Magnifica Transatlantic Santos to Leixões review!

[Nunagoras]

Magnifica Transatlantic Santos to Leixões review!

 

 

Departure from Lisbon – 09-03-2018

Debarkation on Leixões – 25-03-2018

Captain – Raffaelle Jaccarino

Cruise directors – Netinho (Brazilian) and Francesco (Italian)

 

 

After all that Cruise Critic has helped me, it is now my turn to just write a full review of what the magnificent Magnifica has to offer for us!

 

 

Being a disabled individual whom has dreamed to become a marine official if I was just any other regular citizens with no limitations, to do the transatlantic was one of my biggest dreams ever. Now I was fortunate enough to be able to do so on what I thought was the right sized ship for it, the MSC Magnifica!…

 

 

The crossing was like a big adventure that was fortunately wonderful!… So now, bear with me on this other adventure that is to write a full Cruise Critic review!… I will cover almost all the “hot” CC topics, I will discuss the good, the bad and the ugly, well far more the good than the others fortunately, and I hope to give you some tips and tricks so that you can have a lovely sailing!…

 

 

Let me first to give you a summarized version in the form of a topic ranking for this sailing in the many categories I will discuss later. If you're not in the mood for a long review, here you can have such an idea on a 1 to 5+ stars scale fashion… Let this adventure begin!…

 

 

Once I purchased this travel as a closed package from an MSC Portuguese partner provider, I will also rank and review all what was offered on the package, including the partner services.

 

 

MSC partner services – 5

Flight (TAP air Portugal – LIS-GRU) – 4+

Before cruise package (hotel and shore excursions) – 5

Embarkation and debarkation – 2

Ship design, maintenance and cleanliness – 5

Cabin – 4+

Dining – 4+

Bar service – 5

Entertainment – 4+

SPA (Gym facilities) – 5

Voyagers Club (Fidelity Membership Club) – 5

Guest reception and other crew service – 5

Shore excursions (including tendering at Buzios) – 5

Global experience – 4+

 

 

In summary: A great time on a great ship for a great trip! Brazil is a lovely place to visit and the crossing provided just that relaxation time I needed after a full work year, while realizing my very old dream!

 

 

Will I sail MSC again? Surely. Certainly, MSC is not that hard discount line it used to be, but considering I'm a voyagers club member or that I normally go on some of those very common here in Europe chartered groups with a tour leader, I can snag some nice deals with them. Itinerary and price being convenient I will no doubt return! Possibly I will one day splurge myself on the Yacht Club to see that other wonderful life!…

 

 

Let this adventure begin!…

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[Nunagoras]

Safety concerns on Brazil

 

 

Normally I would never start my reviews with a safety concerns section. Unfortunately Brazil is sadly famous because of its lack of safety for visitors. To be humble and honest I have never felt unsafe on Brazil! But I believe that if you happen to have some visible jewelery with you and if you adventure yourself far out of where your tour leaders guide you, so you'll become an easy possible victim. My sincere tip here is that you purchase your shore excursions from the cruise line and if possible a full featured package like I had. It's perhaps little bit more expensive… But it is like buying insurance!… And certainly life will be as good as it was for me! Do not fear Brazil over safety concerns. If it was unsafe, the cruise lines wouldn't go there!…

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[Nunagoras]

MSC partner services – 5 stars

 

 

I know and understand that it is against CC rules to discuss Travel Agents and such related subjects. I hope though that the moderators will permit me those quick lines about this one I chose to do this trip. I won't nominate them indeed, I just need to say that they provided perhaps the best tourism service I have ever had in my life. It is perhaps good to note that they're not your regular street TA. They are a non profit organization that caters to the elderly, to the disabled, or to all of those whom aren't able to do with a regular street TA. They have some cheap hotels here for the less fortunate to have a few days out. They run those hotels as tourism schools here to teach those ones whom will serve our future visitors here. And they run a club oriented TA to help financing their social responsibility activities, while catering to such a specific audience. MSC worked wonderfully well with them adapting things when appropriate. I was the youngest of my group whose average age might have been very above 70 if not 75!…

 

 

Permit me a last word to praise the wonderful work of our Tour Leader Andreia whom was that little Angel (or little Mermaid if you prefer…) doing all that unimaginable behind the scenes work that permitted us to have that stress less experience aboard the Magnifica!…

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[Nunagoras]

Flight (TAP air Portugal – LIS-GRU) – 4+ Stars

 

 

TAP used to be a 5 star European carrier. Unfortunately the delays on Airbus delivery of their brand new A330-900 long haul planes is making them dependent on their old fleet that is approaching its end of life time. Apart being a little bit delayed due to sad whether in Lisbon, we had an uneventful flight on a notoriously old but exceptionally well maintained and superbly clean Airbus A330-200 somewhat reminiscent of the early 2000's aviation era. They had a very basic IFE that at least was nice enough for the trip and for my surprise they offered 3 meals during this 10 hour flight even in economic class, a full lunch, a sandwich and some drinks and such a breakfast like meal that acted quite like a dinner near the end of the flight! Wonderful for what it was!

