, we cannot recommend the MSC Lyrica cruise to others. Additional Tips: Consider researching alternative cruise lines or itineraries that better suit your preferences. If you choose MSC Lirica, be aware of potential noise issues with certain balcony rooms and factor in extra costs for desired activities. Opting out of the beverage package and planning independent excursions in some ports might be more cost-effective.

Embarkation

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Cabin / Stateroom

Ports of call

Kotor, Montenegro

Mykonos, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Ancona, Italy Did not visit port

Disembarkation