Bad reviews

[saphir]

critics of the Divina are increasingly bad on CC. This scares me a little.:eek:

[Cruisergal1208]

critics of the Divina are increasingly bad on CC. This scares me a little.:eek:

 

Only you can make your cruise what you want it to be. Like every thing throw out the best and worst review and take all of the rest with a grain of salt. Nothing is perfect so go with an open mind and smile.

[JFontaine]

When you read the reviews, focus on what people are complaining about, and consider: are those the things that matter to you? Most people rate cabins and entertainment very high (I'm reading only Divinia reviews). Often people will complain about one or two relatively small things (to me) and proclaim a lousy cruise. If those things happened to you, would that ruin your cruise? I also learn from people's disappointments, and adjust my expectations. I remember that I am not buying the ship - I am only staying in it for a few days; even though I love nice sheets and towels, as an example, frayed ones won't bother me for a week. Some people feel that if they write a bad review they are hurting the cruise line that did something wrong to them, and it is their only recourse. When I read reviews, I try to determine whether the cruiseline is a good match for me. And then once I book, I hope for good weather, and good health, and the rest is icing on the cake. But this is my personal philosophy, and I realize it wouldn't work for others.

[saphir]

This will be my 6th cruise (NCL, Carnival er Celebrity) and I all loved. This will be my first European ship and it is this atmosphere that I wanted to try. I am sure that I will love, but it looks like there are more bad reviews than good. ;)

[AmoMondo]

MSC always has had and probably always will have polarised views. People seem to either love them or hate them, with little in between.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with JFontaine. Look at what they are moaning about and decide if it is a deal. Reader for you. Some complain about the slow service in the dining room but that is a positive for me. I don't want dinner to be over in an hour. I like time between courses to chat and if it takes 2 or even 3 hours, happy days. I've often been amongst the last to leave the MDR. Another example is that some people find the multi lingual (very few by the way) irritating, I enjoy it as I have an interest in other languages and it is a great refresher for me.

[oreosmile]

Only you can make your cruise what you want it to be. Like every thing throw out the best and worst review and take all of the rest with a grain of salt. Nothing is perfect so go with an open mind and smile.

 

So true... and a smile goes a long, long way to changing a not so great situation into the one that you want!

 

I find many of the reviewers seem to be looking for things to tick them off. Each little blip something to be savoured and held onto, I wonder if they make a list in a notebook so as not to forget each insult and offence. My favourite are the reviews that say the rooms were great... the entertainment was great... the pools were great.... but give it 1* out of 5 overall because of little things like the bacon wasn't crisp and the waiter didn't speak great English.

 

As long as you don't expect the world to revolve around you and your preferences, and you can adapt to different experiences, you should have a great time!

[resstation]

Just think, if the reviews were terrific those of us who enjoy MSC would have a much harder time finding available cabins!:D

[AlbertusMagnus]

frankly, I normally don't pay attention to reviews, but there are so many negatives that they are beginning to influence my decision to remain on the Transatlantic cruise I have booked. One constant that I see, even in the good reviews, is the fact that the breakfast buffet doesn't offer an omelet station, or fried eggs, or bagels, and hamburgers (pre cooked) is the big item for lunch. The buffet is something that MSC can correct immediately. Too many people are repeating the same negatives. They must have some truth to them. MSC must be reading, bur judging from the dates, they aren't interested in changing. A sad situation.

[oreosmile]

On Splendida last year, there were fried eggs on the buffet. Not sure of bagels, was too busy enjoying the chocolate filled croissants and other fancy pastries. No omelette station for sure.

 

Hamburgers are pre-made, but they are not the big thing for lunch. They are, however, located at the entrance to the buffet, so perhaps if someone were to poke their heads in, they might think they were the feature item. But there were a dozen alternative stations open with all kinds of salads, sliced Italian meats, freshly baked breads, a carvery, fish, ethnic foods, Mediterranean items, pizza, desserts, fruit, etc. Both parts of the buffet are open for lunch. Anyone limiting themselves to a pre-cooked burger for lunch just isn't trying!

 

I was the buffet queen that trip due to my kiddo not tolerating the dining room and it was not a horrible fate (I am a foodie and was looking forward to the dining room). Tons of choices, tasty food, nice and hot. There may be some minor tweaks possible, but the buffet as it stands should not be the cause of vacation ruin.

[Tatka]

critics of the Divina are increasingly bad on CC. This scares me a little.:eek:

 

 

We read horrible reviews about Poesia, but loved her a lot, even though we did have about 20 cruises with every massmarket line. So I hope Divina will not disappoint us as well.

