Eastern Med on MSC?

[Lilbecky]

Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since I was last on these boards, but my husband and I are looking to cruise again, so I thought I would get some expert opinions. :-)

 

We are looking to do a 7 day cruise out of Venice in September and want to see some of Greece. We are considering MSC Fantasia, Costa Magica, or RC Splendor of the Seas. We like the itineraries of MSC and Costa, but realize these are more European style cruise lines. We have done only one cruise before and it was for our honeymoon 5 years ago on NCL in the Western Med. We loved the cruise, we had a balcony room, but did so much in the ports we didn't spend much time there. We ate in the different restaurants, but didn't attend many of the shows or bars. We were too tired from sight seeing in the ports.

 

This time we are fine with staying in an inside cabin and still more interested in the ports then the ship amenities. Foodwise, my husband isn't as adventurous as I am and we definitely aren't food snobs. I don't want pizza and hamburgers every night, but I don't think I can convince my husband to try brand news things every night either. We have been to Europe twice before (Honeymoon in 08-Spain, Malta, Italy, and France and London and Paris in 12.) so we know that the Europeans do things a bit different then Americans and are comfortable with changes. Announcements on our NCL cruise were in 5 different languages and that didn't bother us.

 

I think my husband and I would do fine on MSC or Costa, but I guess I am looking for reassurance. I know there will be negative nancies with every cruise line, but these two seem to have more than others. Is it just people who haven't done their research and unaware the differences between the US and Europe?

 

Do we go for MSC or Costa?

 

Thanks guys!!!!

 

Becky

[Tatka]

All my friends who sailed on MSC and Costa preferred MSC. I personally would think long and hard before picking any of them in Med due to "kids-free" program, running on both. But in September maybe you can avoid overcrowding and kids.

 

We sailed on Splendor two in 2004 and liked the cruise and ship. It is a smaller one and older one, but RCCL keeps their ships in a good shape.

 

From what I heard Italian companies do not provide free water during the dinner, only bottled ones.

 

In term of ships I would pick MSC. Absolutely stunning decors, wonderful entertainment. And Costa... hmmm... Italian version of our Carnival. (Hello Joe Farcus :mad:)

[AmoMondo]

Kids will be back to school by September, so a ship full of kids should not be a factor.

 

I've sailed both Costa and MSC and those who don't like them, often complain about the same thing. Lilbecky, I think you are right in that some of it is down to people not doing research and not appreciTing that Italian lines won't do things the same way as an American line would. Some of it is also done to feeling out of their comfort zone, finding themselves in a small minority as an English speaker and the majority speaking a different language and behaving differently from them.

 

Of the 2 lines, I tend to prefer MSC. MSC is Italian, costa is an American line with a very strong Italian slant. Live music iand shows is better on MSC and there spa services are defintly far more reasonable. Decor on MSC is lmore attractive than the garish newer Costa ships. magica is a bit older somwont have the ugly Joe Farcus design. In my opinion the Fantasia is a superior ship to the Magica. It is much larger and newer with far more features and is undoubtedly stunningly beautiful. However on a port intensive cruise, go with the one that gives you the best ports and times.

[Skipper Tim]

However on a port intensive cruise, go with the one that gives you the best ports and times.

 

The MSC Armonia also plies the Eastern Med in the Summer with some very attractive itineraries. Although she would have been considered big not that many years ago, she is now the smallest in the MSC fleet and therefore able to get into some smaller ports such as Gythion - in the heart of the Mani in the Southern Peloponese and beautiful Kefalonia (where Captain Corelli's Mandolin was set and subsequently filmed). These ports are certainly off the beaten track in terms of cruise ships. There is also Corfu, Ancona and Dubrovnik for good measure.

 

Although I am looking forward to my my first time on Armonia, she looks to have a more traditional than the larger classes, complete with English pub and a cigar room that could be off the Titanic.

 

The MSC Armonia sails out of Venice every Friday in September.

[earn]

Lilbecky,

 

I have done quite a few RCI cruises, one Carnival and one MSC. I have never sailed NCL, but would like to. If Costa is more like Carnival, I plan to give it a miss, as this was by a long way our least favourite cruise line. Mostly due to the fact that the ship's decor was almost offensive to me! However, it looks like this ship may be different.

 

We love RCI, and all things being equal would sail with them. However, we were really impressed with MSC, and plan to do 17 nights on Preziosa next year. Poesia did feel more crowded than any RCI ship I have ever been on, and it was not full, but on a port intensive cruise that will be fine. Food was great and the buffet is open from 6am until 2am, with different offerings throughout the day. I think there is free tea, coffee and water there all day. The other thing which was noticeable to us on Poesia was the average. On RCI I usually feel quite young, but on Poesia I was probably on the old side of average (I am 50 next year)!

 

You have only cruised once before and seem to be very open minded, so I am sure you will have a great holiday, no matter which one you choose.

[earn]

Sorry, should have said. Cruising out of Venice is a fabulous experience and I would say that Santorini is a 'not to be missed' port.

 

No idea if any of your options fit the above, but that might swing it for me. We did 10 nights from Venice to the Greek Islands on Grandeur of the Seas last year and it was fantastic.

[sidari]

Having so far been on the MSC Poesia and the Costa Deliziosa i would say we prefer MSC to Costa ships mainly due to the in your face and garish colour scheme of the Farcus designed colour schemes of the carnival costa ships.

 

Food was also much better on the Poesia and the Buffet open all day whereas on the Deliziosa it was closed at certain times and only Pizza available from 4pm to 6pm! of course this may now have changed.

 

While we did enjoy the cruise on the Deliziosa we enjoyed MSC much more.

 

Any cruise with a decent stop in Corfu is always worth going on (RCI usually stay all day) as long as you read up on and realise that there is more to the island than just Corfu Town as nice as it is.

[Lilbecky]

Thank you guys! I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you all. I really appreciate your input. We booked our cruise on MSC out of Venice on Sept 22nd. I am so very excited!

[earn]

Enjoy!

[AmoMondo]

Thank you guys! I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you all. I really appreciate your input. We booked our cruise on MSC out of Venice on Sept 22nd. I am so very excited!

 

Hope you have a great time!

[Best pressie]

We have just booked to do eastern med on 18 sept 2013' we are taking our 17 year old daughter, di you think she will be bored?

[DTL]

We have just booked to do eastern med on 18 sept 2013' we are taking our 17 year old daughter, di you think she will be bored?

 

I don't think so. We have 17 year daughter as well, and she always met new friends in the disco or on the pool. On MSC ships in last two years we witnessed much more younger cruising average. Enjoy.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[willow surfside]

Ok...those of you that just got back in sept. tell me about it. We have done splendor of the seas but ar looking at msc or Norwegian for next sept/oct.

[Raring to go]

In his interview with Cruise Critic at the top of the MSC page, the CEO indicates that Americans are issued "water vouchers" for bottled water because they expect free water on their cruises.

[MotownVoice]

Since you asked, our Princess Greek/Med cruise was outstanding.

[Millaar37]

Sorry, should have said. Cruising out of Venice is a fabulous experience and I would say that Santorini is a 'not to be missed' port.

 

 

Just back off 7 days on Fantasia, had a wonderful time and totally agree with the comments above.

 

It was my first time with MSC and really enjoyed it.

 

I will try to answer any questions.