MSC - an English perspective

[Mummye]

We cruised on the MSC Fantasia boarding in Geona. We were a family group of 2 grandparents, 2 parents and 2 children (14 and 12 years) It was our second cruise with MSC

I hope that my review may give a few tips on the Ship and Ports that may help and alleviate any concerns you have.

The Ship

There seems to be general consensus that MSC ships are well maintained and I can wholeheartedly agree with that. They are absolutely spotless. Constantly being cleaned and painted until they gleam.

The Cabin

We had a balcony cabin on deck 11. It had a large double bed and large sofa bed. It was perfectly acceptable for a family of 4. Again it was spotless and beautifully serviced.

The Service

What must be realised is that MSC is a truly Italian line and so, as such, the service is quiet and understated. Do not expect a ‘Disney’ type reception. However, all our requirements were met politely and to our satisfaction. Even our last minute request for a Birthday cake.

The Food

It seems to be a fairly contentious issue but we have absolutely no complaints. Admittedly it is not ‘gourmet’, but there was always plenty of choice and we never went hungry! It certainly isn’t English cuisine but for me that’s part of the joy of being in on holiday. I don’t want a recreation of GB overseas

Breakfast Tip Order Room Service (free) in your cabin for early morning coffee/ juice before heading for breakfast later! A lovely way to start your day.

Note if you head further through the restaurant, to the rear, it is much quieter although the hot buffet is not available.

Lunch Avoid the lengthy queue that seems to develop at the first buffet and go further in to the next set of buffets. To the left there is an Exotic bar (Mexican, Chinese, Indian etc) and it never seemed busy. It appears people wait in line for the sausages, burgers and chips at the first counter, so avoid these and you will be fine. Also better for the waist line!! Yes it is busy – but I guess an alternative is to use one of the waiter service restaurants. We never tried them ourselves though.

Dinner We were first sitting at 7pm. We generally left the restaurant around 9pm and never felt rushed. We enjoyed every meal – although the octopus was not so popular with the children! The service was always impeccable.

Drinks

We purchased a ‘Cheers’ package before we left. This entitled us to soft drinks, beer and wine with meals. At lunch time that meant anything between the hours when the buffet was open (usually 11.30 – 4pm)

It worked for us as we like to have a drink with meals, and we could also stock up with water. Probably not cost effective for everyone, although I would do it again as it meant no nasty surprises on our end of week account.

The Entertainment

The shows are short and hugely entertaining. Some better than others – but I won’t spoil it for you. A lovely way to relax after dinner.

Sunbeds

On our last cruise belongings were moved from sunbeds after 30 mins left vacant. Completely fair in my view. However, despite a note to say that is the policy, it was never enforced. That means you have to play the game too! Note that the pool area gets VERY noisy around 3pm onwards so for some peace and quiet head to the Zen area at the Stern ( not adults only) or the Solarium with great ‘Birds nests’ to lie on ( adults only)

Also be aware that if at sea and particularly windy, many sunbeds get put away for safety reasons, so pick your spot with care!

Ports

Marseille It was a Sunday and there is very little open so we stayed on board

Barcelona The Ship docks near the centre but still a long walk. The MSC offers a Shuttle bus at 8 euros an adult and 5 euros for children (under 13) . It drops near the end of The Ramblas. We then took a taxi to the Sagrada Familia. It cost us 8 euros for 4 of us and it was about 4 times the distance. In hind sight we could have toured the whole of Barcelona in a taxi for 29 euros we paid MSC. Not good value and I was faintly irritated.

Also note that there is a blue port shuttle bus that runs to a similar location and I expect it is only a few euros. That is probably a good bet.

La Goulette

We decided against a ship excursion and had a quiet day on board; just walking ashore for an hour so the children could set foot in Africa. We noted that at the main taxi office (in the new La Goulette ‘cruise village’) there were 5 hour tours for 6 people priced at 60 euros. Much cheaper than the ship and it appeared to be well organised.

Valletta

A helpful tourist information point is located on the quayside as you leave the ship.

