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

[deliver42]

My go to line was Royal, but in 2015 we went on the Divina. We were upsold from a Fantastica balcony to the YC, and couldn't get over it. We had a ball, and were treated like kings and queens. I can't afford a suite on Royal or any other line, but am booked on the Seaside in the YC Deluxe Suite. I realize their suites are smaller than the others, but the benefits are greater, and to me, that's what counts.

[CTBob]

Celebrity and Holland America were my cruise lines of choice even though I have never had a bad cruise. But we have more fun on MSC so after B2Bs on Divina and Seaside I think our next cruise will be with one of them as soon as Ocean Cay is receiving guests. Bob

[CGTNORMANDIE]

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.

 

You speak the absolute truth. Sitmar was a beloved cruise line. It was the creation of Boris Vaslov...hence the giant V on the funnel. Let’s hope that MSC aspires to that level.

[Homosassa]

While we have been cruising for over forty years, we now find ourselves on HAL, Princess, Celebrity and Azamara.

 

We like MSC for its uniqueness (thank god they are not like NCL, Carnival and Royal Caribbean - three lines we won't sail again).

 

And like a previous poster stated, the MSC experience does remind us of Sitmar.

 

Perhaps no one hears from the USA passengers that cruise lines other then the 3 entry level cruise lines is that we are better traveled and more experienced and do not expect to leave home and have it be just like home.

[kelmac]

We are doing the Seaside YC in March. Our first MSC cruise and we are looking forward to it.

 

Below is our preference in cruise lines (mass market) from best to least favorite:

 

#1 -- Celebrity; we are Elite Plus with 29 cruises. This is our "go-to" cruise line.

Best bang for the buck at sea. Great food and service.

 

#2 -- Cunard; very formal, but a great experience. Love the traditional feel. Very

good MDR food, but the buffet is one of the worst at sea. (on the QM2

anyway).

 

#3 -- NCL; can be great if you purchase the UDP (ultimate dining package) and eat

every evening meal in one of their great alternative restaurants. The free

beverage package cost you $14 a day. Entertainment great. Smoke issues

on their larger ships. Nine cruises with NCL.

 

#4 -- Holland America; wants to be Cunard, but falls short. Very good food; warm

Asian service through-out the ship. Entertainment so so. I see "old people"!

Pinnacle Grill on an upswing with great food. Ten cruises with HAL.

 

#5 -- Royal Caribbean; great ships with good entertainment. Fun stuff onboard.

Food so so; a few good options in the alternatives. They handle crowds well.

Diamond Lounge is pretty good. Nine cruises with RCL.

 

#6 -- Princess; what can I say -- we don't get it. Nothing is really poor, but it's

not our cup of tea. Crowded ships, but great deck areas. Three cruises with

Princess.

 

Love Oceania and Azamara, but you pay for these lines. We would love to try

Crystal, Viking, and the other upscale lines.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

[tjlj]

13 carvival... 3 msc divina, 1 seaside and another seaside booked.

 

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[CGTNORMANDIE]

Hi Kel,

I agree with everything you have listed...you have had great experiences. You boiled it down perfectly.:) DW and I feel that Celeb and RCI are pricing themselves out of the market. This is what happens when upper management holds the company hostage and demands multi million dollar rewards 4 times per year.:(

[JoLoca2208]

Prior to MSC I've sailed with Carnival and NCL with NCL being my favourite at the time. My first MSC cruise (2013) wasn't delightful and I was considering to never cruise with them again. However a year later I've decided to give them another chance and it was a good choice. Now they are my favourite! Also dropping out of NCL as they became unaffordable.

[JOHN 57]

We are on the Musica, 22 April, and this will be the first time on MSC. Prior to that we sailed Carnival and Royal Carribean. One time royal Caribbean and 5 times Carnival. I liked the RC Vision of the Seas. We will see how MSC turns out.

[Jaco5NC]

We've sailed with Carnival, RCCL and NCL. Our latest cruises were with NCL and we loved them and thought we would stay loyal (we have children). We've decided to give MSC a shot and are looking very forward to it. The fact that they offered Loyalty Match was a draw for us and we considered it pretty smart marketing. MSC does seem to be targeting the NCL market (we enjoy the Adult Beverage Package on NCL & booked Aurea to have similar). If our experience is what we are hoping for we will stick with MSC. Great itineraries for our family!

[Debde]

I started on Royal. Always booked suites. When we tried NCL and the Haven we were sold on NCL. Loved it. Now with the prices on MSC Yacht Club-I can not wait to try this line. I can safely say-will never go back to Royal again.

 

It's been a while since I have posted here on CC and I feel like a kid in a candy store soaking up as much MSC Seaside info as I can. Booked my first MSC cruise today!!

[ken_ll]

Celebrity has been the mainstay lately but are pricing themselves too high, our bargain cruise in April will be the last one for awhile. We are Elite there. Princess has been good also, prefer their suites as there is no butler. The best cruise was on the Costa Atlantica. Costa had the best food, we had 3 cruises there. MSC Opera had good food but small ship before being extended. First cruise was 4 days on Carnival with drunk women lying in hallways, been on Carnival since, good food there.

 

Sailed last year on RCCL, too many kids, thank goodness for the Diamond Lounge. Holland America once, no need to go back. No desire for NCL, I view them as "nickle and diming".

 

Looking forward to Seaside March 3 with a YC inside. Have booked 3 more cruises on MSC for next year. .

[andrew2346]

Most of my cruises have been RCCL (6) and DCL (4). I have done 1 MSC -Divinia and LOVED it.

[spidybabe]

Since 2009 23 NCL cruises, one on Divina during hurricane Irma (loved it) one last week on the Seaside(loved it) and booked for April on the Seaside again. Love MSC

Safe sailing

 

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[CarrieAP]

The best cruise was on the Costa Atlantica. Costa had the best food, we had 3 cruises there.

 

 

 

Looking forward to Seaside March 3 with a YC inside. Have booked 3 more cruises on MSC for next year. .

 

 

We loved the Atlantica too!! Probably our favorite up until the Divina in December. Yacht Club is amazing- we’ll be there too! What a deal on those insides, very fortunate for you to have snagged one.

 

 

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[suzyed]

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)."

Nope, not true. While we have sailed on MSC(Divina), Carnival, NCL, Celebrity, Cunard, Royal and Princess, Princess remains our favorite for the last several years. We love the itineraries and the product and the price fits our budget.