8-Day Canary Islands Cruise Aboard MSC EURIBIA

As avid cruisers who set sail at least once a year across lines like Celebrity, Disney, Royal Caribbean, Azamara, Norwegian, and Carnival, we know what a seamless cruise experience looks like. We recently returned from our voyage on the MSC Euribia, and while we went in with open minds, the overall experience fell significantly short of standard industry expectations. If MSC is serious about expanding into the North American market and appealing to US travelers, there is a substantial gap to bridge between their current service delivery and what seasoned cruisers expect.

Ship Cleanliness & Health Concerns The most glaring issue throughout our voyage was shipwide cleanliness and basic hygiene. Hallways were routinely littered with leftover room service trays, garbage, and piles of dirty bedding. The buffet was chaotic and unkempt, frequently resembling a war zone during peak hours, with food-covered floors that understaffed crew members completely ignored. Most off-putting was watching staff wheel clear bins overflowing with slop and uneaten food directly through the restaurant, passing right alongside active dining tables and buffet lines.

Sanitation concerns extended into the beverage program as well. When we purchased the premium drink package, we expected the convenience of sealed bottled water. Instead, we were issued reusable bottles to fill at public spigots—an eco-friendly idea in theory, but a severe sanitation hazard in practice. Guests routinely touched their bottle rims directly to the spigots, contaminating the water source for everyone else. Furthermore, the lack of basic guidance was frustrating: guests without drink packages were forced to pay for water, and staff failed to mention the existence of complimentary water stations until late into the cruise.

Dining & Service Friction While minor hiccups happen on any ship, the food and beverage execution in the Main Dining Room was consistently disappointing. Dishes were notably bland, culminating in a breakfast where our Eggs Benedict arrived inexplicably smothered in brown gravy instead of Hollandaise sauce. The bar service was equally frustrating; when ordering a standard dry gin martini with no vermouth—a very common order in North America—the bartender argued that it was "impossible" and "not a real martini," leaving us feeling shamed over a simple request. The house wine selection, featuring subpar options like The Federalist, also felt well below baseline expectations.

In the stateroom, standard basics like facial tissues and washcloths were missing upon arrival and had to be specially requested. Public lounges often felt congested and poorly managed, with non-ordering guests hoarding bar seating for hours without staff intervention. While some crew members were polite, we encountered an unusually high frequency of curt, indifferent service, with several staff members even feigning language barriers to avoid assisting us.

Minor Positives & The Final Verdict To be fair, the trip was not entirely devoid of good moments, though they felt like isolated exceptions rather than the standard:

Specialty Dining: The specialty restaurants were genuinely excellent, offering high-quality meals that stood in stark contrast to the main dining room.

Spa Experience: The onboard spa was top-notch, professional, and thoroughly relaxing.

Stateroom Attendant: Our cabin steward was prompt, polite, and kept our room immaculate.

Incredible Ports: The destination ports were stunning and offered beautiful shore experiences.

On paper, the cruise might have looked like a reasonably priced getaway, but in reality, it turned out to be one of the most costly vacations we have ever taken. Value isn't just measured in dollars; it's measured in time—our most precious, non-renewable resource. We spent an entire week of our lives and a substantial amount of money on an inferior product with a cruise line that seemed far more interested in shuffling passengers through ports than ensuring we actually enjoyed our trip.

Ultimately, a good spa treatment and scenic port stops cannot make up for widespread hygiene issues, subpar food, and consistently frustrating service. For a company attempting to break into a competitive US market, this level of operation is unacceptable. While we share this feedback in the hope that MSC takes drastic corrective action, these few silver linings were nowhere near enough to rescue a deeply unpleasant vacation. As seasoned travelers, we know what quality cruising looks like, and we can say without a shadow of a doubt that we will never set foot on an MSC ship again.

**MSC Euribia – A Very Disappointing Experience**

Our experience on MSC Euribia was extremely disappointing. The panels inside our cabin made unbearable creaking noises, making it very difficult to sleep at night. We reported the problem, but the solution offered was unsuitable for us.

The ship also feels overcrowded and unable to comfortably accommodate so many passengers. There are enormous queues almost everywhere, making it difficult to relax and enjoy the facilities.

On top of that, there is a constant feeling that MSC is trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of its passengers through endless upselling.

Overall, a frustrating and exhausting experience rather than the relaxing holiday we expected. I would think twice before booking with MSC again.

Highly un recommend and the most important feels like my money was spent for nothing. The number of pepole is so big that guest relations doesn't have a chance . It appears they knew about the room problem but they sold in anyway

As a first-time cruiser, I realize this travel style suits families or those with limited mobility, but it severely lacks authenticity. Small Norwegian villages were completely swamped by passengers, though larger cities handled the crowds better.

The ship feels like an inescapable tourist trap. The commercial vibe is relentless: unexpected default service fees, constant upsell (Spa, food, drinks), and a €50 diner package where our prepaid drink package is than invalid, which only make sense if your goal is to rip off people.

Cabins were clean and the staff friendly, though bar service was disorganized with queues at big events. Main dining was unmemorable, and the buffet was a crowded, noisy nightmare during rush hours. The pools and gym are simply too small for these crowds.

Excursions were pricey but well-organized escapes from the fake, Americanized "Club Med" entertainment. Overall, this offered poor value for money. I prefer independent travel.