first...embarkation was a breeze it took less than 15 minutes and we were on board, no special lines, no special treatment, everything just WORKED. We started to board at 3:00 and was on board by 3:15. The ship is Beautiful...you could take any public room and put it anywhere and it would fit in in any city...These public rooms were bright (natural light) and cheery...there was Music everywhere (public rooms) whether it was muzak or any number of musicians playing in the lounges each and every night. As has been said before the pool deck lacked music, the obligatory steel drum band...but we weren't there for pool games or music. The Cabins were small (inside category) and My Luggage didn't fit under my bed and it was a Hassle, but we lived with it. The shower was not my favorite appointment to the cabin (I thought I was done with Navy Showers) My favorite appointment to the cabin had to be the interactive TV I played without often checking messages, checking my account and what was going on that day and in the future also... The Food By and Large was ok, there were Hits (Lamb, Veal, chilled soups, and risottos) and misses (Lobster and Steak (my tablemates and wife were brave enough to try these)....the beef I had was Ok...I had a hamburger) The Gelato was very good...the singing pizza guy I must have missed him ...no singing and the Pizza sucked! but I was told he was around and there was good pizza to be found....I just didn't find it...I really didn't take advantage of the ports...for personal reasons and we thought that since embarkation was so fantastic that disembarkation would be dreadful...it wasn't it was actually one of the smoother disembarkations that we have had and they had to disembark 2550 passengers (a full boat, and yes pun intended!)Oh and one other thing...with it being a sold out cruise, only twice did I feel crowded once was at the fabulous shows they had and the other was at the talent show the last night...all other times I was relaxed (I hate standing in lines!) I* didn't try the casino although a friend of my wifes won $1500 I think (maybe more but not less) I tried the buffet once and was not impressed but I am not impressed with most cruise ship buffets.

My Cruise was very enjoyable...so be warned other cruiselines MSC is more than just another contender, with a little more fine tuning you just might be trying to take her crown!