I took a cruise with MSC over last Christmas (MSC Poesia to the Eastern Med). I wrote a review of it on Cruise.co.uk.
As soon as i got home I immediately cancelled the next 2 crusies i had booked for this year.
Yes the price is real - but you get what you pay for and with MSC you pay for EVERYTHING - water at the table, coffe and tea unless at breakfast or lunch (usually freely available on other cruise lines), photocopied maps of the ports, transfer from ship to nearest town when in port (again free with Cunard and some other lines).
The passengers are mainly Italian / German / French with very few Brits aboard. Every announcment has to be made in 5 languages. Try doing a quiz in 5 lanaguages - so there is very little entertainmnet. Evening show is only 20 minutes and pretty crap. Extremely rude security staff insisting on virtually strip-seraching you to ensure you don't bring your own booze or soft drinks on board. Outside decks with at the top of the ship and enclosed by glass. Excursions were EXTREMELY expensive. Hardly anyone dressed up for the formal evenings. Crowded, cramped restaurants.....(I could go on..)
Plus points - their cruises usually call in at a lot of ports - so very few 'sea days'. Good itineraries taking in may ports. Scrupulously spotless ship. Excellent cabin and cabin staff. Cheap if you don't count the add-ons.!
If you are going in summer and like lounging around the pool with a paperback then it should be OK but don't expect much in the way of entertainment to be laid on.
I've travelled with other cruise lines and can honestly say that this MSC was the worst cruise I've been on - and from the comments on the cruise critics discussion forums my many share my opinion. From now on I shall stick to English-speaking cruise lines.
At least the MSC Melody managed to deter some Somali pirates from boarding last weekend.
good luck.