Are MSC as Bad as Reviews Claim?

[AmoMondo]

hi Trouvailless thank you for taking the time to reply The more I read about MSC and research it I think I will be fine and enjoy it immensely the food issue I think will be fine as I eat mainly vegetarian meals and these tend to be the same wherever I go and the lack of activities will probably be my saviour and force me to slow down and actually relax on holiday for a change I plan to invest in a Kindle and just read a lot I dont cruise until March but on return I too will post a full review :D

 

Kindle is definitely the way to go. Just had to replace mine and the newer bog standard Kindle wifi version is even smaller and lighter than the original.

[glittergal1]

I always said I would never get an e reader because I love actual books so much but with a low luggage allowance on my next holiday there is no way I can take my usual 3 or 4 books and all my dresses and shoes so something has to give :D

[earn]

I love my Kindle Paperwhite. No need to keep the place is the best bit for me.

[AmoMondo]

Yeah and you can take literally dozens of books with you for less weight and space of just one book..

 

I'm a complete convert, the only actual books I buy now are recipe ones, text books and travel guides (cos I like the glossy coloured pictures)

[Skipper Tim]

In this social media age, it is a sad fact of life that there are people who, one way or another, incentivised to write positive reviews of their experience and negative reviews of the competition. On top of the genuine complainers and nuts, there is often too much noise to make any sense of the reviews. Hence there is a trend towards peer-review in order to value the reputation of a reviewer before the content of any particular review - as evidenced on TripAdvisor after years of being plagued with untrusted negative reviews. This is not yet the case on CC, quite the reverse in fact. A few of the most posted CC members are the most negative. I find this behaviour highly suspicious to say the least. I would not be surprised at all if certain cruise companies employ people to constantly be negative about their competition in all forms of social media.

[Trouvailless]

Me again I'm afraid. We took the ipad mini which of course has the full kindle features and can be read in the same way, but has the added function of being able to Skype and a system called Facetime which enables the user to contact anyone with an email address and Skype (which is only a matter of signing up free) to avoid roaming charges from anywhere in the world. I also preloaded all the travel guides to places we were visiting to be read offline. More value for money than my kindle actually in the long run, especially with the offline translation facility.

[Trouvailless]

In this social media age, it is a sad fact of life that there are people who, one way or another, incentivised to write positive reviews of their experience and negative reviews of the competition. On top of the genuine complainers and nuts, there is often too much noise to make any sense of the reviews. Hence there is a trend towards peer-review in order to value the reputation of a reviewer before the content of any particular review - as evidenced on TripAdvisor after years of being plagued with untrusted negative reviews. This is not yet the case on CC, quite the reverse in fact. A few of the most posted CC members are the most negative. I find this behaviour highly suspicious to say the least. I would not be surprised at all if certain cruise companies employ people to constantly be negative about their competition in all forms of social media.

Sorry you have lost me. Is this a post on the wrong page or have I missed some thread?

[Capricruiser]

Sorry you have lost me. Is this a post on the wrong page or have I missed some thread?

But the title of this thread is "Are MSC as Bad as The Reviews Claim." It's too easy to go off topic with our posts.

[MotownVoice]

("I would not be surprised at all if certain cruise companies employ people to constantly be negative about their competition in all forms of social media.")

 

:rolleyes: I'm not crazy about the zealous MSC bashing either (I mean if you hate MSC so much why do you even bother logging in the MSC Page).

 

But this is about the kookiest expression of paranoid cynicism I've seen. If competing companies would take that kind of risk just to scare away a dozen or so customers that would make about as much sense as the moderators letting this thread live another full day.

[sharecruises]

In response to the original question

 

IMHO after 3 MSC cruises and leaving next week for my 4th...short answer is NO

 

NO....once you are onboard it is mostly like other cruiselines

 

Beautiful ship - sparkling clean

Lovely Italian decor - really some outstanding public spaces

Lots and lots of live music

 

I posted the improvements I have seen - and more are coming

so that at least on Divina leaving from Miami it should be really nice

 

The cost of MSC is (for now) super reasonable too

 

The worst part sometimes is the poor customer service, conflicting info

and the sadly lacking website.

 

Once you are on board , eating day and night, dancing around, seeing some great shows, enjoying the beauty and the fun it is all good

[Tatka]

Yep. MSC ships are stunningly beautiful. I could not stop taking pictures of even ... elevator halls. European design and decor!

[Skipper Tim]

("I would not be surprised at all if certain cruise companies employ people to constantly be negative about their competition in all forms of social media.")

 

:rolleyes: I'm not crazy about the zealous MSC bashing either (I mean if you hate MSC so much why do you even bother logging in the MSC Page).

