MSC Fantasia Review

[Pamxox]

Hi, I’ve been on a few cruises but this is the first time I’ve written a review. All of the information I got off this board was invaluable to me so figured I owed it to you all. If I’ve missed anything out or you have any questions just let me know and I’ll be happy to help. I also apologise now for the length of it, I’m sure it will help some of you if you’re struggling to sleep though.

 

 

 

MSC Fantasia Review:

6th April 2014: Genoa – Naples – La Valetta – Sea Day – Athens – Corfu – Dubrovnik

 

 

 

Flights and Transfers : Rating 5/5

I bought my flights and transfers through MSC so thought I would include them in this review as very little has been said about them on the board and I was quite nervous about this before I went. Turns out I didn’t need to be worried our flight with BA was on time and when we arrived at Nice there was an MSC representative waiting for us. The long transfer from Nice to Genoa went without a hitch, in fact it had some of the most stunning views of the entire trip as we followed the coastal route.

 

Embarkation: Rating 3/5

When we arrived in Genoa our cases were unloaded off the coach for us and we entered the cruise terminal. The place was packed, they handed us a number and told us to wait for our number to be called before we could go up the mystical elevator to embark. Well this did not work at all, only one poor lady was trying to control the crowds and people were going up to queue for the elevator willy nilly. Eventually we made it up the elevator only to join a queue to register our passport details and cards. This queue luckily moved quite quickly and we were registered and on board within half an hour (which considering the amount of people was impressive).

 

Cabin: Rating 4/5

We had cabin 12135 which is one of the squarer inside cabins. It was the biggest cabin I had ever had (we only ever stay in an inside cabin as we prefer to spend out pennies elsewhere), it was spotlessly clean and both the room and the bathroom had plenty of storage for the two of us. When we arrived the beds were laid out to be a double, we searched for our cabin steward but they were nowhere to be seen so we went down to reception and the beds were separated when they turned down the room during dinner. We never actually met our cabin steward, unlike on other cruises I've been on where they were always lurking around they were never there which meant we had to trudge to reception to deal with any issues.

 

Ship: 3/5

The ship was simply stunning. It was clean and well maintained throughout. My annoyance though was with the lifts, there seemed to be an inadequate amount for the number of passengers, I thank god I am young and fit enough to climb lots of stairs and I have some impressively toned legs now. There was also an issue that some floors you couldn’t walk along due to the red velvet restaurant so you found yourself having to go up floors to come back down again, which again I see being a big issue for those who struggle with stairs.

 

Food: Rating 4/5

Previous to the cruise we had requested the first sitting (6:15) but we were allocated second sitting (8:45) but this actually turned out to be a blessing as we would have missed the sail away from most ports with the first sitting. The food in the restaurant was always fantastic (except for the cuttlefish which was just a chunk of rubber), our waiter, Dwi, was very attentive and provided outstanding service. The first night was a bit arduous as due to getting everyone to their correct tables and getting to know new customers dinner took about 3 hours however this got quicker every night and I very much enjoyed a leisurely dinner and chatting to the company we have. It seems that MSC try to not only pair people with the same language but also people with people of similar ages which was nice.

The buffet was great always plenty of variety available and even though I’m a picky eater I never failed to find something delicious. I have to thank everyone on this board for saying to go to the back of the buffet, the views were simply amazing and it was always much quieter down there. We didn’t eat in any of the speciality restaurants so can’t comment there.

 

Bars: 4/5

We had the Allegressimo package and boy was that a deal, we easily got our monies worth by the time both me and my friend had ordered a bottle of wine for dinner. The drinks menu was much bigger than I thought it would be and even the items not on the package were reasonably priced (though I didn’t feel the need to stray from it many times). One of our favourite bars was the wine bar; they had the most amazing range of nibbles available in the evening which was very welcome considering dinner was so late. Another nice little touch that you got all over the ship was if you ordered a drink in the evening they automatically bought round little bowls of bar snacks (pretzels, crisps and the like). On a few occasions service was very slow this is the only reason I rated 4 instead of 5.

 

Service: 4/5

After hearing numerous CC posters complain about service I was on the lookout for grumpy staff but only found smiley and courteous crew. As long as you smiled and said please and thank you the staff seemed willing to go out of their way for you. We had no issues with language, most crew spoke adequate English to deal with any issues and many knew enough to hold a decent conversation, I was expecting there to be a much bigger language barrier but was pleasantly surprised.

