RCL veteran with MSC questions.

[syracr]

Hello MSC’ers.  Seasoned cruiser here, new to MSC.  Most of my time has been spent with RCL. There are often nights we would just want a quick dinner without the formality of the MDR. On those nights we would just have dinner in the buffet.  Is this an option on MSC. If not are there other options?

 

Also we are on Meraviglia. I see there are paid shows. Are there complimentary shows each evening. 
 

Finally -formal night.  Not really our thing.  How is that handled?

 

 

thanks in advance for any information you can supply. 

[hamrag]

9 minutes ago, syracr said:

Hello MSC’ers.  Seasoned cruiser here, new to MSC.  Most of my time has been spent with RCL. There are often nights we would just want a quick dinner without the formality of the MDR. On those nights we would just have dinner in the buffet.  Is this an option on MSC. If not are there other options?

 

Also we are on Meraviglia. I see there are paid shows. Are there complimentary shows each evening. 
 

Finally -formal night.  Not really our thing.  How is that handled?

 

 

thanks in advance for any information you can supply. 

Buffet is similar to RCL and other mass cruiselines.

Complimentary shows each evening, normally at 3 different times per night.

The MSC dress code is Smart Casual for all evenings, and Gala Nights are simply an opportunity for those who wish to dress up in a more 'formal' manner to do so. It will not affect entry to MDR, or any other area on the ship. 

[shipgeeks]

MSC has evening buffets.

I'm not aware of any paid shows.  We went to the main theater shows each evening.  We enjoyed them. The content was more like Cirque du Soleil, rather than Broadway stories, because of the multiple languages aboard.  No comedians, for example.

Formal nights are fairly similar, in that nothing is strictly enforced; however, we thought the passengers, overall, dressed a bit better all evenings than on RC, again, due to the European

and British passengers aboard.

[perakcruiser]

7 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I'm not aware of any paid shows. 

These exist only on the newer and bigger ships that have a small second theatre for it. They are not always available, thanks to Covid and the death of Cirque du Soleil they did not have it for years. Now slowly coming back. If you are not interested then you easily not even notice it because they are not effecting the main theatre program.

[Georgia_Peaches]

13 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

MSC has evening buffets.

I'm not aware of any paid shows.  We went to the main theater shows each evening.  We enjoyed them. The content was more like Cirque du Soleil, rather than Broadway stories, because of the multiple languages aboard.  No comedians, for example.

Formal nights are fairly similar, in that nothing is strictly enforced; however, we thought the passengers, overall, dressed a bit better all evenings than on RC, again, due to the European

and British passengers aboard.

Our cruise on seashore last week had a comedian. He was in the theater at 3pm. We were involved in a wine tasting at that time so didn’t catch his act. I was surprised to see one in the line up. Perhaps they were trying to cater to the Americans by putting him in the 3 pm time slot. 

[alohayall]

I cruised out of Miami on Seashore. There was a high concentration of Latinx guests. My attire would have been ordinary for current mass-market American cruise lines, but I felt underdressed most of the time amid this crowd. Not that anyone else seemed to notice or care. They just dressed better!

 

The shows may be different than you are used to.  The story I hear is that, as a European cruise line, shoes are presented that do not rely on spoken language as heavily as a Broadway-production English-speaking show would. To provide entertainment to cover 5+ languages, as is common in the Med, there is a lot of movement - acrobatics, dance. The music in the show I saw was English-language, popular music.  But no Jersey Boys, Cats, Hairspray; and shows may have been 45 minutes. 
 

The buffet at night does not have a lot of choices, but it should be enough to create a meal.  There is always a carving station, salads, breads, a choice of pasta, rice, veggies, one or two mains, a few pre-made tasty sandwiches.  And pizza, which I consider the best at sea (and most of earth) - it is Neapolitan style, so thin crust. I discovered a love for marinara pizza (no cheese) and had it everyday on my 7-night cruise (I was a cheese pizza lover).  They would make it fresh for me if it wasn’t out already.  
 

I think the general consensus is don’t go in thinking you are sailing the other cruise lines. (Room stewards maintain the cabins nicely, but are stealthy, not bothering the guests. Bothers some, others love it.). I am sailing again in a few weeks. 

[Nunagoras]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:34 PM, syracr said:

Hello MSC’ers.  Seasoned cruiser here, new to MSC.  Most of my time has been spent with RCL. There are often nights we would just want a quick dinner without the formality of the MDR. On those nights we would just have dinner in the buffet.  Is this an option on MSC. If not are there other options? - Yes. Their buffet is open some 20 hours a day with different configurations. Dinner buffet won't be as extensive and "fancy" as such an RCI's Oasis class one, surely, but you'll be able to make a meal out of it with no doubt. No other free food options on MSC other than the MDR and the buffet, at least at dinner time.

