The Admiral

As I said before my goal is to be fair and call it as I see it.

New feedback:

MSC Roy Yamaguchi Teppanyaki highly recommend for dinner or a nice lunch!

Best on sea or land Bar None!!!!! In terms of quantity, preparation, attention to detail and quality of the food it’s superb!

All I can say is as soon as I board I'm making sure I am not in marketplace. I did not pony up for a suite to end up in the buffet for dinner. If it takes lining up daily I'll be waiting first in line when the maitre'd gets to his desk every single day.

If you are in a suite Yacht Club you have a private dinning room you will not have the buffet restaurant

Ok a few things positive first.

Dinner on now day 5 is good, warm and timely and for tonight they returned the classics steak etc..alternative choices to the menu as an alternative I’d you didn't like the main menu...kids still the same no change frozen chicken nuggets.

They have set up two giant disco balls in atrium and it’s really hopping and music DJ is very good.

As to the carpets: yes new carpet smell and fuzz I’m not talking about that I get and appreciate new carpet smell and know you get fuzz till it’s broken in. What I’m saying is debris like white pieces of paper, glitter confetti from I guess prior parties and other dirt -that has nothing to do with new carpet.

Maybe it’s the dark burgundy color they chose that doesn’t hide dirt as well as others but it is noticeable.

Again they need consistency in quality

Admiral ... Why should MSC become just another cruise line like the rest ? If more Americanisation is what you crave then there are plenty of others as you know that will satisfy you.

 

It always makes me laugh to hear people say they want the Italian experience and then complain when they don't get food the same as the other cruise lines!

Ok so then what you are saying is that I shouldnt complain or have even basic standards because this is a true Italian experience I am having? So I guess Italians enjoy cold food that should be warm, being told it’s the menu or nothing (again dinner buffet is useless), having things hidden in the fine print like that they will be eating next to the stacked buffet plates and dirty rugs (more on that later ... all week the Hallways and stairs are full of dirt and prices if paper etc)?

I doubt that this is a true Italian experience, Italians are known for their elegance in design and gusto for life and I know there are class differences and the yacht club and that’s fine, but even the basic cruise fare should include minimum standards free of the problems I have cited in my posts.

MSC either simply rushed out this ship without any thought beyond- it’s a new Ship so everyone will like it and not notice the cut corners or their standards don’t even meet basic expectations and need to be raised

It’s MSC that I will admit had a massive successful (I bought it lol) PR campaign highlighting The Seaside as their big new bold launch into North American (they raised their own expectations) market- sadly as much as I wanted their success to date they aren’t there at all.

It’s not that I want americanization not at all, Costa is an Italian experience (yes I know it’s still owned by Carnival) but they cater to Italian tastes and culture and they don’t seem to have the issues MSC is having and has had since my only other cruise with them years ago.

And in regards to some comments from another post regarding food preparation, I agree.

Appetizers and sometimes even main courses are frequently cold! But you’re in a catch 22, if you complain the waiter takes the hit and I don’t enjoy bringing things up like this when I know these hard working and very humble staff will be given a hard time like its their fault every time a passenger complains.

It’s the head dinning managers responsibility to ensure plates comes out at the appropriate temperature.

A previous poster gave dinning 2/10 I would say 4/10 but with every passing day it ain’t getting better so that rating may keep going down.

I was asked what I would suggest MSC change so MSC is a better rather than sub industry standard experience:

1) plan the ships interior better by having more room storage and making main dinning rooms larger, there is no excuse to have one class of passengers eating next to the buffet line. (This will have to wait till their new ships I guess since guests are pretty much stuck on the seaside as is)

2) make the alternative menu that has the NY strip, broiled chicken and French onion soup a standard alternative to the menu every night; Like most other lines do...I can tell you I love Italian food and except for the tiramisu yesterday’s Italian menu was ok at best.

For example you have passengers with low fat or other diatary restrictions and they do not even have the broiled non fat chicken as an alternative available its a disservice. I asked and was told the menu choices only!

3) have a true alternative dinner buffet with a larger variety of food (for lunch better variety as well) like a made to order pasta, oriental and sandwich /carved meat section- also offered on many other cruise lines. And also have more dessert selections in the buffet like ice cream.

4) plan in future ships for at least one other free alternative lunch or dinner casual fast restaurant so guests have main dinning, buffet and one other choice included as an available dinning option.

5) get rid of obsolete or confusing processes that make guests waste time such as the paper tickets you need to carry around to get your fantastica experience drinks and the credit card check in activation on board.

Side note: maybe have stronger drinks, this week my drinks have tasted like virgin drinks maybe that’s why drinks are cheaper? I don’t know, just my perception.