The town is just a short walk up the hill from the Grand Harbour where the ship docks. We spent a pleasant day strolling around.

Messina

Another helpful Tourist information point in the port exit building

This was our only MSC excursion; some of the family took a trip to Mt Etna. They absolutely loved it and after checking out taxi prices ashore it seems it was probably the most cost effective way. The rest of us walked to some beautiful churches with fabulous views and then headed back to the main square for the 12 midday ‘spectacle’ at the clock tower!

Civitavecchia

The port provides a free shuttle bus to the Port entrance and from there it is just a short walk to the train station.

We bought tickets (9 euros per person) from the booth just outside the gate. Exactly the same tickets as those at the station but avoids the queues. You can also purchase a timetable (1 euro) but basically there are 2 trains an hour to Rome.

It took an hour to St Pietro where it is a short walk to the Vatican. From there we picked up a Tourist Bus to see the main sights before returning by train to the Ship.

It was a very easy journey and a fraction of the cost of an organised tour – don’t be put off by going it alone. In fact there were hundreds of others heading the same direction!

To summarise – we had an amazing holiday. We would definitely cruise with MSC again. It is an Italian company so don’t be surprised by their European ways!! All I would suggest is that you do a little ground work before you go.

Please ask if you want to know anything specific.:D

[readboat]

Thank you for the great review. I think you said all that had to be said. It is good to read a positive review.

[Baby_Blue]

It is an Italian company so don’t be surprised by their European ways!!

 

I know you don't mean this the wrong way, but the rest of Europe will strongly disagree with this statement. It is Italian, so it's the Southern European way. If you go to any other European country further up North, there will be much better discipline and organization.

 

That being said, I thought they did fairly well for having a majority of Southern European passengers. There was a little chaos and confusion at times, but nothing major. And all in all, I was quite impressed by their ability to manage so many passengers throughout the entire cruise.

[Zambezi]

We cruised on the MSC Fantasia boarding in Geona. We were a family group of 2 grandparents, 2 parents and 2 children (14 and 12 years) It was our second cruise with MSC

I hope that my review may give a few tips on the Ship and Ports that may help and alleviate any concerns you have.

The Ship

There seems to be general consensus that MSC ships are well maintained and I can wholeheartedly agree with that. They are absolutely spotless. Constantly being cleaned and painted until they gleam.

The Cabin

We had a balcony cabin on deck 11. It had a large double bed and large sofa bed. It was perfectly acceptable for a family of 4. Again it was spotless and beautifully serviced.

The Service

What must be realised is that MSC is a truly Italian line and so, as such, the service is quiet and understated. Do not expect a ‘Disney’ type reception. However, all our requirements were met politely and to our satisfaction. Even our last minute request for a Birthday cake.

The Food

It seems to be a fairly contentious issue but we have absolutely no complaints. Admittedly it is not ‘gourmet’, but there was always plenty of choice and we never went hungry! It certainly isn’t English cuisine but for me that’s part of the joy of being in on holiday. I don’t want a recreation of GB overseas

Breakfast Tip Order Room Service (free) in your cabin for early morning coffee/ juice before heading for breakfast later! A lovely way to start your day.

Note if you head further through the restaurant, to the rear, it is much quieter although the hot buffet is not available.

Lunch Avoid the lengthy queue that seems to develop at the first buffet and go further in to the next set of buffets. To the left there is an Exotic bar (Mexican, Chinese, Indian etc) and it never seemed busy. It appears people wait in line for the sausages, burgers and chips at the first counter, so avoid these and you will be fine. Also better for the waist line!! Yes it is busy – but I guess an alternative is to use one of the waiter service restaurants. We never tried them ourselves though.

Dinner We were first sitting at 7pm. We generally left the restaurant around 9pm and never felt rushed. We enjoyed every meal – although the octopus was not so popular with the children! The service was always impeccable.

Drinks

We purchased a ‘Cheers’ package before we left. This entitled us to soft drinks, beer and wine with meals. At lunch time that meant anything between the hours when the buffet was open (usually 11.30 – 4pm)

It worked for us as we like to have a drink with meals, and we could also stock up with water. Probably not cost effective for everyone, although I would do it again as it meant no nasty surprises on our end of week account.

