How can there be such widely varied opinions of the Seaside?

[lcpagejr]

I was (and am) grateful for your review and was happy to read about your experience. It cemented my view that the Seaside is a beautiful, fun ship with a lot to offer. Like you, I’m stymied by the number of negative reviews and even sadder that so many people have written to say they’ve canceled in large part BASED on those reviews. Oh well, it’s their call, and they must do what they feel is right. But I have a strong hunch that things will improve this year and, perhaps, if those who’ve now canceled stay on CC and begin to read strongly positive reviews later on, they may realize they were too hasty to judge. Anyway, only time will tell. Thanks for your review and your helpful reply to my earlier questions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

My only response would be.....Why should those who have chosen to cancel...pay for a product/experience that obviously is not ready for prime time??? We are not "beta tester" passengers. For those who have booked in the next couple of months I totally understand the cancellations.... I , too, am one of them. Maybe by years end MSC will have gotten their act together....but paying good money, with the expectations, for a regular cruise experience...that doesn't appear to deliver is not my idea of a fun and "relaxfull" vacation

[DAJedu]

My only response would be.....Why should those who have chosen to cancel...pay for a product/experience that obviously is not ready for prime time??? We are not "beta tester" passengers. For those who have booked in the next couple of months I totally understand the cancellations.... I , too, am one of them. Maybe by years end MSC will have gotten their act together....but paying good money, with the expectations, for a regular cruise experience...that doesn't appear to deliver is not my idea of a fun and "relaxfull" vacation

 

This.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

My only response would be.....Why should those who have chosen to cancel...pay for a product/experience that obviously is not ready for prime time??? We are not "beta tester" passengers. For those who have booked in the next couple of months I totally understand the cancellations.... I , too, am one of them. Maybe by years end MSC will have gotten their act together....but paying good money, with the expectations, for a regular cruise experience...that doesn't appear to deliver is not my idea of a fun and "relaxfull" vacation

 

 

 

This!

 

I can handle long dinners.

I can accept higher than expected fees for activities (zipline).

I don’t need to be friends with my room steward.

 

It is imperative that we have dining room staff that bends over backwards to ensure a safe guest experience (regarding allergies) and possesses a flair for customer service that would provoke them to perform well.

 

The majority of reviews at this point suggest neither the dining room, nor customer service in general, has worked out enough kinks. The fare for this family of eight is entirely too high to play around with. While they might be able to pull off some simple foods to keep my son safe, that would be a let down after cruising lines that fall over themselves to impress us.

 

 

 

<><

[DCGuy64]

My only response would be.....Why should those who have chosen to cancel...pay for a product/experience that obviously is not ready for prime time??? We are not "beta tester" passengers. For those who have booked in the next couple of months I totally understand the cancellations.... I , too, am one of them. Maybe by years end MSC will have gotten their act together....but paying good money, with the expectations, for a regular cruise experience...that doesn't appear to deliver is not my idea of a fun and "relaxfull" vacation

 

 

 

Simple: I have read probably 8-10 reviews of the Seaside so far, and I have to say the ratio of negatives to positives has been about 50/50. I’ve read some that ended with “never cruising MSC again” (even though some of Seaside’s current issues are unique to it and not other MSC ships) and I’ve seen others saying “we’re booked on 2 more Seaside cruises.” Now that’s not even counting the 1,000s of other passengers who went, had a great time and just didn’t bother writing a review on this particular site. Some of those who’ve canceled (and have cited the negative reviews as guiding their decision) weren’t slated to cruise until this summer. So what I see happening is that a number of cancellations are occurring, based on a non-representative sample of early sailings. IOW although so far there seem to be roughly an equal number of happy and unhappy guests, those doing the canceling are letting the negatives make their decision. And that’s a pity. Before I ever cruised Carnival, I heard terrible things about their ships and clientele. If I’d been swayed by those criticisms, I never would have gone. But I ignored them and am glad I did. I feel sorry for people who seem to be panicking based on a few others’ bad experiences and are canceling, I think, in haste. But at the end of the day, it’s their decision. My decision is to stick with my Oct 20 sailing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[waterlove1234]