 

But this is about the kookiest expression of paranoid cynicism I've seen. If competing companies would take that kind of risk just to scare away a dozen or so customers that would make about as much sense as the moderators letting this thread live another full day.

 

Sorry, but I am not kooky, paranoid or cynical. I am just me.

 

Social media is a hundred-billion dollar business now. Soon it will be trillion. Do not think for a moment that fake bad or positive reviews are insignificant. They are the vast majority.

 

I don't know if you are genuine. Please give us a sign.

 

Tim.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Skipper Tim

[Tatka]

IMHO respected competing companies will not go into shady business by posting false reviews. Because majority of potential customers do not differentiate companies that much, and will be turned off reading such information.

 

Do you think RCI was that happy when Concordia sunk? I am sure they lost some potential customers as a result too.

[AmoMondo]

Me again I'm afraid. We took the ipad mini which of course has the full kindle features and can be read in the same way, but has the added function of being able to Skype and a system called Facetime which enables the user to contact anyone with an email address and Skype (which is only a matter of signing up free) to avoid roaming charges from anywhere in the world. I also preloaded all the travel guides to places we were visiting to be read offline. More value for money than my kindle actually in the long run, especially with the offline translation facility.

 

I started off just taking an IPad with the kindle app and dint own an actual kindle. I do like FaceTime for keeping in touch whilst away but want so keen on the kindle app for 2 main reasons. 1. battery runs out quickly 2 found it difficult to read the IPad in bright sunlight.

[MotownVoice]

IMHO respected competing companies will not go into shady business by posting false reviews. Because majority of potential customers do not differentiate companies that much, and will be turned off reading such information.

 

Do you think RCI was that happy when Concordia sunk? I am sure they lost some potential customers as a result too.

 

 

Almost certainly. Since Concordia is owned by CostaCrociere, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines.

 

(sorry if someone said this already, I have a few people on ignore)

[Davidonaboat]

My only criticism of MSC is their lack of communication at their London based office...i.e Customer service ..once onboard life is grand!

[sthelder]

I started off just taking an IPad with the kindle app and dint own an actual kindle. I do like FaceTime for keeping in touch whilst away but want so keen on the kindle app for 2 main reasons. 1. battery runs out quickly 2 found it difficult to read the IPad in bright sunlight.

 

Can't agree more on the second point. Too often I have to forego balcony and go indoor to continue reading.

 

I am using a Nexus 7.2 now, as I usually convert ebooks into pdf and Android allows me to run Word and Excel better. My iPad is usually grabbed by me DD on holidays anyway :p

[The_Big_M]

Almost certainly. Since Concordia is owned by CostaCrociere, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines.

 

(sorry if someone said this already, I have a few people on ignore)

 

Almost certainly happy?

 

Sorry but I agree with Tatka. I can't see that they would be jubilant that a competitor lost a ship.

 

It wouldn't be expected to have a positive impact on RCL.

 

As for the wherewithall's of posters, there are often malicious agents - but for most upstanding companies, they tend to be rogues and unsanctioned e.g. some call centre operator who thinks it's like a footy team and they can convert for their team.

 

That said, I have come across some where the attitude comes right from the top...

[Tatka]

Almost certainly. Since Concordia is owned by CostaCrociere, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines.

 

(sorry if someone said this already, I have a few people on ignore)

 

Well even I know several potential cruisers who decided not to cruise at all. With any line.

 

And opposite examples. Many lines have been founded or got more customers when cruising became popular.

[footzz]

IMHO respected competing companies will not go into shady business by posting false reviews. Because majority of potential customers do not differentiate companies that much, and will be turned off reading such information.

 

Do you think RCI was that happy when Concordia sunk? I am sure they lost some potential customers as a result too.

 

I can't comment on RCI's position with regard to the Concordia incident, but I do know that in 2009 (in the infancy of social media) that they were caught infiltrating review sites using a viral marketing team. So, it's definately not beneath a "respected" company to ingage in questionable behavior.

[Skipper Tim]

I can't comment on RCI's position with regard to the Concordia incident, but I do know that in 2009 (in the infancy of social media) that they were caught infiltrating review sites using a viral marketing team. So, it's definately not beneath a "respected" company to ingage in questionable behavior.

 

Just from my experiences of privately-owned hotels in Turkey over the years, where I am routinely offered an upgrade on my next stay for writing a positive review on their preferred review site (usually HolidayCheck), and that the Animation team are employed to write negative reviews of the competition in their quieter times, I am confident that these things also go on in the cruise industry.

 

It is naive beyond belief to think that multi-billion dollar cruise lines would not employ a team to similar effect. My point was that Cruise Critics does not yet have an effective system to rate the trustworthiness of the posts.

 

I was a little disorientated by the post that suggested I was off-topic. The topic had wandered so far I could have commented on the weather and been more on topic.