 

 

I have no doubt the day TAP receives their brand new A330-900 hopefully later this year and during the next year will mark the day when they will recover their 5th star carrier they have lost quite a while! Even now they have clearly a strong 4+ star service in order!

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[Nunagoras]

Before cruise package (hotel and shore excursions) – 5 Stars

 

 

To be humble and honest the before cruise part of this trip was the one I was more concerned about. Hotels in Brazil don't have a very good reputation here apart those usual big chain 5 star hotels like those on the likes of the Ritz Four Seasons and even those… Well I previously knew we wouldn't have one of them. We have got “Residencial Estanconfor Santos” which is a brand new and very nice apartment hotel in Santos. We had a 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 dinning room, full equipped kitchen and a veranda home four ourselves exceptionally well equipped with brand new modern and quite luxurious equipment and quite surprisingly exceptionally clean! I recommend this place to everyone. It safe, well located to the beach and the main attractions and they serve a very nice even if relatively basic buffet style breakfast and dinner service. They are also a very safe place to stay!

 

 

Santos might not be the most touristy city in the world. It might not even be that in Brazil, but it has some very interesting places to see, like holly Mother of Mount Serrat sanctuary and a lovely coffee museum that showed the history and traditions of the coffee in Brazil and the whole world. You can savor some of its coffee there as well… Santos also offers some quite nice beaches if you want!… All in all it is just a quite nice place to prepare yourself to the big adventure that is awaiting you!…

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[Nunagoras]

Embarkation and debarkation – 2 Stars

 

 

To be humble and honest I'm not that one to complain for the sake of complaining and I tend to value more the positives than the negatives. Though I need to just note that what wasn't good, wasn't good indeed. I won't waste too much time on this once this was the unique really negative part of this wonderful experience. Let me just to add 2 single notes.

 

 

While the fact that we were in a chartered group would have helped a little bit in fastening the embarkation experience… With 2 big ships in port doing partial or full turnarounds (MSC Magniica and Costa Favolosa) it was obvious that things might have gone sort of out of the Brazilian authorities control… All in all we endured such an our and a half process in very good air conditioned facilities. No free refreshments provided, but they had a quite cheap cafeteria shop available at the site. All in all I believe that there was few if anything that MSC could have done here to improve the experience...

 

 

Now up to the debarkation process this was sadly an entirely different story. I understand that with mother nature not entirely cooperating and that being the first time this ship called Leixões port, the debarkation process should be delayed and have had its bugs. But, the first time a ship calls a port, especially a top notch first world brand new one like Leixões is… A celebration!… Isn't it?… No: It wasn't!… Or better: It was… But for the ship and port authorities and the press people outside! Not for us common passengers wanting a stress less debarkation process and whom part of us had flights to catch and whom didn't know anything about what was going on and whom were simply sent to the theater where they told us really nothing!… After a long wait finally a Brazilian lady decided to just give her personal apologies… But well they could have done it like a celebration… Or if they were uncertain about the canceling of the ceremony they could easily have at least arranged some sort of entertainment for us to enjoy!… They did nada!… Zero!… Bola!… Or simply nothing!… Indeed I understand this was a once on a lifetime bad experience that don't represent what the real MSC product is about. Unfortunately the strange air bridge the port put connecting the ship to land didn't cooperate either and this was sadly a whole morning process with no need to be!… My 2 stars on this subject comes mostly from here. Certainly things will improve the next time!… But I'm just wondering how the the first timers evaluated all of this?...

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[Nunagoras]

Fellow Passengers

 

 

It was really a very interesting and quite surprising crowd! Let us to see whom I believe they were:

 

 

First of all the ship was not full. I believe 2500 out of the nearly 3500 this ship usually carries.

 

 

By nationality:

65% Brazilian

15% German

10% Portuguese

10% Other Nationalities (including those very few Italians)

 

 

By language:

75% Portuguese!

