MSC Poesia was a disappointment

[tuva]

Italian cuisine is no guarantee of good food – MSC Poesia was a disappointment

 

The Italian cruise ship company MSC hosts a Mediterranean gastronomic dining cruise featuring fine food and wine. Unfortunately the culinary experience will be less than expected, since the food comprises three-course cafeteria fare served as six dishes and costing twice as much – I will actually contend that I have eaten better dinners at roadside inns than the food turned out by the Italian cruise kitchen. Tough meat, tasteless fish and unsavoury side dishes characterised my dining experience. We felt cheated. The cruise company has apparently put their "bean counters" to work applying the modern economic principle known as "profit maximization". Basically this means using the cheapest ingredients available and charging the highest possible price. The dessert was good, I admit. Italian ice cream is not easy to ruin, but this one treat was not enough to compensate for poor dinners throughout the entire week.

 

Breakfast and lunch were good, but strangely enough, the fare was identical day after day. The advantage of this, of course, is that the meals are predictable - you know in advance what you are getting – and the dishes are placed in exactly the same place each day. The disadvantage is that the food becomes increasingly boring. Fortunately the cruise lasted only one week. If MSC Cruises had sent us on a two-week trip with second-rate food like this, I would have abandoned ship at the first available port of call.

 

Not one ill word about the service personnel on board, always smiling, helpful and service minded. Frustration increased, of course, with each passing day and the guests' realization that the quality of the food very simply would never improve. Naturally one cannot expect the gastronomic quality of French cuisine on board an Italian boat, but again, this was really the bottom of the barrel. If you are tempted by a cruise in the Mediterranean, be my guest, but if you want to enjoy fine cuisine on the high seas – forget it.

[peabody99]

I agree, we had issues too with food. I had to find a few items and stick to them (some of the pastas were good, and a couple vegetarian starters). I had one lamb dish that was good, but the rest of the meats were eeeck. I actually did not care for the breakfast, but like you said it was predictable so I had to find a couple things I thought were fine and stick to it. (bread, tomato, cheese)

[vjmatty]

How about the rest of the cruise? How was the ship, the cabins, entertainment, activities, pools, ports of call, excursions... did they come close to compensating for the food?

 

We are considering taking the Poesia in December on a Greek Island cruise that has what appears to be an excellent itinerary. I can get over the food if all else is better.

[tuva]

We have previous experience from Celebrity cruises; far higher value for money.

On the Poesia, the service was perfect, the staterooms were OK but on the small side, the entertainment was Italian and not to our taste at all. The excursions were fine, but of course – all the cruise lines buy this from independent operators. The pools were crowded with Italian children and the organisation of getting in and out of the ship was several times a complete mess – waiting in the stairs for half an hour. The ship was new and everything was clean, polished and nice. If you really want that particular itinerary, sure go ahead, but personally we would find a better company.

[dan66]

I just desembarqued from Poesia and I found food was absolutely very good, variated and tasty.

 

If you don't know or you don't like italian food is another thing, and I respect your opinion. But please pay attention when giving so sharp opinions!

 

I disagree with the fact that the lunch was always the same! Food changed every day at the buffet! And the service was perfect.

 

Ok, the pools were a bit crowded with children (not only italians, please, don't be racist!) but I think that the only way to prevent this is to deny the children to embarque!

 

The organization with getting in and out of the ship was absolutely perfect in my experience. I always waited no mor than five minutes! Both for embarquing and for disembarquing, both at the beginning/end of the cruise and for excursions. Just a note about this: I always got out of the ship with no need for tenders. Perhaps some different things could happen in that case.

[vjmatty]

I just desembarqued from Poesia and I found food was absolutely very good, variated and tasty.

 

If you don't know or you don't like italian food is another thing, and I respect your opinion. But please pay attention when giving so sharp opinions!

 

I disagree with the fact that the lunch was always the same! Food changed every day at the buffet! And the service was perfect.

 

Ok, the pools were a bit crowded with children (not only italians, please, don't be racist!) but I think that the only way to prevent this is to deny the children to embarque!

 

The organization with getting in and out of the ship was absolutely perfect in my experience. I always waited no mor than five minutes! Both for embarquing and for disembarquing, both at the beginning/end of the cruise and for excursions. Just a note about this: I always got out of the ship with no need for tenders. Perhaps some different things could happen in that case.

