MSC Poesia - Italy to Iceland Adventure

[bots33]

Hi all

 

Have read with interest all the varying reviews of the ship and cruises it's undertaken the past year or so. Am lurking on this board since my parents have booked a 25 day cruise from Genoa Italy through to Kiel, Germany, which seems to be 3 cruises: an 11 day trip around the Western Med and Western Europe to Kiel, then a 3 day loop around Oslo , Copenhagen, before another 11 day trip out to Bergen, the Faroes and Iceland.

 

The last leg of the trip particular interests them. They're active, independent folks in their early 70's, who've travelled extensively, but whose last "cruise" was as immigrants out to Australia in the 1960's (have told them things have changed since then!)

 

Main findings I get from this board about MSC Poesia are:

* Keep an open mind and be patient with the Italian way of organisation and communication

* Service staff are very helpful and discrete (not in your face)

* Cabins are on the small side but they and the ship as a whole are kept extremely clean

* Food / entertainment / activities is variable but you get what you pay for

* Breakfast & lunch can be a real scrum and difficult to obtain free water or tea / coffee

* Pre-book booze packages / excursions

* Bring own books since library not extensively stocked

* Book spa treatments on last sea day of cruise

 

Are there any other things that I've missed out on, or where there have been different experiences?

 

Also wonder if anyone can help with more specific questions:

1. My folks have booked with Flightcentre here in Australia so will be part of a large Australian contingent flying in from Oz - is there any point in undertaking web express check in if they're part of a large group being transferred to Genoa Port?

 

2. Can they apply to become MSC members before departure? If so, what is required and what benefits are there for doing so?

 

3. Any tips to avoiding the breakfast / lunch scrum other than dining in their cabin or going to the main dining rooms?

 

4. They've booked balcony cabin and just wonder what people recommend as a quiet, albeit central and stable deck / area of the ship?

 

5. They're moderate drinkers (beer before dinner, a glass of wine @ dinner). Given the cruise is 25 days long though, is a wine / booze package worth purchasing?

 

6. They've booked early dining @ 6p.m. but the ship often departs port at that time or even later - what options do they have to reschedule their dining times to maximise their time off the ship?

 

7. Read about bringing tea kettle on board - but wonder what snacks / drinks are available between meal times?

 

8. Given the length of the cruise, what tips would you give them to enjoy the sea days (they like reading and aren't great gamblers) and what would you take on board with you to help pass the time?

 

9. How easy is it to book excursions once on the ship, or should they do so before departure (particularly for the Faroes / Icelandic ports)?

 

10. Understand there is a mandatory service charge, but wonder if they can override this and pay cabin / wait staff directly?

 

Thanks for any help with the above.

 

Regards

 

bots33

[Rudy888]

We are doing this same cruise with the addition of a cruise to Norway which follows on the Poesia after the Iceland Cruise. Here are a few answers to your questions:

Also wonder if anyone can help with more specific questions:

1. My folks have booked with Flightcentre here in Australia so will be part of a large Australian contingent flying in from Oz - is there any point in undertaking web express check in if they're part of a large group being transferred to Genoa Port?

You should check with Flightcentre first but I have been told that you should do the Web express checkin unless other arrangements have been made through Flightcentre.

 

2. Can they apply to become MSC members before departure? If so, what is required and what benefits are there for doing so?

To my knowledge you cannot apply until after your first cruise.

 

3. Any tips to avoiding the breakfast / lunch scrum other than dining in their cabin or going to the main dining rooms?

No, though unless there is a hurry, the main dining room would be my choice.

4. They've booked balcony cabin and just wonder what people recommend as a quiet, albeit central and stable deck / area of the ship?

Midship is always best but with the new ships doesn't seem to make a lot of difference.

 

5. They're moderate drinkers (beer before dinner, a glass of wine @ dinner). Given the cruise is 25 days long though, is a wine / booze package worth purchasing?

