MSC compares closest to what other line

[mizLORInj]

HI. Have cruised various mainstream cruiselines (see signature line) and we're looking at MSC now for a Mediterranean cruise, but I know little about them. Will spend some time reading member reviews soon, but wondering which best to compare MSC to? Cabin tips appreciated too--will want a balcony.

Thanks in advance.

[AmoMondo]

Costa

[skyking]

Me personally thought it was a notch above Princess....Of course this is my opinion, but I have been on a few different cruise lines.

[anamarieus]

Me personally thought it was a notch above Princess....Of course this is my opinion, but I have been on a few different cruise lines.

 

Wow! Now I am really getting giddy!!! But why no teatime for the commoners?!?:(

[skyking]

Wow! Now I am really getting giddy!!! But why no teatime for the commoners?!?:(

 

I am not sure tea time is a big thing it Italy:) I have been on Costa also and it does not even compare to MSC. Costa is MUCH more like Carnival.

[maryann2]

Wow! Now I am really getting giddy!!! But why no teatime for the commoners?!?:(

Carnival still does teatime on sea days. For everyone (not just the suites LOL). Cucumber sandwiches, scones, pastries and tea in teapots. (Hate the tea bag slopping on the saucer).

 

Forget about tea on MSC and enjoy their delicious coffee.

[pseudochicken]

I felt it was most similar to Princess. Less intrusive than Princess, though.

[Arsinoe]

Wow! Now I am really getting giddy!!! But why no teatime for the commoners?!?:(

 

Alas, Italy itself is an epic fail when it comes to brewing tea. Used to live in Roma, and some very fine restaurants do not even serve it. A handful of tea salons opened and failed. This is just about the only thing lacking in Italian cuisine. (Note that MSC has no tea packages among their special offerings.)

[jkgourmet]

Op, we have sailed on 6 different cruise lines. We did the Divina in September - our first trip withvMSC. We spoke with many people who frequently sail on MSC and one opinion was universal: the experience on Divina is different than other MSC ships.

 

The Divina is the only ship that has English as their official language. The only one that offers free water in the MDR. The only one that has attempted to adjust its food and service to what they believe the North American public wants.

 

We very much enjoyed the Divina, but I believe it is not comparable to other MSC ships.

[joybaby]

Op, we have sailed on 6 different cruise lines. We did the Divina in September - our first trip withvMSC. We spoke with many people who frequently sail on MSC and one opinion was universal: the experience on Divina is different than other MSC ships.

 

The Divina is the only ship that has English as their official language. The only one that offers free water in the MDR. The only one that has attempted to adjust its food and service to what they believe the North American public wants.

 

We very much enjoyed the Divina, but I believe it is not comparable to other MSC ships.

 

MSC ships will speak the lang. in which they sail from. Also the same re. serving water. We have sailed the Opera and the Poesia from Fort Laud. and the sailings were like the Divina. It all changes when a ship sails from a foreign port.

[BJDownUnder]

MSN =Costa...lots of pasta and smokers

 

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[The_Big_M]

HI. Have cruised various mainstream cruiselines (see signature line) and we're looking at MSC now for a Mediterranean cruise, but I know little about them. Will spend some time reading member reviews soon, but wondering which best to compare MSC to? Cabin tips appreciated too--will want a balcony.

Thanks in advance.

 

I think of it as the Euro version of RCL.

 

But of course that means it has its differences.

[skyking]

MSN =Costa...lots of pasta and smokers

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Forums mobile app

 

Going to have to disagree with this observation, I have been on both cruise lines, so it's easy to do so. MSC does a very good job at keeping the smokers in the smoking section, there is a LARGE smoking room right outside the casino as the Casino is NO SMOKING all the time.

[joybaby]

Going to have to disagree with this observation, I have been on both cruise lines, so it's easy to do so. MSC does a very good job at keeping the smokers in the smoking section, there is a LARGE smoking room right outside the casino as the Casino is NO SMOKING all the time.

 

No smoking on balconies also, which is a huge plus for me. I was not bothered by smoke on the Divina. More smokers on the Opera (2007) and Poesia ( 2011) but I bet that would be changed in they were in the N. Amer. market now.

[American Bear]

The MSC Divina would be a very nice addition to the RCL fleet of large ships, so I would say the answer is RCL!:)

But at a much cheaper price then RCL!

Costa needs improvements to even compare to its parent Carnival!:eek:

Edited November 6, 2014 by American Bear

[GOLDENBONNY]

I am not sure tea time is a big thing it Italy:) I have been on Costa also and it does not even compare to MSC. Costa is MUCH more like Carnival.

 

 

Best tea in sea we had on Costa Atlantica was really high tea. BF just come back from Princess tea goes for $10.00 charge now (:rolleyes:

[AmoMondo]

Going to have to disagree with this observation, I have been on both cruise lines, so it's easy to do so. MSC does a very good job at keeping the smokers in the smoking section, there is a LARGE smoking room right outside the casino as the Casino is NO SMOKING all the time.

 

Only on the Divina. There are 11 other ships in the fleet and those are very similar to Costa in terms of numbers of smokers, smoking areas etc.