4sallypat

Interesting that Carribean cruises are not included. So I'm planning on a Japan - Korea - Okinawa trip on MSC Bellissima - hope water is included as when we sailed the Mediterranean....

Bottled mineral water was printed out on my contract - May 2023 - Mediterranean cruise:

US booking: Fantastica experience or up will get you bottled mineral water at the MDR. This is what received at no cost every time we dined in the MDR - breakfast, lunch and dinner. We took any leftover water to our cabin.

When you received a disembarkation time slot, you must adhere to it. Otherwise, they will send people out to find you as they will see that you did not leave the ship at the time given by your cruise card.... Main reason is to not collide with other passengers who are starting their cruise and embarking that same day. By not leaving the ship you will make a lot of people work extra hard locating you.

Just wait until you board. Photos are taken at embarkation. Credit card to link to your cruise card is done at a MSC Cruise card activation kiosk. Very easy.

Yes, the key is to catch any errors before you disembark. Once you leave, it's like you signed a silent agreement....

No, we had to go to Guest Services and request a final itemized bill.

We just returned from Eastern Mediterranean and our MDR times were 7pm and 9:30pm. We chose the 7:30 as we were already on board on most of the port days. Booked on Fantastica experience.

Was this cruise in Europe ? We witnessed a lot of the cutting in line, bullies, and excursion hogs on our eastern Mediterranean cruise. 2 times witnessed guests almost getting a fist fight with Europeans who cut in front of lines at bars, Guest Services & Excursions.

Agreed about debit cards. What @Crown Vic and I are referring to: CHIP + PIN for credit cards are mainly for European use. In the US, majority of credit cards do not have CHIP + PIN feature; while in Europe that's the standard under EMV cards & terminals. When I travelled years ago to Europe, I found that my US cards would not work at some automated, no attendant terminals like fueling stations, rail ticket machines, parking permit machines, etc... When I found out that these automated terminals in Europe needs CHIP + PIN for credit cards - while our US cards are CHIP + Signature which is incompatible. Chip + Signature works in most places in Europe where the merchant will have you sign the thermal print out slip. CHIP + PIN credit cards are not common in the US - I have Barclays Visa, Barclays Mastercard, & Barclays Business credit cards as well my 2 credit union credit cards which are all CHIP + PIN. When I use these cards in some newer terminal in the US, it asks for my PIN. Does not offer a signature option.

PIN required ? Are you referring to credit cards w/ CHIP + PIN priority like European cards have ? Or are you referring to debit cards w/ PIN ? We didn't need any PIN using our American Express & Chase Sapphire CC on the machines.

Yes, ask the head waiter in the MDR - they will accommodate you. We had 2 solo travellers every night dining in the MDR sitting each at very large tables (10-12 seating) while our family of 4 was seated in a smaller 6 seat table. IMG_5851.HEIC

From a Californian who rarely sees any smokers due to restrictive laws & ordinances, the MSC cruise was full of smokers comparatively. Women would vape while their male counterpart would smoke cigarettes like it was a fire sale. Smoke would be everywhere - lounges, bars, elevators, hallways, pool side, buffet, theater, etc...... The only areas that did not have smoke were: main dining room & stateroom.

Just wait until you embark. Lots of Cruise Card Activation machines throughout the ship. Easy peasy!

Smoking is a huge culture if you sail in a European cruise. Almost everyone lights up or vapes (Europeans). I had to leave the pool deck, casinos, and inside lounges due to the smoke. Cigar smokers are to smoke near the pool bar with designated special ashcans. Ended up getting sinusitis and having to take antibiotics when I got home.

We are looking into an MSC cruise for Japan - Korea and China. http://<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcruisetheworld.news%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02RGznzUr8Y4N3jiubPFAQ9QY44MC3t8ZCac4yS8K5HeZG8P6giCgjSCR9E5f4ko6bl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="793" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>

Theater shows were perfect for us. Great acoustics, clarity of voices & music. OTOH poolside entertainment music and inside lounges were way too loud. My ears are still ringing with ABBA music on white night...

