mairead224
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Posts posted by mairead224
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Just an update that upon further investigation the money was removed from my account June 23rd. As of today 27th, We have had no email confirming change and the MSC app is still showing old cabin. We are due to board ship in 3 days. Our TA has said they have no record of change
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Hi,
I noticed that my bid was accepted yesterday as MSC took the upgrade amount out yesterday. I have had no other contact from them and our state number on the MSC app remains the same. When do they email the new docs. Cruise starts in 4 days
Thanks all
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I think hopefully you were having too much fun to post?
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Hi All,
Looking at getting the trio dining exp for the world Europa. There will be 2 adults and 2 kids. I'm just interested in butchers cut and the fish restaurant so my question is if I bought 2 packages would that cover my kids also?
Thanks
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We are in the same position with one family in our group having to book the Aurea package as the cabin could accommodate their family size of 6. The other 3 cabins booked are the fantastica class. We are boarding June 30th so if you are before us please let us know. We are worried about this
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Hi All,
We are traveling from Barcelona on the World Europa in June. There are 4 families in total. 3 families booked with sea scanner and are the fantastica class which I know shouldn't be an issue dining together however 1 family of 6 had to go aurea due to the size of their party (booked with MSC direct). Do you foresee an issue with all 4 families dining together for evening meals?
Thanks
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After 35 plus cruises ... why not. Something different
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My friend brought one on board last week. No problem.
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Thanks for sharing your experiences, Mairéad.
There was a time when you had three crew attending you in the MDR at dinner - the waiter, an assistant and the gofer who'd serve bread and get drinks, etc. Now, the waiter is lucky if he has an assistant that is shared among other servers' tables.
Honestly, the waiter had no assistant or gofer!! He did the drinks, took the orders, delivered etc etc!! I can understand why he never smiled. My mother worked as a general manger in a local restaurant most of my life and I know when a waiter is under pressure. TBH on many occasions on this trip it was hard to watch.
I'm pretty taken aback at the incident at the pool bar - let's hope that it's a once-off and not a regular occurrence.
I will add with the uptake of the allegrissimo package MSC really need to organize more bar staff.
Great to hear you had a fantastic cruise and that you could overlook the less than positive elements which can so often spoil one's enjoyment of the trip.
With all positives comes negatives but with more honest reviews hopefully the powers that be will listen in an effort to constantly improve. Me .... a glass is half full!!! Beautiful ship and a wonderful family with suburb friends = 1 great holiday!!!
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My apologies for many typos!! I blame laziness and 2 kids!!!
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Thu, 30 Jun 2016
Valencia, Spain
09:00 - 16.00
Usually you dock near the cruise terminal, but depending on the traffic of the day and the size of your cruise ship, you can also dock more far away in the industrial area of the port. In that case, shuttle buses are provided to the cruise terminal, which is also an important transit zone for trans-Mediterranean ferry passengers.
The cruise port of Valencia is about 5 km from the historic center and the main highlights, but there are several ways to reach the city by public transport. A taxi to the City Centre is approx 15 euros.
From cruise terminal take bus 4 to old town in 22 minutes, single fare is 1,50 € or the T1 day pass for 4,00 €.
Valencia is a very doable city on your own. Some ideas:
The Silk Market - very beautiful
The Cathedral
The Market
The Beaux Art Museum - it's free
The Arts and Sciences Museums/Aquarium
El Saler beach - take bus south of the city for about 20 minutes
The HOHO bus stops just across from the cruise port (10 minute walk) at Stop 7. Here are the two routes:
Historical Valencia (Red Line):
1. Plaza Reina
2. IVAM
3. San Pio V
4. Nuevo Centro
5. Palacio de Congresos
6. Dama Iberica
7. Bioparc
8. Museo Historia Valencia
Maritime Valencia (Blue Line):
1. Plaza Reina
2. Museo Fallero
3. Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
4. Oceonografic
5. Centro Comercial Aqua
6. Las Arenas
7. Puerto
8. Baleares
9. San Pio V
Fri, 01 Jul 2016
Marseille, France
13:00 - 20:00
It's worth noting, by the way, that at some cruise destinations the views from the moorings are instantly spectacular. Sadly that doesn't apply to Marseille: the glimpse you get from the cruise ship terminal of its scrubby northern outskirts is not terribly inspiring. But don't let that put you off exploring what is, in fact, a beautiful city.
If you want to avoid paying for the cruise shuttle or a taxi into Marseille, the only public transport option until recently has been bus no. 35 which leaves from outside Gate 4, the entrance to the Môle Léon Gourret. It will take you to Joliette, from where you can catch a tram (line T2 or T3), bus or metro (line 2) to all points within the city centre. However in 2013 the Port of Marseille (GPMM) introduced a free shuttle bus between the Môle Léon Gourret and Joliette station.
We're assured that the shuttle is to continue indefinitely, even if you may find that your cruise ship is not keen to publicise this competitor to its own, paid shuttle buses. Note, too, that it does not run every day (the schedule varies according to the time of year and number of ships expected in port).
If you are planning to take a train out of Marseille to Aix en Provence or Avignon (though the latter is rather far for a day trip on public transport), take the metro (line 2, direction Sainte Marguerite Dromel) to Marseille Saint Charles train station.
Note:
I was in Marseille on April 4th with MSC Splendida. The free shuttle bus was operating. Once I exited the terminal I walked over to the road side of the building and followed the green path that had the walking man symbol painted on it. It's about 6 - 8 mins walk to the free shuttle bus that runs every 30 mins. We just pottered around the old port part of Marseille and did some shopping. It was very windy down by the port but it was a lovely sunny day.
