Msc?

[terigo]

The reason I am asking here is that I know HAL, RCI, X, Carnival, NCL, Princess, Costa... and of those, I prefer HAL and X.

 

But I know nothing of MSC, and figured maybe someone who knows both HAL and MSC could tell me how the 2 lines compare.

thanks!

[ConnyR]

I dont know HAL (the first cruise is in 2012) but I know Princess and MSC. I can say, if you like X, or princess, or HAL put your fingers away from MSC! The service is very poor, food is poor and the prices for drinks, spa and so on are very expensiv. In one sentence: it is an european cruiseline (I am European too:)) and all the european lines have to learn very much about service:(:(.

They want only the best of you --your money!!!!

[terigo]

I dont know HAL (the first cruise is in 2012) but I know Princess and MSC. I can say, if you like X, or princess, or HAL put your fingers away from MSC! The service is very poor, food is poor and the prices for drinks, spa and so on are very expensiv. In one sentence: it is an european cruiseline (I am European too:)) and all the european lines have to learn very much about service:(:(.

They want only the best of you --your money!!!!

Thanks Conny.... probably told me everything I needed to know. I appreciate the info!!

[bepsf]

I dont know HAL (the first cruise is in 2012) but I know Princess and MSC. I can say, if you like X, or princess, or HAL put your fingers away from MSC! The service is very poor, food is poor and the prices for drinks, spa and so on are very expensiv. In one sentence: it is an european cruiseline (I am European too:)) and all the european lines have to learn very much about service:(:(.

They want only the best of you --your money!!!!

 

Which MSC have you been on?

I experienced great service, the food was perfectly lovely (I ate in the MDR for Breakfasts as well as Dinners) the prices for drinks and spa were VERY reasonable, and the showroom entertainment was far and away the best I've experienced at sea.

On the other hand, the staterooms were small, there was limited deckspace (this is rectified by the new Yacht Club suites and private decks on the Fantasia Class) some of the entertainment in the lounges were overamplified.

If I were looking for a unique European-flavoured big-ship experience, I'd choose MSC anytime.

[terigo]

Thanks, Brian....

Of course, now I am TOTALLY confused...

Such diametrically opposed views!

[Lard Greystoke]

I don't know HAL, but MSC was more to my taste than Carnival. Two of my tablemates were Celebrity fans. They preferred Celebrity but said MSC did pretty well at a reasonable price.

[GeriatricNurse]

The reason I am asking here is that I know HAL, RCI, X, Carnival, NCL, Princess, Costa... and of those, I prefer HAL and X.

 

But I know nothing of MSC, and figured maybe someone who knows both HAL and MSC could tell me how the 2 lines compare.

thanks!

 

Which MSC have you been on?

 

I experienced great service, the food was perfectly lovely (I ate in the MDR for Breakfasts as well as Dinners) the prices for drinks and spa were VERY reasonable, and the showroom entertainment was far and away the best I've experienced at sea.

 

On the other hand, the staterooms were small, there was limited deckspace (this is rectified by the new Yacht Club suites and private decks on the Fantasia Class) some of the entertainment in the lounges were overamplified.

 

If I were looking for a unique European-flavoured big-ship experience, I'd choose MSC anytime.

 

Well, I wouldn't choose MSC anytime soon based on the "Member Reviews" that I have read on CC for (any) of their ships!:( Have you read them terigo?:eek:

[terigo]

Yeah.... just went over to the MSC board, and was just coming back here to post to this thread.

A recent cruiser (who actually said he liked the Poesia) gave the rankings for all the lines he has been on....

He ranked MSC below Costa... That was all I needed to see... I detest Costa...

[tjcox9]

We are usual HAL and Princess cruisers, but have ventured out to Costa, MSC and others for a change.

 

If you are looking for your traditional US oriented cruise, stay away from both of these, particularly MSC. We loved the entertainment, the food, the decor. As previously stated, the cabins can be smaller. That all said, when we booked, we'd done enough research to know what we were getting into. Unfortunately, there were many on board who hadn't (just got an inexpensive cruise out of FLL).

 

These people were not happy as the food was very Italian (not Olive Garden). If you check out the MSC board, you'll find rants and raves, but you should find out enough there and here to be able to tell if you will like it.

 

Announcements are made in multiple languages. Italian lessons were given and the "animation" staff were just that. We had agreat time and would do again if the itinerary was right.

