New to MSC, best advise please

[RNic]

We are sailing on the Meraviglia in November. We’re not new to cruising, but new to MSC. What do we need to know?  

[zekekelso]

My advice to you is to start drinking heavily. 

[shipgeeks]

What other cruise lines have you sailed on?  What do you like and dislike about the others?  What ship activities do you do/like/dislike?  Why did you choose this cruise?

(Just trying to narrow it down!  We love MSC, probably more than all the others we've sailed.)

[PRH]

Gird your loins for the potential pre-cruise drama but once you get on the ship, you should have a great time!  Destination?  Ship?  Date?

[RNic]

36 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

What other cruise lines have you sailed on?  What do you like and dislike about the others?  What ship activities do you do/like/dislike?  Why did you choose this cruise?

(Just trying to narrow it down!  We love MSC, probably more than all the others we've sailed.)

We’ve sailed CCL and NCL. We have decided to try other lines to see what they have to offer.  We like to lounge poolside, good mixologists, entertainment and we’re foodies. 

[kilkoyne]

Expect a lot of excitement such as changes in your reserved room, website issues, inconsistencies with information provided by service reps (if you can get through by phone), trouble uploading required documents, trouble with printing boarding passes, embarkation time changes up until the day you board, and more 😀.....(I probably missed quite a few).

 

Once on board you should be ok.

 

The only other difference I've noticed is there are less choices on the buffet. I thought the food was as good as any other cruise line (better than some), just less choices.

 

 

[RNic]

18 minutes ago, PRH said:

Gird your loins for the potential pre-cruise drama but once you get on the ship, you should have a great time!  Destination?  Ship?  Date?

Meraviglia, Nov 6-13 and western Caribbean, 2 x at Ocean Cay.

[Morgsmom]

4 minutes ago, RNic said:

We’ve sailed CCL and NCL. We have decided to try other lines to see what they have to offer.  We like to lounge poolside, good mixologists, entertainment and we’re foodies. 

If you are a foodie prepare to lower your expectations, especially POST Covid.  Before they used to make their pastas onboard - no more.  The best thing on our recent cruise (Divina) was the Pizza - always spot on.  Otherwise, on a 1-10 scale I'd rate the food a 3 (being generous).

[CampNCruise74]

Expect very polite and pleasant employees, although at the reception desk if you have problems, you might not get the help and customer service you deserve.    Remember that you eat to live, not live to eat.  Watch our for random food finds though that sporadically happen on the buffet, like snow crab legs or prime rib roast or homemade mozzarella balls made on board).  (we checked it out and had 2nd dinner there after main dining some)  Don't be afraid to order double plates in the main dining, they'll gladly bring you another one when you finish the first if you like to try stuff. 

 

Expect MSC to take your health very seriously; more than other lines.   One reason that they've been sailing since mid 2020 through the whole pandemic.  The Carnival Horizon that took off with us 9/18 was packed.  I saw a recent Carnival review of the Mardi Gras that was on Harr Travel and hardly any employees were masked and people were crammed together.  Hopefully things will be good when I am on that ship in a years' time. 

[Cooldoggie]

3 hours ago, RNic said:

We are sailing on the Meraviglia in November. We’re not new to cruising, but new to MSC. What do we need to know?  

I have been cruising since 1988. I've sailed on Carnival, Royal, Norwegian, Celebrity and Seven Seas (my husband won a trip through his company for highest sales). Not going to compare anything to that one time on (Radisson) Seven Seas, because well, you just can't.  Different caliber in level of cruise lines!

 

We sailed in 2019 on MSC for a week on the Seaside. Very different experience compared to any of the typical "American" lines. We cruised in Aurea class, and this matters. I don't think I would cruise on the line with anything less.

FOOD:

We thought the food was good, not great, but a solid 3.5 out of 5. There were things we liked, and things we didn't like. Best pizza we have ever had at sea. Best coffee drinks anywhere in the Venchi Cafe, not just on a ship, I mean anywhere! Having the aurea experience, we could eat anytime in the dining room in a separate area from the rest of the levels you choose from when booking (it's a class system, make sure you fully understand it prior to booking and choose appropriately).

