LIVE: MSC Fantasia 17 night repositioning cruise Santos Brazil to Venice 5 March 2013

The relief when I turned on my Out of Office today was beyond words, this was most definetly my most challenging term at work in the five years I have been at the company......is it worth it - yes - the challenges I endure enable me to do the things I want in the manner I like.

Being a very spur of the moment individual I am amazed at how I avoided irritation waiting for this cruise to come around. I usually decide on a whim and book last minute, however in this instance I booked an entire year in advance :eek: and have been patiently waiting for my departure date to arrive.

Tonight is my last night in Perth - tomorrow I start my arduous task of travelling from the West Coast of Australia to Sao Paulo, Brazil - two flights, eleven time zones & 9,800 miles in 30 hours - required 1x Valium.

Given that the Divina will be sailing the Caribbean later this year I hope that this pictorial of my adventures over the next three weeks on her older sister Fantasia will assist those of you thinking of trying MSC, and will bring delight to those of you who already keep MSC as one of your favorites.

I will be travelling in a Yacht Club category II cabin.....solo - yes 51 sqm all to myself, what can I say i like the space ;). MSC offers amazing single supplements and the one for Yacht Club is a mere 150% of the double occupancy rate.

Our roll call was relatively active, even though there are only thirteen of us, and our meet and greet has been in planning now for several months. We decided on a combination of drinks in my suite and a group meal - if I succeed in my mission - in L'Etoile, the Yacht Club reserved restaurant - if I don't succeed - in one of the other two main dinning rooms, but I believe irrespective of where we eat the event will be fantastic.

So.....keep an eye out for my updates and ask questions as we travel together on board South African Airways to Sao Paulo, stay at the Ceasar Park Sao Paulo - International and cruise on MSC Fantasia.

The relief when I turned on my Out of Office today was beyond words, this was most definetly my most challenging term at work in the five years I have been at the company......is it worth it - yes - the challenges I endure enable me to do the things I want in the manner I like.

 

Being a very spur of the moment individual I am amazed at how I avoided irritation waiting for this cruise to come around. I usually decide on a whim and book last minute, however in this instance I booked an entire year in advance :eek: and have been patiently waiting for my departure date to arrive.

 

Tonight is my last night in Perth - tomorrow I start my arduous task of travelling from the West Coast of Australia to Sao Paulo, Brazil - two flights, eleven time zones & 9,800 miles in 30 hours - required 1x Valium.

 

Given that the Divina will be sailing the Caribbean later this year I hope that this pictorial of my adventures over the next three weeks on her older sister Fantasia will assist those of you thinking of trying MSC, and will bring delight to those of you who already keep MSC as one of your favorites.

 

I will be travelling in a Yacht Club category II cabin.....solo - yes 51 sqm all to myself, what can I say i like the space ;). MSC offers amazing single supplements and the one for Yacht Club is a mere 150% of the double occupancy rate.

 

Our roll call was relatively active, even though there are only thirteen of us, and our meet and greet has been in planning now for several months. We decided on a combination of drinks in my suite and a group meal - if I succeed in my mission - in L'Etoile, the Yacht Club reserved restaurant - if I don't succeed - in one of the other two main dinning rooms, but I believe irrespective of where we eat the event will be fantastic.

 

So.....keep an eye out for my updates and ask questions as we travel together on board South African Airways to Sao Paulo, stay at the Ceasar Park Sao Paulo - International and cruise on MSC Fantasia.

Can't wait for your updates! I shall be reading with interest!

I look forward to reading your thread.

:)

I look forward to your updates too. Especially what they say about me :)

In my 'Live from the Musica" blog last time, I think I was TOO honest and many people who had wandered into the MSC forum may have taken the wrong impression. I made fun of a lot of things that other Cruise Critics take very seriously. It was entertainment for me but perhaps beyond what others are prepared to endure.

Obviously I enjoyed my first MSC experience otherwise I would not be returning.

There are other cruise lines who pander after the U.S. crowd with no compromise to the rest of the World's populations - in language, cuisine, manners, service etc, etc, etc. MSC should be celebrated and valued in this respect.

See you for 6:30, Tuesday.

Tim.

Have a safe and comfortable journey - I am so looking forward to following your journey. I really enjoyed reading the Live from Musica blog and am sure this one will be just as informative and entertaining. Bon Voyage.