[DENIE]

I also saw the negative reviews recently, but there are plenty of good reviews to balance them (many are on the "boards" instead of the "reviews"). A lot of complaints are for things I don't care about....no omelet station (plenty of other choices), having to get attention of bar servers (we don't like pushy bar service), long dinners (looking forward to it!), and the more international crowd (we want to expand our horizons). My wife and I plan to have an awesome cruise in November! :)

[Cruz52]

Hello,

 

For quite a while I have been reading a lot of very negative reviews regarding MSC Cruise Line. I am a travel consultant and I would like to shed some light on why there are numerous complaints and how to avoid them. BTW I will never reveal my real name or who I work for. I'm not hear to sell you anything.

 

The first point I would like to make is that you should never book your cruise on your own. Big mistake. Some people think they know everything that a travel consultant knows but in all honestly you don't. A good travel consultant will advise you honestly. This is called Qualifying the Client. That is when a consultant will find out what you like and don't like. What other cruise lines you have been on that you liked or didn't like. Then assist you and recommend suitable cruise lines to fit your budget. And yes you need a budget. Also a travel consultant will get you the best deal possible at the time of booking. And remember by booking early you generally will get a lower rate than someone who is booking close to sailing. Booking close to sailing is really only benefits those who live close to the ports and don't need airfare. And booking air at the last minute is high...so you end up paying more for your entire trip. If you travel agent does not ask you a lot of questions then you need to run fast and find a good one.

 

Next: Do not ever purchase a cruise solely based on price. And this where a lot of people get into trouble. For example MSC does have lower prices generally. BUT...is MSC the right cruise line for you? For example if you really like Royal Caribbean and always have a good time then MSC wouldn't be a good choice for you. So don't book on price alone unless you just want a cheap getaway and not concerned about anything else but price. Many people will book based on price and as the old saying goes. You pay for what you get. And that holds true with cruises. Remember its a product.

 

Now for MSC Cruise Line: MSC is a European line...Italian. The service will not be the same as most Americans are used to. We are used to having service people in our face. Europeans are just the opposite. For example while at dinner, if you need something then YOU must ask the waiter. They will not be constantly asking to fill your water or wine glass etc. Its non intrusive. Simply and kindly ask the waiter for whatever you need. Personally I cannot stand service people in my face constantly...its annoying.

 

Length of Dinner: In Europe, dining is an experience and its the same on MSC. So your dinners will be longer than you would get at McDonalds. You need to just relax and enjoy your dinner. Remember its an Italian Line and HELLO...Italian dinners in Italy are an experience. Slow down and enjoy.

 

On MSC, do not expect an experience like you would get on Carnival or Royal Caribbean...it will not happen. And I hope they keep that European flair. I admit they should really up the customer service at the front desks if they are going to service the US market. Agreed?

 

MSC Ships: MSC ships are among the most beautiful and clean ships out there. For example the Divina is a stunning ship. Out of all the standard cruise lines, the Divina is a stunner. Its classy and elegant and not your normal boring run of the mill cookie cutter ship which we are over run with. I can honestly say that of the standard cruise lines...MSC does have the cleanest ships!!! And you probably will not find rust anywhere on the ship. I can't say that for some of the other cruise lines out there. Some ought to be ashamed of the way their ships look. There is nothing worse than a ship that looks like a rust bucket. Especially in port.

 

So if you booked an MSC ship based solely on price and you did not do your home work then the responsibility really falls on you the passenger. The next time, please consider using a travel consultant with an excellent reputation and takes the time to qualify you to make sure you are on the right cruise line. If the consultant is PUSHING towards a certain cruise line..cut it short and go elsewhere. A good consultant will not do that. A professional wants you to be on the right cruise line so you have a wonderful experience and come back a happy customer. Whether its a budget line or an ultra luxury line...I want my clients to come back happy. And they do!

 

BTW...sometimes you need to take all these negative reviews with a grain of salt. Some people just complain about every little thing. Can you imagine sitting next to them at dinner? lol

 

One last bit of advice: ALWAYS, ALWAYS PURCHASE TRIP INSURANCE!!! IF YOU DON'T, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN IF THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS. AND IT WILL!!! It could actually save your life!

 

I hope this helps and happy sailing.

