MSC Grandiosa Mediterranean Cruise from Rome

I recently went on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the MSC Grandiosa from Rome. Overall, the experience was a mix of wonderful service and a few frustrations.

The service in the restaurant La Perle Gris was absolutely amazing — special thanks to Marc and Rafi, who went above and beyond to make every meal special. At the Masters of the Sea bar, Dondie Perez delivered exceptional service, always friendly, attentive, and professional. Likewise, the Safari Bar staff were outstanding, especially MJ, who provided excellent service throughout the trip.

The buffet food was fantastic, offering plenty of variety and quality. However, the only real downside was crowd control — it often felt too busy and disorganized, especially during peak times.

My biggest disappointment, unfortunately, was with some of the passengers, particularly some of the Italian guests, who could be quite rude and pushy at times. Of course, that’s not MSC’s fault, but it did affect the overall experience.

I’ve been on two MSC Caribbean cruises, and both were absolutely outstanding, with no complaints whatsoever. However, after this Mediterranean cruise, I don’t think I’ll sail the Mediterranean with MSC again.

On a positive note, I can’t praise the Filipino staff enough — from servers to cleaners, every one of them was pleasant, helpful, and always smiling. They truly made the trip memorable with their kindness and professionalism.

One suggestion for MSC: consider separating the coffee service from the bar. The coffee queues were incredibly long — understandably, since Italians love their coffee — but a dedicated coffee station or café would make things much smoother.

Overall, while the crew and service were exceptional, the crowd control and passenger behavior made this Mediterranean cruise less enjoyable than my previous MSC experiences.

From Marcella Margaret Dawson &James Joseph Neary