This cruise was a retirement present to myself.
After an awesome 6 days Rome/Venice stay, downer came with the horrible MSC Lirica experience. From the awful, unwelcoming embarking to disembarking this cruise line administration was nothing but a heartache.
No proper accommodations were made for unexpected port change: had to maneuver long lines, ordered from room to room before being hoarded on two hours bus ride without even the courtesy of a glass of water.
More chaos continued at the Trieste Port.
Luggage subsequently misplaced. Eventually located late night after personally making multiple trips/inquiries.
Basically, co-passengers and port itinerary were awesome.
Food: same old same ole. I was too happy to purchase flavourful meals onshore by week two.
Entrainment: elementary. No effort really put into it.
My room sometimes smelled like sewer which made me nauseous. To my objection, chemical was used to correct the situation.
Hard-working floors staff/stewards awesome, however, getting response from the front desk staff was HORRIBLE; don’t waste your precious time and energy to to take anything to their attention. Administration took NO RESPONSIBILITY/ACCOUNTABLE for anything. They all parroted a million different suggestions accompanied with rude sarcastic flavour with the result always the same in the end; you must be doing something wrong.
Get this, I was blocked/denied getting bottle water during dining because they had the nerve to withdraw 200€ service charge from my on-board account with 12 days left to go on my trip because, I assumed they thought my account would run out before they got/grabbed their tip. SHAMEFUL AND HURTFUL INDEED
After spending your hard earned money, once MSC gets it, you are chopped liver thereafter.
PITY☹️☹️☹️
Very comfortable except to when overcome by nauseating sewer smell