[maureencruiser]

When you read the reviews, focus on what people are complaining about, and consider: are those the things that matter to you? Most people rate cabins and entertainment very high (I'm reading only Divinia reviews). Often people will complain about one or two relatively small things (to me) and proclaim a lousy cruise. If those things happened to you, would that ruin your cruise? I also learn from people's disappointments, and adjust my expectations. I remember that I am not buying the ship - I am only staying in it for a few days; even though I love nice sheets and towels, as an example, frayed ones won't bother me for a week. Some people feel that if they write a bad review they are hurting the cruise line that did something wrong to them, and it is their only recourse. When I read reviews, I try to determine whether the cruiseline is a good match for me. And then once I book, I hope for good weather, and good health, and the rest is icing on the cake. But this is my personal philosophy, and I realize it wouldn't work for others.

 

^^This. 100%, Completely. ^^

[AmoMondo]

Hello,

 

For quite a while I have been reading a lot of very negative reviews regarding MSC Cruise Line. I am a travel consultant and I would like to shed some light on why there are numerous complaints and how to avoid them. BTW I will never reveal my real name or who I work for. I'm not hear to sell you anything.

 

The first point I would like to make is that you should never book your cruise on your own. Big mistake. Some people think they know everything that a travel consultant knows but in all honestly you don't. A good travel consultant will advise you honestly. This is called Qualifying the Client. That is when a consultant will find out what you like and don't like. What other cruise lines you have been on that you liked or didn't like. Then assist you and recommend suitable cruise lines to fit your budget. And yes you need a budget. Also a travel consultant will get you the best deal possible at the time of booking. And remember by booking early you generally will get a lower rate than someone who is booking close to sailing. Booking close to sailing is really only benefits those who live close to the ports and don't need airfare. And booking air at the last minute is high...so you end up paying more for your entire trip. If you travel agent does not ask you a lot of questions then you need to run fast and find a good one.

 

Next: Do not ever purchase a cruise solely based on price. And this where a lot of people get into trouble. For example MSC does have lower prices generally. BUT...is MSC the right cruise line for you? For example if you really like Royal Caribbean and always have a good time then MSC wouldn't be a good choice for you. So don't book on price alone unless you just want a cheap getaway and not concerned about anything else but price. Many people will book based on price and as the old saying goes. You pay for what you get. And that holds true with cruises. Remember its a product.

 

Now for MSC Cruise Line: MSC is a European line...Italian. The service will not be the same as most Americans are used to. We are used to having service people in our face. Europeans are just the opposite. For example while at dinner, if you need something then YOU must ask the waiter. They will not be constantly asking to fill your water or wine glass etc. Its non intrusive. Simply and kindly ask the waiter for whatever you need. Personally I cannot stand service people in my face constantly...its annoying.

 

Length of Dinner: In Europe, dining is an experience and its the same on MSC. So your dinners will be longer than you would get at McDonalds. You need to just relax and enjoy your dinner. Remember its an Italian Line and HELLO...Italian dinners in Italy are an experience. Slow down and enjoy.

 

On MSC, do not expect an experience like you would get on Carnival or Royal Caribbean...it will not happen. And I hope they keep that European flair. I admit they should really up the customer service at the front desks if they are going to service the US market. Agreed?

 

MSC Ships: MSC ships are among the most beautiful and clean ships out there. For example the Divina is a stunning ship. Out of all the standard cruise lines, the Divina is a stunner. Its classy and elegant and not your normal boring run of the mill cookie cutter ship which we are over run with. I can honestly say that of the standard cruise lines...MSC does have the cleanest ships!!! And you probably will not find rust anywhere on the ship. I can't say that for some of the other cruise lines out there. Some ought to be ashamed of the way their ships look. There is nothing worse than a ship that looks like a rust bucket. Especially in port.

 

So if you booked an MSC ship based solely on price and you did not do your home work then the responsibility really falls on you the passenger. The next time, please consider using a travel consultant with an excellent reputation and takes the time to qualify you to make sure you are on the right cruise line. If the consultant is PUSHING towards a certain cruise line..cut it short and go elsewhere. A good consultant will not do that. A professional wants you to be on the right cruise line so you have a wonderful experience and come back a happy customer. Whether its a budget line or an ultra luxury line...I want my clients to come back happy. And they do!

 

BTW...sometimes you need to take all these negative reviews with a grain of salt. Some people just complain about every little thing. Can you imagine sitting next to them at dinner? lol

 

One last bit of advice: ALWAYS, ALWAYS PURCHASE TRIP INSURANCE!!! IF YOU DON'T, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN IF THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS. AND IT WILL!!! It could actually save your life!