 

Sorry if I have sounded extreme. I have just been admiring Basil Fawlty.

 

Tim.

[Alex71]

Just from my experiences of privately-owned hotels in Turkey over the years, where I am routinely offered an upgrade on my next stay for writing a positive review on their preferred review site (usually HolidayCheck), and that the Animation team are employed to write negative reviews of the competition in their quieter times, I am confident that these things also go on in the cruise industry.

 

It is naive beyond belief to think that multi-billion dollar cruise lines would not employ a team to similar effect. My point was that Cruise Critics does not yet have an effective system to rate the trustworthiness of the posts.

 

I was a little disorientated by the post that suggested I was off-topic. The topic had wandered so far I could have commented on the weather and been more on topic.

 

Sorry if I have sounded extreme. I have just been admiring Basil Fawlty.

 

Tim.

 

 

Not sure what to think here.

 

Of course these fake reviews of restaurants and hotels are a fact of life and one also wonders why there are so many more bad reviews on Cruise Critic than on sites such as HolidyCheck, that might not be as much in focus for the social media teams of American cruise companies. MSC Divina, e.g. has 77% positive reviews on HolidayCheck, but only 58% positive reviews on Cruise Critic.

 

On the other hand, a multinational cruise company would risk a huge backlash if they employed an agency that commented negatively on the competitors, not to mention the legal risk.

 

Therefore, I think it probably has more to do with cultural preferences of reviewers and their ability (or lack thereof) to adjust to an international environment with conflicting cultural norms.

 

When reading reviews, I can only recommend to not pay so much attention to the general tone of the review and instead look at the concrete facts and then decide if one would personally see this as a negative of as a positive. The unavalability of iced chlorine water in the MDR will ruin one person's cruise whereas another person will appreciate the availablity of very moderately priced mineral water...

[MotownVoice]

Anyone who would do a good review just to get some stupid upgrade whether they believed in their own review or not ...

 

... would also lie about doing a review just to get some stupid upgrade.

[glittergal1]

from doing extensive research since booking and reading so many negative reviews I have now come to the conclusion that the majority of negative reviews came from Americans or at least non europeans and the majority of reviews from British reviewers were more positive so perhaps it is just the difference of culture and expectations ? I have only ever sailed European itineraries so am quite use to "announcements in 5 languages" "the loudness of some guests"

" the non queuing culture" "laid back service" "lengthy dinner service" "hit n miss menu choices" etc

so I am going to cruise on Fantasia in March with the view that my cruise was such fantastic value that whatever the cruise is like it will have been worth it (cant possibly be any worse than the Thomson I did) and hey I have the all inclusive drinks package so life will be good :D and I have a double balcony cabin to myself :) what more could I possibly need ?

[Skipper Tim]

from doing extensive research since booking and reading so many negative reviews I have now come to the conclusion that the majority of negative reviews came from Americans or at least non europeans and the majority of reviews from British reviewers were more positive so perhaps it is just the difference of culture and expectations ? I have only ever sailed European itineraries so am quite use to "announcements in 5 languages" "the loudness of some guests"

" the non queuing culture" "laid back service" "lengthy dinner service" "hit n miss menu choices" etc

so I am going to cruise on Fantasia in March with the view that my cruise was such fantastic value that whatever the cruise is like it will have been worth it (cant possibly be any worse than the Thomson I did) and hey I have the all inclusive drinks package so life will be good :D and I have a double balcony cabin to myself :) what more could I possibly need ?

 

You sound like me but I am fairly sure that I don't have two CC identities and did not write that :). Actually I would just disagree on one minor point. I would not call MSC European service "laid back" at all. I would say it is discrete and professional.

 

Also there is a second point too. The latinos are far more sophisticated when it comes to queuing than non-latinos. They cannot understand why we stand in line wasting our time when we could be milling around and socialising. Just because they are not in your line does not been they are not in your queue! Admittedly, when they see us queuing in a line, they assume we are a little stupid and try it on to improve their position. I could write a book on this topic.

 

The announcements may be in 5 languages but there are way fewer of them compared to Royal Caribbean and by implication the other mainstream U.S. lines.

 

"Culture and expectations" covers a broad area. We frequently act out our respective parts on this forum. We all have different cultures and expectations. The contributors that grate the most are those who expect to travel unimpeded in a bubble of their own. Those contributors I enjoy the most are adaptable, flexible, go with the flow and celebrate the cultural differences as part of the travel experience.

 

Last March, I was in the position you will be in next March - a balcony cabin to myself on the Fantasia, with Allegrissimo and at fantastic value. I also had the privilege of great company from the CC roll call. I wish the same upon you.

 

Tim.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Skipper Tim