Before trying MSC, what was your cruise line of choice?

[mafig]

It seems everyone comes here either from Carnival or NCL.

 

Very few seem to come from Royal and even less from Celebrity or Princess. Maybe those cruisers are less adventurous or maybe they're just happy where they are.

 

I keep reading ...... "that's not the way they do it on Carnival (Norwegian)."

[William12]

I love RCL small ships, I travel one them when I can. Quick getaway, mostly 3-4 sailing. Good times

[cellfree]

We are Platinum with Carnival, tried MSC Divina April 2017 and cruised her again September 2017, now have two MSC Seaside booked. So now we cruise either Carnival or MSC, enjoy both experiences.

[boco5]

I’ve cruised on Carnival, princess, NCL, Holland America, Celebrity, Costa and several lines that no longer exist. If the sun is shining and the seas are calm, your goi by to have a wonderful time. I’ve never been on a cruise I didn’t love and I’ve been cruising since 1977. I remember cruising on the Costa Riviera and going to drying rooms to have to dry your hair. You couldn’t do it in your cabin.

Edited January 28, 2018 by boco5
Spelling errors

[RoyalVisit]

We've enjoyed several of these lines except Princess and NCL - yet! I would say Celebrity and Holland America are my favorites but I am very much looking forward to our first MSC cruise in March. We normally prefer a quieter experience but port intensive. Celebrity was marvelous. For us the adventure is really in switching lines as much as the destinations. RCL was good too but I found little variance between our 3 RCL cruises. We actually had some of the exact same entertainers between the 3 sailings. I'd return to RCL without question, just felt a little generic for us.

 

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[BermudaBound2014]

As you probably suspect, I don't have a favorite cruise line. There are just way too many variables and as more and more ships come out, there can be HUGE differences between cruise ships of the same line.

 

It would make sense form MSC to pull the carnival cruisers because MSC is the only line priced cheaper than carnival. NCL tends to be slightly more expensive, but still in the ballpark. And I hear YC being compared to Haven quite often so perhaps that's the NCL client draw.

 

Princess, Celebrity, and RCL are typically at a price point significantly higher than MSC. I say typically because there is zero consistency with cruise pricing, only trends.

 

The other variable in the equation is that there are great inconsistencies between ships of the same line. For example, I sailed Anthem in April and Rhapsody in August. These two ships are both RCL, but WORLDS apart. I also sailed Epic in December and Jade in July. Again, worlds apart. I absolutely love the water-slides and waterfront dining on the away ships and would gladly pay more for those experiences; but the Jade itinerary (Norway) was amazing. I enjoyed Ifly on Anthem (what a rush), but the little rhapsody had much better service.

 

When you read the boards, you'll hear people HATE entire lines like ncl, yet if you read their signature, they only sailed on NCL Spirit which was a one and done design with the lowest ratings so it's very easy to toss out that reviews opinion. As more ships enter the market, less consistency can be found in the brand so brand line loyalty may very well become a thing of the past.

[Summer1961]

We've sailed RCCL and Celebrity and don't have as many sailings under our belts like so many here but we love Celebrity and had a very bad experience on the other and will never sail her again. Problems happen on every ship but its the way you treat your customers that make a huge difference.

 

We are looking forward to trying MSC in March and have booked Aurea because it was in our price range. We decided to try something new because the Celebrity itineraries in the Carribean are limited.

[sidari]

We have no favourites but our 7th cruise with MSC and second on Seaside puts them ahead in numbers of RCI 4, NCL 3, Princess 3, Costa and Cunard.

 

Cunard had the best food so far.

[Beamafar]

My first cruise was on Carnival; I thought I'd never cruise again!

 

Eleven years later, my parents asked us if we'd do a cruise with them so we decided to go along and booked it. It was then that I began to research the cruise company - MSC - and started to regret our decision due to the number of negative reviews. DH and I have now done 18 cruises with MSC.

