JPMoore

35 minutes ago, elmsliebev said:

Re the name - I think Elizabeth, Mary, Victoria and now Anne were/are monarchs in their own right, rather than as the spouse of a King. I like it. I'd have loved Eleanor as she's a bit of heroine of mine but of course she's French! 

My problem with this is that Cunard are rewriting their own history. Queen Mary and Elizabeth were named after Queen consorts, with QM2 and QE2 named simply as the second ship of that name. Queen Victoria is their only ship named after a Queen Regnant.

Just now, Bell Boy said:

Let's hope the interiors are not as Dull as her name. 😕 

Based on that video seemingly not. Very P&O!

I'm beyond frustrated at this point that if they know they delay any communication, completely to the detriment of their customers.

I'm due to be sailing on the repositioning from Southampton to Marseille on 14 September. How soon before are they going to actually let me know? I'm not hopeful being as my previous experience when vaccinated rules temporarily changed post-21 June that I was given only 4 days notice about that.

This is an absolutely appalling decision made by MSC.

I am 28 and managed to get my first vaccine around 2 weeks ahead of under 30s being eligible for the vaccine. Even then my 2nd jab isn’t until 20 July. 
 

It’s likely I’ll request a refund for this cruise, and also request a full refund for my September cruise. This is the nail in the coffin for me and MSC, I think.

Based on the year of launch, magrodome pool on the sun deck and other interior photos it certainly looks like it is Magnifica! 

What a dramatic turn of events - from stretching to sale.

I've sailed with MSC four times now, three times in a 'standard' cabin (Divina, Preziosa and Grandiosa) and once in YC on Seaside.

Each cruise was an unique experience itself, and I thoroughly enjoyed all them. My advice would be to just think of your own experience whilst on board - not what others may or may not be doing, seeing, or receiving. 

Where are you cruising to? Hope you have a fab time.

All confirmed! 

https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/msc-enhances-dining-for-ex-uk-ship-preziosa-17641

I don’t think that giving opinions on the YC restaurant is necessarily unwarranted, as it’s one alternative to not going with the specialities.

I’d toyed with the idea of the trio dining package, but didn’t go for it in the end as I didn’t want to feel ‘tied-in’ to eating outside the YC on three occasions. Despite not being as good value, I liked the freedom to choose one or as many of the specialities whilst on board.

Agree that the atmosphere is very different - again I only ate in the Teppinayki as I felt this offered the most different experience (both culinary and showmanship) from the YC restaurant. As others have said, this may also be the case in the other speciality restaurants too.

How long is your cruise? I'd personally be inclined not to bother with the dining package. The food in the YC restaurant is wonderful, as is the freedom to dine in a private restaurant, and a big part of the experience of being in YC.

I found that booking just one speciality restaurant was enough. I did the teppanyaki as this was absolutely not something we could have experienced in the YC restaurant, and it was great!

We simply mentioned to the concierge that we wanted to try it on a night and time that a waitress we got on very well with on Divina was there. She organised it on our behalf. We later realised we couldn't do that night and after mentioning it in passing (whilst on the way to the maitre d' of the speciality restaurants) to the concierge she stopped us dead in our tracks and called right away for us.

'Darling ... I need you to do something for me. The boys, they want to dine tomorrow now - you'll do that for me won't you?'

All sorted!

I found the Black Crab to feel 'grander' in comparison to Villa Rossa. Although I only had a brief wander around VR, I can imagine that it's lovely if you're by the windows. 

Not sure if this is helpful, but I'll be doing almost the reverse of the cruise at the end of May. Southampton - Hamburg, albeit 4 days/5 nights. I have a drinks package for the cruise, but it was included with the fare. 

I've had a scour of the site and can't see anywhere in the T+C's that indicates a minimum cruise length like there was for the old drinks packages. 

Thanks Bea! You're right about Villa Rossa being rather awkward to get to, as I remember being stopped on several occasions whilst on Divina by very lost (and presumably very hungry) diners asking for directions there - but I wasn't of much help!

If that's the case with Aurea guests, my parents are certainly in for a long walk on their Preziosa cruise 😂 They're in an Aurea balcony just down the corridor from the bridge on Deck 13!

For passengers in Aurea experience cabins on board MSC Preziosa, Divina etc is there a specific area within one of the MDR's that is designated for them? If so, which of the two MDR's is that in?

