Having read the previous comments we were unsure what to expect on our week-long cruise on the MSC Magnifica however we were pleasantly surprised. The ship was spotless, the staff always greeted us with a smile and the food was excellent. We chose to eat in the restaurant on a nightly basis and enjoyed some superb three course meals. The buffet was equally impressive serving a variety of food and not just pizza and pasta as mentioned in a previous review. There was also a wide selection of fruit and veg which was constantly topped up. We did meet several other passengers who for a variety of reasons declared the food as dreadful, but our party of four who eat out regularly at home certainly didn’t agree. There were two formal nights in the restaurant and fortunately none of the patronizing behaviour found on other cruise lines if you didn’t feel like dressing up.

The entertainment however was very disappointing, and we felt the only decent act was two shows from a British singer/comedian. The entertainment team who dressed up in a variety of costumes on a nightly basis did their best to entertain but their slapstick antics were pathetic. There was no curfew for children, in fact the kids club disco was held between 8 and 9pm in one of the main bars and was part of the entertainment for the night!

A further disappointment to many passengers was caused by the itinerary which incorrectly showed we were going to be in Amsterdam for two days when in fact the ship sailed at 7am on the second day and when querying this at reception, they proceeded to cross out the entry and write ‘At Sea’!