We have never cruised MSC before but have experience many other cruise lines including a few of the premier lines. Our favourite cruise line has been Celebrity but due to their ever increasing prices have been drawn to MSC. We were offered Black Card membership due to their loyalty match although the only valuable element was the 5% discount, all other perks were meaningless for people in the Yacht Club.
We choose a Preziosa Yacht Club cruise - 14 nights in the fabulous Caribbean with no sea days. The cruise included return charter flights from Gatwick operated by Virgin Atlantic which allowed for twilight check in between 5 pm and 9pm the evening prior. Flight seat selection was not available and was pre allocated by MSC and issued at Virgin check-in. Our outgoing flight was delayed by almost 2 hours and the return flight was the notorious VS610 quarantined flight mentioned in the media. Virgin Cabin staff had contracted norovirus prior to boarding the flight and we all suffered massive delays as a consequence.
We had good seats in the upper deck of a 747-400 and the next time we saw our luggage was in our cruise cabin. On landing we went straight to awaiting buses direct to the ship without entering Barbados Airport terminal. Being in Yacht Club we were fast tracked aboard with no queuing which the general crowd had to endure. Everyone had the same seats on the return flight. Barbados Immigration was processed onboard at 9.30 on the final day of the cruise without any queing chaperoned by our bulter.
Ridiculous to be called a Suite - its a normal balcony cabin by cruising standards.
Balcony adequate and has metal lower half below balustrade.
Shower over the bath is a terrible due to inadequate shielding for water spillage.
Great fully stocked free mini-bar
Poor choice of TV channels with a extremely small sized TV
Bed and pillows extremely comfortable
Push carpeting and very comfortable furnishings.
Port of Spain (Trinidad) is terrible and unworthy of a port of call should be avoided by all cruise lines.