Oppyguy

Currently on the MSC Seaside and it does not disappoint. We are in the YC and really like the ship with in a ship concept. So far everything has been as advertised or better, they spoil you rotten.

What is refreshing is the diversity of the age group, a lot of young couples and families onboard.

We have not been put off by the European flavor the cruise and have not observed any aloof or rude behavior by the crew.

For us the food venues along with the selection, availability and quality has been just fine.

Entertainment onboard is on par.

We do miss the laundry and internet that Princess offers.

 

For those thinking about giving MSC a try I would recommend it.

Todd-

So glad you are enjoying Seaside! As a fellow Twin Cities resident, nice to know others are enjoying some of our favorites. We are sailing again in November with my brother in law and his family. If you see Butlers Vishnu, Jee or Roy, please say hello to them from the Larsens. They are great!

Have a great rest of the trip.

Butler $100, asst butler $80, waiter $100, asst waiter $80, maitre d $40, bartender $50 each, four butlers working lounge $20 each, concierges $20 each. That is what we tipped the staff each week but tip what you feel confortable with. Way more than i have tipped sailing in suites on royal. The service is that much more attentive and pampering in yacht club.

 

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I'm about with you on amounts, but with a big caveat. For me it's all about the service, and the genuine way it is offered. I have been very impressed by YC staff on 3 cruises, and never felt that the conversation, service and overall friendliness was provided with any expectation. It is for just that reason that I tipped more people larger amounts than I have on other cruises. I was just on HA in the Med for 12 days in May and only tipped Room Steward and Assistant. We seldom interacted with other staff as we at different tables each night for dinner, and were off the boat most of the rest of the time. So no hard and fast rules. Just as I overtip the bartenders at my post work hangout because I know and like them, cruise service is the same way. Also, I agree that if you are tipping because you appreciated their service, a nice note is a great way to have them remember you.

We will be back on Seaside in November, hoping to see a few of my favorites, Sad there is no more Sommelier - Dechen was awesome on two previous MSC cruises.

I’m with you 100%. Right now I’m far more excited about what I see with CELEBRITY EDGE. I’m booked on her in Feb. Talk about a forward thinking ship loaded with innovation and style. Just WOW.

 

There is still lots to be revealed with SCARLET LADY so I’m hoping for the best and still excited about an adult only ship. What I have seen so far though has left me meh. I would like to think that there is some kind of solarium indoor/outdoor pool to be revealed, but I don’t know where? The overhead CGI video has pretty much shown the entire top deck. Lots of seating areas but very sparse on water features. Maybe the center section where the well-being pool is, is large enough for a full size pool as well? Fingers crossed.

Eroller- you were on Seaside just before us I think last February. We are going to be on Edge Feb 10 next year. Hope to see you there. I agree with your Virgin observations. Can't imagine that a purely wellness focused ship is what the 40+ set is looking for. Nothing new that I would want, and lots missing that I definitely want. Will wait and see.

Someone did post an official statement from MSC that was recent. For the life of me I can't remember what thread. :(

Yes they announced that there had been a ventilation unit installed incorrectly that was causing the problem, and that it would be repaired in port February 3. We just got off the feb 10 sailing and neither smelled anything unwanted nor heard anyone else mentioning such. Great cruise.

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I don't understand the comments regarding the smell being blown in through the air conditioning. Granted, I find it hard to follow all the posts and info regarding this issue.

 

 

 

I can say that I was on Deck 5 and while the smell was super strong in the Atrium (where the main bar is) when we walked down to our cabin, it was not present in the room.

 

 

 

To me, it is not a sewer smell it is a fecal smell. But perhaps it is just semantics...

Don’t know when you were there, but we just disembarked this morning, and not only did we never encounter any smell issues, we never heard anyone else mentioning them either. A few weeks ago MSC explained that there was an issue with a misinstalled ventilation unit that was being replaced in port Feb 3. It appears to have worked.

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eRoller- thanks so much for writing this review as it negates any need for me to do the same. We are just finishing up our 2/10 cruise in the YC, and I heartily second your comments. I can only comment on the YC experience as that is all we’ve had on this and our two previous cruises on Divina, but if your main interests are relaxation and service then MSC wins hands down. The YC dining room staff are great. We had Arthur here and on Divina And I would throw Alessandra in the mix. I encourage guests to engage the butlers and other staff in Top Sail lounge and at the YC pool bar. If you are friendly they will always go the extra mile to make you happy. Any upcoming cruisers should look out for Vishnu, Roy or G (all outstanding!) We just booked again for November, this time bringing brother in law and his family.

