Food quality - MSC or NCL?

[travelbugBOP]

We're in the process of deciding on a cruise. Can anyone advise who has the better quality food between NCL and MSC? We've cruised a few times and on a 19 day cruise (who shall remain nameless) were very disappointed in the quality of the food. Was a very long 19 days! I'll also post this on the NCL site to see if anyone has a response.

[PC168]

We're in the process of deciding on a cruise. Can anyone advise who has the better quality food between NCL and MSC? We've cruised a few times and on a 19 day cruise (who shall remain nameless) were very disappointed in the quality of the food. Was a very long 19 days! I'll also post this on the NCL site to see if anyone has a response.

 

I have cruised both lines, just don't order any steak in either one of them.;)

[pmacher61]

We're in the process of deciding on a cruise. Can anyone advise who has the better quality food between NCL and MSC?

Here is the link to Cruise Critic's Cruisers Choice all time ratings for ship dining.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberpoll_all.cfm?rating=Dining&sort=Highest

MSC's rating on dining is by far the worst of any other line in the cruise business.

[GOLDENBONNY]

We're in the process of deciding on a cruise. Can anyone advise who has the better quality food between NCL and MSC? We've cruised a few times and on a 19 day cruise (who shall remain nameless) were very disappointed in the quality of the food. Was a very long 19 days! I'll also post this on the NCL site to see if anyone has a response.

 

 

We hate food on NCL :eek::eek: .Buffet was so-so .DR was so bad ,that many times we did not know waht to order or went back to buffet after dinner:eek:.MSC food much better .

[GOLDENBONNY]

I have cruised both lines, just don't order any steak in either one of them.;)

 

 

LOL I would add and just dont cruise NCL .dont waste you time)

[Rinderoo]

No one starves on a cruise ship. I'm at the point where I select my cruises based on itinerary and price.

 

Perhaps I may not be thrilled with all of my meals on the ship, but I usually find something, somewhere. I figure on MSC I will be eating a lot of the italian dishes and not spend a lot of time in the buffet. :p

[joybaby]

No one starves on a cruise ship. I'm at the point where I select my cruises based on itinerary and price.

 

Perhaps I may not be thrilled with all of my meals on the ship, but I usually find something, somewhere. I figure on MSC I will be eating a lot of the italian dishes and not spend a lot of time in the buffet. :p

 

 

Th buffet is fine.

[Jagger11379]

I find NCL buffet better than MSC, more choices at breakfast and lunch. I don't know about dinner since I did not eat in the buffet on neither one.

 

The DR is a different story. MSC cusine is italian oriented, NCL is more american. I found them to be roughly equal in quality. Like Rinderoo said, nobody starve on a cruise ship :)

[LukeSkywalker]

I have cruised with both companies and loved the food on both :)

 

I also choose my cruises based on the itinerary and the rate, I'm not too much worried about food... maybe I am an unpretentious cruiser? :confused:

[monicajay]

We're in the process of deciding on a cruise. Can anyone advise who has the better quality food between NCL and MSC? We've cruised a few times and on a 19 day cruise (who shall remain nameless) were very disappointed in the quality of the food. Was a very long 19 days! I'll also post this on the NCL site to see if anyone has a response.

 

Personally, I prefer the food on MSC. One of he reasons is we find the food on NCL to be too salty but that is just our experience. Either way, both lines are not famous for plain steak.

 

I would not choose between these two lines base on food but based on itinerary and price. Of course, MSC has cheaper beer, wine and drinks so that might be part of the decision. :D

 

Itineraries are often more interesting with longer stops on NCL. :(

 

Lot of things to consider.

 

Enjoy your cruise regardless of what you choose.

[pmacher61]

I have cruised with both companies and loved the food on both :)

 

I also choose my cruises based on the itinerary and the rate, I'm not too much worried about food... maybe I am an unpretentious cruiser? :confused:

Undiscerning more apt than unpretentious.

The food on MSC is to die for...literally.

[travelbugBOP]

Thanks for everyones responses thus far. Do I take it from your comment "to die for" that you prefer NCL or is that taking it too far?

[GENOA183]

MSC FANTASIA Do not book a cruise on this ship - the food is dreadful and you can get a much better deal elsewhere for the money. The ship is beautiful, kept lovely and clean but all the food served is freezing cold, it does not matter which restaurant you eat in the food is always cold. Ask a waiter to bring you a different hot meal and they pretend not to understand. There is a huge variety of food but I lived on salad, cheese sandwiches and ice cream for a week as they were the only things I could tolerate as they are meant to be served cold. If you have already booked do book a drinks package which works out much cheaper than buying your drinks even if you don't drink much alcohol. Wonderful non alcoholic cocktails and fruit smoothies. You have to pay for water from your minibar - £2 a bottle but you can get it free on your drinks package from any bar and take it back to your cabin. If you fly from Barcelona be careful where you are dropped off at the airport on your return home. We we dropped off by our driver at terminal 1 , we did not know there are two terminals. Eventually we realised our flight was not on the board and had to dash down two flights of stairs, take a ten minute bus journey and then walk nearly a mile with our luggage to reach the Easy Jet check in desk. I would stress this was not Easy Jets fault it was MSC who just pushed us on the first airport bus after a 40 minute wait after disembarking the ship. It is a good job we had 4 hours before the flight or we would have missed it altogether.