The Entertainment

The shows are short and hugely entertaining. Some better than others – but I won’t spoil it for you. A lovely way to relax after dinner.

Sunbeds

On our last cruise belongings were moved from sunbeds after 30 mins left vacant. Completely fair in my view. However, despite a note to say that is the policy, it was never enforced. That means you have to play the game too! Note that the pool area gets VERY noisy around 3pm onwards so for some peace and quiet head to the Zen area at the Stern ( not adults only) or the Solarium with great ‘Birds nests’ to lie on ( adults only)

Also be aware that if at sea and particularly windy, many sunbeds get put away for safety reasons, so pick your spot with care!

Ports

Marseille It was a Sunday and there is very little open so we stayed on board

Barcelona The Ship docks near the centre but still a long walk. The MSC offers a Shuttle bus at 8 euros an adult and 5 euros for children (under 13) . It drops near the end of The Ramblas. We then took a taxi to the Sagrada Familia. It cost us 8 euros for 4 of us and it was about 4 times the distance. In hind sight we could have toured the whole of Barcelona in a taxi for 29 euros we paid MSC. Not good value and I was faintly irritated.

Also note that there is a blue port shuttle bus that runs to a similar location and I expect it is only a few euros. That is probably a good bet.

La Goulette

We decided against a ship excursion and had a quiet day on board; just walking ashore for an hour so the children could set foot in Africa. We noted that at the main taxi office (in the new La Goulette ‘cruise village’) there were 5 hour tours for 6 people priced at 60 euros. Much cheaper than the ship and it appeared to be well organised.

Valletta

A helpful tourist information point is located on the quayside as you leave the ship.

The town is just a short walk up the hill from the Grand Harbour where the ship docks. We spent a pleasant day strolling around.

Messina

Another helpful Tourist information point in the port exit building

This was our only MSC excursion; some of the family took a trip to Mt Etna. They absolutely loved it and after checking out taxi prices ashore it seems it was probably the most cost effective way. The rest of us walked to some beautiful churches with fabulous views and then headed back to the main square for the 12 midday ‘spectacle’ at the clock tower!

Civitavecchia

The port provides a free shuttle bus to the Port entrance and from there it is just a short walk to the train station.

We bought tickets (9 euros per person) from the booth just outside the gate. Exactly the same tickets as those at the station but avoids the queues. You can also purchase a timetable (1 euro) but basically there are 2 trains an hour to Rome.

It took an hour to St Pietro where it is a short walk to the Vatican. From there we picked up a Tourist Bus to see the main sights before returning by train to the Ship.

It was a very easy journey and a fraction of the cost of an organised tour – don’t be put off by going it alone. In fact there were hundreds of others heading the same direction!

To summarise – we had an amazing holiday. We would definitely cruise with MSC again. It is an Italian company so don’t be surprised by their European ways!! All I would suggest is that you do a little ground work before you go.

Please ask if you want to know anything specific.:D

Nice review, glad you had a good time

 

What other lines have you sailed that you can compare it to?

[Mummye]

Yes Baby Blue - you are correct of course. I too am European and so intend to portray a more southerly aspect.

 

Zambezi - I have no experience of other lines, but I was not wanting to compare, hopefully just to relay our experience. I hope some tips may be of use to someone! There will always be others that disagree with my comments but that is their opinion and no less worthy.

[Rassa]

Thanks for the positive review, abit tired of reading negative things about MSC. I think you get what you pay for. I have been on Costa, so I know what to expect.

 

I am doing Fantasia mid October, so it was good to read about the ports. Thanks for the lunch buffet hint - my husband loves chinese and we hate queues. I am 95% vegetarian, so I just look for salads and soups and I like Italian food.

 

The ship is due back in Genoa at 9 am - can you tell me what time passengers started to disembark? I am hoping to get the MSC bus to Milan by 2 or 3 pm to catch a flight.

