Momto3girlsintheCarolinas

Well, this is interesting. After we received the free upgrade to a balcony, I got the standard request to bid on an upgrade. The cheapest upgrade was to a balcony on Aurea for $600 per person. We declined and "took the win," as my husband quipped. I am also curious about MSC's decision-making process.

I am in shock. We are sailing MSC in 2 weeks, and we just received a free upgrade from an inside to a balcony on a Bella experience. As @maclover said, I was mildly hopeful but aware that the odds were low. The ship must not be full so why not upgrade guests and impress them? There is no additional cost to the company. I wonder if it is random or they select passengers based on data. We're new to MSC, but our status match transfer says we are frequent cruisers. This upgrade certainly is "points in the column" for cruising MSC again. My husband is a data manager, so I have to believe there's a process here in decision-making. ....or maybe we just got lucky. Whatever. We're excited.

@JamieLogical Thanks! We have under a month until we sail, so we'll see. I always enjoy your posts because they are kind, Must be a Yankee thing. 😉

I feel like I need to leave this here:

*SIGH* I have no words. My husband has pizza at an outdoor cafe in Trieste. He did as the locals and ate it with a knife and fork. It was phenomenal. It made all the pizza I had had before whither away and die by comparison. Also, as you know, the food there is so fresh, unlike the salt, sugar, and preservative-laden stuff we sell here. My family immigrated from the Azores in about 1915. I grew up on my grandmothers' cooking. They both came to the United States as children and ended up in a city in Massachusetts with a large Portuguese population. When we went to the Azores in 2016, I got to taste what all those dishes are really supposed to taste like. lol

OMG! I LOVE IT!! I have been trying forever to find New England Gray Corned Beef, and there is no such thing here in North Carolina! Thank you!

I love the different perspective. Thank you. We have actually been to a few countries in Europe, including Italy, and we had a wonderful time. Yes, it was different from the "American Experience", but that made it awesome.

I hope not. We are from New England. lol I try not to be ethnocentric and I am excited to try an Italian cruise line for the differences. And I agree that some people are curmudgeons and just want to find something to be upset about.

This post will stir up trouble, but I am curious about what people think. My partner and I will take our first MSC cruise in about a month. We've sailed other lines, but not MSC. I want to keep an open mind and remember that being unhappy on a cruise should be tough. I understand that MSC is cheap and that one should keep their expectations realistic, given the low-cost fare. Rarely can one enjoy Kobe beef at a cheeseburger price. However, it occurs to me that there should be some minimum standard that guests can expect. Otherwise, it seems like gaslighting guests and justifying poor food and service. I think it is important to have reasonable expectations for the price one pays, but when I read reviews that talk about inedible food and rude crew, that seems to go beyond the pale. If MSC sells cruises even with awful food and service, what motivates them to improve? There is none, I guess. It seems unfair that people should be able to get reasonable service at a fair price. Like, even the cheeseburger should be edible. What if a family can't afford other lines? Shouldn't they get a quality experience, too? Or should they not cruise at all or put up with this standard of food and service? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so please play nice. I am interested in what others think.

Okay, I am not trying to be a jerk, but this was my first thought. And there are several pier runners in Ketchikan on YouTube. We nearly missed a ship in 2009 because we foolishly decided to fly the day we sailed. We always stay overnight before the cruise now and have had several flight delays that meant we "used up" our safety net and our flight didn't land until the next morning - the day the ship left. We lost the hotel but made the cruise. Yes, excursions not with the cruise line are cheaper. But in Alaska? Too rich for my blood. After spending all that money, I am playing it safe. **Edited to add: We love NCL. We have Alaska booked on NCL in 2025.

We're taking the Glacier Discovery Train from Anchorage to Whittier. I keep reading that the train depot is "right across the street" from the cruise port. However, I am thinking of my body and all that luggage. Is it realistic to walk from the train station to the port in Whittier? How did you do it, and what was the experience like? TIA

FWIW: Many colleges now require an interpersonal psychology class to teach students how to act professionally. The younger folks need specific instruction on polite, appropriate behavior. The class is required for nearly all majors. Since I teach the class, it's job security.