6) have a few more entertainment options mid-day and after dinner. The Ship is dead boring at certain times of the day...dead boring!

These suggestions are easy to implement, some right away and shouldn’t break the bank.

I dont think I Am being unreasonable.

But no worries MSC can do whatever they want (their loss) and these forums can help passengers make informed decisions and those that agree with my points can take their business elsewhere. To a different line.

I agree with you. And it is different for sure. But, at the same time, MSC also has some of the lowest prices for entry level cruises in the Caribbean. For many, this might be totally fine. My real point is that there are lots of choices on this ship to meet the needs of many.

Two clarifications:

1) The buffet used as a third MDR is full a service - in the same chairs wet bathing suits sit on during the day and a beautiful view of the ocean to one side and a great view of the buffet line with stacked plates and utensils on the other... wow I really got Stuck by getting assigned to the MDR instead if the elegant buffet restaurant lol.

I’m sorry, respectfully, main dinner service in the buffet area is no where near the same as in the Ipanema and Seashore MDRs.

2) no there are not lots of choices on the Ship for dining. That’s my point theres only one choice - main dinning, or pay for a specialty restaurant because the dinner alternative buffet is not good.

My goal is to be honest, to share what MSC is doing great and where they lack. It’s just that dinning is such a large part of the cruising experience that messing that up royally like they have makes them almost irredeemable.

Just saw the “Fly” show it was nice - a good distraction for the evening and it has a section of Cuban music and dancing, which goes well with the “Miami” Vibe they are going for.

The white pArty started and was held indoors due to wind but everyone seemed to be having fun and the music was good.

I asked staff about Bella passengers eating at the buffet and they did not deny that is in fact true, they actually seemed embarrassed I asked them about it and shared I thought that was really crappy of MSC to do.

Tonight’s dinner for kids in the main dining room was non existent, all week they keep saying they don’t have a kids menu they just recite they have chicken tenders and one more thing- when our child got the chicken tenders it was 3 yes 3 over cooked (like when they’re sitting under the hot light) tiny frozen type tenders about 1 inch or so round with fries (from the mini buffet upstairs I’m sure by how they looked).

One night only they showed me a kids menu but didn’t leave at the table and no kids menu has been available ever since. No crayons with menu etc....

Also on the first night they had a standard NY strip, Broiled Chicken and French Onion Soup as an alternative menu in case you did not like the dinner menu (excellent idea and pretty common in other lines....but wait they messed that up too). Tonight for Italian night dinner and one other night those choices were gone. I asked staff what happened and they said the alternative menu (which is an everyday standard offering on other cruise lines) was not available and I had to choose only from the menu I git or go to the buffet (again the crappy Biscayne buffet).

I’m sorry but with every passing day I’m getting more peeved at MSC and their total lackn Of common sense and professionalism. Nothing has changed in dinning since my last experience on their other Ship 7 years ago.

If MSC spent half as much time on fixing the problems I’ve discussed Regarding their dinning For both adults and children instead of hyping how the seaside is a fantastico Ship maybe they would break into the America’s market - as I see it you’d be crazy to try MSC vs Carnival, NCL or RCL.

Correct, to call the dinner buffet in the smaller Biscayne bay a buffet is an insult. if all you and your family want for dinner is sandwich or a burger and pizza or frozen cHicken nuggets every night Then you will not be disappointed, otherwise you will not be happy.

Yesterday they had chicken fajitas with no tortilla or cheese etc... lol

They do not pay any attention to dinner selections

I hope you’re wrong I have family cruising seaside in a few months in Bella experience and if they get stuck with the buffet area for dinner they will be rightly upset

Like I said they are not ready for prime time yet

Hopefully we are wrong ...but still doesn’t excuse putting passengers in the buffet area it’s like we’re back in the 1940s Steerage Class vs First

A few more thoughts:

1) The shows are average at best so far and are quick 30-40 minutes long tops.

2) The cabins are a real issue the bathroom layout/space is really bad - I’m not tall about 5”10 and I have to sit sideways to use it because your legs slam into the sink counter. :-(

3) you can’t activate your cruise card with your credit card online or before you board! Instead they make you hunt for a credit card swipe booth (the have a few of them scattered around) to then scan your cruise card and then your credit card and sign and then you can start onboard charges.

Really????? I get on board and sometime the first day or two I have to hunt for a card terminal and fight other passengers to get to it to activate my card? Geez this and the paper voucher system for pre paid drinks are beyond dumb- again who did they get to come up with this stuff?

I convinced my family to book on MSC because the seaside was supposed to be tailored to the non European and North American market and be different than other MSC ships and I regret it!