My only response would be.....Why should those who have chosen to cancel...pay for a product/experience that obviously is not ready for prime time??? We are not "beta tester" passengers. For those who have booked in the next couple of months I totally understand the cancellations.... I , too, am one of them. Maybe by years end MSC will have gotten their act together....but paying good money, with the expectations, for a regular cruise experience...that doesn't appear to deliver is not my idea of a fun and "relaxfull" vacation

 

That's actually a really good perspective I hadn't considered. I assumed everyone who booked early understood that a new ship is somewhat of a gamble. It will definitely be months before they're prime time ready, perhaps another year. A perfect experience was never an expectation of mine but if it is for you then it's probably best if you reschedule. Also you'll get to go to MSCs new private island that's supposed to be up and running by the end of this year. I was super bummed they took it off the early itineraries.

[just erica]

My only response would be.....Why should those who have chosen to cancel...pay for a product/experience that obviously is not ready for prime time??? We are not "beta tester" passengers. For those who have booked in the next couple of months I totally understand the cancellations.... I , too, am one of them. Maybe by years end MSC will have gotten their act together....but paying good money, with the expectations, for a regular cruise experience...that doesn't appear to deliver is not my idea of a fun and "relaxfull" vacation

 

This is exactly the reason I and quite a few passengers feel let down. To me, you are either ready to go or you are not. That is the reason also for so much conflicting info online etc. They keep changing their mind about things it seems each cruise sailing. This is not the way to do business.

 

This wasn't a throw away cruise for me, it was my vacation. As another poster mentioned, I don't expect perfection and I am easy going but I do expect a minimum level of competence and we didn't get it.

[DAJedu]

I don't weight all reviews equally. Some of the negative reviews I have seen are from very experienced cruisers and vloggers/bloggers that are in no way 'complainers'. There aren't 'entitled' folks that expect the world to be handed to them on a platter. I just watched a video from a cruise vlogger that I respect because their videos are real time and honest. They were with a group. Literally every single one of the 10 plus people that walked on the ship with them at the same time all reacted simultaneously to the smell. This person has zero reason to fake that reaction, they have never faked reactions (good or bad) to the other cruises they have on their channel. Walking through the halls to their cabin - they were still talking about the smell, trying to figure out what it might be - and everyone from teenagers to retirees settled on it smelling like waste water. Again, they aren't first time cruisers, the cruise across lines, and they had sailed perviously with MSC. Why would I not trust that review?

 

For some people, a sewage smell would not impact their cruise. For me, it absolutely would, for very personal reasons. Two of my tweens have a hyper sensitivity to smell. They have done ten cruises, they have never had a reaction beyond a quick trip through the casino with smokers. A sewage smell wafting through most parts of the ship - yes, for us that is a deal breaker.

 

I guess it is irritating that people are assuming folks canceling their cruises are dumb people who believe random strangers online with no other information, or that we rate all reviews equally. I get that two people on the exact same cruise can have absolutely opposite experiences. But, I also know that some reactions are real time and honest and I am going to give those weight - especially when a dozen people of various backgrounds all respond at the same time to the same thing - a stinky smell.

[cruiser608]

the smell is odd, yes, but it’s not in every part of the ship and goes away quickly. i’m sure they’ll fix it

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BestNC Cruiser]

I do not understand the defensive nature that some people have against people canceling. I find it odd. I canceled my seaside cruise. How are you affected by this? You are not going to find me posting that I find it a "pity" that there are those that still plan to go. I read reviews and a watch videos. I make conscious discussions based on everything. The seaside is not for me at this time. There is by no means any "panic" or "haste" in my decision to cancel. I booked in April 2017 and the first thing that I asked was what is the deposit, and how late can I cancel? Based on everything that I read, including positive reviews I have chosen to go an a different cruise line this year. Even in positive reviews, I noted things that were negatives for me. This is what I like about CC. So, no pity please. You enjoy your cruise, and I will enjoy mine.