Be prepared for a long time at dinner. Europeans eat later (so I've been told) and don't rush through dinner like Americans do. Dinner is an experience that is not to be rushed. Don't be surprised if a meal takes almost 2 hours or more.

ENTERTAINMENT 

We were not fans of the shows available. We are not big show types, but we like to go occasionally. We just didn't get the European humor and flow of the shows. They were strange variety shows to me. The costumes were incredible, and there were many talented performers. We just didn't get it.  We had many moments of "Huh???" when the rest of the audience (mostly European) was laughing and clapping. I loved that they did not have entertainment in the dining room as much as Carnival does. 

THE PEOPLE 

Crew much more reserved then we were used to. Not unfriendly, but not as smiling and happy. Many different nationalities on board mean announcements in at least 5 languages if I remember correctly. You get used to it after awhile. At first it drove me nuts that nobody queued up for anything. It was a free for all. People just pushed past you if they wanted something from the buffet, no lines seemed to form anywhere. Once I embraced this and realized it's a culture thing... the ex NYer in me came out and I was a lot more aggressive in these situations. Be prepared for that. It could have ruined my vacation if I let it. 

GENERAL

I loved sailing with so many different nationalities represented. We met incredible people from all over the world. 

 

Everything seemed to be a bit unorganized and frustrating at times. We had to go to a kiosk or guest service to connect our credit card to our cruise card/wristband. Why would they not do that when we checked in? If I had not read it could be done at a kiosk, we would have been waiting on the very long line like many other people. 

 

I did see frustrated people several times in the cruise. They were always Americans and were always very loud about their frustration. It's a different experience compared to our "American" cruise lines. 

 

Ship was gorgeous. I found the spa and photos much more affordable compared to other lines I've sailed on. We would definitely sail with them again and hope we have the opportunity to do so in the future. 

Edited October 8, 2021 by sharon7811

[shipgeeks]

The posters above have noted several points.  Although the mix of nationalities when we were onboard was one of the best parts of it for us, I don't think there will be any other than Americans at the moment.  So some of the comments about that will not be the case.

What "experience" is your booking/cabin?  We chose Bella because we like having a set dining time.  If you have sailed NCL you are probably familiar with anytime dining.  On MSC, that is only available to Aurea passengers.  Other aspects of the cruise, such as room service, depend on which experience you choose.

The service onboard is more reserved, as noted above.  That is a more European style; it would be very rare to have waiters doing magic tricks at your table or cracking jokes.  

In spite of pre-cruise problems being an ongoing complaint here, I can say that we have never experienced any problems before, during, or after our MSC cruises.

We liked the shows.  Different, because they are not language-dependent.  We had become bored with the Rock or Broadway shows on all the other lines; these were a refreshing change.

The pizza is excellent!  

Ocean Cay is beautiful.  Unspoiled.  No amusement park element.  A number of different beaches.  Food trucks here and there for light meals, as well as a lunch buffet.

[sojodave]

I am booked on the November 6th Meraviglia.  Go into the cruise with a good attitude and just roll with the changes. Yes, MSC is a little different than other cruises; however, the ship is beautiful, your at sea, and you don't have to clean up after you eat.  If you are picky about food, buy one of the specialty dining packages.  The specialty restaurants are great.  

 

I had a friend cruise on the Royal Caribbean Oasis and as he was getting off the ship, he remarked to a guy standing next to him that this has been such a great cruise.  His response, this has been a horrible cruise.  Any cruise is what you make of it.  Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure. 

[sojodave]

BTW, the sailing on Nov 6th now has Ocean Cay on Sunday and Monday so we will be staying the night at Ocean Cay.  I think this is good news because we can stay on the beach after dinner and watch the Light House show.

[Cooldoggie]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

The posters above have noted several points.  Although the mix of nationalities when we were onboard was one of the best parts of it for us, I don't think there will be any other than Americans at the moment.  So some of the comments about that will not be the case.

