First Time Cruisers in the Med

AhoyCruisers:D

I just booked a first ever cruise for meand my family (we’re 19 pax in total) after some research on the web includingthis great site, I decided to book with MSC Fantasia ex Barcelona on May 19th2018 We booked sea view balcony cabins in the Aurea call for everyone.

Now having placed the booking I wonderif any of you good people would have any advice / do's and don’ts when cruisingwith MSC? Any advice on food and drink as well as entertainment onboard?.

What concerns me if obviously that weall have a great time with no disappointments.

Thank you kindly in advance:cool:

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You will find a wealth of info on MSC here in the dedciated MSC forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80.

Additionally, you can connect with the cruisers on your specific sailing by visiting your Roll Call. Look for your sailing date here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=970

Good luck.

MSC have the youngest cruise fleet on the oceans, beautiful and stylish ships.

And very good value, esp if you have kids.

But they're a family-owned Italian cruise line.

So naturally, especially in the Med, things are done the Italian way.

You are likely to find some differences compared to US lines - for instance dinner is lots of small courses, and coffee isn't normally served after dinner.

Entertainment is visual rather than spoken, to cater for mixed nationalities.

And on the same subject, announcements are made in several languages - the English can be drowned-out by chatty Italians.

Italians don't go in for the concept of standing in line.

They'll barge past you.

But always in a friendly way and with a smile on their faces. ;)

Do get drinks packages, far better value on MSC than buying as-you-go.

MSC get excellent reviews on Italian websites, but mixed reviews on US and UK websites.

Why would that be?

In the main it's because things are done the Italian way, not the American or Brit way.

Go expecting things to be done your way, and you'll be disappointed.;)

Go with the flow, and you'll have a ball.:)

JB :)

AhoyCruisers:D

I just booked a first ever cruise for meand my family (we’re 19 pax in total) after some research on the web includingthis great site, I decided to book with MSC Fantasia ex Barcelona on May 19th2018 We booked sea view balcony cabins in the Aurea call for everyone.

 

Now having placed the booking I wonderif any of you good people would have any advice / do's and don’ts when cruisingwith MSC? Any advice on food and drink as well as entertainment onboard?.

 

What concerns me if obviously that weall have a great time with no disappointments.

Thank you kindly in advance:cool:

There is not any suggestion but I will be grateful if you can share your first-time experience with us who have never travel by cruise, thanks and good luck.

There is not any suggestion but I will be grateful if you can share your first-time experience with us who have never travel by cruise, thanks and good luck.

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

You can also pick up some tips here: https://www.cruisecritic.com/ftc/

[url=https://www.cruisecritic.com/ftc/][/url]

or learn from other first time cruiser's experiences: https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/styles/ftc/

MSC have the youngest cruise fleet on the oceans, beautiful and stylish ships.

And very good value, esp if you have kids.

 

But they're a family-owned Italian cruise line.

So naturally, especially in the Med, things are done the Italian way.

You are likely to find some differences compared to US lines - for instance dinner is lots of small courses, and coffee isn't normally served after dinner.

Entertainment is visual rather than spoken, to cater for mixed nationalities.

And on the same subject, announcements are made in several languages - the English can be drowned-out by chatty Italians.

Italians don't go in for the concept of standing in line.

They'll barge past you.

But always in a friendly way and with a smile on their faces. ;)

 

Do get drinks packages, far better value on MSC than buying as-you-go.

 

MSC get excellent reviews on Italian websites, but mixed reviews on US and UK websites.

Why would that be?

In the main it's because things are done the Italian way, not the American or Brit way.

Go expecting things to be done your way, and you'll be disappointed.;)

Go with the flow, and you'll have a ball.:)

 

JB :)

Thanks JB

Very valuable inputs that help us to prepare better:)

Travelling in Italy for many years we are quite familiar with "the Italian way" ;)

Rgds HC