Pirate's First MSC Experience! A LIVE Seaside 8/20/23-8/27/23 Review

[pirate4me2]

Hello, my MSC Cruise family!

 

Brand new MSC cruiser here, and although I am not new to cruising (I have 25 Carnival cruises under my belt), I feel like a newbie. I have so much to learn about this line, but it has revived my excitement about cruising, which is a great thing! I love Carnival, and I will continue to sail with them, but I am hopeful that MSC will be a line I can sprinkle in sailings with to keep things “fresh” and exciting.

 

I love doing live reviews of my sailings on the Carnival boards, and since we have WiFi onboard this upcoming cruise I thought you all may enjoy a live review thru a new MSC cruiser’s eyes. I plan to post each evening, and I will sprinkle in comparisons between CCL and MSC in case anyone on here has thought of cruising with CCL. 

 

So, how did we come to booking this sailing? My mom began cruising with me in 2017, and she really enjoyed sailing in the Havana area onboard the Vista class Carnival ships. On one of our sailings, a fellow passenger told us about MSC and the Yacht Club, and my mom began researching and said she really wanted to try cruising with them. So, we booked a cruise aboard MSC for September 2020….butttttt we all know what happened there. Fast forward to March 2023, and I was planning our first mother/daughter post-Covid vacation, and none of the August ’23 Carnival sailings were ticking the boxes…and then I remembered MSC. I took a look at the website (which I hate by the way….it is really glitchy on both my work computer and my phone for some reason), and I saw there was a sailing August 20, 2023 aboard the MSC Seaside with Yacht Club cabins available. Heck yeah, I’ll take it! I snatched one up, and as I was researching I was a bit shell shocked at the price…in a good way! If we were to book a Havana balcony on Carnival, then add on the drink package (included with MSC) and Wifi (included with MSC), it would be more expensive than just booking in the Yacht Club with MSC! This is a great value!

 

We did status match back in 2020, and luckily our match (Gold for me, I forget what for Mom), is still in effect until this December. I love that MSC does this  program, and how they work it with the "sail every 3 years or start over" policy. Carnival has so many Platinum and Diamond members that it is getting out of hand and they are looking at revamping it. I feel like MSC's policy really keeps it so that their higher level member numbers are more manageable. 

 

I also really like that MSC opens check in for your cruise 30 days prior to sailing, as opposed to Carnival’s 16 days. I tend to have too much going on all at once and can be scatterbrained and loose track of time and forget to check in until the last minute, so that extra 2 weeks was helpful. The process and questions are much the same, but MSC’s dang website keeps giving me an error when I try and print my boarding pass. I was able to download my e-ticket packet though  so hopefully that is enough. By far, Carnival wins with ease of printing the check-in stuff….if I could get MSC’s boarding pass to work, I would have said they are equal, but man their IT departments needs to get it together!

 

I just got the email this morning to personalize our YC experience. I filled it out, even though some people say the info isn’t transferred to the onboard staff. We shall see what happens! I love that they give you a selection of pillows to choose from, I am a bit of a pillow snob and just super picky about mine, so this made my day to see. I’m high maintenance, I know!

 

So, who is ready to see their favorite cruise line thru fresh eyes? Come sail away with me!

[Moz]

4 hours ago, pirate4me2 said:

Hello, my MSC Cruise family!

 

Brand new MSC cruiser here, and although I am not new to cruising (I have 25 Carnival cruises under my belt), I feel like a newbie. I have so much to learn about this line, but it has revived my excitement about cruising, which is a great thing! I love Carnival, and I will continue to sail with them, but I am hopeful that MSC will be a line I can sprinkle in sailings with to keep things “fresh” and exciting.

 

I love doing live reviews of my sailings on the Carnival boards, and since we have WiFi onboard this upcoming cruise I thought you all may enjoy a live review thru a new MSC cruiser’s eyes. I plan to post each evening, and I will sprinkle in comparisons between CCL and MSC in case anyone on here has thought of cruising with CCL. 

 

So, how did we come to booking this sailing? My mom began cruising with me in 2017, and she really enjoyed sailing in the Havana area onboard the Vista class Carnival ships. On one of our sailings, a fellow passenger told us about MSC and the Yacht Club, and my mom began researching and said she really wanted to try cruising with them. So, we booked a cruise aboard MSC for September 2020….butttttt we all know what happened there. Fast forward to March 2023, and I was planning our first mother/daughter post-Covid vacation, and none of the August ’23 Carnival sailings were ticking the boxes…and then I remembered MSC. I took a look at the website (which I hate by the way….it is really glitchy on both my work computer and my phone for some reason), and I saw there was a sailing August 20, 2023 aboard the MSC Seaside with Yacht Club cabins available. Heck yeah, I’ll take it! I snatched one up, and as I was researching I was a bit shell shocked at the price…in a good way! If we were to book a Havana balcony on Carnival, then add on the drink package (included with MSC) and Wifi (included with MSC), it would be more expensive than just booking in the Yacht Club with MSC! This is a great value!

