A cheap cruise, was it worth it?

[Invincible]

I asked a very similar question in August last year before booking. Having only done 4 cruises up 'til then and reading various negative reviews on MSC I wasn't sure, eventually we booked anyway for a variety of reasons which included a couple of days in Barcelona pre-cruise, the cruise itinery, the price and the opportunity to try an inside cabin for the first time. So was it worth it ? well the short answer is NO!!.

 

So why didn't I or my wife like it, the ship was beautiful, spotlessly clean and our inside cabin quite roomy and not claustrophobic as we'd feared it may have been (though we did leave the TV permanently tuned into the bridge cam channel so we knew whether it was day or night) Right from day one it was obvious that everything was going to cost extra, the food was usually luke warm in the dining room and the buffet but rarely hot, even fresh dishes of hot food coming onto the breakfast buffet were nearly cold. The food in the dining rooms was a fairly poor quality, a Rum Baba on our first evening wasn't a Rum Baba at all but a cheap bit of sponge cake drizzled with some watery syrup. If you didn't like what was served up there was no attempt to offer an alternative, there was no coffee after the meal not even offered as a paid extra and water with your meal was £2.10 a 1 Ltr bottle +15% service charge. The daily program was usually four sides of paper three and a half of which were ads for onboard services the daily activity program occupied less than a quarter of one of the pages, there were no port maps or information for passengers not choosing to take an (expensive) organised excursion. We got off at Valencia and after paying 8 Euros each for the transfer into the city had no idea which way to go to see anything. Entertainment in the evenings was good once you got used to everything being done in 5 languages though a ventriliquist in 5 languages doesn't really work, but it's not right to criticise that as If I spoke French, German, Spanish or italian I would expect to understand what was going on too. The Italian and indeed some german guests did live up to their reputation and were incerdibly rude, ignorant and arrogant. A dress code is suggested for the evenings but having made an effort for the gala evening to see an Italin in a shell suit and T shirt being allowed into the dining room prompts the question why have a dress code at all lets all go in shorts and T shirts.

 

So no we didn't enjoy it, it wasn't worth it and we'll NEVER do MSC again in fact if I could have left after 3 or 4 days I probably would have done, I just need to do a real cruise again now to re affirm my faith in cruising as a holiday because this has seriously shaken it.

[hshowalter]

Invincible you should try Celebrity. My wife & I have been on 87 cruises & our worst was Costa. Cunard QM-2 was way over priced & the crew thought they were better than the passengers. We have never been on MSC but have talked to people who were & all said they were unhappy with MSC. Holland America,RCCL, & Princess are all good. Amazara is great but is a more expensive line.

[Gelbel]

A classic case of failing to prepare I'm afraid. Did you bother to read about MSC cruises and how 'different' they are compared to UK/US offerings before you went?

 

And as for moaning about the daily paper and the behaviours of different nationalities. I'm not going there. Port maps are available from reception. And if you did not do your homework about what to do in Valencia than what do you expect? Get a Berlitz port guide for the basic info on cruise ports of call.

 

What other people choose to wear hardly warrants the decision to say your cheap cruise was not worth it.

 

I do wonder at times!

[GOLDENBONNY]

I asked a very similar question in August last year before booking. Having only done 4 cruises up 'til then and reading various negative reviews on MSC I wasn't sure, eventually we booked anyway for a variety of reasons which included a couple of days in Barcelona pre-cruise, the cruise itinery, the price and the opportunity to try an inside cabin for the first time. So was it worth it ? well the short answer is NO!!.

