DAJedu

There's no delivery fee for Aurea guests.

 

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Every other ship I have been on, there is usually just a flat fee, you don't pay per item. So, when I saw that Aurea was free, I was thinking the entire room service menu was free. But, it seems only the additional fee on top of the food prices is free. This is another thing MSC needs to be more clear about.

I'm afraid that's not correct, DCGuy. There is no charge for *delivery* for Fantastica and Aurea, but there is for the food, itself. It's only room service breakfast that's free.

 

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Oh man, I was completely thinking that room service was free for Aurea guests. I had no idea there was a food fee, plus a delivery fee on top of that. Sigh.

I think with cruise lines like Viking, it is more than just the 'on board' experience. They start to take care of you well before you get on the ship. They don't just have one restaurant, they have multiple restaurants that are all included in the price. The only 'pay' restaurant on many of their ships is an excursion where you go out with the chef to shop locally, they take recommendations from the guests on what they would like for dinner, and they you get a cooking class and help prepare the meal (if you like). They also have one free shore excursion (although lower quality) at every port. They send you materials ahead of time on the ports of call so you can do some reading to learn about the area and you have lectures regarding the various ports scheduled on the ship.

Air is often quoted are part of the price or can be easily added on for a limited additional charge. They meet you at the airport, sign in hand, to transport you to the ship - all included in the price.

So, although Viking isn't considered a pure luxury brand, MSC would have to change significantly to be a true competition. I think a niche that they can fill is with those that are willing to pay suite level prices to sail on a ship without children, but they are not ready to pay for the added experiences often associated with a luxury line. Also with people looking at ports of call rather than looking at the ship as a vacation.

But, what is provided by many higher end lines is significantly different than simply priority boarding, higher end food, and dedicated elevators. The experience starts much earlier than that.

Is there no walking/running track on Seaside? That would be strange; I love going for an early morning walk.

Our extended family wants to stick with our planned Seaside adventure, so - we are going to make it work and have an absolute blast. I am researching like crazy and know we are a fun family, love spending time together, and regardless of how good or bad the ship is, we have never had a terrible cruise - just being with family makes it special. We like to prepay everything possible so we don't have to worry about bills when we return, so I have some questions for anyone that has sailed if you don't mind. For clarification - we are in an Aurea suite, my husband and I and our two children who will be 11, 11, and 13 at time of sailing:

1. Can the "Fun Pass" credits be purchased in advance?

2. If not, can they be purchased with pre-paid onboard credit?

3. Can gratuities be pre-paid?

4. If you have on-board credit purchased, do you still have to link a credit card?

5. Is purchased on-board credit refunded if not used or is it 'use it or lose it'?

6. Can on-board credit be used for tipping? (for example, when I tip for my included massage, will the tip be charged to my credit card if I have on-board credit available, or taken from the on-board credit)

7. Does the trio dining package have a separate menu, or do you just order from the regular menu but only certain items are allowed?

8. Is food available for purchase on the Aurea sundeck or only drinks?

9. Are there things for purchase in the kids clubs (I know on Carnival and Royal they have those stuffed bear building things, just trying to see if the kids would need on-board credit for anything they might want to participate in at the children's club).

10. Is the internet package for the cabin or per device? We like to keep up with the kids via text and from what I hear, the kid finder app isn't functional yet. In case it isn't functional by our cruise date, I want to see if we need additional wifi apps. And - no, we don't let the kids run wild - LOL. But, since my teen can check himself in and out of his club area - we like for him to text us when he is headed back to the room or let him know where to meet us. Not sure on Seaside, but my tweens could also check themselves in and out of their club on past cruises and we like a head's up for when they are heading back to us.

How can people know if they will like Seaside if they have no idea what to expect? I am simply asking a question to try to figure out if Seaside might be for me because they have advertised themselves in one way, but people are experiencing something different. I am trying to make the best decision for my family.

If it is a 'sail elsewhere' attitude, why are people being bashed and being told they have 'no critical thinking skills' when they say they are canceling?

I have honestly never seen such cognitive dissonance in my life. WOW!

I am thinking more so of canceling just from the attitudes of folks here. Like, who attacks someone because they didn't like their own vacation? Is this representative of what it will be like on Seaside? Will people jump down my throat and bash my nationality because I don't like the food? Will people call me names or question my thinking ability if I don't like the smell? My gosh, some folks on this forum are downright scary.