Sat, 02 Jul 2016
Genoa, Italy
09:00 - 18.00
We have done Genoa a few times now and love the aquarium is great for the kids and big kids!! Just a short walk from cruise terminal.
Sun, 03 Jul 2016
Civitavecchia, Italy
Here's a step-by-step guide to traveling from Civitavecchia to Rome by train:
Go to Civitavecchia's railroad station.
Civitavecchia's railway station is a short walk from the port, so don't bother with a taxi unless you're traveling with a steamer trunk
The railroad station in Civitavecchia is only about four blocks--or 300 meters at most--from the south or main entrance of the cruise port.
From your ship, take the free shuttle bus to the port entrance (next to the Forte Michelangelo) and walk along the Viale Garibaldi. Bear left where the road slopes uphill; the station is on the Viale della Repubblica. (The port entrance is just to the right of the fortress on the left side of the photo, and the railroad station is identified with a train icon on the right.)
If you want more detailed directions or a printed map, stop at the tourist office's kiosk by the port entrance.
2. Choose a station in Rome.
Most trains from Civitavecchia to Rome complete their journey at Roma Termini, the city's main railroad station and the hub of Rome's public-transportation network.
However, many trains also stop at intermediate stations such as Roma San Pietro (close to the Vatican) and Roma Trastevere (where you can catch the No. 8 tram to the Centro Storico). Depending on where you're headed, you may prefer to finish your journey at one of these stations.
3. Check the timetable.
In the station, look for a yellow Partenze (Departures) table that shows train times and platforms. Or click here to view a timetable in PDF format and check the platform number when you're in the station.
Trains depart for Rome at least twice an hour from early morning until late in the evening. Nonstop trains take about 45 minutes to reach Roma Termini; commuter trains, which stop at intermediate stations, usually require 1 hour 15 minutes or longer to cover the same distance.
4. Buy your ticket.
You can buy tickets in several ways:
· At the ticket counter. Look for a window just inside Civitavecchia's station entrance. (The clerk may or may not speak English.)
· At the station newsstand. This can save time if there's a line at the ticket counter.
· From a Trenitalia ticket machine. Trenitalia's "Biglietto Veloce" vending machines have multilingual menus, and the large tickets they produce can be used on national or regional trains. (See our step-by-step "how to buy a ticket" instructions.)
· From a Rete Regionale ticket machine. These machines require fewer steps to purchase a ticket than the Trenitalia machines do, but menus are in Italian only. (Look for a regional ticket machine along the front wall of the Civitavecchia station as you enter.)
Also:
· On IC and other national trains, you'll need to decide between a second- and first-class ticket. (First class is about 50 percent more expensive, but you get a little more space and the car may be less crowded.)
· You can buy a one-way or roundtrip (return) ticket, depending on your travel plans.
Please note: You do not need to buy tickets online before your arrival in Civitavecchia. The Civitavecchia-Rome line is a commuter route, with plenty of departures and no reserved seats on trains.
5. Find the platform, stamp your ticket, and board your train.
Look for a yellow Partenza (Departures) table or an electronic sign in the railroad station to find the platform number for your train.
· Important: When you reach the platform, validate your ticket in the yellow stamping machine before boarding the train. Otherwise, the conductor can charge you a hefty fine.
6. Get off at the correct station in Rome.
If you're going to Roma Termini, just stay on the train until it reaches the end of the line and everyone gets off.
However, if your destination is an intermediate station like Roma S. Pietro or Roma Trastevere, you should be ready to disembark quickly when the train arrives. (If the doors don't open automatically after the train stops, look for a green button by the doors.)
Rome Once we get there:
Avoiding Lineups
There are three potential line ups you will want to avoid (thanks to others who've posted similar advice in the past - it saved us a ton of time!)...
1. Coliseum tickets: The line up for Coliseum tickets can wrap around the building. I can only imagine that by 10AM it can be an hour or more long. Don't waste time in this line. Buy your combo (forum/coliseum/palentine) ticket at the Palentine Hill ticket office which is half a block south of the Coliseum. There is absolutely no line up there.
2. Vatican Museum tickets: The line up for the Vatican museum tickets can wrap around the Vatican wall... Again, I can't imagine how long the wait in this line is, but I would guess an hour or more. Buy your Vatican Museum tickets in advance online. I suggest picking the 2PM time slot for the day you are in port based on my walking itinerary below. Print the voucher out and take it with you. Proceed right inside without waiting in line and save valueable time.
3. Entrance to St. Peter's Basilica: This line is to clear security for St. Peter's Basilica and it can wrap all the way around St. Peter's square. This line up is probably visible from space! Even if you don't plan on going to the Vatican Museum, but still want to see St. Peter's Basilica, I would recommend buying Vatican Museum tickets online, swallow the added cost, and in doing so, you bypass both the museum and the Basilica line. Enjoy the museum (or breeze through it if it has no interest to you) and when you get to the Sistine Chapel, use the group tour exit to land yourself in the Basilica secured area without having to wait in the security line (since you already cleared security to enter the museum). At the back end of the Sistine chapel, there is the regular tourist exit on the left and the group tour exit on the right (with your back to the altar). Take the right exit. If there is security there, just blend into one of the tour groups there to get through. You will decend a long stair case and end up at the Cupola ticket line (short) which you can join if that's on your todo list or go down to the Basilica from there.