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Cunard is owned by Carnival but they are operated completely from their headquarters in Southampton England along with P&O and carry a good 60% of non-North Americans.

 

I sail on Cunard a lot. They are a favorite. I’m Diamond with them. I’ve also sailed on Carnival a lot. I’m platinum on them. There is no comparison food or otherwise. Food and service are to a much higher standard on Cunard not that you can’t get decent food on Carnival. I also felt that food was quite a bit superior especially regarding choice and selection on Cunard than my recent YC experience on Seaside.

 

Of course food is highly subjective. Ask 10 people and get 10 answers. It’s really not important what other people say about it. It’s only important what you think about it and what tastes good to you.

I’m onboard Seaside now, and I will say lunch buffet offerings in YC are a step up from Divina, and very tasty. Fresh grilled Mai Mai, salmon, lamb chops and chicken and carved beef tenderloin. My point is not that MSC food is the best, only that it is hardly poor!!

Great minds think a like! We were on Seaside with you two weeks ago and are also booked on Celebrity Edge! We love Celebrity as well. They seem to put out a consistently strong product. Our Seaside cruise convinced us to also consider MSC again in the future as I thought for the very reasonable fares the experience was excellent.

I don't get these assertions from some about first class vs. other passengers. We were in a Fantastica balcony and we never were made in anyway to feel "less than". Service all week was excellent. Didn't even think about Yacht Club and the fact they were were restricted from going there. Far too many other options to worry about something so silly.

I also do not understand the comments about what MSC needs to do to appeal more to US customers. As if ALL Americans have the same priorities/wants/needs. There were plenty of options both in the buffet and main dining room for those with typical American palates : steaks, grilled salmon, baked chicken, ceasar salads, shrimp cocktails. Ooh, so foreign! Buffet had pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, carving station, some kind of baked protein (chicken or fish usually), mac and cheese. So exotic! We preferred to choose the more international options and enjoyed just about everything we tried (one soup in the main dining room left something to be desired, but otherwise no complaints).

Service everywhere was very friendly and warm, just more reserved and polished which is our preference.

We like most of the US lines we have sailed on, particularly Celebrity and Royal, but its nice to have different experiences. Hope MSC never becomes overly "Americanized", but stays a unique presence in the US market.

Glad to see some other Edge people. We are also booked on Edge for next February. Heading out on Seaside next week. Loved Divina twice. Of course I can't think of I cruise I didn't really enjoy (including unlisted ones from the 90's) except Allure in December. Even that wasn't terrible, just not for us.

I hate being one who criticizes the critics, but I have a hard time understanding when people say a cruise was awful, or worse yet a whole cruise ship or line! I definitely notice differences in service, food, entertainment, and clientele among ships, but see them as just that - differences. To say any of these were terrible and others should avoid them would be to say that I am the arbiter of all things. It's fine to say one preferred one line over another, or that they found service on one ship less accommodating/friendly than that of another. But I would never presume that my experience is indicative of the entire ship. All I can say is life is what you make it.

The entire World is experiencing a fairly severe flu outbreak right now. Why your friend seems to think they know why 10 people left a ship is beyond me. How would they know all 10 people left because they have the flu? These types of post instill fear in common folk. Take your vitamins, wash your hands, observe if people around you seem sick and stay away from said people. MSC Seaside has nothing to do with this.

Agreed. We are boarding on Saturday. I'm not worried any more than I am around here where I know many people with the flu. As a few have mentioned, wash, wash, wash. We are in YC, so less crowded and even less concern.

If I was 80ish and my general health was compromised I might consider staying home during flu season. You can get sick anywhere.

They have sailed one ship with no US advertising. Now they plan on having 3 ships in the US market trying to complete with very well known entities. They will be a small niche market here. People might try them because they are so inexpensive but the "experiences" will not go over well with the millions of US cruisers.

 

 

 

If I heard all my friends talking about their wonderful cruises for years and then scraped together enough money for the "bella" cruise and did not eat a nice dinner with smiling, attentive servers in the dining room I would be disappointed. If I could not get issues resolved because of lackadaisical European attitudes or lack of understanding English then I would not be happy. I also would not understand any of this because as someone who can only afford "bella" I have probably never traveled anywhere especially out of the country. This is where saying that people who will now be able to afford to cruise can do so is going to be an issue for them. I think that the bad reviews will just get worse and it's going to hurt them.

Like others, I am mystified as to why you are so bound and determined to trash a company with which you have absolutely zero firsthand experience. What is the preoccupation with making others stay away from MSC if you have no vested interest in doing so? Do you really think you are doing the world a favor? As Sid has pointed out, the reviews from most experienced cruisers have been at least balanced and many quite positive. It is people like you who make me want to stay off these boards. Perhaps that’s the goal. I would say much worse, but.....