We sailed on the Divina in the Caribbean. The differences that we noticed:

 

- Less Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet and more international music. I always remember boarding the ship while listening to Eros Ramazotti . Music played on deck was more Euro-techno than Margaritaville, also expect acts like Italian opera singers in the atrium.

 

- Americans seemed to be the minority while European cruisers were the majority. Expect many different languages and cultures. Important announcements are also made in 6-7 different languages. People do tend to take dress codes more seriously, specially at night.

 

-People seem more at ease with nudity. We saw several kids in the pool deck naked, being changed from their wet swimwear in front of all other passengers. Also, at the thermal suite, there were more passengers who were less concerned about covering up, even in front of people from the opposite sex.

 

- Dinner does take longer, with longer breaks between courses. There were extended periods of time when the waitstaff was nowhere to be found. Sometimes getting a water refill was a bit challenging. We even started bringing our own bottles of water to the main dining room and refilling our glasses ourselves.

 

- Overall, Ship staff was courteous, but more aloof and detached. They were there to assist us if we approached them, but they would not initiate the interaction.

 

- Main theater entertainment is less verbal. Great shows but they don’t rely on dialogue as much as on American cruise lines. We didn’t see any comedians which would make sense on a ship that caters heavily to an international, multi-lingual clientele.

 

- The Kids club also caters to a broad clientele. My kids met many kids from other counties and they said that many times they played with other kids that didn’t speak English, yet that didn’t stop them from making new friends and having a great time. Activities like language and cooking lessons were a fresh and welcome change from the usual technology heavy activities more commonly found on other cruise line’s kids clubs.

 

- Food is heavy on Italian dishes, at least at the buffet. Different varieties of pasta and pizza, as well as traditional antipasto with various cured meats and cheeses like prosciutto, mozzarella and provolone.

 

- There are some things to consider when setting up your onboard account. You set it up by using self serve kiosks onboard. Keep in mind that (at least when we cruised), charges to our onboard account were processed in France, so we incurred an international transaction surcharge on our credit card. Next time we will use a credit card which doesn’t incur this type of fee.

 

Some of the differences between MSC and American cruise lines are subtle while other are more pronounced. Whether any of these are cause for dissatisfaction is truly a personal thing. For us, none were enough to complain, but we did hear several fellow cruisers who were not happy. We shared a van in St Maarten with another family, and all they talked about was how much MSC sucked and how they’d be going back to Carnival for their next cruise.

 

We are now booked on our next MSC cruise, this time aboard the Meraviglia in the Mediterranean. Looking forward to what their product is like in their home turf.

 

 

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Thank you so much for this! This is exactly what I was looking for.

With the kids' club, I wonder if Seaside is sticking with the traditional formula or moving. I haven't heard anyone talk about language classes yet and Seaside showed things like gaming stations and 3D printers during tours. Will keep on the look out.

And to me' date=' ALDI is a delightful break from large grocery stores. I've been shopping at ALDI since 2001 and live in Wegmans native city. I go into Wegmans once a month for a few keys items (cereals, frozen veggies, ground beef and chicken breasts) and get the rest of the food at ALDI. Their store is so simple and free from all those add-ons and up-sells. I just want food! Not only is their chocolate amazing but we love their cheeses, chips, and produce. Basics like flour, canned tomatoes, and boxed pastas are cheaper but indistinguishable from their Wegmans counterparts - except for the price tag. But as you said - very little customer interaction. Wegmans needs the bells and whistles to justify/balance the higher prices.

 

If MSC wanted to be an ALDI I'd be all for it. And I'm not saying never MSC. I have just learned a valuable lesson for my family. We can't experiment with a new line/new ship for what we want in a product. We don't want surprises.

 

I just think people are using the excuse "you must not be ready for European experience" to downplay any concerns people have.[/quote']

 

Makes total sense. I am trying 'not' to be surprised, but it seems that even MSC isn't sure what Seaside is supposed to be. The idea that the "European experience" is even something they are going for is completely opposite of everything MSC is communicating in their message to the USA market. They are advertising "Broadway-style shows", they named the pools "South Beach" and "Miami Beach". They talk extensively about designing the aft cabins as "Miami style". Where is the European experience thing even coming from? It is so weird. Their loyal customers are spinning things even more than MSC. They have just been completely mute about everything, which I guess makes sense. Just let your paying customers be spin doctors for you :'):'):')

Here’s something I just posted on another thread from Pierfrancesco Vaga of MSC:

 

In contrast to the U.S.-based brands sailing out of Florida to the Caribbean, Seaside will offer a more international experience, in keeping with the company's European roots and global customer base, Vago suggests. The company last year drew customers from 193 countries, he says.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2017/02/08/msc-seaside-miami-cruises/97633932/

 

I think MSC wants to bring the European experience here. Not Americanize their cruises.