 

We did status match back in 2020, and luckily our match (Gold for me, I forget what for Mom), is still in effect until this December. I love that MSC does this  program, and how they work it with the "sail every 3 years or start over" policy. Carnival has so many Platinum and Diamond members that it is getting out of hand and they are looking at revamping it. I feel like MSC's policy really keeps it so that their higher level member numbers are more manageable. 

 

I also really like that MSC opens check in for your cruise 30 days prior to sailing, as opposed to Carnival’s 16 days. I tend to have too much going on all at once and can be scatterbrained and loose track of time and forget to check in until the last minute, so that extra 2 weeks was helpful. The process and questions are much the same, but MSC’s dang website keeps giving me an error when I try and print my boarding pass. I was able to download my e-ticket packet though  so hopefully that is enough. By far, Carnival wins with ease of printing the check-in stuff….if I could get MSC’s boarding pass to work, I would have said they are equal, but man their IT departments needs to get it together!

 

I just got the email this morning to personalize our YC experience. I filled it out, even though some people say the info isn’t transferred to the onboard staff. We shall see what happens! I love that they give you a selection of pillows to choose from, I am a bit of a pillow snob and just super picky about mine, so this made my day to see. I’m high maintenance, I know!

 

So, who is ready to see their favorite cruise line thru fresh eyes? Come sail away with me!

We were long time Carnival cruisers platinum members but our last cruise on Carnival was filled with a loud, crude and unruly passengers.  We tried our first cruise on msc in 1919 and no comparison, We've experienced real class like the way  Carnival used to be.  Have enjoyed several since along with NCL and RCL  I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as we have   One thing I don't understand about Carnival cruisers that they seem afraid to try other lines and why they are so terribly loyal and defend Carnival to the core,  I agree that Carnival has many good things and a wonderful staff and great food but a few very crude raunchy people (the crowd that loves the filthy sex jokes and bad language)  have sort of ruined it for us,  Enjoy your cruise,

 

[pirate4me2]

@Moz I think a big part of it for me has been change....I do not like change, I am afraid of the unknown. I am getting over that though!

[pirate4me2]

Eeeek, it’s time to start packing…and I pulled out my normal suitcase I use for Carnival, which is a carry-on size. I have FINALLY after 11 years of cruising gotten it down to where I can pack into a carry-on and a backpack….but not for MSC apparently. ☹ I realized as I was packing that the reason I can pack into a carry-on with Carnival is thanks to my Platinum status, and the free laundry perk that comes with it. I won’t have that with MSC, and maybe I am just a cheap-o, but I refuse to pay the price that they want for laundry. So, I hauled out my old faithful friend that hasn’t traveled in a while and was quite dusty….the big old teal full-size suitcase. But, it's probably good I pulled out Old Faithful….I am feeling a bit anxious over MSC’s evening dress code. We are in Yacht Club, and it sounds like I need to make sure I have “nicer” attire for their dining room, even on non-gala night. So instead of wearing shorts, flip flops and a T-shirt to dinner (yes, I am that person!) I had to pack 4 outfits just for dinner.  AND I realized that all my “dressy” shoes are technically just fancy flip flops. Argh. Guess I need to go buy a nice, neutral pair of dress shoes.  Hubby will be THRILLED that his shoe-obsessed wife has a reason to go to the shoe store. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

[Essiesmom]

Assuming you plan to explore outside the yacht club, I suggest you go to cruise deck plans and crest a pdf of all the public areas. They here is so much mirror decor that you can get confused as to where you are and want to go. You keep almost running into yourself. EM

[pirate4me2]

26 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Assuming you plan to explore outside the yacht club, I suggest you go to cruise deck plans and crest a pdf of all the public areas. They here is so much mirror decor that you can get confused as to where you are and want to go. You keep almost running into yourself. EM

Thank you so much for this tip! I will go do that now for sure....I can just see me running into a mirrored wall. 😂

And thanks for the live review, I am following along!

