Dining queries on MSC Magnifica

[PrincessPete]

Hi, we have done one MSC cruise on Magnifica in 2014 (had a great time) and are planning to book a repeat of the Northern Europe itinerary for October 2018. I would be most grateful for updates on the dining times/experience please.

 

We are booking a Fantastica Balcony cabin (the different experiences programme was brought in after we cruised with MSC before) and will choose second sitting. What time is the second sitting these days, please?

 

Unfortunately it is the case that our preferred dining time is later than first sitting but earlier than second! Am I right that we can not choose My Choice dining on the Fantastica experience?

 

Is there any other choice open to us to eat at our preferred time of, say 1945 (I am assuming second sitting is around 2015) eg speciality restaurants - we would not wish to eat in the buffet in the evenings

 

Can anyone also please help me with the choice of speciality restaurants as we would be happy on the second sitting if a couple of nights we opted for a speciality restaurant at an earlier time.

 

Any help will be much appreciated and many thanks in advance.

 

Kind regards.

 

Peter and Beverley

[janny444]

Hi...we did the same cruise on the Magnifica in 2014...enjoyed it so much that we did exactly the same itinerary last year on the Splendida....fabulous ship...one again enjoyed it so much that we are considering going back on the Magnifica next year.

 

We had 2nd sitting dining and that was at 20:45....rather late for us so we only went in a few times and on other nights used the buffet.

 

I think alternative options are limited to using the speciality restaurants....which I would think will be the same as in 2014 or room service in the evenings....almost sure that is included in the Fantastica experience.

[Beamafar]

Dining times tend to vary depending on itinerary so you'll need someone who's done the exact route you're planning to do to answer that. I've seen second seating being as late as 9pm on some cruises.

 

On that class of ship, you don't get 'My choice' dining with a Fantastica Experience booking (you do on the Lirica class ships). Also, room service is free but there is a charge per item from the room service menu. There is only one Speciality restaurant onboard (you may remember from previous experience) named Oriental Plaza which, as you can guess from the name, serves Asian food.

[JPMoore]

This is completely speculative on my behalf, but I wonder if as part of the focus on British clientele will mean a change in dining times - perhaps aligning more with P&O, Princess or Cunard?

 

From what I understand, only Seaside and Meraviglia class offer My Choice dining outside of Yacht Club and Aurea experiences.

[Beamafar]

This is completely speculative on my behalf, but I wonder if as part of the focus on British clientele will mean a change in dining times - perhaps aligning more with P&O, Princess or Cunard?

 

From what I understand, only Seaside and Meraviglia class offer My Choice dining outside of Yacht Club and Aurea experiences.

 

Not true - 'My choice' is offered for Fantastica balcony booking on Lirica class. We had it on Sinfonia last November.