 

So why didn't I or my wife like it, the ship was beautiful, spotlessly clean and our inside cabin quite roomy and not claustrophobic as we'd feared it may have been (though we did leave the TV permanently tuned into the bridge cam channel so we knew whether it was day or night) Right from day one it was obvious that everything was going to cost extra, the food was usually luke warm in the dining room and the buffet but rarely hot, even fresh dishes of hot food coming onto the breakfast buffet were nearly cold. The food in the dining rooms was a fairly poor quality, a Rum Baba on our first evening wasn't a Rum Baba at all but a cheap bit of sponge cake drizzled with some watery syrup. If you didn't like what was served up there was no attempt to offer an alternative, there was no coffee after the meal not even offered as a paid extra and water with your meal was £2.10 a 1 Ltr bottle +15% service charge. The daily program was usually four sides of paper three and a half of which were ads for onboard services the daily activity program occupied less than a quarter of one of the pages, there were no port maps or information for passengers not choosing to take an (expensive) organised excursion. We got off at Valencia and after paying 8 Euros each for the transfer into the city had no idea which way to go to see anything. Entertainment in the evenings was good once you got used to everything being done in 5 languages though a ventriliquist in 5 languages doesn't really work, but it's not right to criticise that as If I spoke French, German, Spanish or italian I would expect to understand what was going on too. The Italian and indeed some german guests did live up to their reputation and were incerdibly rude, ignorant and arrogant. A dress code is suggested for the evenings but having made an effort for the gala evening to see an Italin in a shell suit and T shirt being allowed into the dining room prompts the question why have a dress code at all lets all go in shorts and T shirts.

 

So no we didn't enjoy it, it wasn't worth it and we'll NEVER do MSC again in fact if I could have left after 3 or 4 days I probably would have done, I just need to do a real cruise again now to re affirm my faith in cruising as a holiday because this has seriously shaken it.

 

 

I will never understand one thing.WHY???Why do you people book cruise were they charge for water and coffe and then complaine about it???? its like to go Vegetarian restaurant and complain about no meat dish.

[PizzaJohn 7]

If you are constrained by time, i.e. you only get a limited time off work and you've a few bob on your hip, then splurge and go RC.

 

If you've plenty of time on your hands and retirement doesn't pay that well, why not make your money go further and take a few more, cheaper cruises?:)

 

We're sailing with MSC later this year and I'm clued up enough to know that orderly queuing is not an Italian trait so, I'll join in the melee and meet them elbow to elbow!;)

 

We have taken 14 night holidays in Mexico, costing in excess of £4000 for the two of us. We've also taken 7 night, last minute, room only deals to the Greek islands for £100 each. Both were enjoyable but, in different ways.

 

You've just got to go with an open mind and don't expect the Earth. You never know, let down your hair, your guard and your expectations and, you might just enjoy yourselves.

[Invincible]

I think we were prepared for the MSC experience, the cost of everything was something we were aware of before we left but poor quality luke warm food was not.

 

I don't wish to enter into an argument over this but dress codes may not be important to some people but it is a part of the cruise experience we enjoy and if the ship suggests dress codes then doesn't enforce them when they are blatantly ignored then why bother in the first place.

 

The other cruises I have been on did supply port info and a map with the daily paper as a matter of course whether you asked for it or not, at Valencia the shuttles didn't start running until 12.30 and the last return was 4.30 so a little information would have been useful for a short stop. I accept that MSC appeals to some, it doesn't appeal to me or my wife or most of the other UK passengers we spoke to while on board.

 

If anyone wishes to continue to disagree with my opinion then feel free I personally will not post on this topic again.

[PizzaJohn 7]

If anyone wishes to continue to disagree with my opinion then feel free I personally will not post on this topic again.

 

Not disagreeing but simply saying you can't walk into ASDA and expect Fortnum and Mason quality and service but you will survive on the food offered by both.

[bernardinho]

A classic case of failing to prepare I'm afraid. Did you bother to read about MSC cruises and how 'different' they are compared to UK/US offerings before you went?

 

And as for moaning about the daily paper and the behaviours of different nationalities. I'm not going there. Port maps are available from reception. And if you did not do your homework about what to do in Valencia than what do you expect? Get a Berlitz port guide for the basic info on cruise ports of call.

 

What other people choose to wear hardly warrants the decision to say your cheap cruise was not worth it.

 

I do wonder at times!

 

I'm curious. Exactly what do you wonder?

Is it why a reviewer says the food was bad? (He didn't like the food.)

Is it why a reviewer says the dining room service was bad? (He didn't like the service.)

Is it why a reviewer says port info was lacking? (There was no or insufficient port info available.)

