MSC, Lirica

Food too bland for me, and inedible at times. Staff unhelpful. Dinner seating not as booked, so for several days we were unable to sit with family on our Christmas cruise

Entertainment on MSC, Lirica variable but fair,especially for older travellers. Rooms clean.Nothing could entice us to EVER travel on this ship again.

On December 3, 2008 we left Titusville for a 10 day cruise on the MSC Lirica. We arrived in Fort Lauderdale and after a wait in line in excess of two hours we were finally checked in and proceeded to the ship. On the first morning we went to the buffet for breakfast and when we asked for scrambled eggs we were informed that there would be a fifteen minute wait for the next batch. They did have fresh fruit and cereals so we made that our start of the day. On the ten day cruise, the breakfast menu did not change. At dinner on the first night they were serving Escargot as an appetizer. This was the first time I had ever tried to eat snails. These were the first of many food disappointments. The salad was generally fresh. They served Veal on two separate occasions which was more like the sole of a shoe. Again most passengers returned it since it was very difficult to cut. At practically every meal there were at least one or two items which were rejected. The desserts barely passed muster. The food was the general topic of negative discussion by practically every passenger.

The crew generally appeared rude, which was probably a result of a stated $12 tip per day per passenger. There was no apparent incentive for the crew to cater to the passengers since they expected a tip regardless of their behavior. On the plus side was the entertainment which appeared to be above the level that we experienced on other cruises. The shows generally appeared to be of a professional quality and the theater was packed well in advance of the scheduled start time. The tours while somewhat pricey were enjoyed by most. The only problem experienced on the tours was when the seas were choppy and the disembarkation was by ships tender. Several passengers had taken previous cruises on MSC before and indicated they did not experience any problems with staff or food. On an exit form the question was asked about future cruises and if you would book on MSC in the future. I answered yes to future cruises and no to a repeat MSC cruise.