[lawyerrose]

Well, I wouldn't choose MSC anytime soon based on the "Member Reviews" that I have read on CC for (any) of their ships!:( Have you read them terigo?:eek:

 

 

Sometimes ya just gotta try it yourself and see. I read so many horror stories before we went on our Costa Magica cruise a few years ago, I was a little scared. But I found that many of the things people were fussing about were things we liked (like the food, and all the different languages). It was a wonderful cruise on a cruise line that was a little out of the ordinary.

[blueboro]

The space per passenger ratio on MSC ships are some of the lowest of the larger ships. For example, the Solstice Class with X is 42.8...HAL Signature Class is 40.8...while MSC is 36.6. Anything under 40 gets me nervous. They seem to pile on the passengers. Examples of the above classes... X at 122k tons has 2,850 passengers, HAL at 86k tons has 2,106 and MSC at 93K tons has 2,550.

[noblepa]

Which MSC have you been on?

 

I experienced great service, the food was perfectly lovely (I ate in the MDR for Breakfasts as well as Dinners) the prices for drinks and spa were VERY reasonable, and the showroom entertainment was far and away the best I've experienced at sea.

 

On the other hand, the staterooms were small, there was limited deckspace (this is rectified by the new Yacht Club suites and private decks on the Fantasia Class) some of the entertainment in the lounges were overamplified.

 

If I were looking for a unique European-flavoured big-ship experience, I'd choose MSC anytime.

 

I agree. We sailed on the MSC Orchestra a couple of years ago. Service was very good, food was excellent. I did not find the prices to be excessive.

 

We had an aft cabin. MSC does not charge extra for the aft cabins, the way most lines do. Ours was the same price as a cabin on the same deck a few doors forward on the side of the ship.

 

The only thing I found a bit annoying was that all the announcements were made in at least four languages. Even the CD as emcee of the shows, introduced all the acts four or five times, in different languages.

 

My wife didn't like the person at the photo desk, but that was the only complaint we had about the staff.

 

Paul

[SwissMyst]

I too have gotten good feedback about MCS from those who have used this line. It intrigues me too to try it some time, since it leaves from smaller ports in Italy than Civitavecchia, which is a port I think I would like to avoid. We just signed up for the Ryndam on a Barcelona-Barcelona cruise and that looks like a great city port, right in the center of things.

[GeriatricNurse]

Sometimes ya just gotta try it yourself and see. I read so many horror stories before we went on our Costa Magica cruise a few years ago, I was a little scared. But I found that many of the things people were fussing about were things we liked (like the food, and all the different languages). It was a wonderful cruise on a cruise line that was a little out of the ordinary.

 

 

What is the smoking policy with Costa? Fairly liberal from what I have read!:mad: (I'll remain with HAL, thanks)!;)

[Deckhandoug]

MSC is nothing like HAL, I suggest you avoid it.

 

Once was enough for us.

[Seago2]

Which MSC have you been on?

 

I experienced great service, the food was perfectly lovely (I ate in the MDR for Breakfasts as well as Dinners) the prices for drinks and spa were VERY reasonable, and the showroom entertainment was far and away the best I've experienced at sea.

 

On the other hand, the staterooms were small, there was limited deckspace (this is rectified by the new Yacht Club suites and private decks on the Fantasia Class) some of the entertainment in the lounges were overamplified.

 

If I were looking for a unique European-flavoured big-ship experience, I'd choose MSC anytime.

 

I would never have tried MSC if it wasn't for Brian's recommendation. Yes, it is a completely different experience, and if I had to compare it to another line I would say it's more akin to NCL than HAL, but it is what it is- different. Lirica is a GORGEOUS, spotless ship. There were a lot of Europeans on board. Dinner was a challenge at times- I think there were six courses every night, heavy on the mystery squid, and as everyone knows- don't get the beef. The waiters are far less subservient. The announcements are in four languages. There is an activity team, or there WAS, anyway, of young adults who run the various entertainment things... poolside contests and the like. They drove me half out of my mind about halfway through the cruise.

 

Other than those differences, it felt like a "regular" cruise. We went to some outstanding ports (Cartagena, for one), ate great food, experienced Euro life for a while, and as I said before: gorgeous and spotless. I think at the time Lirica was the only ship to have a 100% cleanliness rating.

 

I would definitely go for it if the price and itinerary are right. But it is NOTHING like HAL.

[geocruiser]

We were on MSC Opera. All I can say is NEVER again.

