This was our fifth cruise but the first and last with MSC. We joined the ship in Valencia, convenient for us as we live in Alicante. Valencia terminal was chaos with very little information and tiny signs telling you where to deposit your bags. We were bussed to the ship and missed the life jacket drill as nobody seemed to know when our cabin would be ready so we were unable to collect our life jackets.
The food throughout the cruise was mediocre and was never hot. More importantly the wine was never cold! The ship itself is beautiful and the bar staff and cabin staff are great. The problems were always lack of information from management unless you were paying extra for an excursion or a bus to get from the ship to the port gates. In civitavecchia we tried to join the "free transfer" bus to the port gates but approximately 300 people were waiting for one bus! Not queueing just pushing. When you were asked to pay €12.90 for a transfer bus in Palma there were about 15 buses running.
Thankfully, We had paid for an all inclusive drinks package as when you ordered anything there was a 15% service charge added even though you are charged a daily service charge onboard of €8.50 each. Entertainment didn't impress too much either with almost live music and in most bars. When we arrived back in Valencia we had priority dis-embarkation but when we left the ship the staff still sent you in the wrong direction to the buses and we were forced to wait for 45 minutes until the bus was full so priority it was not. All in all, the only way we would consider another cruise on this beautiful ship is if another more professional company buy it.