What "experience" is your booking/cabin?  We chose Bella because we like having a set dining time.  If you have sailed NCL you are probably familiar with anytime dining.  On MSC, that is only available to Aurea passengers.  Other aspects of the cruise, such as room service, depend on which experience you choose.

The service onboard is more reserved, as noted above.  That is a more European style; it would be very rare to have waiters doing magic tricks at your table or cracking jokes.  

In spite of pre-cruise problems being an ongoing complaint here, I can say that we have never experienced any problems before, during, or after our MSC cruises.

We liked the shows.  Different, because they are not language-dependent.  We had become bored with the Rock or Broadway shows on all the other lines; these were a refreshing change.

The pizza is excellent!  

Ocean Cay is beautiful.  Unspoiled.  No amusement park element.  A number of different beaches.  Food trucks here and there for light meals, as well as a lunch buffet.

Good point about what nationalities will be on board now. You are right that it will be a different crowd at this point in time. We were supposed to be one of the first ships to go to Ocean Cay, but it wasn't ready yet.  Although that was disappointing MSC was very generous in the future cruise credit we received because of that. 

 

I enjoyed the more serious atmosphere in the dining room. I'm there to eat, I prefer a more quiet and calm environment. My tastes in that area have changed over the years. When I was cruising young and single, and even married with a young kid, the fun in the dining room was great at that point in my life. I've matured 😃 and appreciate a quiet dining experience now. 

[Cooldoggie]

1 hour ago, sojodave said:

BTW, the sailing on Nov 6th now has Ocean Cay on Sunday and Monday so we will be staying the night at Ocean Cay.  I think this is good news because we can stay on the beach after dinner and watch the Light House show.

Nice! I wish Ocean Cay hadn't been canceled for our cruise. Well... gives us another reason to sail again! 😁

[Two Wheels Only]

7 hours ago, zekekelso said:

My advice to you is to start drinking heavily. 

 

 

👍

[alyssamma]

On 10/8/2021 at 1:51 PM, Morgsmom said:

If you are a foodie prepare to lower your expectations, especially POST Covid.  Before they used to make their pastas onboard - no more.  The best thing on our recent cruise (Divina) was the Pizza - always spot on.  Otherwise, on a 1-10 scale I'd rate the food a 3 (being generous).

This maybe depends on ship and experience. On the Meraviglia in the Yacht Club the food - including the pasta - was amazing breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

[Tracey/Thom]

Although it's been a few years since we were on the Divina, it remains our favorite ship and our favorite cruiseline. True, the website is frustrating, and the phone customer service was slow to respond. But the actual cruise - was FANTASTIC. The excursions were fabulous, the entertainment was the BEST, the ship itself was elegant and ultra clean. The other passengers were mostly European, and Australian (we loved that). The service was impeccable (although not gushingly American). We would return to MSC in a heartbeat, but this year we're trying Holland America to Alaska.

 

[Stockjock]

MSC Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Ships are usually very nice.

Ships are usually clean and well-maintained.

Cabins well-designed and attractive, especially on newer ships.

Relatively young fleet.

Most cruises offer an excellent value versus the competition.

Drink packages often included at reasonable cost.

MSC-sponsored excursions often better priced than other cruise lines.

Voyager's Club offers status match.  Easier to level up in status.

Cons:

Customer service is atrocious.

Frequent website problems.

Major disconnect between Italy HQ and USA employees.

Agents not empowered to solve problems.

Customers often told to e-mail their questions/concerns, which are often ignored.

Food is hit and miss.  Rarely terrible, but rarely especially good or memorable.

Cabins often changed without notice.

Cruises often changed or cancelled, many times without notice.

Conflicting information as to requirements, especially during Covid Times.

Entertainment is hit or miss.  Some good.  Some mediocre.

Many announcements in every language they can think of.  Adds an international vibe, but gets old and announcements can be way too lengthy because of this.

 

MSC will not allow you to bring aboard 2 bottles of wine.  This is allowed by most other cruise lines.

Voyager's Club points disappear if you don't sail within 3 years.

Conclusion: I've had some nice times on MSC, but I've also probably lost a year or two of my lifespan due to stress and frustration.

