I recently took my first-ever European cruise onboard MSC Cruises' MSC Seashore.
I am no stranger to cruising, as I have taken over ten cruises in the past; however, sailing the Mediterranean was a new experience for me, as well as sailing on MSC.
Read more: I stayed in a $1,175 stateroom on MSC Seashore - see what my room on this cruise ship looked like
After spending a week in London for a family wedding, I flew to Genoa, Italy to embark on a 7-night cruise around the Western Mediterranean. During this trip, I visited Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Palermo, Sicily; Ibiza, Spain; Valencia, Spain; and Marseille, France. With five ports and only one sea day, I knew this was going to a busy cruise!
If I were to do it all over, though, there a few things I would have done differently. Here are 3 things I did right and 5 mistakes I made on my first European cruise.
Things I did right
Book a mix of cruise line excursions and third party excursions
Truthfully, I was not a fan of MSC's excursion options, which is why I turned to third parties. I was, however, nervous of booking full day tours through independent operators-- we have all heard the stories of pier runners and the ship leaving people behind!
In the end, I am glad that I booked a few tours on my own. In Rome, for instance, I booked a small group tour through Get Your Guide for $106.24. I chose this tour because, first, if I was going to be in transit for about an hour from the cruise port to Rome, I wanted to be comfortable in a van instead of a large bus.
Second, it offered a more intensive itinerary, meaning that I was able to see more of Rome than if I would have booked one of MSC's tours. I knew that it would be impossible to see all of Rome in one day, but since it was my first time in the city, I wanted to get as much of an overview as possible!
Likewise, I am glad that I booked an excursion through MSC in Marseille to visit Aix-en-Provence. In a few ports where the ship docked outside of the city center, MSC offered bus transfers for an additional cost. In Marseille, it was an astonishing €19 per adult. Rather than venture off on my own, I booked a tour for €65 that included transportation to and from Aix-en-Provence and a guide in the city!
Read more: 11 common cruise shore excursion mistakes to avoid
I did not skip meals while in port to save money
Whenever I travel somewhere new, I like to experience some of the local culture through cuisine. When I docked in Valencia, for instance, it was important that I try paella, a popular rice dish that is associated with the region of Valencia.
At first, I found this to be a difficult mission, as most places had a two person minimum, and I was traveling solo. I finally found somewhere called es.paella where this was not a requirement, and I was able to try it for the first time while sitting outside and taking in the sights and sounds of the city.
Similarly, I did a street food tour in Palermo, where I got to try eight different local foods, with one being the infamous Sfincione pizza. There are other ways that I could have spent my (rainy) day in Sicily, but I am glad that I booked this tour and got to wander the streets with a knowledgeable guide to local markets.
(Pani ca' meusa being served in Palmero, Sicily)
The only dish I passed on was pani ca' meusa, which is also known as the Sicilian spleen sandwich. It is prepared with spleen, lung, and, in this instance, the trachea, though I was told that is not always the case. Had I been traveling with someone, I think I would have been more inclined to try it, as I could have split the sandwich with them; however, I was afraid of wasting it if I did not like it.
I flew into Genoa, Italy the day before my cruise was scheduled to depart
Since I was already in London, I did not feel the need to fly over to Italy more than one day prior to my ship's departure. Had I had been in the United States, I absolutely would have given myself a few days in Genoa to adapt to the time difference.
Regardless, whether it is a cruise departing from Port Canaveral, Seattle, or Rome, you should always ensure that you arrive at least one day before your embarkation date. I am glad that I arrived early in the afternoon, as I was able to explore Genoa a bit and grab some delicious pasta for dinner. I do wish, however, that I would have had time to visit Portofino. My sister and grandmother visited here in 2019 and have raved about it ever since!
Things I did wrong
I did not disembark first thing in the morning in a few ports of call
I wish I would have gotten off the ship as soon as possible in Valencia and Palermo. In the case of Valencia especially, when I got off the ship at 9:15am, I was disappointed to find that there was about a thirty minute was for the shuttle bus into the city. I did not end up getting into Valencia until close to 10:30am, as the ship was docked about thirty minutes away.
Since the last bus departed at 2:30pm, this meant that I only had four hours to explore the city. This was a mistake that I could have easily avoided. The ship docked at 7:00am, so I could have been one of the first people off and made a full morning of it.
Likewise, the weather in Palermo was pretty gross when the ship was cleared for guests to disembark. I figured if I waited a little bit, the sky would clear up. This, unfortunately, never happened, and after spending three hours walking around the city during the food tour, I was ready to return to the ship once it concluded.
I wish I would have thought through my packing list a little bit more
Since I was spending a full week before the cruise in London for a wedding, I was more focused on packing for that portion of the trip instead of the cruise. My suitcases were full of sweaters and long-sleeved shirts to account for the cooler temperatures in England. I threw in a few dresses and tank tops; however, I forgot that I would need something to cover my shoulders in churches and cathedrals.
This meant that I was stuck wearing my long sleeve shirts on days when I knew I would be exploring religious spaces, such as Rome and Milan the day before I flew home. And, of course, the temperature was hot both of those days. If I could redo my packing, I would have thrown in a light sweater that could have easily been packed in my day bag, so I could have thrown it on when necessary.
Read more: Cruise Packing List: What to Pack for a Cruise
If I did this same cruise again, I would book one of MSC's drink packages
Unlike other mainstream cruise lines, MSC Cruises does not include water in most venues outside of the main dining rooms and buffet. This mean that when I dined at specialty restaurants, I had to pay a couple of euros for a bottle of water. I also discovered that I was not a fan of their complimentary coffee, and as someone who needs a few cups in the morning to get going, I ended up paying for specialty drinks at one of the bars onboard.
For €29 per day, I would absolutely book the non-alcoholic drink package. I think it would have been easy for me to get my money's worth, and I would not have had to worry about if I really wanted a bottle of water or not. I could have grabbed one before going ashore, too!
While I was happy with my shore excursion selections, I would have planned them earlier!
Usually, I am pretty proactive when it comes to planning how I want to spend my days in port. This time, however, I did not book a single thing until five days before my cruise's embarkation date. I got lucky in that I was able to find tours that meant my desired wishes.
Next time I plan a European cruise, I will look into excursions ahead of time. Perhaps I will find something even better or be able to come up with a better game plan. In Valencia, for instance, I planned on doing an independent walking tour that I found online. It required me to download an app and honestly just did not work out well. Instead, I just spend the day wandering with no real plan.
I would not recommend waiting until the last book to book shore excursions for any cruise.
Read more: 10 tips for getting the best cruise shore excursion values
Finally, I did not plan my post-cruise transfers ahead of time
My flight home left out of Milan, Italy one day after my cruise returned, so I knew that I had to take the train from Genoa to Milan. A few days prior, I started browsing the train timetables to see which time would work. I was hesitant to book anything since I was not sure when I would get to the train station the morning of disembarkation.
Well, when I got to the Genoa train station and went to the kisok to book my ticket, I discovered that both direct trains were sold out! I ended up having to book a train from Genoa to Alessandria, then from Alessandria to Milan. While it was not the most annoying thing in the world, I would have much preferred a direct train, especially since I had quite a bit of luggage with me.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
