A Princess cruiser trying MSC...

[Mona Lisa]

My three boys sailed Christmas '05 with us on the Caribbean Princess. Now they have been begging for another cruise vacation. I cannot find a Princess sailing that will not cost us at least $5000 in cruise fare. With the nearly $2000 in air, I just couldn't fathom spending that kind of money. So hesitantly, I booked us on the MSC Lirica where kids sale free. It only cost $3000 for an oceanview and an inside. Am I nuts?

[dforeigner]

My three boys sailed Christmas '05 with us on the Caribbean Princess. Now they have been begging for another cruise vacation. I cannot find a Princess sailing that will not cost us at least $5000 in cruise fare. With the nearly $2000 in air, I just couldn't fathom spending that kind of money. So hesitantly, I booked us on the MSC Lirica where kids sale free. It only cost $3000 for an oceanview and an inside. Am I nuts?

 

I don't think you are nuts. On a side note, please be sure and write a comparison contrast review between these two cruise lines upon your return.

[PescadoAmarillo]

On a side note, please be sure and write a comparison contrast review between these two cruise lines upon your return.

It will require more courage to post a comparative review than to take the MSC cruise!;)

[Cruzman]

We actually considered the MSC Orchestra for our April 2009 cruise because of the great price. Ultimately the lack of just about any higher end cabins prompted me to go with the Carnival Legend; got a cat 11 suite at a great price!

[nevis92]

We spent a week aboard the MSC Opera a few years ago and had a great cruise. However, it is a VERY different experience from Princess and unless you are prepared for the differences, you may find yourself very dissappointed.

 

Being on the Opera was like being in Europe. Very few people speak English, (although it was very easy to communicate with the staff our wishes). The food is very different. The passenger mix is very European. If you are prepared that it is an EXPERIENCE and are very open-minded, you'll have a unique, wonderful cruise.

 

It all depends on what YOU want from a cruise.

[Chesie]

As long as you have done your research. 4 years ago we decided to do a Panama Canal cruise and our TA recommend MSC. We were looking for a European feel for a cruise. Didn't want the the water slides, golf sims etc. Booked a balcony as a surprise for DH. Half of the ship were Americans and half Europeans.

 

Went out of Ft Lauderdale r/t. Very easy on and escorted to cabin immediately. Cabin as fabulous, roomy and stewart couldn't have been nicer.

 

Ship had a wonderful forward meditation salon. Wicker chase lounges with glass windows to see all that was ahead. Unfortunately to get there you had to go through the noisy work out area with music blaring. Someone didn't plan that too well.

 

Two pools which were nice. Very simple activities. I would count on one hand the children I saw on board. It was February.

 

At that time, they only had one seating for dinner. We had the same table mates for 12 days. Both couples were from opposite ends of the earth and couldn't have been more different. We felt like refs the whole trip. Food was disappointing for an Italian line. After the 3rd day I appraoched the big guy and told him that as an Italian, I could not be more disappointed with the food. Edible but far from great. I also stated to the big guy that his dining room was terribly understaffed. They just couldn't keep up with the volumn. Not the waiters fault, MSC's.

 

They had an Italian couple singing in the area just in front of the dining room that we managed to listen to nightly. Weto a couple of the shows which were good.

 

Since this was an Italian line and they wanted to bring the Europeans over to our end of the earth, everything was translated in 5 languages. I got to know 55 for bingo in German pretty good! Italian, English, German, French and Spanish. Even when they introduced the entertainment at night, all 5 languages. But that was ok. We researched the line. The American's who didn't, were crabbing all through the cruise. Dress was alittle more formal at night as the Europeans see to be.

 

So I guess what I'm saying is do your research before you book. Is it the style cruising you are looking for? Enough activities for the children? etc.

 

In general we had a great time, staff were wonderful. Medium size ship to navigate well.

 

Funny, we are booked on our first Princess cruise for Octoberr. Have heard nightmares about them too!

 

 

Good luck and enjoy whichever line you take.

 

Chesie

 

Chesielong

My three boys sailed Christmas '05 with us on the Caribbean Princess. Now they have been begging for another cruise vacation. I cannot find a Princess sailing that will not cost us at least $5000 in cruise fare. With the nearly $2000 in air, I just couldn't fathom spending that kind of money. So hesitantly, I booked us on the MSC Lirica where kids sale free. It only cost $3000 for an oceanview and an inside. Am I nuts?

[willysgrandma]

MSC is pushing the fact that kids are free with TA's. However, I don't know much about their kids programs. Make sure you read up on it - I might also go to the MSC boards and post and ask how the kids programs are.

 

I have heard repeatedly from people who have cruised on MSC about the food being bad. And that is from several TA's I know who have sailed on the line. That alone has made me hesitant about recommending them.

