MSC vs Carnival or RCI

Just reporting back to the thread that we just cancelled our May 2018 cruise with msc. The reviews emphasize that the ship is too small for the amount of passengers and this was our main concern. Of particular concern: not enough room in the dining rooms to accommodate the passengers, cabins too small, theatre too small, long lines, limited buffet options. In the end, I think the line is too European for us, in that it emphasizes class divisions, limits choice and options, rations experiences. We are going to Disney instead. Happy sailing to all.

Just reporting back to the thread that we just cancelled our May 2018 cruise with msc. The reviews emphasize that the ship is too small for the amount of passengers and this was our main concern. Of particular concern: not enough room in the dining rooms to accommodate the passengers, cabins too small, theatre too small, long lines, limited buffet options. In the end, I think the line is too European for us, in that it emphasizes class divisions, limits choice and options, rations experiences. We are going to Disney instead. Happy sailing to all.

Ooooo. I wish I could talk my family into WDW again.

We are hesitant on this cruise, but hoping for the best. PIF is 3/11. I have a few more weeks to research.

Give Pooh a hug for me.

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Ha. We bailed too!!! Too many negatives for us. Plus, we had the 2 bedroom Grand Suite booked and the video of the room did not appeal. Putting the walk-in closet in the living room area? Poor design right there!!

Plus, our biggest complaint with the Divina was the slow service....definitely understaffed. So to read about service being worse/slower than Divina? No thanks!!

Oh well.....1st world problems ;)

I'm not planning on canceling my MSC cruise. Gotta read the reviews and take note what people are really criticizing.

I'm still a fan of RCI and will continue to sail with them too. But, Carnivale... http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article194984359.html

We are booked on seaside this summer but we are about ready to cancel because we have read so many awful reviews about msc. We have read A LOT of msc reviews at this point. Sure, some people post positive experiences, but they are not the majority and usually in Yacht Club. I am also turned off by the pull out sofa that msc expects 2 people to share if you have four people in a room as opposed to the bed that folds into the ceiling. Not really interested in the whole "attitude" thing that many on the staff seem to have. And it seems like there are not enough public spaces for the amount of people on board. And the reports on Meraviglia (newest msc ship) of people being turned away and told there is not enough room to eat in the dining room??? No thanks, MSC. We like pizza, but we are not in college anymore. Lol.

Went on the Carnival Vista last summer, loved it. Food was amazing. We have mostly cruised Disney and Carnival was just as good with a better price. Just where we are right now. Not sure if this helps you. Oh and we do not drink alcohol.

So, one thing to keep in mind about negative reviews: People with negative experiences or a negative perception of experiences are much more likely to post a review/fill out that satisfaction survey, etc.

People who pay extra to have a special positive experience are also more likely to have a positive experience. That's just human nature.

That's why you find more negative than positive reviews; and that's why most of the current positive reviews are of the YC. Over time, this will even out and we'll have our Gauss curve.

I think you have to try to read between the lines. Sure, if the ship hits an iceberg or everyone on board gets cholera, it's bad no matter who reviews it lol.

However, you have to think about what you yourself value - as it says in the review above: One person thought the Divina was horrible because it doesn't provide a constant party atmosphere. Someone else likes the quieter surroundings. Some people just want comfort food or bar food, others want a filet mignon and caprese salad. Some enjoy opera and classical music, others don't. So, I try to read reviews with my personal preferences in mind and disregard someone's opinion for their more objective facts.

Personally, I absolutely LOVED the Divina. I was not in YC but Fantastica balcony. My stewart was okay, our waiter phenomenal, the staff I encoutered and engaged with in person very friendly and helpful. I enjoyed myself but I agree that it wasn't a party ship. I'm not a party gal, so it worked for me.

Another thought I try to keep in mind is that everything is a matter of attitude. When things go wrong - whether big or small - I can dwell on it and let it spoil my vacation or I can just accept it and move on. That's why I said "perception of experience" - what one person perceives as a horrible deal breaker, someone else might shrug off as insignificant.

So... don't let the reviews - the opnions - influence your own opinion too much. Take the facts you need to make an informed decision so that your plans are most likely to align with your wishes, and then go have a good time! It's a vacation! It's fun ... and let's be serious: The anticipation is almost as much fun as the vacation itself, isn't.