Rosie

[Zambezi]

Yes Baby Blue - you are correct of course. I too am European and so intend to portray a more southerly aspect.

 

Zambezi - I have no experience of other lines, but I was not wanting to compare, hopefully just to relay our experience. I hope some tips may be of use to someone! There will always be others that disagree with my comments but that is their opinion and no less worthy.

 

Your Tips are first rate, again, thanks for posting your review, I agree that all opinions are worthy, and i totally respect yours:)

[Marley-Bop]

Hi Mummye

 

Thanks for your review, it seems like you had a really good time and so nice to hear some positive comments and great tips.

 

Can I just ask you about the cheers drinks package? - Can you get drinks from "any" of the bars free during the lunchtime hours or do you have to get them sat at a table in the buffet/dining room. Does this also apply during dinner, i.e free drinks available from start to finish of dinner service times?

[Janet&Carl]

Thanks for posing your review - I'm glad you had a great cruise with your extended family - I'm happy that you didnt compare with other lines ;) I dont think there is any need to

[Mummye]

To reply to your specific questions:

 

Rassa We were called to the waiting lounge at 9am and we disembarked at 9.30am. We were at Genoa airport by 10.30am and hanging about for our 2pm flight. We were certainly not the first (or last) off. I'm not sure how long it takes to get to Milan so wouldn't like to pass comment. Maybe someone else can help?

 

Marley Bop

 

Regarding the Cheers package. During lunch hours you could get drinks inside the Africana Buffet or on deck at the Glass Bar (That includes all the waiter service around the lower pool area - but NOT in the upper areas) You didn't necessarily have to be eating. I don't believe that any other bars are included, although the drinks in the dining rooms would be if you chose to eat there. We had all purchased the drinks package but there was no concern about putting a large round of drinks on one card, without checking.

 

At dinner, it was only drinks in the Dining Room. Once they were aware what we liked to drink (worth a chat to your waiter on your first evening) they had it waiting for us whn we arrived. They were very quick to refill our glasses and replenished even when we had probably didn't need it.

 

As I said before - we found it a useful way to budget for our holiday ( and avoid the service charge) but if you only have the odd drink it probably isn't worth it.

Do note that the package must be purchased at least 21 days before departure and everyone in the same cabin must have an equivalent package

 

Hope tht helps.:)

[Marley-Bop]

Thanks for your reply Mummye, we really dont know what to do for the best. We both like white wine and are trying to decide between the "all inclusive" and the "cheers" packages :confused:

[Mummye]

We also deliberated the 'All inclusive' option . It was a big difference in price and we felt we could probably not justify it. I suppose it depends on whether you want to use your mini bar, drink all evening in the bars and have speciality coffees,ice creams etc.

 

Considering the amount of time you are off the ship, it could work out quite expensive.

 

There's no right or wrong answer - although I felt our package was right for us and we also like white wine! Don't forget it is just the house wine though, which is not to every one's taste.

[Marley-Bop]

Can I ask what the house wine was like then, me and hubby really like Pinot Grigio (1st choice) Chardonnay (2nd choice) - we tend to like dry white wines, what was the house wine like in comparison?

[Worm61]

Like the review thanks . ...we were thinking about the cheers package but thought it a bit too dear so we just ordered 7 bottles wine for in the restaurant & buying drinks on the last night with all being well the money we saved :D

[AmoMondo]

The ship is due back in Genoa at 9 am - can you tell me what time passengers started to disembark? I am hoping to get the MSC bus to Milan by 2 or 3 pm to catch a flight.

Rosie

 

The coach journey from the port to malpensa Airport takes 2-2.5 hours depending on the traffic. Would think you'd be there by 3pm, perhaps earlier.

[Mummye]

Can I ask what the house wine was like then, me and hubby really like Pinot Grigio (1st choice) Chardonnay (2nd choice) - we tend to like dry white wines, what was the house wine like in comparison?

 

 

The house wine was dry and perfectly acceptable to my taste. I also prefer a dry pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.

 

Of course my opinion is purely subjective!