RCI veteran, newbie to MSC

Hi All

So excited to plan our first MSC sailing later this year having sailed 12 years nearly all exclusively on RCI.

We're taking Splendida from Southampton to Genoa and from looking at videos of the ship, can't wait as it looks stunning.

Getting the Allegrissimo package as part of the deal helps, and then MSC status matched my D+ loyalty status from RCI and gave another 5% discount off the fare.

So, any pointers or hints and tips from you experienced MSC cruisers, especially any who have sailed RCI would be extremely helpful.

No doubt I'll have a few questions over the next few months!

i'm a RCI vet too - but cruised with MSC Splendida last year and really enjoyed it - one thing you will noticed is the lack of restaurants but on the the whole i loved the food - shows were very good

Hi Pete

Is this the October sailing? I have booked on this one too. I absolutely love MSC Cruises, and Splendida is sister ship to Fantasia which I've been on a few times before.

The food is very different to what you would get on an American line such as RCCL, but go with an open mind and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Many people seem to complain about the food, saying it's not always hot, or portions are small. Dinner is a 6/7 course menu and it's the Italian way! You'd start with an appetizer, for example a prawn cocktail (always a couple of choices), then salad, then soup (two choices, often one hot one cold), then pasta or risotto (always one of each, one tends to be meat the other veggie), then entrees which is often things like veal, pork, chicken (usually 3 or 4 choices for entrees) and then dessert, and on some nights cheese!

One of the other common niggles is the announcements being in multiple languages - you can learn to zone this out and it won't bother you, and it's only maybe once or twice a day

The drinks package is excellent, with some really good choices of what you can have, from shorts to cocktails!

The larger ships in the MSC fleet have plenty of lounges and public spaces.

There's always an Italian themed night where the dress code is red white and blue, so make sure you pack something suitable... there's usually a 60s 70s 80s party and a white party

Anything else you'd like to know?

i'm a RCI vet too - but cruised with MSC Splendida last year and really enjoyed it - one thing you will noticed is the lack of restaurants but on the the whole i loved the food - shows were very good

Hi Pete

 

Is this the October sailing? I have booked on this one too. I absolutely love MSC Cruises, and Splendida is sister ship to Fantasia which I've been on a few times before.

 

The food is very different to what you would get on an American line such as RCCL, but go with an open mind and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Many people seem to complain about the food, saying it's not always hot, or portions are small. Dinner is a 6/7 course menu and it's the Italian way! You'd start with an appetizer, for example a prawn cocktail (always a couple of choices), then salad, then soup (two choices, often one hot one cold), then pasta or risotto (always one of each, one tends to be meat the other veggie), then entrees which is often things like veal, pork, chicken (usually 3 or 4 choices for entrees) and then dessert, and on some nights cheese!

 

One of the other common niggles is the announcements being in multiple languages - you can learn to zone this out and it won't bother you, and it's only maybe once or twice a day

 

The drinks package is excellent, with some really good choices of what you can have, from shorts to cocktails!

 

The larger ships in the MSC fleet have plenty of lounges and public spaces.

 

There's always an Italian themed night where the dress code is red white and blue, so make sure you pack something suitable... there's usually a 60s 70s 80s party and a white party

 

Anything else you'd like to know?

The food doesn't bother us as we would expect a more Italian/Mediterranean influence which suits us down the to ground! Not sure about the size of dinner though and therefore, the time it could take!:D

As for announcements in multiple languages, we've done several cruises with RCI and Celebrity out of Barcelona and Italy (Civitavecchia and Venice) so are quite used to the passenger mix and the resulting various languages used, even if English isn't the primary one. So again, no real deal to us.

Red, white & blue, no problem, my favourite colours!:D And always take something white as all Med cruises we've sailed on seem to have a 'white night'. Although after a 7 course dinner, not sure I'm manage that!

What's embarkation like?

I understand you have to authorise your credit card once on board for your account as it isn't done at check in.

Not sure there's much more I need to know yet... :) That may change as we get nearer sailing.

Booked our flights from Manchester to Southampton for the 4th Oct last night. Now just need to decide what day we'll return from Genoa (via Milan), 12th or 13th.

Ooops I meant red white and green for Italian night, guess it's habit to type blue!

Not done MSC from Southampton before, but given that she's coming from Hamburg and possibly Copenhagen, it might not be a ship full of people boarding.

To authorise your credit card, there are machines a bit like train ticket machines around the reception / atrium, you put your room key in and then your credit card to link them up... It's made check-in quicker in my experience.

There'll be one or two formal nights, but don't bother with a tuxedo, a nice shirt and tie or lounge suit will suffice.

We haven't decided how to get back to Birmingham yet; we're doing the train from Southampton, then possibly over to Lake Garda before flying home a day or two later - the connections from Genoa airport are limited for UK destinations without changing...

Service at dinner is usually very good so you're not sat around for too long, unless you're on a large table, and of course there's no need to have every course :)

Ooops I meant red white and green for Italian night, guess it's habit to type blue!

 

Not done MSC from Southampton before, but given that she's coming from Hamburg and possibly Copenhagen, it might not be a ship full of people boarding.

 

To authorise your credit card, there are machines a bit like train ticket machines around the reception / atrium, you put your room key in and then your credit card to link them up... It's made check-in quicker in my experience.

 

There'll be one or two formal nights, but don't bother with a tuxedo, a nice shirt and tie or lounge suit will suffice.

 

We haven't decided how to get back to Birmingham yet; we're doing the train from Southampton, then possibly over to Lake Garda before flying home a day or two later - the connections from Genoa airport are limited for UK destinations without changing...

 

Service at dinner is usually very good so you're not sat around for too long, unless you're on a large table, and of course there's no need to have every course :)

As for green, I'll try and remember!

Have fun!

Have fun!

Today's question! We have booked Fantastica and have selected second seating.

Do we have to do something to confirm this once we board?

I keep seeing mentions of 'anytime' dining being implemented from April 2016 for Fantastica, is this only on selected ships?

What time is second seating in general?

Oops, just realised that's 3 questions! But they are all related to the same subject! :D

Second sitting's 9 o'clock from memory - we go for first sitting as it's a bit late after dinner to chill out and sit with a few drinks for my liking and I have to take medication with food, so first sitting works better for us...

You don't have to do anything when onboard; when you get your cruise card at check in it has your table number and sitting number :)

Not yet sure on mychoice dining - will know more in July, although I would presume it means you will have your table, but can turn up at any other time to eat

Tim n Andy :)

Many thanks.

 

 

 

Today's question! We have booked Fantastica and have selected second seating.

 

 

 

Do we have to do something to confirm this once we board?

 

 

 

I keep seeing mentions of 'anytime' dining being implemented from April 2016 for Fantastica, is this only on selected ships?

 

 

 

What time is second seating in general?

 

 

 

Oops, just realised that's 3 questions! But they are all related to the same subject! :D

My choice dining is only available to Aurea Spa guests at present. The theory is you pick a time you want to eat each night (instead of first or second) and that's the time you turn up.

The downside to my time is that the show times are built around first and second seating so if you choose a time between those you might not get to see the show any night.

I'm on the Fantasia in six days so I'll give you more updates as to how My Time is run.

From my ipad

Second sitting's 9 o'clock from memory - we go for first sitting as it's a bit late after dinner to chill out and sit with a few drinks for my liking and I have to take medication with food, so first sitting works better for us...

 

You don't have to do anything when onboard; when you get your cruise card at check in it has your table number and sitting number :)

 

Not yet sure on mychoice dining - will know more in July, although I would presume it means you will have your table, but can turn up at any other time to eat

 

Tim n Andy :)

My choice dining is only available to Aurea Spa guests at present. The theory is you pick a time you want to eat each night (instead of first or second) and that's the time you turn up.

 

The downside to my time is that the show times are built around first and second seating so if you choose a time between those you might not get to see the show any night.

 

I'm on the Fantasia in six days so I'll give you more updates as to how My Time is run.

 

 

From my ipad

Best wishes for your cruise!

We prefer the pastas and Italian style dishes when sailing on MSC. Steak and roast beef are not their forte. Same with desserts, stick to the more Italian choices rather than the apple pie.

For entertainment don't miss some of the smaller venue musicians. We have enjoyed some very high caliber entertainment on MSC.

Also, the $ gelato bar is worth every penny. Best gelato we've had on land or sea.

Lastly, don't spend your time comparing each aspect to Royal. The people we met who were doing that didn't enjoy their trip.

Lots to like on MSC, it is just different.

Hi All

 

So excited to plan our first MSC sailing later this year having sailed 12 years nearly all exclusively on RCI.

 

We're taking Splendida from Southampton to Genoa and from looking at videos of the ship, can't wait as it looks stunning.

 

Getting the Allegrissimo package as part of the deal helps, and then MSC status matched my D+ loyalty status from RCI and gave another 5% discount off the fare.

 

So, any pointers or hints and tips from you experienced MSC cruisers, especially any who have sailed RCI would be extremely helpful.

 

No doubt I'll have a few questions over the next few months!

I'll be interested in your impression of MSC Pete.

I'll be interested in your impression of MSC Pete.

Don't worry I'll be proving feedback on 2 new cruise lines ( to us) this year. P&O in May and now MSC after this sailing.

Our only experience with MSC was on the Preziosa Yacht Club out of Genoa and we had a wonderful time. You might have seen my review in another thread on this same MSC boards.

I'd say, just enjoy yourself and enjoy the differences.

I'm another loyalty matched MSC newbie, or at least I will be in 2018 when we take our B2B Cuba sailings! Just wanted to say thanks to all of you for the above helpful posts.

Yep, we are jumping ship from Royal too.

Service has gotten so bad on Royal now that it's not what cruising is about for us any more.

Looking forward to B2B in Jan 2017 on MSC.

With a tiny glimmer of desperation, I'm hoping Royal might just come good on our 4 remaining cruises with them this year; but Im not holding my breath.