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Jim Zim's MSC Seaside Review With 84 Photos & 8 Videos


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This is a very old thread almost all of the things talked about have already been changed.

 

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Oh no! I just found this thread, and decided we absolutely have to sail on Seaside now, as practically all the negatives would be our positives.

What has been changed? Tell us more, please.

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I would start by reading

correct posts. The buffets have changed hours. We were on the first cruise out of miami... sailed again last month... have 2 more booked... search google for "msc seaside cruise nation" and join.

 

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I would start by reading

correct posts. The buffets have changed hours. We were on the first cruise out of miami... sailed again last month... have 2 more booked... search google for "msc seaside cruise nation" and join.

 

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Went in March. We had a wonderful time. Saw 4 shows and no opera but we wouldn't have minded really if one of them had been. Loved 3, one was just ok. Different is good in my opinion. Food was great. Our dining room staff were superb and everything was hot to the table! The ship is very beautiful, a little unusual to navigate but afte the first day you will know your way around! There are lots of videos online too, look for ones in the last few months for more accurate reviews. Quite a few on the food if that is your thing."xrockitupxtravels" has a lot on the food. Jim also didn't like the deep pools, IMO this was better cause everyone hanging around in the pool for hours drinking and, you get where I'm going with this. He commented on the wait staff having tablets for purchases. I think it was a learning curve and they are faster with them. He went quite early on. We had no issues. Bathrooms are indeed quite small. Buffet is more extensive now, shore excursion we took was very organized vs the mayhem Jim experienced. If there is anything else specific you want to know I am glad to help. Happy travels and you will love MSC Seaside if you are looking for something new with a Eupoean flair and a fantastic beautiful ship.

 

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Hi Jim...great review..I am a cruise agent as well as a seasoned cruiser..done 36 cruises on RCI, CCL, Disney, NCL, HAL, Celebrity, & Princess..also have done 60 ship tours, most recently June 23 on the Seaside...my wife & I thought she was very beautiful & had a lot of nice bars & lounges. I really enjoy your videos & reviews on YouTube, especially the NCL Bliss , Escape, Getaway, Harmony, etc...we LOVED our NCL Getaway cruise last November, and are looking forward to our next 3 cruises - Harmony in November, Anthem next Sept ( NE/ Canada), and Hawaii on NCL POA May 2020...

 

Just an FYI on the Seaside shows NOW, as opposed to when you cruised in January..MSC listened to all the complaints about all the "opera" shows and now I understand they have removed all but maybe one show (or none ) for opera..like you, I am 65 ( older, sorry, lol) and I like 60's, 70's maybe some 80's rock n' roll..opera- don't think so...we also LOVED all the Disney shows on both the Wonder & most recently the Disney Dream..service, shows, Castaway Cay, rotation dining ( LOVED that!), Palo ( yum!), and our wonderful balcony cabin with TWO bathrooms were all awesome...your point about the pools being 6 ft is awful..my wife is 4' 11" AND does NOT swim..does anybody really think she will go in the pool to get some relief? Do you think I would like to tread water the whole time holding her? Stupid design flaw...

 

One thing we don't do is eat dinners at the buffet..did that ONCE on 36 cruises and that was on the Getaway when they had a seafood buffet one night in the Brazilian restaurant, Moderno's, and it was very good..I like to be served for dinner..a buffet style is more for other meals..but if I'm paying $2000-2500 for a cruise, I would like to be served a nice meal & not have to go on a line..I NEVER go to a buffet for dinner at home ( sometimes lunch, yes, but not dinner..), so we kinda like sitting at a table & relaxing & being served for dinner..BTW, we MUCH prefer specialty dining to the usual fairly boring MDR's ..except we thought both Disney & the NCL Getaway were better than others..another thing I noticed when we did the Seaside tours was the shower in the cabins..wow, very tight! I shave in the shower and it looked pretty tight to me..and at 215 lbs, I'm sure it would feel tight..

 

LOVE your difference between the Harmony & Allure video..I like the now separate closet space for him & her..I have sometimes been disappointed with MDR food recently on RCI, but maybe this will be better..Adventure OTS a few years ago was awful, but we all knew food is very subjective....look forward to more videos from Jim Zimm! :cool:

 

Big Al

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Ditto. My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed our 2 Italian cruises. The pizza, gelato and cappuccino alone are worth it for me. While everyone has his own preference and is entitled to it, I can't for the life of me understand why Americans would want the same food on a cruise ship as they'd eat on land. Isn't that the point of a vacation, to experience something different? *sigh*:confused:

 

 

 

I agree. And if I were to eat while in port I would go to a local mom and pop spot instead of franchises that serve the same old fried food.

 

I am a foodie but would be happy with a salad for lunch every day and an early dinner. In the YC.

 

 

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I've been enjoying reading all the comments that people have been posting. However, there's one thing bothering me about the comments so far...

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't there anybody out there, anybody at all, that thinks this pizza...



 



 

Klondikes%20Pizza%20-%20IMG_8461.jpg

 



 



 

looks hugely more tasty than this pizza?

 



 



 

Pizza%20-%20IMG_8121.jpg

 

 

 

Sorry. I like thin crust. And would not want the California pizza. Although I was born in Burbank I have lived in Texas 48 years.

 

 

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Calling this the worst cruise you have ever been on is surprising since the majority of your cruises have been on CARNIVAL???? You should have gone Yacht Club if you were going to pay that much for the worst cruise you have ever been on.

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Sorry. I like thin crust. And would not want the California pizza. Although I was born in Burbank I have lived in Texas 48 years.

