MSC vs. Traditional American Cruise Lines

[RealNorwegianCruiser]

In my opionion MSC delivers a equally good product as Royal, NCL and Celebrity - BUT yes there is some differences. But all in all a good cruise product. Some differences from Royal, Celebrity and NCL, but that I am mostly happy for. We dont need 7 cruise companies delivering the exactly same product, do we? Im more than ready for my two next bookings with MSC! Royal and/or Celebrity needs to do some REAL effort to win me back... 

 

If you want the traditional american cruise line, then MSC might not be the one for you. Then go for Royal, Celebrity or NCL instead. It is probably a safer choice.

 

But hey, Im Norwegian.. What do I know.. 🙂

 

[KmomChicago]

Thank you all for this great thread!  I appreciate the thoughtful and detailed, but not ranting/emotional, discussion and your perspectives on varying differences with European culture and service norms.  Like the OP, I am a pretty laid back cruiser. Most of my childhood, family vacations were either camping or staying with relatives or family friends, and the "service" was about what you'd expect. Parents decided the entertainment, what you'd be fed, and where you'd sleep, and you'd be happy with what you were given. At least I didn't have to tip my parents.  My first 3 night cruise at age 19, on a budget line in an inside cabin more than 30 years ago was, to me, very luxurious all around.

 

Point being, at 52 my yardstick is still grounded back where it started.  I have since traveled internationally (including Europe) at a wide range of budgets including a few 5* hotels, though I am rarely willing to splurge like that nor do I feel the extra cost is worth the value.  It's confusing and frustrating to read about how peoples' vacations were ruined by an overcooked steak and the rest of the "inedible" food, or by a tired, burned out crew member who looks away rather than perking up and dropping everything to help you. These overreactions by habitual complainers don't help me understand what this brand really is offering.

 

This thread, however, does.  I am also interested in MSC possibly, one day, or Pullmantur, for Northern Europe - either the Norwegian fjords or the Baltics (I think we are a bit more interested in the latter but both have their pros).  There is scant info here at Cruise Critic on these lines that is truly helpful. So thank you all very much for this perspective!  I feel I have a clearer understanding of MSC.

Edited November 29, 2018 by KmomChicago

[IceBearFloats]

@KmomChicago Agree 100% that this thread turned into something that really explains perspectives and differences without the ranting and emotional taking over! I thank you all for the contribution, it really helped me out as well 

[toledo_cruiser]

On ‎11‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 1:57 PM, sidari said:

Brett ... It would seem that some people do not share your view of this post and are very sensitive to it, having sailed MSC 7 times now I agree with its contents. I posted it to a FB group who removed it claiming it was racist after a few people complained about it.

It would seem that some people are not as thick skinned as others.

Maybe I'm missing something. I don't see this as racist at all. There ARE cultural differences and we need to be aware that not everything is as seen through the eyes of some of my North American compatriots. Yes, I'm used to the wait staff being welcoming and friendly, but I don't expect someone swabbing the deck to be my best friend. Actually, I'd settle for competence, I have friends. As someone else said, I appreciate these pearls of wisdom and an insight into cultures not my own.

[Homosassa]

One of my favorite moments on a MSC cruise that made me laugh out loud was when I was in line at Guest Services and would be the next one up to the desk. The passenger in front was obviously a Carnival cruiser who had no idea a whole other world existed outside of her tiny niche in the USA and Carnival .

 

The passenger was loudly complaining that MSC did not do things like Carnival, had a list of things she did not find to her liking, and of course, ended up with the resounding "If you are cruising from American ports, you need to change to meet our expectations."

 

The young man behind the counter patiently listened, and when the passenger finally stopped and was waiting for the apologies (and probably on board credit for her terrible experiences), looked her in the eye and quietly said, "Madam, you are not on Carnival.  This is MSC" and quietly looked at the next passenger in line to come up to the desk. She went off in a huff.

