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

[bltrn]

Quote from cruisetrail: "I don't know what HAL means. I know what Eurodam/Nieuw Amsterdam mean."

 

Are you serious?????? :eek: Enjoy your next cruise on HAL and let us know what you think of that line.

[All aboard??]

I would hate announcements like that in my cabin. I'm very happy that on MSC except the safety drill, the announcements can only be heard in corridors and public areas.

 

The biggest problem is the speaker is in the headboard and not in the ceiling....

[cruisetrail]

We had to open the door to hear what was announced in the hallway.

[All aboard??]

We had to open the door to hear what was announced in the hallway.

 

From my experience of HAL ship maintenance it is a strong possibility that your cabin's speaker was broken.

 

But back to some of your rebuttal from earlier:

 

Please see menus provided: MDR food. Specialty restaurants on the Eurodam/Nieuw Amsterdam - much better, buffets are simply incomparable - just plain obvious

 

Having never cruised with MSC you are not in a position to make such broad statements, food has a sensory reaction; something which cannot be recreated by sight alone ….your credibility wanes and your motives come more to light.

 

Wines were... possibly - we don't buy wine on cruise ship

 

Will this be the case after the implementation of the new wine policy – you do realize that irrespective of all the complaints that it is not going to change.

 

MSC ships are much cleaner. Both Eurodam/Nieuw Amsterdam are in immaculate condition.

 

As you haven’t been on an MSC cruise I shudder to think what your house must look like if you consider Nieuw Amsterdam as immaculate; as a side bar isn't HAL one of the biggest Norro offenders in the cruise industry?

 

Never ever had we any sales pressure on Eurodam/Nieuw Amsterdam

 

I wouldn’t define it as sales pressure – I don’t have to buy what they trying to get rid of -; I would refer to it more as sales annoyance; much like a mosquito flying near your head.

 

Never ever had we a single announcement in our cabin on the Eurodam/ Nieuw Amsterdam

 

You are either a very heavy sleeper or you are up with the rest of the retirement village at 06:00 <insert earlier comment as a third option>

 

I don't know what HAL means. I know what Eurodam/Nieuw Amsterdam mean. These ships cater to those who prefer comfortable sea travel. All ages are welcome.

 

I am actually at a loss of words; your title refers to MSC; thereby your infer that you are comparing cruise lines….less credibility and even more motive

 

MSC: less comfort, less space, more party, more kids sail free - what age group are you going to see there

 

“Power of generalizing gives men so much the superiority in mistake”– George Eliot (edited to avoid being moderated)

[cruisetrail]

Skipping all the spam...

Just two things:

Yes, one word is lost (Divina) - I could not add it later.

Actually I tried to cruise on MSC two times - Splendida and Divina.

So ""MSC is more or less OK.

 

Food - your problem is covered in posts #1 and #38.

Edited August 10, 2013 by cruisetrail

[bltrn]

You "tried" to cruise???:confused:

[bltrn]

Hello! Let me give cruisetrail a liitle education: HAL=Holland American Cruise Lines. Royal (as per a member ) = RCCL - oops, I'm sorry, you need more specifics- RCCL = Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines - you don't cruise much do you???

[cruisetrail]

Back to our research of MSC Divina (Splendida)

 

Numbers in yellow - same for the Divina and Splendida

Numbers in red - Splendida only

 

Note larger slanted balconies.

Note that 8085 and 8087 balconies are standard, not slanted

 

What balconies to avoid on Deck 8?

Those between "humps" (with lifeboats in front of them).

8085 (and the corresponding 8084 on the other side) appear to be among the worst.

 

[AmoMondo]

The biggest problem is the speaker is in the headboard and not in the ceiling....

 

OMG are you kidding me....in the headboard? I'd have that dismantled!

[Skipper Tim]

OMG are you kidding me....in the headboard? I'd have that dismantled!

 

Me too. After my last Royal Caribbean experience, I travel with a set of miniature screwdrivers to remove the in-cabin speaker grill(s) and disconnect the speakers. Had I been a prisoner of war on Royal Caribbean, their regular announcements would have contravened the Geneva Convention as torturous. On MSC I have had my tools but never needed them.

 

It is a pleasant side-effect of MSC being so multi-lingual that they minimize in-cabin announcements.

 

I remember discussing the incessant sales-pressure with old-time Royal Caribbeans at the dinner table. They said that they had grown accustomed to it and just let it wash over them. I didn't and don't want to become like that.

