Not a Divina thread - MSC Sinfonia 30/11 to 14/12 South Africa season

[All aboard??]

Sitting here in Shaleighs pub while the Cape Doctor howls outside I thought that I would get the ball rolling on this.

 

I am not promising a live review because, to be honest I fail miserably with them however I will undertake to try and post something every other day - so watch this space ;)

 

To my Armonia friends ask questions; the ships are near identical.

[Skipper Tim]

Where do they pour the best glass of wine, ideally with flattering lighting and some gentle but live background music?

[sidari]

Spoke to a woman recently who is a repeat customer who told us her favourite MSC ship was the Sinfonia ... :)

[Skipper Tim]

We are drowning under a sea of Divina. Let's hear anything, anything, about the Sinfonia.

[Capricruiser]

We'll be on the Sinfonia's repro cruise from Cape Town back to Genoa in March. I'm trying to get my oceanview cabin (9186) changed to a balcony cabin but so far my TA and MSC promotor have been unsuccessful. I suspect the ship will be full of South Africans heading to springtime in Europe.

Totally agree about the Divina tsunami on the forum. I don't read those posts but it's hard to believe so many people have so many questions about a ship.

[AmoMondo]

Enjoy All Aboard (I'm sure you will!)

 

The sinfonia is a lovely ship. It has the no eats thermal area in the fleet. The only thing I'm not so keen on is the theatre as it has tables and drinks service which detracts abit from the performances.

[All aboard??]

Ok, so after being delayed in Cape Town due to wind we have arrived in Durban!

 

Sitting here in Shelaghs Pub waiting while they embark over 2000 passengers thinking about the days that have passed I have nothing but a large grain on my face.

 

The service and entertainment on this cruise has really been raised above the bar and I believe the rest of the fleet have a lot to do to catch up. One of my biggest issues is that there is no Yacht Club on the Lirica Class (I am informed they may be adding it though :D ) however what I have experienced the past four days can only be best described as a Yacht Club experience sans butler - but I am still working on them to arrange one for me.

 

Timothy, please convey to Molly that the plates are now hot and so is the food but alas soup is still served with desert spoons.

 

I have come across so many staff and crew from Fantasia I am constantly engaged in conversation - just five minutes ago one of the waitresses from the wine bar on Fantasia asked me how the group are doing and that I must please send my regards to everyone. Remember Virgil the waiter who was so distraught when Angela returned an item of food? We'll his cousin who worked in L'etoile is also on board as assistant maître d. My surname seems to be the buzzword on board and even this morning the Hotel Manager sought me out to introduce himself proceeding to say that if I need absolutely anything I must send a message to him and he will personally take care of it.

 

The past four days have been a whirlwind of amazing service, friendly faces and hangovers and my liver is hoping that the next leg is a little bit more tame.

 

I have started at the top of the Mediteranean Reds and am in process of working myself down...the Borolo was excellent, the second wine; Chateau something I think was also very good, a lot heavier but I think with the right food may outshine the Borolo. They could not find any Amarone but I don't believe this is something to complain about as the list in general looks adequate.

 

We'll off to lunch and then a 14:30 sail away.......till Saturday everyone.

[Skipper Tim]

Timothy, please convey to Molly that the plates are now hot and so is the food but alas soup is still served with desert spoons.

 

I have come across so many staff and crew from Fantasia I am constantly engaged in conversation - just five minutes ago one of the waitresses from the wine bar on Fantasia asked me how the group are doing and that I must please send my regards to everyone. Remember Virgil the waiter who was so distraught when Angela returned an item of food? We'll his cousin who worked in L'etoile is also on board as assistant maître d. My surname seems to be the buzzword on board and even this morning the Hotel Manager sought me out to introduce himself proceeding to say that if I need absolutely anything I must send a message to him and he will personally take care of it.

 

I have just read your post to my mother. She is very encouraged but said what a shame you won't be with us on our next cruise.

 

Do you think the service you are enjoying is:

a) due to improved staff training across the fleet,

b) because South Africans have higher expectations, or

c) because you are infamous and on MSC's VIP list?

 

I am hoping it is a combination of a and c and that such excellence extends to the Armonia for us in March.

 

You know, instead of adding a Yacht Club to the Lirica Class, MSC could simply designate the entire vessel Yacht Club and have a line within a line. I seem to remember suggesting that before.

 

Keep the wine reports coming!

 

Tim.

[All aboard??]

I have just read your post to my mother. She is very encouraged but said what a shame you won't be with us on our next cruise.

 

Do you think the service you are enjoying is:

a) due to improved staff training across the fleet,

b) because South Africans have higher expectations, or

c) because you are infamous and on MSC's VIP list?

 

I am hoping it is a combination of a and c and that such excellence extends to the Armonia for us in March.

 

You know, instead of adding a Yacht Club to the Lirica Class, MSC could simply designate the entire vessel Yacht Club and have a line within a line. I seem to remember suggesting that before.

 

Keep the wine reports coming!

 

Tim.

 

I think it could be a little c but mostly a. The staff do tend walk on eggshells around me and know my entire cruise history but as a solo traveller I also sit and observe; and the improvements seem to be standard.

[Skipper Tim]

I have come across so many staff and crew from Fantasia I am constantly engaged in conversation - just five minutes ago one of the waitresses from the wine bar on Fantasia asked me how the group are doing and that I must please send my regards to everyone. Remember Virgil the waiter who was so distraught when Angela returned an item of food? We'll his cousin who worked in L'etoile is also on board as assistant maître d.

