We travelled to Venice under our own steam having caught a local easy jet flight. Getting to the port was easy and it was very helpful that we had completed the speedy boarding proceedure for MSC earlier in the week. We had also bought our drinks vouchers in advance in sterling( a bit cheaper than on board), and these were waiting for us to pick up- Boarding began about 11:30 and it was very easy to just wander on. Our cases weren't quite on board as quickly as we were but we had carried our beach wear on , found a few deck chairs, after a tour of the boat, and had a great afternoon. The boat is immaculate, and the staff are very welcoming and polite. There were four of us sharing an inside cabin, though this was a bit of a squeeze - due to our girls being teenagers, we really weren't in the cabin much. Towels etc are replaced as regularly as you want them to be. There was fresh fruit which was replaced, though we never felt hungry for it! The food is Italian/ European based, we loved it it was well cooked and served hot. We ate in the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch mostly and then the restaurant for dinner. The cafeteria basically means everyone can eat what they want which suited our pasta mad daughters well. There is also tea and cakes from 4-5pm, which brilliant for us English who like our brew:) We chose the early evening dinner at 7pm, there was a later sitting at 9:30pm. The waiters are very obliging and were happy to change our orders, bring extra deserts etc. The turkish group next to our table were served cheese and salads as an appetiser so all tastes were flexibly catered for! There were buffets in the late evening but we had always eaten so much we didn't want them! The food is not available 24/7 but we wouldn't have wanted it to be. We feel we got excellent value for money, yes you do have to pay for drinks, but for what we paid with free children, with all our meals, shows and the services provided we were very happy. Trips We are adventurous and not very well off when it comes to paying for four, so did most of the ports ourselves. Bari- walk off the ship- there are local tours if you want them- we just walked into town which is small- we watched the local fishermen slapping octopi around and then ambled back. Olympia- we paid for this tour as olympia is 30 km away from the port. You can take a local taxi tour for 140 euros, you can hire a car for a day and use it for four hours (that was a cheaper option!). You can catch a train to Olympia and then try and get a taxi back as the train doesn't come back in time. So in the end we paid for the tour and had a good time! Izmir- this is a big busy port, with not a lot to see, we walked for 40 mins to get to the centre, which had a lot of fake goods for sale and cheap tat and the we walked back. Istanbul- this was amazing! We walked out to the main road and got a tram to the Tokapi palace. We paid 20 Turkish Lira per person over 12 (beware our youngest was 11 and we had to pay for her as she looks older and we had left the passports with proof of age on the ship) . We then walked over to the Blue mosque and Haggia Sofia. The mosque doesn't charge but asks for donations loudly as you leave and the Haggia Sofia is 20TL per person- take your scarves for shoulders, don't wesr short shorts.We then went to the Grand Bazaar which was very entertaining and we enjoyed haggling. Dubrovnik - we walked in - about 40 mins and got a taxi back for ten euros - you'll need Croatian money for cafes and to walk the walls. The boat does offer a shuttle service at 8 euros for an adult and 6 for a child. The walls are great fun to walk and the scenery is amazingly beautiful. Venice- you leave the boat by 10:30 luggage is waiting for you in the hanger, having left it outside your room at midnight. We walked into the town having hired an apartment for three days. It is a delightful but very expensive place- a meal for four at a restaurant (pizzas!) was 100 euros hence the apartment so we could cook our own meals! The boat does takes you directly infront of St. Marks square on the way out and back and it is an amazing way to view Venice.

All in all MSC is fantastic value for money especially for anyone who isn't tied down to being British and likes to be European and adventurous:)