Where to start:
First, we have sailed nineteen times and experienced an array of American AND European cruise products from RCCL, Princess, Costa, P&O, NCL, Holland America etc. The experiences of these diverse products have collectively informed my opinion of our MSC experience.
MSC is NOT for the American market share rather, this European line is clearly after the sustainability of the European market share. American products by and large, do not charge a consistently high price for the cruise and then, charge clients for water while on board. Yes... MSC does this. Not even Costa does this.
Above average in size and clean. Bathroom was huge by comparison to other product lines we have sailed. Balcony was great but sadly our kids could not enjoy it because we had smokers to our left who, despite our repeated requests to discontinue smoking, would not stop.
We complained several times and finally escalated to upper management who did not address an outcome with us directly but ended up fining the occupants of the cabin 250 Euros for smoking (according to our cabin steward) This fine did nothing to help offset our non use of the balcony we paid to have our kids enjoy but who couldn't. No one from management came to discuss the outcome with us or even provide us a partial refund for a product we paid for but could not use.... awful. So who got the 250 euro anyway?
Easy to find the hop on hop off bus tour but very little to see or do in Palermo
We took an Aquarium tour independent of the ship. Ship charged for transport into the city center -- not even Costa docks in a shipyard then charges its clients for transport out of the shipyard... HUGE turn off
We booked two private boats for our family of 40 - expensive for what we got