Great itinerary. Fantastic ship. Good staff. The ship comes to life just before midnight.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
We booked flights and transfers with MSC and those went very smoothly. When we got to Barcelona cruise terminal it was chaos. People were queueing everywhere with no clear signage or direction. Once 8nside the terminal building the situation improved. My tip is to seek out an MSC staff member (when you finally find one) and ask.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Restaurant food and service was good. We had heard that pizza, coffee and bread was good on an Italian ship but the pizza was average at best (some unusual pizza such as a black charcoal base!). Bread was very nice.
Overall, the food was OK and the buffet was repetitive. Please do not be put off, just manage your expectations and you will be fine.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Lots of on-board games, pool table, table tennis etc. We did not try them but they all looked good.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Theatre shows we're good and there was one singer in particular who was amazing. If you are on the ship for the 2024 med season, you will know her when you see her. The Tina Turner show was awesome.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Room steward was helpful and attentive. Some staff were very focused on their jobs and did not acknowledge guests.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship was impressive although we were still getting lost after one week! Lots of places to sit/eat/relax.
Common areas were mainly clean. Staff were clearly overly busy as tables were not cleared for quite a while.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Good sized cabin for 2 people. Layout had bed by balcony. Balcony was comfortable and good size. Bathroom was in need of some upkeep with water damage showing but overall clean and functional.
This is a tender port so you need to get a boarding number to get on the smaller 'taxi' boat. Do this early as we left it late and had to wait over 1 hour to get the tender boat. Cannes itself is a great place to visit. The location for the Cannes film festival is by the port. We also took a walk up to the castle for some fantastic views of the port.
It's a 30 min walk to the train station if you want to get a train to Pisa. Be aware that trains are not always reliable so if time is limited you would be better taking an excursion to be certain you get there and back.
La Spezia is a pretty town and worth spending your time in the port. Walk up towards the castle/museum. You will find a bar in the grounds (before you pay to get in to the castle). Staff are extremely welcoming and they serve good local beer.
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