 

I hope this helps and happy sailing.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic Cruz52.

 

I think you mKe some excellent and valid points. Naturally as a Travel Consultant you are naturally going to say we should always book with one. I don't personally agree with that. I'm not disparaging your capabilities and perhaps you can get better prices with a TA in the US than you can booking direct. I almost always book myself, but I spend ages doing my research. I'm the world expert on what I like and am looking for be it a cruise a short city break or a long multi destination land trp. The internet is a great source of information and travel forums good too. However you can't go on scores alone, you have to read the reviews and see why people like or dislike something and decide if you have the same preferences or different ones. I as a well travelled solo female am looking for a very different experience from a couple with young kids wanting a kid friendly place in the sun.

 

You are spot on hough that people should not book on price without doing any research. If people don't like doingnthat themselves then finding an experienced TA is the way to go.

Edited August 14, 2014 by AmoMondo

[AmoMondo]

frankly, I normally don't pay attention to reviews, but there are so many negatives that they are beginning to influence my decision to remain on the Transatlantic cruise I have booked. One constant that I see, even in the good reviews, is the fact that the breakfast buffet doesn't offer an omelet station, or fried eggs, or bagels, and hamburgers (pre cooked) is the big item for lunch. The buffet is something that MSC can correct immediately. Too many people are repeating the same negatives. They must have some truth to them. MSC must be reading, bur judging from the dates, they aren't interested in changing. A sad situation.

 

I'm not sure if you're being serious that the lack of bagels, omelette station and pre cooked burgers would be a cause to cancel a cruise, or this is a tongue in cheek comment.

 

However to address these points that you raise, bagels are not the norm on the ship. Italians don't eat them. There is however a wide choice of excellent fresh baked breads on board.

 

No omelette stations, probably because they are not generally catering to Americans but their main base in continental Europe whom will typically eat breads, pastries and cheeses and cold meats for breakfast. If you do see eggs on a hotel buffet in Italy, they will likely be a dish of cold hard boiled eggs. So across their fleet, not something that would be expected or in high demand. Hey do have a number of breakfast items that cater for your more typical British or American breakfast but not everything you'd get at home. Omelettes are available in the MDR.

 

Burgers are prebooked at the buffet but they are not the big thing in the buffet. They are at the front section for quick take away food. Main part of the buffet has so much more. Breads, salad bars, fruit, soups, cavery, veggies, pasta station and my own favourite on the rare occasion I go to Buffet instead of MDR, the Ethnic corner.

 

If you are being serious about these things being so vital to you, you'd probably be better to switch to a US line where things meet your expectations. You'll probably also need to avoid a stay in an independent European hotel when you do your TA.

[Skipper Tim]

Reviews: yes, one has to be a reverse psychologist and build up a profile of the reviewer and understand their context and motivation to glean anything useful from them.

 

'Travel consultants': as ever I have to agree with with AmoMondo. No third party is going to know me better than I. The internet brings a near infinite amount of (tainted) information, why would I trust a stranger's reading of it better than my own? In this day and age, I cannot understand why travel agents still exist. In my home town of Huddersfield, once handsomely replete with travel agent shops - perhaps reflecting the great Northern English appetite to escape - most are now replaced with disability shops, pawnbrokers and ambulance chasers. This is a sign of our times. I resent the fact that cruise fares are artificially inflated to pay the commissions, rents and livelihood for an industry which should no longer exist, except on the margins for those with literally morse money than sense and with explicit, transparent charges.

 

Food: there must be ten thousand menu items on MSC but all I ever hear complaints here about are bagels, omelettes, steak and lack of oysters. I wonder if the complainants have sampled the other 9,996 items or whether they consider them too 'foreign' to try? I am 47 and I have never had a bagel. This is not down to any preference but rather one has never presented itself to me. They are not on my list of expectations. Why are they on others'? Why do some people expect bagels on an Italian cruise ship???? The mind simply boggles. Try the the risotto or the vermicelli soup or wonderful seafood salads or just a beautiful, just-baked crispy roll or the crispy thin pizzas made and baked in front of you. As for burgers, that surely has to be a joke. Do people go on a cruise to eat burgers?

 

Bagels, burgers, 'travel consultants', reviews????? The World occasionally appears totally mad.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[Tatka]

I cannot agree with travel consultant on most of the points so I am not sure if any TA would be able to help me choosing my next cruise. It is just a person with its own preferences.

 

We sailed with all major massmarket lines including Royal. I don't understand how liking RCI would prevent me from enjoying MSC. BTW out of all massmarket I find thes two lines to be pretty similar with some differences of course.