It’s almost like an engineer not a cruiser designed everything from the public area layouts to the cabins.

Again if you want a cheap cruise go for it - but keep expectations in line and don’t expect the guest experience and comfort to come anywhere close to other competitors.

Maybe that’s MSCs goal? Deep discounted budget cruise line for a non experienced new passenger segment? If that’s the business plan then I’m wrong and they achieved their goal.

I was really rooting for MSC, got my whole family on board even watched the live naming ceremony - I hope they succeed some day. But they are no where close yet.

I wish they would do a frequent cruiser focus group and implement suggestions made by cruisers to enhance the guest experience as part of the new Ship design - if they did I have no doubt they could succeed and have a cruise line that’s stands tall on its own.

Also Their standard balcony cabins are on the small side and not enough storage space for three in a cabin. So keep the that in mind when bookIng

Here too MSc would benefit from a few more cabin size categories

I just don’t know who the heck does their market ressearch it seems like other than Ship decor and design on every other measure MSc is trying to cram the non European and American market into an old way of cruising- that’s a huge problem they don’t seem To get!!!

Doesn’t help to have a nice new Ship but everything else in a time warp

currently cruising on the seaside I will post a longer review when I have time but halfway through here’s my observations:

1) Ship Design and Ship itself - this is where MSC did a great job the decor is very elegant lounges are well thought out. However, overall although the Ship doesn’t have ease of getting around but it’s a beautiful Ship.

Kids water slides activities etc are very nice they did a good job here.

What MSC can refine on newer vessels: they need more open avenues and spaces, the Ship is very crowded, elevators are hard to get and it’s like a maze to get around a lot of public areas seem compartmentalized and don’t easily flow from one to another.

2) dining and dining options: here MSC seems to not have learned anything since I cruised them 7 years ago (it was this area where they lacked and why I stopped cruising them 7 years ago till I gave them another chance on the seaside)

They need to step up here and catch up to NCL, Carnival and RCI -they are way behind here.

The dining room food was good same as competitors but the service is super slow maybe it’s because it’s a new Ship and staff is trying to learn the ropes so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt here.

Food choices lack you’re Pretty much stuck in the slow dining room all week if you want good food. The have two buffets:

The market place buffet is only open for breakfast and lunch and closed for dinner when it serves as a formal dinner seating dining room. This doesnt make sense and if I were assigned to eat dinner there after seeing the two beautifully appointed main dining rooms I would be ticked off.

So that leaves you with the much smaller Biscayne bay pizzeria and buffet as the only other free option (other than room service) for dinner if you don’t want to have a painfully long dinner in the dinning room. the problem is that the selection in Biscayne bay is very small and for the most part hasn’t changed all week: pizza, salad, bread, small sandwiches and burgers etc..and very small selection - only a few choices (you can see all choices in 30 seconds) here MSC doesn’t come close to offering aternative free dining on par with the other lines they want to take market share from.

On NCL and RCI you have multiple free dining areas and the buffet is a larger buffet with large selection and fresh prepared to order pasta, oriental, sandwich and meat stations

3) MSC needs to update how hey do things on board, they have antiquated processes for some things but yet have modern MSC for Me App - conflict between making things easier on one hand and harder on the other.

For example having to pick an “experience” and then having to have paper tickets you need to have on you always if you want to have your drinks that you paid for Is plain aggravating and defeats the purpose of having an RFID band. I couldn’t go to the pool With my band only, I had to have my paper vouchers for drinks with the me.

Bottom line: if you want a cheap vacation on a pretty Ship and dont care about good dining, shows and entertainment options go on MSC.

If entertainment and dining options is important then do not go on MSC and wait till their WorldClass ships come out and if they can’t get their stuff straight by then write them off for good forever....at least that’s my plan. :-)

Wow didn't know about the certain geographical mix issue - seems a little shortsighted. I for example couldn't get as many cabins as I needed in yacht club if that's because they have limited how many yacht club cabins will be sold in the US market that kinda ticks me off. Should be first come first serve regardless of what the make up of the clientele is

Thanks. Geez I know some folks abuse getting an accessible cabin but it seems to me in dealing with MSC this week that they have an antiquated way of doing things across the board.

Thanks the online deck plan I had those were not noted. Still not many choices for such a large ship compared to their competitors

:oSo for those of you who are familiar with MSC and their ships. I'm trying to get an accessible cabin for my mother for a family cruise and when I called today and looked at the MSC SEaside deck plans there are zero accessible cabins except for inside cabins?

How on earth in 2017 can a cruise line building a brand new ship tell that segment of the population they can't have any other cabin other than an inside cabin.

