MSC Cruises
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Buffet wars and poor service
Just off the MSc Grandiosa in the 12th May and never again will I cruise with MSc. Check in: Download the app and register a credit card. App doesn't like to accept your card the first 20 times, appears to be a common issue and you can resolve it by trying it time and time again or waiting on the phone for 15 mins. Embarkation: Absolute breeze. Handed over paper work, took our luggage and off we went to security. Over an hour wait with no seats no refreshments and no indication of wait time. There was only one security stand open. Buffet: The buffet is a war zone. People cut in everywhere, there's no space to get past, searching for seats for ages only to sit down and your food is cold. The food was decent but they don't change it so had the same breakfast and dinner for a week. Staff: There were 4 members of staff that were truly lovely and I could have chatted with them all day. However most barely acknowledged your presence, I dare say it was so busy for them they had lost motivation. Bar service: My partner was unwell for 2 days of the cruise and despite explaining water was for our cabin at night they would only give me 2 or 3 bottles at a time. This meant I had to run back an fourth waiting 20 mins at the bar, fighting through crowds or pay the extra charge for room service every time. Alcoholic drinks are served 1 at a time and many a time others that had been waiting less time were served first ( an experience shared over 4 cabins -11 people) Photos: They try very hard to get you in for pictures and take them so quickly you feel flustered. We were a group of 11 and the pictures were assigned randomly across our 4 cabins meaning if 1 cabin wanted to buy pictures they didn't have all of them attached to there card/cabin number. Kids club: The kids ran out and thanked me for saving them! There were English and Spanish kids in the club at the same time so over 3 hours they watched 1 film in English and another in Spanish. What a joke! Disembarkation: We went to our allocated area to disembark at the time stated (5 mins early, again as instructed) only to find no one else there and no staff nearby. We joined the other crowd in another area but didn't have anyone to ask if this was ok and our luggage would still be accessible. Luckily we were not in a rush to get off the ship! The ship was so overcrowded it was nothing but a stressful experience. If you enjoy fighting crowds save yourself the money and go shopping on Xmas Eve. We have been with 2 other cruise lines and I will say MSC'S entertainment was the best yet but customer service and ease of access to food and water was unbelievably poor! Never again!