Advice for first time MSC cruiser

[mianmike]

On 7/15/2022 at 7:32 AM, Homosassa said:

Do not, however, start your conversation with the whine, "On Carnival (NCL, Royal Caribbean)...." They will immediately remind you that you are not on Carnival (NCL, RCCL).

 

I'm intrigued, what happened to you?  Inquiring minds you know . . .

 

On 7/15/2022 at 7:32 AM, Homosassa said:

Entertainment on board MSC is international in nature (and maybe a tad too sophisticated for those not use to opera on a cruise ship).

 

The entertainment is definitely different.  Most the singers are classically trained opera singers and thus their expertise and range is geared toward opera therefore many of the singers don't have the range to properly cover much of the show tunes and pop songs, but they try hard and they sing opera quite well (to my unsophisticated ear).   

[kernow]

9 hours ago, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

I'm not positive. I've sailed on Seashore, Virtuosa & Seaview in the past year and the announcements were in numerous languages. Perhaps they alter the languages they use based on the known nationalities of the passengers on board.

On Virtuosa in May we were told by the YC director that if there are 100 or more passengers who are a native speaker of any language then they have announcements in that language. It never bothers us and seems fair. The ship is Italian owned after all, imagine being an Italian onboard and find they only make announcements in English!

[wcook]

I actually like cruises where they have to do the announcements in many languages. Since it has to be repeated five times, announcements are usually something important. Really cuts down on the 2/$30 t-shirt announcements. 

[Homosassa]

9 hours ago, mianmike said:

 

I'm intrigued, what happened to you?  Inquiring minds you know . . .

 

 

 

Re your question about being reminded by Guest Services that one is not on Carnival, NCL, or RCCL:

 

Nothing happened to me. I was, however, on line at Guest Relations with a question when the passenger in front of me started with the "On Carnival" rant. Before anything thing else was added to the "On Carnival,"  the person behind the desk cut in with "You are not on Carnival.  Next in line."

 

I was still laughing when I went up to her.

 

There were several other times I overheard, or was in a discussion with someone, who was upset by the fact that Guest Relations was not impressed with the passengers wealth of knowledge on how Carnival does things.

 

Onw woman I had been in Trivia Games with and had lorded over us with the fact that she had status matched to MSC Black because of her Carnival status, came to play the last full sea day spitting mad.

 

It seems, as was her practice on Carnival, that she had gone to Guest Services to remove her Daily Service Charge.  She found out she couldn't without very specific details on the incident(s) that warranted such an action. It seems, as she indignantly told us, that "on Carnival," she never had a problem deleting the DSC. 

[Homosassa]

9 minutes ago, wcook said:

I actually like cruises where they have to do the announcements in many languages. Since it has to be repeated five times, announcements are usually something important. Really cuts down on the 2/$30 t-shirt announcements. 

More impressive was the welcome aboard show the first night when the Captain said there were nineteen different language speakers on board and proceed to say "Welcome Aboard" in each of those languages.

 

It is fun to play the game "Majority Rules" on board.  The game is play in the multiple languages that are in the room (Cruise Staff translates the question). Cultural differences can supply interesting variations in the answers.

[Homosassa]

9 hours ago, mianmike said:

 

I'm intrigued, what happened to you?  Inquiring minds you know . . .

 

 

The entertainment is definitely different.  Most the singers are classically trained opera singers and thus their expertise and range is geared toward opera therefore many of the singers don't have the range to properly cover much of the show tunes and pop songs, but they try hard and they sing opera quite well (to my unsophisticated ear).   

LOL - they don't have the range to cover show tunes and pop songs!!!!! 

 

Any idea of the range that someone that is classically trained can reach?

 

They definitely can handle the limited range of classics like, "Send in the Clowns" (five midrange notes in whole song), the nursery rhyme level of the original Beatles, and some others. More impressively, they can sing the operatic scoring in "Porgy and Bess," "Candide," "West Side Story," and other demanding music.