 

I think as Americans we were raised with an entirely different concept of dining and food service. Luckily, I spent many summers in Greece with relatives so I am used to the European style... where "eating out" was often at a simple outdoor patio with just a few tables and a very small kitchen. Food was brought out family-style instead of on individual plates, where everyone would share... one plate of french fries, one plate of fried meatballs, one plate of salad, one plate of calamari, etc.

 

For that reason I don't need fancy garnish, decorative roues or other trappings of designer meals. And the meals really don't make this type of cruise.... it is a very port-intensive itinerary, which means you are cruising to see the world, not necessarily experience a culinary celebration. On a transatlantic crossing I would feel otherwise, the dining experience there is a significant part of the voyage. On the Poesia you are seeing 8 ports in 11 days and probably will be eating half your meals on land anyway.

[dan66]

Ok, let me be explicit:

1. no "outdoor" dining on the ship (there is only a small area in the rear part of the ship for lunch where you can have it outside)
   
2. Except for buffet lunch, you'll be served with individual plates and no "family style" common plates. At lunch you can choose between buffet (where you have a VERY large plate you can fill in with food) or restaurant (where a waiter will serve you individual plates).
   
3. There is a sharp difference between Italian food and Greecian food... When I talk to american people, you always tend to consider Europe as a country... as USA! Europe is far from being a country, mostly with meals. And the same is considering the mediterranean area only. So don't expect the experience you had in Greece will be the same or even only similar to as you were in Italy or even Spain or south France... We have very strong peculiarities that can be even very different from one country to another... In Italy there are strong differences in foods from a region to another one... Italian food simply ... doesn't exist at all! You can have "Italian cousines"...
   
4. I do agree with you that a cruise is not just a "food experience", but I think that with Poesia there is no problem with food. And I am sure you will appreciate it too, because I felt you are open to unusual culinary experiences.
   
5. I don't know the itinerary you will follow, but in my experience there were few occasions to have meals on land... Just in Istambul we were offered an excursion comprising lunch. In all the other ports there was no time to eat on land... The ship was starting...

I hope you will have a nice experience travelling with Poesia, as I had.

[vjmatty]

Ok, let me be explicit:

1. no "outdoor" dining on the ship (there is only a small area in the rear part of the ship for lunch where you can have it outside)
   
2. Except for buffet lunch, you'll be served with individual plates and no "family style" common plates. At lunch you can choose between buffet (where you have a VERY large plate you can fill in with food) or restaurant (where a waiter will serve you individual plates).
   
3. There is a sharp difference between Italian food and Greecian food... When I talk to american people, you always tend to consider Europe as a country... as USA! Europe is far from being a country, mostly with meals. And the same is considering the mediterranean area only. So don't expect the experience you had in Greece will be the same or even only similar to as you were in Italy or even Spain or south France... We have very strong peculiarities that can be even very different from one country to another... In Italy there are strong differences in foods from a region to another one... Italian food simply ... doesn't exist at all! You can have "Italian cousines"...
   
4. I do agree with you that a cruise is not just a "food experience", but I think that with Poesia there is no problem with food. And I am sure you will appreciate it too, because I felt you are open to unusual culinary experiences.
   
5. I don't know the itinerary you will follow, but in my experience there were few occasions to have meals on land... Just in Istambul we were offered an excursion comprising lunch. In all the other ports there was no time to eat on land... The ship was starting...

I hope you will have a nice experience travelling with Poesia, as I had.

 

You know, some "Americans" are actually European citizens as well. ;) I know that not all of Europe is the same... I have been to Greece, France, England, Turkey and Spain. I was not trying to claim all European dishes are the same either, just that Americans have a hard time thinking outside the proverbial box (or Jack-in-the-Box) when it comes to other cultures.

 

My description of outdoor and family style wasn't to say that is what MSC does, just showing some of the informality I have experienced as opposed to what people are used to here.

[vjmatty]

Oops.... I meant to say citizens of European countries, not European citizens. ;)

[tuva]

I just desembarqued from Poesia and I found food was absolutely very good, variated and tasty.

:eek:

 

All over the Internet people are complaining about the lousy meals on MSC Poesia. You are the lone sparrow who actually found the food tasty. This has nothing to do with liking Italian food or not, we have enjoyed many a good Italian dinner (but not on the Poesia though). This has to do with lousy quality on the food served in the main dining restaurant; if you visited the special restaurants and paid for gourmet meals – sure, you got good food. I have been on several cruises and the meals that are included on the tours are usually of a good quality; this tour is even marketed as a “food-and-wine-cruise”. The dinners on Poesia had meat and fish of such a bad quality that it should be returned and used for dog food.

