AceDoc

I was on the Star on the Feb 4th cruise, and will chime in with a few observations. I enjoyed the cruise, and cruising (for the most part) is what you make of it. The weather was beyond fortunate, so we were able to make and enjoy all ports, and also get some clear viewing of the few hours in some Antarctic islands. The ship was fine, I sailed on her in Alaska, many years ago, and knew that it was a unique and smaller layout. I found the food to be mostly good, with a few misses-- pretty typical for most cruises. Staff were always courteous and  generally helpful, but you could tell that many were in training and struggled at times. Shows were small time productions, for the most part, and were fine. Music in the various bars and lounges was very good. Activities were also sufficient. 

As to observations regarding this topic:

1. We had only 4 hours instead of 2 days in Antarctica. 

2. Every single one of the other port times were also significantly changed. 

3. There was a failure to notify passengers of these changes except by a paper handed to us as we boarded. This also caused us to have to scramble to reschedule or change every private tour (all of the ports, in our case) after boarding. This was difficult to do once onboard, because of...

4. ...Horrible, dysfunctional internet. The internet cafe manager told me that they were aware of the problem and had technicians working on it,  but it never improved. I was unable to receive a single outlook email during the entire cruise. WhatsApp was spotty, at best, and usually not working. This created  problems for the tours, as well as for general comms. 

5. There was a failure to provide clear information to the passengers regarding the rationale for the significant changes. 

6. Staff made many errors and didn't seem to be well trained, and there did not seem to be any supervision or correction for those errors. Wrong information, wrong meals given, lack of follow-up and often getting things "almost" right was far more common than in my previous cruise experiences. They were generally small things, but just at a high frequency.  

Generally,  I have had good experiences with NCL, and they had previously been my first place to look when planning a cruise. But NCL has not met their usual standards, IMO. The best description is that it came across as somewhat "unprofessional." 

All that said, it was still a very enjoyable vacation, and I will fill out a review, including all the good stuff, once I get around to getting some pics downloaded. Those annoyances were taken with a shrug and a margarita. I will likely cruise NCL again, but they probably will not be the first place that I look anymore. 

5 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

Sorry to see that your time in Antarctica has been cut short by a day .... it's Mother Nature.

 

Very high surf/waves (30+ ft) coming to the region and I think the captain has made the call to zoom out and head to Falklands a day early for the safety of all on board.

 

At least you're in Falklands longer. Enjoy the penguins and the islands. Then you'll be sailing back to BA in calm seas.

 

We had the same misfortune in July 2022 when we were on Star Greenland & Iceland but did Norway & Iceland instead because of some storm and high surf brewing up in the sea between Iceland and Greenland. It broke our (and others') hearts as Greenland was on our bucket list. But we had a good time visiting Norway.

 

Current:

 

Tomorrow noon (projected):

 

Wed noon (projected):

 

Thurs noon (projected):

 

windy.com and select Waves.

 

Be safe.

 

 

This itinerary change has nothing to do with weather, it is a change made for this and all future "Antarctica" cruises on the Star this season; they will be skipping the mainland. Also, the times were changed on all ports. The changes were told to us as we boarded the ship. The weather has been amazing, and hopefully we will reap the benefit of the extra time in Stanley.  

A little trick, if you're willing to pay 200%, is to book the cabin with a dummy cabin-mate. Of course, you could probably also ask for volunteers here for an actual free cabin-mate. 😄

Been on MSC in Europe and in the US. Large family groups in both. Been on almost all other mainstream lines as well. 

1. It's a cruise! 

2. Pricing is usually very reasonable 

3. Good deals with inclusive drink packages and wifi are not hard to find

4. European flavor and style

5. Clean ships

6. Management staff on the ships were helpful.

7. Decent vegetarian options (we have a few in our group)

8. Fresh mozzarella and good pizza

9. Ocean Cay. Easy island to enjoy.

10. Decent children's activities 

11. Dinner is not rushed (for some that may be a negative) 

12. Croissants and coffee, especially while sitting on my balcony.

13. Nice aesthetics in design on interior areas. 

14. Hugo Spritz (try one if you haven't) 

15. Thermal area in the Aurea spa

16. Generally very attentive and helpful staff on board. 

Have a blast! I will be on in a few weeks.

Do you have a drink package, and have they changed the drink prices and corresponding amounts covered by the packages (e.g. max of $10 for Easy plus)? 

Also, if one orders a drink that costs more than the allotment, is it a full charge, or just paying the difference?

Sorry to bump, but may I ask as to which email you sent the requests? I have a family member who is missing points from a previous cruise. Thanks

-Doc

I think if they continue to have nightly specials, it will be a hit. I rarely go to the specialty dining, as I generally find the foods in the main dining area to be quite enjoyable. And, of course, the buffet is always an option. 

Crew on the Mera was saying they expected to go to the Bahamas (Ocean Cay, maybe?) and quickly onward to Europe. They stated that they weren't sure where,  would be depending on need and availability. One mentioned possibly Southampton. 

A similar letter has also been sent to the passengers on the current cruise. No one is noted to be currently sick aboard. 

On 3/11/2020 at 12:42 PM, Preziosa said:

Thats crazy only around 2500 people on your sailing.  That must Be a Strange feeling.

I hope there Will Be a little bit more people on Our Easter sailing. Have a Nice Cruise.

It doesn't feel super empty. Generally, it is busy at popular programs, just not stuffed. Lines are short at the buffet. Similarly, it is easy to get a chair on deck, or a spot at the hot tub.

Quite a bit of shade, I would say about 75 to 80 percent shaded there. It is like a minature solarium. Still windy during high wind days, though. 