 

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How can that be true when they literally say on their USA based website that the entertainment on Seaside is Broadway-Style shows? There is zero mention of opera on their website in discussing Seaside. They named the main pools "Miami Beach" and "South Beach"

How in the world can anyone declare they are trying to bring a European experience? That doesn't even make sense per their own website, marketing, and ship naming.

I am going to quote several of your comments....

 

1) "Except at the end, where he had negative things to say about the opera music and the “made for European taste” food selections. "

 

2) "I’m used to the type of shower he pointed out, as they’re quite common in European hotels."

 

3) " When I discover that some of those people have very different outlooks, experiences and expectations than I, it necessarily colors and gives a different weight to their reviews.

 

Now I ask....How did MSC introduce the Seaside and their upcoming new ships?? Did they not talk about the Miami vibe on the Seaside?? Did they not talk about being a "player" in the North American market and adapting their build of ships and service to better meet the North American market??

 

As you stated...your perfectly comfortable with some of the above....Thats great. Problem is that the US clientel they are trying to convert IS NOT. They need to deliver on what they have been talking about. They are no way near that yet!

Oh my gosh - so much this!!

They literally talked about a Miami Beach vibe. I went to MSC's website just now, this is what they say about entertainment:

Metropolitan Theater

"The stunning high tech is the idea way to enjoy spectacular Broadway-style shows."

They say specifically, "Broadway-style shows". If MOST of the shows are opera, why in the heck are they saying the shows are Broadway-style? That makes ZERO sense!

No place in their discussion of the Seaside to they mention opera as the main entertainment. HOW in the world would the USA market know to expect opera?

No where on the website does it discuss the two buffets, it only mentions buffet on Deck 16. They actually say, "tasty, healthy dishes that children will love". All I keep hearing about at the kids buffet is fish sticks, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and fries. NCL has a children's buffet inside the main buffet on several ships. It is literally scaled down versions of the adult buffet. Instead of whole steaks, they have steak bites. Yes, they have chicken tenders, but they also have child size versions of the regular adult dinner choices. Also, on Royal, NCL, and Carnival - the evening buffet mimics the main dining room. The serve pretty much the exact same thing you would get in the dining room, but in a more laid back atmosphere.

The complaints are 100% the fault of MSC. Yes, if you promise me Broadway style shows and you give me opera - that is a problem. That doesn't mean I don't like opera. That doesn't mean I am not sophisticated. It means you did not provide the product you advertised. Why the need to lie to people?

Just curious, have you cruised in Europe? Don't take the 15 minute thing literally. It pertains to the people who have been complaining that the MDR experience has taken two hours. This is not what they are used to but what is common in Europe. MSC has kind of contradicted themselves when they talk about the MSC experience and then stating that Seaside will cater to more of an Americanized cruise that Americans have grown accustomed to. Which is it? Sort of talking out of both sides of their mouth. I tend to think that MSC will have a more elegant feel to it vs. the hairy chest belly flop contest feel that you'd get on Carnival. Read that tuxes are very common on MSC on elegant nights and have pretty much gone to the wayside on American lines. I've sailed on Carnival, Royal, NCL, Holland America, Princess, and I know what kind of experience seperates them all albeit small.

I am scheduled for my first European cruise for 2019, but will be sailing on Viking.

I wonder how MSC is communicating this 'elegant feel' to customers so they will know they are expected to wear a Tux.

I kind of wonder if this issue is more about MSC not really knowing how to translate what they want to the American market. I saw the same thing with Aldi grocery stores. I hear they are considered a more traditional grocery store in their home market. However, in the US market - they are pretty equivalent to the Dollar General; at least in my part of the USA. I kind of get that same vibe from the reviews I have seen.

