MSC Poesia may 19th to may 26th embark in Venice. Well we got from the tiny Trevisa airport by taxi to a 2 star hotel in Mestre called Ariston. The taxi service was brilliant to hotel not so. Very old and run down in the middle of no where no restaurant. But sold bottles of champagne cheap. The same taxi service picked us up from hotel and dropped us right outside the cruise ship. It was ideal to get rid of luggage. MSC let us put cases on at 09.30am which was ideal. Then MSC offered us a water taxi to the centre of Venice this was a diasastre. No organisation looking for the MSC boat for over an hour. Anyway they finally got us to the grand canal. We decided not to do the usual gondola over priced trip we took a normal venice wooden motor launch taxi and asked the capitan for a 45 min tour which he did 4 of us 100 euro total. We saw a lot of Venice the tiny back waterways etc. People where taking fotos of us as the boat was so cool. A stroll down the water front a few souvenirs shops then back to the MSC transfer boat. Again we were in right place with many others. No MSC staff no boat. Absolute panic. All other cruises Costa Aena all were clearly marked. Any way a different boat turned up and we were on our way back to ship. Check in was a bit of a queue but once documents shown and foto taken we were off to the cabin. We are veteran cruisers with over 20 cruises made so we opt for a cheaper inside cabin and pay for drinks and spa packages. Our inside cabin 11020 was adequate for our needs. The over head bunks where always in the way getting in and out of bed. There was plenty of wardrobe hanging space and drawers. But no hooks in the cabin itself. The tv was difficult to operate as in slow to load or change channels.

We had a spa package for whole cruise was cheap. The spa was a disappointment just two steam rooms, two saunas and 3 hot tubs. The saunas had no outside windows so depressing.

Buffet omg nightmare are we the only family who goes in gets a table two guard the table two go get food when back the other two go. The others seem to wander aimlessly around with overflowing plates and no seats. There was enough choice but the quality just was not there. Read more