Walking tour - the most efficient way to see all the sights
There are plenty of alternates to this, and you can obviously plot your own route, but this particular itinerary and route was planned with a lot of thought and consideration. The primary goal was to cover all the key sights in one day without killiing ourselves. It assumes you can get off the ship around 7:30AM and don't need to be back on board until around 8PM. You may need to cut or adjust accordingly if your ship's time in port is different.
Besides seeing everything easily in a full day, it has a few other side benefits:
- You won't be among the massive crowds that opt to visit the Vatican in the morning (although I'm not sure they are any better in the afternoon when several ships are in port on the same day)
- You will avoid some walking late in the hottest part of the day when you are most tired
- You will see all the sites that have opening hours while they are open
- You will be able to skip the least important sights at the end of the day if you're short on time
- You will have a seat on the train back to the port at the end of the day
My recommended route is shown on the attached map.
The blue line represents a rough walking route, red lines represent metro travel
I'm not going to explain what these points of interest are. They either need no explanation or Google and Wikipedia are your friends in that regard.
1. Start by getting off the train at Roma Ostiense station.
2. Walk to Paramide metro station through the tunnel and ride to the next station, Circo Massimo
3. Walk up the street and notice Palantine Hill on your left... mid-block buy your combo ticket at their ticket office (see avoiding lineups above)
4. Proceed to the Arch of Constantine and the Coliseum
5. Enter the Coliseum without waiting in line as you already have a ticket
6. Head to the Forum and explore that using your combo ticket
7. Leave the forum via the north west corner and come around a large building there to get an excellent vantage point of the forum from above at street level
8. Head out front of the giant white marble monument to Victor Emmanuel II
9. Proceed to the Pantheon by zig zagging up the streets
10. Enjoy the Pantheon (free)
11. Head to Piazza Navona for lunch. If you followed this itinerary so far, you will probably arive here around noon and you will want to leave here around 1:15 or 1:30. There are lots of sidewalk cafes, arts and craft vendors in the square, amazing architecture and a few beautiful fountains.
12. After lunch (around 1:15 to 1:30), cross the bridge towards the Supreme Court building and then pass by the Castle of St. Angelo
13. Head towards the Vatican, but before entering the main square, turn North and head around the wall to the Vatican Museum Entrance. With your pre-purchased ticket in-hand, proceed directly inside without waiting in line. If you follow this itinerary, buy tickets for 2PM.
14. Enjoy (or not) the extremely crowded museum and Sistine chapel (there are some stunning rooms but they are hard to appreciate in thick crowds). Exit through the group entrance (see Avoiding lineups above)
15. Head up the Cupola (top of the Basilica). You can pay either 7-Euro for an elevator ride part ways (and climb 350 stairs) or 5-Euro to climb all 550 stairs. It's probably worth the extra 2-Euro to save your energy.
16. After the Cupola, you will end up in St. Peter's Basilica (see Avoiding Lineups above).
17. Head out through St. Peter's square and the main gate of the Vatican but turn north again and retrace your earlier route but instead of going to the Museum Entrance continue north a few blocks to the metro station.
18. Use your BIRG ticket for the Metro and Watch out for pickpockets - this is where they like to operate
19. At this point it will probably be around 4PM. If you still have time left in your day (see below about calculating what time you need to leave Rome), take the train to Spagna and complete the rest of the itinerary outlined below. If you are short on time, you can simply skip one or both of the last two points of interest and continue on the metro to Termini to catch the train back to port.
19. Exit the metro at the Spanish Steps. Good designer shopping is in this area if you prefer and have time.
20. Work your way to the Trevi Fountain.
21. Get back on the metro at the nearest station and head to Termini
22. Exit the Metro at the Termini train station.
NOTE - much of this was gathered from CC users
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Did you receive one of the envelopes that the stateroom keys are supposed to be inside of? I'm surprised the kiosk information wouldn't be included in this envelope?
No not all. Just sent onboard with our print out etickets
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Not that we used the noted but I just wanted to add them for anyone thinking of doing the ports we visited DIY
Palermo
Mon 27 June 2016 9.00 – 15.00
Things to see and do
A hoho is a great way to get around.
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Cappella Palatina (Palazzo dei Normanni e Cappella Palatina)
Located within the Palace of the Normans, the Cappella Palatina built during 1130 to 1140 AD, is the finest example of Arab-Norman art in Palermo. Its mosaics are extraordinary.
The palace and its chapel are the greatest attractions of Palermo and a must-see sight.
The Palazzo dei Normanni (in English, Palace of the Normans) or Royal Palace of Palermo is a palace in Palermo, Italy. It was the seat of the Kings of Sicily during the Norman domination and served afterwards as the main seat of power for the subsequent rulers of Sicily. Seat of the Sicilian Parliament, today it is the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly. The building is the oldest royal residence in Europe, the home of the rulers of theKingdom of Sicily and imperial seat with Frederick II and Conrad IV.
Directions from port
Exit from the port straight to Piazza Politeama, then turn left up the four corners, passing the cathedral on the right just after the Norman palace there .And 'very simple because the port is located five hundred meters from the center of Palermo
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Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo
Strangely weird. But would be interesting. Maybe no kids!!
7,000 mummified bodies of the Palermo elite and Friars of the religious order. Worth a visit. I would recommend - walk right to the very end of Via Cappucina and it is on the right of the Piazza
40 Mins walk from the port of 15 bucks by taxi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombe_dei_Cappuccini
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Teatro Massimo,
The Palermo opera house, is within walking distance from the port and is pretty interesting. It was a location in Godfather 3 and the tour (in English) takes you into the royal booth where Micheal Corleone watched his son perform. Lots of other sights close by but the archeological museum which is also close by is not open.