Edited January 27, 2018 by BestNC Cruiser

[DCGuy64]

I do not understand the defensive nature that some people have against people canceling. I find it odd. I canceled my seaside cruise. How are you affected by this? You are not going to find me posting that I find it a "pity" that there are those that still plan to go. I read reviews and a watch videos. I make conscious discussions based on everything. The seaside is not for me at this time. There is by no means any "panic" or "haste" in my decision to cancel. I booked in April 2017 and the first thing that I asked was what is the deposit, and how late can I cancel? Based on everything that I read, including positive reviews I have chosen to go an a different cruise line this year. Even in positive reviews, I noted things that were negatives for me. This is what I like about CC. So, no pity please. You enjoy your cruise, and I will enjoy mine.

 

 

 

I have read your reviews and it sounds like you made the right decision. For YOU. I wasn’t specifically talking about your feedback, I was speaking about others I’ve read that (to my eyes) seemed to be warning everyone else off the ship. It’s interesting, but I just finished watching a great video posted by JimZim. Really well done and really well narrated, I enjoyed it. Except at the end, where he had negative things to say about the opera music and the “made for European taste” food selections. Well guess what? I’m a professional classical singer and a Europhile. So the only two things he had bad things to say about are actually bonuses for me.

I’m used to the type of shower he pointed out, as they’re quite common in European hotels. I’m not being defensive, what I am doing is reading between the lines and finding out why people might not have liked the ship. You see, it’s one thing when a person says “I’m canceling because people keep saying it’s a bad ship.” When I discover that some of those people have very different outlooks, experiences and expectations than I, it necessarily colors and gives a different weight to their reviews. I hope that makes sense. I value your posts and have found them to be informative. Thank you.

[lcpagejr]

I have read your reviews and it sounds like you made the right decision. For YOU. I wasn’t specifically talking about your feedback, I was speaking about others I’ve read that (to my eyes) seemed to be warning everyone else off the ship. It’s interesting, but I just finished watching a great video posted by JimZim. Really well done and really well narrated, I enjoyed it. Except at the end, where he had negative things to say about the opera music and the “made for European taste” food selections. Well guess what? I’m a professional classical singer and a Europhile. So the only two things he had bad things to say about are actually bonuses for me.

I’m used to the type of shower he pointed out, as they’re quite common in European hotels. I’m not being defensive, what I am doing is reading between the lines and finding out why people might not have liked the ship. You see, it’s one thing when a person says “I’m canceling because people keep saying it’s a bad ship.” When I discover that some of those people have very different outlooks, experiences and expectations than I, it necessarily colors and gives a different weight to their reviews. I hope that makes sense. I value your posts and have found them to be informative. Thank you.

 

I am going to quote several of your comments....

 

1) "Except at the end, where he had negative things to say about the opera music and the “made for European taste” food selections. "

 

2) "I’m used to the type of shower he pointed out, as they’re quite common in European hotels."

 

3) " When I discover that some of those people have very different outlooks, experiences and expectations than I, it necessarily colors and gives a different weight to their reviews.

 

Now I ask....How did MSC introduce the Seaside and their upcoming new ships?? Did they not talk about the Miami vibe on the Seaside?? Did they not talk about being a "player" in the North American market and adapting their build of ships and service to better meet the North American market??

 

As you stated...your perfectly comfortable with some of the above....Thats great. Problem is that the US clientel they are trying to convert IS NOT. They need to deliver on what they have been talking about. They are no way near that yet!

[DCGuy64]

I am going to quote several of your comments....

 

1) "Except at the end, where he had negative things to say about the opera music and the “made for European taste” food selections. "

 

2) "I’m used to the type of shower he pointed out, as they’re quite common in European hotels."

 

3) " When I discover that some of those people have very different outlooks, experiences and expectations than I, it necessarily colors and gives a different weight to their reviews.

 

Now I ask....How did MSC introduce the Seaside and their upcoming new ships?? Did they not talk about the Miami vibe on the Seaside?? Did they not talk about being a "player" in the North American market and adapting their build of ships and service to better meet the North American market??

 

As you stated...your perfectly comfortable with some of the above....Thats great. Problem is that the US clientel they are trying to convert IS NOT. They need to deliver on what they have been talking about. They are no way near that yet!

