How I was trying to cruise on MSC. A REAL story step by step in pictures & video.

[GOLDENBONNY]

I'm in my fifties, have sailed on many cruise lines and love any ship with a promenade including the lovely Nieuw Amsterdam. I disagree with your comments regarding the shows on HAL and those suggesting that the only way to enjoy the line is to be in your seventies.

 

Generalities shuch as years are not the most usefull way of gaining insight on cruising. My two cents.

 

The point is we all different , right? Plus don't you think it’s really .....funny when someone talking about cruise line he never been on? I love HAL its nice line , but not for us for now. Should I go on HAL forum and spend there 2 years explaining to people how boring is HAL:rolleyes:?? At least I have right to do so ,I cruised HAL twice:p) Really some people should get a life.

[DTL]

So, I have a question?

 

Should we continue to argument somebody who don't want to listen, or we will continue to document him with facts.

 

My opinion is that every time we are try do document opposite of Cruisetrail's statements, we are jumping in trap of justifying our own knowledge and experience. There is no results of proving evidence based truths to someone who's only intention is to draw attention.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Tatka]

Regular menu from Poesia attached. (Last day?)

 

On formal night there were all standard lobsters, s&t, escargots etc available.

 

Food is easily comparable to RCI. It is not Princess or Celebrity, but good.

MSCMenu1.pdf

MSCMenu2.pdf

MSCMenu3.pdf

Edited July 17, 2013 by Tatka

[Tatka]

So, I have a question?

 

Should we continue to argument somebody who don't want to listen, or we will continue to document him with facts.

 

My opinion is that every time we are try do document opposite of Cruisetrail's statements, we are jumping in trap of justifying our own knowledge and experience. There is no results of proving evidence based truths to someone who's only intention is to draw attention.

 

I think this game is fun. :)

 

We are not jumping into any traps, just revealing inconsistencies of the theory and adding facts.

 

Also we should not be toо hard on OP, as you cannot really evaluate something without trying it. There is wonderful saying that Hockey is being played on ice, not on paper. Cruising is similar.

[GOLDENBONNY]

So, I have a question?

 

Should we continue to argument somebody who don't want to listen, or we will continue to document him with facts.

 

My opinion is that every time we are try do document opposite of Cruisetrail's statements, we are jumping in trap of justifying our own knowledge and experience. There is no results of proving evidence based truths to someone who's only intention is to draw attention.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

 

I think ignore would be right answer .I will do it from now on. please everyone do same;)

[sthelder]

There is wonderful saying that Hockey is being played on ice, not on paper. Cruising is similar.

 

Shame me...I can't stop myself "mind cruising" weeks before any actual cruise! :p

[cruisingcanadian]

I think ignore would be right answer .I will do it from now on. please everyone do same;)

No reason to do it.

[cruisetrail]

 

MSC Divina & HAL Signature Class Ships

 

Alternative Dining Research

 

 

A brief overview of MSC Divina alternative dining venues

Prices may differ

 

La Cantina Di Bacco - wine bar and pizzeria.

Pizza and a drink cost around €7.00

 

We are not interested.

 

 

Sacramento Tex Mex (Mexican, Burger Bar) - a specialty reservation restaurant featuring an à la carte menu for those who like spicy food (Texas steaks, enchiladas, fajitas, burritos, tacos, guacamole and tortillas)

Mexican beer, margaritas and tequila on offer.

 

 

 

 

Prices range from around €5 for a burger or €8 for a burger and chips to €14 for a steak.

Not very inviting but I would try a steak there.

Paying for burgers and chips on a cruise ship is out of the question.

 

BTW the HAL Signature Class ships have junk food on offer. Of course it’s for free.

 

 

 

Piazza Del Doge - a patisserie, coffee and gelato bar.

They also sell cocktails and wine.

Everything is for extra charge.

 

 

 

Approximate prices:

Coffee from around €1.10 for an espresso €1.90 for a Cappuccino or espresso with chocolate cream and ice to €5.70 for an Irish Coffee and €6.70 for an iced coffee alcoholic coffee.

 

Hot Chocolate costs around €1.90 and tea is charged at €1.80.

 

Pastries cost from around €1.50 for small tartelettes, €0.80 for chocolate éclairs and €1.00 for chocolate mousse to €2.90 for a slice of fruitcake or cheesecake and €3.90 for sponge cakes.

 

Traditional Gelato Ice Cream is €1.20 per scoop, €2.50 per cone, $3.90 for a smoothie and €5.30 for a banana split or Vanilla and Strawberry ice cream with fresh strawberries.

 

Charging for gelato and specialty coffee is a norm for cruising industry.

Charging for pastries/desserts is annoying – it’s free on cruise ships.

As one of CC posters has said recently: I have enough money to buy what I want, but the more they nickel and dime the less I am willing to pay.

 

MSC has copied Piazza Del Doge pastry shop concept from other cruise lines (so-called atrium café) – the most notable of which is International café on Princess. "Doge" is not in the atrium though.

 

However, Princess ships offer wider selection of food and they don’t charge for that.

Eurodam / Nieuw Amsterdam feature a small pastry shop (sandwiches, desserts, bakery products).

Of course, food is for free, beverages are extra.

 

 

Galaxy

À la carte Cover Charge, reservation only.

Galaxy is a disco, restaurant and bar located on deck 16 (midship superstructure.).

Brunch from 10.00am to 1.30pm and dinner from around 6pm to 10.30pm

 

Although “À la carte Cover Charge”, the restaurant does not have a feel of an upscale venue.

It looks more like a Lido buffet.

Cruisers report that people browse this area freely while others are having “À la carte” dinner there.

 

 

Bad news is that all of these venues on the Divina are for additional charge.

 

I've heard of some bakery items being on offer (free) in Café Italia coffee bar in the morning. Beverages are extra.

[Tatka]

Now to the facts.

 

Divina, just like Poesia, offers free junk food and free and good pastry. Both are in different sections of the buffet.

[cruisetrail]

A brief overview of Eurodam / Nieuw Amsterdam alternative dining venues

 

The Pinnacle Grill

A la carte restaurant - stylish, intimate.

Dinner $25

Lunch - $10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We would have a dinner here - most likely the Le Cirque version.

[cruisetrail]

A brief overview of Eurodam / Nieuw Amsterdam alternative dining venues

(continued)

 

 

 

Tamarind

A la carte restaurant

Pan-Asian inspired cuisine

Dinner $15

Lunch – complimentary (by reservation)

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are there one night - definitely.

 

 

Canaletto

A part of Lido buffet transformed in evenings

Italian style cuisine

Dinner $10

 

We would skip Canaletto - not very appealing.

Too much great food around.

 

 

Explorations Café

Pastry shop & Specialty beverages

Food - complimentary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May be on the go...

Edited July 17, 2013 by cruisetrail

[cruisetrail]

A brief overview of Eurodam / Nieuw Amsterdam alternative dining venues

(continued)

 

 

Afternoon Tea

Classic full service tea ceremony at sea

Typical schedule – daily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Events

 

 

An Evening at Le Cirque

One night a cruise The Pinnacle Grill is redecorated to follow a style of a famous restaurant in NYC.

Dinner $39

 

 

 

 

Chateaubriand

 

Edited July 17, 2013 by cruisetrail

[Wookiee]

Lololol. Funny troll is funny.

 

Keep it up Cruisetrail, you amuse me!

[SeagoingMom]

I bet you don't cruise too often ,by the time you choose your ship season is over LOL. you forgot to say one thing- Hal is only company where people use promenade deck ,because its sooo boring I cruised on Eurodam and Noordam(kids sail free by the way both times ) and I can say one thing- HAL beautiful line if you have 1-3 years old kid with you ,and you have to go to sleep at 9 pm. or you are 70 and you need small ship to cruise with your wheel chair. you forgot to mention how lime is HAL shows and that they don’t have any entertainment crew just CD and assistant.

Much of this is not true, of course.

 

The promenade deck was very popular on our Panama Canal cruise on Zuiderdam, not because the ship was boring, but because many HAL cruisers, ourselves included, value the outdoor promenade deck very highly. There were extremely few wheelchairs (though former Surgeon General of the United States C. Everett Koop happened to be in one of them), and a large proportion of pax were well under 70. The dance combo in the Ocean Bar ended at midnight, but the nightclub undoubtedly went on well past that. Nothing shut down at 9. Children were effectively absent from our 10-night March cruise.

 

DH and I have never found a cruise ship boring (Celebrity, Carnival, HAL) because we are not boring. We find plenty to enjoy on board because we enjoy each other.

