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MSC Armonia New Years Eve cruise


pamrose228
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So when I searched for NYE cruises this year this ship did not come up in searches. I booked RCI Majesty for 5 nights. Today I did a search again and there it was a 7 night cruise to Cuba on the Armonia. Changed my booking to this. Never sailed on MSC booked Fantastica . What should I expect compared to CCL and RCI: TIA

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Usually MSC is not offering the cruises from Havana on the US webpage. Same like the China cruises with Lirica, not available from the "western" MSC webpages.

 

Anyway, we also booked this cruise, will start 26 May already. We took the two weeks version. I sailed on the Armonia a couple of years before, at this time the boat was not "extended" already. But I guess not too much changed, just 200 cabins more now. Compared to the Meraviglia or Seaside this is old style cruising, this is how MSC was before.

 

No Yacht Club, all are equal, just different cabin size :)

 

I am looking forward to meet the grand old lady again and I really hope they did not change anything for the american market. But if they bring on more steaks for the guests from Brazil and Mexico I would not reject.

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@perakcruiser: From winter this year, MSC Armonia will be based in Miami offering 7 day Cuba cruises., sold also on the US website.

 

@Pam: The ship has been based in Havana the last couple of years, so likely hasn't had a US guest on board at all. However, MSC has built up some experience now on how to 'Americanize' their product (change menus etc), and I hope this also happens for the Armonia's time in Miami.

 

Regarding MSC vs CCL and RCI: While there are many small differences (e.g. checkin process, room service), in my opinion there are 2 bigger differences that seem to polarise opinion, so you either love or hate MSC:

 

(1) MSC will have a high proportion of people from around the world (i.e. not just Americans) on board. This either means you have the time of your life meeting new interesting people and having fun, or you may find the other passengers rude, talking a different language and pushing to the front of the queue. There are websites around the world with people from all countries reviewing their MSC cruises, and (with the help of google translate) you can guarantee to find some with one of these themes. Also, whatever nationality people are it only seems to be foreigners that don't respect queuing....

 

(2) MSC are offering a cruise with 3 star price on a ship that appears 5 star! We are paying less for MSC cruises (compared to other US cruise lines) both for the cruise cost as well as onboard drinks, excursions etc, yet the ships look clean, shiny and glitzy like a 5 star hotel, with wonderful shows and live music in every bar each evening. It seems like a bargain (and people here question how MSC is making money), but I think MSC have a similar profit margin to other cruise lines, as their cost are lower. They achieve lower costs by having a higher number of cabins per gross tonne, as well as a lower passenger to crew ratio (see table below).

 

From a passenger perspective, the lower costs are only really apparent when you consider:

- most passengers have a set dining time (which is much more efficient from a space, service and kitchen point of view).

- there are no 'two shows a week' crewmembers on board, such as comedians, lecturers, Broadway shows. The same singers and dancers are putting on a different show each day.

- I would guess that any 'out of the ordinary' requests are more challenging on MSC (though I have no experience of this).

 

Ultimately all cruise ships are highly efficient holiday factories, just that MSC has gone for a product which is externally very nice and internally very efficient. A pessimist would call it 'style over substance', but their approach does seem to work for the majority of passengers (myself included)! However, for some passengers it's worth remembering that if you pay less (by booking MSC compared to a US cruise line), you should certainly expect less.

 

For comparison, from cruise ships constructed 2001 to 2004, of approximately the same passenger capacity:

MSC Armonia Tonnage 65.542; Passenger Cabins 975; Crew 720; Passenger to Crew ratio 2,71

Celebrity Summit Tonnage 90.940; Passenger Cabins 1.080; Crew 1.000; Passenger to Crew ratio 2,16

Norwegian Spirit Tonnage 75.338; Passenger Cabins 990; Crew 950; Passenger to Crew ratio 2,08

Carnival Miracle Tonnage 85.942; Passenger Cabins 1.060; Crew 960; Passenger to Crew ratio 2,21

(source cruise watch website)

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I just learned the embark is 7 pm???? What is the earliest you can go onboard? Is dinner served. I kind of like the late state, gives me time to wrap up things in my place in Florida.

 

Also Debark is 7 am, do they have a later one?

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@perakcruiser: From winter this year, MSC Armonia will be based in Miami offering 7 day Cuba cruises., sold also on the US website.

I see. Interesting. I think is was not a good idea at all to base the ship in Havana if they don´t have a "special" deal with the government about the tarjeta turistica.

 

Also Debark is 7 am, do they have a later one?

You can bribe your cabin steward if you want to stay longer in the cabin. Otherwise you only need to leave the cabin at 7 am, you can stay on the boat longer.

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Hi,

 

I sailed on Armonia last year from Marseille. Usually MSC ships leave port at later times than other ships I have sailed on...usually 7pm. We had a disembarkation time of 9am but as our train back to UK wasn't until 3.30pm we asked for a later d/bark time....they allowed us to stay on until 1pm.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Sailed MSC 3 times 1x Davina- and 2x on Seaside. Nothing to worry about. After 26 NCL cruises, MSC has become our favorite line. Boarding usually starts around 11am, sailaway is at 7 ( to allow international travelers to arrive) , with dinner served.

MSC puts on fabulous shows with wonderful pageantry and creativity.

Safe sailing

 

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Hi,

 

I sailed on Armonia last year from Marseille. Usually MSC ships leave port at later times than other ships I have sailed on...usually 7pm. We had a disembarkation time of 9am but as our train back to UK wasn't until 3.30pm we asked for a later d/bark time....they allowed us to stay on until 1pm.

Can you give me some information about armonia please? What time is the early dining? And what time are the shows? Thanks for the info

Safe sailing

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Would like to, depending on the time. We will be with another group having events. Not sure of their times yet. There is only one sea day on this cruise, gonna be a blast!!

See you soon

Safe sailing

Tina and Jeff Kornreich, Queens NY

 

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You will be able to find us often at the casino bar, we get free drinks there

 

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Would like to, depending on the time. We will be with another group having events. Not sure of their times yet. There is only one sea day on this cruise, gonna be a blast!!

See you soon

Safe sailing

Tina and Jeff Kornreich, Queens NY

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

We’re from Queens also. Forest Hills. I lived in Whitestone dh in lic

 

 

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Just incase you are not aware MSC and CC run meet and mingles, check out the m and m page for your sailing.

I have it on good authority that the Captain will be Pier Paolo Scala.

I thought the meet and mingled are only on Divina and Seaside.

Good to know about the Captain, we sailed on the Seaside with him

Safe sailing

 

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