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A Tale of Two Cruises

CTBob

By CTBob,
in MSC Cruises

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Thesecret

Thesecret

Posted
Posted
Hi Bob,

 

We are enjoying this great review. It was so nice to meet you and Stephanie during Week 1 of your two cruises. We loved your positive attitude and happy approach to life. Thanks again for helping us all get to know each other pre-cruise, and for the fun cabin crawl.

 

Big hug from Barbara and Orlando

 

I agree with this completely!

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Thesecret

Thesecret

Posted
Posted
Go to the dining room as soon as you can or ask someone for their number and give them your request. Usually they will change it for you if they can. Our time was 5:30 PM in the Ipanema Restaurant and we had table 924 each night. If the cruise is sold out and all the tables are assigned you may be out of luck. I was told that in the Ipanema there were three sittings. First at 5:30 PM, then at 7:30 PM and a late seating at 9:30 PM. I don't have confirmation of that but I know that at 7:15 PM they were trying to throw us out and people were waiting to come in. I also heard that the Seashore Restaurant had only two sittings (Seatings?), one later than our first and the second earlier than our last. Maybe that was for people with the Aurea experience and anytime dining. Check the other reviews and you may be able to sort that out. Bob

 

ps - I think that my dining time was on my cruise documents and also on the MSC for me app, although that might have been once we got on board.

 

We were fantastica and didn’t get assigned a dining room or time until embarkation. We were in Seashore and they did only have two seatings 6pm & 8:30pm, we had 8:30.

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Cruisergal1208 Great Review Rare

Cruisergal1208

Posted
Posted
I was on deck 16 so I really don't know. From the deck plans I have it does look like there is an entrance there. There is no entrance to the Lounge from 16001 because of the location of the bar, but I don't see any obstruction between 18001 and the restaurant. Maybe someone who knows for sure can chime in here. Bob

 

I just saw a posting that pax in 18001 used the fire door outside their cabin to access the YC restaurant on the port side. I would think that would be a no no. But that is what they said they did!!

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NYHartChapp

NYHartChapp

Posted
Posted
I just saw a posting that pax in 18001 used the fire door outside their cabin to access the YC restaurant on the port side. I would think that would be a no no. But that is what they said they did!!

Just did a search and couldn't find that post. Could you send a link? Thanks.

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CTBob

CTBob

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Grannyofsix - It seemed to me that there were always snacks in the Topsail Lounge and they kept replenishing them. And even though we only had one Elegant night I read that a cruise after ours had two so your guess is as good as mine. Bob

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GRANNYOFSIX

GRANNYOFSIX

Posted
Posted

Hi Bob.....thank you so much. Nice that Topsail Lounge provides snacks throughout the day!! As for the Elegant night/nights (not sure how my spelling came out wrong in my above thread....lol) I guess we will just have to plan for two.....getting "cruise fever" right now....19 more days!!

Laura

 

 

Grannyofsix - It seemed to me that there were always snacks in the Topsail Lounge and they kept replenishing them. And even though we only had one Elegant night I read that a cruise after ours had two so your guess is as good as mine. Bob
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tallcva3344

tallcva3344

Posted
Posted
Yes, you might want to go to the dining room and request one with the Maitre d, Luigi, after you board.

I am coming into this a little late as I was on he 1/6 sailing.

My waitress spoke no English and did not understand English.

The closet doors do not allow about 39% of the clothes to even be seen.

The toilet cannot be set on properly because of a design flaw that extended the sink where your legs would go.

400 people were assigned to eat in the buffet for the cruise not the dining room

A simple thing like the trash can that was divided like a recycle bin was irritating.

75% of the passengers were from Europe.

I asked to change my table in the dining room because it was touching a work station and was told no more room, that I would have to eat in the buffet. They lied as there was plenty of seating we switched to. I told them I would stand by their podium until they got me better seating. My wife would have left the ship if she had to wait on herself all cruise. They got me better seating. I heard them lying to many people about seating. I even got two couples the forth night seating in the dining room after they are in the buffet the first three nights. They were being lied to as I entered the dining room, as they were told to return to the buffet. I leaned over and told the couples and the head waiter that he was lying. Then I got the dining room manager to take them to a great table they were assigned the rest of the cruise.

I got free wine at dinner, but most of the time it was well over 3p to 45 minutes before someone came to refresh the glass.