 

Entertainment: Rating 3/5

The entertainment was OK. Only a few of the shows interested us and they had some fantastic acrobats however the singing and dancing was rather average. We attended 3 of the international quizzes and won 2 of them so no complaints there. Other than that the entertainment was very limited but then that’s what I had expected being a Brit on an Italian ship. We made our own entertainment and played lots of cards and drank lots of wine.

 

Ports and Excursions: 4/5

The ports are the reason we chose this cruise and they didn’t fail to disappoint each was absolutely stunning. We went on three excursions: Pompeii at Naples, Harbour Cruise and Wine Tasting in La Valetta and Paleokastritsa and Wine Tasting in Corfu. Pompeii and Corfu were excellent, well organised and very entertaining. The harbour cruise though was pretty dire, it dragged on and everyone was freezing cold and bored witless by the end of it, the thought of wine at the end kept us from jumping ship and swimming back to the Fantasia, well the ‘wine tasting’ turned out to be one small glass of wine, very disappointing, we returned to the ship having had a pretty wasted day.

 

Top 18: Rating 5/5

On the day at sea we paid 10 Euros to go to the top 18 solarium and it was worth every penny. While the deck was packed below we relaxed in the space and calm in our little haven never having to fight with kids for the hot tub and enjoying great service. The cherry on top was the misters they bought out in early afternoon so you could mist with water and stay cool, loved it!

 

Other Passengers: 4/5

I feel the need to add this category as I have a few things to say about them. The ship seemed to me to be mainly full of Germans (50%), which a then equal split of Americans/British (25%)and Italians(25%) but this is purely my perception and it may be that I truly suck at gauging what language people are speaking. While most of the passengers were happy, friendly and up for a chat (on occasion through the art of mime due to language differences) some were truly rude to the staff. Lunch in the buffet started at 11:30 and beforehand there was a 15 minute period where no food was available, one day we were up there for a brew at 11:20 (changeover time) and there was an American couple shouting at a poor server as he had asked them not to take any bread while they were setting up but they had piled their plates high with the stuff. They were arguing they had an excursion to go on and they needed to eat now, in fact we hadn’t even docked yet and none of the excursions were due to meet till 12:30. I felt so bad for the poor guy behind the buffet. There were also a few irate people at reception as they had to wait a few minutes longer to see an English speaking crew member, what did they expect?! It’s an Italian ship, not all staff are completely fluent in English, how, any languages do they speak. I pointed this out to one couple who had been queuing no more than 3 minutes and were already complaining they backed down pretty quick so I guess they just enjoyed moaning.

 

 

Overall: 4/5

A fantastic holiday!!! I would definitely sail on MSC again though perhaps not on such a big ship as it on occasion felt very crowded. Holidays are what you make them and with the help of fantastic crew, ports and dinner company we had no problem making ours truly amazing.

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[luv2vacation]

Thank you for the review! I enjoyed reading it. Can you give me a few more details on your Corfu excursion? Did it take a long time to get off of the ship to start the tour? Did you have any time to visit Corfu town after the tour?

[glittergal1]

Great review glad you had a great time . I sailed on Fantasia on march 26th I also had a fantastic time .

 

have you also posted your review on cruise.co.uk? I have posted mine on there . Some other cruisers have really slated MSC so another positive review would be good

 

this is mine

Reviewed By: McGeown, Loughborough on 12th Apr 2014

First of all I will start by saying a cruise or any holiday is what you make it and before you book any holiday DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!!!!!! many reviewers it seems just did not research what they were getting on MSC and they should have as many gripes and moans could have been avoided .

 

I booked a fly cruise package as a solo passenger and had a fantastic deal of 0% supplement and a free upgrade from outside to Balcony cabin deck 12 ,other cruise lines could not get close to what good value this was.

 

I flew from London Gatwick with British airways to Nice airport where we got a bus transfer to Genoa , when we arrived at Nice airport we could not see any representative from MSC (other reviewers have stated the same) but rather than get annoyed and Irate we just looked for other travelers with cruise luggage tags and stood together to wait and soon enough a Rep arrived to take us to the bus. The only annoying bit was then having to go to terminal 2 and wait another half an hour for the French passengers landing.

The bus transfer took 2 and a half hours but was a pleasant coastal journey with some great views .

Upon arrival at Genoa an MSC Rep got onboard and spoke in French telling passengers what to do next , then she got off the bus again, rather than be annoyed I just asked on the bus "can anyone tell me what she said" and a kind passenger told me .