 

Within that time, we wanted to do an Asia cruise and, as MSC didn't sail that region at the time, we decided to give Celebrity a go. We booked a Sky Suite to compare the experience with that of YC. From reports I'd read of how wonderful X is, I had high expectations. It didn't come anywhere near what MSC in YC offers. Had it not been for the ports we visited, I would have rated it the worst cruise we'd ever had (as well as being the most expensive!)

 

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[asctony]

We have no choice/favorite cruise line. They all provide something special. We are:

Celebrity: Elite+

Princess: Elite

HAL: Copper

RCI: Diamond+

NCL: Gold

Costa: 2 Cruises

Do we cruise a lot? Yes, in fact last year we did Celebrity, Princess, RCI, MSC and NCL. Each cruise line has its pluses and minuses. Your cruise is your enjoyment. I read the forums daily and it is really surprising how everyone has a different opinion of everything. The only opinion that counts is yours as it is your money and experience.

After x number of cruises on a single cruise line it gets too repetitive as you see the same shows, same menu, etc. That is why we do the other cruise lines.

This year we are doing MSC and RCI (5 different ships.) Next year we have RCI and NCL booked.

What ship, what port, cost, etc., determines when and what cruise line/ship.

Enjoy each cruise. MSC has been in the Caribbean since at least 2006 as we sailed on the Lirica in 2006 twice. People say it is to European. We been around the world and don't think it is too European. JMHO! Happy Cruising!!!!

[CGTNORMANDIE]

We have been crossing and cruising for more than 50 years and we have sailed on some of the most famous ships in history. We have also sailed on most of the mass market lines. I have followed MSC since they began passenger service with some older ships bought from other lines. I don’t think I could do another mass market cruise unless it was Celebrity or RCI...and even then I would have to pick the right ship. We cruised on Divina in October. I had promised myself to take an MSC cruise when I thought they would be ready and seasoned enough. Yes, we were in the YC and we had one of the best cruises we have ever taken. We loved Divina and I believe Divina could become one of the greatest ships to ever sail, given the right amount of tweeking. We are booked for a B2B on Seaside in October.

[asctony]

We have been crossing and cruising for more than 50 years and we have sailed on some of the most famous ships in history. We have also sailed on most of the mass market lines. I have followed MSC since they began passenger service with some older ships bought from other lines. I don’t think I could do another mass market cruise unless it was Celebrity or RCI...and even then I would have to pick the right ship. We cruised on Divina in October. I had promised myself to take an MSC cruise when I thought they would be ready and seasoned enough. Yes, we were in the YC and we had one of the best cruises we have ever taken. We loved Divina and I believe Divina could become one of the greatest ships to ever sail, given the right amount of tweeking. We are booked for a B2B on Seaside in October.

This is an example of everyone having an opinion and their opinion matters.

Like you we did not do MSC for 11 years and then went on the Divina. This will be our 4th time on the Divina in 13 months.

However, we have changed our minds on Celebrity and X is cruising without us for the near future. Too many Solstice class ships that all look alike. X has changed too much in too many ways, and price is getting to high.

People need to try and base their opinions on their experiences and never rely on what is posted unless you know the poster and their likes and dislikes. Everyone has an opinion. LOL

[gimletgal]

It seems everyone comes here either from Carnival or NCL.

 

Very few seem to come from Royal and even less from Celebrity or Princess. Maybe those cruisers are less adventurous or maybe they're just happy where they are.

 

I keep reading ...... "that's not the way they do it on Carnival (Norwegian)."

Of my 22 cruises, 18 of them have been with Celebrity. I tried MSC in 2016 on the Divina and liked the experience. When the Seaside was announced, I booked a cruise for this April in the Yacht Club. Of my last 5 cruises, only 2 of them have been with Celebrity. They are still my favorite, but I am loving experiencing different cruise lines. I mostly cruise the Caribbean because of the ease of access (live in Florida), but lately, it is all about the ship, not the ports.