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Valletta (Malta)
Tue 28 June 2016
8-5pm
This is such a beautiful little city that i feel it well worth taking a walk around.
Valetta is walking distance from where the ships docks but it is up a very, very steep hill. Use the public Evaporate. cOme out the port area, firm right, cross the road and watch out for a little side street with a sign pointing to the elevator, takes you right up into the old town itself. You only pay to go up, it's free coming back down. Can't remember the price, may have been €2 each.
An excursion to the island can start right from its capital, Valletta, which enchants the cruise-goer with its famous Maltese balconies, which decorate the facades of houses in its old quarter. Surrounded by a multitude of churches, which the islanders assure are as many as the days of the year, the St. John’s Co-Cathedral is one of Malta’s biggest tourist attractions.
The National Museum of Archaeology, on the other hand, hosts prehistoric artefacts found on the island. By the Grand Harbour, one can visit the underground passages of Auberge de Castille and the beautiful Baracca Gardens, which overlook the harbour; at night, when the city gates would close, its porticoes served as shelter for travellers. To get a taste of the life of Malta’s ancient nobility, visit Casa Rocca Piccola.
A Day trip to Mdina/Silent City
Mdina is a fab walled city. Steeped in history it is well worth a visit.
The Blue grotto (bus fares roughly 2bucks)
The Blue Grotto (Maltese: Taħt il-Ħnejja) is a number of sea caverns on the south coast of Malta, east of the fishermen's harbour Wied iż-Żurrieq in the village of Qrendi. It is located right across from the small uninhabited islet of Filfla.[1]
Every day from sunrise until about 1 pm a unique sight can be observed here. The location of the cave combined with the sunlight lead to the water mirroring showing numerous shades of blue. Several caverns mirror the brilliant phosphorescent colours of the underwater flora; other caverns show a deep dark shade of blue.
The Blue Grotto is a popular destination for tourists on the island of Malta with boat trips to visit the caves, scuba diving snorkeling and rock climbing being the most popular activities here. It also has some typical local restaurants that offer good food with stunning views. The location has been used many times by filmmakers, including a Milky Way advert showing a cliff diver jumping 30m into the sea, numerous promotional videos about Malta, a scene of the 2004 film Troy and most recently in a RAI TV 2 filming for the popular travel programme Sereno Variabile.
Blue Grotto Malta prices: Adults €8.00 whilst children €4.00
How to get there
Valletta Terminus to Blue Grotto. The only direct bus route is 71.The first bus leaves Valletta at 5:54 up till 22:24 leaving every 10 and 20 min consecutively.Trip duration 40 min
From the Blue Grotto you can easily reach Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, just 2 kilometres away. (On Foot)
The 5,000-year-old Hagar Qim ("HA-jar eem"), which means “standing stones” was built between 3600 B.C. and 3000 B.C. It lies about a mile away from the village of Qrendi and a half hour drive from Valletta the capital city of Malta.
A further temple lies just a short walk down the hill, known as Mnajdra temples.
The Mnajdra Temples ("mna-ee-dra") are a complex made up of three temples adjacently joined to one another but not connected. They are located close to Hagar Qim Temples. Each one of the temples has a separate entrance and consists of a number of altars and oracles which were used by the worshipers to communicate with the gods. The small walls have been rebuilt.
The Temples lie on a rugged stretch of coast typical of the Maltese coast for this area. Today the temples are covered with a huge cover to protect them from the elements. The temples are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites status. The two complexes, the Hagar Qim and this of Mnajdra, seem to have been built at different times, and their relationship is not known.
The main entrance into the temple is through a Trilithon entrance
Hypogeum
The Hypogeum also known as Hal Saflieni, is an underground temple dating back to the Copper Age between 4000 BC and 2500 BC. It is a cultural asset of outstanding prehistoric importance. It is the only known example of a subterranean structure of the Bronze Age. It is situated at Paola in Hal Saflieni Street. There are three levels underneath each other.
It was discovered by accident in 1902 by a stone mason who was building the foundations of some houses. Immediately the Museums Department of the time took action where they discovered a wealth of archaeological material.
In recent times the houses above this monument have been removed and a small exhibition and audio-visual show is presented to visitors before they actually enter the site. It is to be noted that the glass wall that surrounds the upper level is a type, which protects the site from certain climate changes that might occur as the years go by.
The upper level is a burial complex where rock was dug out to form burial chambers. Here, remains of more than 7,000 human bones were discovered. The bodies were buried with various ornaments. Stone implements, flint tools, stone, alabaster and clay statuettes, and a great variety of personal ornaments like shell beads and precious stones were found
The middle level consists of various chambers very smoothly finished, which give the impression of built masonry. The workmanship is all the more impressive when it is considered that the chambers were meticulously carved using only flint and stone tools. Impressive spiral paintings in red ochre are still visible in some areas.
One of the niches in the 'Oracle Chamber' has the characteristic of echoing deep sounds. The carved facade is magnificent and the quality of its architecture is in a remarkable state of preservation.
The chamber known as the Holy of Holies is a huge sculptured area, which looks very much like the megalithic temples built above the ground.
The Hypogeum is on one of UNESCO underground heritage sites.
Admission to the Hypogeum
For those who love history Hypogeum Malta is a must. So if you intend travelling to Malta you have to book much in advance, at last a couple of months before as you will find that they are booked well in advance.