Once in the terminal it was the same long queues I have experienced with other cruise lines but check in was quick once you got to the desk and there was not reams of form filling as with some other lines , I dodged the photographer and didnt want a complimentary drink that was on offer so we went straight to board the ship.

 

We went straight to the Buffet and just like all other cruise lines I have been on it was noisy busy and tiresome . I do not like buffets on any cruise and MSC are no different I just use the buffet when I need to preferring the main restaurants .

 

My cabin on Deck 12 was great and having a balcony was a bonus it had a plastic wicker look table and 2 chairs which for some reason were changed 2 days in for new furniture which I dint like as much it was a mesh type but had a foot stool no table so I had to put my drinks on the floor .

some reviews had stated they didnt get bathrobes and I didnt either so I simply went to reception to ask for one and had one sent that very same day so no problem.

I had better sleep than I do at home the bed was comfy but the pillows were not too good a bit soft , I could of asked for new ones but i just used 2 together and that was fine.

Our dining room was the Il Cerchio d'oro we had second sitting at 8.15 which was great we had a table for 3 as we were originally 3 friends booked together but only 2 of us went in the end so we asked for a bigger table the next night and we were given a table for 4 . The table was in a quiet area and unlike other reviews we had lots of space around us and was in an ideal position. The waiters we had were fantastic, very chatty and helpful. on day 3 the haed of food and beverages was going around the restaurant seeing if passengers were happy with food and service we happen to mention that the food was a little salty for us , No problem he said , right away he fetched the head of our section who deals with the special dietary requirements we could order our food the night before and it would be cooked salt free for us , So a fantastic outcome. Also as a vegetarian About a week in to the cruise I was getting fed up with the poor choice of vegetarian options and the sameness so once again the head of section asked what I would like instead and different dishes were cooked especially for me I felt this was Amazing service . From research I knew tea and coffee was not served after dinner so we simply went to a bar for this along with a liqueur . We had the standard all inclusive drinks package that I found to be the best I have had with any cruise line so far it had everything I wanted . Only gripe was having to pay over 5 euro for a plastic souvenir glass because this was not included when ordering the cocktail .

 

I though a nice touch was wishing all the English mothers a HAPPY MOTHERS DAY on the cruise news and making a huge cake .

 

We felt the evening shows were great and got better as the week went on each contained amazing dancers acrobats and singers. and even some magic yes some of the story lines and arrangements were strange but the visual display was Fantastic I especially enjoyed the Michael Jackson night and Pirate night . The cruise directer did a great job of speaking in 5 different languages, something I admired rather than found irritating as other reviews had.

 

The activities on offer during the days and evenings I expect some found rather lacking but as I have a very busy and tiring job I was content sitting on a sun lounger reading all day in between going to the bar ad using the hot tubs. My one and only gripe would be that there was not an adult only hot tub in the free to use areas , there were not many children on board so this was not a problem on this cruise but would be during the summer.

I did not have any problem finding a sun lounger or table and chairs around the pools inside or out when the weather allowed I enjoyed the Zen area which is a lovely quiet space with pools hot tubs and a bar. The inside pool area was nice and warm on cooler days and again I had no problem finding somewhere to sit and could always get in the hot tubs.

 

Bar service I did not have an issue with having researched MSC I knew they were not 'in your face' like some cruise lines so when seated and wanting a drink just a simple smile and wave of cruise card to the bar staff was all that was needed to be served and on the occasions when bars were very busy and waiting times longer I simply went and sat at the bar and was served quicker . My one gripe here is that upon asking for an English breakfast tea I did not always get the cold milk I had asked for , but having the AI drinks package if the tea had gone cold before milk arrived I just ordered another one.

 

Ports of call were changed because of rough seas and this was disappointing and could have been relayed to us sooner than it was , but we cannot control the weather and you need to be aware of this when cruising . I had already been to the 2 new ports of Lanzarote and Gibralter so even more disappointing but we made the most of these ports and wouldnt let it spoil the holiday.

I always research ports before I cruise so the lack of information given by MSC was not an issue I suggest everyone does their own research it is much better.

 

Another reviewer commented about there being not enough toilets on board this is not true perhaps they just did not find them! many are quite hidden and not easy to find but are on each floor near bars and lifts , when having wandered around looking for them I have asked staff who directed me to them so no problems there.

