Nunagoras

Maybe; now that most of those Eastern Europe countries are experiencing some nice economic growth, their long term Eastern Europe workers are returning home, and MSC is just hiring more on those Filipinos or Indians, most of them coming from either way the 4*/5* hotel industry or other more Americanized cruise lines. That may explain your sense of better onboard service, but for me the Eastern Europeans were great, and in some ways more assertive/attentive on their interactions than the Filipino/Indian crowd we have now elsewhere tourism industry wise. Simply; I don't want my servers to be my "best friends" for the day or for the week. I want them just to deliver what I ask timely and in order. A nice "Hello" suffixes as per conversation beginning. Apart that I wholly agree with what you say.

Yeah! I'd say that here in western Europe pretty much all the below 35 years old generations will speak some reliable English. All the other ones you may encounter as a tourist will speak it as well on both crew, hotel, airports, main larger shops etc. Taxi drivers might to be an exception on places, but yes, language barriers are not the largest problem anymore.

Yes, they have! First of its all let's to consider Barcelona itself. A wonderful city enjoying a very favorable market condition, unique monumentality, coupled with one of the EU largest airport and land hotel facilities! That said, and as others have said, different ship classes and different itineraries to go with, and guests will come from a multitude of ports. Barcelona, Marseilles and Genoa seem to be standard ones, with some others in the mix. If you have never come to any of the ports, perhaps the Poesia may be intersting, once it might have some more interesting places to visit at barely the same price. Otherwise the WE might to be wonderful for the experience itself. If it was my turn to choose, I'd perhaps to choose the Fantasia for the well balanced ship size/amenities/value, unless I wanted the WE novelty experience... Bear in mind though that, at least from the videos I'm watching the Poesia is not in pristine conditions right now. It's the unique Musica class vessel that wasn't retrofitted yet on the most recent times. She'll need to undergo her mandatory 5 years dry dock next year though, so, I believe she will receive the same renovations and tweaks all her sisters have received lately.

Wonderful review, congrats!... Incidentally by reading your nickname and thread title, I'd think this would to be such a different sort of review on a far more humoristic side of the pond! It is wonderfully well documented though. Some pro tips for you and for others reading this: When cruising to Europe, you can purchase alcohol on the duty free shops after security on both the embarkation or any other port of call and consume it inside ship with no problem at all. Companies rely on the port's authorities and will "close their eyes" on said purchases granted the bottles or the boxes where bottles are supposed to be have the port's authority stamp on them. Regarding gangway opening advice: If you want to know if gangway is open or not; enter a lift and see if the gangway signal is turned on near one of the gangway decks. On Allure they had the deck number flashing in orange color, as I remember. The newer ships with LED touchscreens might have it signaled differently, but it will be signaled there.

This, exactly. Musica and Orchestra are great ships I went on back in the day. According to videos I'm watching both retrofitted during the pandemic (full color LED lighting on the atrium, high efficient LED lighting elsewhere, new theater equipment, LED theater scenario projector, new carpeting, some color adjustments in areas, renovated buffet area, at least some cabins fully redone, new TV's, etc.). The Armonia is becoming somewhat out of standards these days: Lack of balcony cabins, lack of attractive venues, and go on. IMHO; if MSC happens to purchase some of those Genting Capital assets (among others the in building mega ship) it would be time for MSC to roll out the old Lirica class. They're mostly on their 20 years old already, so let them to rest in peace.

i also agree you'll be fine on the Divina. It's a classy ship that I can to describe as a X/Princess lite experience, say, classic ship with mainstream service like RCL, CCL or NCL. Weather permitting, activities on MSC use to gravitate to the pool deck. Too loud for you? Plenty of unused lounges just to read a book while enjoying some soft ambiance music. By night those lounges will be full of pretty different music experiences to enjoy. Theater shows are enjoyable even though short on their 35-45 minutes long design. Never been on Divina, just on Fantasia myself. Yes; they have poker machines on Fantasia class, but I don't remember them to have any poker tables.

Not all "older" ships are lower quality ones. While certainly no YC, and Musica class, the Magnifica is actually a class of its own ship with 13 years old, fully refurbished in 2018-19, pretty much up to standards for mainstream cruising industry. Simply she sports a retractable roof on one of the pools, making her appropriate for less than stellar climates. MSC may use her on the Nordic seas, Alaska or elsewhere where a covered pool may be a selling point, and the US is not MSC's top market at the moment, nor a covered pool is a selling point there.

As stated, I believe the 11AM train is doable, 10AM not so much, once on Genoa ships used to arrive very early with gangway open by 8:15 or such. At cruise beginning, ask guest services if they permit you self-debarkation there. If not tell them you have a train by 11 and they'll likely to give you early debarkation slot. Several years have passed since I was there, but as I remember the port's authorities there used to offer a bus transfer from port to main train station.

