First time on MSC (and the Opera) and thoughts from an experienced cruiser

[Marylebone37]

Hope that some will find my observations of interest. Just returned from MSC Opera, Amsterdam to Southampton. Booked into a Cat 12 mini-suite, the highest category available on this particular ship. Picked this cruise purely around the dates, embarkation/disembarkation points and mostly to spend some quality time with dear friends who were also on board (and also experienced cruisers on other lines). I have sailed on many lines, from Carnival to Silversea and Seabourn, and just about every line in between. And after 23 cruises, I would rate my overall experience on the Opera at the bottom of the pack - #23 out of 23. These are honest thoughts, accurate details of this particular cruise, and are not meant to bash MSC. In fact, I hope MSC is reading this board and will make some much needed improvements.

 

I will begin with the positives. Excellent to sometimes outstanding theater entertainment. Cabin service was great (although the balcony floor and glass were never cleaned much, if at all). SOME bar servers were very good. The all-in (coded “411”) drink package was an excellent value and included every single beer, cocktail, glass of wine, soft drink, cappuccino, ice cream, mini-bar snack etc. consumed for the entire cruise. I paid nothing extra, so a great deal if you’re going to use it. Ship overall was nice, generally clean and well-kept, but as we were sailing at full capacity, it felt VERY crowded in certain public spaces. A dense passenger/space ratio for sure. I liked the mostly no-smoking policy throughout the ship, including cabin balconies (but of course some passengers felt they didn’t need to comply with the rules). And the 30 items for 20 Euro laundry special was a good value and much appreciated. Finally, I thought it was interesting and thought-provoking to travel with a group of passengers comprising so many different nationalities. A lot different than most of my other cruise experiences and what a great way - especially for the younger generations on board - to get a sense of different cultures and people from all around the world. I loved the European "feel."

 

Now the areas that need improvement. Most staff looked very tired all of the time and seemed not happy to be on board. I would say only about 20% of the crew had smiles on their faces... very different than prior cruises. It left me with a gut feeling that this cruise line does not treat their staff all that well in general. I could be wrong, admittedly, but it was still a big downer for me. Buffet food was way below average. I’m talking high school cafeteria quality at best – really pathetic for a cruise ship carrying 2,000+ passengers. Restaurant food was only minimally better, and service was similarly way below standard – for example, you must pour and refill your own water and wine at the restaurant dinner table, ask for an extra slice of bread, ask for black pepper etc. Food quality overall was crap – unimaginative, boring, cheapest cuts of meats, horribly cooked seafood, tasteless canned vegetables, watered-down salad dressing, morning juices made from powdery mixes, and the list of sub-standard items goes on and on and on. I am not a foodie by any stretch, but there was not a single meal that we came away from satisfied. A real shame actually. Some of the food service staff should not be customer-facing at all. For example, imagine being greeted at the breakfast omelet station by a gentleman that looks at each passenger and grunts “Huh?” – asking for their order. The maitre d’s – dressed in their nice white jackets while walking around and doing next to nothing – were an embarrassment to the line in my opinion. I suspect they are part of the owner’s extended chain of family and friends who just need something to do in their retirement years and want to boss around other hard-working foreign and underpaid staff. They never even came over to the dinner table to introduce themselves and ask how everything was going – not once. I've never seen maitre d's do so little. Room service menu was also pathetic. Bread, (cheap) yogurt, and (weak) coffee/tea for breakfast... period. And anything else you wanted from room service – from a menu of about 10 fast-food quality items max – was at charge.

 

Cabin interior was tired with fraying upholstery, nicked up furniture and in need of a makeover (remember, this was the top-end cabin grade on this vessel). Gym equipment – both in terms of variety, quality and quantity of machines, was terrible. Three exercise bikes for 2,000+ people and not even a single cross/elliptical trainer. Unacceptable. Only 2 Jacuzzis on deck – always stuffed full of teens and children that looked as young as 2 or 3. No enforcement by staff of the over-16 rule (and yes, I said something to management that yielded zero response). Quality of the bed linens and mattresses were cheap. Felt like I was sleeping in a Holiday Inn Express or Travelodge. Other than the aforementioned theater entertainment, everything else in the entertainment category was very average. Not even an outside band at the pool occasionally. Instead, the poolside entertainment space was used for children’s table games. Port visits were way too short in duration when they didn’t need to be (in other words, keep people on-board as long as possible to generate revenue).