I'm hoping the deck plans I saw and call I had today are all wrong. :o

Thanks all for the honest feedback

I need input from past MSC cruisers. I just booked two different cruises on the MSC Seaside because it looks like a great ship and prices were low but now after doing some more ressearch I am running into a lot of very negative reviews about MSC including:

1) That their food buffet for lunch and dinner is not good with no variety and food is lukewarm

2) that service is no where near as good as Royal, Princess or even Carnival

3) that they don't pay attention to hand cleanliness like having all the staff you see all over the place on other ships asking you to sanitize your hands

Seven years ago I went on a three day cruise on the Poesia and it was not a good experience dinner buffet was closed some days and food variety was horrible but I decided after saying never again to MSC to give them a second chance based on the SEaside information and some things I've read that MSC is trying to make changes to ships and food.

So please honest opinions out there, have I made a mistake in giving g MSC a second chance? Have hey changed their shortcomings for the better?

is there any information on here on what MSC SEaside family dining room means?

Is it a dinning room for just kids? Parents and their kids? Etc... looks like a nice concept but can't get any info on it :D

1) I paid the full $750 deposit while on board as I was required to do by the agent so I got no reduced booking deposit benefit

2) I actually downgraded to a regular outside within 7 days so what I attempted to cancel yesterday was a non suite room before the 30 day Mark which in no way effects their suite inventory - so they are treating my outside cabin as a suite in terms of refund policy - sorry that's insane

Well it's been a while since I've posted here but always enjoy the site and after my latest run in with RCI's new suite cancellation policy I have one word of advice: DONT BOOK A SUITE ON RCI AS LONG AS THEIR NEW POLICY REMAINS IN EFFECT OR YOU ARE THEIR PRISONER!!!

Here's the story the new RCI suite policy, the way it was explained to me while on board the Harmony was that after 30 days your $750 suite booking deposit is non refundable if you cancel or you are subjected to hefty fees if you decide to change the category. I completely understand RCI wants to protect from losses of passengers holding a suite only to cancel it later last minute and they can't sell it or have to sell it at a deep discount. I get that and do not have a problem with that, however What they don't tell you is that they will hold you prisoner from the moment you book a suite no matter what you do.

I booked while onboard the harmony of the seas a suite and was told that as long as I cancelled or made a catergory change within 30 days of booking I would be ok and could get a refund but after the 30 days is when the new policy kicked in and I would loose the $750 deposit. So to my surprise today I tried to cancel my reservation almost a year 320+ days before the cruise and well before the 30 day since my booking on board and they do not want to refund the $750 deposit.

This is is bad if not worse than what airlines do in my opinion. I can understand after that 30 days you're locked in but I was basically told the wrong thing by the on board booking agent and now have to find a way to make that cruise or loose $750!!!! I even asked if they could transfer the $750 to another active booking I have with RCI and they said no! This is unreasonable and if they don't fix this glitch in their policy they will loose a long time loyal RCI family. I don't like airlines because they treat passengers like crap and now RCI is taking a page from what looks like the airline playbook. I'm still fighting this with RCI hoping they will honor what the on board agent represented to me but it's a giant mess.

Question: So with this new policy why on earth would anyone book suites anymore with RCI? If they implement this new policy in such an unreasonable way that no matter what you don't get any sort of grace period to change the booking or category and get a refund? my advice NEVER BOOK A SUITE ON RCI until they modify the policy to be more reasonable while meeting their goal of a more restrictive suite refund policy. book a cheap cabin that you can change 20 times a day every day if you want or cancel up until the 90 day per sailing deadline with no monetary penalty.

I love RCI but they didn't think this one through they should have a more restrictive suite policy that's fine -but it's not unreasonable for there to be a 30 no penalty cancellation period so long as it's still more than 90 days prior to sailing- he'll make it 200 days before sailing if you want RCI. Please RCI fix this

I was reading the recent reports on the Chikunguya virus and it's spread and it seems St.Marteen area and eastern Caribbean are the areas where it's taken hold.

I know the before cruise tips state to wear long clothes and take insect repellent but those things just mitigate the Chances you'll be bitten and get the disease they don't eliminate it.

So my question is, with so may elderly and children (which tend to have weaker immune systems) cruising in that region shouldn't the cruise lines begin to consider itinerary changes?

Last article I read said cruise lines were keeping an eye of things but seems no re-Assessment on further mitigating for safety by not continually going week in and out to areas which have higher concentrations of the virus have been decided.

Any thoughts out there: concern or not an issue?

PS: the CDC webpage has an interesting map on the spread of this virus worldwide.