I love the chocolates that are sold at Aldi and it is the only reason I go inside one of their stores. Most of the folks shopping there are looking for a bargain. They have been trying desperately to upgrade their image in my local market, but I don't know if they could ever be seen as a Whole Foods or even lower priced Earth Fare shopping experience. They planted their flag squarely in the 'discount' category, especially in the actual shopping experience. You have to 'rent' a shopping cart, bring your own bags, and there is zero customer service besides the cashier. Very different than my local grocery stores where they have baggers, people that actually take your groceries to your car, as well as people walking around cleaning the stores during the day. Delis, fresh baked goods, and family meals are common in all but the discount stores around here, Aldi has none of those things. But, apparently Aldi is considered a more middle of the road type shopping experience in its own local market and is known for quality. When I hear Seaside described as 'more elegant' it is quite shocking. Especially with the room tours that I have seen thus far; definitely not something I would consider 'elegant', even for the lower priced family market.

I will say that if one has taken cruises in Europe as we have, it makes the "experience" easier to understand. MSC doesn't cater solely to what or who Carnival or Royal has in mind as typical U.S. passengers. I know what to expect both ways. MSC is going to have a more diverse group of passengers from multiple countries. You'll have cultural and language aspects. Entertainment may be different, food, coffee and tea, dining lengths can all vary because of how many in Europe do things. Coming to the dining room on Carnival in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, scarfing down your food in 15 minutes and running out isn't the way it's done in a lot of other countries and I think MSC is trying to find a happy medium to make all guests from all over the world happy and comfortable.

Hmm, that is interesting. I have done 21 cruises total between Carnival, Royal, and NCL and have had zero 15 minute dining room experiences. In fact, MDR eating times are typically between one and two hours every day for all of my MDR experiences on all former cruises. So, is MSC using a stereotype of the American experience (i.e. scarfing down food in 15 minutes) or are they doing something different than is actually done of other cruise lines?

I know Royal has a 'no shots in dining room' policy. Does MSC require dressing up or is it pretty much a similar policy to Royal Caribbean?

Also, you note that they don't cater to what the 'typical cruise passenger' has in mind. Okay, what is it that they cater to? What do they have in mind?

Saw the video on Youtube and thought it was very informative. We are still hoping that someone will finally review our actual stateroom we have booked (one of only three of the 2-bedroom Aurea suites) - so I know chances of actually getting a real video that shows the details might be a bit of a pipe dream.

Thanks for the balanced perspective. We booked a 'back up' cruise on NCL Getaway just in case we decide to cancel Seaside. Right now we are leaning towards canceling, but have a couple other people in our party that are leaning towards wanting to give Seaside a chance. They are Bella 'class', so if we end up on Seaside anyway they will only have themselves to blame if they don't like the experience - LOL.

I keep seeing people make statements that those who have cruised with other lines need to be open to change and realize that MSC does things 'different'. I have also seen people post about the 'European way'.

Can someone clarify for me what these differences are? I am one of those folks on the verge of canceling and part of the reason is not understanding what MSC is going for with Seaside. In what ways does my mind need to be open to truly understand the MSC Seaside experience? What fundamental differences from Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Carnival should I be prepared to experience?

I think these sort of vague terms being clarified would help me make a better decision. I have stalked MSC's website trying to find answers and I can't, which is why I am asking other customers.

I don't weight all reviews equally. Some of the negative reviews I have seen are from very experienced cruisers and vloggers/bloggers that are in no way 'complainers'. There aren't 'entitled' folks that expect the world to be handed to them on a platter. I just watched a video from a cruise vlogger that I respect because their videos are real time and honest. They were with a group. Literally every single one of the 10 plus people that walked on the ship with them at the same time all reacted simultaneously to the smell. This person has zero reason to fake that reaction, they have never faked reactions (good or bad) to the other cruises they have on their channel. Walking through the halls to their cabin - they were still talking about the smell, trying to figure out what it might be - and everyone from teenagers to retirees settled on it smelling like waste water. Again, they aren't first time cruisers, the cruise across lines, and they had sailed perviously with MSC. Why would I not trust that review?

For some people, a sewage smell would not impact their cruise. For me, it absolutely would, for very personal reasons. Two of my tweens have a hyper sensitivity to smell. They have done ten cruises, they have never had a reaction beyond a quick trip through the casino with smokers. A sewage smell wafting through most parts of the ship - yes, for us that is a deal breaker.

