We travelled on MSC Splendida with our daughter and her partner. It was their first cruise and the itinerary was good. We fancied being spoilt for a week without worrying about a large bar bill at the end of the holiday so we chose to travel in the Yacht club.

The trip to Marseille was good, as was the Holiday Inn Express near the station. The cruise port is a long way from the centre of town so be prepared for a 25 euro taxi ride. Embarkation went smoothly and our butler, Ishmael, escorted us to our cabins. The cabins were lovely with walk in wardrobe and well appointed bathrooms. The balconies are smaller than on other ships we have sailed on. Ishmael took us on a tour of the facilities available within the Yacht Club. Everything was beautiful with a large sun deck/pool and the Top Sail lounge with snacks and drinks always available.

We went for lunch in the Olivio restaurant, specifically for Yacht Club and had an excellent lunch with good service. The restaurant is the other end of the ship, still on deck 15 so it either involves a walk along the outside deck or navigating through the maze of bars and restaurants on deck 6. Luckily Ishmael escorted us and explained the priority lift service. Read more