 

Any word on Virgil's whereabouts? I feel the Armonia gang should request him.

 

Is this the wine waitress?

 

Tim.

 

Edited December 4, 2013 by Skipper Tim

[Skipper Tim]

Poke.

[All aboard??]

Just disembarked; what a whirlwind of fantastic service and hangovers so just need a few days to gather thoughts and will post here shortly.

 

I will leave you with this - it was easily one of my top two cruises :D

[Cabin Boy Timmy]

Keeping us in suspense!

 

I am still waiting to hear how you left Funchal.

[AmoMondo]

Glad you had a great time. Can't wait to hear the post Mortimer.

[anniegb]

We'll be on the Sinfonia's repro cruise from Cape Town back to Genoa in March. I'm trying to get my oceanview cabin (9186) changed to a balcony cabin but so far my TA and MSC promotor have been unsuccessful. I suspect the ship will be full of South Africans heading to springtime in Europe.

Totally agree about the Divina tsunami on the forum. I don't read those posts but it's hard to believe so many people have so many questions about a ship.

 

There are others in the same position.

 

Annie

[Skipper Tim]

All Aboard?,

 

I either dreamt it or there was a more recent post from you with all sorts of clues from Marcelo. I was just about to try to reconcile them with the predictions for repositioning cruises 2014/5 but the post has gone. Did I dream it?

[moomoocow]

All Aboard?,

 

I either dreamt it or there was a more recent post from you with all sorts of clues from Marcelo. I was just about to try to reconcile them with the predictions for repositioning cruises 2014/5 but the post has gone. Did I dream it?

 

Not a post. An email....

[Skipper Tim]

Not a post. An email....

 

Thanks Moomoo, found it. At least I didn't dream it. Will set to work now.

 

T.

[All aboard??]

This has got to be one of the worst cases of Post Bliss Blues I have every encountered - I do think the fact that I met someone the second to last night that I wish I had met several days earlier has alot to do with it but in any case they say one of the best ways to deal with the dark clouds is to reminisce about the holiday - so without wasting any more time here it is:

 

Cruise Portion #1 Durban to Cape Town

 

I arrived in Cape Town two days before the cruise and stayed at the Taj Cape Town. The first day set the tone for the remainder of my vacation; after settling into my suite I met up with an old University friend for some drinks and dinner which, after looking through the pictures and a quick perusal of my bank seemed to be quite the party.

 

Day 2 was spent comatose :o

 

I awoke to excessively high winds on the Saturday; the Cape Doctor as the locals call it was howling outside and from experience the previous season I wondered if the Sinfonia would even make it into port let alone depart that evening. Fortunately everything seemed to be going well; MSC "put pedal to the metal" so to speak and she arrived in port 5 hours earlier than scheduled.

 

After a great breakfast (food always seems much more enjoyable sans hangover) I got my things together, confirmed with the concierge that my car was ready. It was a short drive to the port where Sinfonia and the chaos that is embarkation in Cape Town was waiting for me.

 

Cape Town port has no infrastructure for passenger vessels, which is quite bemusing as so many visit the city every year and with bags dropped I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to see the power of the Black Card.

 

The look of horror on the faces of the attendants manning the queue when I flashed my card was priceless and it was with a quick call on the radio that my wrist was grasped and I was whisked through embarkation in 5 minutes - yes within 5 minutes I was from curb to ship.

 

On the Lirica class vessels I always travel in a balcony suite on deck 12 and although on deck 12 you are subject to the pendulum effect when at sea this is a small consolation for the elimination of the noise that would eminate from the pool deck above deck 10.

 

Entrance with a bathroom on either the left or right depending on layout of the suite with a small walk in wardrobe you enter into a large open space with bed, dresser, sofa, coffee table and flat screen television. Large mirrors at the foot of the bed give a sense of openness and I personally just can't get enough of wood paneling - although the walnut from Yacht Club was missed.

 

The sitting area leads onto the balcony which has teak decking and two chairs and table / foot rest.

 

The first day was relatively uneventful save for the increasing gusts of wind that whipped through the rigging but for me at least I was on board. I went and registered myself at Reception (3x cruises = 3x bottles of Moet); and once again the look on their faces was priceless - I don't think it is so much that there was a Black Card on board, I think it was more of the fact that I am only 33 years old.

 

A massage and facial later I decided to take some sun at the Capri Bar where I met one of the best waiters ever encountered on board ships. Connor Cremer a South African on his first contract offered exceptional above and beyond, personalized service from day one, but more on Connor later in the thread......and no he is not the person I mentioned in my first paragraph.

 

My table assignment for this cruise was a large 12 seater; although only three of us showed up; but we made the best of it. An elderly lady from Yorkshire (I can't seem to get away from you guys Tim) and a Zimbabwean businessman. Service was floor less and the quality of the food a vast improvement from previous seasons with hot plates.

 

As the night moved on I made my way up to Pasha Night Club; the South African season because composed of short cruises which are not very port intensive tends to have a very festive party atmosphere and it was here where I met up with a group of men on a bachelors party cruise – Oi Vei!

[Skipper Tim]

Stave off the post bliss - keep the story going!

 

Why did only 3 of the 12 appear at dinner? That is a particularly poor attrition rate.

 

Enjoying it so far!

 

Tim.

[Capricruiser]

All Aboard: That's great news about Black Card power at Cape Town's cruise terminal. I'll definitely flash mine when we get there to board the Sinfonia for her repo cruise back to Genoa. Ps: We'll be staying pre-cruise also at the Taj. Sounds like a fine hotel.