These misunderstandings about HAL seem to crop up often, perpetuated mostly either by those who have not sailed with HAL, or by those who are better suited to a different cruise line, but seem to find it necessary to insist that because they did not care for HAL, no one should.

 

To each his own. I'll take HAL.

Edited July 17, 2013 by SeagoingMom

[cruisetrail]

A brief overview of Eurodam / Nieuw Amsterdam alternative dining venues

 

Special events

 

(concluded)

 

 

Pool Deck Barbeque Party

One time a cruise

Meats, fruits, desserts are complimentary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dessert Extravaganza

One night a cruise

Complimentary

 

 

 

 

 

Picnic Barbeque on a Private Island

Half Moon Cay – HAL private island

All the food and beverages - complimentary

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2013 by cruisetrail

[Tatka]

These misunderstandings about HAL seem to crop up often, perpetuated mostly either by those who have not sailed with HAL, or by those who are better suited to a different cruise line, but seem to find it necessary to insist that because they did not care for HAL, no one should.

 

To each his own. I'll take HAL.

 

Have you noticed that this review is about how OP does not want to sail on MSC ships? :)

 

I am 100% sure that if OP's bashing of MSC which he never tried and praising HAL , but only SOE ships, wouldn't become so annoying nobody would even discuss HAL. Who cares? It is MSC board.

 

As for HAL.... We sailed with Zuiderdam 9 years ago and were less than impressed with many things, starting with service.

[Deckhandoug]

I'm enjoying his comparison, I think he has some interesting points.

[All aboard??]

I'm enjoying his comparison, I think he has some interesting points.

 

My main issue is that the OP hasn't tried MSC and so is incapable of comparing food. Interiors; design etc yes; but, food deals with taste, a sense that sight can not imitate and can only be justified and compared with by experiences.

 

I find his dedicating two and a half pages to something that is sensory with only 50% of the experience that is needed for a fair comparison discredits his "innocent intentions".

Edited July 17, 2013 by All aboard??

[Deckhandoug]

My main issue is that the OP hasn't tried MSC and so is incapable of comparing food. Interiors; design etc yes; but, food deals with taste, a sense that sight can not imitate and can only be justified and compared with by experiences.

 

I find his dedicating two and a half pages to something that is sensory with only 50% of the experience that is needed for a fair comparison discredits his "innocent intentions".

 

Oh, I agree all right, not having sailed MSC but offering such a detailed opinion is very odd.

 

The fact that he HAS dedicated 2.5 pages, found and posted a very large amount of detailed photos and made this an obviously serious, dedicated, possibly thankless endeavor makes it so much more an interesting read and encourages me to try and understand his true motivations. Surely It can't be to just indicate he like HAL better than MSC.

 

I'm sure it will all come together in the end, we will have an epiphany and we'll mark the date for posterity!

 

Until then...

[All aboard??]

I'm sure it will all come together in the end, we will have an epiphany and we'll mark the date for posterity!

 

I await with bated breath...

[cruisetrail]

**Miscellaneous** Food**

 

 

Junk Food

 

We never go for it (pizza, burgers) on a cruise - too much real food.

 

Just for the record: there are no problems with that on Eurodam / Nieuw Amsterdam.

Not researched - but I don't expect any problem with junk food on the Divina.

 

 

 

 

 

Ice cream

 

Free ice cream is available from the buffet on HAL ships.

Not researched - but I expect something like this on the Divina.

 

 

 

Still uncertain about afternoon tea on the Divina.

Is proper AT available?

It won't be a good thing if MSC does it the Costa does - a few trays of miserable food in the buffet at "tea time".

I don't want to believe that MSC will do the same.

If not proper tea, at least some respect to their guests should be demonstrated at "tea time".

 

However, the way Divina's guests were treated in the Mediterranean cruises is discouraging - I saw a picture of croissants cut in halves on the tray in the buffet.

Seems too economical.

Hopefully this will never happen in the Caribbean.

 

It's very unpleasant to read about AT in MSC ads.

They advertise (I believe proper afternoon tea) as an exclusive privilege of Yacht Club guests (4-5%) while the rest 95% of passengers is plebs.

 

Proper afternoon tea that is available to all passengers on HAL ships is a privilege of a few % of passengers on the Divina.

No?