They have house wine that is served in a carafe that is good not great and inexpensive. The wine packages are also good, but remember you are on three separate cruises so I would assume you would need to sign up for the packages for each cruise.

 

6. They've booked early dining @ 6p.m. but the ship often departs port at that time or even later - what options do they have to reschedule their dining times to maximise their time off the ship?

I believe in Europe ist seating is 7:00pm not 6:00pm. Very difficult to reschedule.

 

7. Read about bringing tea kettle on board - but wonder what snacks / drinks are available between meal times?

 

8. Given the length of the cruise, what tips would you give them to enjoy the sea days (they like reading and aren't great gamblers) and what would you take on board with you to help pass the time?

Reading, walking around the ship, enjoying the sun. The pool may be too cold.

 

9. How easy is it to book excursions once on the ship, or should they do so before departure (particularly for the Faroes / Icelandic ports)?

With small ports, it is best to book before the cruise. Once on board if a tuor is filled you are out of luck.

 

10. Understand there is a mandatory service charge, but wonder if they can override this and pay cabin / wait staff directly?

It can be changed but not worth the effort in my opinion. The charges are reasonable as compared to other cruises and I always thought it was a hastle getting all the cash to tip everyone. One of the reasons this is done is do not like to hold a lot of cash which can be stolen. There is no bank on the ship to make a deposit.

 

Jan & Mike

 

 

 

[AmoMondo]

Hi all

 

Have read with interest all the varying reviews of the ship and cruises it's undertaken the past year or so. Am lurking on this board since my parents have booked a 25 day cruise from Genoa Italy through to Kiel, Germany, which seems to be 3 cruises: an 11 day trip around the Western Med and Western Europe to Kiel, then a 3 day loop around Oslo , Copenhagen, before another 11 day trip out to Bergen, the Faroes and Iceland.

 

The last leg of the trip particular interests them. They're active, independent folks in their early 70's, who've travelled extensively, but whose last "cruise" was as immigrants out to Australia in the 1960's (have told them things have changed since then!)

 

Main findings I get from this board about MSC Poesia are:

* Keep an open mind and be patient with the Italian way of organisation and communication

* Service staff are very helpful and discrete (not in your face)

* Cabins are on the small side but they and the ship as a whole are kept extremely clean

* Food / entertainment / activities is variable but you get what you pay for

* Breakfast & lunch can be a real scrum and difficult to obtain free water or tea / coffee

* Pre-book booze packages / excursions

* Bring own books since library not extensively stocked

* Book spa treatments on last sea day of cruise

 

Are there any other things that I've missed out on, or where there have been different experiences?

 

Also wonder if anyone can help with more specific questions:

1. My folks have booked with Flightcentre here in Australia so will be part of a large Australian contingent flying in from Oz - is there any point in undertaking web express check in if they're part of a large group being transferred to Genoa Port?

 

2. Can they apply to become MSC members before departure? If so, what is required and what benefits are there for doing so?

 

3. Any tips to avoiding the breakfast / lunch scrum other than dining in their cabin or going to the main dining rooms?

 

4. They've booked balcony cabin and just wonder what people recommend as a quiet, albeit central and stable deck / area of the ship?

 

5. They're moderate drinkers (beer before dinner, a glass of wine @ dinner). Given the cruise is 25 days long though, is a wine / booze package worth purchasing?

 

6. They've booked early dining @ 6p.m. but the ship often departs port at that time or even later - what options do they have to reschedule their dining times to maximise their time off the ship?

 

7. Read about bringing tea kettle on board - but wonder what snacks / drinks are available between meal times?

 

8. Given the length of the cruise, what tips would you give them to enjoy the sea days (they like reading and aren't great gamblers) and what would you take on board with you to help pass the time?

 

9. How easy is it to book excursions once on the ship, or should they do so before departure (particularly for the Faroes / Icelandic ports)?

 

10. Understand there is a mandatory service charge, but wonder if they can override this and pay cabin / wait staff directly?

