Does MSC really have enough business to do back-to-back-to-back winter cruises from the same port?

[Stockjock]

I was looking at winter cruises out of Barcelona and they have Poesia leaving one night (10 nights), World Europa leaving the next night (7 nights), and Fantasia leaving the following night (7 nights).

Does MSC really have that much business lined up to fill 3 ships sailing out of the same port on 3 straight nights?  Or is it a good bet that at least one of those 3 sailings would be cancelled?

[SirWolf]

The three cruises don’t necessarily start all in Barcelona. They are cruising loops and only have Barcelona, Marseille and Genoa in common. All other ports are different.

So, basically these are three different cruises (loops) with multiple embarking/disembarking ports.

[JT1962]

On MSC cruises in the Mediterranean (and maybe other area outside the US), it is common for passengers to board at many of the ports and get off when the ship returns to that same port. Everyone does not board at the same port and complete the itinerary together as US cruises do.

[Tierun]

I’m booked on World Europa out of Barcelona next year. So they have my business.

[sealynx]

They are also building their own dedicated terminal, so I'm quite sure they have enough reason to have ships there nearly every day. Not just because of many (dis)embarking passengers, but also because it is by far one of the most popular destinations. In my opinion Barcelona is also one of the few ports worth visiting several times.

[At Sea At Peace]

12 hours ago, Stockjock said:

I was looking at winter cruises out of Barcelona and they have Poesia leaving one night (10 nights), World Europa leaving the next night (7 nights), and Fantasia leaving the following night (7 nights).

Does MSC really have that much business lined up to fill 3 ships sailing out of the same port on 3 straight nights?  Or is it a good bet that at least one of those 3 sailings would be cancelled?

 

Maybe they do?

 

https://cruiseradio.net/msc-cruises-record-number-of-bookings/

 

MSC Cruises Sees Record Number Of Bookings In October

• By Sarah Bretz
• November 9, 2022

 

 

 

 

[Nunagoras]

15 hours ago, Stockjock said:

I was looking at winter cruises out of Barcelona and they have Poesia leaving one night (10 nights), World Europa leaving the next night (7 nights), and Fantasia leaving the following night (7 nights).

Does MSC really have that much business lined up to fill 3 ships sailing out of the same port on 3 straight nights?  Or is it a good bet that at least one of those 3 sailings would be cancelled?

Yes, they have! First of its all let's to consider Barcelona itself. A wonderful city enjoying a very favorable market condition, unique monumentality, coupled with one of the EU largest airport and land hotel facilities!

 

That said, and as others have said, different ship classes and different itineraries to go with, and guests will come from a multitude of ports. Barcelona, Marseilles and Genoa seem to be standard ones, with some others in the mix.

 

If you have never come to any of the ports, perhaps the Poesia may be intersting, once it might have some more interesting places to visit at barely the same price. Otherwise the WE might to be wonderful for the experience itself. If it was my turn to choose, I'd perhaps to choose the Fantasia for the well balanced ship size/amenities/value, unless I wanted the WE novelty experience...

 

Bear in mind though that, at least from the videos I'm watching the Poesia is not in pristine conditions right now. It's the unique Musica class vessel that wasn't retrofitted yet on the most recent times. She'll need to undergo her mandatory 5 years dry dock next year though, so, I believe she will receive the same renovations and tweaks all her sisters have received lately.

[Stockjock]

On 11/4/2022 at 11:20 AM, JT1962 said:

There are numerous things you can do prior to boarding your cruise with other websites that you cannot currently do with MSC, such as using onboard credit prior to boarding  to pay for excursions or other items. It seems obvious to me that the website, customer service and other parts of the pre-cruise experience are not a priority for them.
 

Maybe with enough complaints and poor feedback on the post-cruise surveys, they will get better. It seems they have focused on offering more “American Friendly” food options on cruises from the US.  Hopefully the pre-cruise issues will be improved at some point.

 

On 11/9/2022 at 3:56 AM, Ryan82 said:

What's gone wrong?

4 hours ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

Maybe they do?

