We cruised from Ft. Lauderdale on the March 20, 2010, Caribbean sailing. Overall the experience was a pleasant one, but passengers choosing MSC should be aware of several very important differences between it and other, more mainstream cruise lines. MSC is currently trying very hard to break into the American market, but it has yet to alter its service to American tastes. For the record, we are a married couple that have cruised over 20 times, on lines ranging from Carnival to Cunard.

1. FOOD: Service in the dining room was friendly, but not efficient. The maitre 'd granted our request for a 2 person table, but only grudgingly and as though conferring an enormous favor.

Dishes are prepared for European tastes, which means they can seem undercooked and underseasoned. The pasta dishes were uniformly good; the meat dishes hit or miss; the desserts, awful. This last is inexcusable for an Italian cruise line, but there it is. A grand midnight buffet is scheduled once per cruise, but the offerings looked a great deal better than they tasted. One small but welcome plus is free soft serve ice cream on deck during the day. Read more