 

Thanks for any help with the above.

 

Regards

 

bots33

 

Hi bots

 

I think your summing up of the main things to expect are pretty accurate. I'd say that pre-booking a spa package before you go can be considerably cheaper than buying onboard. They have details in their brochure. I'd only pre book drinks packages if they are heavy drinkers - the all inclusive and unlimited are only value for money if you drink a lot. The onboard booklets work out best if you are lighter drinkers. From what you say, they could buy a book of beer vouchers (you pay for 12 and get 14) either large or small and for the wine they could order a bottle of their choice from the wine list and have a couple of glasses each night until it is finished (they keep your bottle and bring it back the next evening) or just order a carfe or even just 2 glasses.

 

Best tip for avoiding scrums at the buffet at breakfast and lunch is to eat in the dining room - much more civilised!. Another tip is to order breakfast in your cabin. It is only continental but I use this service as my wake up call and have them deliver tea and juice to my cabin. I have my cuppa on my balcony and stick the juice in the fridge for later. Then when I've gotten myself together, I head down to the dining room for breakfast. If you order coffee rather than te - it comes in an insulated flask so keeps for a while. They will also need to order milk as they will not automatically provide this if you order tea or coffee.

 

They can't just change their dinner slot as they please. If they want to maximise time ashore, they'd be better swapping to second sitting. I'd be surprised though if first is as early as 6pm on a European sailing. It is usually later.

 

I've done a lot of long cruises with many sea days and amuse myself by taking a few good books with me and booking a few spa treatments too. I also use their daily newspaper service - they will print off virtually any newspaper for 2 euros per day. You order it the day before and it is delivered to your cabin in the morning. I while away a time in the coffee shop reading all the news from home. Some cruises are themed, so they have things like chess comps or dance classes or whatever that you can go to on sea days. they often do language lessons too.

 

Hope they have a great time

[cruisingtoIceland]

9. How easy is it to book excursions once on the ship, or should they do so before departure (particularly for the Faroes / Icelandic ports)?

 

It depends on harbour. You can buy a tour very easily in the Port of Reykjavik, but what I will recommend you is to book a trip online before coming, so you will avoid queues. In my opinion the best way it to buy from the same company as in the harbour, so they will take care of you from the begging. Check some pictures from the places you can visit by your own (going by car) or with a tour operatore:

 

From Port of Reykjavík: Blue Lagoon, Bus & Entrance

 

 

From Port of Reykjavík: Golden Circle

 

 

From Port of Reykjavík: Whale Watching

 

From Port of Reykjavik: On Horseback through the Lava

 

 

From the Port of Akureyri: it nice to see Icelandic churches

 

From the Port of Akureyri: Lake Mývatn

[Capricruiser]

Here's the link for the review I wrote about my Poesia cruise to Iceland last year: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=72175

I think you'll find it pretty complete and some of my comments and tips may be of value to you and your parents. One in particular about prebooking certain excursions. Many times the local tour operators had difficulty accomodating the number of passengers wanting a particular cruise. I mean, if the town only has ten tour buses and the request is for twenty, something has to give. I lost out on a couple of the excursions I wanted when I delayed booking them.

To answer a couple of your questions: I've done B2B cruises with MSC and they'll be issued cruise cards covering the entire period - 25 days - so they don't have worry about administration inbetween segments. Any packages purchased will carry over to the next segment. Kettles are not allowed in the cabins due to circuit overloading but it seems like some people have brought them anyway. They can order wine by the glass at their table in the MDR, or better yet, order a bottle from the wine list and their waiter will recork it and save it for successive evenings. The balcony may not be of much use because it will be fairly cold in the North Atlantic. Lastly, I'd recommend to leave the daily service charge as it gets divided among all the hotel staff, not just the waiters and stewards. They could always give an additional end-of-cruise tip in cash if the waiters and steward are particularly attentive to their needs.