 

If I ever cruised on a U.S. cruise line again, I would disconnect the cabin speakers before unpacking, throw the daily sales sheets away before reading them, find the quietest parts of the deck, wear earplugs and carry a "No!" sign on a stick to hinder the staff in their sales approaches to me much like I would hinder a fly with a fly-swat. In short, I would not be part of the ship.

 

After pleasant experiences on MSC, on a U.S. cruise line I would be especially cantankerous now. Insufferable I would say.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Skipper Tim

[cruisingcanadian]

Me too. After my last Royal Caribbean experience, I travel with a set of miniature screwdrivers to remove the in-cabin speaker grill(s) and disconnect the speakers. Had I been a prisoner of war on Royal Caribbean, their regular announcements would have contravened the Geneva Convention as torturous. On MSC I have had my tools but never needed them.

 

It is a pleasant side-effect of MSC being so multi-lingual that they minimize in-cabin announcements.

 

I remember discussing the incessant sales-pressure with old-time Royal Caribbeans at the dinner table. They said that they had grown accustomed to it and just let it wash over them. I didn't and don't want to become like that.

 

If I ever cruised on a U.S. cruise line again, I would disconnect the cabin speakers before unpacking, throw the daily sales sheets away before reading them, find the quietest parts of the deck, wear earplugs and carry a "No!" sign on a stick to hinder the staff in their sales approaches to me much like I would hinder a fly with a fly-swat. In short, I would not be part of the ship.

 

After pleasant experiences on MSC, on a U.S. cruise line I would be especially cantankerous now. Insufferable I would say.

 

Please stay with MSC!:rolleyes:

[All aboard??]

Me too. After my last Royal Caribbean experience, I travel with a set of miniature screwdrivers to remove the in-cabin speaker grill(s) and disconnect the speakers. Had I been a prisoner of war on Royal Caribbean, their regular announcements would have contravened the Geneva Convention as torturous. On MSC I have had my tools but never needed them.

 

It is a pleasant side-effect of MSC being so multi-lingual that they minimize in-cabin announcements.

 

I remember discussing the incessant sales-pressure with old-time Royal Caribbeans at the dinner table. They said that they had grown accustomed to it and just let it wash over them. I didn't and don't want to become like that.

 

If I ever cruised on a U.S. cruise line again, I would disconnect the cabin speakers before unpacking, throw the daily sales sheets away before reading them, find the quietest parts of the deck, wear earplugs and carry a "No!" sign on a stick to hinder the staff in their sales approaches to me much like I would hinder a fly with a fly-swat. In short, I would not be part of the ship.

 

After pleasant experiences on MSC, on a U.S. cruise line I would be especially cantankerous now. Insufferable I would say.

 

I am so going to try the "NO" sign on my Oosterdam cruise next year and may even have a "Shhhhhhh" one also made up for the pool deck attendants......mainly for the laugh of it all; but also to get my point across; do you think I should insert please?

[Tatka]

By the way, I am not sure if these rules are still in place.. last time I cruised Celebrity had almost 0 public announcements, except for the regular Captain's "Hi" from the bridge. :)

[Skipper Tim]

I am so going to try the "NO" sign on my Oosterdam cruise next year and may even have a "Shhhhhhh" one also made up for the pool deck attendants......mainly for the laugh of it all; but also to get my point across; do you think I should insert please?

 

I think "please" dilutes the message and it is them who are being rude by disturbing you.

 

Just one sign should do. On one side "No!" (if this bothers you you could put in very small letters underneath "(thanks)"). One the other "Quiet!" and again, if you feel guilty, in very, very small letters "Thank you for your cooperation".

 

You should take a few and sell them for a mint to other guests. I imagine their value will rise as the cruise goes on.

[Alex71]

I imagine their value will rise as the cruise goes on.

 

Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who equate absence of sales pressure with bad service.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Edited August 11, 2013 by Alex71

[cruisetrail]

The Divina has a modified aft pool - it's different from the Fantasia & Splendida

 

MSC Splendida aft pool - photo

 

MSC Divina

 

[cruisetrail]

Balconies on the MSC Splendida and her near sister ship MSC Divina

 

 

This is a fragment of MSC Splendida port side.

With MSC deck plans you can easily find your balcony on the Divina.

 

Note larger "H" cabins balconies.

Note huge overhang above deck 13.

 

 

 

 

Midship hump on the Splendida

 

This midship location is less affected by lifeboats.

 

Now about a very important difference between the Splendida (Fantasia) and the Divina (Preziosa).