15% German

10% Other Languages (Including those very few Italians)

 

 

By age I would say they were the oldest crowd I haver ever had… But surprisingly the ship didn't ever felt like a retirement home as I expected! There was a large number of honeymooners, a large number of middle aged couples, some elderly people… And… Some 20 babies and small kids plus other nearly 20 teenagers aboard for this sailing, mostly from the German contingent! Those very well behaved little ones were such a refreshing wonder to see aboard because they made me to think this wonderful magic life event that is the classical cruising will stay well and alive for the next decades to come!

 

 

There seemed to be 2 big chartered groups aboard: One from a Brazilian Evangelical Church and another even bigger one from the German contingent. Those groups had no effect on the other passengers enjoyment once all their private activities were held appropriately in secondary locations of the ship and they never tried to be intrusive in any ways!

 

 

The German contingent aboard was from a very nice kind of them and provided for some lovely conversations as well as part of the Brazilians and the Portuguese ones!

 

 

Quite surprisingly, being MSC an Italian company, I rarely listened someone speaking Italian! I can't remember that well but I believe there were even some announcements that weren't made in Italian either!…

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[Nunagoras]

Ship design, maintenance and cleanliness – 5 Stars

 

 

The Magnifica is an 8 years ship that really is not showing its age! Extremely well maintained and exceptionally clean this ship is pretty well equipped and prepared for the next adventurous years to come. It seemed that she has received some sort of quite recent retrofit. Some work was done also during the transatlantic. The smell of a new car or a new home in certain areas was that indicative! They now have full color LED lighting in the atrium; the theater is now equipped with brand new LED “virtual set” technology, top notch sound system, brand new ultimate technology lighting and so on!… They were replacing some in room TV sets with brand new last generation 19” Samsung ones (my cabin had it already installed at embarkation)… Some carpeting seemed brand new as well!… Indeed this ship seemed like a brand new one! 5 Stars here!

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[Nunagoras]

Cabin – 4+ Stars

 

 

Other than the fact that the nearest lifts from my cabin in the very back of the ship; with that superb panoramic view to both sides of the ship; didn't directly call decks 5 and 6 once they will direct you to the back of the restaurants that are for crew use only, requiring us to run some long ways to go to the lounges, the restaurants or the reception, I must say that this was my best cruise room ever!… How fortunate was I to receive such a premium room inside a chartered group? Even today I'm asking that!… Our lovely tour leader gave some apologies for the inconvenience… What?… This location should be premium at every ship!… And they told me that was the unique room available for the group when I booked!… Indeed: Were they concerned over engine noise? Perhaps!… But that location doesn't become less premium cause of it!… I felt a little bit more movement than usually at the middle ship rooms… But you can't have it all!… I was so fortunate to have that view when I started my day!!!… :)

 

 

All in all a great cabin with a good cabin assistant provided me what I felt that was an unexpected prize for my life!…

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[Smurf2017]

Hi Nunagoras. Thank you for taking the time to report back. I appreciate the rules regarding the naming of TAs but, as a fellow resident of PT I am intrigued to know who you dealt with, as it could be very useful to us The mainstream agencies here seem to be pretty useless to be honest Consequently, we often book via UK agencies.

 

Can I ask, is the name of your agency a six letter word starting with I and ending with L? If not, would you be kind enough to email me here and let me know who is looking after you so well. Many thanks.

[Nunagoras]

Dining – 4+ Stars

 

 

This is a very subjective and hot topic here at CC. To be humble and honest: Was it gourmet food of some sort? No! But, I didn't pay for gourmet food of some sort!… It was really very good and authentic Mediterranean and mostly Italian comfort food correctly presented and served that went generally very well with a good conversation! I felt this to have been the best dinning experience I have had in a cruise and surprisingly it seemed that the waiters knew pretty well all the little details of what they were serving. This is extremely important in the event of some threatening food allergies. Fortunately I have none of them, but my mother has and they took great care of her!

 

 

Other than the lack of fruit variety in the MDR (it consisted roughly of melon and its relatives) I think this was a superb cruise in what food respects!

 

 

Against what some might think they have variety in the buffet… My tip is: Circle all of it and you'll note that in the back of it they will have the ethnic corner in one side and the kids corner in the other side providing even larger options than the usual suspects at the beginning of the place!

