I worked in the travel business for eighteen years and have a lot of travel experience. However, this was the first time my husband and I cruised.Even though the weather wasn't great, it lived up to all our expectations and I would highly recommend it. The staff were always friendly and pleasant. The cabins were very comfortable. The public areas,lounges and restaurants were plush and luxurious. Entertainment was excellent. Coffee, alcohol and soft drink prices were within reason.We visited: Bari, Katakolon, Izmir. Istanbul, Dubrovnik and Venice. We did all of our own excursions on arrival in each port and found that this was cheaper. Others who paid for the excursions on the ship weren't always impressed with their tours. Apart from Turkey, taxis are generally very expensive. Istanbul was the highlight. We picked up the tram quite near the ship into the historical area. The mosques, museums and palaces are on the European side within walking distance of each other. The Grand Bazaar was fantastic, don't be afraid to haggle, its fun.The only areas MSC could improve on is: Organise a proper queuing system in the buffet area and lead people to empty tables. (The Italians, kept skipping and hogging tables.) Improve the "free" coffee, as it is awful, whereas when you purchase it, it is lovely. The cakes never seemed to be freshly baked, they were hard as if they were a day or two old and heat at least one of the swimming pools. (We never got a swim as the weather wasn't good and the pools are cold).