On the Divina the hump is extended aft.

However, added hump cabins are smaller than standard and have smaller (shallow) balconies. They gave up space in favor of additional inside cabins in this area.

Formerly balcony cabins on deck 8 have been converted into window (large porthole) cabins.

 

Note 13111 location - deep under the overhang and near the dead wall of hump that limits views.

 

Note 8151 and 9145. These locations are among the worst but the balconies are larger (longer due to longitidinal position of these cabins vs transverse position of all standard cabins).

 

 

 

 

 

On the Divina, the number of standard balcony cabins (#1) reduced from 8 to 7 on both sides.

Then a large block of smaller cabins (#2) follows leaving very inconvenient space for a few standard balcony cabins (#3).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I choose a balcony cabin, I will make sure that my balcony is not in this area (#3):

 

 

 

If you are looking for a good balcony location on the Divina you need to pay attention to this detail to avoid disappointment.

Many Divina photos in the net are misleading. They actually show the Splendida or Fantasia that have different (better) design in this particular area (#3).

 

 

 

 

One more step towards the stern.

These are angled balconies near the aft hump on the Splendida.

Those "first from the hump" (9201, 10211, 11245, 12223, 13171)

are very large (deep).

All four forward/aft humps form similar groups of balconies.

 

 

 

 

 

Note a cofusing detail in MSC deck plans.

Cabins 8222, 8224, 8227, 8229 may seem to have larger angled balconies like other cabins above them.

No.

These cabins have standard balconies placed deep in the corner near the dead wall of the hump and behind lifeboats.

 

 

 

 

To be continued...

Edited September 28, 2013 by cruisetrail

[papcx]

Yes. The ignore function is defiantly broken.

[The_Big_M]

Do you think when you spend so much time analysing things to the nth degree, it aids your holiday... or damages it?

 

Will the idea that so many details are out there that can be not as good, mean your holiday will not be perfect if every detail isn't right? Can everything in life be 'perfect?'

[Deckhandoug]

If I were looking to book a balcony cabin on one of these particular ships, I would appreciate the information.

 

Don't take it as all negative, he's put in a lot of time on this, he's just not spouting "I hate this or This is the best line ever, other lines suck", which seems to be the normal exchange around here.

[Chelly]

I was attracted to this thread as a HAL cruiser interested in cruising MSC for the first time. I am a solo cruiser. It seems the solo rate on MSC is more attractive than HAL's.

 

Forgive me if this subject of cigarette/cigar smoke has been addressed and I missed it. How smoky are the MSC ships? Is smoking allowed in cabins, balconies, public spaces. Thanks for helping.

C.

[cruisetrail]

USA Today

Effective Nov. 2, when the MSC Divina departs Venice for its new home in Miami, smoking areas will be limited to just two areas: the Cigar Lounge and the port side of designated outside decks (away from all bars and food areas).

The Top Sail Lounge in the MSC Divina's private MSC Yacht Club and the Black & White Lounge, until now open to smokers, will become non-smoking, as will the ship's casino.

MSC says smoking occasionally will be allowed in the casino for playing guests during certain hours and in limited areas at the discretion of the casino manager.

As with all other MSC ships, smoking will continue to be prohibited in cabin interiors, cabin balconies, corridors, elevators, stairways and public bathrooms.

[Chelly]

usa today

effective nov. 2, when the msc divina departs venice for its new home in miami, smoking areas will be limited to just two areas: The cigar lounge and the port side of designated outside decks (away from all bars and food areas).

The top sail lounge in the msc divina's private msc yacht club and the black & white lounge, until now open to smokers, will become non-smoking, as will the ship's casino.

Msc says smoking occasionally will be allowed in the casino for playing guests during certain hours and in limited areas at the discretion of the casino manager.

As with all other msc ships, smoking will continue to be prohibited in cabin interiors, cabin balconies, corridors, elevators, stairways and public bathrooms.

 

thank you!

[cruisetrail]

You are most welcome.

[cruisetrail]

I am adding pictures of aft looking balconies on MSC Splendida and MSC Divina.

Choose a balcony that is right for you.

 

Note the difference between the Splendida and Divina cabin numbers.

Note the deepest balconies on Deck 11 and tiny shallow balconies on Deck 13.

Balconies on deck 12 are the most exposed to views fron above.

 

MSC Splendida

 

 

 

 

MSC Divina cabin numbers (shown on the near sister ship Splendida)

 

Edited December 1, 2013 by cruisetrail