Is it why a reviewer would complain there were insufficient ship-board activities? (He thought there were insufficient ship-board activities.)

Is it why a reviewer would be critical of MDR management that allowed guests to grossly violate dress codes with impunity? (Like most civilized people he thinks that the practice of MDR management to allow grossly inappropriately dressed guests to enter the MDR constitutes an

endorsement by management of some inconsiderate passengers' boorish and insulting conduct.)

So I'm wondering what you're wondering about.

[bernardinho]

You've just got to go with an open mind and don't expect the Earth. You never know, let down your hair, your guard and your expectations and, you might just enjoy yourselves.

Rubbish. No amount of positive thinking will transform a cheap frog into a prince.

[PizzaJohn 7]

Rubbish. No amount of positive thinking will transform a cheap frog into a prince.

 

Exactly! Why would anyone buying a frog expect anything more?

 

Why do you think there are so many cruise lines? Carnival has 11 lines under its umbrella, why not just the one line with dozens of ships plying the oceans? It's because they each aim for different segments of the market. They each serve different wants, needs and aspirations.

 

Another example of a multi segment company is the Volkswagen Group who make and market many marques. You don't go out buying a Skoda expecting to get a Bentley.

 

The OPs complaints about MSC were based on a direct comparison with an entirely different product. Going back to the car analogy, you can't complain that the 0-60 times of your Seat don't match that of the Bugatti which, as you now know are both marques from Volkswagen Group.

 

What you do, prior to booking, is RESEARCH

[bernardinho]

Extensive reserach is unnecessary. The shortcomings of MSC are well documented. In any event, OP says he did look into the MSC product having read various negative reviews prior to booking. It's fair to assume he had some idea of what he was paying the low price for when he booked. It appears he just didn't think those negative reviews would turn out to be spot on.

It really boils down to just how low the price is for an inferior product. From what I have read, the price for an MSC cruise would have to be greatly lower than the price of a competing mass market cruise because the quality of the MSC product is greatly lower than the competition.

[Capricruiser]

Personally I've never thought an MSC cruise as being cheap. Perhaps it would be for someone rolling in cash but I investigate all facets of a cruise before I put my money on the line.

[creakyspice in Stockton]

Im so sorry you didn't like your cruise - I can't believe we were on the same ship at the same time. We visit Italy a lot and love Italian food, maybe that's why we enjoyed the dining menu? Our food was hot and our waiter Winda very helpful. Our dining companions had some particular needs for meals and Winda did his very best to bring Pam something she liked. One evening he brought 3 different main courses for her to try before she settled on the chicken breast. Every member of staff we had contact with was pleasant and helpful, our cabin was delightful and having a bath was a luxury I made the most of along with free breakfast in bed. I really would suggest people take note of all the info about the ship and the cruise line so expectations are realistic.

[jjdc]

It really boils down to just how low the price is for an inferior product. From what I have read, the price for an MSC cruise would have to be greatly lower than the price of a competing mass market cruise because the quality of the MSC product is greatly lower than the competition.

 

What personal experience with MSC do you base your view on? Which MSC ships and itineraries have you sailed, and what specifically about those experiences did you find unacceptable and inferior to what you experienced on specific other mass market cruise lines.

 

I've had one MSC cruise (and have sailed multiple other cruiselines) and am far from a cheerleader for any line. While I found more difference between MSC and American-based cruiselines, I would say it was more similar to cruiselines like RCCL and Carnival than RCCL or Carnival is to Cunard. I'm not sure what personal experience leads you to conclude the quality of the MSC product is greatly lower than competing mass market cruise lines, but I did not find that to be the case.

[jjdc]

I asked a very similar question in August last year before booking. Having only done 4 cruises up 'til then and reading various negative reviews on MSC I wasn't sure, eventually we booked anyway for a variety of reasons which included a couple of days in Barcelona pre-cruise, the cruise itinery, the price and the opportunity to try an inside cabin for the first time. So was it worth it ? well the short answer is NO!!.

