Overall, this cruise started out good, but didn’t end well. I would recommend a different strategy and approach to MSC cruises, as it might give a different experience.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
There was a long line to get in, and it took us 3 hours from 10AM to 1PM just to get on. The scene was a mess and overall no one knew what to do,
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
The main dining rooms were alright, but didn’t have much options. We had a gluten-free person in our group, and they could only go to the main dining room for meals (which are also closed on port days). The buffet had little to no variety, although I could definitely put another star because of the pizza, salsa and chips, beef (MSC makes really good steaks), and seafood paella. The specialty restaurants weren’t too special, and the food there was mediocre. This was not one of the best places in terms of food
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There’s lots of things to do for all ages here on board. The pool and water slides were very fun and not too crowded, and they have many hot tubs for everyone. The fitness center was big and they had something for everyone. There is also Masterchef at sea, which was fun to watch/be in.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The shows were pretty good, and the concepts were fascinating. However, they were a bit more targeted towards adults and the singing was alright.
Children's Programs
2 out of 5
My two daughters (13 and 9) both had an average, if not bad experience. For my older daughter (context: she does not have a phone), she was shocked at how chaotic the teen club was and how everyone was on their phones or playing xbox, refusing to talk to her. She felt ignored and decided to not go the next day. For my younger daughter, she had fun, but all of the kids there never shared any supplies with her and often pushed her and stepped on her feet.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Our waiter and room steward was excellent. They were kind, helpful, and talkative.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship overall was very clean and well-designed. One weird point was that the gym was not at one of the top floors, but instead at floor 8.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The cabin was rather small, but very cozy. They cleaned it twice a day. There was not enough towels (we had 1 towel per 2 people in both of our rooms). The bed and blankets were soft and comfortable, so it was alright.
Ship tip
Do the express walk-off! It’ll save you time and money! We missed our flight and wasted $2000+ on staying one night, plane tickets, food, clothing (our shirts got ruined in the baggage process), things to do!
This was terrible. We had to get up at 6, get off at 8, and then waited 3 hours for our luggage. We even missed our flight because of how slow and lengthy this process was! Our friends lost a small bag amongst all of the baggage, and they spent even more time trying to find their bag.
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