 

So the bottom line is the whole trip seemed like a cheap experience and not something I would repeat, even at a bargain rate. It’s worth paying a bit more for a MUCH MUCH MUCH better experience on practically any other line out there today.

 

With all that said, it sounds funny to say that I still had a good time! Every cruise and travel experience is unique and one should always make the best them. We’re fortunate to be able to have such experiences indeed!

 

But I will not sail on MSC again nor recommend it to anyone.

[Capricruiser]

It's been four years since I was last on the Opera and am appalled at how you found it. We also had a Cat 12 suite which was nothing like you described yours. Sounds like maintenance has gone down terribily in these years that have gone by. On our cruise the food was very good, the maitre extremely attentive, meeting everyone with a smile and greeting as we entered the MDR, staff always smiling, comfortable beds, nice linens, etc. I'll be on the Opera again in April 2012 and hope sincerely that MSC takes a look at your findings and makes necessary corrections. Hope you mentioned all this on the end-of-cruise questionnaire.

[woodofpine]

Hmmm... My experience with MSC was a brand new ship (Magnifica 2-3 weeks old) and the crew seemed reasonably happy and attentive. Altogether though I like the style of your comments and an important part of the content. But I digress... :D

 

A client of mine owns/operates a few elder care facilities (ALFs). He's always hired his chefs from higher end hotels (Hyatt etc.) and the ingredients of the kitchen are top rank. He told me, "Satisfied eating sells this place. Generally, these folks have nowhere to go. They live for their meals. A good dining room equals happy residents." Not unlike a cruise ship. If the galley had been better, I wonder how you might have felt about the rest?

 

Personally, I think your comments about the buffet and food generally were spot on. After Magnifica, the next cruise was HAL Ryndam and I entered that MDR wondering how it would compare. It didn't compare - in a good way. I think MSC fans that get condescendingly preachy about the line's 'Italian style' cruisine are... off base to say the least.;)

 

Our young professionally committed MSC head server (ex-Princess due to maritime academy schedules) acknowledged a problem with Italian family nepotism in Magnifica's galley management. He thought senior MSC managers were trying hard but that there were on board managment issues in that area.

 

I too enjoyed my MSC cruise. The line remains a work in progress...

[Marley-Bop]

Hi Stines

 

Thanks for taking the time to do a review :) Glad to hear you had some positive experiences and sorry to hear that you felt a bit down about others.

 

Im actually taking a lot of positives from your negatives as in I hate being faffed around during dinner. I want to pour my own wine and water and be left in peace to enjoy my dinner. That might sound really strange but im looking forward to a different kind of service on my first MSC cruise, I do feel the staff on RCCL can be a bit "too much" at times.

 

Im hoping I wont go hungry though but im not really a fussy eater and have always found something I enjoy on every cruise I have done.

 

If the cabins are getting frayed I think this is something that should be addressed. I have never yet been on any cruise ship that wasnt well maintained.

[Marylebone37]

Woodofpine,

You are somewhat correct. A much nicer dining experience (food and service) would have gone a long way to improve the overall experience for sure... but only because it was THAT dismal overall. I didn't even mention the evening alternative dining buffet. Oh my goodness - it was like eating at low end casino buffet in the middle of Mississippi somewhere on a Tuesday night (apolgies to Mississippi... it is a lovely place overall!). Pizza (which was only average at best), lettuce drowning in water because it hadn't been drained properly, mass quantities of Kraft quality pasta and boring simple sauces, and a variety of other cheap cold salads filled with canned veggies, rice, and other low-cost additions. I guess the 5-10 year olds on board liked it I hope. Enough about the food. Do not go on MSC for a remotely satisfying dinining experience, especially if you've cruised on other lines.

[Marylebone37]

Hi Marley-Bop,

As I mentioned in my thoughts, we are not fussy eaters (either nor expect excellent service all of the time). In fact, hardly ever eat at very high-end restaurants, because we too don't like to be fawned over. But other than putting down and removing plates and silverware, the service was practically non-existent. For goodness sakes, notice that the water bottle is empty at least once during coming back for 6 food courses in the course of an evening. You will have plenty of peace... I just expected a little (just a little) style and basic mid-range restaurant service levels.

