Live from the MSC Fantasia

[mgreeneyes]

Anjo: I've found the food quality and variety in the buffet to be very good on the Fantasia. There are lots of stations with each station having specific foods on display: hot foods, pastas, salads, ethnic, daily specials, fruit, desserts, and coffee/water stations. There is also a bar in the stern with waiters going around for wine/water/beer orders. Tables are more busy at the entrance of the buffet but walking back toward the stern I've never had trouble finding a place to sit.

As far as the MDR goes, the food is fine, but I have an issue with MSC because on all their ships the menus never change from year to year. Every evening is a different theme menu based on the various Italkian regions. If you remember, for example, the Rome or Palermo menu on your last cruise, it will be exactly the same this year. For a first MSC cruise there's no problem but if you're a repeater then it gets old.

English speakers are always outnumbered, especially in the Med. Germans make up the largest nation group on my cruise.

 

IAIR: I haven't heard any comments or concern aboard regarding the Concordia accident. There is an English language hostess on board who you'll meet on the first day. Coffee packages on board are around €25 for 25 espressos while the water package is €26 for 14 one litre bottles (PLUS the 15% surcharge).

 

Bar price for beer, espresso, water ?

[cjvinthechair]

If you're planning on heavy shopping at Casablanca, you can get dirhams at any ATM there. Otherwise, the merchants are used to European tourists and will accept euros no problem. The major tourist shops will give you your change also in euros, but the small operators will give change in dirhams.

On my cruise there are 4000 passengers, almost half of whom are Germans. There are about 50 or so English speakers, with many Italians, French and lots of Russians. Don't worry about being in a minority. English is spoken by almost everyone on the hotel staff. Just speak in plain English and avoid colloquialisms and any heavy accent in your speech.

Very useful, thanks ! Heavy shopping - I don't think so !

Did hope we could get a wine package on board...is that not a possibility ?

Better be in top sunbed booking form with that no. of Germans...don't suppose queuing's a favoured occupation either; every (wo)man for themselves !

Enjoy last few days. Friday we take over. Clive.

[Capricruiser]

I'm sure you will enjoy your cruise. Beer, wine, water packages are available on board. I didn't buy any this cruise so I don't know the prices. An espresso is €1.50 though. Some people complain about Italians but Germans can be much worse.

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

Very good that you enjoy this fantastic ship, I have very good memories from here:)

 

Hava e great cruise and thank you for the live update:)

[ruthv5]

Hi capricruiser,i am a first time cruiser and i will be cruising on the fantasia in june and i would like to know what all the all inclusive package includes. Will i have to pay extra to dine in the red velvet restaurant and at what extra cost per person. Thanks ruthv5.

[Capricruiser]

Hi capricruiser,i am a first time cruiser and i will be cruising on the fantasia in june and i would like to know what all the all inclusive package includes. Will i have to pay extra to dine in the red velvet restaurant and at what extra cost per person. Thanks ruthv5.

Ruth, I can't comment on the all inclusive because I've never bought it. On this cruise I didn't even buy a water package. I went though three bottles of excellent wine at my DR table which is about average for me on a 11 night cruise. I don't drink all that much but when I did want an after dinner cocktail I just ordered one from one of the bar waiters.

Regarding food, that's included in your ticket. My table was in the Red Velvet for dinner and I always ate breakfast and lunch up at the self-service restaurant. If you desire to eat those two meals in the MDR, You have to go to the other MDR restaurant, Cerchio d'Oro because the Red Velvet is open only for dinner. The only pay extra restaurant is the tex-mex restaurant costs extra, €12 a person as I recall.

Hint: If you eat in the self-service, take your tray to the stern end of that restaurant where there were always tables open.

The Fantasia is a beautiful ship - I'm sure you will enjoy your cruise.

[mairead224]

Hi capricruiser,i am a first time cruiser and i will be cruising on the fantasia in june and i would like to know what all the all inclusive package includes. Will i have to pay extra to dine in the red velvet restaurant and at what extra cost per person. Thanks ruthv5.

 

 

Hi Ruth,

 

We were on the ship in June 2010. The red velvet is a non paying restaurant. While our main dining meals were at Cerchio d'Oro we ate breakfast and lunch at the red velvet. If you like red velvet contact your TA or MSC directly to organise your meals at this restaurant.

 

Mairead

[ruthv5]

Hi capricruiser i have one more question regarding cabins. We have been issued cabin 8050 and would like to know what this area of the ship is like.

[Capricruiser]

Decks 8 through 13 are the cabin decks with the category ratings going up along with the decks. Okay, your cabin 8050 is toward the bow so you MIGHT get some up and down action when the sea is rough. Another possible problem is that it's right above the theatre so you may get some show noise. For the rest, it's a standard balcony cabin and being in the forward section your view from the balcony will be unobstructed.