[liverpoollad]

Tuva says the food on Poesia is not so good.

Dan66 says it is excellent.

Who will be right when I am on the Poesia in October?? I think it will fall in between. My wife & I are not really interested in Lobster Tails, Eggs Benidict

or dishes of that type so maybe we will be ok on Poesia!!

Could either of you posters advise about whether they do bacon for breakfast,do they have Mid am/mid afternoon food,if so what is on offer,also what about a midnight buffet??:confused::confused:

Cheers to one & all.

[vjmatty]

:eek:

 

All over the Internet people are complaining about the lousy meals on MSC Poesia. You are the lone sparrow who actually found the food tasty. This has nothing to do with liking Italian food or not, we have enjoyed many a good Italian dinner (but not on the Poesia though). This has to do with lousy quality on the food served in the main dining restaurant; if you visited the special restaurants and paid for gourmet meals – sure, you got good food. I have been on several cruises and the meals that are included on the tours are usually of a good quality; this tour is even marketed as a “food-and-wine-cruise”. The dinners on Poesia had meat and fish of such a bad quality that it should be returned and used for dog food.

 

You DO realize that your cruise and dan's cruise were over three months apart... right? The review you posted in the Member Reviews section was dated April 2008, which was the first month she was sailing. Some kinks take time to work out.

 

Where, besides your 4 posts, are people complaining "all over" the internet?

[tuva]

Where, besides your 4 posts, are people complaining "all over" the internet?

 

Here are a couple - there are several more.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=44013

 

http://www.cruise.co.uk/cruise-reviews/read/review_s7485/

 

http://www.cruise.co.uk/cruise-reviews/read/review_c7176/

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=795741

 

To Liverpoollad; you'll not get "lobster tail or eggs benidict", you'll get tough steak and bad fish.

[sea-explorer]

For what it's worth, I'll throw in my 2 cents worth.

 

We always ate breakfast in the dining room, mainly because it was nearer to our cabin. We were quickly seated & served. A menu is provided & virtually everything is available. Cereal, fruit juice, coffee, tea etc, eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, breads, pastries, croissants, cheese, ham, yoghurts etc etc...but but but....the bacon will be different, the sausages will be different...I've never come across bacon & eggs 'British style' anywhere on my travels in Europe or elsewhere. Sometimes the food may suffer from being 'mass produced' and trying to cater to 'foreign tastes' (ie: the British etc), but no more so than in any large European hotel. The food is perfectly fine, maybe just not quite as we are used to. Everyone has different tastes, just like trying to convince a 'Scouse' lover that Irish Stew or Lancashire Hotpot is just as good if not better. ;)

 

You can also order from a more limited menu to be delivered to your cabin. Nothing to stop you ordering a coffee & roll in your cabin first thing and then wandering to the dining room or buffet for a full sit down meal. However, it is true, there are times when food is not available. If you miss breakfast there is nothing really open until lunch. Your only option would probably be to order coffee & croissants from the coffee bar & pay.

 

Lunch..options are dining room,(menu changed daily) buffet, also a pizza bar and a burger bar on the pool decks. These also close down, although the pizza bar tends to stay open until it is time for afternoon tea...sandwiches & cakes. I've seen loads of rave reviews about the pizza. We only had it on one day & I must say I wasn't impressed, I found it rather dry & tasteless..maybe though it was a bad day as they were rushed off their feet as it was a kind of in between port day..everyone was returning for sailaway after perhaps missing lunch on shore & the pizza bar was the only place open for food. Sandwiches aren't the same either..the bread is 'different', the ham is 'different' etc etc.

 

Evening meals..a 6 course menu is available with about 3 choices within each course..a starter, soup course, salad, risotto & pasta, main & dessert. You can order from all six courses if you wish. In addition you can order from the 'always available' section..chicken, spaghetti, steak. I don't 'do' fish, so can't speak for these choices, but always was able to find something I was happy with. I do remember though I was really looking forward to the tiramisu as I love Tesco's version..I was in for a disappointment as I found it rather bland, Tesco's wins hands down..whether or not Tesco's version is authentic is another matter....it's really just down to what you are used to.:D

 

There is also a small snack available in the 'busy' lounges at about 11.30-12.00pm. Different each night, maybe a savoury snack one night, small cakes another etc etc. There is a large midnight buffet one night with the full works, ice sculptures & artistically presented dishes.