 

In any case, I do think that someone who has limited themselves to only a small sampling of USA based cruise lines (Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean) misses the existence of other cruise lines that cruise from the USA and have passengers that are well traveled outside the USA (both land and sea). Those of us in that category do find the constant whining that is MSC needs to change to meet their narrow life experiences  a good example of the "Ugly American." 

 

MSC is a great cruise line for someone who is willing to learn that there are other ways of doing things and meeting people from around the world.

 

I am a repeated MSC cruiser and am very excited to hear they are planning on building smaller ships .

 

 

[quickrate]

15 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

One of my favorite moments on a MSC cruise that made me laugh out loud was when I was in line at Guest Services and would be the next one up to the desk. The passenger in front was obviously a Carnival cruiser who had no idea a whole other world existed outside of her tiny niche in the USA and Carnival .

 

The passenger was loudly complaining that MSC did not do things like Carnival, had a list of things she did not find to her liking, and of course, ended up with the resounding "If you are cruising from American ports, you need to change to meet our expectations."

 

The young man behind the counter patiently listened, and when the passenger finally stopped and was waiting for the apologies (and probably on board credit for her terrible experiences), looked her in the eye and quietly said, "Madam, you are not on Carnival.  This is MSC" and quietly looked at the next passenger in line to come up to the desk. She went off in a huff.

 

In any case, I do think that someone who has limited themselves to only a small sampling of USA based cruise lines (Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean) misses the existence of other cruise lines that cruise from the USA and have passengers that are well traveled outside the USA (both land and sea). Those of us in that category do find the constant whining that is MSC needs to change to meet their narrow life experiences  a good example of the "Ugly American." 

 

MSC is a great cruise line for someone who is willing to learn that there are other ways of doing things and meeting people from around the world.

 

I am a repeated MSC cruiser and am very excited to hear they are planning on building smaller ships .

 

 

As a Carnival Cruiser who is stepping outside of her comfort zone, I completely agree with what you are saying. When you cruise a different line, why would you expect it to be exactly the same? And, if you do, why are you trying a different line? We will be on our first MSC Cruise Dec. 9th on the Divina and I am looking forward to it. We are very laid back cruisers, go with the flow in life, and embrace new experiences!

Pat

[hamrag]

29 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

One of my favorite moments on a MSC cruise that made me laugh out loud was when I was in line at Guest Services and would be the next one up to the desk. The passenger in front was obviously a Carnival cruiser who had no idea a whole other world existed outside of her tiny niche in the USA and Carnival .

 

The passenger was loudly complaining that MSC did not do things like Carnival, had a list of things she did not find to her liking, and of course, ended up with the resounding "If you are cruising from American ports, you need to change to meet our expectations."

 

The young man behind the counter patiently listened, and when the passenger finally stopped and was waiting for the apologies (and probably on board credit for her terrible experiences), looked her in the eye and quietly said, "Madam, you are not on Carnival.  This is MSC" and quietly looked at the next passenger in line to come up to the desk. She went off in a huff.

 

In any case, I do think that someone who has limited themselves to only a small sampling of USA based cruise lines (Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean) misses the existence of other cruise lines that cruise from the USA and have passengers that are well traveled outside the USA (both land and sea). Those of us in that category do find the constant whining that is MSC needs to change to meet their narrow life experiences  a good example of the "Ugly American." 

 

MSC is a great cruise line for someone who is willing to learn that there are other ways of doing things and meeting people from around the world.

 

I am a repeated MSC cruiser and am very excited to hear they are planning on building smaller ships .

 

 

Your favourite moment made me smile widely....the rest of your post, very well said!

[GOLDENBONNY]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

The passenger was loudly complaining that MSC did not do things like Carnival, had a list of things she did not find to her liking, and of course, ended up with the resounding "If you are cruising from American ports, you need to change to meet our expectations."