 

I talked to some Ukrainian waitstaff (We are originally from Ukraine) so they were happy to interact with us so were we. They told us that for sailings in NA MSC in most cases picks people who had experience working on ships catering to NA crowd. Plus all crew undergoes a special training to know and follow NA standards. I am not sure how TA missed this, it is pretty much public information.

 

I am not sure why people say that Americans like in your face service, just read how many people complain about in your face drink sales. On MSC it is done much smarter. You are usually asked once and if you don't need a drink waiter will put your menu down on your table and no one will bother you again. Pretty convenient I think. Also we were surprised when waiter told us that we could not add an additional tip to our check as it was against company policy.

 

Service in MDR was as attentive and polite as on RCI and most or other massmarket.

 

I would not recommend this line to people who love standup comedy, hypnotists, and other entertainment based on speaking English. Crowd is international so it will not be easy to entertain non speaking guests. Otherwise entertainment is one of the best if not the best. Number of singers, dancers, gymnasts and quality of large and small stage entertainment is great.

[American Bear]

frankly, I normally don't pay attention to reviews, but there are so many negatives that they are beginning to influence my decision to remain on the Transatlantic cruise I have booked. One constant that I see, even in the good reviews, is the fact that the breakfast buffet doesn't offer an omelet station, or fried eggs, or bagels, and hamburgers (pre cooked) is the big item for lunch. The buffet is something that MSC can correct immediately. Too many people are repeating the same negatives. They must have some truth to them. MSC must be reading, bur judging from the dates, they aren't interested in changing. A sad situation.

 

Let me address your fears,,,:eek:

The hamburgers were great, I had at least one every day!

The Breakfast Buffet was removed by the Coast Guard inspection because of its location, so look at it this way, you won't have to wait in a long line to get eggs, there was plenty of eggs, even fried ones on the buffet!

Bagels, they were at the toaster station every day!

So put aside your fears and enjoy your cruise, cause as the old saying goes, 'little things bother little people'!:D

[American Bear]

critics of the Divina are increasingly bad on CC. This scares me a little.:eek:

 

No need to be!

Why is MSC about 15-20% lower in positive rating then most other lines is simple,,,,they are the new guys, and most people in America don't get the benes from the loyalty programs, yet, that they get from other cruise lines they have cruised with in the past!

Example,,we get free drinks in the casino, and every afternoon for 3 hours on RCL because of our loyalty club status!

We get on and off the ship first on Carnival, and a free dinner on each cruise because of our benes from the loyalty club!

With NCL we get prority tender tiks., free chocolates, and a members only cocktail party!

But this disadvantage for MSC will not last long with 4000 passengers cruising each week on the Divina! There will be a growing customer base who will get the additional benefits on future cruises, and these will be the vast majority of future reviews you'll be reading!

There are plenty of reviewers already commenting they have already bought future cruises on MSC because of their time on the Divina!:D

[MsTabbyKats]

I just have such a different attitude.

 

I'm going to Italy for a week....with real Italian food, real Italian pizza and real Italian staff.

 

I don't want those round things other lines call bagels (NYC 65 year old Jewish woman....knows what a real bagel is)....I don't want to be entertained by passengers. Give me dancers and singers....I don't care if Michael Jackson has an accent!

 

I'm used to nobody speaking English.....and I'm used to moving ahead of slow pokes. (NYC way of life)

 

I'm eating lunch today at a Russian restaurant, in a Russian area of the city. All the signs and menus are in Russian (sometimes with English translations). I expect the food to be Russian and the servers to be Russian...and I expect that I will have to point out what I want.

 

This is life....this is the world. If I didn't want to experience it....I could sit home and watch tv.

 

Unless we hit really bad weather...I know I'll love MSC...despite lumpy pillows and fighting staff (btw...when DH speaks his native language with his friends it may sound like fighting. But it isn't. Other cultures are more expressive and animated than Americans. )

[saphir]

I also saw the negative reviews recently, but there are plenty of good reviews to balance them (many are on the "boards" instead of the "reviews"). A lot of complaints are for things I don't care about....no omelet station (plenty of other choices), having to get attention of bar servers (we don't like pushy bar service), long dinners (looking forward to it!), and the more international crowd (we want to expand our horizons). My wife and I plan to have an awesome cruise in November! :)

 

same thing for me. the omelets and burgers are not everything! the servers don't speak English, and then. I speak french! they do not say their name has the MDR, and so it is not with them that I'm doing my cruise! all I want is a beautiful ship, well eat and drink and enjoy the Sun! and I know that this is what I get! ;)

[camofwilliamsburg]

We love MSC and I have been a big supporter on cc of this line.