 

I don't think you'll go hungry... we sure did not. Although we never were that satisfied with the food, we surely ate enough of it as the scale can attest. My biggest regret is that if you're going to indulge on a vacation/cruise, it would have been nice to be able to look back and say, you know, I put on a few pounds but it was worth it. It was definitely not worth it in the Opera's case. Oh well... lesson learned.

[Worm61]

Thanks i enjoyed your review i remember reading something like that when i first came on here & got a bit worried ...but i haven't been with any other cruise line in fact never cruised before so it may be a hole new experience for me as it was cheap ( cruise standards )when we booked MSC & 'm still excited about it ( so far) :rolleyes: i'll let you all know after mine

[woodofpine]

The gym on Magnifica was pretty good, new (the best I've seen was C.Miracle [spirit Class] two deck tiered spa tub between the two - very cool set up). On the cruise I did service was good. The main deficiency was the food - esp. buffet.

 

Had the food been on par with other lines, my overall impression would've been also on par. Sure, food is subjective and it does vary ship to ship (but my experience was much like Stines on that mark). As a cruise line, they can do something about that... Carnival worked to improve its food quality and suceeded. Others might be better than Carnival, but Carnival is no longer dismal - its at least 'in the running'. MSC should follow that example.

[Deckhandoug]

MSC certainly needs to improve their food quality

 

'nuff said

[Zambezi]

Hope that some will find my observations of interest. Just returned from MSC Opera, Amsterdam to Southampton. Booked into a Cat 12 mini-suite, the highest category available on this particular ship. Picked this cruise purely around the dates, embarkation/disembarkation points and mostly to spend some quality time with dear friends who were also on board (and also experienced cruisers on other lines). I have sailed on many lines, from Carnival to Silversea and Seabourn, and just about every line in between. And after 23 cruises, I would rate my overall experience on the Opera at the bottom of the pack - #23 out of 23. These are honest thoughts, accurate details of this particular cruise, and are not meant to bash MSC. In fact, I hope MSC is reading this board and will make some much needed improvements.

 

I will begin with the positives. Excellent to sometimes outstanding theater entertainment. Cabin service was great (although the balcony floor and glass were never cleaned much, if at all). SOME bar servers were very good. The all-in (coded “411”) drink package was an excellent value and included every single beer, cocktail, glass of wine, soft drink, cappuccino, ice cream, mini-bar snack etc. consumed for the entire cruise. I paid nothing extra, so a great deal if you’re going to use it. Ship overall was nice, generally clean and well-kept, but as we were sailing at full capacity, it felt VERY crowded in certain public spaces. A dense passenger/space ratio for sure. I liked the mostly no-smoking policy throughout the ship, including cabin balconies (but of course some passengers felt they didn’t need to comply with the rules). And the 30 items for 20 Euro laundry special was a good value and much appreciated. Finally, I thought it was interesting and thought-provoking to travel with a group of passengers comprising so many different nationalities. A lot different than most of my other cruise experiences and what a great way - especially for the younger generations on board - to get a sense of different cultures and people from all around the world. I loved the European "feel."

 

Now the areas that need improvement. Most staff looked very tired all of the time and seemed not happy to be on board. I would say only about 20% of the crew had smiles on their faces... very different than prior cruises. It left me with a gut feeling that this cruise line does not treat their staff all that well in general. I could be wrong, admittedly, but it was still a big downer for me. Buffet food was way below average. I’m talking high school cafeteria quality at best – really pathetic for a cruise ship carrying 2,000+ passengers. Restaurant food was only minimally better, and service was similarly way below standard – for example, you must pour and refill your own water and wine at the restaurant dinner table, ask for an extra slice of bread, ask for black pepper etc. Food quality overall was crap – unimaginative, boring, cheapest cuts of meats, horribly cooked seafood, tasteless canned vegetables, watered-down salad dressing, morning juices made from powdery mixes, and the list of sub-standard items goes on and on and on. I am not a foodie by any stretch, but there was not a single meal that we came away from satisfied. A real shame actually. Some of the food service staff should not be customer-facing at all. For example, imagine being greeted at the breakfast omelet station by a gentleman that looks at each passenger and grunts “Huh?” – asking for their order. The maitre d’s – dressed in their nice white jackets while walking around and doing next to nothing – were an embarrassment to the line in my opinion. I suspect they are part of the owner’s extended chain of family and friends who just need something to do in their retirement years and want to boss around other hard-working foreign and underpaid staff. They never even came over to the dinner table to introduce themselves and ask how everything was going – not once. I've never seen maitre d's do so little. Room service menu was also pathetic. Bread, (cheap) yogurt, and (weak) coffee/tea for breakfast... period. And anything else you wanted from room service – from a menu of about 10 fast-food quality items max – was at charge.