LOL. We had almost same case on Celebrity , it was raining cats and dogs on ST. Thomas everyone runs to ship soaking wet , and one lady makes a statement in elevator:" Omg, its a Celebrity not a Carnival ,they should handle this situation better ,they should send crew members to meet people with umbrellas" After she left the whole elevator start laughing . Other complain I loved ,was about the food from 450 lb unhappy cruiser, he could not find what to eat.....

[graphicguy]

I've sailed RCCL, Carnival, NCL, HAL, Celebrity, and MSC (Divina in the Caribbean and Meriviglia in the Mediterranean a year ago right around this time.)

 

So, some broad experience to comment from.

 

Not sure the HUGE differences with MSC vs the rest that some comment about.  The cabins are similar (I was lucky enough to book the Yacht Club in the Mediterranean).  That experience, while different, is similar to the NCL Haven and the Royal Star Suites.  You have a butler and concierge on all.  I prefer the MSC Top Sail Lounge over the NCL Haven and RCCL Suite Lounge.  Top Sail is more laid back than the others, and certainly more refined (duo or trio jazz entertainment at night reminiscent of a small night club experience).

 

Forgetting for a moment the upper tier sailing experiences, the food on MSC is slightly different.  I found the restaurants and buffets not having the breath of choices, but what they do offer is of higher quality than what you'll find in the others.

 

Entertainment is geared more towards an international audience on MSC, avoiding language issues. Lots of singing, dancing, acrobatics.  

 

Service was exemplary all over the MSC ships.  While not quite "in your face", personnel is friendly and willing to help when asked, whenever they could.  This is true of the other lines, too.

 

I will say that the two MSC ships I was on, certainly new ships, were absolutely beautiful (their famed Sirovsky-sp? staircases) with much chrome and glass everywhere.  This is where they tend to differ the most with those other lines....especially compared to Carnival.  MSC is simply more elegant than Carnival.  NCL has their own touches with their wonderful outdoor spaces.  And, Celebrity actually has a "lawn" area to hang out in.  MSC ships are quite elegant, though.  Depends on if that matters to you, or not.

 

I originally sailed MSC because of status match (Black Card).  Their top tier isn't nearly as good as the Platinum I enjoy on NCL.  I'm Platinum on RCCL, too....that's a lower level status with them, though.

 

MSC isn't driven by "tips" like the others are.  Matter of fact, after a massage on MSC, I was actually told that tipping was not required.....by the Masseuse, no less.  Plus, their extras tended to be less expensive than on CCL, RCCL and NCL.

 

In the last couple of years, I've been on MSC twice (because of the status match), RCCL twice and NCL twice.  I prefer MSC for the elegance of their ships, the laid back attitude of the crew, and the lack of high pressure sales and tips.  I prefer RCCL for the innovativeness of their ships (like the robot bartender or the moving sculptures).  I prefer NCL for their outstanding service, freestyle (which I have come to prefer), what I consider the best entertainment at sea and the generally fun atmosphere.

 

I'll look at CCL, but only for pricing.  Celebrity...surprisingly my least favorite cruise ( I sailed the Solstice).  So, unless I find a great deal, can't see myself on them again.  MSC was a pricing leader for a while to get established here in North America.  Now, they're catching up and changing programs (i.e. cutting back on the drink packages).  So, that advantage seems to be going away.

 

I'll sail NCL, MSC and RCCL again (in that order).

[Tapi]

On 11/26/2018 at 7:26 AM, IceBearFloats said:

For a casual cruiser, as described, that is interested in trying a Mediterranean MSC Cruise, do you think it would live up to the expectations that I typically have for cruise lines? Or is it really that much different? Would love your feedback

We just returned from the MSC Meraviglia, and my answer is a resounding YES! It was an absolutely wonderful cruise! 

 

Just to put things into perspective, I have 30+ cruises, mostly on American cruise lines. I had sailed on MSC in the Caribbean in 2016 and the experience then was just OK. But this cruise on the Meraviglia was wonderful. The ship had the “wow” factor that we’ve experienced on Oasis class ships on Royal Caribbean. 