 

I found all staff very chatty and helpful all speaking adequate English I went to reception many a time to ask them questions and for help and they were very helpful and polite always.

 

Only gripe overall was that the use of hand sanitizer was not being monitored and enforced in the food areas .

 

As for smoking again having researched MSC I knew smoking was allowed and where it was allowed , Royal Caribbean in the Mediterranean was the same . I did not like the smoky atmosphere in some bars so just chose not to use them and why anyone would want to gamble in a Casino in the first place is beyond me!

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this cruise it was the best value for money cruise I have had and the most relaxing and comfortable and would not hesitate booking MSC again or Recommending them.

 

Review useful?

[Pamxox]

Thank you for the review! I enjoyed reading it. Can you give me a few more details on your Corfu excursion? Did it take a long time to get off of the ship to start the tour? Did you have any time to visit Corfu town after the tour?

 

As said we did the 'Paleokastritsa and Wine Tasting' excursion which we prebooked before we went. We met in one of the lounges shortly after we docked and were quickly off the ship and on to a coach. We never had any of the problems getting off the ship some other posters have been commenting about MSC. We drove about 15mins to a kumquat distillery and tried some liqueurs (surprisingly delicious), we were there about 45mins, not much to see but a pleasant stop. Then headed further north to Paleokastritsa which is truly beautiful, there was a beach so we did some paddling, a few small shops and a cafe, we were told there was a monastry but we personally never ventured that far, again about 45mins at this location. We then drove up to Bella Vista and all I can say is Wow, possibly the most beautiful view ever you just have to survive the slightly hairy coach ride up there through some very narrow streets. About another 5 min drive and we were at the wine tasting where we also got some nibbles then time to wander round the shops there (all very touristy). Then back to the ship. As we were only docked for half a day sadly we didn't have time to go into Corfu town which was a shame but we thoroughly enjoyed the excursion.

[Pamxox]

Hi Glittergal,

 

Thanks for sharing your review you said a lot of things I agree with. The hand sanitiser thing was something me and my friend commented on as barely anyone used them which we found quite shocking and we too avoided the smokey areas of the ship. I also agree there were plenty of toilets on board, we just looked on the maps by the stair wells and located the nearest one, I never had to queue (which is shocking, womens loos always have a queue).

 

I've only posted my review on the CC boards and websites at the moment as this is where I came for all my info before I went.

 

Glad you enjoyed your holiday to.

 

Pam.

[luv2vacation]

As said we did the 'Paleokastritsa and Wine Tasting' excursion which we prebooked before we went. We met in one of the lounges shortly after we docked and were quickly off the ship and on to a coach. We never had any of the problems getting off the ship some other posters have been commenting about MSC. We drove about 15mins to a kumquat distillery and tried some liqueurs (surprisingly delicious), we were there about 45mins, not much to see but a pleasant stop. Then headed further north to Paleokastritsa which is truly beautiful, there was a beach so we did some paddling, a few small shops and a cafe, we were told there was a monastry but we personally never ventured that far, again about 45mins at this location. We then drove up to Bella Vista and all I can say is Wow, possibly the most beautiful view ever you just have to survive the slightly hairy coach ride up there through some very narrow streets. About another 5 min drive and we were at the wine tasting where we also got some nibbles then time to wander round the shops there (all very touristy). Then back to the ship. As we were only docked for half a day sadly we didn't have time to go into Corfu town which was a shame but we thoroughly enjoyed the excursion.

 

Thank you so much for the detailed review of your tour. It sounds like a nice day in Corfu. I am glad to hear that you were able to get off of the ship without any delays.

[AmoMondo]

Glad you had a good time. If you do return to MSC, try a Musica class Ship (Musica, Orchestra, Poesia and Magnifica). They have a lot of the extras that the Fantasia has like the great wine bar and nibbles! without the sheer size.

 

Also any issues in your cabin, don't trail down to reception, just use the phone in the cabin to call housekeeping. When you put your cruise card in the slot to make the lights come on, it also lights up a small light outside your door so your steward knows you are in and not to disturb you. Maybe why you never met them. Mine have always introduced themselves on the first day. Maybe it's only because of my status in their loyalty programme.

[Skipper Tim]

Pamxox,

 

Wonderful to read a balanced review! Thank you.

