After reading several reviews before embarkation I and three friends were beginning to wish we had booked with another company, there were so many negative reviews. We were surprised, we embarked from Tenerife (as three of the party live there most of the year) and were met by very helpful staff. We booked in very quickly, and taken to our cabin, which was one of the biggest I had stayed in.We have been with mainly P.& O. previously (which we had enjoyed and had had no complaints) but we were awed by the atrium in Fantasia. All the staff we came in contact with were most helpful and charming. The food was good (the self-service was very over-crowded) we preferred to breakfast and lunch in the restaurants.We had complaints regarding the trip talks, information was very nearly non-existent and we were disappointed in the T.V. We thought the drinks were on a par with most other companies and the lounges. We were surprised how few passengers used the hand sanitizer (on P.& O. cruises you don't have a choice, this could have caused an health scare.The shoes were good - mostly 45 minutes, the singing and dancers were really good for the type of shows, the acrobats were especially good, and the Michael Jackson evening was very memorable.All in all we can certainly say we will be sailing with M.S.C. again.