 

Also we are on Meraviglia. I see there are paid shows. Are there complimentary shows each evening. - They used to have "Cirque du Soleil" as a paid for entertainment option. Not anymore. They're slowly reinstating a paid for cirque show, but that might not have popped up yet on your ship at your sailing date.
 

Finally -formal night.  Not really our thing.  How is that handled? - Not really enforced. For a man trousers and a nice collared shirt suffixes. Don't know how things are mostly on the US sailings for mainstream lines these days, again; from what I read here on CC dressing up is basically finished there; but here in Europe it is considered like going for a nice restaurant in town.

 

thanks in advance for any information you can supply. - You're welcome! Bear in mind MSC is an Italian line, European and especially Italian inspired. At the end of the day, with the adaptations they're making to please the American market you'll find the overall experience more similar than not. Surely: RCI's Oasis class in unbeatable in many ways, I must admit, but otherwise, Freedom/Quantum class compared to Meraviglia class compared MSC might win, even if slightly for me on many if not most aspects. Both will follow the 4* European land hotel industry standards, you won't be bad with either one. Both will have their hit or miss moments, MSC ships are slightly more beautiful for me, brighter, more classy and somewhat better maintained.

 

[Nunagoras]

On 9/7/2022 at 1:08 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

Our cruise on seashore last week had a comedian. He was in the theater at 3pm. We were involved in a wine tasting at that time so didn’t catch his act. I was surprised to see one in the line up. Perhaps they were trying to cater to the Americans by putting him in the 3 pm time slot. 

Maybe. Bear in mind though that the midafternoon showtime on MSC is usually used for some artist guests that are available to act. From a pianist or a ballet professional dancer to a Cathedral choir, I have had it all, so your comedian might have been a one off event. I believe they'll eventually to add a comedian showtime on the new builds there from Seascape on.

[cellfree]

On 9/6/2022 at 6:34 PM, syracr said:

Hello MSC’ers.  Seasoned cruiser here, new to MSC.  Most of my time has been spent with RCL. There are often nights we would just want a quick dinner without the formality of the MDR. On those nights we would just have dinner in the buffet.  Is this an option on MSC. If not are there other options?

 

Also we are on Meraviglia. I see there are paid shows. Are there complimentary shows each evening. 
 

Finally -formal night.  Not really our thing.  How is that handled?

 

 

thanks in advance for any information you can supply. 

1) We have always found the evening buffet to be more than adequate, often enjoying the choices there more to our tasing than the dining room.

2) At one time the Mera had the Cirque in a venue at the very back of the ship and it had a cost. No more Cirque but when we cruised the Mera a few months ago there was a a Band in that venue that offered a different “show” every evening, don’t miss it. Although I suppose I do not know who is there now but make sure you check it out.
3) Formal night - perhaps more formal than on Royal but really a variety of ensembles.

4) They do have a “white night” and you do see a lot of Cruisers in white. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

28 minutes ago, Nunagoras said:

Maybe. Bear in mind though that the midafternoon showtime on MSC is usually used for some artist guests that are available to act. From a pianist or a ballet professional dancer to a Cathedral choir, I have had it all, so your comedian might have been a one off event. I believe they'll eventually to add a comedian showtime on the new builds there from Seascape on.

Totally agree.  Could have even been a test market sort of thing.  I also caught a 3 PM mini opera, which was quite an experience.  Not sure I have enough culture to sit through a whole thing but the 3 pm performance was nice.

[Nunagoras]

15 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Totally agree.  Could have even been a test market sort of thing.  I also caught a 3 PM mini opera, which was quite an experience.  Not sure I have enough culture to sit through a whole thing but the 3 pm performance was nice.

On the 3PM Opera show, my sense from what I read here on CC is the opposite to the comedian showtime: Basically. Here in Europe MSC used to have their main atrium for classical music, including Opera and some Neapolitan songs to be had. They used to have such a showtime of that sort per week after the main theater show, plus the usual classical musicians playing there. Then as far as I understand, on all the Seaside class and on most Meraviglia class out of an US port they're using the atrium for mostly modern music. Then; the Opera showtime and other possible secondary classical music locations, might to be a way forward to please their remaining loyal European cruisers base, while giving the US base a way forward to experience such a new thing.

[shipgeeks]

I attended the afternoon opera excerpt, "Butterfly", when we were aboard Seaside in 2020.  It was fabulous, even though I am not normally an opera afficianado.  I enjoyed it so much I went back again on our following cruise.  Both were very well attended.