2 hours ago, Micheb5 said:

Thank you so much firefightercruiser for taking the time to give us a real time report. Are there servers at the buffet or are they letting people serve themselves still? Someone posted that their Seaside cabin got new bedding every day, and their bathroom cup holders were being sanitized. Enjoy your cruise and thanks a lot.

Ship reportedly is at 2500 passengers or so. It feels maybe down a third, still plenty of people attending shoes, etc. Buffet is still self serve. There is lots of wiping down of areas. All seems to be fairly normal on board. Of course the subject comes up in conversation, but there is no sense of panic, and I see most everyone having a very nice time. About the biggest difficulty so far were the seriously rough seas over last night, which had a number of passengers cooped up in their staterooms with seasickness. Calmer and pleasant weather appeared today, and Ocho Rios was a pleasant stop. 

On board. Had a nice day in Ocho Rios. All pax had sanitizing of hands and thermal scans prior to reboarding. There appears to be a heightened level of cleaning of surfaces. Probably needs more "selling" of hand sanitizing prior to buffet (IMO), but it is being offered. 

Some passengers on our flight to FLL just exited, stating that their Princess cruise was just canceled.  Perhaps the Regal?

Awesome! Keep it coming.

Has anyone ever stayed in a forward balcony on the Musica? We are booked on one on Deck 15. The motion and the wind will probably be strong, but I imagine the view will be excellent.

AceDoc ... Keep us updated please, it appears this is happening far more frequent than we have heard about previously. Add those we don't know about and it could be on a larger scale.

Update:

MSC still reports that I cancelled and rebooked, and that caused the cabin change; I still don't see how that would have occurred after final payment, but it's no big deal from my end. They called me directly, were very nice and got the cabin back up to Deck 14, so no worries. Two months to sail. Can taste the Prosecco already!

-Adam

We have done family trips to the Baltic (Group of 23 on NCL Star) and Western Med (Group of 15 on the Epic), and are prepping for another group to the Eastern Med on Musica in July.

We waited until our boys were teens to do this, as we wanted to have memorable and educational experiences for all, and we are fortunate that it has ended up that way.

A few suggestions to families considering this type of trip from North America:

1. Watch for deals on flights and/or cruises. A year, or even two out on cruises can get some very good bargains.

2. Consider lower cost airlines. We have flown Aeroflot, Icelandair, WOW, and have booked Turkish air for the upcoming cruise.

3. Use airline miles. If it means a day or two before or after the cruise, all the better-- allows you to explore.

We are staying two days before and three days afterwards in Venice. We'll stay near VCE before an make a day trip to the Dolomites, and will stay in Venice afterwards.

4. Use private guides when it is economically more sensible to do so. I find them to be better in quality and price that ship's tours, if you do some research.

5. Fly out of hubs if possible, a bit of driving can be the difference between an $800 airfare and a $1400 airfare.

6. Consider going off-season. Airfare and cruises are lower, and cruises are often not as hectic. A few days off school may be worth it for the kids to see Rome or St. Petersburg.

7. Know the varying types of hotels, hostels, B&B's and camps in Europe. If you're adventurous, try some of the lower cost lodgings, but be mindful of location and getting around. I find European B&B's as the way to go, in general. Usually as good for lodging, and a better local flavor.

8. Do your homework. Check on CC for suggestions on cruises, ports, hotels, etc.

9. Do it! Getting out of North America and experiencing the European flavors and cultures is a great experience in and of itself.

Happy Cruising!

-Adam

Same issue here. Post full payment, and website now shows a cabin change (deck 14 to deck 11, same class) When I call, I was informed that the booking was cancelled (by me) and reassigned. Two cabins booked, one changes number and the other doesn't? After full payment? I had not cancelled anything. Odd. CS was very kind and polite, and tried to move back to the original deck but said the system wouldn't allow it, so they are emailing corporate, and will let me know.

I will concur about the website woes. It gets a bit hairy at times. But, I will also second the quality of the customer service on direct calls. My interactions have been professional, friendly, and very helpful.

I am going in 2 weeks . Hope to answer some questions after.;p

If you're able to post dailies, that would be very sweet! Look forward to hearing about the ship.

Thanks, Gubbe!

Howdy, my CC friends! We've got a family of 12 (all ages) taking Musica out of Venice in July. This will be our first MSC cruise. I haven't seen much information recently on the Musica, so I thought I'd ask if anyone has any tips, secrets, etc. on the ship. We will be in an Aurea balcony, and appear to have one of only two cabins on the fore of the ship. Our group is very used to cruising, and we are looking forward to the "European flavor" of MSC.

We plan to get a private tour up to the Dolomites pre-cruise (mostly for our history buffs in the group), and will be staying at the Paganelli for three days post.

Any updates, tips, and/or recommendations on the Musica would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

ooh. one of Roscioli's bakeries. Yummy!!! this one is owned by the uncle of the 2 Roscioli brothers who own the Salumeria and the Forno over in Campo di Fiori. But, this one is a great spot to grab a quick lunch if over in the Colosseum area.

The owners were awesome. We had slices, and wine, and various treats. We kept asking about the cost, to which they replied, "try it, don't worry about it." They were right-- holy cow, it was very reasonable. It's a wonderful spot for lunch and snacks. My parents want to take a trip back to Rome just to go there again!

Enjoyed our stay at DVE suites. Nice owner and good breakfast. Walking distance to some of the sights, but I strongly recommend Rome in Limo, or other tours, if you haven't seen Rome. If you do stay there, there is a bakery/bistro just around the corner, Forno Roscioli Pietro, (coming out from the hotel and turning left) that is excellent!

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