 

Cabin interior was tired with fraying upholstery, nicked up furniture and in need of a makeover (remember, this was the top-end cabin grade on this vessel). Gym equipment – both in terms of variety, quality and quantity of machines, was terrible. Three exercise bikes for 2,000+ people and not even a single cross/elliptical trainer. Unacceptable. Only 2 Jacuzzis on deck – always stuffed full of teens and children that looked as young as 2 or 3. No enforcement by staff of the over-16 rule (and yes, I said something to management that yielded zero response). Quality of the bed linens and mattresses were cheap. Felt like I was sleeping in a Holiday Inn Express or Travelodge. Other than the aforementioned theater entertainment, everything else in the entertainment category was very average. Not even an outside band at the pool occasionally. Instead, the poolside entertainment space was used for children’s table games. Port visits were way too short in duration when they didn’t need to be (in other words, keep people on-board as long as possible to generate revenue).

 

So the bottom line is the whole trip seemed like a cheap experience and not something I would repeat, even at a bargain rate. It’s worth paying a bit more for a MUCH MUCH MUCH better experience on practically any other line out there today.

 

With all that said, it sounds funny to say that I still had a good time! Every cruise and travel experience is unique and one should always make the best them. We’re fortunate to be able to have such experiences indeed!

 

But I will not sail on MSC again nor recommend it to anyone.

 

My feelings exactly, why sail MSC when so much better is available?

[Travltyme]

As I pointed out on another post... We recently tried MSC(although I was very hesitant due to all the derogatory posts, which I discovered were mostly posted by the same few people) well I am happy to say that we are glad we gave MSC a try... we enjoyed our cruise very much..

We have been cruising for many, many years on only American Cruise lines. I did not feel the need to register on CC since I mainly used it for research and very often my questions had been answered previously..

We have traveled all over Europe and realize that there are differences in other cultures.

A few concerns that we had due to posts that I now realize might have been posted by people who have not cruised on MSC either at all or in a very long time...

Smoking.. which was not an issue at all as a matter of fact is much more of an issue on the Carnival cruises we have been on.

Loud and rude passengers.. again not an issue on our cruise... about 5 languages were spoken on the ship and I can see some feeling left out. Also ship employees were not overly-happy as on some cruise lines, which is a plus for us. We enjoyed all the different languages being spoken on the ship.. really gives the feel of being in Europe.

Cleanliness... we found the ship very clean and well kept up. Our stateroom was also kept very clean.

Food.. this is a huge subject for some on CC.. so much has been written about the type, quality and quantity of food.. that this was a concern for us as we are not big eaters but do enjoy quality meals. I must also point out that we do not visit the buffet regularly on any cruise ship due to finding the mass consumption of food not very appetizing. We found on MSC that meals are served at specific times and there are times during the day and night that no food is being served at all. So if you are a big eater or cruise to eat, then you will be disappointed. The food in the dinning room for breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in smaller portions but is of good quality. It is mainly Italian, so you will not find many meat and potato dishes. we were happy with the selections and quality of our food. I did visit the buffet a couple of times to get a snack or coffee and really found it refreshing not to see people with plates overflowing with food as you frequently do on other cruises. As a matter of fact there were very, very few huge over-weight people on this cruise. Which might have something to do with their way of eating. So if you are looking for food 24 hrs a day or a buffet overflowing with food, this cruise is definitely not for you.

So far I think we prefer Celebrity for cruising in Europe although we would definitely consider another cruise on MSC if the price and ports were right.

[Zambezi]

As I pointed out on another post... We recently tried MSC(although I was very hesitant due to all the derogatory posts, which I discovered were mostly posted by the same few people) well I am happy to say that we are glad we gave MSC a try... we enjoyed our cruise very much..

