Quick questions about Orchestra??

[lovetexas]

To someone who has vacationed on this ship... could you please tell me about the dining rooms? Mainly, are there 2?, and if so, which one is best (meaning quiest and least busy), and can you request to be switched?

 

Also, we are on deck 12, and somewhere I read that this deck is very loud due to the buffet overhead. We are below the pools. Does anyone have any knowledge of this?

 

Thanks....

[TnTom]

There are two dining rooms... on floors 5 and 6. They are basically the same in design and differ only slightly in decor. I don't think one is better than the other. Only the one on 5 is open for breakfast and lunch. Our dinner was at the second seating in the one on 6, and we loved it. We would have preferred to have early seating, and we requested to be changed... we were not. Actually, the second seating fit into the port schedules better than the first, and it was nice to see the show before dinner, so we ended up being quite satisfied and happy.

 

I can't help you with the second question. We were on the 9th floor, which was very quiet.

[lovetexas]

Thanks a bunch! We choose second seating because of the shows. They are too late for us if we have first seating.

 

We went to your home state last summer and LOVED it. We stayed in Pigeon Forge. Did not care for the tourist areas, but loved the Smokey Mountains! We stayed in a condo with a great view of 'em every morning! What a way to have breakfast! We almost chose to go back this year too!!

 

I am hoping being under the pool will be quiet. We are early risers so the am is not a problem.

 

My 9 dd is a Elvis fan now. We toured his home, and she loved it!! Wants to go back, and even wrote a report about it!! haha

[snookymom]

We were on deck 12 near the back in January & if there was any noise from the dining room above us we didn't hear it. We're hoping we get in that same area in April.:p

[TnTom]

I'm glad you liked the Smokey's! I am nearer Nashville, and I enjoy visiting the Gatlinburg area, too!

 

I don't think you'll get a lot of "pool noise". They close them (drain them) after 6 pm. Some of the midnight buffets are by the pool, but I don't think they'd generate a lot of noise. Be sure to attend some of them... they are a lot of fun!

 

I wish I were going back on the Orchestra with you... it was great!

[cmcclusk]

Also, we are on deck 12, and somewhere I read that this deck is very loud due to the buffet overhead. We are below the pools. Does anyone have any knowledge of this?

 

Thanks....

 

When is your trip planned? We are on the Orchestra March 21st also deck 12

 

We also visited Pigeon Forge this past summer .. like you didn't care for the tourist area ... sink your money into everything row ... we hiked a lot to the water falls along with doing a white water rafting trip one day. What are the chances you'll be on the same cruise with us.

[lovetexas]

Oh man, we are on the March 14th. We fly out of Austin on Friday 13th (always a lucky day for me!!)

 

We loved the waterfalls too!!! We were planning to do the white water rafting, but a friend thought it was too much for my 9 dd.

 

We plan on going back to the Smokies, and hiking up that mountain to the lodge that is primitive...

 

My brother-in-law is actually kin to the people who have the John Cable historic area--- that is actually his name! We did not even know that till we got home, and asked him.. haha

 

We are in a superior suite on deck 12!! I can not wait!!:cool:

[gracecarmo]

we are just back from the Orchestra (b2b).

 

I would really request the dining room on deck 6. Our first cruise on Jan 31, we were in the DR on deck 5....there is a world of difference between the two dining rooms. On deck 5, it was really very noisy and busy. (Jan 31 cruise). Then, on the Feb.7th cruise, we were also assigned the same table in the lower deck 5 DR, first seating (by mistake, we should have had the 2nd seating, as the first seating was exclusively for the Irish Stars group). When we got to the table it was already full, and we were changed to the DR on deck 6....a wonderful plush area, chairs are all upholstered, and no clanging of dishes etc. (table 616, a four top near the windows). What a difference from the lower DR. But, we did get the first seating due to the miscommunication at the front desk.

I hope I am making sense....?

 

We enjoyed our two cruises, but will probably return to Celebrity in the future.

 

The ship is beautiful, go and have a nice voyage.

[Inshape]

We ate many times lunch in the deck 6 restuarant. Both were open for lunch. I liked 6 better...the chairs were high back instead of the rounded lower ones. But then again,if you have a huge group and they are in the dining room on deck 6 maybe 5 would be a better pick for you if you want more relaxed.We just got LUCKY getting away from the superbowl group who were in the restuarant on deck 5. We loved deck 6, and there was plenty of open tables. We had fantastic service. If you find a language barrier just smile and make yourself understood....the staff is there to serve and to make sure you are happy. I loved the way each course was served with different utensils and then taken away and new ones would appear. The entire cruise was a wonderful experience of different culture and attitude. I had a wonderful time.

[lovetexas]

Oh cool about the silverware. That way I don't have to explain to my dd what piece to use (then to only be wrong!)

 

I needed my mom there last time.:cool:

[Inshape]

Yes nothing like RCI which serves out all the utensils and then when you do not use them they take away. On MSC each course our utensils were cleared.

[lovetexas]

Funny- it was RCI on our last cruise... Rhaposdy before it left Texas:(:(

[cmcclusk]

Oh man, we are on the March 14th. We fly out of Austin on Friday 13th (always a lucky day for me!!) We loved the waterfalls too!!! We were planning to do the white water rafting, but a friend thought it was too much for my 9 dd. We plan on going back to the Smokies, and hiking up that mountain to the lodge that is primitive...

My brother-in-law is actually kin to the people who have the John Cable historic area--- that is actually his name! We did not even know that till we got home, and asked him.. haha

We are in a superior suite on deck 12!! I can not wait!!:cool:

 

your daughter would love the white water rafting ... my hubby and son have been a few times - both said the river in Tennessee is a good beginner river. The rapids are fast but know wheres near the cat 4 cat 5 they've had on others. We had my two nephews who don't do anything outdoorsy and they loved it.

 

We are also in one of the superior suite cabins on deck 12 - it's too bad we will be missing each other by a week! :)

 

we are just back from the Orchestra (b2b).

I would really request the dining room on deck 6. Our first cruise on Jan 31, we were in the DR on deck 5....there is a world of difference between the two dining rooms. We were changed to the DR on deck 6....a wonderful plush area, chairs are all upholstered, and no clanging of dishes etc. (table 616, a four top near the windows). What a difference from the lower DR. But, we did get the first seating due to the miscommunication at the front desk.

I hope I am making sense....?

We enjoyed our two cruises, but will probably return to Celebrity in the future.

The ship is beautiful, go and have a nice voyage.

 

We ate many times lunch in the deck 6 restuarant. Both were open for lunch. I liked 6 better...the chairs were high back instead of the rounded lower ones. But then again,if you have a huge group and they are in the dining room on deck 6 maybe 5 would be a better pick for you if you want more relaxed.We just got LUCKY getting away from the superbowl group who were in the restuarant on deck 5. We loved deck 6, and there was plenty of open tables. We had fantastic service. If you find a language barrier just smile and make yourself understood....the staff is there to serve and to make sure you are happy. I loved the way each course was served with different utensils and then taken away and new ones would appear. The entire cruise was a wonderful experience of different culture and attitude. I had a wonderful time.

 

thanks for the tip on the dinning room ... will definitely try to change if we end up in DR5

also glad to see a b2b give a good review :)

[AmoMondo]

cmcclusk - you could well be in luck and be allocated to the nicer dining room. MSC's policy is that they always have 2 main dinig rooms. One is always smaller and quieter and suppossed to be better. They are suppossed to allocate passengers with the higher grade cabins to the nicer one. however this does not always work in practice.

[paul5689]

We are on the March 21st sailing and looking forward to it. This will be our 7th Cruise and the 6th cruise line. We go with the flow! Also we live in Bristol Virginia which is a twin city with Bristol Tennessee. This places us about 90 miles from Pigeon Forge area. We like to rent a luxury cabin for long week-end get-aways somewhere out of the way. It is the best way to experience the mountains and many cabin comanies out thereto choose from. Sometimes the best deals are found with individuals on-line. Normally one is just minutes away from all the outlet malls and restaurants.

 

As much as we love the mountains, cruising is still our favorite thing to do. It is hard to beat the Caribbean and cruising in general. We have never been on a bad cruise. Some have been better than others. I think we will like the MSC, seems like a little different experience. Any advice from anyone will be appreciated.

[lovetexas]

Oh, but I will give a full in-depth review when we return!!

 

Our favorite vacation is also to cruise, but we bought this timeshare deal several years back. So, we also take a week and use it! This year we are just going to San Antonio and doing the Schlitterbaun, Alamo trip...and my mom, dd and I are going to Disney World. My dh has been twice and refuses to go back-hehe--

 

I guess we are all in agreement that we love the Smokies... next time my dh wants to haul his Harley up there-- oh well-- shopping time for dd and I.....

[cmcclusk]

cmcclusk - you could well be in luck and be allocated to the nicer dining room. MSC's policy is that they always have 2 main dinig rooms. One is always smaller and quieter and suppossed to be better. They are suppossed to allocate passengers with the higher grade cabins to the nicer one. however this does not always work in practice.

 

thanks for the tip ... we've cruised before but never in a superior catogory

 

We are on the March 21st sailing and looking forward to it. This will be our 7th Cruise and the 6th cruise line. We go with the flow! Also we live in Bristol Virginia which is a twin city with Bristol Tennessee. This places us about 90 miles from Pigeon Forge area. We like to rent a luxury cabin for long week-end get-aways somewhere out of the way. It is the best way to experience the mountains and many cabin comanies out thereto choose from. Sometimes the best deals are found with individuals on-line. Normally one is just minutes away from all the outlet malls and restaurants.

As much as we love the mountains, cruising is still our favorite thing to do. It is hard to beat the Caribbean and cruising in general. We have never been on a bad cruise. Some have been better than others. I think we will like the MSC, seems like a little different experience. Any advice from anyone will be appreciated.

 

check out the "roll call" thread for the 21st sailing ... quite a bit of us chatting and planning a meeting around 3 - 3:30 sail day. a friend of ours mother is on the ship this week so I should have first hand review next week :)

my favorite vacation also is sun & beach ... second would be the getting back to nature ... since my 17 year scout loves to ruff it!

[ChrisC433]

We have 2 cabins on deck 12. One inside quad and one superior balcony. Cabin numbers 12048 and 12050. Anyone have info on these? Looks like it is the section where the ship gets gets narrower, toward front, below pool bar?

 

Thanks,

Chris

[agentgirl]

Or anyone else that has recently cruised. When anchored in Samana Bay do you have the opportunity to tender to Samana as well as Cayo Levantado or are they only tendering to Cayo? Months and months ago we were told that you could go either way- to the beach or the mainland. Just wondering if anyone has any true info on this?

 

Thanks so much for any enlightenment you can give.

[gracecarmo]

The tenders only went to Cayo on our voyage. There were special tours that went to Semana, booked through the ship.

[agentgirl]

I appreciate the info!

[TnTom]

Actually, I think there was a passenger boat (not a tender) which went in the direction of Samana from the ship... during that long period between when the anchor was dropped and the tender service started. I figured it was probably a shore excursion they had booked on the ship.

 

Tom

[snookymom]

We were in 12155 in Jan. & it was very nice, quiet & we loved the balcony. Hoping to get in the same area in April.

[cmcclusk]

We were in 12155 in Jan. & it was very nice, quiet & we loved the balcony. Hoping to get in the same area in April.

 

glad to see/hear you are going again with MSC ... I was getting alittle worried about all the negative :( information floating :) around. We are on this deck two cabins 12090 &12092 with the 3-21-09 week.

Since you've already been, is there any excursion you recommend in Cayo/Samana? Been leaning towards the horseback riding with the water fall or the "Sights of Samana". Traveling with my mom and sister (who has arthritis) and my kid 14, 17 so we need to find a mix for all (may end up doing different things) - I was told by others that this island is very beautiful and you don't want to miss seeing it.

thanks for you help

[Neverstopcruising]

Hi,

 

I was just wondering what the show times were on the western carribean sailing of msc? We have a late seating, which I believe is 8:30 (but seems to be different from one sailing to the other) and was wondering if the show was before (around 7:00) or after dinner (aroud 10:00).

 

Thanks