 

I'd go to the MSC boards and do a lot of reading.

[awhcruiser]

Cabin as fabulous, roomy and stewart couldn't have been nicer.

 

 

Who is stewart??

 

:D

[nschurr]

Funny, we are booked on our first Princess cruise for Octoberr. Have heard nightmares about them too!

 

 

????????:confused:

[mek]

I'll be interested in your review when you return. Two years ago, DH and I were looking for something different and decided to give Costa a try. The Magica was beautiful, the entertainment fine, and the cruise director was a hoot, but we hated the food. I love Italian food, we have cruised the Med 3X, and travel to Europe frequently, so it's not that we don't know what to expect from a "European experience." Unless we wanted to eat the pasta of the day, everything else, IMO, was the worst food we have ever experienced on any cruise. I hope MSC is better for you.

[Lynda90]

Cabin as fabulous, roomy and stewart couldn't have been nicer.

 

 

Who is stewart??

 

:D

Maybe the cabin steward's name was stewart. :p :p

[7continentKaren]

We had a great time on Lirica as we traveled with friends. Itinerary excellent BUT the worst food on the seas. Lamb chops all fat and gristle, no meat! Ice cream made from powder - different colors, same taste. One small slice of an Italian baguette on your bread plate, no basket or variety. Small portions but who cared? Lost weight!

[Mona Lisa]

I have researched MSC. Just like on Princess and Royal Caribbean, you will find those who loved it and those who didn't. However, the scales are tipped a little more unfavorably on MSC than the other major lines.

 

Our boys will be 18, 16 and 12. Even two years ago they were too cool to participate in the kids programs so that isn't even a factor.

 

The food in the Pergola and the buffet is more important to our "junk-food-junkies" than the dining room fare. We like Italian food but are prepared to not be impressed...I have read repeatedly that it is mediocre at best and to ask for the steak rare unless you want it charred.

 

I love the idea of a multi-cultural experience. That will be educational for our kids. I will miss the piano bar singing American music, though. (We are huge fans of Bert Stratton on the Caribbean Princess.)

 

If I so dare ;) , I will write a review with honest comparisons from the adult and kid perspective. I hope to be pleasantly surprised. We do realize though...you get what you pay for. Any day at sea in the Caribbean beats snowy Cincinnati during the Christmas hustle and bustle. How could we go wrong? :D

 

Thanks again everyone!

[Mona Lisa]

Well, we sailed the MSC Lirica and we definitely missed Princess. That is not to say that we didn't have a good time, we did...it just wasn't fabulous. The sail away, kids activities, food, cabins, pools, tendering, the gym, and times in port were all better on Princess. We also missed Movies Under the Stars! Every ship should have MUTS as a standard. A cruise ship without a movie screen is like a cruise ship without a pool. :p

 

In some categories MSC surpassed Princess: There are pool deck attendants so there is zero tolerance of chair hogs...ya gotta love that. Leave it for 20 minutes and lose your chair and towel. I never encountered drink pushers. The staff were available but almost never approached you unless you sat in the lounge or bars. It was never pushy and the drink gratuity was already worked into their reasonable prices. The room stewards were fast, friendly and non-invasive. I rarely saw them but our rooms were kept well stocked and very tidy. The ship is sparkling clean and being polished literally 24 hours a day. Princess windows were always cloudy but they washed ours twice during our 7 day trip. The theater dancers were spectacular! The performed acts comparable to something seen in Cirque de Solei. My husband loved that they all wore thongs. :eek: All it did was make me wish that I could hit that gym more often...but it's hours were so limited.

 

I posted a review on the MSC boards. MSC was a nice cruise with a European flare but Princess made me feel more at home and kept our family more entertained. I went with a group of 10 who all agreed...the Caribbean Princess was more family friendly. I think MSC caters to an older generation. It was common to see folks playing cards, Monopoly and other board games all over the ship. I thought that made my point right there...there isn't enough to do on this ship.

 

Happy Sailing no matter where you all are going! Any day at sea is better than a day at work, right?

[caribill]

Thanks for the followup after the cruise.

[NH Cruisers]

I will probably give them a try sometime.

[California Native]

mona lisa..

Grazie for reporting back...

we have been looking at MSC options for European Travel that is tacked on to our land travel there.

The aspect of it leaning towards European passengers is expected, as it's a European company and since we are well traveled in Europe with extensive backroad experience to areas of travel that travel writers are just beginning to discover and NO ONE spoke English... (the funny stories I could tell!)

We would probably feel quite at home...

What we would like to be prepared for is the smoking policy..

 

was it enforced?

Bon Voyage!