Just returned from MSC Magnifica 21-28 Aug.

[mahondi2389]

Both my sister and I have just returned from a wonderful cruise. The ship was fantastic. The crew was fantastic. The experience was fantasic. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask and while it's still fresh, I'll answer.

[Satincruz]

Hi mahondi2389,

 

I'm glad to hear you had such a great cruise!

 

;)

[cutecat]

Both my sister and I have just returned from a wonderful cruise. The ship was fantastic. The crew was fantastic. The experience was fantasic. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask and while it's still fresh, I'll answer.

 

 

Me too - just been on Armonia for a week - cant fault them on anything - loved it!

[fea]

Are you allowed to bring food and beverages (wine, liquor or bottled water) on to the ship when you board or when in port?

[Daluca4]

Both my sister and I have just returned from a wonderful cruise. The ship was fantastic. The crew was fantastic. The experience was fantasic. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask and while it's still fresh, I'll answer.

 

We are a group of 6 Americans sailing on the Magnifica from Venice on Oct. 23rd. Our TA seems to be very concerned that we haven't gotten a visa for Turkey, since we have hired a private guide rather than doing the ship's excursions. I've read they're not needed for cruise pax.

 

I called MSC and was told that we would use our room key card as our landing card and that was all we needed to reboard. Did you visit Turkey? If so, was this your experience?

 

Thanks for your help.

[phbr]

We got off Magnifica last weekend and we hired Private Tours in both Izmir and Istanbul with Meander Travel. Absolutely NO problem, just walk off the ship as normal and away you go. No one checks anything in either port.

 

In Dubrovnik, though, you MUST bring your passport to show at the Port exit. I saw many people heading back to the ship for theirs.

[Daluca4]

We got off Magnifica last weekend and we hired Private Tours in both Izmir and Istanbul with Meander Travel. Absolutely NO problem, just walk off the ship as normal and away you go. No one checks anything in either port.

 

In Dubrovnik, though, you MUST bring your passport to show at the Port exit. I saw many people heading back to the ship for theirs.

 

 

Thanks so much for the info. It's always good to double check what some company person tells you. Glad to know that passports are needed ashore in Dubrovnik. Appreciate your response....very helpful.

[drblue]

Hello Mahondi2389 and PHBR,

Thank you for offering practical information on the MSC Magnifica. For example, I did not know we needed to carry our passports to Croatia. We need info from recent cruisers because the MSC website is not necessarily very helpful or user friendly.

 

I have a few practical questions:

1. ROOM SERVICE. I know it is free for Breakfast. However, is it a standard fee for the rest of the day, or do you pay a la carte? I have seen conflicting information. Do you have any idea of the prices?

2. EGYPT. If you stopped in Egypt, do we need a separate visa (for Americans)?

3. TV. Does the TV have a variety of channels in English or Spanish? How about a DVD player?

4. SODAS. Is it a Coke or Pepsi ship? Somehow, I also keep getting conflicting answers.

 

Thank you, I will certainly appreciate your answers.

[AmoMondo]

We are a group of 6 Americans sailing on the Magnifica from Venice on Oct. 23rd. Our TA seems to be very concerned that we haven't gotten a visa for Turkey, since we have hired a private guide rather than doing the ship's excursions. I've read they're not needed for cruise pax.

 

I called MSC and was told that we would use our room key card as our landing card and that was all we needed to reboard. Did you visit Turkey? If so, was this your experience?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

I've been to Istanbul twice with MSC and didn't have a Visa. First time I went on a MSC shore excursion last time I just sauntered off the ship. I'm a Britsih passport holder but no-one checked what nationality I was - I just had to show my cruise card to enter the prot and get back on the ship

[AmoMondo]

Hello Mahondi2389 and PHBR,

Thank you for offering practical information on the MSC Magnifica. For example, I did not know we needed to carry our passports to Croatia. We need info from recent cruisers because the MSC website is not necessarily very helpful or user friendly.I didn't need a Visa when I was in Croatia (twice) but then I have an EEC (British Passport) that said all I had to show was my cruise card. It may be different for US citizens. To be fair I don't think MSC or any other company should be responsible for providing Visa information. There are too many nationalities that cruise with them and rulkes frequently differ. I suggest you check with the Croatian Embassy website or something similar to establish if you need a visa or not. I never take this for chance but always check in advance direct with the governement of the country I tend to visit

 

I have a few practical questions:

1. ROOM SERVICE. I know it is free for Breakfast. However, is it a standard fee for the rest of the day, or do you pay a la carte? I have seen conflicting information. Do you have any idea of the prices?Each item is individually priced on the room service menu. From what I can recall the MSC Club sandwich was around 3-5 euros

2. EGYPT. If you stopped in Egypt, do we need a separate visa (for Americans)?

3. TV. Does the TV have a variety of channels in English or Spanish? How about a DVD player? I'd be surprised if it has a DVD player as none of the other class of ships have. There will be very few English channels in the Med - usually just a news channel like Euro news or the BBC World service or perhaps both. There will also be a couple of Spanish channels

4. SODAS. Is it a Coke or Pepsi ship? Somehow, I also keep getting conflicting answers.Don't know as I never drink soda

 

Thank you, I will certainly appreciate your answers.

 

Hi drblue

Although I've not been on the Magnifica I've sailed extensively with MSC and the "product" is pretty much the same regardless of the ship - variations occur more depending on where the ship is sailing, so I've answered the questions that I can, above for you

[AmoMondo]

Are you allowed to bring food and beverages (wine, liquor or bottled water) on to the ship when you board or when in port?