When I had the pool bar & buffet bar make martinis - awful. Weak no balance and not even drinkable. Lounge bars inside the ship makes the best martinis. Strong, full of flavor, shaken well, and incredibly delish. Coffee drinks - none for me.

Since we were already in Greece ahead of time before our cruise, I figured the pre-boarding laundry would come in handy. Whilst on board near the end of our 7 day cruise, the coupon / flyer was included with our daily event planner left by our room steward. The coupon irritated me as it was almost half the price of pre-boarding booking price even with the 20% off I got... As for the quality - very commercial but neatly folded & hanged. The soap they use smelled very different and lingered. Didn't seem to be allergic to my skin but next time I will only launder outwear....

After cruising with MSC last month, I have learned having an open mind will make the MSC experience special and unique compared to other lines. There are pros and cons, but the positives and worldly experience will really make you that much more global in thinking...

Can't compare MSC to other lines. We are Californians and loved our very basic weeklong cruise on MSC in the Eastern Mediterranean: Food was perfect (MDR). Service was amazing (Guest Services, Excursions, room stewards, wait staff, crew). Entertainment talent & quality was very good. Excursions were many but we didn't use them. Languages spoken by everyone on board numbered many. On time departures & excursion return times are strict. MSC is a European line (Italian owned) which fits with a majority of cruisers but if your aim is to be pampered and looked after every moment like US cruisers, consider staying in a Yacht Club stateroom complete with butler and private access dining & pools. One must have an open mind and not be accustomed to past cruises with other lines to be objective with MSC.... Last night onboard - captain and her officers presentation before the theater show:

We prepaid before we sailed and paid $76USD for 40 pieces. Then whilst on board near the end of our cruise, we received a flyer in our room for $40USD for 40 pieces. Was a bit annoyed but Guest Services could not adjust our laundry bill. Laundry soap is very different and we ended up laundering again once we disembarked. Next time will not use the laundry service.

Yes, loved the international flair throughout the ship - all languages spoken - crew members boasted how many languages they spoke to assist cruisers - very much a worldly event. Kids loved knowing other cultures, languages, styles, etc while onboard - it was much better than just traveling to one or 2 foreign countries whilst on holiday. As shocking as it was to my kids, many do not queue - probably due to the way they were brought up in their culture / country. On board, I found: US, UK, AU/NZ, most Asians and some Europeans will queue. We had to put up with so many (majority) will cut in front of you at the elevators - we ended up taking the stairs; jump in front of the buffet line - we ended up dining in the MDR; shoves you aside at port exits and excursion lines - we just wait at the end of the line to avoid these people. Crew members have to put up with this all day, every day - they try to enforce civility, but at the end it's the customer that gets their way.....

MSC cruises are European with a wide variety of cultural & ethnic folks so they have to cater to a larger variety of customers. We returned from a weeklong eastern Mediterranean MSC cruise and loved the evening theater shows - one night was a French revue, another night was an Italian opera comedy, and then one night was an US 1950 rock and roll show. Really impacted our kids (adults) that we took along and it opened their eyes & minds. I was stunned by the number of smokers (compared to CA standards) and the non queue - cut in front of you Italians, Russians and Slaviks.... And still can't get over the UK gal having words with another Russian gal who cut in front of her at Guest Services. Guest services supervisor and I were looking at each other unbelievably - UK gal speaking both English and Russian towards the Russian gal who cut. Almost a fist fight!

Agree, it does keep the crew on their toes and hearing the muster drill announcement every day was a bit much... We just returned from 7 days on the MSC Sinfonia - Mediterranean cruise and loved it. The busiest port was Venice, Italy - majority of Europeans boarded at that port. We used Athens, Greece as our embarkation point and it was perfect for our 2 week trip to Greece!