Don't believe the bad reviews of MSC. I don't know about other ships but we just returned from a 7 night Caribbean cruise on the MSC Seashore. We were nervous because of prior reviews but it wasn't even close. This was one of the best cruises we've ever taken. It didn't hurt that the ship was at only about 20% capacity so nothing was ever crowded and embarking and disembarking were a breeze.

The ship is beautiful, very classy and elegant. The rooms are terrific - comparable in size to other lines but very well thought out in terms of lighting, plugs, hooks, storage, tv and general amenities. The mattress and linens are top notch. The bathroom and shower are fine with all you need right there. The staff was everywhere and always very helpful. Our dinner staff was truly 6-star caliber. We felt like we were their only table, in a good way. The food in the main dining room and at the buffet was varied, plentiful and delicious. The shows were well rehearsed and well presented and the theatre itself (lighting, sound, seating, view, stage, etc., are all A++. All the public spaces are great, from the theater to the casino to the pool to the fitness center, stairs, bathrooms, lounges, atrium, shops and all points in between. It's worth another mention... the public bathrooms are big, bright and spotless, once you find them. The ship is less than a year old so things like the carpet, public furniture, deck loungers, beach towels, bedding and finishes are all in mint condition and seem to be of very high quality. Maybe it's because it's a new ship but it definitely felt like MSC didn't scrimp on interior finishes and furnishings. The ship is just amazing from stem to stern. We're already looking at booking another MSC cruise.

The elevators are cool - no buttons inside. You pick your floor before you get in. They're also big and quick to arrive. Drinks from alcohol to sodas to bottled water are high end and plentiful with the drinks package. You pay by just touching your key card to a little pad. Grab and go. The electronic ship maps are all over and are very helpful and self explanatory at getting you where you want to go. Read more