 

 

 

Here’s something I just posted on another thread from Pierfrancesco Vaga of MSC:

 

In contrast to the U.S.-based brands sailing out of Florida to the Caribbean, Seaside will offer a more international experience, in keeping with the company's European roots and global customer base, Vago suggests. The company last year drew customers from 193 countries, he says.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2017/02/08/msc-seaside-miami-cruises/97633932/

 

I think MSC wants to bring the European experience here. Not Americanize their cruises.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DAJedu]

I am going to quote several of your comments....

 

1) "Except at the end, where he had negative things to say about the opera music and the “made for European taste” food selections. "

 

2) "I’m used to the type of shower he pointed out, as they’re quite common in European hotels."

 

3) " When I discover that some of those people have very different outlooks, experiences and expectations than I, it necessarily colors and gives a different weight to their reviews.

 

Now I ask....How did MSC introduce the Seaside and their upcoming new ships?? Did they not talk about the Miami vibe on the Seaside?? Did they not talk about being a "player" in the North American market and adapting their build of ships and service to better meet the North American market??

 

As you stated...your perfectly comfortable with some of the above....Thats great. Problem is that the US clientel they are trying to convert IS NOT. They need to deliver on what they have been talking about. They are no way near that yet!

 

Oh my gosh - so much this!!

 

They literally talked about a Miami Beach vibe. I went to MSC's website just now, this is what they say about entertainment:

 

Metropolitan Theater

 

 

"The stunning high tech is the idea way to enjoy spectacular Broadway-style shows."

The stunning high-tech theater is the ideal venue to enjoy spectacular Broadway-style shows, with a varied program offering compelling entertainment every evening of your cruise.

They say specifically, "Broadway-style shows". If MOST of the shows are opera, why in the heck are they saying the shows are Broadway-style? That makes ZERO sense!

 

No place in their discussion of the Seaside to they mention opera as the main entertainment. HOW in the world would the USA market know to expect opera?

 

No where on the website does it discuss the two buffets, it only mentions buffet on Deck 16. They actually say, "tasty, healthy dishes that children will love". All I keep hearing about at the kids buffet is fish sticks, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and fries. NCL has a children's buffet inside the main buffet on several ships. It is literally scaled down versions of the adult buffet. Instead of whole steaks, they have steak bites. Yes, they have chicken tenders, but they also have child size versions of the regular adult dinner choices. Also, on Royal, NCL, and Carnival - the evening buffet mimics the main dining room. The serve pretty much the exact same thing you would get in the dining room, but in a more laid back atmosphere.

 

The complaints are 100% the fault of MSC. Yes, if you promise me Broadway style shows and you give me opera - that is a problem. That doesn't mean I don't like opera. That doesn't mean I am not sophisticated. It means you did not provide the product you advertised. Why the need to lie to people?

[DAJedu]

Here’s something I just posted on another thread from Pierfrancesco Vaga of MSC:

 

In contrast to the U.S.-based brands sailing out of Florida to the Caribbean, Seaside will offer a more international experience, in keeping with the company's European roots and global customer base, Vago suggests. The company last year drew customers from 193 countries, he says.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2017/02/08/msc-seaside-miami-cruises/97633932/

 

I think MSC wants to bring the European experience here. Not Americanize their cruises.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

How can that be true when they literally say on their USA based website that the entertainment on Seaside is Broadway-Style shows? There is zero mention of opera on their website in discussing Seaside. They named the main pools "Miami Beach" and "South Beach"

 

How in the world can anyone declare they are trying to bring a European experience? That doesn't even make sense per their own website, marketing, and ship naming.

[DCGuy64]

Read the whole article I linked, if you haven’t already. I get the feeling that MSC is trying to bring a unique experience to the American market, not simply copy an American style cruise such as is already offered by the competition. Regarding the shows, I have read reviews that discuss a Michael Jackson show, so it isn’t all opera. Same thing applies to the children’s food, if they wanted to offer the same things offered by Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean, they would. But as I understand it, they’re offering something more European to the American market. Whether that works or not from a business standpoint remains to be seen. It’s also possible that they will tweak the experience over time in response to customer demand. As I’ve said before, last month was the Seaside’s maiden voyage, so we really need to give them time. I’m pretty sure that in the history of cruising, this isn’t the first time a brand new ship has had some bad reviews in the first month.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lcpagejr]

How can that be true when they literally say on their USA based website that the entertainment on Seaside is Broadway-Style shows? There is zero mention of opera on their website in discussing Seaside. They named the main pools "Miami Beach" and "South Beach"

 

How in the world can anyone declare they are trying to bring a European experience? That doesn't even make sense per their own website, marketing, and ship naming.

