Worst Holiday Ever

Worst Holiday Ever: MSC Sinfonia

My husband and I traveled with our 3 children aged 5, 2,5 and 11 months. Please find below all the events that contributed to the worst holiday we have ever had.

1. Your call center staff is not informed enough- they misguided me totally when I asked their advice on our flight times. We were so rushed to make sure we are in time for embarkation. The same app**** when we disembarked. We almost did not make our flight in time.

2. Since we could not change our flights 2 days ahead of cruising, we wanted to find out from the call center what time the last MSC pre booked shuttle transfer will leave the airport. They informed us that it would be at 11:15. In actual fact it was only 12:00. This caused unnecessary stress on our family to send luggage with other passengers on an earlier flight in order not to wait for checked luggage. Also we ran with 3 small children the moment we got off the plane to catch the bus, only to find out we have more than enough time ahead of the last bus leaving.

3. The bus shuttle transfer staff was so unhelpful. At the bus itself the staff all sat on the pavement having a good chat with each other, looking at our family and not helping us at all with our luggage or directing us what steps to take.

4. The shuttle bus had no air conditioning. At R145.00 per person fair, you could at least supply an air-conditioned bus!!!!

5. The embarkation process is not child/elderly or disabled friendly. Not once did any staff member offer assistance to us. An elderly lady also struggled to walk, the ground staff made her walk through the long queue area, they did not even offer her to enter along the side.

6. The safety drill before embarking was an absolute disaster and the staff had no clue how to assist passengers. No one assisted or demonstrated to us how to put the life jackets on our kids. Especially with a baby, this was tricky. I asked for assistance from our designated crewmember, (the man singing in all the show) but he dismissed me rudely and said he can’t help me and it’s not necessary to put the life jackets on. Our family was pushed to the back and my kids trampled on by other passengers. We were muster station C. My parents had a totally different experience and kids had to stand in the front at their muster station.

7. Service in general on the ship was extremely bad. The ratio of staff to passengers are really too little. EG: • Very long queues at reception • Waiters working alone- no runners to assist them. They have to tend to 8 tables taking orders, collecting food from kitchen, collecting drinks from the bar, serving guests and cleaning up afterwards. Ridiculous. • The buffet area is extremely dirty and not maintained, and the waiters are almost non-existent. • We left my son’s shoes behind at the pizza eating area, my husband returned to look for it. When he asked for assistance from the waiter (Michael) if he possibly saw it lying around or if someone handed it in, he was very rude and unhelpful.

8. People were walking around the whole ship with alcohol. Intoxicated people were walking past us with alcohol when we came out of our cabin or even in the lifts. Empty glasses were lying around in the passages and standing around the ship. This allowed for young mischievous kids to drink all the little bits of alcohol in the bottom of these glasses.

9. Kids club and baby club was a total waste!!! And this is what we looked forward to the most. • The baby/kids club attendants were not friendly at all and I do not think they even have proper training. • Opening times were not acceptable. Closing during the day for some periods does not make sense. • The attendant had no compassion for children who felt unhappy or strange. E.g. One little 3 year old boy cried because it was a new environment and he was still busy getting used to it. The attendant said to him in a derogatory way: “ Why are you crying, we don’t have cry babies here. If you want to cry, go to baby club. We don’t need this here!!” UNACCEPTBLE • There is nothing to do for the 2-year-old kids. They are too big for the baby room, and not allowed to play with the mini club kids. • In general the kids were bored.

10. The medical center is a joke. It seems that no triage system is in place, which I find unacceptable. • On 31 December at 15:00 I took my 11 month old to the medical center because he had a fever of 40C. I have been struggling for 3 days with him. The nurse told me they are closed and I must return at 16:00 when they opened. If I need assistance I should contact reception! UNACCEPTABLE • After finally seeing the Dr., I received medication from them. My child was not weighed to make sure of correct dosages prescribed, I was not asked if he is allergic to anything and there was no instructions on the medication as how to use it. I also reconstituted my own medication. Thank goodness I am a pharmacist, but other passengers might not be so lucky!!