OK, rant over. :D

After 21 NCL cruises we decided to try MSC Divina 7 days turned into 13 thanks to hurricane Irma, and we loved it. The set dinner times, themed nights, special dessert presentations, free drinks in most bars prior to formal night, shows(very elaborate, beautiful costumes, somewhat repetitive), parties, lounge acts all wonderfully great!! And this pizza absolutely fantastically great-the best ever!!!!!The staff is wonderful, except for the rude cruise consultants. The captain handled the hurricane very well, with extreme compassion for the passengers. Opened up free WiFi for all, so people could contact home and officers were also making phone calls for people. Even though we were away from the storm, some Florida residents asked to be brought home before the storm hit, so we returned to Miami at top speed-and had a two hour window to disembark people and load more provisions, then back we sailed to safety. This cost the company much $$ in fuel, that didn't need to be spent, but their compassion for people came first. No extra fees or port charges, all plans still in effect. I wouldn't be afraid to sail MSC, and we will definitely sail again on MSC

Safe sailing

PS-we were not in the yatch club

I love that you shared this experience! Thank you!

Putting the walk-in closet in the living room area? Poor design right there!!

Oh wow! How awful! You definitely made the right decision to cancel that cruise.

This might sound dumb but I sometimes openly laugh at some people’s reviews. I feel like their expectations are way out of line with what they are paying for. It’s like paying for a Honda and getting pissed off because it’s not a Mercedes.

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Ha. We bailed too!!! Too many negatives for us. Plus, we had the 2 bedroom Grand Suite booked and the video of the room did not appeal. Putting the walk-in closet in the living room area? Poor design right there!!

 

Plus, our biggest complaint with the Divina was the slow service....definitely understaffed. So to read about service being worse/slower than Divina? No thanks!!

 

Oh well.....1st world problems ;)

Just reporting back to the thread that we just cancelled our May 2018 cruise with msc. The reviews emphasize that the ship is too small for the amount of passengers and this was our main concern. Of particular concern: not enough room in the dining rooms to accommodate the passengers, cabins too small, theatre too small, long lines, limited buffet options. In the end, I think the line is too European for us, in that it emphasizes class divisions, limits choice and options, rations experiences. We are going to Disney instead. Happy sailing to all.

May I have your secret to Disney being cheaper ?

I have not read anything about people not being able to eat or people not able to attend shows

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I’ve sailed several times on Royal and Carnival. We took our first MSC cruise on the Divina in 2016. I would rank MSC above Carnival but below Royal. The ship was beautiful, the shows were great, and the overall vibe was cool. The kids absolutely loved the kids program. The food and fixed dining were the one department where we found that there was considerable room for improvement.

But even though we considered MSC an overall better experience than Carnival, we shared a van to Maho Beach in St Maarten and the other people in the van were hating the Divina and all they talked about was how they were going back to Carnival for their next cruise. So MSC is definitely not for everyone.

With that said, we enjoyed MSC enough to book our next cruise on them, this time aboard the Meraviglia in the Mediterranean. We booked an Aurea Duplex Suite (the equivalent of Royal’s Loft Suite) for about the same price as a standard balcony. Truly looking forward to this cruise and to the new experience!

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We are going to Disney instead.

During the last few months, we lost our Disney “virginity” and took a 5 day vacation to Walt Disney World and a 7 night Disney cruise a month later. We stayed on property (at the Polynesian) and visited 3 parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center and Animal Kingdom). We had two “fancy” dinners but the rest of the time we ate more casual and budget minded meals (budget at least by Disney standards). After it was all said and done, this 5 day land vacation was easily more expensive than most 7 day cruises that we’ve taken. I know that we could’ve done Disney considerably cheaper by staying at a budget resort or at a non-Disney hotel, and also by eating off property, but we felt that for our first Disney visit, we wanted to do it right and immerse ourselves in the full experience even if it cost considerably more. Glad we did it, but standing in various lines all day at various theme parks is not our idea of vacationing. It’s more like torture.

Our cruise was on the Disney Fantasy. While we had an absolutely fantastic time, we considered it a one hit wonder. We don’t have plans of returning any time soon. We paid five times what we paid for our previous cruise on the MSC Divina but the experience was not five times better. Customer service was one thing were Disney excelled but it wasn’t enough to justify the very disproportionate price difference. Food was good but not excellent, shows were great, almost as good as what we’ve found on Royal’s Oasis class, and the ship was beautiful and impeccably clean. Our stateroom, while nice and functional with the split bathroom, felt tight for our family of 4. The kids club was excellent, but our kids said that they enjoyed the offerings on Royal, Carnival and MSC more. And while the rotating dining room concept was a cool idea, we absolutely hated fixed dining and our inability to switch our time from second seating, even though we booked over a year out and we tried several times, even once onboard. Most nights, dinner ended with one or both kids faces planted on the table asleep, or with a temper tantrum.

With that said, Disney fans are rabidly enthusiastic about anything Disney, and gladly pay the price difference. For them, it’s completely worth it. For us, not so much.

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I would like to do a Disney cruise but I have trouble of the idea that I could do 2 perfectly good cruises for the price of 1 Disney cruise.

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Just reporting back to the thread that we just cancelled our May 2018 cruise with msc. The reviews emphasize that the ship is too small for the amount of passengers and this was our main concern. Of particular concern: not enough room in the dining rooms to accommodate the passengers, cabins too small, theatre too small, long lines, limited buffet options. In the end, I think the line is too European for us, in that it emphasizes class divisions, limits choice and options, rations experiences. We are going to Disney instead. Happy sailing to all.

I think that there are two types of posters here...those that want the same cruise experience that they had on Carnival or NCL, etc. and then there are those who are looking for something new and refreshing. The post above reflects the culmination of every complaint that has been written about MSC. The one crucial aspect that it lacks is experience. Although I have never heard of any complaint about an emphasis on class divisions...that is a new one. MSC is a work in progress...they are still refining and improving the product. Their reviews will continue to improve as time goes on. We thought that MSC was like a blast of fresh air in an industry that has become old hat. I think that we would be bored to death if we had to take another cruise on Princess, RCI or NCL.

We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise on Seaside.

May I have your secret to Disney being cheaper ?

 

I have not read anything about people not being able to eat or people not able to attend shows

 

 

 

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Sorry if you thought I meant dcl-- I should have specified the parks. We got a 5 day/night room and tickets for $2300 directly through disney but staying at a "good neighbor" hotel. With tips and excursions our msc cruise would have been in the $4000-$4500 range. We will add on a couple of nights doing something else and then there is food, but we are not foodies and tend not to spend huge amounts on food. I doubt if we will spend as much on Disney as we would have on msc.

Sorry, I think I may have confused people in that I should have specified parks not cruise. We have done DCL and agree that DCL is absolutely a ripoff. Our kids were happier on Carnival. I am not trying to knock MSC but just trying to explain our personal reasons for ditching our upcoming cruise in case it may help someone else articulate their feelings. We do not have experience with MSC but have read a lot of reviews of a variety of msc ships. The reviews overwhelmingly point to very specific problems with the average experience. Even though we have not taken MSC, we have lived in Europe, and MSC seems quintessentially European. Europe is a wonderful place, but I much prefer being middle class in the US. So, in the final analysis, if we were going yacht club, I would go. But as a regular cruiser, IMHO it appears that you get a better experience, even a better deal, on a more American line.

We have done DCL and agree that DCL is absolutely a ripoff. Our kids were happier on Carnival....

I believe it truly boils down to what someone likes and how much money they are willing to pay for it. I wouldn’t say that Disney (cruise line or parks) is a complete ripoff. Overpriced? Absolutely. But for people that enjoy what Disney has to offer, the premium paid is money well spent. Our friends, who encouraged us to finally give Disney a shot, vacation exclusively on anything Disney multiple times a year. Last year they went to the parks (and stayed on property) 2 times, took a Disney cruise, and went to Aulani. They easily spent over $20K on Disney vacations. For us, it’s insane that they do this. For them, what’s insane is that we had never taken a Disney vacation. We are happy with our choices, they are happy with theirs. Nobody is wrong.

...IMHO it appears that you get a better experience, even a better deal, on a more American line.

Not a better experience, but one more aligned with the tastes of American cruisers. As far as a better deal, there are some insane deals to be had on MSC, but I believe that as their name becomes more recognizable in the USA, that may change. When we sailed on the Divina during the summer of 2016, we took advantage of a balcony 2 for the price of 1 promotion, kids sail free promotion, and loyalty match discount. By the time it was all said and done, the cost for our family of 4 in a Fantástica balcony, all taxes included was $1,285, for a summer cruise! It was impossible to pass up!

We also chose MSC for our next cruise in big part because of another deal hard to pass up. I had no intention to sail in the Mediterranean this year until I started pricing it out. Out of curiosity, I priced out their new Aurea Duplex Suites (equivalent to Royal’s Loft Suites on Oasis ships) and realized that we could have one of those for about half what we paid to sail on Disney in a standard balcony or about 1/4 the price of a loft suite on Royal in the Caribbean. I’m glad that MSC offered such a deal because it prompted us to up the ante, broaden our horizons, and head to a part of the world that I haven’t been to in many years.

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Sorry, I think I may have confused people in that I should have specified parks not cruise. We have done DCL and agree that DCL is absolutely a ripoff. Our kids were happier on Carnival. I am not trying to knock MSC but just trying to explain our personal reasons for ditching our upcoming cruise in case it may help someone else articulate their feelings. We do not have experience with MSC but have read a lot of reviews of a variety of msc ships. The reviews overwhelmingly point to very specific problems with the average experience. Even though we have not taken MSC, we have lived in Europe, and MSC seems quintessentially European. Europe is a wonderful place, but I much prefer being middle class in the US. So, in the final analysis, if we were going yacht club, I would go. But as a regular cruiser, IMHO it appears that you get a better experience, even a better deal, on a more American line.

Totally agree. We've been on the fence for some time now, with Seaside sailing for April 28 still booked, but more than likely are going to cancel and go NCL Escape or Royal Allure. Like others in my group have said, MSC "probably" will be just fine and OK, but it's an expensive trip to just be "fine".

I have the Seaside booked in Feb. and it’s too late to change. So I’m going to make the most of it. I’m excited about a European feel since I’ve spent many years traveling and living in Europe... BUT can I ask with true curiosity why people dislike Carnival so much? Maybe it’s just changed since I was on one , 6-7 years ago? I’m not an avid cruiser, I’ve been on two Carnival cruises and one Royal Cruise and I’d probably pick my Carnival cruises over the Royal Cruise. Again, I’ve lived all over the world so I wouldn’t say my mindset is narrow... I just thought Carnival’s staff made things fun (not belly flop fun but towel animal fun) and distinguished the cruise from a regular vacation to something special which I though made cruising unique. They also offer a lot more complimentary venues... what’s wrong with Carnival? Has it gone downhill?

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I have the Seaside booked in Feb. and it’s too late to change. So I’m going to make the most of it. I’m excited about a European feel since I’ve spent many years traveling and living in Europe... BUT can I ask with true curiosity why people dislike Carnival so much? Maybe it’s just changed since I was on one , 6-7 years ago? I’m not an avid cruiser, I’ve been on two Carnival cruises and one Royal Cruise and I’d probably pick my Carnival cruises over the Royal Cruise. Again, I’ve lived all over the world so I wouldn’t say my mindset is narrow... I just thought Carnival’s staff made things fun (not belly flop fun but towel animal fun) and distinguished the cruise from a regular vacation to something special which I though made cruising unique. They also offer a lot more complimentary venues... what’s wrong with Carnival? Has it gone downhill?

 

 

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Not downhill, quite the opposite from what we've found. We've taken the family on 6 Carnival cruises the last being the Breeze 2 years ago. Loved it! We just wanted to try something different this time and different ports. Kids have never been on another line, but we have. Carnival is the only line that offers so many included no-charge food options which is a HUGE plus. No other line has as much. NCL we've found is the worst with the dining room menus being almost the same every night. So, we love Carnival and will go on Carnival again - it's the best bang for your buck, and MSC was right along there with the price, but seems to be lacking in other areas.

Stanrock and Cafedumonde, you sound like where my family is right now as well.

We've been on many Carnival cruises, wife and I have been on Celebrity, Princess, NCL and Royal and have 2 married kids and 2 teenagers. All usually go on the same trip when we cruise. We booked Seaside last February and are booked for late April.

 

We don't drink, don't go to the Haven/Yacht club, don't go to the alternative restaurants and play lots of games together in the evenings after the main show.

 

In the past 2 weeks however, we've been second guessing our decision to book the Seaside and have thought about canceling and booking either CCL or Royal. Royal however is much more than CCL and MSC so that plays into the decision as well.

 

More and more as I read MSC reviews, those that love it are always those that have booked Yacht Club - of course they are going to love it! Same with the Haven on Royal.

 

I was really close to canceling Seaside and booking NCL Escape instead, but the lack of no-charge dining on NCL was a turn off last time we went on NCL and the MDR food was basically the same all week.

 

I thought we wanted to try something different this time around. We are not able to go on multiple cruises a year - we have to save up for a year or two to be able to do this, so I don't want to end up regretting it. We have no complaints with Carnival, just wanted a change of scenery, but just not quite sure now.

 

Of course, ANY cruise is better than NO cruise! :)

 

I'm interested in what both of you ultimately decide what you're going to do.

We just got off the Seaside and we have been on about 20 cruises and the Msc Seaside needs another year to get to a 4 star cruise , They are sitting at a "2" star very poor food and selection long waits for food and usually cold, Young kids looked bored . Very ethenic crowd wich was good , but they didn't seem to mingle , Excursions were not checked out and overbooked. None of the staff smiled like the other ships, this all very true and correct

Ugh.

141 days til our voyage. I hope they iron out some of these lumps.

And I hope they get rid of the sewage smell ASAP for everyone’s sake.

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Thank goodness that we're booked in the YC in an inside cabin. The only positive non YC reviews I have read have been from Europeans that have sailed MSC previously and obviously are familiar with the nuances involved with the line.

Hopefully six months from now the crew will have their stuff together, but the fact that there are close to 5200 people possibly on the ship at high season isn't going to change the fact that the main showroom is supposedly too small and the MDR overflow situation is something that I have never heard of in any of the US based lines. Maybe TUI and AIDA do the same thing, don't know.

Thank goodness that we're booked in the YC in an inside cabin. The only positive non YC reviews I have read have been from Europeans that have sailed MSC previously and obviously are familiar with the nuances involved with the line.

Hopefully six months from now the crew will have their stuff together, but the fact that there are close to 5200 people possibly on the ship at high season isn't going to change the fact that the main showroom is supposedly too small and the MDR overflow situation is something that I have never heard of in any of the US based lines. Maybe TUI and AIDA do the same thing, don't know.

I think it's unusual, as well but not necessarily a bad thing. I think people don't like the sound of "I'm overflow and was placed in a makeshift MDR at the buffet" - if they had called it the 3rd MDR, which hapens to feature a buffet at select times and had just automatically placed all Bella passengers in it, I don't think people would have been quite as opposed. I would love to sit at one of those panoramic windows for dinner - I never got near a window in the MDR. Alas, I'm booked for the YC... ;p

I do want to say though - from the videos on YouTube I get a bit of a feel of "airport terminal" in the YC lounge/restaurant area... in comparison to other MSC ships, especially.

I am not mistaken that the dining room is above the lounge but set back and with barely any window seats, correct? I find that strange.

Nobody mentioned in their reviews that it lacked comfort so it's probably just my impression from the videos - and either way, I am happy with my choice.

I was really close to canceling Seaside and booking NCL Escape instead, but the lack of no-charge dining on NCL was a turn off last time we went on NCL and the MDR food was basically the same all week.

I have not read all of the postings on this thread. However, when I read your posting as a quote I was very concerned about the comment you made about NCL and the last time you went on NCL. You stated that NCL has a lack of no-charge dining and the MDR food was basically the same all week. No flaming intended. Just asking.

When were you on NCL last?

What NCL ship were you on?

We have been on the NCL Escape last Nov 2017 and NCL has MDRs (3 in fact) that are no-charge. The food in these 3 MDRs were not the same all week. In fact, we rated NCL Escape as the best food when compared to RCI Harmony OTS and MSC Divina which we went on in Nov 2017 one right after the other like B2Bs.