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My deposits have been showing up as MSC Geneva CH, which is obviously Geneva, Switzerland. I sometimes buy shirts from a UK-based clothing site and although I pay in dollars, I’ve seen a FTF because they’re based in the UK. Just part of the global economy we live in.

 

 

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I’ve had no FTF charges using my credit card on past MSC cruises. Also, RCL charges the room balance every two days, and didn’t apply OBC til later. My credit card showed drink package charges made onboard on my account the next day. Then kept adding charges and posting new total. In the end my card was showing over 2K for 1K in charges. As I suspected this is just to protect them, and in the end the earlier charges, which had showed as pending, dropped off. So final total was correct. But if someone had a low credit limit this could be an issue. It’s the same way many hotels precharge debit cards for incidentals.

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. We went to jungle pool for a quick dip. Interested in smell, because it is an indoor pool. There is a strong chlorine smell, same as any pool in Canada... no other smell

 

You know how chlorine smell is developing in pools?

I avoid smelling pools......, if you smell chlorine, there are two possible reasons, both are not in my favor

1.) massive chlorine overdosing

2.) and this is much more nasty: URIN

 

It is NOT urine. Do you know how much urine would have to be put into an entire pool of water to produce a smell? It's patently absurd.

Many pools smell of chlorine if air circulation isn't great. I spent winters with my kid who was on the swim team around many chlorine smelling pools. This is especially true indoors, as outdoors naturally moving air takes it away.

Because its not even close to therapy dogs or service dogs. I know people who just have fake letter to be able to keep dog out of cage in time of flight, and I saw on person in Miami Port telling his friends how smart he is to make doctor to give him this letter,and now his dog always with him on board. Its very popular scam in Florida . I am a dog lover and I have a dog myself but I don't think I can bring it to restaurant and let him lick my plate ( I saw it as well on X cruise)

I have zero problems with service/therapy dogs, but unfortunately I think you are right that in recent years it has become seriously abused. Not sure what can be done on the part of the cruise lines. It's the doctors I blame for over "prescribing" them to keep their patients happy. Fortunately the dogs themselves are generally well behaved!!

Very well stated. Pretty much sums up my point of view. Thank you.

 

We're also sailing next month on 2/17. Which sailing are you on?

2/10. Sorry we'll just cross paths at POM!

Have a great time!

Nikki ... The helpful people are still here but sadly so are those with a personal hate agenda against MSC it would seem, some of whom appear to be so called travel agents who clearly have an issue with MSC and giving a bad name to the good among them, then there are those One post wonders as well.

 

I have no problem with people who on any cruise line that have genuine issues that they have made a case for but I do not tolerate fools or the plain stupid who have posted what can only be described as nonsense and a work of Fiction.

 

As more reviews come out and it looks like things are beginning to turn as can be seen from the latest posted reviews on the boards, the whingers and whiners will diminish in number.

My own review from our Xmas sailing has had a lot of positive feedback both here and elsewhere, yes it mentions a few issues but not something to walk around all week with your chin on the floor for !

 

A lot of people sailing on MSC do not understand the Italian way of doing things and think they should jump just because they said so, yes there are certain things like blocked toilets etc that you expect would be an immediate thing. The,y like the military have a chain of command and when a given complaint arrives at its destination it is dealt with.

But like the Greeks who have their own word " Avrio" which means Tomorrow, the Italians have the same mentality. Patience is a virtue so they say but sadly many people have none.

Sid-

I concur. But I think there are several factors involved.

1) Misery loves company. Many people like to complain about almost anything. These are the people who say the whole cruise sucked, as if everything could be bad. It's absurd on its face as a factual argument, but that is how they feel. Unfortunately, many readers fail to distinguish between fact and feeling.

2) Bargain hunters. MSC does offer incredibly cheap pricing. This attracts cruisers who are straining to afford their vacations. They can't afford to spend any more onboard, yet they expect to receive the services of a much more expensive cruise. Many seem to miss the difference between price and value. They are receiving value for their dollar as they wouldn't be able to afford a trip at all otherwise. Yet they fail to see that at least to some extent price is an indicator of expectations. If only pay the price to stay at a Motel 6, you should expect to receive similar amenities, regardless of the marketing. Even Motel 6 marketing would make it sound like a lovely destination. You notice that the proportion of complainers goes down as their sailing class rises from Bella to Aurea. Almost no YC complaints.

