MSC Seaside ... a few points mid cruise (live)

[TrinaLC]

You got an escort off the ship? On our departure on 3/10, our butler took us to the security exit just before leaving the ship and said he was not allowed to go any further! I wonder if that changed. Not a big issue for us.

 

 

 

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. You are right, escort to the debarkation point. But then a significant advantage in line skipping given where the YC luggage is placed for pickup.

 

 

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[TrinaLC]

To TrinaLC:

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated!

So, it sounds like you’ve sailed on MSC in the YC staterooms on previous occasions. Your comment, “YC dining food quality did seem to improve”. Was the food mediocre in the past? And, how has it improved, in your opinion? What other cruiseline that you’ve sailed is comparable/same/better?

We are contemplating different cruiselines for a 2020 Western Med. cruise for our family to help us celebration our 50th wedding anniversary. We’d like to get the most bang for our buck but I’m really interested in the comments/opinions on the food in the YC. I have read that service is excellent; rooms are nice; etc..etc..

Thanks so much!!

 

 

 

I was responding to a comment I had made earlier in this thread, that the YC food seemed same as MDR. In fact, on Italian night, some seemed equally poor (chicken Marsala and ossobucco, two dishes not hard to make shine!). On reflection, and after a few more days experience, I wanted to note improvement in my perception.

 

Bottom line IMO, the experience is much elevated, though when the ship is packed there will be the usual potential delays. And the food is generally superior to what one would expect in an MDR. Overall, YC dining is a pleasure. But don’t expect full restaurant quality, these are still on the mass prepared basis.

 

 

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[TrinaLC]

so when people say YC takes up one third of the ship at least, and the other 2/3 is for most of the people, u seem to suggest that is true?

 

 

 

No, it is not that dramatic. But it feels that way as to deck 19, YC pool deck - which is not the main pool deck for everyone else. Deck 18 had the YC dining taking up nice frontage, and deck 16 the lounge area. But it is no where near 1/3 in reality. It can feel like it though!

 

 

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[TrinaLC]

Ditto. That's what I did...good thing, too. The two USB ports next to the American outlets were not working in our cabin (18001). We reported it to the concierge, but don't know if it has been fixed. So, future sailors in 18001, caveat naute...get the adaptors.

 

 

 

Hah, not only were they not working, they were hollow ! There was no electric component, just the faceplate. Someone evidently forgot to install the actual component.

 

 

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[TrinaLC]

Second night was Opera, just got back on the 17th, they were singing songs from Phantom. And there is nothing wrong with Opera.

 

 

 

Sorry, what you heard were classically trained singers, doing a variety of songs, including the broadway tune of Phantom of the Opera. But not actual opera.

 

Fully agree though, nothing wrong with Opera!

 

 

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[NYHartChapp]

so when people say YC takes up one third of the ship at least, and the other 2/3 is for most of the people, u seem to suggest that is true?

 

No, that's not accurate. Seaside has 14 decks for use by passengers, and the YC takes up just over a third of three decks: 16, 18 & 19. So, going back to my HS algebra (and believe me, that's going way back;)), that's around 10% of the overall passenger space.

[mexico8]

Thank you for well put review. Enjoyed it a lot.

We loved our cruises on Poesia and Divina, loved beautiful ships, entertainment, but we find quality of food to be the same as you described. I’m not sure we are real foodie, but prefer Celebrity & Princess food... we thought MSc had weaker food in MDR than other 7 lines we sailed with. Actually meals were ok to good, but meat dishes always featured low quality of meat and often dry.

 

This is where MSc could improve a lot, although their cruise prices are lower than with other lines, so maybe this is a reason.

Agree with you about the Poesia. A beautiful ship and good prices but we found the food to be less than good. The meat was awful (never saw such thin steak in my life) and the buffet was pitiful. At lunch we never found a sandwich of any kind and when we read that people liked the pizza we are astounded. We thought it was terrible. The pasta was not even very good and we had the same type of pasta most of the time. We were very disappointed in the food at the buffet and the dining room and will never book with MSC again.

 

In the morning the eggs were very undercooked even when we ordered over easy and the bacon was so hard you could bounce it off the wall. The toast was also very hard and never even warm. It got worse from there.

[TrinaLC]

No, that's not accurate. Seaside has 14 decks for use by passengers, and the YC takes up just over a third of three decks: 16, 18 & 19. So, going back to my HS algebra (and believe me, that's going way back;)), that's around 10% of the overall passenger space.

 

 

 

Plus these are not full length decks, so respectfully disagree that is 10% [emoji4]

 

 

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[Micheb5]

Also, the two US style outlets are so close together, it is hard to plug two things in simultaneously. Certainly not a charger and something else.

 

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I noticed this too. There was another USB one by the bed. Did you find that one?

[NYHartChapp]

Plus these are not full length decks, so respectfully disagree that is 10% [emoji4]

 

 

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You're right...it's about 7.14285714% ;).

[go fish 44]

You got an escort off the ship? On our departure on 3/10, our butler took us to the security exit just before leaving the ship and said he was not allowed to go any further! I wonder if that changed. Not a big issue for us.

 

Same for us, then we picked up our luggage and took the right hand lane and it took a long time to get to passport control. We had Global entry and we were not allowed to use that line by the man who stood in the departure hall yelling I want two lines left and right only. Apparently this man had no idea what Global entry means and the fact that we pay for this so we can get through much faster.

[TrinaLC]

Same for us, then we picked up our luggage and took the right hand lane and it took a long time to get to passport control. We had Global entry and we were not allowed to use that line by the man who stood in the departure hall yelling I want two lines left and right only. Apparently this man had no idea what Global entry means and the fact that we pay for this so we can get through much faster.

 

 

 

The left hand lane is much faster.

 

Do they actually have a global entry kiosk? I missed seeing it though as only one of us has global entry would not have helped.

 

 

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[stoddaj1]

Unfortunately there is no Global Entry Kiosk:(

[bluefish17]

I noticed this too. There was another USB one by the bed. Did you find that one?

My wife used it.

 

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[bluefish17]

We waited in the Topsail lounge until 10am because we had a later flight. There were no lines really in immigration by then.

 

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[Spastica]

I don't understand the mindset to hurry up and wait. Grab a seat somewhere relaxing with your bags and chill for the last moments of vacation.

[TrinaLC]

I don't understand the mindset to hurry up and wait. Grab a seat somewhere relaxing with your bags and chill for the last moments of vacation.

 

 

 

Hey, that is what we did! At 10 am you must leave the ship, kicking and screaming. There was still a huge line of folks collecting bags a going through customs.

 

 

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[nikkiw60]

My wife used it.

 

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We noticed it late on in the week then I started to use it.

 

 

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