I guess it is irritating that people are assuming folks canceling their cruises are dumb people who believe random strangers online with no other information, or that we rate all reviews equally. I get that two people on the exact same cruise can have absolutely opposite experiences. But, I also know that some reactions are real time and honest and I am going to give those weight - especially when a dozen people of various backgrounds all respond at the same time to the same thing - a stinky smell.

My only response would be.....Why should those who have chosen to cancel...pay for a product/experience that obviously is not ready for prime time??? We are not "beta tester" passengers. For those who have booked in the next couple of months I totally understand the cancellations.... I , too, am one of them. Maybe by years end MSC will have gotten their act together....but paying good money, with the expectations, for a regular cruise experience...that doesn't appear to deliver is not my idea of a fun and "relaxfull" vacation

This.

Wait, I'm confused by the idea that Americans can't adapt to change. I have been cruising for 20 years - the changes in that time have been MASSIVE. There are changes from year to year constantly. There are changes from line-to-line.

I will admit that my failure in getting myself over hyped for Seaside was that I wasn't considering it for what it was, a very budget cruise line. When I look at it through the lens of discount/bargain bin - I can excuse all of the issues people have said they are having. When I walk into a discount/bargain bin store - I know what I am getting. However, I got thrown off by the constant chatter of the "swarovski stairs" and assumed they were just discounting the prices to lure people in; not because the prices were representative of the product long term.

I see that I need to look at it as discount/bargain bin because whenever someone has any complaint - no matter how big or small, the comeback is always, "But, look at how little you paid!" Okay, I get it. But, MSC would go a LONG way with just being more honest about what it is and what people should expect. Just say - look, this is your way of cruising as cheaply as possible.

I get it - if you book a flight on Frontier Airlines, you know how you are going to be treated. For some folks, that is perfectly okay. I was imagining Seaside to be more aligned with Southwest Airlines, still lower cost, but those they also pride themselves on strong customer service. I think many Americans are like me - we were thinking Southwest Airlines, not Frontier Airlines. Being the 'Frontier Airlines' of the American cruise industry isn't a bad thing. It will just decrease angry customers and bad reviews significantly if they advertised who they truly are.

If I take my scheduled cruise, I will go in expecting the bargain bin experience and I am sure I won't be disappointed. I might be even be surprised in a couple of ways. But, now at least I know what I am getting.

I think something that is frustrating me is the idea that I should have to pay to, 'let things go'. MSC marketed Seaside in a VERY specific way. It isn't that I have unreasonable expectations, they literally set those expectations.

I guess if I were retired or not so busy I might be more willing to hand over my money and accept that toilets may or may not flush, that there may or may not be a sewage smell, it may or may not take over two hours to eat. I'm not. I work literally seven days a week, every week, 50 or so weeks a year. That isn't a bad thing, I love what I do. However, my vacation time is precious. I don't expect perfection - I cruise on Royal, NCL, and sometimes Carnival. I know at my price point - I am not going to get perfection. My price point varies - we generally do balcony cabins or suites (just had a 2 bedroom Royal Family Suite on Oasis). We also have a Viking Ocean cruise booked for 2019 as a treat for my husband and I. But again, I know what I am walking in to and I know that at the 'family cruise line' price point - there are going to be some issues.

However, to me there is a big difference between the occasional hit or miss cabin steward, hit or miss meal - and a systemic sewage smell or the main buffet closing at 3:00 to be turned into another dining room.

I appreciate the rants and raving as well as the reviews stating people had a great time - it allows me to better decide how I am going to spend my precious, hard earned vacation time and money. This will be cruise number 21 for me, I am not a newbie to the game. I took my first cruise twenty years ago.

We cruise with our minor age children - this will be cruise 10 and 11 for them respectively. Again, knowing what we are walking in to a planning accordingly makes sense. We know Royal and NCL works for our family and we know Carnival is 'tolerable' if it is a very specific kind of ship. What Seaside advertised - strongly, was they were going to take on and compete head-to-head with just those type of ships, the family market.

We have an aurea suite booked and I have plenty of time to change my mind (we just booked a NCL cruise as a back-up). Same price for the family, just two balcony rooms on NCL as opposed to a suite on Seaside.

My advice to the loyalist as well as the 'laid back' types is - STOP complaining about the complainers. Why? Because the complainers will help folks like ME not annoy folks like YOU by being on a ship that will cause me to complain as well. I am literally befuddled that folks who don't like complainers want to mute 'complainers' that will keep other 'complainers' out of your sacred space. You should ENCOURAGE it.

