Tell me about MSC

[davy jones]

We are experienced North American cruisers who are considering trying a MSC Caribbean cruise.

 

We have sailed on all of the mainstream US lines in standard cabins.  How does MSC compare to them in terms of onboard atmosphere, dining, and entertainment?  We prefer my time dining vs. fixed seating. 

[cellfree]

My suggestion would be to try MSC. “How does MSC compare to other cruise lines?” - everyone has a different point of view to that question plus there are so many variables comparing any two cruise lines. 

You did say you do not prefer a fixed dining time - only Aurea guests get “anytime” dining, Bella and Fantastica are assigned a fixed time. We have sailed both Bella (you do not choose a specific cabin) and Fantastica and the only difference we have found apart from not choosing a specific cabin is with Bella you do not get room service which we typically do not use anyway. 

Right now we have three cruises booked on MSC, a couple Bella and one Fantastica. 

[Two Wheels Only]

14 minutes ago, cellfree said:

You did say you do not prefer a fixed dining time - only Aurea guests get “anytime” dining, Bella and Fantastica are assigned a fixed time.

 

Yacht Club guests can also eat at anytime.  

[JT1962]

There are several similar threads on this board with lots of good information and opinions. People either love or hate MSC. There doesn’t seem to be many in between.

 

I cruised MSC for the first time in January on the Meraviglia after 20 cruises on several other lines, primarily Royal Caribbean and Carnival. I loved it and was on Divina for 19 days in October and have 3 more MSC cruises booked in 2023.  I found the food, entertainment and service equivalent to or better than other lines I have been on.

The pre-cruise experience with the website and customer service can be horrible, but the onboard experience is very good. Ocean Cay, their private island, is the best I have been to.
 

If you are looking for an amusement park onboard, need 24 hour entertainment, or are expecting a carbon copy of other mainstream cruise lines, then it may not be for you. If you want a more traditional cruise experience at a great price, then give MSC a try. 

[graphicguy]

17 minutes ago, JT1962 said:

There are several similar threads on this board with lots of good information and opinions. People either love or hate MSC. There doesn’t seem to be many in between.

 

I cruised MSC for the first time in January on the Meraviglia after 20 cruises on several other lines, primarily Royal Caribbean and Carnival. I loved it and was on Divina for 19 days in October and have 3 more MSC cruises booked in 2023.  I found the food, entertainment and service equivalent to or better than other lines I have been on.

The pre-cruise experience with the website and customer service can be horrible, but the onboard experience is very good. Ocean Cay, their private island, is the best I have been to.
 

If you are looking for an amusement park onboard, need 24 hour entertainment, or are expecting a carbon copy of other mainstream cruise lines, then it may not be for you. If you want a more traditional cruise experience at a great price, then give MSC a try. 

Good/Accurate assessment.

[asalligo]

3 hours ago, JT1962 said:

If you want a more traditional cruise experience at a great price, then give MSC a try. 

That makes me so happy to read! Meraviglia in 41 days!

[ready2cruzagain]

4 hours ago, cellfree said:

My suggestion would be to try MSC. “How does MSC compare to other cruise lines?” - everyone has a different point of view to that question plus there are so many variables comparing any two cruise lines. 

You did say you do not prefer a fixed dining time - only Aurea guests get “anytime” dining, Bella and Fantastica are assigned a fixed time. We have sailed both Bella (you do not choose a specific cabin) and Fantastica and the only difference we have found apart from not choosing a specific cabin is with Bella you do not get room service which we typically do not use anyway. 

Right now we have three cruises booked on MSC, a couple Bella and one Fantastica. 

First time I read this I thought you meant you don't get your cabin cleaned when you said you don't get room service 🤣. I had to read it a couple of times.

 

I agree, having sailed both Bella and Fantastica that is about the only difference, can't pick cabin and no free room service in Bella. 

 

OP, we will be sailing our 50th cruise come this January, all are Caribbean cruises. We have sailed Carnival, NCL, Princess and Celebrity. We tried MSC in 2018 and fell in love with it and it is our preferred cruise line now. 

 

Granted it is different than American cruise lines but for us it is better. Food is subjective but we have never had a problem finding something to eat. We love the food. The entertainment is quite different such as the shows are only 30 to 45 minutes and you can find an acrobat or an opera singer thrown into the mix out of the blue. We like their shows.  Lots of different cultures on each cruise and lot the diversity.  

 

I suggest trying it and going into it with your eyes wide open. It is NOT like Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, etc. MSC is a unique cruise line. If don't compare it to the others and give it a chance you will more than likely love it. 

[cellfree]

31 minutes ago, ready2cruzagain said:

First time I read this I thought you meant you don't get your cabin cleaned when you said you don't get room service 🤣. I had to read it a couple of times.

 

I suggest trying it and going into it with your eyes wide open. It is NOT like Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, etc. MSC is a unique cruise line. If don't compare it to the others and give it a chance you will more than likely love it. 

Yikes - I especially enjoy that MSC stewards still clean cabins twice a day - ha!

We now cruise (mainly) between Carnival and MSC, different experiences, enjoy both. We are at 40+ cruises. I tell our girls we are going on “vacation from retirement.”

 

[Nunagoras]

24 minutes ago, cellfree said:

Yikes - I especially enjoy that MSC stewards still clean cabins twice a day - ha!

We now cruise (mainly) between Carnival and MSC, different experiences, enjoy both. We are at 40+ cruises. I tell our girls we are going on “vacation from retirement.”

 

Never gone with Carnival, just MSC and RCI, but it is worth to note that there are some 3 different Carnivals out there: The one on older 3* EU hotel standards like ships with the Farcus designed insides (some of them ugly from photos and videos shown elsewhere), making some of "those" 3-4 night "fun" cruises, the one with the new Mardi Gras onward ships that is truly EU 4* hotel standards in full and now that new one popping up now with the "carnivalized" relatively new Costa ships that will be named "Carnival Fun Italian Style". All those 3 are different Carnival "drives", me thinks for different passengers. Either way: Only thinking here in Europe; MSC; which is true and solid 4* EU hotel standards; tends to attract such a more selected and cosmopolitan clientele than Costa in EU or Carnival in the US. Rarely such a "fun" ship on MSC, consequently rarely a drunken crowd.

 

Yes; on MSC, as far as I know, cabins are serviced twice a day; and when one talks about no room service for Bella category; it is the lack of free continental breakfast or other free room services deliveries we're talking about, not the lack of cabin servicing!...

 

If I needed to compare MSC with RCI which is my unique term of comparison, I'd say they'd to be a better product than RCI, apart that extra WOW factor RCI can give out of an Oasis class on entertainment, crowd management, decoration and buffet like food availability service.