[shipgeeks]

At the risk of sounding like another "Well on RC they...."

One of the touches I've enjoyed at RC production shows is the cast info on the side screens, before the show starts.  "Jennifer, dancer, Akron, Ohio", "Paul, singer, Manchester, UK", with photos.

I think this would be especially interesting on MSC, as I suspect the cast come from far and wide, and especially because the tenor who sang Pinkerton in "Butterfly" was outstanding.  I would love to learn more about all those excellent performers.

[Homosassa]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

At the risk of sounding like another "Well on RC they...."

One of the touches I've enjoyed at RC production shows is the cast info on the side screens, before the show starts.  "Jennifer, dancer, Akron, Ohio", "Paul, singer, Manchester, UK", with photos.

I think this would be especially interesting on MSC, as I suspect the cast come from far and wide, and especially because the tenor who sang Pinkerton in "Butterfly" was outstanding.  I would love to learn more about all those excellent performers.

If I remember correctly, at least before Covid, MSC recruited from Milan, London and New York for vocalists.  All three cities are well know for both their well know conservatories and performance facilities.

 

Dancers were recruited from London, New York and somewhere in Russia.

[mianmike]

On 7/17/2022 at 7:38 AM, Homosassa said:

LOL - they don't have the range to cover show tunes and pop songs!!!!! 

 

Any idea of the range that someone that is classically trained can reach?

 

They definitely can handle the limited range of classics like, "Send in the Clowns" (five midrange notes in whole song), the nursery rhyme level of the original Beatles, and some others. More impressively, they can sing the operatic scoring in "Porgy and Bess," "Candide," "West Side Story," and other demanding music.

 

If they have the range I wonder why some choose to not sing in the proper key? 

[mianmike]

On 7/17/2022 at 7:21 AM, Homosassa said:

Re your question about being reminded by Guest Services that one is not on Carnival, NCL, or RCCL:

 

Nothing happened to me. I was, however, on line at Guest Relations with a question when the passenger in front of me started with the "On Carnival" rant. Before anything thing else was added to the "On Carnival,"  the person behind the desk cut in with "You are not on Carnival.  Next in line."

 

Wow, unfortunately we've had many issues (problems with our cabin on the brand new Seaside and billing on other cruises) and thus we have been to MSC guest services many times and luckily we have never been treated that rudely.  

[Homosassa]

20 hours ago, mianmike said:

 

Wow, unfortunately we've had many issues (problems with our cabin on the brand new Seaside and billing on other cruises) and thus we have been to MSC guest services many times and luckily we have never been treated that rudely.  

But did you start your discussion with "On Carnival...."

 

A I stated in one of my posts, Guest Relation will handle  valid issues courteously and as quickly as possible.

[Gatordad1967]

I've always found that setting the ground work early in a conversation, that you are from a  better place works real well.  My MIL used to say , "I'm from NY"...... 🙄

[mianmike]

4 hours ago, Homosassa said:

But did you start your discussion with "On Carnival...."

 

 

Luckily we didn't say a trigger word that would have guest services refusing to deal with us.  Reminds me of Seinfeld's "No soup for you!"   lol 

[unrealHeather]

I strongly recommend you print out any and all documentation in advance.  Don't rely on your wifi and electronic records as MSC's IT systems are wonky.  You might need receipts to prove you prepaid for extras.

[GonzoWCS]

4 hours ago, unrealHeather said:

I strongly recommend you print out any and all documentation in advance.  Don't rely on your wifi and electronic records as MSC's IT systems are wonky.  You might need receipts to prove you prepaid for extras.

Always a prudent recommendation.  Thanks you are unreal  😉

 

Cheers

[shipgeeks]

5 hours ago, unrealHeather said:

I strongly recommend you print out any and all documentation in advance.  Don't rely on your wifi and electronic records as MSC's IT systems are wonky.  You might need receipts to prove you prepaid for extras.

I do that for any cruiseline, hotel, shuttle, etc.