 

Dining times & snacks etc will be printed on the daily bulletin. they may change depending on port times each day. just keep track of them & make sure you don't miss a meal.

 

I never had a bad meal but think everything needs to kept in perspective. I wouldn't be paying the same price, or expect to receive the same quality meal if I was eating in the Taillevent in Paris or Annie's cafe overlooking the cliffs at Scarborough. I would be perfectably able to enjoy them equally as long as my expectations were realistic.

 

To sum up, I found I was perfectly happy with MSC food & the whole experience. Yes, there were things I would change slightly..the buffet being open longer, particularly if sail way is mid afternoon for one. As value for money I relly don't think it can be beaten. Where else could you find your accommodation, all your meals with waiter service if you wish, entertainment & transport to all those ports?! I'd be lucky to book a seaside hotel for our family of four here in the UK for the same price. Given too that UK & other Europeans will be paying at least a third more for their cruise than their US counterparts. The week I have booked costs £3122 here in the UK, or £780.50pp (roughly $6244 or $1561pp) In the States, the same package costs $3799, $949 pp (£1899.50 or £475pp). That is just one comparison I know, maybe it can be purchased for even less. For US citizens in particular I think this is superb value.

 

This is a great itinerary & I'm sure I'll have a wonderful time. My only concern is that starboard smell. :(

[tuva]

The itinerary was good, weather was good, marketing of the tour was good. The ship was new, clean and nice. Some of the Italian specialities were actually very good, pasta and ice cream for instance (but I’d rather not live one week on just that). The buffets always had plenty of good food (but lacked in variety). And if you spent the mint for the gourmet restaurants, you were sure to get perfect dinners. Some of the people from our group did that when they found out that the quality of the regular dinners were not up to par, and they were very pleased. :)

[sea-explorer]

Hi Tuva,

 

I'm sorry you were disappointed and perhaps can understand why. I think it's all about expectations. I too wouldn't say MSC hosts a Mediterranean gastronomic dining cruise & if this is what you were looking forward to it's easy to see why you were disappointed.

 

When I sailed MSC I booked in a hurry & at short notice. I then began to research & found all the negative reviews. I thought, Oh my God, what have I done to my family!! and began encouraging them to lower their expectations.

 

As a result, we were all pleasantly surprized & loved it.

 

On the whole, I was more than happy with the food..maybe I was lucky with the meat, I don't know. If we didn't like something..well, not me, I'll eat anything, but my DH can be a little fussy....the waiters were very keen to take it away & replace it. Some things do taste different or are cooked differently to what we are maybe used to, but I find this everywhere when I venture abroad..even from region to region in the same country, the UK being no exception either.

 

We have a friend living in France and we often have to take him trays of Aldi's baked beans..it seems at it's what he misses most about 'UK' food. :D His neighbour's (French) children can't get enough of British branded chocolate, they much prefer it to their own.

 

A gastronomic experience it is not, I would agree. On the whole though, I enjoyed my meals & it was certainly a bonus to be waited on for a week rather than shop, cook, wash-up etc. :)

 

You have had your experience and have been good enought to write about it and express your opinion. As you say too, it was not all negative & it's a shame you now seem to be having to defend your opinion. I think maybe those who are new to MSC are starting to worry that maybe their much longed for cruise will be spoilt by the food.

 

My advice is, be prepared to understand meal times, what is available when and where. Some things you will like, some things you won't. I found the food generally good to excellent with a 'mid range' price range in mind and think all in all this cruise is excellent value for money.

 

Now...at the risk of being totally repetitive....when are MSC going to sort out that smell? :rolleyes:

 

 

Edit Just to make it clear, I am generalizing about MSC from previous experience. I have yet to sail on Poesia..maybe I'll end up eating my words. ;)

[sea-explorer]

PS: Dan...if you are associated with the cruise company..please please please please..get them to sort out the starboard sewerage smell!!!!

 

I've treated us to our very first balcony cabin, & at this rate, can see it putting us off balcony cabins for good.

[dan66]

Tuva says the food on Poesia is not so good.

Dan66 says it is excellent.

Who will be right when I am on the Poesia in October?? I think it will fall in between. My wife & I are not really interested in Lobster Tails, Eggs Benidict

or dishes of that type so maybe we will be ok on Poesia!!

