I have just returned from a 3 week cruise on MSC Sinfonia from Durban to Genoa which I would like to be able to say was fantastic but, unfortunately, all went horribly wrong from the embarkation procedure until the disembarkation although I must say the ship itself is lovely and very clean and the bar prices very reasonable.

Flights - we had to fly to Durban from Capetown with a one hour connection time from landing. I queried this on booking and was told not to worry as the luggage would be checked through from the UK to Durban so you only had to get yourself across the airport for a connecting flight - not so. You do have to collect your luggage, go through customs, find the next check in desk and recheck your luggage so unless you are an Olympic sprinter you will not have much time especially if your luggage doesn't come out first.

Embarkation - total chaos, coach dropped us and the driver disappeared leaving the 40 + passengers all scrabbling for their cases from the luggage compartment underneath the coach. There were no MSC representatives to advise where our cases should be taken to for loading onto the ship. We then joined the winding queue for the embarkation procedure. Once on ship you then joined another queue to register your credit card for payment for items on the ship. Why they couldn't do this on the registration desk at embarkation like every other cruise is beyond me. Read more