 

 

For me, I preferred the tranquility of the MDR when possible! And for both lunch and dinner they had both a la carte and buffet options done very efficiently!…

 

 

And finally of course: Need I to mention that they had some of the best pizza I ate ever? And I'm not a pizza lover myself!!!…

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[Nunagoras]

Hi Nunagoras. Thank you for taking the time to report back. I appreciate the rules regarding the naming of TAs but, as a fellow resident of PT I am intrigued to know who you dealt with, as it could be very useful to us The mainstream agencies here seem to be pretty useless to be honest Consequently, we often book via UK agencies.

 

Can I ask, is the name of your agency a six letter word starting with I and ending with L? If not, would you be kind enough to email me here and let me know who is looking after you so well. Many thanks.

 

Without wanting to break the rules... Yes! Those are the ones you're thinking of!... You'll need to be an associate to work with them though, but it is such a small nominal annuity on the likes of EUR 15. Only one in the family needs to be member. I think that being perhaps a foreigner imposes you some difficulties... They'll certainly take good care of you!... Have a nice evening!...

[Nunagoras]

Bar service – 5 Stars

 

 

 

This is an area where MSC shines from the first day I knew them!… Because of some health limitations I can't drink any alcohol. Though I splurge myself on all those fabulous non alcoholic drinks they provide and their even better coffee delights that are to die for that they had at the coffee bar that happened to be the reception bar on the Magnifica! According to some of the bar staff they are slowly moving all the mixers, creams and ice creams needed to do those fabulous treats to a Venchi related product trademark. Don't know if this is true or not. Fact is that they have already a wonderful product… But it was now even better than ever!…

 

 

A last word about coffee: While they retained some Segafredo coffee cups in certain bars, fact is that all the coffee served aboard was far better than whatever else Segafredo regularly has on offer here in town! Some bar staff told me that they were introducing some Venchi related coffee product aboard. Again: Don't know if true… But it is likely true!…

 

 

And finally: Need I to praise the most that wonderful Venchi gelato? Oh my!… Unfortunately they only had a small gelato place at the covered pool, fortunately opened for long hours!… :) No chocolate retail items to be purchased, just some 18 flavors of wonderful gelato (6 of them varied from time to time) and a few other items I can't remember now!… Well… Wonderful for what it was!…

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[Nunagoras]

Entertainment – 4+ Stars

 

 

 

Entertainment for this sailing was relatively different than what you usually will see for just any other MSC cruise. Of course you had all the usual duos, trios and bands playing at the bars or where they were supposed to play. Obviously there were all those shows in the theater… But they were sort of different than the usual. On the first nights in the Brazilian part of the cruise they invited some talented local bands to do some very nice pool area parties. From the day the ship exited for the transatlantic they started a mix between the regular MSC performances (a new set of ones, roughly 30 minutes each) and some very talented invited performers that were with us as passengers. Sometimes in other CC forums I see them described as Headliner entertainers… Maybe they were sort of it!… They varied from dance to magicians, from theater to singing, a really nice mix of them!… I would give mention here to a superb and authentic traditional group from Seville!… They were quite a nice surprise to enjoy during such an hour. All in all a very nice entertainment scheme that would have benefited if the shows have been a little bit longer!…

 

 

Activities during the day were as usual for any MSC sailing, at the same time plentiful and non intrusive. There was everything for everyone from gymnastics to dance, from cooking to port presentations. There was even Masterchef at Sea and a few other game shows with guests. Nobody would be bored on this cruise, but as usual on MSC if you just wanted a calming space to just read, play cards with your small group or simply to relax, they had plenty of it!…

 

 

A last word for the magnificent pool King Neptune Christening on the passing of the Equator line, that was eventually one of the best moments in my life. Certainly something I will keep till the eternity!...

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[Nunagoras]

SPA (Gym facilities) – 5 Stars

 

 

They provided a top notch recently refurbished well equipped for its size and the actual sailing SPA and more specifically Gym facilities I used daily.

[Nunagoras]

Voyagers Club (Fidelity Membership Club) – 5 Stars

 

 

A few years ago when I asked to be part of their fidelity membership club I was told that while they would submit my request to their headquarters, usually passengers on chartered groups wouldn't be eligible for membership. OK. I thought. Those may be the rules… Quite surprisingly this year our membership number went directly written in our cruise cards! To be humble and honest I couldn't believe that to be true. I don't know exactly if I received all what Classic members have or not right to receive, but I was invited to a nice private party with the top officials, I had a nice and noticeable discount on the logo shop, and I had a fruit basket in the room at embarkation. All in all good perks for such a surprise. I was even given the right to stay in the cabin till last minute. All in all it seams that MSC is sort of recognizing its past passengers, even those ones that cruise almost always with their partner providers. Such a very nice surprise to have for itself even if the real value is not so big! They seem to be in the right direction here as well!

