MSC Orchestra

An absolutely perfect travel experience, with a wide variety of food options including plenty of meat, vegetables, fruits, and beverages—all deliciously prepared to accommodate different dietary preferences. The staff were all very friendly, and the music and dance performances on board were outstanding.

I was extremely dissatisfied with my accommodation this time. On the first day of boarding, I was told that the bathroom was leaking and needed to be repaired for half an hour, but it ended up taking three days. When I spoke to the ship's front desk, although they gave me one free SAP treatment as compensation, I was indeed asked to leave the room the first two times during the repairs, and I couldn't even sit on the balcony. Later, they put something like a hairdryer in the room, which was very noisy.

The MSC Orchestra cruise ship was excellent. The interior cabins were great value for money, and the onboard dining was a pleasant surprise. The à la carte dining at each restaurant truly showcased the ship's unique cuisine. The only downside was the visa; I only had 20 days. With more time, I could have taken another cruise. My suggestion is that most ports of call offer free shuttle buses to the city center. Ask the staff for help when departing to save money.

The cruise ship's customer service was excellent, the food was great, and they arranged many entertainment activities. The mandatory security checks upon boarding were very helpful and made me feel safe. My only complaint was the poor and unfriendly service from the onboard travel agency. Furthermore, when booking cruise tickets through Ctrip, they didn't assist with any pre-boarding travel arrangements. Bookings cannot be made independently on the MSC website; Ctrip is the intermediary. However, Ctrip insisted that I book myself. Ctrip only sells tickets and helps with check-in, but they cannot help with purchasing onboard services in advance.

The MSC Orchestra is pretty good; the experience was great.

The advantage of cruise travel is that you're still traveling while you sleep at night, avoiding the fatigue of long journeys. The food was excellent; breakfast got a bit boring towards the end, but the evening restaurants offered a rich and varied menu, full of surprises every day! As someone with a sweet tooth, I found the desserts in the evening restaurants to be exceptionally high-quality. The ship's staff included Asians and Africans, with very few Europeans, Americans, or Chinese. Everyone communicated in English, and the service staff were all very professional and enthusiastic. One day was a Mediterranean Night theme, where the restaurant staff danced, and later they invited me to join them. I even rode the train, leading everyone on a fun ride – the atmosphere was fantastic! Regarding shore excursions: Before departure, I worried that the shore excursions would be too short to fully enjoy them, but I was wrong. Taxis in Europe are incredibly expensive, so I basically walked for at least 5 hours every day, just wanting to go back and relax. However, the return journey time was a constraint, especially for cities like Rome and Florence, which require train travel; you had to allow enough time. The ship's entertainment was superb; don't miss it! I was jet-lagged on the first day, so I went to bed early. There were two separate time slots for dining and the show, almost simultaneously. After finishing my meal at the main restaurant, there was still half an hour before the second show started, and I didn't want to wait, so I went back to sleep. I regretted it so much—the show was absolutely fantastic! The dishes were the specialties of the port of call that day, and there were also special performances, but they didn't necessarily correspond to the country of call. Finally, one drawback: the double room was made up of two single beds pushed together, which wasn't very comfortable; the bathroom was small; and the decor was a bit old-fashioned.

Very satisfied. When the cruise ship docks, you can buy bus tickets and explore the attractions on your own without joining a tour group.

The activities scheduled for the sea cruise day are almost nonexistent; it's too boring.

More suitable for European babies' constitution

Unfortunately, there was no Chinese service, which was a bit impersonal. Overall, the service and food weren't as good as Royal Caribbean, Costa Cruises, or Princess Cruises! This itinerary is still worth considering! Ctrip's customized cruise arrangements were quite good; the time was tight, but we were able to travel on time. Thanks to Ctrip Cruises for their excellent service.