The benefits I received as a black card holder had to be requested for each item. Drove me crazy.

The Fantastica drinks cards that had the drinks we purchased took two days to receive. I had to stand in the always long line atuest services for over 45 minutes each time.

Dining room food was terrible. Fish dry, steak was like chewing rubber bands. Lost 2pounds. Food came cold.

Most of the cruisers dressed very nice.

One of the chocolate ships we got was 25% melted. Of course one was awesome.

Check in was great!

Ship was beautiful, except for the one floor high dining rooms that looked like a cafeteria. Very basic looking.

Did not like the control YC cruisers had over the elevator we were on. We got on on deck 5 going to deck 14. About 12 other people going to different floors. We had just reached deck 13 (yes deck 13), when the elevator went into a free fall. We could not control the elevator. It did stop at deck 5 again. A man got on, and punched in deck 16, then we tried to punch in deck 14, but “no”, as the light kept going out. This guy had taken over my elevator, and we were powerless. Yes this happened.

Also they had a deck 13 but skipped deck 17. Hello! Is this a European thing?

Enough said. H

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Cruisergal1208 Great Review Rare

Cruisergal1208

Posted
Posted
I am coming into this a little late as I was on he 1/6 sailing.

My waitress spoke no English and did not understand English.

The closet doors do not allow about 39% of the clothes to even be seen.

The toilet cannot be set on properly because of a design flaw that extended the sink where your legs would go.

400 people were assigned to eat in the buffet for the cruise not the dining room

A simple thing like the trash can that was divided like a recycle bin was irritating.

75% of the passengers were from Europe.

I asked to change my table in the dining room because it was touching a work station and was told no more room, that I would have to eat in the buffet. They lied as there was plenty of seating we switched to. I told them I would stand by their podium until they got me better seating. My wife would have left the ship if she had to wait on herself all cruise. They got me better seating. I heard them lying to many people about seating. I even got two couples the forth night seating in the dining room after they are in the buffet the first three nights. They were being lied to as I entered the dining room, as they were told to return to the buffet. I leaned over and told the couples and the head waiter that he was lying. Then I got the dining room manager to take them to a great table they were assigned the rest of the cruise.

I got free wine at dinner, but most of the time it was well over 3p to 45 minutes before someone came to refresh the glass.

The benefits I received as a black card holder had to be requested for each item. Drove me crazy.

The Fantastica drinks cards that had the drinks we purchased took two days to receive. I had to stand in the always long line atuest services for over 45 minutes each time.

Dining room food was terrible. Fish dry, steak was like chewing rubber bands. Lost 2pounds. Food came cold.

Most of the cruisers dressed very nice.

One of the chocolate ships we got was 25% melted. Of course one was awesome.

Check in was great!

Ship was beautiful, except for the one floor high dining rooms that looked like a cafeteria. Very basic looking.

Did not like the control YC cruisers had over the elevator we were on. We got on on deck 5 going to deck 14. About 12 other people going to different floors. We had just reached deck 13 (yes deck 13), when the elevator went into a free fall. We could not control the elevator. It did stop at deck 5 again. A man got on, and punched in deck 16, then we tried to punch in deck 14, but “no”, as the light kept going out. This guy had taken over my elevator, and we were powerless. Yes this happened.

Also they had a deck 13 but skipped deck 17. Hello! Is this a European thing?

Enough said. H

 

Yes, 17 in Italy is like our 13, unlucky.

 

The post you are replying to was speaking of dining in the private Yacht Club restaurant.

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LakeWobegon

LakeWobegon

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Let me try and finish this up: I'll start by saying that I have never had a bad cruise, but I know that I've been lucky. If my toilet didn't work for days or I got food poisoning or I couldn't sleep because of the noise, etc., etc. then I would tell you so. Has the quality of food dropped since my first cruise, definitely- but it still is usually OK for me. I was a teacher and don't have a lot of retirement money to spend so I can't go on Regent or any of the high priced cruise lines so I go when and where it fits my budget. Right now that seems to be on MSC. Was everything perfect - No Way! However, I would go back again in a minute. I talked to many people on this cruise and several said they would never cruise MSC again. And then there were the two young fathers playing with their children at the water park who loved it. And the young adults dancing the night away in the Haven Lounge who said they were having a ball. Even some of the not-so-young were they enjoying themselves. I heard a story (Second hand) that someone on a B2B hated it so much they cancelled their second week. It's not for everyone.