Could either of you posters advise about whether they do bacon for breakfast,do they have Mid am/mid afternoon food,if so what is on offer,also what about a midnight buffet??:confused::confused:

Cheers to one & all.

 

Sure you'll have bacon at breakfast (and also eggs and sausages and many other foods). There is no mid am food (I think because breakfast ends at 10 am and lunch starts at noon). There is mid afternoon "tea" (with both sandweeches and cakes and cookies, and also coffee, etc.) from 4 pm to 5 pm

Every night you'll have a different midnight buffet (one of them is called "the buffet magnifique" and the chefs do their best to surprise the guests).

 

For tuva:

I never had meals at special restaurants. I always had them at the ordinary restaurant (for dinner) and at the buffet (for lunch).

There is not "a lot of critisc" about Poesia on the Internet (I found just 2 or 3...) And I found also some opinions like mine (... unfortunately they are in italian...). I never saw people rejecting food neither at the restaurant nor at the buffet...

Maybe thy changed the chef after you travelled with them?

 

(by the way... I am not working for MSC...:D )

[vjmatty]

Maybe thy changed the chef after you travelled with them?

 

(by the way... I am not working for MSC...:D )

 

This is what I am thinking... both your review and maestrohog's are opposite of what tuva said, and your cruises were months later. Plenty of time for changes in the kitchens. ;)

[liverpoollad]

Thankyou, Sparky1664 & Dan66 in your response to my questions,also to Tuva for your input.

 

Sparky1664, It is obvious with my site name that I am a scouser,but I must admit that one of my top 5 meals is Lancashire Hotpot. ;)

 

Dan66, I too was thinking you might be an employee of MSC,and that is because you are based in Italy.

 

The Starboard smell !!,we have a balcony on Tasso deck/Starboard right next/above the lifeboats do you think the smell would reach there, as have 4ead that the smell is nearer the bow.

Cheers

[tuva]

At least MSC would be stupid not to do that after all the bad reviews MSC in general, and Poesia in particular, have received. I do hope you get a good cruise and I am looking forward to your report. Personally I believe that the problem is caused by some bean counters who bought really cheap provisions (After having built this large, nice, expensive ship the bean counters will automatically think – HOW CAN WE SAVE SOME MONEY :D

 

There are so many good cruise lines out there that my wife and I have come to the conclusion: WE WILL NEVER EVER TRAVEL WITH MSC AGAIN!

[tuva]

At least MSC would be stupid not to do that after all the bad reviews MSC in general, and Poesia in particular, have received. I do hope you get a good cruise and I am looking forward to your report. Personally I believe that the problem is caused by some bean counters who bought really cheap provisions (After having built this large, nice, expensive ship the bean counters will automatically think – HOW CAN WE SAVE SOME MONEY:D

 

There are so many good cruise lines out there that my wife and I have come to the conclusion: WE WILL NEVER EVER TRAVEL WITH MSC AGAIN!

[dan66]

Oh yes, I noticed it... Unfortunately! It was quite a great problem... :eek: Fortunately my cabin was at the 14th level and the smell was never present there. But sometimes, mostly when in ports, I could smell it at lower levels...

 

I also asked someone of the crue. They said it was a problem with a closure of a part of the wc implant... I think it is serious and perhaps not so simple (if it would be so they could simply chage the closure...), but they are conscious of the problem, mostly because when I asked that they answered with a bit embarace...

 

I hope they will resolve it rapidly. Well, it is not a dramatic situation, but in some circumstances, with favourable winds, it could be smelled also at the pool level and it was not good...

 

(I repeat... I am NOT an MSC employee and I don't work for travel agencies or so on... I was just a passenger)

[liverpoollad]

Well, I just hope the smell fades & goes upwards by the time it reaches the stern.

 

I am not sure which cruise any of you did with MSC,but my wife & I are doing Venice ,Bari etc., & why I chose the Starboard side is because outward we are sailing down the Italian coast, & homeward via Greece,Albania etc., & therefore we would be able to see the land most of the time from our balcony.

Will this be the case or will we be too far of the sight of land? Am I correct in this assumption, if I am wrong I might get in touch with MSC & try to change to Port.

 

If any reader of this post knows the answer,please advise.

Cheers

[MaestroHog]

Yes, you can see land much of the trip. There is also a neat feature on the TV that gives the temp, speed and location of the ship so you can identify what island you are looking at off of your balcony.

Michael