Only 10 person per tour per hours have the possibility of buying a ticket to see the museum. So we suggest that you book the tickets from officially website of the museum. https://booking.heritagemalta.org/
Monday to Sunday: 9.00 – 16.00 (last tour). There are two extra tour at 12.00 and 16.00.
Last admission 16.30
Closed on 24, 25 and 31st December, 1 st January and Good Friday.
Hypogeum Malta Tickets: Joint admission fees to Hagar Qim Temples and Mnajdra Temples are as follows:
Adults: (18-59 years of age) - €20.00
Children: (6 - 11 years of age) - €12.00
Youth: (inc. aged 12 - 17) - €15.00
Seniors: (60 years and over) - €15.00
Card Holders: ISIC, EURO<26, ICOM, UoM - €15.00
Tickets purchased are not refundable or exchangeable.
Tours start exactly on time. It is important that you arrive 15 minutes before. If arriving exactly on time you might be refused.
It is a one hour tour. It starts with a small exhibition and a video and then leads into the monument itself with an audio tour. With lighting and music effects it really takes you into a mystic tour giving you an experience not to be missed. You are taken round to all levels. A well worth experience.
Getting there: By car drive up to Paola. There are signs and look for Hal Saflieni Street lying close to the main Paola Church. AS around as the people will be very helpful. You have to look around for parking bay withing the surrounding side streets. It is suggested to part within the white parking bays.
Public Transport: Arriva bus – Routes 83, 84, 91. Follow the signs from the bus stop. It is around 5 minutes walk away from the Paola Parish church.
Eating: There are various snack bars in the Paola church area.
Hop-on hop-off Routes: The Red South Route for both sightseeing operators namely Malta Sightseeing & City Sightseeing Malta pass from here with a stop at the main road a munuite walk to the visitors centre.
Surrounding Villages: Paola and Tarxien are two villages attached to each other. Other villages in the vicinity which encircle the area, Fgura, Luqa, Marsa and the three cities, Cospicua, Vittoriosa and Bormla.
Cultural Attractions: The Tarxien Temple is about 10 minutes wall away where you will also find a stop for the hop-on hop-off route buses apart from bust stops for the Arriva buses.
Do not miss to see the Paola Church.
Valletta Hop/Hop Off
Another idea to see all major sites would be to do a hop on/hop off. These cost roughly E20 per adult and E10 per child. Children under 4 go free.
Some Places of interest in Valletta+ little info on them:
St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta:(Open 9:30am–4:30pm Mon–Fri, 9:30am–12:30pm Sat)
St John’s Co-Cathedral, designed by Gerolamo Cassar and consecrated in 1578, looms over Valletta like a giant fortress. Yet when you step inside, the austerity gives way to an interior of dazzling beauty. The marble floor is covered with richly inlaid tombstones, every wall is carved with flowers and garlands, and the vaulted ceiling is splendidly painted with frescoes by Mattia Preti (1613–99). The Cathedral’s treasures include a magnificent painting of St John the Baptist by Caravaggio as well as a series of tapestries with designs by Rubens and Poussin..
You may be refused entry if you are not dressed respectfully. Shoes with pointed or narrow heels are not allowed as they can damage the delicate floor.
Some features one finds inside this cathedral:
1; Cannons
Two cannons guard the main entrance to the church. They date back to 1600 and 1726; the first bears the Battenburg coat of arms, while the other is engraved with the coat of arms of Grand Master Vilhena.
2; Nave
The nave was at first as plain as the façade. It was transformed in the 1660s, when Mattia Preti gave it a Baroque makeover and painted his magnificent frescoes depicting episodes from the life of St John.
3; Marble Tombstones
The entire floor of the church is a sea of multicoloured marble, where 400 Knights are buried beneath in their tombstones. Each is adorned with the coat of arms of its aristocratic occupant, along with symbols reminding onlookers of the inevitability of death.
4; Chapels of the Langues
Each of the Langues(Spanish,Italian,German,British etc) the national chapters of the Order of St John was given its own chapel off of one of the aisles on either side of the nave. The Langues competed with each other to create the most lavish chapel, and all are richly decorated. Those of Provence and Italy are the most beautiful.
5; Oratory
The Oratory contains Caravaggio’s masterpiece and Malta’s most famous work of art, The Beheading of John the Baptist (1608).
6; High Altar
The 17th-century High Altar is made of gold, silver and bronze, encrusted with precious jewels in many hues.
7: Crypt
Here are 12 tombs of Grand Masters, including la Vallette, after whom the city is named, plus that of Sir Oliver Starkey.
8; Museum
The museum displays the co-cathedral’s most important paintings, lavishly embroidered vestments, illuminated antiphonaries, silver plate and a fine collection of 17th-century tapestries. On display are treasures of the Knights, portraits of Grand Masters (look out for Antoine de Favray’s rendition of the decadent Pinto), tapestries and the monstrance built to hold the reliquary of the right hand of St John the Baptist.
(Open 9:30am–4:30pm Mon–Fri; 9:30am–12:30pm Sat)
Other interesting places in Valletta:
National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta :
A visit is important to understand fully Malta’s unique prehistoric temples. A star attraction is the enigmatic “Sleeping Lady” (about 2000 BC). Upstairs one gets a glimpse of the building’s former glory as the Auberge de Provence.
(Open daily 9am–5pm)
National War Museum, Valletta:
This small museum, is full of World War II items. There are black-painted Italian torpedo boats, “Faith” (the only surviving biplane of the trio that defended Malta early in the war), and the George Cross awarded to all the Maltese people in 1942.