Hello. I have searched, and I keep finding conflicting answers to this question. I bought a specialty dining package for my husband and me (two meals) online. It's for the Seashore. We have the Bella package. 1. How do I make reservations? 2. Do I go somewhere onboard, or can I do it from the app once onboard? ALSO - 3. Will our MDR dining time appear on our room card? Sorry for the redundant questions, but I am still getting used to MSC and its different policies for Bella, Fanstica, and the others. Thanks in advance!

OP here. I did email Accessibility Services, and they replied: "We have received this email request. Please be sure to inform your Maître d’ once on board. They will be able to assist you with your request." While I don't expect them to rearrange the dining room, and a table like in @Essiesmom's post would be fine, I cannot deal with a round table with many people I don't know. It's very stressful as people will often stare openly or refuse to look at me at all. I have been asked very personal questions by complete strangers who think that their curiosity about my appearance trumps my right to privacy and dignity, ANYHOO - I am worried I will be ignored or viewed as a "Karen" - when all I am trying to do is enjoy my cruise. Any experiences with this? Advice? Thanks to @Morecruisesplz for sharing the positive experience!

Thanks for this thread. We are trying MSC for the first time in May. We have done eight on Royal, three on NCL, and two on Carnival. I have read reviews that are all over the place. We've decided to have an open mind. It's a new experience. That's what is important.

Are you just off Seashore? How was the food? The food reviews for MSC are all over the place, so I thought I'd ask about recent experiences on the MSC Seashore. Maybe that will yield more consistent information. I really appreciate any help you can provide.

I am sorry. I wasn't clear. I have a very rare craniofacial deformity that often leads to stares and rude comments. I much prefer a table for just my husband and me. I have emailed disability services, and so we shall see what they say. This answer was very helpful. Thank you.

This will be our first MSC cruise, so please forgive these questions. 1. Is it possible to make a reservation at just the steakhouse? I don't need a package for 2 or 3 - just the one. If it is possible, how is it done? 2. Can I dine with my husband in the MDR? Is that automatic, like on some lines, or must I make a special request? 3. How do I find/purchase a soda package? 4. When will our room be assigned? 5. How far before the cruise do they offer a chance to bid for an upgrade? 6. When is the buffet open? 7. Can we get breakfast in the MDR on sea days or all days? 8. Hotel suggestions in Port Canaveral? I really appreciate any help you can provide.

Hello! I have searched and cannot find the answer to this question. When will all of the itineraries for MAY 2026 be available? Right now, there are only 4 cruises available, and they each depart from Sydney. I appreciate any help you can provide.

Hello, all! My daughter and her husband eloped, but also want a cruise wedding. Most sites say you must give guests 3-4 months' notice. That doesn't seem like nearly enough. Each guest would pay for their cruise fare and travel to the port. Please make no comments about how the bride and groom should pay everyone's way; I agree. But that is not possible. The guest list is only the parents and siblings of the bride and groom and their spouses. Folks need time to save money and to arrange time off. Fares are often less expensive when booked many months in advance. We have never booked a cruise less than a year in advance. I also want cabins close together. If you were expected to join a cruise wedding as a guest, how much lead time would you need? TIA!!

Yep. I think I'm out. Bugs are one of the lines I won't cross. Ew.

The menu changes next week, but I agree The food was hit or miss. I have never sent back a meal, but we had to order something else a couple of times because the meal was not edible. Some of the food was outstanding. But the menu was very limited and repetitive. I'll be interested in what others say about the new menu.

It was no better or worse than any other cruise we have been on. It was October, so that might have helped.

We just got back from a five-day on Sunshine. This was only our second Carnival cruise, but we have cruised other lines. I do not remember the first cruise (On Paradise) being so dirty. Every window was filthy. The floors were sticky. Here were fixtures and furniture that looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months. Overall, we loved the cruise. It was better than we expected. We're considering doing the Sunshiine again, but is it always this dirty? Or was this an unusual thing?

As many of you know, Sunshine is moving to Norfolk next year. We are excited since Charleston and Norfolk have the same travel time for us, just in different directions. But when I looked at sailing from Norfolk, I noticed that the price is double and the cruise is four nights, not five. I picked the same week of the year, and I was surprised that the price doubled for one less night. Are the fees higher for Carnival in Norfolk?