 

Return to Real Life: I did disembark in Miami from the Divina when I was not in the Yacht Club and that went fairly well, but this was amazing. They stated that we had to be out of our cabins by 8 AM so we decided to meet at breakfast at 6:30 AM. When we arrived at 6:30 AM was the first time all week that all 4 of our friends were already at our table (I hate to be late). Had my usual Blueberry Pancakes for breakfast and decided to clear out of our cabins around 7:15 AM AM and sit in the lounge until they called us. To go back to our cabins we had to pass the concierge area and people were already being taken off by a butler. We grabbed our bags and followed the next butler down to the gangway. We passed many people waiting in the halls and stopped in a jam of others from the Yacht Club very close to the gangway. In about ten minutes we started to disembark and it went very quickly even though my wife tried to leave with her old cruise card. We found a porter and our bags and were quickly in line for customs. Unfortunately one couple had difficulty with something and it held us up about 5 minutes. Before I knew it we were at the curb. My wife stayed with the bags while I went and got the car. After finding my way out of the garage (No signs for the exit until you are almost out) and paying for the two weeks, I worked my way back to the pier and retrieved my wife and luggage and was out and on I-95 in about 30 minutes from leaving the ship. A better way I found out was to have the porter take your bags to the garage (For another $10) and then you load up there and just leave.

 

Sorry for the stream of consciousness writing but I have a million things to do at home and need to get to them (Actually I am heading to church this morning to fix a leaky toilet). I will be glad to answer any questions.

 

And let me thank all those who write on this Board (Especially sidari, who sent me construction photos for my website) and gave wonderful information to prepare me for this cruise. Bob

 

This may be a day late and a dollar short but THANKS Bob. This is a great review. Staying in a YC Deluxe Suite next March (just booked today) and I love your attitude. We went on the NCL Escape the past two years, reading reviews about how small and overcrowded the pool decks were and how the restaurant service was poor compared to RCCL and so on. Were the critics right? In some respects, yes. Did we have the best vacations ever those cruises? Absolutely. Very excited to try the Seaside and can't believe we have to wait a year plus to go. Terrible problem to have to go on a vacation that isn't PERFECT according to some internet critics. lol. Thanks again.

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CTBob

CTBob

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This may be a day late and a dollar short but THANKS Bob. This is a great review. Staying in a YC Deluxe Suite next March (just booked today) and I love your attitude. We went on the NCL Escape the past two years, reading reviews about how small and overcrowded the pool decks were and how the restaurant service was poor compared to RCCL and so on. Were the critics right? In some respects, yes. Did we have the best vacations ever those cruises? Absolutely. Very excited to try the Seaside and can't believe we have to wait a year plus to go. Terrible problem to have to go on a vacation that isn't PERFECT according to some internet critics. lol. Thanks again.
We are looking at a cruise on the Seaside in September so I may update this review then. We won't be in the Yacht Club but still expect to have a great time. I was recovering from an operation this past cruise and missed out on many things that the Seaside has to offer so I really want to go back and give it another go. Bob
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Beamafar Great Review Rare

Beamafar

Posted
Posted
Thanks Dave, but Uncle Sam has eyes on any money I might have in April. I just took my first run at my taxes and all I can say is ......Ouch!

Bob

 

Whenever I hear Americans referring to "doing their taxes" I'm so thankful we have PAYE here for salaried people (that's Pay As You Earn - the taxes are taken every payday. If they don't take enough over the course of the year due to over-calculation of allowances, the Revenue will arrange for you to pay the deficit over the course of the next 2 years).

 

Hope your post-surgery recovery is going well, Bob.

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funNsun4me

funNsun4me

Posted
Posted

Hi Bob,

 

Thanks for taking the time for this wonderful review. I am currently booked in a Fastastica angled balcony with a upgraded drink package but now wonder if I should upgrade to an inside YC. My 2 concerns are space, since we are 2 friends sharing the room and the fact that I am prone to motion sickness so I usually book by the aft elevators and the YC is in the front. After reading through your review I am so tempted to make the switch. Do you think it is worth it and can you tell me is you felt more motion in the YC?

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