(is in Fort St Elmo -Valetta, Open daily 9am–5pm)
Palace of the Grand Masters, Valetta:(Palace Open 10am–4pm Fri–Wed)
This palace was built between 1573 and 1578 by the celebrated Maltese architect Gerolamo Cassar (1520–86), who was also responsible for the Co-Cathedral of St John. Today it is the President’s office and seat of the Maltese Parliament, but for more than two hundred years it was the residence of the Grand Master, supreme head of the Order of the Knights of St John. Here, the Grand Master would greet foreign envoys and important guests, and the State Apartments are suitably crammed with reminders of the Order’s fabulous wealth and influence. The palace’s armoury contains a spectacular array of weaponry and armour spanning more two centuries.
Note that the Palace may be closed if Parliament is in session; check with the tourist office in advance.
Some features in this palace:
1; Neptune’s Courtyard
The impressive statue that gives its name to the main courtyard was made by the Flemish born sculptor Giambologna (1529–1608). It is said that Admiral Andrea Doria, a friend of Grand Master de la Vallette, volunteered to pose naked for the statue.
2; Corridors of the Knights
On the first floor (the piano nobile) of the palace, lavishly decorated marble corridors overlook Neptune’s Courtyard. They are lined with portraits of the Grand Masters, their coats of arms and suits of armour
3; Tapestry Chamber
In this elegant room, the senior Knights attended to day-to-day business and, in later years, the Maltese parliament met. It is now lit dimly to preserve the sumptuous Gobelin tapestries.
4; Gobelin Tapestries
Known as Les Tentures des Indes (the Indies Tapestries), for their depictions of exotic scenes, they were donated in 1710 by Grand Master Perellos.
5; Supreme Council Hall
This is the grandest room in the palace, also known as the "Hall of St Michael and St George". It has glittering chandeliers, a coffered ceiling and a stunning frieze which vividly depicts the Great Siege of 1565. The minstrel’s gallery at one end of the hall once decorated the palace chapel, but came originally from the warship Grand Carrack in which the Knights departed from Rhodes.
6; Great Siege Frieze
Here are the key events in the Knights’ celebrated defence of the island during the 1565 Great Siege, painted by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio (1547–1616) between 1575 and 1581. (a must see!)
7; Ambassador’s Room
The Grand Masters used this handsome chamber for private audiences and to impress foreign dignitaries. Matteo Perez d’Aleccio painted the frieze, which represents important moments in the history of the Order of St John.
8; Armoury (Armoury Open 9am–4:30pm daily)
The Palace Armoury, located in the former stables, contains more than 5,000 pieces of military hardware. There are cannons, guns and entire walls lined with evil-looking devices for hacking, spearing and spiking your opponent.
9; Parade Armour
The highlight of the Armoury’s collection is exquisitely decorated parade armour made for the Grand Masters. The most elaborate is a suit made for Grand Master Martino Garzes (1595–61), which has an intricate etched pattern.
10; State Dining Hall
Badly damaged by aerial bombardment during World War II, this beautifully proportioned chamber is lined with portraits of British monarchs and Maltese heads of state.
There are also two public gardens that offer stunning views of the Grand Harbour. Both are in Valletta too. Named the Upper Barrakka and the Lower Barrakka gardens, these 2 gardens are on the starboard side (right) of the ship when entering Harbour.
The Upper Barrakka garden, especially, is a must. Built on top of a demi-bastion, both locals and foreigners relish spending hours taking in the sights. A number of statues and monuments adorn the gardens, including one dedicated to Winston Churchill. You'll get a panoramic view of the whole harbor from here....and of the gigantic Splendida of course.
A monument dedicated to Captain Ball is located in the centre of the Lower Barrakka Gardens.
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Cabin 9211
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Thank You for posting the change in the boarding process. Apparently this change was just announced today but it appears as though the changes were implemented last month,,,,:D
Yeah it was strange but it made the whole embarkation process much faster!! They didn't advise though that they needed to register a CC card onboard so when I went to casino on 3rd night it was abit embarrassing to be refused credit until card was registered :o:o:o As I had booked for 3 other cabins, all those cabin had been assigned to my CC::eek::eek:!!! In saying that I don't believe any of the other cabin registered their cards.
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The Negatives
The staff overall seemed uninterested, unengaged and generally not friendly. Of course there were a few gems that you could chat too and have a bit of fun with but on the whole they gave the aura of people on community service.
On a many occasions at the pool bars the service was extremely slow and I was often barked at for standing in the wrong place.
The restaurant staff lacked attention to details and the efficiency was not there. We had an infant at our table who required a high chair and on the 4th night we finally did not have to request one. We often waited ten minutes for a bottle of water or wine and the course came out in a lackluster fashion with the children often being finished their meals long before the adults got their main course. I must say though the kids table had a different waiter who was really on top of his game. Every night before they arrived they're choice of drink was waiting. Our waiter not once smiled and found him not at all the least bit attentive. In fact we often felt like we were putting him out. Im one of these people that will organise plates for collection and pour wine as to make it easier on a busier waiter.
With regards to our cabin steward, he or she did a great job although I never met him/her. No towel animals so the kids were a bit disappointed.
Overall, I will say that I left out a huge section regarding incidents with the staff (and there were many esp. reception) as overall I found the ship understaffed. To be understaffed is not the staffs fault its the company fault. This was a first for MSC in my books.
My recommendation if MSC are reading this is to put a mystery shopper on board and I can guarantee the results will astound you ...... understaffed massively ..... and not happy about it!!!
