If you are reading this, please know that I am 66 years of age and I have been on at least 12 cruises, with seven different cruise lines throughout my life and I have never, ever had to complain. I saved for many years to take 18 of my family members on what was supposed to be the cruise of a lifetime. It was by far, the worst experience of our lives. We boarded the MSC Lirica on August 1 for a seven night cruise, and from beginning to the very end, it was horrific.

The interior of the ship was vile and an utter disgrace. I have pictures that illustrate torn, worn out comforters, mold in bathtubs, holes and damaged carpets in cabins and hallways, and balconies that had wide openings and provided no safety for infants and children. We were in suites on deck 10 and it was very difficult to sleep because the deck attendants had no consideration and were moving and slamming pool chairs around at 2:00 and 3:00 am every night. The service was horrific and we were told at 7:45 at night that the buffet had run out of quesadillas and the worker became so angry that she pulled the sign off and threw it to the side. Then on another occasion, we asked for a burger to be made plain for someone with allergies and they said that it could not be done. The fish that they served smelled of ammonia and was not fresh at all. Every night we were sending food back. Please do not listen to them when they tell you to have your luggage go to the terminal. They provide you with color coded stickers and there is absolutely no structure or control around this. My daughter's brand new portable crib was lost and nowhere to be found and they could care less.

I could go on and on about this unfortunate experience aboard the MSC Lirica, but I just wanted to let fellow consumers know so that they could make a more informed decision when selecting their next cruise. If you notice the reviews, the only customers that liked their experiences aboard MSC, were the first time cruisers, who unfortunately do not know any better. We all know that cruises are very expensive and most people are never even afforded the chance to set sail, so I feel that it is my duty to urge you to select an alternative cruise line. Do not let their cruise itinerary fool you. The negatives certainly outweigh the positives and I encourage you to make the right decision and never, ever select MSC for your travel plans. You will be disappointed. To "put the nail in the coffin" as they say, they never disclosed to us that the ship is going to be dry-docked later this month and will be enduring a $200,000,000.00 overhaul. They should disclose this to clients prior to taking their money. It is obvious that they knew the ship was in terrible condition.