 

So why didn't I or my wife like it, the ship was beautiful, spotlessly clean and our inside cabin quite roomy and not claustrophobic as we'd feared it may have been (though we did leave the TV permanently tuned into the bridge cam channel so we knew whether it was day or night) Right from day one it was obvious that everything was going to cost extra, the food was usually luke warm in the dining room and the buffet but rarely hot, even fresh dishes of hot food coming onto the breakfast buffet were nearly cold. The food in the dining rooms was a fairly poor quality, a Rum Baba on our first evening wasn't a Rum Baba at all but a cheap bit of sponge cake drizzled with some watery syrup. If you didn't like what was served up there was no attempt to offer an alternative, there was no coffee after the meal not even offered as a paid extra and water with your meal was £2.10 a 1 Ltr bottle +15% service charge. The daily program was usually four sides of paper three and a half of which were ads for onboard services the daily activity program occupied less than a quarter of one of the pages, there were no port maps or information for passengers not choosing to take an (expensive) organised excursion. We got off at Valencia and after paying 8 Euros each for the transfer into the city had no idea which way to go to see anything. Entertainment in the evenings was good once you got used to everything being done in 5 languages though a ventriliquist in 5 languages doesn't really work, but it's not right to criticise that as If I spoke French, German, Spanish or italian I would expect to understand what was going on too. The Italian and indeed some german guests did live up to their reputation and were incerdibly rude, ignorant and arrogant. A dress code is suggested for the evenings but having made an effort for the gala evening to see an Italin in a shell suit and T shirt being allowed into the dining room prompts the question why have a dress code at all lets all go in shorts and T shirts.

 

So no we didn't enjoy it, it wasn't worth it and we'll NEVER do MSC again in fact if I could have left after 3 or 4 days I probably would have done, I just need to do a real cruise again now to re affirm my faith in cruising as a holiday because this has seriously shaken it.

 

I am sorry that you did not enjoy your cruise. I know my vacation time is precious and I don't have money to throw away so I would be unhappy if I felt as you about your cruise. May your next vacation be more to your liking.

[The_Big_M]

From what I have read, the price for an MSC cruise would have to be greatly lower than the price of a competing mass market cruise because the quality of the MSC product is greatly lower than the competition.

 

So your only knowledge about them is what you have read.

 

As someone who has personal experience with them, I can say the experience is not overall greatly dissimilar from RCCL. Both have weaknesses and both have strengths, in different areas.

[bernardinho]

What personal experience with MSC do you base your view on? Which MSC ships and itineraries have you sailed, and what specifically about those experiences did you find unacceptable and inferior to what you experienced on specific other mass market cruise lines.

 

I'm not sure what personal experience leads you to conclude the quality of the MSC product is greatly lower than competing mass market cruise lines, but I did not find that to be the case.

As indicated in my posts, my comments are based upon:

1. my reading of this forum;

2. a fair sampling of the reviews published in the members Cruise Reviews section of this site;

3. the 90,000 published cruise reviews written by CC members and mathematically tabulated as the CC Cruisers Choice poll results;and

4. last and least, an MSC cruise I once suffered.

 

If you want to attack the validity of the CC Cruisers Choice ratings, I don't care to argue that with you. Reasonable people can decide for themselves whether the mathematically tabulated opinions of 90,000 experienced cruisers is or is not a sufficiently reliable source of information. For those who take a moment to look at the CC Cruisers Choice poll there are some pretty dramatic results. For example, all 11 MSC ships are rated below all 22 RCCL ships and all appox 20 HAL ships in the "Dining", "Service", "Overall" and "Value" categories. I don't need to try MSC again.

[Gelbel]

I'm curious. Exactly what do you wonder?

Is it why a reviewer says the food was bad? (He didn't like the food.)

Is it why a reviewer says the dining room service was bad? (He didn't like the service.)

Is it why a reviewer says port info was lacking? (There was no or insufficient port info available.)

Is it why a reviewer would complain there were insufficient ship-board activities? (He thought there were insufficient ship-board activities.)

Is it why a reviewer would be critical of MDR management that allowed guests to grossly violate dress codes with impunity? (Like most civilized people he thinks that the practice of MDR management to allow grossly inappropriately dressed guests to enter the MDR constitutes an

endorsement by management of some inconsiderate passengers' boorish and insulting conduct.)