 

Officially no food or beverages can be brought onboard. They tend to turn a blind eye to drink being brought onboard although you may be unlucky. Food is another matter entirely - there are customs to contend with for a start and many foods can be a problem. certainly you may have issues with things like fruit and meat products and the like. Things like sealed packets of biscuits, crisps, cereal bars and that sort of thing are usually ok.

[jfermo2000]

Hi mahondi2389,

 

I'm glad to hear you had such a great cruise!

 

;)

We're taking the MSC up the eastern seaboard on the Poisa. Glad to hear good things

[phbr]

Hello Mahondi2389 and PHBR,

Thank you for offering practical information on the MSC Magnifica. For example, I did not know we needed to carry our passports to Croatia. We need info from recent cruisers because the MSC website is not necessarily very helpful or user friendly.

 

I have a few practical questions:

1. ROOM SERVICE. I know it is free for Breakfast. However, is it a standard fee for the rest of the day, or do you pay a la carte? I have seen conflicting information. Do you have any idea of the prices?

2. EGYPT. If you stopped in Egypt, do we need a separate visa (for Americans)?

3. TV. Does the TV have a variety of channels in English or Spanish? How about a DVD player?

4. SODAS. Is it a Coke or Pepsi ship? Somehow, I also keep getting conflicting answers.

 

Thank you, I will certainly appreciate your answers.

 

 

Room Service.. We didn't use it all, so I won't comment on this one.

 

Egypt. As far as I know the usual 'visa waiver; applies so there sshould be no need for a Visa.

 

TV. Very limited selection of English channels, CNN and CNBC are the only two we watched, There might be another News Channel in English, otherwise its mainly Italian channels. Lots of first run movies on the tv system, but they cost €6 each. There are no DVD players, unless you bring your own.

 

Coke or Pepsi. This where it gets REALLY confusing. I was on the Orchestra a few months ago and it was all Pepsi. The Magnifica is all Coca Cola. Seems each ship has a different contract.

 

Hope that helps

[drblue]

Hello Phbr and Amomondo,

Thank you for your suggestions and specific information. It will help me to be better prepared.

My wife will be happy that the Magnifica is a COKE ship.

Travelling with my 4 year-old son, I usually take a small DVD player with us; I also take a video/audio wire, which allows my son to watch it on the bigger TV. It is a simple universal connection.

VISAS. You are right, Amomondo. The cruiseline won't be able to have visa info for all the nationalities of their customers. So, I will check with the respective embassies of all the countries we arr going to visit to find out if we need visas.

Thank you all.

[Satincruz]

 

ROOM SERVICE. I know it is free for Breakfast. However, is it a standard fee for the rest of the day, or do you pay a la carte? I have seen conflicting information. Do you have any idea of the prices?

 

 

 

Hi drblue,

 

I remembered seeing this thread, and finally found it again. Post #5 is especially helpful, with the scan of the 2010 room service choices and prices:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1165109&highlight=magnifica+menu

[drblue]

Hi drblue,

 

I remembered seeing this thread, and finally found it again. Post #5 is especially helpful, with the scan of the 2010 room service choices and prices:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1165109&highlight=magnifica+menu

Hello Santicruz,

Thank you for the info and the link. It was very useful.

[woodofpine]

We did Izmir and Istanbul off Magnifica (sailing 3/27)and encountered no issues at all concerning port entry using the ship cruise card. As I recollect, there were couple of basically silly non-issues. I think in Istanbul (but not Izmir?), we were asked to pick up an immigration card (3' x 3') from crew staff leaving the ship which we then dropped into a pile on a table as we entered the terminal building (no policing of whether you did or not; true waste of paper). In Dubrovnik, the line requested that we take our passports - but no one asked to see it later (perhaps local authorities are more peristent in demanding them ashore if something arises...) Generally, there were no Visa issues whatsoever and the port entries were no different than the Caribbean or elsewhere.

 

We enjoyed our Magnifica cruise a great deal. MSC has a slightly different operating style than other lines - but the key word is 'slightly'. Overall, the line operates identically to its competitors and offers a product that is generally well delivered and competitive with all others in the big ship market.

 

Enjoy!

[drblue]

I have a very specific question for those of you who actually have cruised on the MSC Magnifica recently, especially for Americans/Canadians:

 

Do you know if the cabins have electrical connections to fit the 2-flat-prongs that are typical of our appliances/electronics int eh US? We need to take some battery chargers, and portable DVD player, etc.

 

Do we need any adaptors? Such as the 2-round prong type that is the standard in most of Europe?

 

I will appreicate any relevant responses.

[Satincruz]

Hello Santicruz,

Thank you for the info and the link. It was very useful.

 

Hi drblue,

 

You're welcome ;)

 

I thought that before you said you were cruising with a young child (?) If so, you also may want to bring some favorite (packaged) snacks from home, to have on hand just in case. These can also be good to have along for long days out in port.

 

I did also remember this site that has some excellent photos of the ship, including some of the children's area. Magnifica was christened by snow!

 

http://www.schiffgiganten.de/schiffe/kreuzfahrtschiffe/msc/magnifica.html

[Satincruz]

I have a very specific question for those of you who actually have cruised on the MSC Magnifica recently, especially for Americans/Canadians:

 

Do you know if the cabins have electrical connections to fit the 2-flat-prongs that are typical of our appliances/electronics int eh US? We need to take some battery chargers, and portable DVD player, etc.

 

Do we need any adaptors? Such as the 2-round prong type that is the standard in most of Europe?

 

I will appreicate any relevant responses.

 

Hi drblue,

 

I haven't been on Magnifica, but I did find you another older link :)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1133348&highlight=outlets