NO way if you like RCI then do not book MSC....why? We are diamond on RCI and I LOVE MSC more. There is a certain vibe on MSC like you are family, not just a customer. You get to know the staff if you take part in the activities.

 

The food, although subjective, and I am picky, has always been very good. Our wait staff has been one of the best and they offer suggestions. When one person at the table finds a great item, often the waiter will bring more out for the table. In January we were served garlic bread each night since someone at the table asked for it one time.

 

The ship is beautiful. The shows are beyond fabulous, and I can clearly say, the best we have ever seen. Really spoils us for any other cruise line.... we actually walk out of production shows on most other lines now that we have seen MSC level of entertainment.

 

As said, you will never find a cleaner ship than a MSC ship.

 

I think that the passengers are different. There are much less Americans on board and there are cultural differences and language barriers between guests. The staff do not bother you around the pool asking for drink orders, although if you want, they are there to take the order.

 

The ship is alive through the night time hours with tons of live music and dancing. The staff interacts and actually will dance with you if you want.

 

Stick with the italian specialties on the menu and you will not go wrong.

MSC is still one of the few lines that serve lunch in the dining room when in port! A nice touch. They also have a wonderful buffet with wonderful burgers and the best authentic pizza. In the back of the buffet area they have an international section with thai food or indian and they change items daily. It is really wonderful. They have a great salad bar also as well as desserts!

[Mikesa1721]

We love MSC and I have been a big supporter on cc of this line.

NO way if you like RCI then do not book MSC....why? We are diamond on RCI and I LOVE MSC more. There is a certain vibe on MSC like you are family, not just a customer. You get to know the staff if you take part in the activities.

 

The food, although subjective, and I am picky, has always been very good. Our wait staff has been one of the best and they offer suggestions. When one person at the table finds a great item, often the waiter will bring more out for the table. In January we were served garlic bread each night since someone at the table asked for it one time.

 

The ship is beautiful. The shows are beyond fabulous, and I can clearly say, the best we have ever seen. Really spoils us for any other cruise line.... we actually walk out of production shows on most other lines now that we have seen MSC level of entertainment.

 

As said, you will never find a cleaner ship than a MSC ship.

 

I think that the passengers are different. There are much less Americans on board and there are cultural differences and language barriers between guests. The staff do not bother you around the pool asking for drink orders, although if you want, they are there to take the order.

 

The ship is alive through the night time hours with tons of live music and dancing. The staff interacts and actually will dance with you if you want.

 

Stick with the italian specialties on the menu and you will not go wrong.

MSC is still one of the few lines that serve lunch in the dining room when in port! A nice touch. They also have a wonderful buffet with wonderful burgers and the best authentic pizza. In the back of the buffet area they have an international section with thai food or indian and they change items daily. It is really wonderful. They have a great salad bar also as well as desserts!

 

[mom2tcdx2]

I ended up booking a cruise for myself, husband and my kids and my mother. In the end my dad, stepmother and my sister and her husband are now going also. My father is totally freaking out on the reviews for MSC. Though I have tried to tell him he is also reading more reviews of the ship over in the Mediterranean.

 

Personally I find food subjective, I have sailed NCL, Disney, Carnival and Princess. While I found the food to be ok, none of them were just completely raving in my book. Though I think in all I had the better options and choices on Disney. For instance I prefer sausage patties with breakfast, don't like the links - haven't sailed a line yet that has the patties. I don't eat salads - so I stay away from the salad bars, never can comment on those. What I might find good another will not, and what another feels is fantastic might be so so for me. Finding whole milk is never easy, nor is the milk ever very cold when you do find it. So I know these things are pretty much the norm, though I don't come home all upset about what I didn't have. Though biggest peeve are eggs at breakfast, normally the premade batches are just rather weird so have a station that will prepare them is nice.

 

The pictures of the ship look fantastic, price was really good. In the end I haven't had any major complaints with any cruise we have been on, while my sister and husband tend to always have more issues. Again I think it is what you expect and what type of things you let bother you. They have very little patience, I don't mind having a nice leisurely dinner, also am aware that if we need something at dinner I am no bothered by asking.

 

I can't wait until our cruise and getting to try something new and different.

[Katgoesonholiday]

I had the best omelette I have ever tasted on an MSC ship.