I've always been curious how passengers are allocated into which dining room i.e. are forward cabins placed in the double-height restaurant, aft cabins in the panoramic restaurant.

I agree that the decor (especially in the main Eataly restaurant - not so much Ristorante Italia) was a bit strange at first glance. I *think* what they were going for was a stripped-down, casual ambience with a key focus being on the food itself. The idea being that it's authentic market style eating where you'd buy straight from the source, then simply sit down wherever's convenient to savour what you've bought. 

Whilst I loved this, I can fully see how this doesn't necessarily convey the typical speciality restaurant experience on board a cruise ship. That said, however, I don't cruise with MSC because I want 'typical' - there's plenty of great steak restaurants on land.

I've just noticed that on MSC Preziosa's profile on the website that it's now showing an image of Butcher's Cut - appears to have replaced Ristorante Italia.

Quite a shame! I enjoyed perhaps one of the best meals I've ever had in Ristorante Italia on Divina. I wonder if Eataly in general is being replaced both on Preziosa or on the fleet as a whole? I noticed that it's completely disappeared from this page. 

The MSC Signature Martini is wonderful, as is the Aviation. 

I also very much enjoyed the 'smoked' cocktails in the speciality restaurants bar on Seaside. 

My absolute favourite wine was the Louis Jadot on Divina - unfortunately they didn't have anywhere near as good a wine selection on Seaside.

I was very much looking forward to the French Bistro on board Seaside in November last year, but it had unfortunately been closed and no longer served food. It's now just a bar called 'Bar La Boheme'. I spoke to the concierge in the YC and she said that the staff consensus was that it was fantastic, it just simply didn't get the custom. 

When I booked my upcoming cruise on Seaside whilst on Divina in November last year, I received pretty much as described above - $200 +$50 OBC, double voyager's club points + 15+5% discount off the overall fare.

I'd be interested to know opinions on what to do regarding booking next cruise whilst on board Seaside this November. Not looking to cruise again until mid-2020, but these cruises are not yet on sale. Would it be advisable to book a cruise on board to secure the benefits, then change the booking to another cruise once they're released?

What's the Pan Am restaurant?

Dear 60, They have been talking about a ban for 30 years at Ayers Rock. We are surprised it still has not taken effect. As for the tipping our tour guide and driver, we witnessed this from our fellow passengers, much more traveled and seasoned than we were at the time. Once, we traveled on a French Visa, sailed up the Saigon river and docked at Saigon within walking distance from the Floating Hotel. All passengers were on tour buses. Strange thing happened, there were teams of pickpockets following every bus. We were attacked by a group of four young men I caught one with his hand in my wife's fanny pack and swatted him away and we ran for the tour bus. Another of our coach passengers was not so lucky, they stole his wallet and his passports. The tour guide went back to the scene of the crime and retrieved the passengers passports but not his wallet. In cohoots ? This occurred at every tour stop. All we are saying is that a little extra tipping "may" go a long way in helping you avoid being a "mark". Capiche?

More likely to present you as a sitting duck who is clearly laden with spare cash!

That's what's been posted on here many times, JP. We'll be embarking Armonia next January in Miami (so no YC tent :loudcry:).

Oh the horror! ;)

I was under the impression that YC in Miami did not have to drop-off luggage at the kerb like all passengers, but rather keep hold of it until you got to the YC check-in area (the white tent)?

I’m sorry, but this is straight up extortion!

You shouldn’t have to fear for the safety of your luggage by being held to ransom for a small tip.

Booked via a travel agent in the UK. They were happy to call MSC and have the stateroom changed for us on two occasions.

It’s simple: if people have more questions to ask about Seaside or the YC, then there will be more threads asking those questions.

It’s a new ship, based in the US (where the majority of cruise critic users are from), so it’s understandable that a large number of posts are about Seaside.

If we’re giving opinions or thoughts on other MSC ships then here ya go: sailed on Divina in an Inside Fantastica on a Caribbean itinerary - absolutely loved it. Dare I say I’m travelling on Seaside in YC (bear with me here!), but would also very much like to travel on one of MSC’s smaller or mid-sized ships like Opera or Musica, and am undecided what itinerary I’d want; perhaps Fjords, or Cuba... or a classic Mediterranean?