 

 

Wait...it gets better.... Here is a quote from their President which was in a recent USA Today article.....

 

“We know what North American guests are looking for, and we deliver,”

[DCGuy64]

Well, I am a North American guest, and I love what they’re offering, so you’re right, it does get better.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vacationdreamer<><]

Wait...it gets better.... Here is a quote from their President which was in a recent USA Today article.....

 

“We know what North American guests are looking for, and we deliver,”

 

Sewage?:confused:

[BestNC Cruiser]

I am going to quote several of your comments....

 

1) "Except at the end, where he had negative things to say about the opera music and the “made for European taste” food selections. "

 

2) "I’m used to the type of shower he pointed out, as they’re quite common in European hotels."

 

3) " When I discover that some of those people have very different outlooks, experiences and expectations than I, it necessarily colors and gives a different weight to their reviews.

 

Now I ask....How did MSC introduce the Seaside and their upcoming new ships?? Did they not talk about the Miami vibe on the Seaside?? Did they not talk about being a "player" in the North American market and adapting their build of ships and service to better meet the North American market??

 

As you stated...your perfectly comfortable with some of the above....Thats great. Problem is that the US clientel they are trying to convert IS NOT. They need to deliver on what they have been talking about. They are no way near that yet!

 

 

When I first booked a cabin many months ago, the ship was far from finished, and their website and videos was all that I had to go. I really had the impression that MSC was creating a ship that was to compete directly with the other ships sailing out of Miami. At the price point and packages offered, I got very excited and booked. It just turns out that it is not what I had envisioned based on what I read. Its OK that it is different. Many people want what the seaside has to offer, and that's great. But, just not for me. I'm personally not interested in the opera and the European vibe/food stye. I've been to Europe, and its great. I plan to do a Mediterranean cruise in the future. But, for now I want to go to the Caribbean out of Miami.

[DCGuy64]

When I first booked a cabin many months ago, the ship was far from finished, and their website and videos was all that I had to go. I really had the impression that MSC was creating a ship that was to compete directly with the other ships sailing out of Miami. At the price point and packages offered, I got very excited and booked. It just turns out that it is not what I had envisioned based on what I read. Its OK that it is different. Many people want what the seaside has to offer, and that's great. But, just not for me. I'm personally not interested in the opera and the European vibe/food stye. I've been to Europe, and its great. I plan to do a Mediterranean cruise in the future. But, for now I want to go to the Caribbean out of Miami.

 

 

 

To be honest, I don’t blame you since you booked so far in advance, I also find it frustrating when a new product or trip fails to live up to the promises. I mean, that’s sort of marketing in a nutshell. The video I watched earlier made reference to that regarding the jacuzzi. I’m looking forward to the European vibe but admit it’s not the same for everyone.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Two Wheels Only]

Sewage?:confused:

Not butter. :')

[fraffin]

 

I am going to quote several of your comments....

Now I ask....How did MSC introduce the Seaside and their upcoming new ships?? Did they not talk about the Miami vibe on the Seaside?? Did they not talk about being a "player" in the North American market and adapting their build of ships and service to better meet the North American market??

 

As you stated...your perfectly comfortable with some of the above....Thats great. Problem is that the US clientel they are trying to convert IS NOT. They need to deliver on what they have been talking about. They are no way near that yet!

 

And 'Now I ask' you...who made you the spokesman for all Americans. You've made a lot generalizations about the US clientele and the spokesmen for MSC. You speak for none of us. Yes you have your opinion, but it is just your opinion. There's been a lot said by people that have actually sailed on the Seaside. You haven't, but you talk as if you're an expert. You know exactly what MSC means when they say their expanding their presence in the North American market.

