Msc cruise let down

MSc orchestra has got to be one of the great disappointments I have experienced.

Where to begin. Our room was not cleaned properly, we had some other passengers hair in our shower, our balcony was dusty and full of bird **** everywhere.

You try to ignore the little things but soon realise why this is a budget holiday for most.

We cruised to pomene island in Mozambique for 4 days.

I’m currently wrong this on our way back. The buffet food at first seems ok at first because you so hungry you will eat anything.

Well let me tell you a little bit bout my experience.

For an Italian ship serving unlimited pizza you would think they could make a decent pizza.

The pizza is dry half burnt, crispy. And tasteless.

And it doesn’t get better.

The burgers are so over cooked that it resembles more charcoal then hamburger patties, looks like it was made for a homeless man who would be grateful for anything.

The rest of the buffet food is as you would expect, made for the masses. Tasteless, made with no passion, dry and very unappetising. So much so that for 2 nights now we haven’t even bothered eating dinner. What a let down.

The bed is so uncomfortable, it’s 2 single beds pushed together, so for anyone who has a partner, don’t expect to get a good nights rest, if you don’t fall through the gap, your neck will feel as if it needs surgery after a weeks cruising.

Then let’s get to the worst part of our experience… the excursions… We booked to do the snorkelling excursion, now never mind that you pay 35 dollars for each person which for us was R1200.

The staff who are suppose to assist you, do nothing and I mean absolutely nothing

I was there helping most of the people on the boat. They give u a life jacket with no explanation on how to fit the jacket… (it’s not a straight forward life vest)

They took us to what looked like a part of the land that looks like it’s out of a horror movie where you are going to be ace ******ed.

Their supposed estuary.

The guides say nothing. Get in the water and start swimming , you don’t get a explanation on where you can, where you can’t. What’s a good area, what to look out for, safety briefing. Nothing

The swim is about as eventful as swimming in a dam in Durban.

The visibility is absolutely terrible. The water is murky, there were no fish or coral, only underwater pipes and branches.

The elderly people swimming were given no assistance to which we tried to assist them.

There was no assurance in getting back on the boat as again I was left to help them on.

We were told and we paid for an hour and a half excursion.

Excursion started at 12 of which we left at 12:10. A 10 minute boat ride means we got there at 12:20.

Swam pointlessly for 30 min and were taken back to the boat and another 10 min boat ride back.

An absolute waste of time and money.

Again on arrival no assistance by the staff you are left to help passengers who are elderly.

I have complained to the staff at the excursion desk, I have complained to the reception about our experience and till now I have had not one person get back to me.

The only positive I can take away from this experience is that the shows we went to, were very entertaining.

It is something I would never do again, I would rather take that R10 000 and book a trip somewhere els as this is not something I consider a holiday.

I feel more stressed after coming back then when I left.

All in all the msc orchestra to pomene gets a rating of 1/10