3)Xenophobia to some degree. Less that Americans hate foreigners, but more that they only appreciate what they consider to be "American" customs and norms. Notice that CC'ers who are more extensively traveled have fewer complaints about MSC. This has as much to do with the character of those who travel as it does with MSC. I would agree that MSC has a different vibe, but you, me and the others that have/do enjoy MSC like that, while most of the complainers don't.

The only responsibility MSC bears in this from my perspective is perhaps the use of the word "cater", as in the first ship to cater to the American market. I don't think they meant built to "please" the American market, but rather simply that it was built specifically to sail American itineraries, and to be marketed to Americans. People see the word cater and think it means they are trying to please them.

I am only upset by all this because of the power of a few to dissuade others from embarking on what would be an enjoyable trip, and worse to cause those who go despite their concerns to be on the lookout for reasons to be dissatisfied. I have no problem with those who say they had a great time, yet still point out a few things that either went wrong for them or could be improved, as these are true of almost EVERY trip/cruise. it is the blanket generalizations, exaggerations, and nit-picking that are the problem.

I'll be onboard next month (In the YC) and I know I will have a great time.

Seaweeyin-

Just another thanks for your wonderful travelogue! You are doing a great service to many considering the ridiculous "hated it" reviews being posted in the main CC review section. Your photos definitively disprove the food comments many have made. Moreover, your balanced commentary demonstrates that while nothing is perfect, the odd less than stellar occurrence has little to do with one's enjoyment of a trip. (or at least it shouldn't)!

I'm sure if pressed I could come up with plenty of things that happened on any cruise, yet when asked if I had a good time the answer has always been YES! The only cruises I would not repeat were because they were not for me (CCL and Allure of the Seas) not because the cruise line sucked. In fact I am sending my assistant and her husband on a CLL cruise this summer as a bonus, but they are younger and of a different demo. We will be following you on Seaside in a month, in YC, and I have no doubts it will be wonderful.

Thanks again!

Here's the problem: there are currently 25 reviews of the Seaside as of now on CC. And everyone pans it. There is not a mixture of good and bad....just bad. That's a real cause for concern. We're booked for May and am really looking forward to cruising on Seaside....but unless MSC turns it around quickly..,.the temptation will be to cancel. It's not only the bad reviews....but also the content of the bad reviews. It's a sign of poor management to allow the initial cruises to be panned so badly. That shouldn't happen.

Really? Management should prohibit bad reviews? So of the 10,000 people who have cruised in the first two weeks, you would seriously worry about the 0.25% who complain. Perhaps you have not read seweein's review.

I think considering the extensive photos she provides as actual evidence along with pages and pages of balanced commentary should carry FAR more weight that a paragraph which basically says it sucked, yet tells me nothing. Admiral and sidari have also posted lengthy reviews which while containing some negatives, conclude with the fact that they had a good time and that the were many positives to their experience.

Having cruised extensively on many lines (including MSC) I know two things. 1) Something will go wrong or not be to my liking sometime on just about every cruise. BUT I won't care, nor mention it to anyone as it is completely normal and unremarkable. 2) somebody on the same cruise will say it is awful, while I am loving it. How many times have I overheard people complaining, or worse yet raising their voices to staff, while I am happy as a clam. I have never been treated poorly by staff on any of my 24 cruises, and part of that is because I never treat them poorly, or complain about policies with which I disagree or food which I don't find as appetizing as I had hoped.

If the ship looks good to you in photos, the itinerary works for you, and the price is right for you, by all means go! And lastly, think positively! Pessimists and complainers generally get the experience they expect.

Very "Westchester County"?! Have you ever been there? Porchester, Mt. Vernon, Yonkers are all in Westchester County. Plus *I'm* from Westchester County and take umbrage! :D

My brother lives in Mamaroneck, and I grew up in CT, so..... ;)

So you're telling someone who's spent thousands of dollars to go on vacation that they should suck it up and eat what's put in front of them? Nice. And if they go to the buffet and the limiited selection isn't something they'll eat, go to the MDR and spend more time dining than the guest wanted. Is this what they call European hospitality?

 

And let's not forget about the lack of the everyday choices on the MDR menu on several nights.

 

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Hardly being told to eat what's in front of you! As previous post points out, plenty of options. You are complaining about a buffet that you haven't personally seen or been to, (which many others have said has plenty of options, despite what some say here), that may in fact be open when you cruise (and I suspect it will be) and that your thousands of dollars entitle you to whatever you think you "should" have. Sounds very Westchester County to me. Looking at your upcoming cruises you might want to consider travelling YC next time. We will be on Seaside in YC two weeks after you, and I am not worried at all. Hope you find a way to enjoy the trip!