I will welcome tour update on this matter!

 

As we touched so-called "Yacht Club", let's research a few more things.

 

This class covers about 80 cabins (from standard to suites).

 

Another privilege of this class - any time dining.

Again, what is a regular option on HAL (and many other ships) is a "privilege" on the Divina.

Rumors: MSC is going to expand this option somehow...

 

This is just for the record.

We prefer early seating in MDR.

 

Yacht Class guests can enjoy a separate restaurant - Le Muse.

 

The interior looks like a simplified version of Sabatini's specialty restaurant on Princess ships.

 

 

 

 

 

A sample menu of Yacht Club "Le Muse" restaurant:

 

Appetizers:

Sea Scallop, Ginger and Grapefruit Salad

Escargots

 

Soup:

Shellfish Bisque

Cream of tomato soup

 

Pasta:

Carnaroli Rissotto

Portofino Lasagne

 

Main courses:

Fillet of Gilthead Bream

Fillet of Beef

Rolled Suckling Pig

 

Desserts:

Tiramisu

Coconut Ice Cream with Chocolate Mousse

Small Assorted Pastries

Selection of Fruit ancd Cheeses

 

Always available: Spaghetti with bolognese or tomato sauce, Caesar Salad, Onion Soup, Broiled Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Salmon Fillet.

 

 

[Tatka]

The fact that he HAS dedicated 2.5 pages, found and posted a very large amount of detailed photos and made this an obviously serious, dedicated, possibly thankless endeavor makes it so much more an interesting read and encourages me to try and understand his true motivations. Surely It can't be to just indicate he like HAL better than MSC.

 

This all would be cool if not for an agenda.

 

Agenda is to degrade the other line. This is not the first and will not be the last time. Devil is in details... read remarks. :) There is nothing wrong to share information and photos, but even by the looking at them and reading one can tell what was a purpose of this comparison.

 

Just check my remarks about menus. He took one small portion of regular dinner menu on MSC and added formal night menu from HAL. This is one small, but telling detail.

 

OP doesn't have any problem to present things that many view as negative as positives. See atrium.

 

And so on, and so on. I am sure there will be an excellent explanation why huge area around the pool is used for cabanas. :)

[All aboard??]

And so on, and so on. I am sure there will be an excellent explanation why huge area around the pool is used for cabanas. :)

 

I quite like the cabanas - had one for both my cruises on Nieuw Amsterdam....have even thought how easy it would be for MSC to implement the same thing on their Lirica and Musica class vessels.

[cruisetrail]

Entertainment!

 

 

 

What is usually understood under "entertainment" is (again) - just a fraction of fun that we actually enjoy on a cruise ship.

Remember decor = fraction of design, MDR = fraction of dining concept?

 

Nothing is more entertaining than the sea views and the ship itself as it moves, as it rocks, as it cuts the waves.

This the unique part of cruising - something not available on land.

Add Caribbean sun.

This is why we save our vacation days, pay airfare and finally take a cruise.

 

This entertainment is far above and beyond "official" entertainment programs.

 

However, the "official" entertainment programs do exist.

Many people work on them - to complement our sea travel impressions with a few pleasant evening hours.

 

A note about day time entertainment.

We prefer to avoid noisy "entertainment" attacks that happen near pools.

This is very intrusive.

We would rather stay away from drunk smoking crowds.

We don't need to be entertained that way.

 

So the point where the Divina changes "no go" status into "possibly go" is addition of the aft pool which by definition is supposed to an adult zone where we actually can enjoy ourselves without invasions of stupid "entertainment".

 

The only question (big question) - how will it work on the Divina.

 

A sample evening program on Eurodam / Nieuw Amsterdam.

A big advantage of these ships is that they still offer live music on the main stage - another mark of the quality of the product (more live, more genuine, less ersatz) and professionalism of those who work on it.

Nevertheless we are looking forward to what MSC Divina has to offer for the Caribbean market...

 

Edited July 18, 2013 by cruisetrail

[Tatka]

I quite like the cabanas - had one for both my cruises on Nieuw Amsterdam....have even thought how easy it would be for MSC to implement the same thing on their Lirica and Musica class vessels.

 

Cabanas are nice.. but what about space around the pool for pax who do not wish rent cabanas? :) From my friends who sailed on HAL lately ... cabanas take large chunk of a space.