Overall
What a great trip with family and friends!!! As mentioned previously, we holidayed with 2 families who are cruise virgins. Their impression was that they loved cruising but felt they needed a holiday after just to relax!!!!! Me …….. I just loved it!!!!! Roll on next cruise!!!
I know we didnt do much at ports but I did do comprehensive notes on each port DIY that if I have time I will put up.
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Ports Of Call
Just a quick note here that we didn't do much at each port but just touristically wander through the streets. I do have a lengthy list of what can be done at each port should you wish to do them DIY, it was just with 6 adults and 6 kiddies and the wandering option suited us better.
Palermo
I was actually really looking forward to this stop having been here twice before. Personally and I have my suspicions and maybe they are wrong but the port that MSC are now entering in Palermo actually isn't Palermo. The area around the port is dirty and not that enticing. Previously with MSC the area they dock in is so beautiful that it entices you to take a hoho for a further investigation of the city which is just stunning. This dock was dirty and full with pushy sellers, that all you wanted to do was get back on the boat. This was a real let down for my DH and I as we know how beautiful Palermo is. I did hear a taxi driver shout to us that a taxi to Palermo was 18 euros!! Is this an MSC cut back???? Im assured it is.
Valletta
Yes Yes and Yes. What a beautiful stop. Again, have been here before but each time I visit this beautiful and historic city I get goose bumps. After a short walk from the port we took the elevator up the city. Once there we just took in the sites. Such a beautiful city. We also did the armoury museum which my husband said was awesome, hugely informative and eye opening!! Me I thought …. Yawn!!!! Horses for courses!!!
Valencia
Here we took the port bus out to the main port area and took bus no. 4 into the city centre. The bus was only 1.50 per adult and the kids went free. What a beautiful city. We enjoyed wandering through the streets and enjoying tapas along the way.
Marseille
Here we walked from the ship for about 10 mins to the port bus stop. The port of Marseille offers a free shuttle every 30 mins to ferry passengers into the city centre. What a beautiful city!!!! We took one of the tourist trains around the city after having a bite to eat and had a great day!!!
Genoa
Aquarium!! After a quick walk from the ship we reached the aquarium which never fails to deliver with our girls.
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The Entertainment
Firstly, I must say the mini waterpark is a fantastic addition!!! The kids in our group just loved it!!! With regard to height restrictions on the slide, I really don't feel that was adhered to 9(Thank god). Our daughter is 7 and on the small side but had no problem enjoying the slide to its full potential. I must also commend the designers on the seating and lounge area around the waterpark much easier for parents to keep and watchful but still distant eye!!!.
The shows
Although our party only seen 3, we found that they were good. I do feel they could do with possibly dropping the opera one. Most I spoke to on the opera night said it was only ok. The wonderland show however was fantastic!!! Actually, if I had paid money to see it, I would have thought it was a penny well spent.
Bars
Well I'm Irish so I'm gonna say I found them all great!!!! We generally populated the green sax bar as the sports bar was right next door which meant the kids had their unlimited bowling also (55 euro cabin voucher .. more on that below!!).
Casino
Definitely rigged!!! Well probably (:D:D) not but our parties dropped a lot of euros at the tables!!! One thing I did notice is the casino at the Preziosa were much quieter than on the Fantasia or Splendida. A sidenote here is which is a first for us at MSC is there is no smoking allowed at the tables. Smoking was permitted near the slot.
55euro cabin entertainment
Each Cabin travelling with us bought the 55 euro entertainment package which consisted of unlimited formula 1 sim, mini bowling and 4D cinema. Did we get our money's worth … most definitely yes. Formula 1 and 4D cinema don't open till 5pm but if you call reception they will have someone up within 30 mins outside of those hours.
The Allegrissimo Package
Emmmm … Yes Yes and Yes!!! Actually 1 cabin in our party managed to get the allegrissimo premium package. He bought it due to the fact that he only drinks wine and would like more choice than the 2 reds on offer in the basis package. To say that he was disappointed in the premium package was an understatement. The choice of reds on the bars menus appears to be good however more often than not they are not available. Within the restaurants the choice was poor also. For the rest of our party the allegrissimo proved to be a worthy spend!!
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The Food
As usual the food was hit and miss but with so many courses to chose one wouldn't go hungry. I did find the MDR lunch much better than the MDR evening. As mentioned above, I am not one for buffet but on this trip, I did use it much more than usual. I found the choice for both breakfast and lunch excellent. Again with the buffet some hits and some misses.
Our 2nd last night on the cruise our party decided we couldn't face returning to the MDR for dinner (more on that later!!) so we booked the Galaxy restaurant. I was surprised to get a last minute booking but as it turns out there was us and 1 other table only!! I must say the food was good. It was so much better than the MDR So we booked for our last night also!!!! All but 1 on the first night took the tasting menu at 54 euros pp. Each course was accompanied with wine. Excellent value!!! Our travel mate that did not go the tasting menu went with the Saturn menu at 21 euros which consisted of a scallops starter, lamb rack main, and choc fondant dessert. The lamb rack looked delicious which i must admit left us all with food envy!!! Which is why on our 2nd outing to Galaxy our party choose the Saturn menu.
One thing I noticed is the late night pizzas and sandwiches were closed much earlier than the daily planner reported. I went up a few nights at 1.00am and everything was more or less shut down.
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The Ship
Although I have travelled on the Preziosa's sister ship (Splendida and fantasia), I found the Preziosa to have been much better designed. Although all the ships are similar, the Preziosa was much easier to navigate and the ship's external areas were much better. As always the ship was immaculate with constant cleaning.