 

https://cruiseradio.net/msc-cruises-record-number-of-bookings/

 

MSC Cruises Sees Record Number Of Bookings In October

• By Sarah Bretz
• November 9, 2022

 

 

 

 

Even though there are pre-cruise issues that MSC could clean up...a lot actually.  There are things that they do very well.  I don't know of another cruise line that offers the value that they do, particularly on such elegant ships, imo.  And as previously mentioned, during my recent Grandiosa cruise, I did noticed a big improvement in onboard customer service.

Now if only they could clean up that pre-cruise experience.

[Nunagoras]

12 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

 

Even though there are pre-cruise issues that MSC could clean up...a lot actually.  There are things that they do very well.  I don't know of another cruise line that offers the value that they do, particularly on such elegant ships, imo.  And as previously mentioned, during my recent Grandiosa cruise, I did noticed a big improvement in onboard customer service.

Now if only they could clean up that pre-cruise experience.

Maybe; now that most of those Eastern Europe countries are experiencing some nice economic growth, their long term Eastern Europe workers are returning home, and MSC is just hiring more on those Filipinos or Indians, most of them coming from either way the 4*/5* hotel industry or other more Americanized cruise lines. That may explain your sense of better onboard service, but for me the Eastern Europeans were great, and in some ways more assertive/attentive on their interactions than the Filipino/Indian crowd we have now elsewhere tourism industry wise. Simply; I don't want my servers to be my "best friends" for the day or for the week. I want them just to deliver what I ask timely and in order. A nice "Hello" suffixes as per conversation beginning. Apart that I wholly agree with what you say.

[Stockjock]

3 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

Maybe; now that most of those Eastern Europe countries are experiencing some nice economic growth, their long term Eastern Europe workers are returning home, and MSC is just hiring more on those Filipinos or Indians, most of them coming from either way the 4*/5* hotel industry or other more Americanized cruise lines. That may explain your sense of better onboard service, but for me the Eastern Europeans were great, and in some ways more assertive/attentive on their interactions than the Filipino/Indian crowd we have now elsewhere tourism industry wise. Simply; I don't want my servers to be my "best friends" for the day or for the week. I want them just to deliver what I ask timely and in order. A nice "Hello" suffixes as per conversation beginning. Apart that I wholly agree with what you say.

I want both; efficient and friendly service in a way that things get done.  To me, the friendliness should seem genuine and not fake.  I think some of Celebrity's crew pretty much nails it.  MSC getting better, imo.

Edited November 10, 2022 by Stockjock

[Nunagoras]

4 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

I want both; efficient and friendly service in a way that things get done.  To me, the friendly should seem genuine and not fake.  I think some of Celebrity's crew pretty much nails it.  MSC getting better, imo.

Well: Let us not to confuse discreet service with uneducated one. I accept and actually I prefer discreet service level, but I wouldn't want uneducated one. For me a nice "Hello! sufixes most of the time once I interact. I don't expect proactive interaction. Nice, but not intrusive, if I make me understandable. This is something that generally MSC does well. I hope they don't go the other way, but I understand that the talent base at their disposal comes mostly from "American style" trained individuals these days. Same for 4*/5* land hotels elsewhere these days.

[deliver42]

The Filipinos are more outgoing than the Eastern Europeans. Both provide excellent service, but in different ways. I never had a problem with the eastern Europeans before, but I do prefer the openess of the Filipiinos.

[At Sea At Peace]

18 hours ago, Stockjock said:

 

Even though there are pre-cruise issues that MSC could clean up...a lot actually.  There are things that they do very well.  I don't know of another cruise line that offers the value that they do, particularly on such elegant ships, imo.  

 

Totally agree. 

 

We tried MSC ahead of the 'curve and that was our thoughts.  We were getting B2B YC staterooms for 2-3 years, from Divina to Seaside to Meraviglia, for a third, then half of the NCL Haven.  Totally awesome value.

 

18 hours ago, Stockjock said:

 

And as previously mentioned, during my recent Grandiosa cruise, I did noticed a big improvement in onboard customer service.
 

 

We've found their Italian and European based staff above the industry average, and as they grow they've had to go to the 'traditional waters' used by other lines.

 

18 hours ago, Stockjock said:

Now if only they could clean up that pre-cruise experience.

 

 

Yep, that is still a real challenge, whether online or  on-the-phone, with or without a travel agent.  Speaking of travel agents, they need to specifically build that relationship.