What is the solo MSC traveller experience like?

[TheycallmeDrew]

I have travelled once as a solo on NCL and met tons of people and had designated solo traveller events and the night life was great. How does MSC compare? With all the different languages do people have issues meeting other solo travellers or groups? How about MDR seating? Do you end up at a table with no one talking to each other? How is the night life?

[carlmm]

The night life is long and vibrant, in European Summers at least.

Yet, MSC caters much more to families and groups travelling together. No solo events and rather few chances to get familiar with others. Might depend on your age and personality, of course.

[racephoto]

The Grandiosa had a hosted cocktail party with drinks and music for solos, and an unhosted meeting time in the planner every day. On the Meraviglia we never had the cocktail party, but they do have designated unhosted meeting times every day at 5pm in the Champagne bar. They do put solos together at dinner sometimes also. Since MSC often has low or no supplement, there are often a decent number aboard. 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

9 hours ago, TheycallmeDrew said:

I have traveled once as a solo on NCL and met tons of people and had designated solo traveller events and the night life was great. How does MSC compare? With all the different languages do people have issues meeting other solo travellers or groups? How about MDR seating? Do you end up at a table with no one talking to each other? How is the night life?

If you're talking about a U.S. sailing, there aren't a lot of languages; pretty much English & Spanish. On the European sailings, announcements are in at least 5 languages as are the passengers but nearly everyone speaks English if you want to chat.

 

On U.S. sailings, the nightclub is dominated by Hip Hop, Top 40 and Line Dances. On European sailings, there's a lot more House & EDM.

 

MSC has quite a few singles on board because they don't gouge with a Single Supplement like nearly everyone else does. You won't be alone and if you're traveling during the school year, not a lot of kids on board either.

[JT1962]

I’m on Divina solo now and there have been solo meet-ups listed daily and a hosted solo party with about 45 in attendance. They have most of the singles seated at tables together at dinner and there has been no issue meeting other solo cruisers.

[greg_atlanta]

Just booked Meraviglia solo for Nov 6 sailing from Port Canaveral (driving distance for me).  Great to hear solos are paired together at dinner, and hoping for fewer kids (though with Orlando nearby who knows...).  

 

The single supplement was minimal (maybe 10%) and the pricing of Easy Plus drinks + wifi very attractive!  (about $20/day)  I usually book inside or cheap outside but decided to live it up and get a balcony at the front of the ship.

[TheycallmeDrew]

2 hours ago, greg_atlanta said:

Just booked Meraviglia solo for Nov 6 sailing from Port Canaveral (driving distance for me).  Great to hear solos are paired together at dinner, and hoping for fewer kids (though with Orlando nearby who knows...).  

 

The single supplement was minimal (maybe 10%) and the pricing of Easy Plus drinks + wifi very attractive!  (about $20/day)  I usually book inside or cheap outside but decided to live it up and get a balcony at the front of the ship.

I will see you there!

[Elsammo46]

2 hours ago, TheycallmeDrew said:

I will see you there!

Me too!

[Chrisp5]

I did two solos on Meraviglia out of port Canaveral within the last year.  One one cruise as best I could tell there was one other solo traveler.  On the second there was a decent amount, we had a great time at the solo meetups and around the ship.

[greg_atlanta]

The hosted Meraviglia solo meetup (Nov 6-13) had around 50 people, I was surprised.

[cruiseelady]

28 minutes ago, greg_atlanta said:

The hosted Meraviglia solo meetup (Nov 6-13) had around 50 people, I was surprised.

Wow that is impressive.  I did a solo on Divina and it was just about 8 people.  I didn't go to all the meetups though, maybe some days it was more.  

 

Thinking of booking MSC Divina from Miami for December.  

[CruisinMaterial]

Having sailed the MSC Poesia recently internationally (before it repositioned to the Med and now Qatar for the World Cup), I can say they had a nice solo gathering which was hosted on the day after Germany embarkation. Since the ship had two major embarkation ports - Copenhagen and Warnemunde, they waited until the second to have the gathering. Thereafter, they had a nightly event at the Bar de Poeti before the first seating.

 

Given I was on a ship which had 2/3 of their market sourced from Germany, they didn't have the solos sitting together. It was more based on your speaking presence. The first segment I did had three English speaking solos. The second segment had eight but some were from Denmark who spoke English and chose to sit with us two from USA. It was quite a good time and the social hosts were very warm and welcoming every time I saw them on the ship!

 

When I sailed on the Seaside with MSC the first time I spoke with the Hotel Director who I knew from NCL and said they were missing a key demographic. I'm happy to see they've since instituted it fleetwide. For solo pricing, MSC is really competitive!

[carolphoto]

I am just back home from a 15 day MSC Seashore cruise out of Miami (Oct. 29 to Nov. 13). Having had a great solo experience on the Meraviglia three years ago, I had no worries about this one.  I asked for a dinner table sharing with other solo passengers. However, I dined alone, except for two nights when a lively British lady joined me.  She found 5:15 too early however, so chose a later time. When I asked the Maître D for dinner company it seemed to be impossible.  My table was fully booked, but the others never came.  Single get togethers were at the same time, 5:00 p.m.

 

 I did go to the hosted singles cocktail party, very nice, the second week, and was surprised to see about 70 people there.  The MSC hostess, in a short speech said that MSC was working to expand solo cruising.  It really does make a difference to meet others onboard.  At lunch time I always asked to share a table but only rarely did that work out.  Other solos said they had the same experience.  Fortunately I had two fantastic Balinese waiters at dinner time, so that helped.

 

Also, even though my cruise contract said I had a Deluxe Balcony Cabin, it had a solid white panel outside that I had to stand to see over, and about 30 feet of bow extending beneath it instead of ocean.  All of the passengers I met who were given similar balcony cabins in that area were solo travellers. All attempts to change cabins were refused.

 

It is a beautiful ship but it has many problems.

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

8 hours ago, carolphoto said:

Also, even though my cruise contract said I had a Deluxe Balcony Cabin, it had a solid white panel outside that I had to stand to see over, and about 30 feet of bow extending beneath it instead of ocean.  All of the passengers I met who were given similar balcony cabins in that area were solo travellers. All attempts to change cabins were refused.

 

It is a beautiful ship but it has many problems.

 

I've just booked a solo Deluxe Balcony Fantastica Experience for my first time trying MSC so I think I'm okay, but, where exactly were you on the ship that you did not have glass balcony?

 

Sorry your dining experience could've been better, but, please do elaborate on the many other problems!  You've made me a bit hesitant now.

[carolphoto]

With the Fantastica Experience you can choose your location so you will be fine.  If you look on the deck plan on the MSC site, the cabins with a solid white balustrade are shaded grey.  They are at the front of the ship, with a very long walk to the elevators.  The best locations are between the two sets of elevators.  You can also see where the white panels are as white trim if you look at a side view of the ship.  Other cruise lines would have sold these as an Obstructed View cabin, at a lower price than a “Deluxe Balcony Cabin”.  
 

I was told onboard that my sailing was overbooked.  I was limiting comments here to my own solo experience to keep to the topic so I won’t go into the other details.  I am sure you will enjoy your cruise.