MSC Poesia - Not For the American Market?

We cruised the maiden New England voyage for Poesia September 22-Oct 2, 2010, choosing it based on a one-day fantastic price offered on the internet for a balcony (Category 8)... at less than eight hundred dollars, before tax. As we soon found out ... you only get what you pay for ... and there are striking differences between American-based cruises lines and European ones such as MSC (an Italian line). Knowing that we wanted to do a New England/Canada cruise, we booked first and read the Poesia reviews on Cruisecritic.com later .... finding out that the ship had its share of flaws ... and then some. Hits were ship's dEcor, certain, selected types of foods, and destinations. Misses were a good portion of the food served, cabins, shows, billing (mandatory donation to UNICEF), and "monopolization of" tourist/public transportation at ports. For people who have cruised on other domestic/ competitive cruise lines, this cruise would be a disappointment and viewed, at best, as a "budget type of cruise". Read on ...

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