My friends complain that today's cruises don't compare to the sumptuous feasts and fawning service of days gone by. If they had cruised on the MSC Splendida, they would have seen just how low the industry has sunk. Breakfast was OK, but the menu never changed and the variety was limited. Lunch in the buffet was worse than any cheap Las Vegas $2.99 buffet, choices were limited, meat quality was awful, could not get a cup coffee after 10 a.m. Sit-down dinner was passable if you stayed with sea-food, lousy salads, bland desserts. A number of passengers complained about their room stewards, ours was very good. Several passengers planned to terminate their cruise earlier than planned. Internet service was expensive, and slower than dial-up. Log-out was cumbersome, and many passengers lost their whole internet deposit because they did not log out correctly. Roomy cabins, nice balconies, larger bathrooms than Princess, RCL, NCL. Shows were so-so, the two main female singers were convinced that screaming was singing. The visits to Athens, Cairo and Rome almost made the cruise worth-while. MSC did not measure up to my expectations, and I would not recommend this line to friends if other options are available.