MSC Golden Rule: Once you get your reservation the way you want it, for God's sake, don't call MSC, as they will probably mess up your booking.

Enjoy! 🙂



 

Edited October 10, 2021 by Stockjock

[colorado14]

Enjoy. It is what you pay for. Beautiful ships and private island. Hard working crew. Food is bland and boring. If you have an issue let it go as management does not care.

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, colorado14 said:

Enjoy. It is what you pay for. Beautiful ships and private island. Hard working crew. Food is bland and boring. If you have an issue let it go as management does not care.

Wow...you really just come here to dump on MSC. You have very few posts here and they are all anti-MSC. Why follow this board if you hate them so much?

 

They do have a lot of problems, but food is def not one of them.

[NMsunset]

In life and especially travel, be flexible and realize 'stuff' happens...roll with it!

 

Ask specific questions and share specific concerns, there are many on this forum that have actually sailed MSC many times and they will help.

 

We are still in a global pandemic with 238,000,000 cases and 4,866,000 deaths! There will be issues with most everything in our lives.

No breakfast at hotels, canceled flights, canceled cruises, etc...

 

This site is full of critics...hahahaha...hence the name...

Glean some tips and insights, but only you can decide if MSC or any cruise is for you and yours.

 

Enjoy your vacation whatever you choose.

Cheers!

 

Notes: MSC has been a great experience and management and the call center has been very helpful and no I didn't always get my way...nor did I expect to. 

[dexddd]

10 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Wow...you really just come here to dump on MSC. You have very few posts here and they are all anti-MSC. Why follow this board if you hate them so much?

 

They do have a lot of problems, but food is def not one of them.

I don't get it either.  Food in buffets on Mera and Divinia were great.  Fillers, well all major lines do that, just pick what you want and skip fillers, not that hard to do.

[Two Wheels Only]

15 hours ago, Stockjock said:

MSC Golden Rule: Once you get your reservation the way you want it, for God's sake, don't call MSC, as they will probably mess up your booking.

 

I agree with this but......if I can save $1,100 by making an adjustment when the price drops, it's worth the risk.

 

So far, all of my bookings have (eventually) worked perfectly. If they or I cancelled, I've gotten back exactly what I was supposed to get and they all were done in 31 days or less.

 

My staterooms have never changed although I have worried about that possibility. 

 

Overall, MSC can be frustrating, stressful, ineffective, incompetent, inconsistent, and disappointing before you board the ship but the "experience" on the ship is fantastic (so far).

[colorado14]

15 hours ago, Stockjock said:

MSC Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Ships are usually very nice.

Ships are usually clean and well-maintained.

Cabins well-designed and attractive, especially on newer ships.

Relatively young fleet.

Most cruises offer an excellent value versus the competition.

Drink packages often included at reasonable cost.

MSC-sponsored excursions often better priced than other cruise lines.

Voyager's Club offers status match.  Easier to level up in status.

Cons:

Customer service is atrocious.

Frequent website problems.

Major disconnect between Italy HQ and USA employees.

Agents not empowered to solve problems.

Customers often told to e-mail their questions/concerns, which are often ignored.

Food is hit and miss.  Rarely terrible, but rarely especially good or memorable.

Cabins often changed without notice.

Cruises often changed or cancelled, many times without notice.

Conflicting information as to requirements, especially during Covid Times.

Entertainment is hit or miss.  Some good.  Some mediocre.

Many announcements in every language they can think of.  Adds an international vibe, but gets old and announcements can be way too lengthy because of this.

 

MSC will not allow you to bring aboard 2 bottles of wine.  This is allowed by most other cruise lines.

Voyager's Club points disappear if you don't sail within 3 years.

Conclusion: I've had some nice times on MSC, but I've also probably lost a year or two of my lifespan due to stress and frustration.

MSC Golden Rule: Once you get your reservation the way you want it, for God's sake, don't call MSC, as they will probably mess up your booking.

Enjoy! 🙂



 

So true. If they cancel nothing Is given. Not the industry standard 125 percent fcc. Try to use it. You need to Waite over a month.