 

Meeting new people and seeing the different ways of doing things is always exciting. I was treated well on the Divina and am expecting the same on the Seaside! And, I definitely like MSC's pricing as I usually sail "solo" and they tend to gouge us less than other cruise lines. ;)

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

I LOVE to cruise, but am relatively new to cruising based the number of cruises under many CC reviewers belts! Our first cruise was in 2003 and I was hooked! We have cruised several lines, RCCL, Princess, NCL, and now booked for a future cruise with MSC. Princess has been our least favorite and my husband currently won't entertain even looking at what they have to offer (this was based on the food on our first cruise and the service on our last cruise). In a few years, he might be willing to consider again, as it wasn't horrible.....just not the relaxing and phenomenal experience that we usually have when we cruise! No problems with RCCL, which is the line we started on. We accidentally ended up on NCL when my son got into graduate school and a 2 week cruise on RCCL had to be changed to a 1 week cruise....the price difference put us in the HAVEN, which was an absolute spoiler, in a good way! I currently have 2 more NCL cruises booked, to include the 3 bedroom suite on the Dawn (which I am thrilled to try!), as we love the anytime dining. (And we still dress up for evenings, even though NCL is much more relaxed; its just one of the aspects we enjoy when cruising.) But, as others on CC have noted, MSC has the Yacht Club venue for a much better price point than the HAVEN. So, we are going to give it a try! Who knows? We may find a new favorite! But, just because we have a favorite, we haven't ruled out trying new lines, especially if they are travelling somewhere interesting!

I'm a firm believer that your cruise is what you make of it. But, different lines have different styles, so you have to find what fits you. I think there are so many out there now that you should be able to find what you are looking for....after all, its YOUR vacation!

[muggo11]

Price and single motherhood meant my first 12 cruises were on Carnival (one on NCL to Hawaii). New boyfriend plus kid in college meant 14 cruises on Princess and another 5 on Carnival (mostly casino freebies). After MSC Meraviglia YC this past fall, we are booked on MSC Bellissima YC in 2019 for the same itinerary but leaving from a different port (a plus in my book). We LOVED MSC. And are branching out—will be trying Queen Victoria in Feb of 2019. We now cruise based on itinerary and price. Princess is still our favorite, though. The combination of itineraries (LA to Rio, the Baltic, Singapore to Anchorage in April!). Price, shows, service and food. Would love to step up to Regent, Silverseas or Crystal but I need a different career or husband to do that! They all have the OCEAN and that is my primary reason for cruising.

 

 

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[ssmea03]

Our first cruise was in February 2016. 5 days in an inside cabin on Enchantment of the seas. Prior to this we had been anti cruise. Our son, who once accompanied a friend on a carnival cruise as a kid, persuaded us to give it a go. Well we were converted, like they say, "there's 'nowt like the converted!" My wife (mattnvick90) started researching, joined cc, decided she'd like to go on a liberty sized ship, found MSC and liked the sound of it, it was easy to spot the Divina reviews written by princess's who'd slept on a pea.

We'd always been independent travellers who tried to get as big a bang for our buck as possible. And our kids had outgrown vacations with their parents. The price for a balcony cabin was unbeatable, so our second cruise was booked for November 2016 on MSC Divina eastern Carribean.

Our third cruise was once again on the MSC Divina last November, this time with an aft balcony. We also decided to do the eastern Carribean again, we had spent a lot of time during port days on the phone home the first time. Our youngest had managed to detach his ACL playing rugby on departure day, his older siblings too care of everything but there was still lots to talk about.

As everyone knows mother nature intervened and we had a new itinerary anyway, we loved Antigua.

In 2018 we're having a year off, we're traveling to Paris, Salzburg, Vienna and Venice this spring instead. 2019 will bring 2 cruises, my wife will accompany a friend to the western Caribbean in february on Norwegian breakaway. Then we are on MSC Seaside in the May, also doing the western itinerary. We'll be able to compare lines again. There is also the possibility of a Norwegian or Baltic cruise in 2020.