[Nunagoras]

Guest reception and other crew service – 5 Stars

 

 

Perhaps that was my best cruise service ever. For the mostly American or British audience here in CC, take in consideration that MSC's service won't be “on your face”. Usually you'll have to ask. To start with a nice greeting will do wonders… Those people are working hard for us, and generally with what I can call that discreet but not secret “reserved professionalism” that I so admire! Really no up sells. Really no false friendliness, really no time waste on non necessary subjects. Just that nice service one needs and deserves! Many thanks to all of those whom have made this a life dream I will never forget!…

[Nunagoras]

Shore excursions (including tendering at Buzios) – 5 Stars

 

 

Be welcome to perhaps the biggest section on this review and perhaps the most important of them all! At the end of the day a good cruise is the perfect joint venture between a nice ship and a nice set of port destinations. Let me to explain our ones on the next posts…

[Nunagoras]

Rio de Janeiro

 

 

“Cidade Maravilhosa

Cheia de encantos mil

Cidade maravilhosa

Coração do meu Brazil!”

 

 

That in English we can freely translate as:

 

 

“Wonderful city

Of thousands of wonders

Wonderful city

Oh! My Brazil's Hearth!

 

 

Is a popular Brazilian song that magnificently describes what that wonderful city is!

 

 

We stayed for 2 days. Unfortunately mother nature didn't entirely cooperate on the 2nd day… But our first day was such a magnificent sunny day in town!

 

 

We did what is the most important there. Christ the Redeemer and “Pão de Açucar”. Both months have superb views. I preferred the one from the redeemer… But the other one was great as well!…

 

 

I have really no words to describe what this city is about… It is something that only experiencing can be appreciated. Yes it is a city of contrasts. All the extreme luxury side by side with the extreme misery… But it also somewhat a magical city that shows such a strange happiness that only the ones that visit it can feel!… I recommend that city to be visited by everyone at least once in a lifetime! I hope I will have the privilege to return one day!…

[Nunagoras]

Búzios (tender port)

 

 

Búzios is mostly a beach tourism island which used to be such a fishing island till Brigitte Bardot went to live there earlier in the 20th century. It is really an easy place to see on yourself if you don't want to go to the beach. I took that iconic picture with Mis Bardot's statue… I had a great time there!…

[Nunagoras]

Salvador da Bahia

 

 

It is perhaps the most surprising out of those ports! Home of a very exuberant culture and home of St. Francis of Assisi Church, which is a historical marvel that rivals any of the wonderful Italian Cathedrals; Salvador is also something that only experiencing you can feel properly!…

 

 

Unfortunately… Beware especially the pickpockets… As the Brazilians say “Olhem que o Salvador não anda lá, não!…” that freely can be translated to “Be careful that the savior is not there!...” in a reference to the name of the city… But don't fear… If properly done, Salvador provides such a wonderful full excursion day!…

[Nunagoras]

Funchal (Madeira; Portugal)

 

 

Funchal is a vibrant city in middle of the Atlantic. Their Botanic Garden and their traditional farm market are perhaps the best presentation cards they have to offer…

 

 

This was my 2nd time there. There is so much to see and experience there that I have no place to share it all!… Let me to just say be welcome to this nice place with its nice populations and such a nice and quite exotic vibe! Funchal deserves more than a regular cruise day… It deserves a full holiday there!… From wonderful food to nice traditions they have it all!… Come and see!…

[Nunagoras]

Global experience – 4+ Stars

 

 

Summarizing this was the dream of my life turned reality!… Certainly I will cruise again. But it will be difficult to repeat such a wonderful time this was!… A very nice package with all what someone needs to have a wonderful time with only a couple of very little bugs!…

 

 

Come 2020 (or perhaps earlier…) for my next already in planning MSC cruise!…

 

 

Many thanks to all of you who took some time to read this relatively long review!

 

 

Have a nice day and nice sailings!… :)

[travelberlin]

Thanks very much for your detailed review. I am glad you have enjoyed it.

Ivi

[kernow]

Thanks for a fabulous review, we are on Magnifica in 3 weeks time sailing from Southampton. I know it will be a completely different passenger mix but it was nice to read details about the ship.

 

We did a similar TA on RCL 3 years ago (Santos to Barcelona), it was one of my favourite ever cruises, loved the ports and loved travelling with all the Brazillians on the ship.

 

Julie