Have a blast guys. Really looking forward to hearing all about your trip.

So, dawn has broken here in Perth and as I type this I am running through my head everything that I need to do today......but first some admin with one of my ship mates - Skipper Tim, the offer of the adventure of taking the bus was alluring, however I have decided to cab it from my hotel through to Santos.

Although I only fly out tonight I have quite a lot to still get through.....luggage, already open and on the dinning room table needs filling, toiletries need purchasing, lunch needs to be eaten, yellow fever booklet needs to be transferred from one passport to another, shoes need to be bought, spare apartment keys need to be delivered, money needs to be exchanged, invitations need to be bought and of course, the Butler's list needs to be prepared.

I find not travelling home from work before venturing on to other exciting destinations quite an arduous task in that I need to ensure that everything is washed, ironed and packed neatly; usually I just dump it all in my luggage and leave it for the staff back home to sort out on my arrival and although yes I have a butler on this cruise I also don't want to chase him away on the first day either :D

Bon voyage and have a calm crossing!

Since yuo are travelling solo, your butler probably thinks he is lucky, as one whimsy Aussie less! :D

Well the time has come!

Boarding the first of my two eleven hour flights will commence in ten minutes or so.....next stop, Johannesburg, South Africa where I will have enough time to hopefully upload a few pictures.

Till then, cheers mate.

Have Fun guys and enjoy the cruise, fingers crossed for you for good weather ... :)

Safe travels and have a great cruise.

Sawubona / Goeie More / Good Morning from beautiful South Africa - I have had a shower in the lounge and feel quite ready to tackle the next and final leg of my travels to Sao Paulo.

So until later....adieus.

Sawubona / Goeie More / Good Morning from beautiful South Africa - I have had a shower in the lounge and feel quite ready to tackle the next and final leg of my travels to Sao Paulo.

 

 

 

So until later....adieus.

Look forward to your reviews!

Barbara

Hi

Greetings from a cruise loving loving ex South African

We will be the MSC Fantasia 28 April

Cant wait to read along...

I have survived the security at Manchester airport. I wasted 40 minutes of my life kettled in a single-file cordon, folded many times over and in which progress was often backwards as those about to miss their flights were moved in front of me. By the time I got near to the front, I was about to miss my flight.

Queuing like this is worse than being unemployed. At least with the latter there is a sense of hope of eventual employment and the freedom to make oneself useful cleaning, tidying, doing the washing up or other productive tasks. Stuck in an an airport security queue is a waste of humanity where one is only allowed thoughts of catching or missing one's flight.

Terminal T4S at Madrid could not be a bigger contrast. There is practically no one here or to ask where to go in this huge, cavernous carbuncle. I imagine this is what Heathrow Terminal 5 is like when it is closed.

I am now comfortably savouring the delights of the Iberia lounge where the wine in my glass is described, "a hint of pastry, pencil shavings, balsamics (eucalyptus), bay leaves and menthol". I must try that mix when I get home and see if it tastes remotely like red wine.

Next stop Brazil!

I have survived the security at Manchester airport. I wasted 40 minutes of my life kettled in a single-file cordon, folded many times over and in which progress was often backwards as those about to miss their flights were moved in front of me. By the time I got near to the front, I was about to miss my flight.

 

Queuing like this is worse than being unemployed. At least with the latter there is a sense of hope of eventual employment and the freedom to make oneself useful cleaning, tidying, doing the washing up or other productive tasks. Stuck in an an airport security queue is a waste of humanity where one is only allowed thoughts of catching or missing one's flight.

 

Terminal T4S at Madrid could not be a bigger contrast. There is practically no one here or to ask where to go in this huge, cavernous carbuncle. I imagine this is what Heathrow Terminal 5 is like when it is closed.

 

I am now comfortably savouring the delights of the Iberia lounge where the wine in my glass is described, "a hint of pastry, pencil shavings, balsamics (eucalyptus), bay leaves and menthol". I must try that mix when I get home and see if it tastes remotely like red wine.

 

Next stop Brazil!

Well I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to try a wine described like that...how was it anyway?

Really looking forward to hearing about the "gangs" adventures and so wishing I were joining you all!

Boa Viagem!

I have survived the security at Manchester airport. I wasted 40 minutes of my life kettled in a single-file cordon, folded many times over and in which progress was often backwards as those about to miss their flights were moved in front of me. By the time I got near to the front, I was about to miss my flight.

 

Queuing like this is worse than being unemployed. At least with the latter there is a sense of hope of eventual employment and the freedom to make oneself useful cleaning, tidying, doing the washing up or other productive tasks. Stuck in an an airport security queue is a waste of humanity where one is only allowed thoughts of catching or missing one's flight.

 

Terminal T4S at Madrid could not be a bigger contrast. There is practically no one here or to ask where to go in this huge, cavernous carbuncle. I imagine this is what Heathrow Terminal 5 is like when it is closed.

 

I am now comfortably savouring the delights of the Iberia lounge where the wine in my glass is described, "a hint of pastry, pencil shavings, balsamics (eucalyptus), bay leaves and menthol". I must try that mix when I get home and see if it tastes remotely like red wine.

 

Next stop Brazil!

Gotta love those Manchester airport security queues!

So I have arrived in Sao Paulo.

All in all my flights went pretty well, South African Airways has a fairly good business class product and I have arrived relatively refreshed and a little hungover :rolleyes:

Sao Paulo Airport is very strange - you walk and walk and walk, but immigration is efficient and luggage delivery very prompt. As you walk out the terminal doors you go to the Taxi counter and can even pre-pay for one there - this I like as you constantly hear stories of people being ripped off etc.

The airport on a whole is a bit dated, but it is far from the worst I have ever experienced.

I am staying over night at the Ceasar Park International Airport - listed as 5 stars all I can say is that I have stayed in better updated 4 star hotels in the past but the service is excellent and of 5 star quality.

When they hear I was boarding a cruise the next day they automatically offered me a late check out if necessary and will be arranging for a taxi for me for tomorrow at a cost of about 175 USD, a bit higher than what I had read but at the same time at this stage I really couldn't care less.

So here's to a good night's sleep and a whole new adventure tomorrow.

Been lucky the last two times going out via Manchester very little or no queues but then again i guess it depends on which terminal and what day of the week !

Been lucky the last two times going out via Manchester very little or no queues but then again i guess it depends on which terminal and what day of the week !

I've never been so lucky. We live 15 mins by cab from the airport, but always get caught in queues at security.

We usually tend go go straight through security as soon as we have our boarding tickets that way saves big queues later, last November we were through in about 10 minutes which for us was a record though it was around 6 am so i guess that helped.

Hopefully the same will apply this November as well ... :)

Good morning from the Fantasia enroute to Buzios, Brazil.

Yesterday merged with the day before it in travelling half-way around the World. The closer I got to the Santos cruise terminal the slower the journey became.

The timetabled 90 minute bus from Sao Paulo airport (GRU) to Santos took me two and a half hours. Having failed to find my fellow three travelling companions, all arriving on different flights, I had caught the late-running 8 a.m. bus to Santos. After around 90 minutes, the road down the mountainside towards the sea was simultaneously stunning and frustrating as the traffic frequently came to a complete standstill. I would add 'in our direction' but ours was the only direction, the road carrying the reverse direction must have been elsewhere because I never saw it.

My taxi from the Santos bus station had passed the entrance to the terminal but on the wrong side of the dual carriageway and had to go just a little further to be able to turn around. It was not to be. The traffic was gridlocked and we could not move. "Soya from Turkey" explained the driver referring to the huge old trucks that made up the bulk of the landscape. A little ahead of us we witnessed a police 4x4 emerge and cross the central reservation with some difficulty. It had made its escape to the free-flowing opposite lane. Now our driver had similar ideas but his vehicle was a modest old Fiat and I didn't rate its chances.

Then suddenly behind there was a scuffle as others with the same idea were moving a concrete boulder forming a division between the lanes. A space opened up behind, the driver reversed and I got out to suspend the wire holding the safety markings above the little fiat as it crossed over to our freedom. A minute later and after an an hour to move a mile in the sweltering heat, I was in the air-conditioned cruise terminal.

The last mile to meet the MSC Fantasia had taken longer than the first hundred. The last hundred to Santos more than the first thousand to Madrid.

I was relieved of my luggage and given a check-in tag. As I walked into the mammoth departure hall the screens showed MSC Fantasia check-in up to sequence no. 7. An hour later it was no. 9. I was 18 and at this rate I wouldn't make the cruise! I asked about 'priority check-in' - one of the few tangible benefits of the lowest tier of the MSC Club. "Not in Brazil - only black card", was the reply referring to the highest tier. Oh well, a cruises more to go and no doubt the barrier will be raised before I get there. Online check-n had made no difference either. I was stuck in yet another queue. If queuing could be eliminated, international travel would be at least three times faster.

There was a Costa ship boarding at the same time. Interestingly, while their check-in queue was single and never more than a few dozen long, the MSC check-in area was a vast sea of chaos. There were perhaps a hundred MSC staff, a thousand guests caught in the quagmire, many more, like myself, waiting nearby to join it. Tempers were fraught and voices loud. Is this really necessary?

Another hour or so passed by and the sequence no. had reached 12. Thankfully, I was saved by Angela, Keith and Michael who had arrived on the 9:30 bus from the airport. Their bus journey had taken four hours! They had however been spared my taxi ordeal. Angela, in her wheelchair, took us straight to the front of the check-in queue and we boarded together around 2:30 pm. My sympathies were with those apparently permanently stuck in the MSC check-in queue.

My aft cabin on deck 13 was just as I had expected and hoped for. The 'Juliette' balcony is large enough to stand on with the patio doors closed but too small for furniture. Otherwise it is in every respect a balcony cabin for a porthole price and a true bargain on this ship.

The most important occasion of the day was the Cruise Critics gathering at 6:30pm in Duane's (Cruise Critic 'All Aboard') Yacht Club suite at the opposite end of the ship. My invitation, printed on MSC stationary, had been posted under my door. My luggage had not been delivered so I had no choice but to go as I was, unshaven but showered and in comfortable travelling clothes.

I wonder what the life of an MSC Yacht Club butler is like. Certainly I wonder what it was like for Duane's butler before Duane. His name I will supply later but begins with a 'V'. Lets just call him 'Mr. V' for now. Mr. V had worked for Celebrity for 15 years and he was marvellous. He served the full thirteen of us canapés and whatever drinks we could think of while being charming, witty and polite all rolled up in an unassuming petite frame. He then donned his tailcoat and led us the full length of the ship to two tables he had reserved for us in the 'Golden Circle' MDR a full 45 minutes after the start of the first sitting and 30 minutes after the doors officially close. (Those on a neighbouring table told us they had yet to see any food). What the other diners thought at the site of the 13 of us arriving so late and being led by a Mr. V in in tails I can only imagine.

The evening was a splendid success and another testimony to the value of the Cruise Critics forums. Thank you Duane, thank you Mr. V, who's real name I hope Duane will provide here, and thank you our fellow Cruise Critics present aboard and with us courtesy of the internet.

Upon my return my luggage had still not been delivered. I enquired at reception and this happened to coincide with an escorted trip to the naughty boys room on deck 4 for a half a dozen or so guests. My bag had been selected because I had packed a knife. I had also packed a juicer but this had not been offensive. Put the two together and I had the equipment to cut and squeeze oranges and hence make my own freshly-squeezed juice. This was one of the measures I had taken to make up for one of the few shortcomings of MSC. If their 'juice' at breakfast were acceptable, I would not have packed a knife in my bag and I would have had more chance of receiving my luggage in time to dress for dinner. I did, and I didn't. My knife is now being held in trust until we arrive in Venice and I will have to borrow one instead. Two rather healthy-looking Brazilian oranges are ripening in front of me ready for the first glass tomorrow.

As I write this we are approaching Buzios. Over my balcony rail, I can see a trail of green islets to the right of the ship's wake in an otherwise flat sea and we have slowed. It is hot and humid outside but the sun has yet to make its presence felt.

Until tomorrow. Who knows what may happen today.

Tim.

Tim .... Thanks for updating us on the good and bad of the trip so far,it never ceases to amaze me the lengths a cruise line will go in order to take things from you especially something you can quite easily replace from the buffet!! are they really that daft ?

Our soirée in Duane's suite yesterday with Mr. V centre left with Duane to his right.

That journey sounded like a nightmare particularly the last part. So far I've avoided boarding at Santos and going for Buenos Aires or Rio instead - think I'll stick to that plan.

Sounds like the CC gang got off to a great start with your little soiree.

Will enjoy reading your updates over the next few weeks.