MSC Poesia World Cruise 2024: Pre Cruise Jan 4, 2024

I arrived in Marseille on Jan 4, 2023 and stayed at the StayCity Aparthotel. The place is more than adequate for my needs and the price is right. However, my balcony has a nice view of a place where the homeless seem to gather. A five minute walk and I was able to do some basic shopping for heavy things that would have put my luggage overweight. Things like soap, shampoo, and conditioner will make a cheap cruise more luxurious.

My first night here, I received a call from MSC telling me that they had changed my debarkation to Toulon which is an hour away from Marseille. Note that Marseille is gray and rough around the edges in the Summer and even more so this time of year.

I grabbed my tour guides and looked up Toulon. Here is what Larry Ludmer says in Cruising the Mediterranean, "the entire place is a bit rundown and seems very much out of place on the Côte d’Azur. Cruise passengers that arrive wind up taking excursions elsewhere, especially to nearby St.- Tropez. Rick Steves is even less generous with his description, "When you arrive at La Seyne-sur-Mer, you’re in the middle of a commercial wasteland"

My travel agent was able to book a couple of excursions that I really wanted to take and that was good news. Unfortunately, MSC double charged me and the only way I can get refunded is an on board credit. The web site has been stuck on the original itinerary which has literally changed 6 times in the last couple months due to the situation in Israel and the Suez Canal.

We have rerouted to the west side of Africa and then up to Zanzibar and Kenya, just in time to reverse direction and resume the original route. I'm sure there will be more reroutes in our future, but as of now, the basic planned route is shown on the map.

I am excited to board the ship and start this adventure. Come along with me!

Happy Cruising!