The whole trip started out badly. We had booked the cruise through an agent, but where trying to sort out drinks packages, etc. ahead of embarkation. This was mostly due to MSC stating on their website that drinks packages had to be booked ahead of the cruise and wouldn't be available on board. The first problem we encountered was that the MSC website seemingly never works. We had tried unsuccessfully for a couple of weeks, but were unable to either access our booking or proceed with booking "extras". Another issue is trying to get through to MSC customer services. You can be waiting for a response for over an hour and when you do get through, they are surly and helpful. They directed us back to our agent, who did indeed manage (with some difficulty) to book the drinks package.

Once we arrived for embarkation, the process was generally ok with no major problems. However, when checking in, we were asked if we wanted to purchase a discounted drinks package (i.e the same one we had tried to book with such problems earlier) at a cheaper price. It became obvious then, that MSC are not particularly scrupulous in their dealings with customers, nor particularly good at telling the truth. They also tried to say we only booked the non-alcoholic drinks package that required a somewhat exasperated conversation to ensue, which eventually got sorted out.

The ship itself is nice and the cabin was comfortable. However, for such a new vessel, it is not wearing well and is very tatty in places. The sheer size of the ship may be off putting to some people, as it takes awhile to get orientated. The size also presents it's own issues, as there are a lot of passengers on board and it can feel cramped and overcrowded at times. Likewise the noise levels in some of the more popular public areas can be unbearable. So if you're looking for quiet relaxation, this is not the ship to go on. Read more