MSC Fantasia Review

[Weho5]

Here is part of what Anita Dunham-Potter wrote about her recent cruise on the Fantasia, as posted on Tripso.com:

 

"I have to say I was so disappointed with the food during my two-day preview of Fantasia. Oh, how I wished the cuisine had lived up to the wonderful scents of garlic, onions and Parmesan that permeated from the galleys. I experienced three very good pasta dishes during my two days onboard, but that was it. The breakfast and lunch buffet was the worst I’ve experienced on any ship – selections were sparse and the entrees uninspired. Additionally, dining in the ship’s main restaurants was frustrating. Service was a bit rough around the edges as servers seemed overwhelmed and most did not have a good command of the English language. To be fair, I did not experience the ala carte dining areas, which I was told by those sailing longer voyages, was quite good.

Cigarette beast

I’ve cruised in Europe many times and knew that my shipmates would be a cosmopolitan mix with a number of smokers, but I’ve never been inundated by cigarette smoke like I was on Fantasia. It appeared that every European decked out in Gucci and Armani always had a cigarette in hand. Upon entering the coffee bar Il Cappuccino, I was assaulted with clouds of cigarette smoke. This smoke ended up trickling down to other parts of the atrium area where you couldn’t escape it.

One area I should have been able to escape the smoke was my stateroom. That was not to be. I was awakened both nights at 3:30 a.m. sharp because a passenger or passengers around me chain smoked and the smoke seeped into my stateroom. It was hell — so much so that I had trouble breathing and had no recourse but to spend a lot of time on my balcony in chilly 40 degree weather. I called down to the reception desk to see if they could do anything. Again, I encountered someone who did not speak English well.

I brought up my issue with Sasso and he seemed genuinely upset. “MSC strongly discourages smoking in the cabins,” he said. Yes, there’s a sign on the balcony door stating “No Smoking On Balconies” but it adds that ashtrays are provided in the cabins and there’s even one attached on the wall in the bathroom. That’s not really discouraging.

The MSC Fantasia is a gorgeous ship; however, the beauty was literally clouded by the non-stop smoking onboard. Sadly, I just couldn’t wait to get off – in fact I ran off the ship as soon as I could."

[sea-explorer]

Oh, you are making me smile.

 

I'm wondering what it is that has brought you, in the few days you have been a member, to the MSC board with your posts of such good cheer. :) You have booked a Princess cruise, so what is your interest in MSC? Have you had any personal experience in sailing with them?

 

You post about the hygeine on MSC when I think it is fairly well known they are perhaps the cleanest ships afloat. I have sailed twice with MSC and apart from the designated smoking areas which are limited, I have never come across a trace of smoke...but yes, you can sometimes be unlucky with the cabin you get..regardless of the ship or line.

 

For another perspective, why not read the Editor of Cruise Critic's review. She has been on board for 11 days rather than 2 and I would suggest has had a little more time to become aquainted with the ship.:)

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=793

[AmoMondo]

You took the words right out of my mouth sparky1664!

[babygirl722]

I'm confused!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, just offering more of my "two cents" -- I'd read from so many Cruise Critic members before the trip about how clean the ship was (well, how clean in general all MSC ships were) and I have to say -- I was totally impressed. As already noted, staff everywhere always were cleaning.

 

I also thought crew were pretty serious minded about safety (all lines take the boat drill seriously but there seemed more intensity here, no smoking in cabins, no smoking on balconies, warnings everywhere).

 

And re the smoking. I hate smoking, I'll admit it. HATE IT. But it's a European ship and there were plenty of smokers. It never bothered me for two reasons. One is that there were rules about which side of the ship you could smoke on (starboard only, I believe) and never in dining rooms. That's fair.

 

And the second reason is that I was prepared for it. It's a bit naive to expect that European cruise lines marketing primarily to European travelers are suddenly going to respect the American "way". Fantasia is a European experience in Europe (different from ships that MSC brings to the states). If you want an American onboard experience -- and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that -- book RCI, HAL, Princess or Celebrity or for a UK experience go with P&O.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[noblepa]

I've never seen anyone, especially a new member, come on the boards and simply quote a bad review of a ship that they, apparently, have not sailed on.

 

If the OP had actually sailed on the ship and related HIS/HER OWN experiences, I would give it some credence. As it is, I can't. I don't want to call anyone a troll, but this is coming very, very close to troll behavior.

 

As for the smoking, that is not the cruise line's fault. Nor is it quite as likely to occur on a cruise originating in the US. Fewer than twenty percent of Americans smoke, which I believe is much lower than in Europe. Since this BB is primarily populated by Americans, and discussing cruises originating in the US, this experience is not particularly relevant.

 

Please, post your own experiences and opinions. Don't simply repeat what other people are saying. We don't know what the original author's bias or trustworthiness might be.

 

Paul Noble

[sea-explorer]

I'm confused!

 

So am I babygirl.

 

This is a new poster who has come onto the MSC board to start 2 new threads, the first to post about illness on the Sinfonia and stating it was a cleanliness & negligence issue on the part of MSC, although there is no final report to back this up, & this, the second, to post a selected part of what is perportedly a poor review of MSC Fantasia.

 

There have been a lot of first time posters with negative coments on MSC these last few weeks...but most are posting from their own experience, or so it would appear. This poster is different. S/he appears to have joined the boards primarily because of a Princess cruise they say they have booked......so why come to the MSC boards at all?..particularly to start negative threads? There appears to be some hidden agenda here that I do not understand either.

 

In some ways I am reluctant to 'bump' this thread, but perhaps it will help other posters to become aware of what is actually happening here.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Oh, a p.s. on the smoking. The funny thing is that the side of the ship where you could smoke was always packed -- tables at the pool, the casino. On port side, where you could not smoke, we had our pick of tables and barstools, etc.

 

So not complaining about that, LOL.

 

I suspect, though, that ultimately the wave of no-smoking that passed through North America will spread to Europe. It's already started, with pubs and bars banning smoking.

 

Carolyn

 

 

Hi, just offering more of my "two cents" -- I'd read from so many Cruise Critic members before the trip about how clean the ship was (well, how clean in general all MSC ships were) and I have to say -- I was totally impressed. As already noted, staff everywhere always were cleaning.

 

I also thought crew were pretty serious minded about safety (all lines take the boat drill seriously but there seemed more intensity here, no smoking in cabins, no smoking on balconies, warnings everywhere).

 

And re the smoking. I hate smoking, I'll admit it. HATE IT. But it's a European ship and there were plenty of smokers. It never bothered me for two reasons. One is that there were rules about which side of the ship you could smoke on (starboard only, I believe) and never in dining rooms. That's fair.

 

And the second reason is that I was prepared for it. It's a bit naive to expect that European cruise lines marketing primarily to European travelers are suddenly going to respect the American "way". Fantasia is a European experience in Europe (different from ships that MSC brings to the states). If you want an American onboard experience -- and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that -- book RCI, HAL, Princess or Celebrity or for a UK experience go with P&O.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic