MSC Meraviglia: [emoji324]My Solo birthday adventure! [emoji324]

I walked a bit around the ship and went for dinner

Collie flower soup

Paella

Pistachio cake

This night I went to the second Cirque de Soleil show, Viaggio. It was really nice, just make sure you look around as lots of the action takes place in the middle of the public.

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The intro show before the main act was a Brazilian singer who sang the most famous bossa nova songs, Sooooo good!

Worth to arrive early for it.

To be on the safe side, I passed by the concierge desk to check my transfer. He said that msc office still hadn’t confirmed it but it was just a formality and I could join the meeting point at 9am.

Not what I wanted to hear but still hoping fir the best.

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DAY 8 - Marseille (desembarkation)

As usual, I only travel with carry on and backpack so I didn’t need to leave anything out.

I had my last pancake breakfast and said goodbye to the wonderful staff that took real good care of me all week.

Back in the concierge desk at 9AM they confirmed what I already suspected: they still had no confirmation from msc office and couldn’t let me in the transfer.

He apologised profusely and said this never happened before.....

The real reason I wanted a transfer is that it would be charged to my card. I wasn’t sure I had enough cash for a taxi and Marseille terminal had no atm close by.

I counted my coins and bills and had €70.

Praying for the best, I was escorted outside and quickly entered my cab.

We were at the airport in 15 min and it costed €38.

All that unnecessary worrying, ai.....

Up next: final thoughts and conclusions!

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Looking forward to reading your final thoughts :)

Looking forward to reading your final thoughts :)

[emoji8][emoji8][emoji8]

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Lovely review! Thank you!!! [emoji1303]

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FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Hi everyone, so this is the end of my review about my first MSC solo experience and first YC experience. Overall it was a very nice cruise and I'm still happy with what MSC has to offer. So much so that I'm booked on MSC Seaview, again solo on a YC inside suite. To be honest, I booked it before I even took this cruise because the price suited me so I'm happy that I won't need to cancel it ;p

These are the lessons I learned on my trip:

SOLO EXPERIENCE

After some initial surprise and confusion that I was traveling alone, all staff and crew treated me politely and respectfully. I got a pity vibe in the first day but as people started to notice how comfortable I was, all I got was kindness and respect.

Now, my solo experience on the NCL Epic was completely different. I made tons of friends, some I still have frequent contact with and we are doing a 'reunion' cruise next year. On NCL, you just say 'Hi' and you are off on an interesting conversation. Not just with other solos but families and couples too are open. I remember having dinner alone on the french restaurant Les Bistro, and the couple at the table beside me started to ask me what I was eating, where I was from, etc, and we ended up having a pleasant dinner conversation. That would NEVER happen on MSC. well, maybe never is too strong a word, but it would be way rarer if it happens.

But like I said before, I never actually felt alone or lonely because the crew was so nice and always asked me how I was, if I needed something.

YACHT CLUB

YC is really nice but not necessarily better. At least on my cruise, I experience all issues of the other 'experiences' have but

on a smaller scale. More often then not dinners were long (although it wasn't staff's fault), chair hogs were there full force and the infamous MSC bureaucracy made itself noticed as usual.

The best part of YC for me was the awesome stress free embarkation and the fantastic sail in and sail away experience from either Top sail lounge and from The one pool deck.

If I was not at YC, I could still have hang out the Sky lounge or at the comfy chairs of the Champagne bar during the day, it was always quiet. For the right price, YC is indeed better but not a must. I would sail again in a bella balcony in a heartbeat, as I did my 2 previous MSC sailings.

MARSEILLE

I don't know about the U.S. but in Europe Marseille has a bad rep. People say its dangerous but that was not my experience. Obviously everyone needs to take precautions when traveling regardless, but if you have a chance to embark in Marseille, do it. The terminal is bi, modern and really organised. During the behind the scenes tour, they advised that Genoa is the port where the most people come on and off, so that's the one I'm staying away from :halo:

MSC APP

I downloaded it before traveling and it was really handy to check the daily planner and book shows and excursions.

Having said that, double check it often - one night I found a butcher's cut dinner listed on my daily planner that I didn't book. Luckily I noticed early in the day and advised the concierge to cancel it for me otherwise I would have been charged.

TRAVEL AGENCY

Remember the beginning of the review when I said I was challenging the T.A. whose name ends with something that rhymes with Book? Well they finally agreed with me and reimbursed my EUR 175 they charged me for changing my booking from 2 people to solo.

So beware, they have every right not to give you a better price as a solo but charging extra then the full amount for 2 people, they are absolutely not allowed.

SHOUT OUT

Thank you so much to the wonderful people who wrote such helpful reviews and helped me plan my vacation the past few months! I mean you ladies Kikki21 and Beamafar, thank you :*

THATS A WRAP!

That's it, should you have any questions, I'm happy to try to answer them.

Don't let the negative reviews scare you off, your vacation is what you make of it and there are so much to be enjoyed!

Happy cruising!

Priscila

What a beautiful review you wrote 😍 so happy you enjoyed your birthday cruise 😙🍸

What a great review! Thank you :)

What a beautiful review you wrote [emoji7] so happy you enjoyed your birthday cruise [emoji11][emoji483]

Tank you [emoji8]

Now is countdown time to June 2018!

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What a great review! Thank you :)

Thank you, I’m glad you liked it! [emoji8]

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When in June are you going on the Seaside?

I'm so glad you got that weird solo fee refunded.

When in June are you going on the Seaside?

Hi, I’ll be on MSC Seaview on 15/9/18!

Before that, I have a b2b with NCL Epic on 10/6/18.

Can’t wait to have that feeling again of waiting for my flight to catch a cruise!

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I'm so glad you got that weird solo fee refunded.

Thank you, me too! [emoji4]

I am inclined to book directly with MSC now.

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I am inclined to book directly with MSC now.

I'm doing the same, Priscila. Far easier than having to wait for MSC to respond to a TA. With my booking on our upcoming, the TA waited a week before getting a response from MSC. With direct bookings, I get a response that same day!

Hi, I’ll be on MSC Seaview on 15/9/18!

Before that, I have a b2b with NCL Epic on 10/6/18.

 

Can’t wait to have that feeling again of waiting for my flight to catch a cruise!

 

 

 

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Look after Seaview for me......I’ll be onboard a few weeks later :)

I use direct booking after an experience on a South American cruise.

I could not make changes because they said I was apart of a group, which I was not.

I had used an internet company to book because I thought rates were better.

Guess they booked me as part of a group they booked.

It was great this year being able to call and make a room change directly

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Which cirque show was your favorite/can you describe each one in one sentence?

Which cirque show was your favorite/can you describe each one in one sentence?

I thought that Viaggio was more traditional, to-be-expected, Cirque de soleil show.

Sonor was more conceptual, more creative, in my opinion.

I enjoyed both!

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I thought that Viaggio was more traditional, to-be-expected, Cirque de soleil show.

 

Sonor was more conceptual, more creative, in my opinion.

 

I enjoyed both!

 

 

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Thank you. I've never seen a cirque show so I guess I'll start with the traditional and go with Viaggio.

I'm doing the same, Priscila. Far easier than having to wait for MSC to respond to a TA. With my booking on our upcoming, the TA waited a week before getting a response from MSC. With direct bookings, I get a response that same day!

That’s encouraging to hear!

And you were right, MSC asks 15% to book the world cruise, it was my T.A. That wanted 30%....

One more reason to ditch them [emoji4]

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Look after Seaview for me......I’ll be onboard a few weeks later :)

Haha, I will!

In fact, my waiter said most of his colleagues that are on the ship now and himself will go to Seaview next year, so we can expect awesome service!

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I use direct booking after an experience on a South American cruise.

I could not make changes because they said I was apart of a group, which I was not.

I had used an internet company to book because I thought rates were better.

Guess they booked me as part of a group they booked.

 

It was great this year being able to call and make a room change directly

 

 

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Thank you for sharing your positive experience with booking directly, it’s really encouraging [emoji8]

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