[psmarkle]

I am so excited for you and your first Yacht Club experience...be prepared to be swept away! It starts with spotting that white YC embarkation tent and avoiding all the lines! Then being escorted past the security lines, then to the YC waiting area with sparkling wine and appetizers...ahhhhh. And this is all before you even get on the ship!

 

Just finsihed booking yet another YC trip on the Divina this time. Thought about doing the Magnifica which does not have a YC and the wife just gave me the RCA dog head tilt 🤣

 

 

[pirate4me2]

22 minutes ago, psmarkle said:

I am so excited for you and your first Yacht Club experience...be prepared to be swept away! It starts with spotting that white YC embarkation tent and avoiding all the lines! Then being escorted past the security lines, then to the YC waiting area with sparkling wine and appetizers...ahhhhh. And this is all before you even get on the ship!

 

Just finsihed booking yet another YC trip on the Divina this time. Thought about doing the Magnifica which does not have a YC and the wife just gave me the RCA dog head tilt 🤣

 

 

HAHAHA too funny, your wife sounds like how I would probably be! 

If we like YC and MSC, Divina is on my radar to book. She has some nice looking itineraries that visit some islands we have never been to. 

[psmarkle]

Pirate, we have sailed the Seaside 2x and there are just a couple of quirks as she was the first of her class/a prototype. 

 

1. When you exit the YC on Deck 16, you run into the specialty restaurants. So you have to go down to deck 15 or up to deck 18 to go towards the back of the ship for anything outside of the YC. On later ships, like the Seashore we've sailed, they moved the sepcialty restaurants down to deck 8? to remedy this issue.

 

2. Not a lot of shade to be had in the YC pool area

 

3. The Aurea Top 19 sun deck area is on the same deck as the YC pool deck, so it reduces the area of the YC pool deck vs the later ships where they relocated the Aurea sun deck one deck lower and expanded the YC pool deck down the sides which allows for more available shade.

 

Very minor things about the Seaside, as I mentioned, we've enjoyed her so much we've sailed her 2x and almost a third until COVID hit!

[JAGR]

38 minutes ago, psmarkle said:

1. When you exit the YC on Deck 16, you run into the specialty restaurants.

 

For some of us, the presence of the restaurants on deck 16 had one advantage!  The common cocktail lounge for the restaurants had some really good bartenders, and the specialty "smoked" drinks there were great.  It wasn't the same going down to deck 8 on Seashore, especially when our room was on 16 the two times we sailed Seascape.

Looking forward to her brief return to Miami at the end of the year.

Edited August 15, 2023 by JAGR

[pirate4me2]

54 minutes ago, psmarkle said:

Pirate, we have sailed the Seaside 2x and there are just a couple of quirks as she was the first of her class/a prototype. 

 

1. When you exit the YC on Deck 16, you run into the specialty restaurants. So you have to go down to deck 15 or up to deck 18 to go towards the back of the ship for anything outside of the YC. On later ships, like the Seashore we've sailed, they moved the sepcialty restaurants down to deck 8? to remedy this issue.

 

2. Not a lot of shade to be had in the YC pool area

 

3. The Aurea Top 19 sun deck area is on the same deck as the YC pool deck, so it reduces the area of the YC pool deck vs the later ships where they relocated the Aurea sun deck one deck lower and expanded the YC pool deck down the sides which allows for more available shade.

 

Very minor things about the Seaside, as I mentioned, we've enjoyed her so much we've sailed her 2x and almost a third until COVID hit!

Thank you for the tips, they are much appreciated!

 

15 minutes ago, JAGR said:

For some of us, the presence of the restaurants on deck 16 had one advantage!  The common cocktail lounge for the restaurants had some really good bartenders, and the specialty "smoked" drinks there were great.  It wasn't the same going down to deck 8 on Seashore, especially when our room was on 16 the two times we sailed Seascape.

Looking forward to her brief return to Miami at the end of the year.

Smoked cocktails? I am intrigued! Are they included in the YC drink package? 

[Chief93]

Heyyyyyyyyyyy, joining you from the "other" board, will be hanging on your every word. 

 

Also, nice dog.

[JAGR]

17 hours ago, pirate4me2 said:

Thank you for the tips, they are much appreciated!

 

Smoked cocktails? I am intrigued! Are they included in the YC drink package? 

We were on Seaside pre-COVID, and it was either included or the bartenders didn't mind.  With the new pricing structure, the worst case scenario is that you pay the difference between the price and the YC allowed price of up to $15.  I think the high-end price for the those drinks would be $16, so it might cost a dollar.

[pirate4me2]

13 hours ago, Chief93 said:

Heyyyyyyyyyyy, joining you from the "other" board, will be hanging on your every word. 