I am a JimZim/Spaniel Fan - fan. His cruising style is similar to my family's style - except we travel with kids. I will pay more for a 'family' cruise line. I can afford a suite on the family cruise line, or get a couple nice balcony rooms. However, I am going on vacation and there are certain things I want for that vacation experience. No, I am not willing to just hand over money to a for profit company and say, "Hey man, screw up and have a sewer smell, I'll just go with the flow." Guess what? YOU don't want me on that ship if it is still smelling like sewer when it is time for me to cruise. I don't want to hurt your 'laid back' vibe by being frustrated because I don't like smelling sewer on cruise 24 hours a day.

Again, I don't cruise at the price point to expect perfection. We are a suite or couple balcony rooms on a family cruise line sort of family. In my 21 cruises, it has never been 100% perfect and I don't need it to be perfect. But, there is a minimum level of competence that I need. I 'thought' I was ready to experience something new. I realize from reviews of Seaside that I am not quite ready for the Titanic level 'class' based cruising. Like I said, I am in a aurea suite, but I still don't want to play the 'greater than/less than' game. Even on Royal with the 'suite class' - I wasn't able to control elevators for others simply because I was in a Sky class suite. I know some folks that are cruising with us that are in the Bella rooms. They cruise 4 - 5 times a year and aren't necessarily 'budget' cruisers; they picked those rooms because they were 'trying out' MSC - I know they had no idea they were relegating themselves to possibly eating in the buffet with some table cloths slapped over the top. I am letting them know (they aren't social media type folks) - That is just something that is unheard of in the American market. I am letting them know, Seaside may not be the best choice. Let folks 'whine' so the people that fit the Seaside market find her and the people that don't will choose accordingly and have a better shot at the vacation they are looking for.

This post from Travellingert might help. I copied it from another forum topic. Not my words/find.

 

Saw what to me was a bit of an update to this on Facebook. The zip line charge is being rolled in with the fun pass. So for example if you buy the pay $25 for $30 worth fun pass you can try the $10 Cinema, $10 F1, and $10 zip line for just $25 spend. This may not suit everyone but for me it makes it seem a bit more reasonable.

 

Edit to add in the picture I saw:

 

This is a great help! Thanks!

Is there a definitive answer and if they are charging for the interactive slide? I posts where some said it was a charge and some said it wasn't.

What I mean is that outside of the buffet and MDR, all other food and beverage options are an upcharge.

 

Other than the pool deck, some machines in the gym, and public spaces, all other activities have an upcharge.

This is the big thing I am trying to wrap my head around. What things cost and how much. Is there anywhere to find a price list of what things cost?

DAjedu ... The problem is very many of you do not do your homework on MSC and cry foul when it turns out that their product is not the same as the US owned cruise lines, there is a reason that MSC are way cheaper than the rest and it is not MSC who gave people the expectation that they would get the same product for a lower price, that is reserved for the people expecting it to be.

If MSC sold at the same price point as the others then I could understand the genuine complaints but the truth is that there are many people who are incapable of change and cannot adapt, why do they find it so difficult to sit down and have a meal take 1.5 to 2 hours? what is the rush do you have somewhere to be, do you have a meeting scheduled? you are on holiday for goodness sake, do what the rest of us do and relax ... :cool:

Actually, isn't that the point of this board - doing homework? A big problem is that there isn't a lot of information coming from MSC and what comes forth is inconsistent. Zipline is free, then there is a charge. Still don't know if there is a charge for the board slide. Inconsistent information on whether or not there is an all inclusive charge for entertainment as is done on other ships. Still can't figure out exactly how much various things actually cost. I have been researching like crazy - and the answer is different depending on who you talk to, even when talking with MSC customer service.

So, it is kind of frustrating when not even the company's own customer service can answer what to me appears to be simple questions.

Excellent posts Jim Zim, and I look forward to watching your Youtube videos as well.

I think the biggest mess up MSC has done has been to exclaim they are going for the American cruise market when they aren't. People keep seeming to be upset that Americans are expecting a specific type of experience when it was MSC that set the expectation. We have a cruise booked for December and I am almost to the point where we just might have to ditch it and try something else. This will be cruise number 21 for me and I was hoping my "worst" experiences were well behind me.

Thanks for the head's up.

Those menus look great. I saw a couple of things I would want to eat on each menu. The only one that seemed limited was room service. Otherwise, looks tasty!