An eye opening experience

MSC Melody (RETIRED) 498 Cruise Review to Europe - Western Mediterranean

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 61

Overall rating:

3 out of 5
Verified Review
MSC Melody (RETIRED) 498

7 Night Western Mediterranean (Livorno Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 28, 2007

Ship: MSC Melody (RETIRED) 498

Cabin type: Oceanview

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 14 years ago

Review summary

The wait staff and the excursion guide were excellent! They truly were the best things about this cruise. All of the shop attendants were helpful and not at all pushy. I did find prices of water and sodas to be excessive, as well as the laundry service. As first time cruisers, we learned a lot about what to do and not do on a cruise ship. If you have small children, this cruise would be for you, lots of families with babies and toddlers, some teenagers. Children ran rampant all over the ship, even in the bars, without any sign of parental supervision. We did see one child fall in the pool area, and no parent came to help them. One of the wait staff finally went over to speak to her. One drawback in taking your family is that they will be exposed to vast quantities of smoke, even in the non smoking areas of the ship, so if you are non smokers, be prepared that no one observed the no smoking signs.

Ports of call

Naples, Italy

5 out of 5
Pompeii was fantastic! This one tour made all the rest dull in comparison. It was by far the hottest weather, but the trip back in time was well worth it. The coral factory was interesting, but the port has an outlet shop from the factory and was by far more reasonable in price.
Don't Miss: The Pompeii tour!

St. Tropez, France

5 out of 5
Our local tour guide was excellent and very informative. We really enjoyed this tour.
Don't Miss: The walking tour of the old city.

Barcelona, Spain

5 out of 5
Again, the local tour guide was excellent and we enjoyed listening to him.

Tunis, Tunisia

1 out of 5
The guide talked down to us like we were 4 year olds. He basically said about 10 different things about Tunis, over and over again. Each time we passed a mosque, he told us that 95% of the nation was Muslim. (We passed at least a dozen mosques.) The guide told us not to buy souveniers from anyone except 3 shops he would point out to us, which he did, then he promptly disappeared until the bus was ready to go. The shop keepers were rather creepy, and the shops were very dark and uninviting.
Don't Miss: The public baths are the only interesting thing on the tour.

St. Tropez, France

5 out of 5
Our local tour guide was excellent and very informative. We really enjoyed this tour.
Don't Miss: The walking tour of the old city.

Barcelona, Spain

5 out of 5
Again, the local tour guide was excellent and we enjoyed listening to him.

Tunis, Tunisia

1 out of 5
The guide talked down to us like we were 4 year olds. He basically said about 10 different things about Tunis, over and over again. Each time we passed a mosque, he told us that 95% of the nation was Muslim. (We passed at least a dozen mosques.) The guide told us not to buy souveniers from anyone except 3 shops he would point out to us, which he did, then he promptly disappeared until the bus was ready to go. The shop keepers were rather creepy, and the shops were very dark and uninviting.
Don't Miss: The public baths are the only interesting thing on the tour.

Naples, Italy

5 out of 5
Pompeii was fantastic! This one tour made all the rest dull in comparison. It was by far the hottest weather, but the trip back in time was well worth it. The coral factory was interesting, but the port has an outlet shop from the factory and was by far more reasonable in price.
Don't Miss: The Pompeii tour!

Pros: Our excursion guide, she was the best!

Cons: The Tunis excursion.

Recommends MSC Melody (RETIRED) 498? No.

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