11. Our experience at the pool was a disaster. • The pool attendant told us that my 11 month old is not allowed in the water because he is too small, Even if I hold him and swim with him. So for 12 days my baby could not cool down and play in the water!!!!!!! • The kiddie’s waterpark play area was almost never on. • There were pieces of food and (I am sure) what looked like feaces floating in the kiddie pool. • There was only one lifeguard on duty at 4 pools, and his superior called him away from the pool to go and pack deck chairs on the 12th floor. Thus leaving the pools unattended and no lifeguard on duty. UNACCEPTABLE. No wonder that poor little girl drowned on the ship the first day! This was purely due to negligence on MSC’s part.

12. Everything on the ship is old and out dated. Buttons on the lift are broken and missing. Maintenance done on ship while passengers on board EG: balcony repairs, deep cleaning of carpets and furniture. Passengers cant pass through and would be redirected without indication.

13. We booked a baby cot when we purchased the cruise tickets, the cabin attendant was not aware of this. When he eventually brought the cot, it was dirty and had, what looked like dry vomit all along the side of it. (Picture attached)

14. Our cabin wardrobe door was hanging on one hinge. We informed our cabin attendant, who reported it. Two days later it was still not fixed. The door fell off its hinge onto my baby sleeping in his cot. Thank goodness the cot broke the fall and he was not harmed!! UNACCEPTABLE. When they finally fixed it the next day, the “old” new door did not line up properly, thus the light in the wardrobe would never switch off. We had to un***** the bulb every night, in order to get some rest.

15. Cabin not up to standard: • Ripped night frill • Old bedding- washed out and stained • Bath tub plug, filthy and mouldy • Previous passenger’s hair in the drain • Aircon cover broken and held together with sticky tape • Bed lamps broken • Vent below minibar has never been cleaned, full of dust. • Artwork in room upside down

16. Gym poorly maintained: • One treadmill and one bike was broken- when you have such little equipment, at least make sure they are in working order. • There were no towels available on some occasions • There was no-one there to enforce the 20 min max on the equipment during busy times

17. Wi-Fi/technology on board In today’s day and age with the sophistication of technology I find it hard to accept that there was such a lack of good technology on board. • Wi-Fi package was a total waste- since it never worked because of interference during navigation. If an airplane could offer Wi-Fi during a flight surely this could be done on a ship. • Free Wi-Fi could have been offered since it almost never worked. • The TV channels also never worked due to signal issues. Why not offer onboard movies/programs like on airplanes.

18. There was poor communication on the ship- on all other cruise-liners the captain notifies the passengers if we will encounter bad weather, or if a cyclone is on it’s way, or any course of action which the captain will take which might cause the passengers any discomfort. This was not the case on this cruise. We just constantly walked around like drunken sailors bumping into things. I had numerous bruises on my body from bumping into things. My children bumped themselves all the time. I am aware of rough seas in South African water, but on this cruise it was just ridiculous.

19. Lack of entertainment on board • We were absolutely bored on the ship. Not even to mention the kids. Not enough entertainment • Do more free bingo with guests or quiz shows or those shows where all passengers interact with each other. Have treasure hunts with clues. • Have entertainment that did not involve costs.

20. Sanitation on board • My husband found a hair in his dinner one evening in the restaurant • He also found a hair in his lunch at the buffet area • I found a hair in my milkshake from the ice cream parlor.

21. False advertising • The whole experience was nothing like advertised on the website • It was also nothing like the TV program which was running on TV the whole daylong.

22. We purchased a laundry package, which I wish I never used. Most of our clothes shrunk. I am sure they were all tumble-dried. This after I ticked the box, which stated: Wash and iron only.

23. Ship account • Automatic donation for UNICEF charged to account without our permission • Laundry package charged twice to account • Service fee charged to account- after all service fees were paid upfront before the cruise. (Have an email to prove it) • We purchased a few all-inclusive drinks packages on board and paid with vouchers for drinks, but were still charged for some drinks. Thus paying double!!! • My husband waited in a queue at reception for more than an hour to address the account queries, only to have some of the issues rectified.

24. Disembarkation on the ship was a nightmare and there was once again no communication with passengers. There was no visible staff to assist or answer questions regarding the process. The whole process was delayed time wise and generally just badly planned.

NEVER AGAIN WILL WE MAKE USE OF MSC CRUISES OR RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE.