MSC 'Virgins' - Our review of Splendida October 2016. WOW

Actually as we're 4 days in on this review - half way through really (I know I've teased you with Gibraltar - day 5) but I think it's about time I reviewed the great staff on Splendida.

So that's today's task for me.

But before that, here's a few more random shots from around the ship.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello Peteuk. Thank you very much for your report. Glad you enjoyed yourselves. Happy cruising. :)

OK, so with regard to service, in a nutshell it was great!

Our stateroom attendant was brilliant, always saying hello when we passed him and doing a great job of cleaning the room in a morning and at turn down at the end of the day.

The wait staff in the MDR were great too, and our table waiter fantastic, and after day 1, brought our preferred wine to the table without asking!

Staff in the buffet were great too, you never had to wait long for someone to offer you a drink from the bar.

All other staff at all the bars (including pool area) were really prompt with service and delivered your drinks with a wide smile.

I also loved that there are 2 guest service areas, so lines we minimal (except for the last morning - more on that later).

To me it was a great barometer that I only had 1 occasion to contact guest services about an issue, and that was on the final morning.

Other than that I had no issues with service at all. Recommended.

Great review - love your photos!!

Thanks for the review, I sail her in 5 months.:D

I see people in the hot tubs, but not so much in the pools...Was the indoor pool used much?

Thanks for the review, I sail her in 5 months.:D

 

I see people in the hot tubs, but not so much in the pools...Was the indoor pool used much?

Yes, as the roof was closed all cruise (not surprisingly) the indoor was busy at times.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

As we weren’t due to dock in Gibraltar until 3pm, we spent a leisurely morning having breakfast, relaxing in the indoor pool, coffees at L’Espresso and doubling our previous losses in the casino so we came out winners! Quite a strange process though when cashing in our vouchers, we were given bank notes for €80 of the winnings but a voucher for the remaining €2.80 as coins and change aren't given. But of a waste really as this amount cannot be spent easily in the casino 'fruit machines'.

We also today used one of our 2 complimentary Back Voyagers Club member’s dinner vouchers for lunch in the Tex Mex. We had the Burrito (excellent) and Quesillada for starters and the Chilli for main (the other option is Steak). No dessert though as Mango Crème isn’t my idea of a dessert.

After lunch we headed up towards the Playa Del Sol aft pool area and the Movida Bar on deck 15 to relax whislt we headed towards port.

Once docked we headed ashore and made our way towards the tour buses, being told quite abruptly that if we were not on a MSC excursion we had to walk around the roped off area only to go into the same parking area where the MSC tour buses were! This is the only time we saw a butler from the Yacht Club escorting those guests to their buses, we must have missed that at other ports.

We met our driver and we understood we would be a small group of 11 and we were just awaiting the last 3. Now there’s a story here. Low and behold the same 3 people who, although never quite late, were always the last on board our tour bus in Lisbon the previous day! This is important!

Our tour was timed for 2 hours so that we would be back at the ship by 6pm.

We set off and headed for Europa Point with excellent commentary regarding the history of the ‘rock’ and Admiral Nelson ending at the lighthouse.

After a very short break we headed for the Upper Rock and the Nature Reserve and St Michael’s caves where we were also lucky to see some of the famous Barbary Apes.

Now due to the narrow roads, our bus driver dropped us near the entrance to the caves, at the end of a line of buses, and advised we had 20 minutes to visit them and by then he would have moved the bus towards the front of the line ready for us to depart to head to the Apes Den area.

We walked through the caves which is a fantastic indoor auditorium and photographed some of the apes and boarded the bus.

Well, 20 minutes had passed, then 30, then 40 and the 3 people from the previous day were still nowhere to be found. The driver went off to find them as our bus was now blocking the line of buses which had turned up after us. Eventually they ambled along more than 25 minutes late! Not a care in the world!

So we then headed off and due to time, missed the Apes Den (due the delay caused by the group of 3) and headed to the Military Heritage Centre look out point on Willis Road. We had a great view of Splendida from here and the airport below. It is very interesting to see the traffic travelling down Winston Churchill Ave that heads towards the Spanish border which crosses the runway!

From there we descended back towards the port and we were dropped at Casemates Square, although as it was heading towards 6pm, the driver was determined to get those who wanted, back to the ship as planned.

We explored and then made the easy walk back to the ship. Pre-dinner cocktails as usual whilst catching up with our friends and then dinner in Villa Verde. The ship departed from Gibraltar at 9pm and boy did we feel the bow thrusters during dinner! The vibration was quite a conversation piece!

Another day done, and a relaxing day at sea and another Gala Evening to look forward to for day 6.

More photos from Gibraltar

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Great review. I will be on Splendida in December

Enjoying your review and photos.

Thanks for the positive feedback everyone, glad you are enjoying the 'ride'. Hopefully it is helping anyone sailing on Splendida in the near future.

A great excuse to relax today and enjoy the facilities the ship has to offer. Plenty of time to wander around the ship, drink great coffee, spend time reading and take more photos of this beautiful ship.

Not a lot to report for today really, other than it was Gala night again and we dressed up in our tuxes and had formal photos taken. Seeing the results the next day I reckon the MSC photographers are geniuses! Never had such fantastic shots taken by any other cruise line photographer.

Dinner was excellent and the staff paraded Baked Alaska through the restaurant at the end of the meal to rapturous applause.

We spent the rest of the evening between the L’Aperitvo and La Prua bars.

Here's a few random shots from my wander around the ship.

More shots with a great 'secret' aft view from the end of deck 13

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Most days there was entertainment on the main pool deck around 11 am, that was well attended and good fun with guests encouraged, but not forced to join in.

In the Aft Lounge in the evening there were numerous sessions where the dance team taught dance routines, be that 'Grease Lightning', or Irish Dancing or otherwise encouraging people to join in fun routines during the White Party etc.

I think the staff did a great job of encouraging guests to join in, without forcing or embarrassing them (which can happen on other lines).

We had an early arrival into port at 8 am and an early afternoon departure time of 2 pm, so in our opinion it didn’t give a great deal of time to explore the city if you haven’t had the opportunity to visit before. We have been very fortunate to have stayed in, and sailed from Barcelona on many previous occasions so didn’t plan on rushing breakfast so that we could get off early.

We were docked at terminal B and MSC offered an all-day shuttle ticket for €8.90 pp which dropped guests at the end of the Ramblas at the Christopher Columbus statue at Mirador de Colon. From here it’s an easy walk up La Rambla or walk in the opposite direction to Port Vell.

However, there is a blue port bus that runs when ships are docked between each terminal and drops people at the same point at the Columbus statue. The cost is €3 pp one-way or €4 return. Needless to say this is the method we chose to go ashore. We visited Port Vell and returned for lunch in plenty of time for sail away.

Needless to say there were guests who cut it fine in returning to the ship. All aboard was supposed to be 1:30 pm and yet there was a group who we could see arriving at the terminal at 1:45 pm without a care in the world. Insisting on kissing their guide good bye, loaded down with shopping, despite her best efforts to get them to head for the terminal and security checking, in a speedy manner. We could see MSC staff gesturing at their watches signalling they were looking for 4 final guests. Eventually we saw the 4 appear from the terminal and amble towards the gangway until they realised they were being encouraged to hurry. Needless to say immediately they boarded the gangway was removed and the crew made preparations to set sail for Genoa.

We were in port with Mein Schiff 5 and Princess cruises Royal Princess.

Unfortunately this made it time for packing! Ugh! However, bags did not have to be out of our cabin for collection until 1 am the next morning at the latest, which gives plenty of time for packing the final evenings outfits we wore to dinner!

As Black members we were given one of the 1st tags for disembarking and were offered the opportunity to stay in our cabin until 9 am on day of departure, although this had to be confirmed with Guest Services. We had also been left cards to complete if we wanted to complete a post cruise survey via email (a prize of free cruise is on offer, so of course we completed the form!). So this was my only need to visit Guest Services throughout the whole cruise which is a record compared to other lines (so I thought, more on that later!).

Once packed, we visited the Photo Gallery to review the shots from Gala evening and as mentioned they were fantastic. Some of the prints are huge (12” x 14”) compared to those from other cruise lines. The cost for the large prints was €30 but there was an offer of buy 2 get 1 free, so 3 for €20 each in reality, which again is quite a bargain compared to the prices charges by other lines for large prints (not as big as these either). The 8” x 10” were €20 for 1 with another for €15, so in effect €17.50, again a bargain IMHO. So we ended up spending €95 though!

There was also an invite to a enjoy a ‘Welcome Back’ cocktail in the Aft Lounge where the photo gallery staff said any photo taken there would be free, except any taken with the captain. I assume we got this invite because as being ‘Black’ members, the on board team assumed we had sailed MSC on a previous occasion. As this was only our first sailing with MSC and we had attained ‘Black’ level due to status match, we didn’t think it was appropriate to attend.

So we met our friends for a last cocktail in L’Enoteca before joining our tablemates in the main dining room for the last time.

Goodbyes were said, and so after dinner we headed for the La Prua for a final beverage.

Tomorrow, disembarkation in Genoa – now that’s another story! Stay tuned.

Well, time to disembark, but first check the account for the week. I keep an eye on the account via the TV (where possible) during any cruise (not to be cheap, but just to keep track) and so always have a good idea what the total will be on that final morning.

On MSC you get 2 copies of your account posted under your door in the early hours and 1 copy is for you to sign and leave in the cabin.

OK, so bleary eyed I check and see that we have been charged for the mini bar purchases, although these are supposed to be included as part of the Allegrissimo Premium package.

So off to Guest Services I head, only to find that for the first time only one side is staffed! So there's a long line of disgruntled guests. However, eventually I get to the front and the service agent agrees that I should not have been charged, but it has to be reversed by someone else and I have to wait at the desk whilst it is done. Bit of a hassle and frustration, but sorted in the end.

Now off to the buffet for breakfast, and as you would expect it's a zoo! No seats to be found so we head outside to try there on the pool deck, but again out of luck. So we head back to the cabin (only 1 deck down) and wait for 30 mins before trying again as we know we have access to the cabin until 9 am.

We had been advised our disembarkation time would be 08:55 am and to head to the Strand Theatre to wait until called. However, at 09:00 it was obvious even those with earlier times (self assist) had not started to disembark, so we wandered down to the theatre about 09:15 as we were in no rush (heading to Milan for the night by train, so no rush).

You couldn't get anywhere near the theatre as it was packed, so we sat in the Casino. I tried to get some information and was told that the staff member at the entrance to the theatre would pass through the casino when disembarkation commenced to let us know it was OK to leave.

There were no announcements or updates given.

In the end I went up to deck 7 and saw that people we disembarking and asked the staff if we could leave. She said, yes, anyone can leave!

So we picked up our carry on and heading up to deck 7 to leave.

Finally off the ship we headed to collect our luggage in the baggage hall and headed off to Genoa railway station, no immigration control nor customs checks.

Next up later today will be my summary and conclusions of this trip and cruise line.

I tried to get some information and was told that the staff member at the entrance to the theatre would pass through the casino when disembarkation commenced to let us know it was OK to leave.

There were no announcements or updates given.

In the end I went up to deck 7 and saw that people we disembarking and asked the staff if we could leave. She said, yes, anyone can leave!

Pete ... And there lies part of the Achiles Heel of MSC ! Organisation or the lack of it.

I tried to get some information and was told that the staff member at the entrance to the theatre would pass through the casino when disembarkation commenced to let us know it was OK to leave.

 

There were no announcements or updates given.

 

In the end I went up to deck 7 and saw that people we disembarking and asked the staff if we could leave. She said, yes, anyone can leave!

 

Pete ... And there lies part of the Achiles Heel of MSC ! Organisation or the lack of it.

In summary we thoroughly enjoyed our first sailing with MSC. The ship is gorgeous, the layout great with plenty of space and is very impressive.

Food and drink

Always a subjective topic, but we enjoyed what we ate. The main dining room was well staffed and enjoyable. There is plenty of choice and opening hours are very good. We didn’t need to try room service so we cannot comment on that.

The complimentary coffee is quite good, as are the fruit juices.

There is such a wide choice of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, that there are no complaints from us. The prices, even if we didn’t have a beverage package, are far more reasonable than some other lines. A very nice touch was the serving of ‘nibbles’ be that olives and/or chips with a beverage.

Dining Venues

The buffet well laid out with a great variety of food stations and having 2 full bars for beverages, especially specialty coffees, is a very nice option. Great opening hours, especially late evening/night.

Main dining rooms are nicely decorated and staffed by friendly, professional and helpful staff. We did find the fixed time dining a little limiting as we are now used to ‘anytime’ dining on other cruise lines. However, MSC did a good job of matching those on our table, which as one for 6, was an ideal size.

Santa Fe Tex Mex - well laid out if fairly basic, but not a great deal of food choice. A wider variety of speciality restaurants would be welcomed.

Sports Bar - very limited menu with an even more limited opening times, so wasn’t convenient for us to use our pre-paid package.

La Piazzetta – great venue for casual snacks, gelato, coffees, cakes and pastries!

L’Espresso - wonderful location with fantastic staff for those specialist coffees and complementary pastries.

Entertainment and Venues

Casino – well laid out so not feeling too cramped, smoking still allowed on one side which is a little inconvenience, but not as bad as on some other lines.

Theatre – well designed modern venue with ample seating and views of the stage, although the lack of bar is a little downside. Only had chance to watch the final show and it was entertaining.

Entertainers provided a good variety of choice and music/dancing at several venues around the ship.

Lounges

So many great venues located primarily on deck 7 which made passing from one to the other very easy as the layout flowed well from one to another. All others located around or near the atrium provide a huge variety of venues for pre or post dinner drinks and relaxing throughout the day.

Liquid Disco has a great location with great views and is very popular which is good to see.

The Aft Lounge is worthy of a special mention as it is a stunning venue in a great location with lots of good entertainment.

Pools

With 3 pools, Splendida provided plenty of choice, with one covered for the chillier climate.

Service

Great to have 2 Guest Service areas which ensured lines were small at most times.

Cabin attendants provided a fantastic unobtrusive service and the wait staff in all dining and lounge venues were smiling, approachable, helpful and very professional.

Future Cruise Desk - always appeared busy and so appears to be too small with insufficient staff to cater for the guests wishing to book future cruises.

Shore Excursions – we didn’t use this service, but looked well-staffed with plenty of desks for guest to enquire and book trips.

As there were minimal announcements, there was little disturbance during your time relaxing on board.

Photo services – the photographers are not at all pushy and so are not ‘in your face’ all the time.

However, their talent with the ‘formally’ posed photos from Gala evening are stunning. They seem to have a magic touch compared to other lines, especially in the options for providing subtle effects on the finished product.

Prices are not outrageous unlike other lines, although not inexpensive, there are many offers such as ‘3 for 2’ which reduces the individual photo price.

It’s been a long time since we purchased photos on board, but we did this time. Saying that, we did miss the opportunity for photos being taken at ports of call as we disembarked unlike other lines which we sometimes use as a record of our visits.

Stateroom – a very nicely decorated cabin with huge beds, ample space in the bathroom and attractive looking furnishings with expensive feeling and looking drapes.

Though we found storage in the closet area a little lacking and the entertainment in terms of TV could be larger. The balcony was a good size with adequate furniture, but not large enough for lounge chairs. However, overall the cabin was extremely comfortable which resulted in a great night’s sleep!

Organisation is a bit lacking, muster is a little too laid back so it loses a little of the importance of the drill, disembarkation in this instance was pretty dismal, mainly due to lack of information.

Conclusion

All things considered, would we recommend MSC? Oh definitely YES! The ship design is wonderful, the venues spectacular, the furnishings plush, the value for money fantastic and very hard to beat.

Will we sail with MSC again after the one we already have booked (Dubai March 2017 on sister ship Fantasia)? Oh yes definitely, no question.

Thanks for reading, and I hope it is of use to you if you are trying to decide on MSC or Splendida.

Thanks again for making the effort to post a really useful review.

Seems in line with what I've been able to piece together from a lot of reviews I've read. So looking forward to my trip.

Now. Where is my fracking time machine???

Thank you. It has been an interesting read and makes me look forward to our trip even more.

Peter,

Thank you for the excellent review and photos. We'll be sailing MSC Splendida next May and to be honest, I was a bit apprehensive based on some previous threads. We enjoy traditional dining and prefer a large table. Were you seated with other English speaking guests?

great review. thank you very much!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Peter,

Thank you for the excellent review and photos. We'll be sailing MSC Splendida next May and to be honest, I was a bit apprehensive based on some previous threads. We enjoy traditional dining and prefer a large table. Were you seated with other English speaking guests?

I've realised I've omitted a couple of things that people may be interested in.

Internet

We purchased the "Surfer Cruise Plus" package at a cost of GBP 24.50 each for the whole cruise. Purchasing in advance gave a bonus 20% of data, so instead of the standard 800MB data allowance, we each got 960MB.

This package gave access to social networks, chat apps, emails and web browsing. No Audio and Video.

We found it adequate for our needs and had plenty of data, but even so, if we had wanted another 500MB it would only cost an additional €9!

For example, uploading photos to social media and 'checking in' and reviewing new emails each morning only used 5-10MB, during the rest of the day, sometimes I was lucky to use 70MB.

You could also 'upgrade' to higher priority (hopefully meaning slightly faster connection in terms of your 'requests' being processed) for an additional €21 for the whole cruise.

Compared to other lines, this is a bargain for the internet access we require whilst cruising. Obviously were we could we would connect to free Wifi in ports of call.

Suggested Dress 'codes'

This is a very emotive subject, so all I'm going to say is that the daily news letter advised of the dress 'code', and this ranged from 'formal' on the 2 Gala evenings, to 'casual' for other evenings, but also 'white' for the White Night obviously, and 'Themed' for the 70's & 80's evening.

Most evenings you would see people dressed as I would describe as 'smart casual' - smart dresses for ladies and smart pants and collared shirts for the men.

A lot of people did dress for the Gala Evenings, with a great variety of 'tuxes' for men, especially the younger trendy Mediterranean gentlemen who manage to carry off a dark suit, bow tie and matching trainers with aplomb!

I'm not one of the younger 'trendy' Mediterranean gentlemen, more traditional!

I am looking forward to our cruise on this ship in March and have a few questions.

Is it a problem only being an english speaker? I was on the Divina in October and enjoyed all of the other languages, but I think I might feel intimidated on this ship.

The weather will still be a little cool for swimming. Are all of the pools and water slide open or just the indoor pool?