 

Maria

[DawnAtSea]

I too vote "never again" on MSC. I did my research.... I heard the food was real Italian.... never over cooked or over salted.... turns out every dish I ate was sloppy, salty mush. I was very dissapointed. The staff ( with the exception of the dining room staff and stateroom staff) were rude... almost like you were annoying them just by being on the ship. My room key stopped working 3 times, and the reception staff told me it was my fault for keeping it next to my cell phone. I don't travel with my cell, and I always carry my room key around my neck. And the shows were a little risque, a little too much exposure for my liking.... I don't go to shows to look at other girls bums for an hour. I had to book another cruise on HAL this year to renew my faith in cruising. MSC is now no more than a bad dream!

[euro cruiser]

I was on the Opera when it was new, its second or third voyage, I think. I remember it as a very nice ship. We were on a Med cruise, with a broad mix of passengers, but they set up the tables so that everyone at ours spoke English as a first language (six Americans, two British).

 

As this was a Med cruise, it was port intensive and we actually didn't spend much time on the ship at all, other than to sleep and eat. I am a vegetarian and they went out of their way to ensure that I had enjoyable meals, I don't remember any attitude issues.

[Taxguy77]

Thanks, Brian....

Of course, now I am TOTALLY confused...

Such diametrically opposed views!

 

It's very easy to be confused by comments on any subject. When I was in college, two of my friends stayed a night or more in Mexico City. One said bad - all kinds of tacos and none of them were like in the states; the other said great - all kinds of tacos!

From reading these boards before our HAL cruise, I was beginning to think of cancelling, but we really had a great voyage.

I would try MSC, but you might not.

[SwissMyst]

Some people travel, but want to still stay virtually in America. Some travel to leave things American behind for better or worse, but always with the sense of exploring something new and willing to experience new things for better or worse. Bad travel experiences make for far better travel stories and more laughs when it is all over and behind you. ;) Go for it.

[31cruiser]

We spent 10 days on the Poesia in November and found the ship to be beautiful. We have cruised over 50 times on HAL, Princess, NCL, RCL, Cunard, Costa etc. The food was average, but our waiters were excellent and the food was always hot when it should have been. The salads were excellent. Drink prices were the most reasonable. A glass of red wine at dinner was $3 plus 15^ tip. Where else do you find that? Also, the entertainment was the best we have seen in about 10 years. I too read lots of negative reviews but I find that when we sail on those with poor reviews, we NEVER find the same problems. Every line has their own pros and cons and I am sure that if each of us selected the best of each line, it still would not please all. A bad day at sea is still better that a good day on land.

[camofwilliamsburg]

We have done 16 cruises and 3 on MSC USA cruises. LOVED every moment on board. Loved the service, the staff, the entertainment is like no other on board any of the other cruises we have done. Classical music all over the ship. Fine arts level of performances in the theater. The entertainers are trained not just HS graduates that want to tour some islands. You will see things never before. Dancers who are dancers and wonderful staging of shows. The theater remain a theater: no service from the bar. It is a real experience , but the shows are short. The animation team are the group that does all the fun games, trivia and every night dance lessons and games. These can be found around the pool from9 am - 6 pm. Then each night.

They interact with staff. The food we found to be above par to RCI and even our one X cruise. The ship is sparkling clean and beautiful with marble statues and beautiful hallways. They have a wonderful spa with FREE turkish steam room and saunas and 3 beautiful hot tubs looking out a large window to the ocean. Everything is refined and very classy. It is a lovely experience. The atmosphere is laid back. No announcements all day long. For each show they introduce it in 5 languages which we found interesting.

No one bothers you for drink orders every minute.

I love MSC, and look forward to boarding another MSC USA cruise.

[bepsf]

I would never have tried MSC if it wasn't for Brian's recommendation.

 

The announcements are in four languages.

 

I'm honored that you took my words to heart and tried something new, Carla!

Oh, those announcements!

It's funny listening to them: The CD just sorta rattles on and on and on when you suddenly realize that she's been speaking English for a while and she still hasn't taken a breath!

I admit that when I first stepped aboard and saw Zuiderdam at the other pier, I thought to myself "Dam, I'm on the wrong ship"...

...but after the better part of a week aboard, I realized that although it was different, I'd have no problem sailing w/ MSC again.

(Still looking for a Fantasia Class ship to come to the Americas so I can have my Yacht Club!)