 

 

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I was born in Texas, raised in Colorado, and now live in Florida. I would choose the MSC pizza in the pic... over and over without a doubt.

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Jim Zim,

 

Thanks for the most comprehensive review I have ever read.

 

Sali

 

 

 

Please bear in mind his review was when the ship first came into service and almost all the issues have been addressed.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Great review, thanks so much for posting! We are sailing MSC next week and I'm very meh about it. The plus' for us are I WON this cruise and we get to visit our favorite port San Juan (with a dining option solidly in my lifetime Top 5 right near the port) so I know I wont be hungry that day! I'm a Celebrity / Princess gal and while we have done others I always prefer that. Just tying to temper my expectations properly before I go and this review helps alot!

 

ps you were already famous to me I've watched some of your You Tube videos but know you come here to report in thoroughly has made me a fan for life! Keep traveling and keep vlogging and blogging!

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The “Italian” pizza looks like a quintessentially American pizza to me. Neither pizza looked anything like pizza I had in Italy, even in Naples. I live in CA now (after living in NJ for many years) and the CA pizza picture isn’t what is typical to where I live. The “Italian” pizza picture is more typical where I live (SoCal). It doesn’t taste nearly as good, but that’s how it looks.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

Thank you for this detailed TR featuring this room type.  I appreciate that you elaborated on why you liked, or didnt like, something.  That really helps the reader make a more informed choice about what might be important to him.

 

I know this is an older review but I am sailing in this room type in the Seaview next May.  I hadnt found anything else really that was written about this room type other than what MSC publishes.  A couple of questions if the OP comes back or if anyone else can fill in the blanks...Do you fill/ drain the whirlpool with each use?  Is it heated?  Is the room layout on the Seaview comparable?  I agree its super annoying and frankly a bit of a safety issue that a step in isnt provided, I hope thats something that has been addressed.  I do wish this room type was a part of the YC experience but since I had to choose on or the other I went with room type.

 

Thank you again for the comprehensive review.

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For the pizza, the 2nd one looks like papa johns or a chain pizza. I LOVE pizza on MSC and it is the closest to the NY style pizza we love.  As for saying about the entertainment, we love the entertainment the most on MSC, but do miss stand up comedy, so we do cruise other lines.  MSC level of singers and dancers, IMHO is superior to any other cruise line. The singers can sing and the dancers dance.  I have grown to love opera night because they do it so well. The voices heard give me goosebumps.   I do not quite understand how you had a negative balance since you spent some in the chop house and then there were tips...

The layout of the ship where you complained is very similar to the issues when we sailed ccl.  It was the galley in the middle so you had to go up around and down.  This is found on many cruise ships not only ccl and msc. Been on Pcl where this was an issue with some stairwells that just stop.   This should never be a real issue unless you are unable to walk. 

 

Msc brings a lot of things that many lines do not. You have to be able to know the line and accept it as being something different.  They have the most beautiful ships, and the staff are always friendly and willing to help.  Keep cruising and enjoying each cruise as it is.

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Skimmed this--

 

FWIW

The pizza heavy with toppings is NOT something done in Italy

AND

Having an egg on a pizza IS something done it Italy. It is outstanding. 

After those OP posts/comments--- skipped the rest

 

I just noticed this is a "resurrected" old thread...

 

 

 

 

 

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On 2/5/2018 at 5:43 PM, BestNC Cruiser said:

 

 

That is what is so great about all of Jim’s reviews. It’s the way that all of the positives and negatives are well elaborated. It helps you to make decisions based on your likes and dislikes. It’s not about agreeing or disagreeing, it’s about being informed. My cruising buddies were on the fence, now they have decided against the seaside because what they like very closely matches up to Jim’s. So just like those that have decided that the seaside will work for them, knowledge and info is the key.

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes, one of the best reviews I ever saw on this board. I booked WP Aurea cabin after his review  and we had best cruise ever. We don't eat in buffet and we would not eat Pizza JIm like even if they pay us, so for us it was a most beautiful cruise ever. LOL

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12 hours ago, nikkiw60 said:

Why has this thread been resurrected it needed to be taken with a pinch of salt the first time round? Much like Mr Zim seems to like adding to his food...

Couldn't agree more! The OP frustrates me....have you ever braved one of his youtube videos? 😭

...plus he has an MSC agenda

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1 hour ago, citizenfrank said:

Couldn't agree more! The OP frustrates me....have you ever braved one of his youtube videos? 😭

...plus he has an MSC agenda

We started listening to one! When we were on the Seaside just after this the people dining on the next table were quoting his review. 

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7 hours ago, citizenfrank said:

Couldn't agree more! The OP frustrates me....have you ever braved one of his youtube videos? 😭

...plus he has an MSC agenda

 

Can you please elaborate on the MSC Agenda by JimZim?? 

 

 The reviewer gave both pro/con to the MSC experience, and remember he sailed Seaside when it was pretty new in the market and his review seems to have lots of commonalities with other reviewers at the time.

 

We all know that MSC drops the ball in several areas. For example, the part in the review about Jim being refused debarkation only to wait in a line for 45 minutes to have $12 returned to his account, was actually reported again last week. So while the septic stench was in the 4th month of sailing, some of the issues reported in this review are on-going. 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, cruisingnewtoit said:

I'm confused on this money returned to your account. Is this only applicable when you link your ship board account to your debit card?

 

 

 

I think it has to do with refundable OBC. If you don't use it all, most lines just apply unused portion to your credit card. In the case of MSC, they wanted to hand Jim back the money.  It's been awhile since I watched Jim's review so going off memory here 🙂 

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