 

A lot has been commented on how the crew tends to be less friendly on MSC, but I experienced a noticeable improvement between our MSC cruise in 2016 and this one. Overall, very friendly and accommodating, two adjectives that I would’ve not used 2 years ago. 

 

I personally think that the “differences” are blown way out of proportion. While there are differences, I attributed them more to sailing on a different cruise line, rather than its national origin. It’s just a matter of familiarizing yourself with what those differences are and not sweating the small details. Little things, like setting up your onboard account at a self-serve kiosk can throw someone used to American cruise lines off balance. 

 

We did book an Áurea cabin with My choice dining and drink package which made the experience feel a bit more like what we are used to in the US. We found that most elements that we’ve found on American cruise lines are present on MSC as well. 

 

Clientele is decidedly non-American which for us was a VERY welcome change. Some comments have been made about rude fellow passengers, but that wasn’t the case on our sailing. I’ve found considerably worse and shameful behavior on Caribbean cruises out of Miami. We went on this cruise to experience other cultures and countries, not to experience an Americanized version of them. It was SO nice to disconnect from life back home and realize that the world does NOT revolve around the USA. During the entire cruise we only met another family from the USA and only listened English in passing a handful of times. Even the TV lineup in the cabin didn’t contain any programming in English except for BBC and CNN international. 

 

Overall, we were extremely satisfied with our cruise. The ship was amazing, the food was good, entertainment was professional (we even attended a Cirque du Soleil at Sea original performance), Crew was friendly, and the ports of call were wonderful. MSC can still tweak some thing to make the experience better, but overall the positives far outweigh the negatives. 

 

I was a bit skeptical about taking this cruise because of so many negative reviews as well as so many comments about the cultural clashes and negative behaviors, all which proved to be wrong. 

I highly recommend that you give MSC a try, specially in Europe. Our Mediterranean cruise was absolutely fantastic, and easily beats most cruises that I’ve ever taken out of the US. But be an educated traveler, do some research,  and get ready to embrace a new experience, both onboard the ship and ashore. 

[BubMunkeyBles]

We just got off our first MSC cruise. We're American and I have almost 20 cruises on US lines under my belt. I thought it was great. The food was good (better than Carnival, not as good as Celebrity). Breakfast wasn't quite as good as other lines by American standards but it was fine. Lunch and dinner were some of the better meals I've had at sea. I do like pizza and pasta so if there wasn't anything else I really wanted there was always those. My kids had a blast. I found the staff amazing, service was easily as good if not better than my past cruises. US cruise lines were all about twice as expensive and I think the savings is well worth it and we had an amazing time and I'm sure will be cruising MSC again.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

On 11/26/2018 at 10:46 AM, CruisinMaterial said:

Look for my review from the September/October time frame. It's extensive and it's from the Fantastica Balcony experience, not the YC. A lot of the reviews ranting and raving are from the Yacht Club. I could afford to do it on MSC but I choose not to. NCL which was my cruise line of choice until last year has an untouchable Haven complex with pricing out of sight. MSC is right up there with NCL and with some minor tweaks in their room service area, they will beat them. I found the service very similar to NCLs and the ships layout far superior to NCL's Breakaway class ships. I was really impressed with my first MSC cruise. Where NCL continues to mis-step, MSC is stepping up and beating them - ship design comes readily to mind. The buffet on MSC seemed far superior to NCL's buffet on their Breakaway-class ships. The POOL DECK on MSC is what it should be! No need to chase for a lounger like you have to on NCL and you can actually be by the pool. Activities are far superior on MSC and not at all an upsell push like just about everything NCL has scheduled these days. I didn't feel a constant sales pressure  on MSC like NCL has become. Del Rio has destroyed NCL. If I want to be in a constant marketing binge I'll stay home and turn on a TV!

 

Everyone should read the Seaview review posted by CruisinMaterial.  That is probably the best review I have seen since the Seaview first sailed.  Maybe someone can post the connection here?  

[Até]

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=635840