It may be an MSC's "nightmare", but Fincantieri is making delays to all clients due to supply chain constraints right now. NCL just today announced such an year delay on their Prima+ class justified on such Fincantieri's inability to build on time. While MSC is Italian, no way for me to think it is different from NCL's perspective... Sadly, pretty much everything is experiencing those constraints right now on our worldwide society...

I understand the WE is a brand new ship, the excitement and such... But November is out of season with schools in operation, EU not doing economically that well, etc. Come next May, just after the March-April EU holiday booking massive wave for 2023 and the leftover cabins will be there. If you're patient enough, maybe, at that time you'll have such a nice outcome, even if on a lower category stateroom than your original one. They usually start the "leftover" promos elsewhere in mid-May...

Yeah! Sorry for the ones affected, but at least on the Magnifica case it is sort of understandable. MSC seems simply not able to fill all the ships they already have there at the US, to let alone a newer one coming. No dedicated terminal which is under construction right now and relying perhaps on secondary berths/slots elsewhere they can to find one. Now EU is their main market source, so... But yeah: This current messing up ships can't last forever so that won't become a severe operational and reputational risk management event, nobody wants...

Explora will definitely go to Alaska ASAP, if there aren't more delays on Fincantieri's part. I don't know how busy is Southampton next year, but I'm sure, if they can snag a new slot, even if the oddest, less desirable one, they won't last the opportunity!... Simply they can now to fill her there!... What is my summer dream itinerary for a ship like the Magnifica? Think something on the likes of "Lisbon (Portugal)-Sea day-Funchal (Madeira, Portugal)-Sea day-Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal)-2 sea days-Vigo (Spain)-Lisbon (Portugal) for the regular weeklong experience... But the combined Spanish and Portuguese markets alike seems very small for the adventure to come true!... And yeah! I'm not understanding this ever day messing up ships on MSC's part. What part of that business is not going well, if their cargo ship venture that is financing most of the cruising venture seems to be so well oiled out?... It seems we have (sadly!) very interesting times ahead to discuss here in CC...

How I understand you, but they operate mostly like land hotels here. When you arrive, you normally are asked to sign a contract paper. They retain that model of sorts instead of all electronic right now. Yes, things could have been more developed these days. I believe this has something to do with the need for further verification on non-Schengen pax, sadly, among other EU hotel regulations they're asked to fulfill.

In theory that could to be doable, if you self-disembark with your luggage and catch a taxi. Bear in mind though that you may be required to pass immigration in Copenhagen on your connection flight instead of or despite doing the same in Munich to exit the Schengen agreement area, that will add its time. If that is the case, I believe it is a bit risky. I believe all pax whose final destination is out of a Schengen agreement country must pass immigration at their beginning point, even if they're on a connection flight, and this is one of the few exceptions where passport control is done inside the "shared" territory. Better for you to get some more information from your TA or any of your local EU countries representatives place.

Sad for the ones already booked, but I'm not particularly surprised on this outcome. Just by reading these CC MSC boards, it seems pretty clear that MSC is currently filling their ships mostly from the UK, Brasil, Germany and Spain, even more than from Italy or elsewhere, and they're far from full capacity on the ships that are there on the US. I know they have plans for the MSC world America to go to Miami, but again: Their new terminal is under construction, and they'll need more time living up from likely less than stellar temporary terminals. TBHH; I'd like to see the Magnifica redeployed to Alaska... But that won't probably happen. They'll just to redeploy her for Southampton, Barcelona or elsewhere. Good if they had my own Lisbon as an option, but I don't believe so whatsoever. Have a nice day!...

As per my experience, all hotels in Europe will provide you a printed copy of your documentation, and make airline check-ins if needed. Airline check-ins are free elsewhere. Printing support may be free or at a small nominal fee.

Hi, may I come in? Perhaps nobody would know me here once I'm more prevalent on the MSC boards, once MSC is my favorite cruise line to date. Never been on Princess (P) or Carnival (C), but there is something that captures my attention on this current thread: Different price tags and market levels for both companies, consequently different people traveling each one's ships: Contemporary mainstream for C, classic premium for P. C will likely to attract a broad cruiser audience, on the young side of the pond. P will attract a more select travel audience. That on it would explain the changes. C is on the press for not so good reasons lately. Brawls, fights, and other incidents, especially on those 3-4 night "booze" weekend getaways. P is solidly running the premium market with no notice at all of themselves. One will only to change if something needs to be changed. CCL group won't apply such an anti-waste measure where there isn't waste like on P. But they'll to try to discipline where necessary like seems to be the C ships. Regarding the 3rd entree surcharge, I'm mostly in favor. Obviously, if you have some food allergies that make you to chose an entree instead of a starter and then proceed your meal, that is a thing to be dealt separately. Someone in need of 3 entrees after starters, that opens an alert sign on me, even if "minimal" plates are on offer. Either way: Need more food after your meal? The buffet or the main coffee place will surely serve you!