 

Also, nice dog.

Thank you! She is an absolute mess, and has the most personality of any dog I have ever owned. We love her to pieces! 

 

1 hour ago, JAGR said:

We were on Seaside pre-COVID, and it was either included or the bartenders didn't mind.  With the new pricing structure, the worst case scenario is that you pay the difference between the price and the YC allowed price of up to $15.  I think the high-end price for the those drinks would be $16, so it might cost a dollar.

I think on the page it says our YC drink price is up to $16....I will have to double check. I can always do recon while onboard and find out too! 

[pirate4me2]

Is it time to go yet???

Mom informed me that she wants to head out at 4 am on Saturday. 😵 I think she has lost her mind! It's a 8.5 to 9 hr drive to PC from where we are, there is no reason to head out that dang early. I told her if we do, she's driving the first 5 hours....I will NOT be human if I have to get up at 3:15. She is plum cray cray. 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, pirate4me2 said:

Mom informed me that she wants to head out at 4 am on Saturday

Sounds to me like "Mom" has 'true grit'.

[pirate4me2]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Sounds to me like "Mom" has 'true grit'.

Oh she does! 

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, pirate4me2 said:

Oh she does! 

I think it would be very 'neighborly' of her to maybe 'pop in here' and give us her keen observations of the cruise from her obvious spunk and determination.

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 8/14/2023 at 4:32 PM, Moz said:

We were long time Carnival cruisers platinum members but our last cruise on Carnival was filled with a loud, crude and unruly passengers.  We tried our first cruise on msc in 1919 and no comparison, We've experienced real class like the way  Carnival used to be.  Have enjoyed several since along with NCL and RCL  I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as we have   One thing I don't understand about Carnival cruisers that they seem afraid to try other lines and why they are so terribly loyal and defend Carnival to the core,  I agree that Carnival has many good things and a wonderful staff and great food but a few very crude raunchy people (the crowd that loves the filthy sex jokes and bad language)  have sort of ruined it for us,  Enjoy your cruise,

 

come on you're talking 104 years. Nothing is the same as 100 years ago. 🤪

[pirate4me2]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I think it would be very 'neighborly' of her to maybe 'pop in here' and give us her keen observations of the cruise from her obvious spunk and determination.

I told her to come on here and pipe in now and then. She said if she can remember her login info (her screen name is Lilabee or something like that) she will make an appearance…unless she has too many frozen concoctions 😂

[Lillabee4me]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I think it would be very 'neighborly' of her to maybe 'pop in here' and give us her keen observations of the cruise from her obvious spunk and determination.

Mom here. Pirate is NEVER a morning person. I figure we don’t get much sleep anyways the night before, so why not. The hardest part will be feeding the six cats, five Rottweilers and putting them outside and feeding the five horses before we go. I already bought my neighbors a bottle of wine and Buffalo Trace to say I’m sorry if the dogs bark, so they are all set. 

[Essiesmom]

It’s WhiteAssuming you plan to explore outside the yacht club, I suggest you go to cruise deck plans and crest a pdf of all the public areas. They here is so much mirror decor that you can get confused as to where you are and want to go. You keep almost running into yourself. EM

[Essiesmom]

I think the above posted before…but the idiosyncrasies ofCC…

  it is White Night, combined with Italian night in mdr. You would have been right at home walking into the mdr…they were singing and dancing a la Carnival. Waiter said they only do it on Italian night.

 

[pirate4me2]

10 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I think the above posted before…but the idiosyncrasies ofCC…

  it is White Night, combined with Italian night in mdr. You would have been right at home walking into the mdr…they were singing and dancing a la Carnival. Waiter said they only do it on Italian night.

 

I will feel right at home then! HAHAHA. I actually have somehow missed "Showtime!" in the MDR the past several CCL cruises. 

 

[pirate4me2]

Pre Cruise Hotel Info:

When I sailed on Mardi Gras last November, DH and I stayed at Home2Suites in Cape Canaveral for the first time. Their address is 9004 Astronaut Blvd in Cape Canaveral, and the location cannot be beat! It’s super easy to find (although if you come in too quick you can easily pass right by, like we did), close to the port, and they have a park & cruise package. I honestly don’t mind parking at the port in PC, it is super convenient, but if I can get a hotel the night before that allows me to keep my car (well, truck) there, and will shuttle me to (and sometimes from) the port, that is awesome. The hotel was also super clean (unlike the Raddisson, which use to be my go to pre-Covid), with a nice pool, so I decided to go ahead and book it again for this sailing.