So I'm wondering what you're wondering about.

 

If you notice what I commented on - they are hardly earth shattering make or break a cruise cheap or not. IMHO if someone moans about the daily news they'll moan about everything

 

And front page of the daily news is the SUGGESTED dress code. Not enforced. MSC is not a formal cruise line. If you want to see everyone on their finery then go on a more formal cruise - we do 1 yr formal, 1 yr laid back.

[Capricruiser]

As indicated in my posts, my comments are based upon:

1. my reading of this forum;

2. a fair sampling of the reviews published in the members Cruise Reviews section of this site;

3. the 90,000 published cruise reviews written by CC members and mathematically tabulated as the CC Cruisers Choice poll results;and

4. last and least, an MSC cruise I once suffered.

 

If you want to attack the validity of the CC Cruisers Choice ratings, I don't care to argue that with you. Reasonable people can decide for themselves whether the mathematically tabulated opinions of 90,000 experienced cruisers is or is not a sufficiently reliable source of information. For those who take a moment to look at the CC Cruisers Choice poll there are some pretty dramatic results. For example, all 11 MSC ships are rated below all 22 RCCL ships and all appox 20 HAL ships in the "Dining", "Service", "Overall" and "Value" categories. I don't need to try MSC again.

These are comments very similar to those we used to hear almost daily from two members who no longer post on the MSC forum. Are you any relation of deckhandoug or zambini/zambezi?

[MTL=CRUISEFAMILY]

These are comments very similar to those we used to hear almost daily from two members who no longer post on the MSC forum. Are you any relation of deckhandoug or zambini/zambezi?

 

:DI miss those guys:D

[Deckhandoug]

:DI miss those guys:D

 

Oh, I'm still here at least, watching you guys with your endless uphill battle against a new group of dissatisfied MSC cruisers trying to convince them they don't know what they are talking about.:D

[itravelalot]

Yes, it is worth it... We are cruisers and holidayers onland... Four Seasons across the globe.... MSC is not your North America line.. but that is the fun.. When I go to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, France or Greece for a Vacation do I expect them to treat me like I am at home? No... Going on our 2nd MSC Cruise July 2012.. Can't wait.. We had no complaints on our first and it was just a regular balcony cabin.. Food was great, service on all counts amazing.... Complainers are everywhere.... Life is what you make it... Smile and the world smiles back... that translates into every language...

 

Enjoy!:)

[MTL=CRUISEFAMILY]

Oh, I'm still here at least, watching you guys with your endless uphill battle against a new group of dissatisfied MSC cruisers trying to convince them they don't know what they are talking about.:D

 

Good to hear.....we are busy ourselves getting ready for our cruise in 2 weeks....can't come soon enough!!!

 

...as for MSC, it's been said, said again, and then dissected a million times, some LOVE it some DO NOT.

 

I guess different expectations come into play..either way we enjoyed them and would continue to sail with them given the right itinerary and time off we have.

 

Ciao!

[Deckhandoug]

Good to hear.....we are busy ourselves getting ready for our cruise in 2 weeks....can't come soon enough!!!

 

...as for MSC, it's been said, said again, and then dissected a million times, some LOVE it some DO NOT.

 

I guess different expectations come into play..either way we enjoyed them and would continue to sail with them given the right itinerary and time off we have.

 

Ciao!

 

I'm sure you'll have a great time, I can't wait to hear your comparison.

[greenrose]

Great time on the MSC Magnifica in January. Thing are different in the Med for all lines. At most ports there is an tourist Info desk. They have plenty of maps and very useful info for "do it yourselfers" in many languages. We've been on many ships on many line and find MSC is a good value for those that can and do research ththe ship, ports, weather, etc..They do offer 24hour coffee, tea, and water at no charge in the buffet. A great place to meet other passengers, relax, or read a book. If you want everything to be like home you may want more of a mass market ship. All lines are looking to increase onbaord revenue and reduce costs. As a shareholder in another cruise company, I aplaud this action. Our wait staff was always asking if everythin was alright. and could they bring us anything else. We will be glad to cruise with them again.