Although we had requested to sit together I noticed on our cruise cards that our request wasn't honored. Honestly, I had expected this error to happen and with a quick trip to the Maitre d we were moved it was rectified within 5 minutes. We were moved from the Golden Lobster which I must admit was my preferred restaurant to Larabesque. We were given a table of 6 for the adults and a table of 6 for the kids. The reason I would have preferred the Golden lobster is it's not opened for breakfast or lunch and as I prefer to eat in the restaurant for breakfast and lunch it would have been nice to enjoy a different MDR.
I might mention here also for anyone who is sailing in the med this summer that dining times were 7pm and 9.30pm.
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Hi All,
Sorry it has taken so long to post my review but I have been swamped in post holiday washing and ironing since our return last Tuesday evening.
Ok where to begin!!! This was our 3rd voyage with MSC and we boarded the MSC Preziosa in Rome on June 25th and were in Cabin 9211. We were travelling in a group of 6 adults, 5 kids under 9 and 1 infant. Between our group we had four cabins (2 interconnecting cabins) on the 9th deck. It is worth noting that 2 of the families that joined us were cruise virgins.
So let's start at the beginning.
Civitavecchia
We stayed in Civitavecchia the night before the cruise. Having read some great reviews on Hotel Triano on this site we decided to book that hotel. I must say I wasnt disappointed with the hotel. While it didn't have all the bells and whistles although for some strange reason there was a single person sauna in our room :eek:), the rooms were large and extremely comfortable. We found the staff extremely helpful and the breakfast was good. We used the hotels transfer option from Rome CIA airport and although the flight was delayed by an hour there was no issue at all. As our party was 12 persons, we had 2 vans waiting for us. The cost was reasonable at 240 euros so worked out at 80 euros per family. I had organized a table at Ristorante Aqua (again based on CC recommendation) for 10.30pm and although our flight was delayed the owner agreed to stay open for us. Unfortunately we never made it to the restaurant as there was an awful accident on the road that more than doubled our journey time. We eventually arrived at the Hotel at 12.15am and at that point the kids were exhausted from a full days travel. Luckily the restaurant agreed to deliver takeaway to the hotel. We ordered 6 pizzas, 4 large bottles of water and 2 bottles of wine which came to 110 euros. Most of the pizzas were great however I must admit the blue cheese pizza was a little dubious!!!!
Embarkation
The Hotel Triano offered a free shuttle transfer to the port which was an added bonus. As our group was large and we arrived late the previous evening all the decent slot times were gone. The hotel offered us a 9.30am slot for half our group and 10am for the other half. We had been planning on dropping off our luggage and using the ships bus to go back into the town however upon arrival at the port an MSC agent said that they would be opening checkin at 11.30am/12pm. Boarding was supposed to be at 2pm so we decided to wait at the port. True to their word boarding started at 12pm and we were onboard our beautiful ship within 15 mins. I was surprised that no cruise card was given at port (is this new??) and instead we had to wait for our cabin to open where the cruise card was on the bed. We had the allegrisimo package and went straight to the buffet and just showed our cruise tickets when ordering drinks without any difficulty. Our cabin was opened went I went down to check at roughly 1pm. As a sidenote our baggage was outside our room at roughly 4.30pm.
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A big hello to everyone here on the Cruise Critic forums! Thank you for providing the insight you do to first time cruisers like myself.
My family and I are embarking on our first ever cruise on the MSC Preziosa on the 6th of November departing from Rome and visiting Italy, Malta, Spain and France. I have taken the time to read the differing reviews, some from veterans of American cruise lines and others who are more diverse in their choice of lines. Needless to say the negative reviews have impacted the way I am viewing the holiday. So I was hoping all you good folks might be able to put my mind at ease.
1) We are booked into cabins 9128 and 9126 Balcony Fantastica rooms. Does any one have any idea if these are good cabins and how large they are?
We are boarding on Sunday and our friends have connecting cabins 9141-9139, so I will let you know soon.
2) I know with Fantastica we get room service breakfast for free. What does this consist of?
Cereals, pastries, fruit, juices, coffee etc.
3) Speaking of food. Is anyone familiar with how well MSC handles allergy concerns? My husband is a strict coeliac and I want to make sure that he will be accomodated before we depart.
they will be able to meet your husbands needs. We were trying my daughter out on a CF/GF diet the last time we were on MSC and we had no issues at all.
4) What are the main differences between the two all inclusive drinks packages? Is the by the glass wine list extensive and worth the investment?
Main difference is a much better choice of wine, top shelf alcohol and also a minibar in your room. In addition you can also use it for coffees and pastries.
5) We are staying overnight the day before embarking at Rome. Can we head to the docks and drop our cases off and go back to Rome? Or would you recommend we visit the city and head down to the dock later in the day? And what is the latest you would recommend heading to the ship?
As prev poster said you are in Civitecchia which is an hour by car to Rome.
6) How busy is the ship likely to be in November? I understand the weather will be less than ideal.
Sorry cant help there.
Those are all of the questions I can think of at present. Thank you so much for all of your help in advance!
Hope this helps. let me know if you have any further queries.
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Enjoy your cruise.
Thankyou!!! Although day 1 on the ship will be consumed with the Ireland euro game!!!!
Upgrade bid Accepted - What Now
in MSC Cruises
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Id say you could be right. Money left account last Friday but it still says pending. Due to travel on MSC tomorrow and still no contact or money returned.