MSC Cruises UK & Ireland
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MSC Splendida
This was our first time travelling with MSC cruises and we did not know what to expect and could only go on our previous experiences with other companies. We travelled on the MSC Splendida which was a beautiful ship. The decor in the ship looks classic, a little tired in areas but she’s a relatively older ship so that’s kind of expected. Cleanliness was great, no areas really stood out to be dirty. Our cabin was a decent size with plenty of cupboard and drawer space. We were a family of four and we all managed to get our things away without any trouble. If there was only two in a cabin you would have plenty of space! The bathroom was clean and tidy with shelves and under the sink cupboards so again all our things were put away. The balcony is what let the room down, it was looking pretty tired and in need of a really good scrub - it wasn’t dirty as such but looked like it needed a good scrub to bring it back up to looking good. The furniture was standard balcony furniture. The other downside to the balcony was we had other guests who would sit out and smoke and the smell of smoke wafting was not pleasant. I understand that smoking is not permitted on the balcony but there were definitely several people who did. The lifts and staircases were all well maintained and clean. All communal areas were clean and well maintained, the furnishings just look a little dated but I think this adds to the experience of the ship that she’s not an ultra modern P&O Arvia ship, she is a classic ship with softer furnishings. The staff on board were all very friendly, helpful and always smiling and approachable. The pool on deck 14 was always busy and looked clean. The water quality looked very good and wasn’t cloudy. Sunbeds - now we didn’t want to sit out and sunbathe but if you did… good luck finding a free one. There was loads of sunbeds with towels left on them and no sign of anyone using them. I think this is a problem that every cruise ship has and until they work out how to stop people from behaving so selfishly it will always be a problem. The food in the buffet was plentiful, huge choice if you are not a picky eater. If you are then you will find it a little limiting of plainer foods. The restaurants are again filled with super friendly staff. We had the early sitting and had a table of four just for us and we sat at the same table each evening and was served by the same fantastic waiters each night. They would happily switch items so you could have a meal that you wanted. The restaurants for breakfast you will get put on other tables and have to share which we didn’t mind, we met some lovely people and shared some great conversations. We also met a family who would not make eye contact and made it very clear to the restaurant staff once we had been seated that they did not want to share with us which made everyone feel very uncomfortable. It was a shame that this one family pulled down the whole vibe just for being selfish. Sadly there are always people like that. Thankfully there were in the minority on this cruise. Excursions were excellent with incredibly knowledgeable guides. They did seem a little pricey compared to other companies but I have to say the quality was high. On the whole we loved the cruise, I would highly recommend MSC, and I would also say to anyone who has travelled with other companies to go in with an open mind and not compare too much detail as each cruise is its own unique experience. You can travel on the same cruise twice and each time have a different experience so I would recommend to anyone judge for yourself and choose a cruise itinerary that works for you.