 

I thought the same as you about the size of the Fantasia but it is one of those issues that never really resolve themselves. I loved the relative smallness of the Armonia but there were aspects of both the Fantasia (e.g. the 'bar at the back' quiet pool area on deck 15) and the Musica (the wine bar especially - 'Il Cantino Intoxicato') that I missed on the Armonia.

 

One acquires favourite bits of different ships then wishes they could all be put together in one.

 

I also agree with the policy of booking an inside cabin and investing in Allegrissimo. They are an excellent combination. Of course if money were unlimited then I would have the best of all Worlds and just have a gin palace in Monte Carlo.

 

I too am ashamed when my fellow guests are rude or demanding of the staff. They must have such a difficult job working with difficult people with very long hours and never a day off. I always hope that they have the humour to have a good laugh at us in the staff bar afterwards.

 

So, thanks again and carry on cruising!

Edited April 18, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[Fla Mike]

Thank you both, Pamxox and glittergal1, well done reviews.

 

As you both had said, a holiday is what you make of it, glad you both enjoyed and did not, "sweat the small stuff!"

[Katgoesonholiday]

Great reviews! I enjoyed them both. Thanks for taking the time to write and post them.

[NJFrench]

Thank you for your fair and honest review. We board tomorrow. We already had a good experience speaking with the luggage handler at the train station. Great service with a good attitude. Can't wait for tomorrow!

[luv2vacation]

Thank you for your fair and honest review. We board tomorrow. We already had a good experience speaking with the luggage handler at the train station. Great service with a good attitude. Can't wait for tomorrow!

 

Have fun! Would love to read a review when you return.

[Becci]

I second that NJFrench! I hope you have a great vacation and when you return please share your experience. My Fantasia cruise is not til June so I'd love to hear about it. :)

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

MSC Fantasia, my favourite ship :) Thanks for the reviews.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Norwegian Cruiser 73

[VirginCruiser II]

Thank you so much for those two reviews.

We were on the MSC Fantasia last month and had the most fantastic time ever! What a wonderful ship. We've cruised most places on most cruise lines and have happily booked the Fantasia for 11 nights again in January 2016.

In our ignorance, having always dismissed MSC in the past, we were pleasantly surprised to say the least and just could not fault the ship, the crew, the food and the entertainment in any way.

[glittergal1]

Glad to hear you enjoyed MSC too. Have you written a review? There are some very negative reviews at the moment on here and cruise.co.uk and people tend to take more notice of these so a few more positive reviews would help the balance

[earn]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Our opinion of Preziosa were very similar.

[Katgoesonholiday]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Our opinion of Preziosa were very similar.

 

I'd love hear more as my husband and I are sailing on the Preziosa in a few months and have been a little concerned at some of the negative reviews. Have you posted a review anywhere?

[ctcontrol]

Thanks for the reviews. I too have read the negative reviews and was wondering if it was mainly just people used to the American way of things. I'm sailing of Fantasia in December which is my first MSC cruise having sailed previously with RCI. We're staying in the YC so will look forward to the experience.

 

Melissa

[earn]

We have just returned from 17 night on Preziosa as she came back from Brazil. We have mostly sailed RCI and also done one Carnival cruise, and one other MSC cruise on Poesia last year in the Caribbean.

 

The ship, the staff, the food & the service were all great on Preziosa as they were on Poesia last year. I am not sure what it is about MSC that could account for such polarised opinions, but myself, husband and two teenage sons would happily cruise MSC anytime.

 

You are obviously reading lots of comments and opinions and so should be prepared for things like English not being the predominant language, less obtrusive service etc. You will have a great time, so don't worry, just enjoy!

[Bra_BE2014]

Hi, were the specialty restaurants full?

[JK300]

Thanks for the reviews. I too have read the negative reviews and was wondering if it was mainly just people used to the American way of things. I'm sailing of Fantasia in December which is my first MSC cruise having sailed previously with RCI. We're staying in the YC so will look forward to the experience.

 

Melissa

 

Melissa, you will enjoy the YC. It is a wonderful experience.

John

[NJFrench]

Just home from 7 days on the Fantasia. Will write a proper review in the next few days. All in all we had an amazing time. Food was good and the service was excellent. Really impressed by the amazing value of this cruise.

[luv2vacation]

Just home from 7 days on the Fantasia. Will write a proper review in the next few days. All in all we had an amazing time. Food was good and the service was excellent. Really impressed by the amazing value of this cruise.

 

Glad you had a good time on your cruise. Really looking forward to your review! Would love to hear about what you did in Santorini.