Seaweeyin

 

Your Super Family Plus rooms, did they have connecting interior doors, or just connecting balconies? When I booked I thought they were connecting with interior doors as well. The pics as well as the deck plans seemed to indicate that. We booked the Super Family specifically because of that and our toddler grandson. We wanted him to be able to come in and out of our rooms without having to go out on balcony. We had thought of booking individual interior cabins but were unable to get interior with connecting interior doors.

 

• Staterooms for Families comprise of 2-3 connecting balcony staterooms
  

Above is the way they describe it. And on the plans as you referred to they do show the "green" Super Family with connecting interior doors. Or did I misunderstand when I booked? Were you also expecting connecting interior doors?

We are well within a month of sailing and haven't been assigned rooms yet. Now I am beginning to think what was advertised or what I thought was advertised and I paid extra for may not be what I am going to get.

She had mentioned earlier that there were connecting doors that they kept open between the rooms.

TW - Thanks for adding the photo here.

 

With all that good space in the front balcony they don't even have a small table to put food and or drinks on? I think it would be good to have there.

I am sure the cabin steward wold procure one for you if you asked.

To clarify the question, I've read on this thread that you are assigned a dining room and a dinner time (we are Fantastica.) In the MSC for Me app, it shows Ipanema and Seashore as the two complimentary restaurants.

 

Does that mean Ipanema is one dining room and Seashore is the other? Do they serve the same menus in each? My other cruise experience is with Disney where they rotate Main Dining Rooms and it's a different menu/experience in each.

You are assigned to one of the two dining rooms. The menus are the same in each one. Only the décor is different between the two.

Did you read about Harmony OTS?

 

Harmony OTS article

Interesting you provide this. Shows how things can be looked at more than one way. While if I was on this cruise I would have been annoyed too, (construction of the ship does not fall under the category of normal growing pains or regular service/quality issues!) it would do nothing to dissuade me from sailing on it in the future. The article has nothing to do with what one might expect on Harmony or any other RCL ship in the future. It is simply reporting on what happened to a particular group of people, something that can't/won't happen again once done. Some people, however, would take it as an indictment of RCL altogether, and refuse to sail on Harmony or any RCL ship. This would make no sense, but it is how many people take these comments/experiences.

My point in this, I have noticed based off of just 1 or 2 reviews on cruiscritc that people are willing to cancel based off of a few people’s initial observations from a inaugural transatlantic. People please take reviews with a grain of salt and discover on your own! I know I will!!

I very much agree! I am constantly amazed at how outraged posters are by the words or experience of a few individuals. THOUSANDS of people are on these ships each week. OF COURSE a few will have something go wrong, or not enjoy the experience because it is not what they wanted or expected. Maybe they will experience a rude staff member, a less than hot entrée or a tough steak. This can happen on ANY CRUISE. In fact it is part of cruising just as it is part of life. As you say, go find out for yourself IF the ship/line seem interesting to you. We have had at least one less than perfect moment on every cruise, but I would never mention it to anyone because its the kind of thing that is normal. If we didn't think a meal in a specialty restaurant was great we would just not do it again. I wouldn't warn others off of it. Also, crews and officers rotate on and off ships - the experience can change over time.

The best and most helpful reviews IMHO are those that talk about what posters enjoyed or just what they did as they create positive anticipation. They are also more reflective of what most people will probably experience on the same ship.

The real differentiator among cruise lines is really the overall package - in other words Carnival, RCL and NCL are more similar in overall vibe, and different from Princess, MSC or HAL. (MSC is really its own thing).

To me, If you don't enjoy the ship it probably means you picked the wrong ship for you, not that the ship is bad.

For Seaside Yacht Club guests:

 

Does this line also include bottled water?

"Unlimited drinks in all MSC Yacht Club venues or from your mini-bar"

 

Does this line mean that you get complimentary beverages in all bars and restaurants onboard or do you choose from a limited yacht club menu??

"Complimentary beverage selection in all onboard bars and restaurants according to drink selections available in the different venues"

Is this a day pass for the thermal suite or valid for the whole duration of the cruise?

"Free Thermal Suite and priority lift access to the MSC Aurea Spa"

 

And last question that I cannot find the answer to anywhere...do yacht club guests have priority/reserved seating at shows?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, bottled water is included.

Yes, drinks are free everywhere, although you have to show your card when outside of YC. The charge will be zero. Includes gelato and coffees!

The thermal suite is for the whole trip. No direct elevator on Seaside. It is on the other ships as spa/gym is one deck below YC on them. On Seaside spa is down on main public decks.

I presume the have priority reserved seating on Seaside. They do on the other ships. They treat their YC guests well. That is why we are on Seaside YC in February after two great YC stays on Divina last year. Loved it!