[GOLDENBONNY]

MSC FANTASIA Do not book a cruise on this ship - the food is dreadful and you can get a much better deal elsewhere for the money. The ship is beautiful, kept lovely and clean but all the food served is freezing cold, it does not matter which restaurant you eat in the food is always cold. Ask a waiter to bring you a different hot meal and they pretend not to understand. There is a huge variety of food but I lived on salad, cheese sandwiches and ice cream for a week as they were the only things I could tolerate as they are meant to be served cold. If you have already booked do book a drinks package which works out much cheaper than buying your drinks even if you don't drink much alcohol. Wonderful non alcoholic cocktails and fruit smoothies. You have to pay for water from your minibar - £2 a bottle but you can get it free on your drinks package from any bar and take it back to your cabin. If you fly from Barcelona be careful where you are dropped off at the airport on your return home. We we dropped off by our driver at terminal 1 , we did not know there are two terminals. Eventually we realised our flight was not on the board and had to dash down two flights of stairs, take a ten minute bus journey and then walk nearly a mile with our luggage to reach the Easy Jet check in desk. I would stress this was not Easy Jets fault it was MSC who just pushed us on the first airport bus after a 40 minute wait after disembarking the ship. It is a good job we had 4 hours before the flight or we would have missed it altogether.

 

FreeZing cold :rolleyes: Right form freezer I guess :confused:

[Alex71]

Berlitz rates the MSC food with 6.96 points, third behind Cunard and Celebrity. NCL is rated with 5.80 points, third lowest just ahead of RCI and Carnival.

[Rotterdam]

MSC wins handsdown...at least on MSC somethings were edible & somewhat enjoyable!

[Deckhandoug]

I wasn't impressed with either one, Ncl has better buffet and bad MDR, but the specialty restaurants were some of the best I've had at sea, and you pay for it.

 

MSC had bad buffet, especially breakfast, and some good MDR dishes so it's 6 of one/ half dozen of the other for us. If you choose this line be sure and note the availability of venues providing meals, they don't normally offer the same hours as other lines and may be closed.

 

You may need a combination of buffet/MDR/pizza to find something you like each evening on both.

 

Don't expect great food on either line and you'll be ok, on our upcoming POA Hawaii we are aware the food will probably be subpar but that's not why we booked the cruise.

[cruisingcanadian]

"on our upcoming POA Hawaii we are aware the food will probably be subpar ..." (quote)

 

Deckhandoug,on my Pride of America cruise years ago the food was mediocre and service in MDR so bad that we just had to consider it an entertainment instead of being upset.All staff had been American with an attitude "I am on a cruise-and you want me to SERVE YOU?" Badly trained and unwilling to help.And this was my only cruise that I never met our cabin attendant (but the job was basically done). On the list of all my cruises this one is on the lowest place with the Splendida just tiny bit higher:eek:.

[Deckhandoug]

"on our upcoming POA Hawaii we are aware the food will probably be subpar ..." (quote)

 

Deckhandoug,on my Pride of America cruise years ago the food was mediocre and service in MDR so bad that we just had to consider it an entertainment instead of being upset.All staff had been American with an attitude "I am on a cruise-and you want me to SERVE YOU?" Badly trained and unwilling to help.And this was my only cruise that I never met our cabin attendant (but the job was basically done). On the list of all my cruises this one is on the lowest place with the Splendida just tiny bit higher:eek:.

 

Thank you for the reply, we will pack the snack bars and dine ashore as much as possible;)

[Daniela32]

Here in Europe, we have 1 croisant and a coffe for breakfast. Or a slice of bread with butter and jam or honey. MSC is an European/Italian company that is probably not good for American expectations and habbits. I can't even tolerate smell of a coocked food (sausages, beans, fried smoked ham) early in the morning. It raises my stomach up.

[Alex71]

I had the impression that they try to cater to all the different nationalities on board. While they had stations in different coffee bars where people could grab a quick croissant as you describe, they also had the full program available in the buffet and the MDR, including fresh sliced fruits, fruit salads, cold cuts, rolls croissants, pains au chocolat, rolls, breads, yogurts, different types of eggs, omlettes, ham, bacon, sausages, beans and other warm British and American specialties that I wasn't familiar with. They had hering and and smoked salmon for their northern European guests.

 

The only two things I did not particularly care for were the free "juices" and the free coffee. Gourmet coffee and fresh squeezed juices were available for a fee.

[Daniela32]

Alex, all of these foods is not good selection for some (too many) passengers. I don't understand it, really.

[Alex71]

Alex, all of these foods is not good selection for some (too many) passengers. I don't understand it, really.

 

You pick and choose what you like. People who just like some fruit, a croissant and some yogurt can find that, people who like a warm meal for breakfast already can find that too.

 

While dinner was distincly Italian, it seemed to that with breakfast they try to please everyone. I have to admit that although I would at home not have scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, I took some of it when on the ship.

[Daniela32]

Also, if you decide to stay pre-cruise or post-cruise in Venice, Rome or Barcelona, please be aware of the fact that you'll have simple breakfast in your hotel, not as nearly rich as this on the cruise ship. Before you decide to go to MSC Cruise, please be aware that this is Italian/European ship, very different to what you're used to. Explore differences before you go, be prepared.

[Deckhandoug]

Here in Europe, we have 1 croisant and a coffe for breakfast. Or a slice of bread with butter and jam or honey. MSC is an European/Italian company that is probably not good for American expectations and habbits. I can't even tolerate smell of a coocked food (sausages, beans, fried smoked ham) early in the morning. It raises my stomach up.

 

That sounds like a proper English breakfast, isn't England still considered part of Europe? As other have pointed out, different parts of Europe have different tastes, pretty narrow minded to think that all of Europe is like your little eastern slice.