I booked this cruise, our first in 5 years for my husband and I to try and compensate for a very stressful year and also to celebrate our special birthdays!

Not a good start at Gatwick North check-in with BA/MSC due to lack of organisation. No separate check-in desk for MSC passengers unless you were an MSC Yacht Club Member! We were in the chaotic queuing system at BA for 1hr 45mins. No MSC Representative to advise. (I had tried to check us in online the day before but was told by MSC staff member on the phone that I did not need to). Eventually BA staff were calling out to passengers for our flight and others at similar time slot. They then opened a stand-by desk and some passengers could join the Yacht Club queue! By the time we checked in we had only 10 mins to get through Security and to the departure lounge to board. We literally had to run there! I suffer from Arthritis and should not have been doing this! I was annoyed that my husband and I were not seated together on the flight, he was at the rear of the plane and I was in the middle. I had specifically requested when I booked the cruise that we needed to sit together, as my husband suffers from anxiety and is not a good flyer. I spent the whole flight worrying about him and getting up to go and check on him. Very stressful for both of us really.

On arrival at Genoa we managed to find the MSC Reps, collect our luggage and board the transfer bus to the ship. On leaving the bus there was no one to tell us exactly where we had to go, no signs and no Rep! It was left to us all to find out! Checking in seemed to take ages but eventually we embarked. Read more