 

So fine, you made your decision to cancel your cruise. That's your choice, and I have no problem with it. So why are you still hanging around on these threads? This ship is not for you. It's seems to me you just want to argue. That's says more to me about you than anything else.

Edited January 27, 2018 by fraffin

[DCGuy64]

Now I ask....How did MSC introduce the Seaside and their upcoming new ships?? Did they not talk about the Miami vibe on the Seaside?? Did they not talk about being a "player" in the North American market and adapting their build of ships and service to better meet the North American market??

 

 

 

As you stated...your perfectly comfortable with some of the above....Thats great. Problem is that the US clientel they are trying to convert IS NOT. They need to deliver on what they have been talking about. They are no way near that yet!

 

 

 

And 'Now I ask' you...who made you the spokesman for all Americans. You've made a lot generalizations about the US clientele and the spokesmen for MSC. You speak for none of us. Yes you have your opinion, but it is just your opinion. There's been a lot said by people that have actually sailed on the Seaside. You haven't, but you talk as if you're an expert. You know exactly what MSC means when they say their expanding their presence in the North American market.

 

 

 

So fine, you made your decision to cancel your cruise. That's your choice, and I have no problem with it. So why are you still hanging around on these threads? This ship is not for you. It's seems to me you just want to argue. That's says more to me about you than anything else.

 

 

Well said!

I’m getting the same vibe here. And again, I LIKE the way MSC is positioning itself with this ship. I just watched a video shot by a couple on the Seaside and can’t wait to read the European newspapers in that one cafe. And as you said, why do some people assume they speak for all Americans? Americans aren’t all the same. I don’t know what’s going on with some of the critics. I thought the rear of the ship with that condo design was very Miami-looking. I mean, I’ve vacationed on Miami Beach and think the Seaside does a great take on that. But as you said, if some people think this isn’t right for them, why bother coming on here again and again to complain? Seems like a waste of time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sidari]

DCGuy ... Patience is the name of the game on an MSC ship, like some other people we found the way things are done very different from our cruises with Cunard, Costa, NCL, Princess and RCI, we found some things very odd but now after 6 cruises on 6 MSC ships those odd things to us are now normal or the way of things and we go with the flow, yes there are minor irritations as there was on the Xmas Seaside cruise but you deal with them and move on.

We will sail again on Seaside at the end of April and it will be interesting to look out for any changes that may have been made since Xmas.

[lcpagejr]

And 'Now I ask' you...who made you the spokesman for all Americans. You've made a lot generalizations about the US clientele and the spokesmen for MSC. You speak for none of us. Yes you have your opinion, but it is just your opinion. There's been a lot said by people that have actually sailed on the Seaside. You haven't, but you talk as if you're an expert. You know exactly what MSC means when they say their expanding their presence in the North American market.

 

 

 

So fine, you made your decision to cancel your cruise. That's your choice, and I have no problem with it. So why are you still hanging around on these threads? This ship is not for you. It's seems to me you just want to argue. That's says more to me about you than anything else.

 

 

Well said!

I’m getting the same vibe here. And again, I LIKE the way MSC is positioning itself with this ship. I just watched a video shot by a couple on the Seaside and can’t wait to read the European newspapers in that one cafe. And as you said, why do some people assume they speak for all Americans? Americans aren’t all the same. I don’t know what’s going on with some of the critics. I thought the rear of the ship with that condo design was very Miami-looking. I mean, I’ve vacationed on Miami Beach and think the Seaside does a great take on that. But as you said, if some people think this isn’t right for them, why bother coming on here again and again to complain? Seems like a waste of time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

You are all missing the point.... MSC is welcomed here...You can cruise as often as you want on MSC...But don't market your product in a way which makes many N Americans feel they may be getting a similar experience they are accustomed to. There are enough posts already on this forum to validate my comments that it is not what people were expecting. I cruised Costa backed in the late 90's.... To be honest it sounds like MSC is the exact same type of experience. Only difference is that Costa had crew who could speak english and they atleast had things under control.

 

Where is Costa now?? Europe mostly...hmmm..... Where will MSC mosty if not exclusively be in a few years????