This! And it's not only CCL, even though those riots, brawls, fights, etc. seem to be more prevalent there. MSC wants their experience to be at least a little bit more upscale. I score them as "affordable elegant cruising". They're having something on the likes both for US and UK sailings as reviews go, and they'll surely to call it a night on that. I once was a hard drinks packages supporter for account control on pax part. Now I'm not so much, other than for the premium suite guests, even on longer cruises. Why? Sadly; because massification for the good and for the bad is permitting just everyone aboard a cruise ship right now. The good, the bad and the ugly ones, sadly Let me to have a break here: When I go to the Portuguese MSC website version and I see a winter weeklong cruise for less than EUR 500 with Easy plus, taxes and gratuities on one of the Meraviglia/Seaside class vessels out of Barcelona; me thinks: What am I doing here now that cold temperatures are arriving, if I could have been aboard one of those cruises alike? Sadly; it is because the flights to go from Lisbon to Barcelona and return plus the odd one night hotel before the cruise would cost me more than the cruise itself!... And I'm not even considering cruises on the older ships. Those are half the price at same terms and conditions!... At those rates, a week inside a cruise ship goes as cheap as it can be! Unless the companies make clear that the door is open, but it is not ooooopen, some bad behaviors on certain cruisers will to pop up. Sadly I have to agree with the more restrictive measures companies are implanting now to control their ships. How I understand the ones affected, but sadly for the sins of a few the ones who pay are most of the honest crowd. A way forward to try to serve the honest crowd and at the same time enforce some rules would be to do what Virgin is doing: Sell a certain bar bill amount and let the client to use it as he pleases. EUR 125 for real EUR 100 good on any bar or restaurant for whatever else on menu. Finite set price block will pave the way for assertive consumption.

This, exactly! Paying attention to the cultural mix involved is critical here. Acrobats and music are the obvious solutions, and what has worked for years will continue to work for the future. MSC will continue on that line, even though with a larger variety as the World and above classes becoming more prevalent.

It's not EU versus US, IMHO. The problem is: If you have a very multinational crowd aboard, you'll need such a more visual, less language depending sort of entertainment. And even at the language dependent, let at least us to have something all of us know and understand like Andrea Boccelli songs and the likes. As far as I understand, MSC is tailoring their experience now more around your embarkation port region. No surprise, some American things will pop up one or the other day like a comedian or such. MSC doesn't do regular belly contests, love and marriage, or similar on their ships like RCI, it is more refined experience, though, their animation team will likely to host some activities, family oriented at the pool deck by the day and adult oriented on one of the lounges by night that may attract such a good audience. And they used to host Masterchef at Sea and other passenger contests that could also attract such an audience.

Drinks packages on less than 4 nights cruises on MSC are a ship by ship, sailing by sailing decision. They'll to decide within the demographic's count. Either way with all those fights & brawls topics popping up lately on the whole industry, It's not exactly a surprise to see MSC being now more restrictive regarding said offerings on the shorter runs. And even those "booze" promos out there for said cruises would be good to have an end, IMHO. MSC doesn't need more "bad press" these days if they want to remain competitive and attract such a slightly more premium audience their wonderful ships deserve.

Actually all mainstream companies are following the money actually and the money comes mostly from young families for most part at that segment. Experience wise, young families of today seem to be less demanding than the older cruise crowd on what music concerns. For now some disco like "upbeat" music elsewhere sufixes most of the time. Back in the day, they used to have a nice set of pianists/string threesomes/quartets that popped up every night in the ship's atriums for our enjoyment. Maybe they already have at least part of it on the older ships? Apparently on the brand new World Europa only YC guests will eventually to enjoy the privilege... Simply; there's no need to spend tons of money on good quality music when an "upbeat" anything else suffixes. Luckily a nice choir or classical music provider traveling as a guest offer themselves to "officiate" during your cruise (on one of my cruises there was the Geneva Cathedral Choir, and on my last one there was a wonderful top notch German classical ballerina on her retirement cruise. Both were top notch shows, but hey, they were the lucky on me MSC moment), or you'll have a minimal version of the classics elsewhere, but sadly those times are mostly over. Thanks to the contribution and have a nice day!...

Sadly, I must admit that, by the norm, MSC shows are just entertaining, but nothing really worth to write home about. Some of the more recent shows will have a "cirque du soleil" style show that maybe of value, but other than that, the main theater show will be such a 35-45 minutes, mostly music and acrobatics sort of thing. They'll have some nice music round the ship though, and if you want to stay away from alcohol, they have a quite nice virgin cocktails page on the menu!

While this is such a subjective issue, count me one more to the no, it isn't too big ship and not really that crowder, other than when it is supposed to be like after shows or at port's gangway opening time. As some of others pointed out, the main concern from my experience is that there is rarely a place where you can relate to the sea once you're deep onboard, except maybe the pool decks. But that's sort of ok on me, once my unique experience was on a quite port intensive cruise in Europe, with only a sea day, and I was most of the day touring the ports. At night really it is for some entertainment followed by bed time.