We have been cruising for many, many years on only American Cruise lines. I did not feel the need to register on CC since I mainly used it for research and very often my questions had been answered previously..

We have traveled all over Europe and realize that there are differences in other cultures.

A few concerns that we had due to posts that I now realize might have been posted by people who have not cruised on MSC either at all or in a very long time...

Smoking.. which was not an issue at all as a matter of fact is much more of an issue on the Carnival cruises we have been on.

Loud and rude passengers.. again not an issue on our cruise... about 5 languages were spoken on the ship and I can see some feeling left out. Also ship employees were not overly-happy as on some cruise lines, which is a plus for us. We enjoyed all the different languages being spoken on the ship.. really gives the feel of being in Europe.

Cleanliness... we found the ship very clean and well kept up. Our stateroom was also kept very clean.

Food.. this is a huge subject for some on CC.. so much has been written about the type, quality and quantity of food.. that this was a concern for us as we are not big eaters but do enjoy quality meals. I must also point out that we do not visit the buffet regularly on any cruise ship due to finding the mass consumption of food not very appetizing. We found on MSC that meals are served at specific times and there are times during the day and night that no food is being served at all. So if you are a big eater or cruise to eat, then you will be disappointed. The food in the dinning room for breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in smaller portions but is of good quality. It is mainly Italian, so you will not find many meat and potato dishes. we were happy with the selections and quality of our food. I did visit the buffet a couple of times to get a snack or coffee and really found it refreshing not to see people with plates overflowing with food as you frequently do on other cruises. As a matter of fact there were very, very few huge over-weight people on this cruise. Which might have something to do with their way of eating. So if you are looking for food 24 hrs a day or a buffet overflowing with food, this cruise is definitely not for you.

So far I think we prefer Celebrity for cruising in Europe although we would definitely consider another cruise on MSC if the price and ports were right.

 

Have you considered actually making your own review instead of hijacking the thread of another?

 

Naming the ship and date you sailed is very helpful, and your not so veiled disparaging comments about the other posters on here in your only two posts suggest an ulterior motive and along with your rude comments about your fellow passengers suggest you are either a troll or an MSC plant.

 

IMHO

[Janet&Carl]

Have you considered actually making your own review instead of hijacking the thread of another?

 

Naming the ship and date you sailed is very helpful, and your not so veiled disparaging comments about the other posters on here in your only two posts suggest an ulterior motive and along with your rude comments about your fellow passengers suggest you are either a troll or an MSC plant.

 

IMHO

and what kind of plant are you Zambezi - I havent read any or your reviews either - and people can have positive things to say - I would prefer without contradication - just because they disagree with you doesnt make them any less valid !! on your bike zam

[Capricruiser]

As I pointed out on another post... We recently tried MSC(although I was very hesitant due to all the derogatory posts, which I discovered were mostly posted by the same few people) well I am happy to say that we are glad we gave MSC a try... we enjoyed our cruise very much..

We have been cruising for many, many years on only American Cruise lines. I did not feel the need to register on CC since I mainly used it for research and very often my questions had been answered previously..

We have traveled all over Europe and realize that there are differences in other cultures.

A few concerns that we had due to posts that I now realize might have been posted by people who have not cruised on MSC either at all or in a very long time...

Smoking.. which was not an issue at all as a matter of fact is much more of an issue on the Carnival cruises we have been on.

Loud and rude passengers.. again not an issue on our cruise... about 5 languages were spoken on the ship and I can see some feeling left out. Also ship employees were not overly-happy as on some cruise lines, which is a plus for us. We enjoyed all the different languages being spoken on the ship.. really gives the feel of being in Europe.

Cleanliness... we found the ship very clean and well kept up. Our stateroom was also kept very clean.

Food.. this is a huge subject for some on CC.. so much has been written about the type, quality and quantity of food.. that this was a concern for us as we are not big eaters but do enjoy quality meals. I must also point out that we do not visit the buffet regularly on any cruise ship due to finding the mass consumption of food not very appetizing. We found on MSC that meals are served at specific times and there are times during the day and night that no food is being served at all. So if you are a big eater or cruise to eat, then you will be disappointed. The food in the dinning room for breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in smaller portions but is of good quality. It is mainly Italian, so you will not find many meat and potato dishes. we were happy with the selections and quality of our food. I did visit the buffet a couple of times to get a snack or coffee and really found it refreshing not to see people with plates overflowing with food as you frequently do on other cruises. As a matter of fact there were very, very few huge over-weight people on this cruise. Which might have something to do with their way of eating. So if you are looking for food 24 hrs a day or a buffet overflowing with food, this cruise is definitely not for you.

So far I think we prefer Celebrity for cruising in Europe although we would definitely consider another cruise on MSC if the price and ports were right.

Travltyme's post reflects my MSC experiences almost perfectly. The three or so whiners we have on the forum could never agree with it but I see many, many more posts similar to Travltyme's in recent months. I appears that the negatives and constant referrals to cruise review ratings by the whiners have little or no effect on the CC members who have enjoyed their MSC cruises. Cruising is a fun experience and a time to get to know places in the world that you've only seen on TV. Why spoil it because your steward doesn't do towel animals (or your grilled shrimp was served with its head, tail and legs attached, or a deck hand didn't give you a 32-tooth smile as you passed, or there was an odor of tobacco smoke passing through a lounge, etc. etc, etc.)!

[Travltyme]

I sailed on the Opera in July.. and as I mentioned I had not posted previously because I did not feel the need to. As far as being a plant?? very funny.. but really don't have time for that.. the only reason I am on here is that I am currently doing research for another cruise we are considering..

It would also be quite helpful if those posting derogatory comments would also state the date and name of the ship they have sailed.

I do not consider my comments to be rude as they are just stating the facts that are quite obvious.

 

For those of you considering MSC... if the price and ports are right and if you are open to new and different experiences... then by all means give them a try.

 

BTW.. they try and sit people for dinner near others who speak the same language.. we met some lovely families from the US that were seated by us .. we all enjoyed getting to know one another and meeting for dinner every night.

[Janet&Carl]

totally agree with you Capricruiser _ I also think there are only three or so baggers here and wonder what their agenda is :rolleyes: - it is nice to see so many positive reviews of MSC and people who dont let the ""little"" niggly things get in the way of a good holiday :p - it is also nice to see the +ve reviews in the cruise review section - almost all state how the -ve comments almost spoiled their chances of a good holiday - I'm glad I didnt listen to them either. :)

[Janet&Carl]

 

BTW.. they try and sit people for dinner near others who speak the same language.. we met some lovely families from the US that were seated by us .. we all enjoyed getting to know one another and meeting for dinner every night.

 

We found this as well - it was great for our kids to meet other english speaking cruisers of the same age - travelling is such a positive experience if you allow it be :) even if everything isnt "smooth sailing"

[Zambezi]

and what kind of plant are you Zambezi - I havent read any or your reviews either - and people can have positive things to say - I would prefer without contradication - just because they disagree with you doesnt make them any less valid !! on your bike zam

 

And that is precisely my point, why come on here and try to contradict Stines review, why not post one of your own?

[Deckhandoug]

totally agree with you Capricruiser _ I also think there are only three or so baggers here and wonder what their agenda is :rolleyes: - it is nice to see so many positive reviews of MSC and people who dont let the ""little"" niggly things get in the way of a good holiday :p - it is also nice to see the +ve reviews in the cruise review section - almost all state how the -ve comments almost spoiled their chances of a good holiday - I'm glad I didnt listen to them either. :)

 

I'm glad you feel the reviews are valid, MSC has a 48% approval rating.

[Invincible]

It was reviews such as this that made us waver as whether or not to book MSC Splendida for January next year but as I said in a different topic we did book for other reasons and I'm sure we will enjoy our holiday as the person who started this topic did also.

 

I'm also sure that a company the size of MSC monitor this message board and do everything they can to constantly improve their passengers experience, for all I've read I'm still looking forward to our cruise at the end of January and feel both the positive and negative comments allow me to tailor my expectations just so I will make the most of my time and not allow anything to spoil it.

[woodofpine]

MSC cruises are smoother than this forum. One can only try them and make one's own mind... That said, the most vigorous MSC fans that put down competitors seem to have zero experience with competitive lines. That's pretty much the definitive exemplar of 'not knowing what you're talking about.' ;)

 

I had a few good entrees and deserts in the MSC dining room, the 'whipsaw' was the erratic often low grade side dishes - and the buffet (e-gads - the buffet!). Being 'Italian' is no defense to third or fourth tier quality. Being 'Italian' doesn't morph low grade 'chow' into competitive fare.