[riclop]

Princess and RCL.

[gkbiiii]

Royal Caribbean Diamond: standards have waned, so now I am looking at others.

[Freespir8]

Our cruise line of choice was NCL in their suites. We are Platinum on NCL and have always enjoyed our cruises until they began to change the suite prices. We weren’t comfortable at the new price point so we started looking elsewhere. We tried MSC in the YC on the Divina last year and were blown away. The made NCL look like child’s play in my opinion. The ships were classier, the food better and even the service was better ( which I didn’t think was possible from NCL).

 

We cruised on Princess in a suite doing a land and cruise tour to Alaska last September and it was just “meh”. It was one of our most expensive cruises but we did not get the “special feeling” that we though we had paid for...hence we will not be cruising Princess again.

 

We are booked for two more YC in 2018 and can’t wait. We would cruise NCL again if their prices were to become more reasonable again but would choose MSC above all any day.

 

 

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[YellowDog]

If you are new to MSC, I tell people that IMHO MSC (Divina) reminded me very much of the experiences we had on Princess...(which to us was a good thing). With that said, it looks like with the seaside that MSC is aiming at the NCL crowd.

[cruzeluver]

While we are not truly loyal to any line, most of our favorite cruises have been on Celebrity and Royal. We will also do Carnival but only on the newer ships, their older ones leave a lot to be desired. NCL is the only line we have no interest in returning to. Nothing about our cruises with them stood out as being "the best" in any category.

 

We are just back from our first MSC (Seaside) and had a wonderful experience. We will certainly consider MSC again in the future.

[firecrewcapt]

We're booked for a cruise in Mar. of '19, with that said the customer service from MSC just plain sucks. When we booked the Agent said we could make payments online till the cutoff date-FALSE can't, can't view anything about the cruise, can't view an invoice, I've sent 2 emails and 2 voicemails with NO response for 2 weeks. So with all that we are canceling this cruise and will never come back simply because the website and customer service are THE worst I've ever dealt with. We'll stay with Princess and HAL.

[Into Cruising]

I have sailed with Princess, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian, Majesty and Costa, But my first cruise and still my favorite was with Sitmar, which was eventually purchased by Princess. It was another Family Owned, with a style of it's own, without the feel of an overbearing parent company. While not exactly the same experience MSC comes closest to that style. And, Yes, their merger with Princess ruined them, in my opinion.

[sverigecruiser]

Our cruise line of choice was NCL in their suites. We are Platinum on NCL and have always enjoyed our cruises until they began to change the suite prices. We weren’t comfortable at the new price point so we started looking elsewhere. We tried MSC in the YC on the Divina last year and were blown away. The made NCL look like child’s play in my opinion. The ships were classier, the food better and even the service was better ( which I didn’t think was possible from NCL).

 

Exactly this except for that our first MSC cruise was on Meraviglia instead of Divina.

[GOLDENBONNY]

My first cruise was on Carnival; I thought I'd never cruise again!

 

Eleven years later, my parents asked us if we'd do a cruise with them so we decided to go along and booked it. It was then that I began to research the cruise company - MSC - and started to regret our decision due to the number of negative reviews. DH and I have now done 18 cruises with MSC.

 

Within that time, we wanted to do an Asia cruise and, as MSC didn't sail that region at the time, we decided to give Celebrity a go. We booked a Sky Suite to compare the experience with that of YC. From reports I'd read of how wonderful X is, I had high expectations. It didn't come anywhere near what MSC in YC offers. Had it not been for the ports we visited, I would have rated it the worst cruise we'd ever had (as well as being the most expensive!)

 

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Our second cruise was on NCL and my DH said to me, how lucky I am, that we cruised Costa before otherwise he would never cruise again LOL