 

MSC's buffet prompted me to reflect on the student cafeteria of the University of Montepellier in Languedoc-Rousillon France during the late 1970's. I could've sworn that cafeteria was managed (Franco style) by the same abysmal ('mystery meat') food service company that dominated the campuses of Washington D.C. at the time. Technically speaking, I suppose the U. Montepellier cafeteria was 'French Cuisine'... In that way I suppose one can claim (with misplaced condescension) that MSC's buffet is 'Italian cuisine'. It might pass muster with procurement officers of the Italian Army (maybe - hard to say).

[readboat]

Yikes, I have to stop reading these boards. I had a nightmare last night about my cruise in 3 weeks. I was still shaking when I woke up. I am going to go with an open mind and enjoy the trip no matter how bad the food is. I will bring a back of choclate bars and eat them with my gelato (which I hear is delicious) if my meal leaves me hungry. I will bring my head phones to block loud talkers and wear my body armor for pushy shovey people. If it is as bad as so many people say on this board then I will have a ball just watching the action. I will keep smiling, be patient and eat choclate.

[All aboard??]

Yikes, I have to stop reading these boards. I had a nightmare last night about my cruise in 3 weeks. I was still shaking when I woke up. I am going to go with an open mind and enjoy the trip no matter how bad the food is. I will bring a back of choclate bars and eat them with my gelato (which I hear is delicious) if my meal leaves me hungry. I will bring my head phones to block loud talkers and wear my body armor for pushy shovey people. If it is as bad as so many people say on this board then I will have a ball just watching the action. I will keep smiling, be patient and eat choclate.

 

Given your realistic approach to a new experience I would be interested in your thoughts on MSC when your cruise is finished.......I personally do not regard MSC as the best in the world, however I have always boarded their vessels with an open mind and as such have never disembarked without having had an enjoyable time <and on occassion thrown a bit of name ;) but that is a whole different story that involves music, alot of Moet and a table)

[Satincruz]

Yikes, I have to stop reading these boards. I had a nightmare last night about my cruise in 3 weeks. I was still shaking when I woke up. I am going to go with an open mind and enjoy the trip no matter how bad the food is. I will bring a back of choclate bars and eat them with my gelato (which I hear is delicious) if my meal leaves me hungry. I will bring my head phones to block loud talkers and wear my body armor for pushy shovey people. If it is as bad as so many people say on this board then I will have a ball just watching the action. I will keep smiling, be patient and eat choclate.

 

I'd hate to have a nightmare about a cruise :eek:

 

But I DO recommend the chocolate :)

 

I have brought some along on every one of my cruises (no matter the cruise line), b/c it is one of the hardest things to come by on the ships nowadays! And if you don't end up eating it all, the leftovers can make a nice small gift for your stewards, waiters, or any other crew you come across that could use a smile ;)

[woodofpine]

Yikes, I have to stop reading these boards. I had a nightmare last night about my cruise in 3 weeks. I was still shaking when I woke up. I am going to go with an open mind and enjoy the trip no matter how bad the food is. I will bring a back of choclate bars and eat them with my gelato (which I hear is delicious) if my meal leaves me hungry. I will bring my head phones to block loud talkers and wear my body armor for pushy shovey people. If it is as bad as so many people say on this board then I will have a ball just watching the action. I will keep smiling, be patient and eat choclate.

 

Good attitude! Don't fret! Get the gelato card! I really enjoyed my MSC cruise. I tend to cruise for the intinerary. My experience with staff was excellent, the ship was very nice, cabins fine, the mixed passenger demographic was interesting. The food... truthfully, was a broad band. There were some excellent things, but the buffet - really not so hot. So really, that's a reasonably limited grief list. The food situation is not universally bad by any shape of things - just frustratingly variable - consistency counts for a lot. I wasn't super impressed by the on board shops - but that's trifling. In my opinion, MSC has got it about 80% 'right'. It wouldn't take much to boost them another 10% right into the thick of the competitive mix. I hope they catch on in that way because the more competition the better.