If you miss the way RCI used to be, MSC may be for you

[Velvetwater]

Our friends were on the same cruise as you and while they said MSC Divina was beautiful they said the general vibe was sleepy/boring.

 

They usually sail Carnival and NCL and have thought about RCL in the near future.

Edited April 17, 2016 by Velvetwater

[Beachammo]

I sent a picture of my last seapass card showing Diamond on it. I got a response in 3 days. I also got a phone call from MSC to go over the benefits of being a "Black Card".

 

Booked a sailing in September using the "Two for one balcony" promo. They even took the 5% off the promo price. If all goes well.....I may start using them for European trips or connectors to my TAs.

[skyking]

Hello All,

 

We loved loved the Divina, below is my review with lots of pics. I never did finish it, but you should get the general idea.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2122248

[Oppalopa]

Very similar to Royal IMO from what I saw, bit more international crowd. Did not see any of the wild party types

 

Sounds great. :)

[caribbean sailor]

I'll be very interested in your review. MSC has some fantastic ships coming out and their prices (so far) are better that Royal's. Plus, they give the loyalty matching, which is very nice.

 

Bob what does THE LETTERS MSC STAND FOR. Thanks in advance.

Just starting to look at cruises other then Royal Caribbean.:)

[Tony O]

Bob what does THE LETTERS MSC STAND FOR. Thanks in advance.

Just starting to look at cruises other then Royal Caribbean.:)

 

Mediterranean Shipping Company

They are also one of the largest shipping companies in the world with emphasis on containers

[Clarea]

Bob what does THE LETTERS MSC STAND FOR. Thanks in advance.

Just starting to look at cruises other then Royal Caribbean.:)

Mediterranean Shipping Company.

 

This is a huge global container shipping company of which cruising is a small part.

[LMaxwell]

Our friends were on the same cruise as you and while they said MSC Divina was beautiful they said the general vibe was sleepy/boring.

 

They usually sail Carnival and NCL and have thought about RCL in the near future.

On our cruise, probably due to oddball itinerary, there was way fewer kids than normal and the staff said way more retired age compared to families on a normal Caribbean cruise. 60 kids on the ship vs 400 the week before. I didn't think it was sleepy though. Plenty of live entertainment until midnight or so. If you are looking for a nightclub to go until 3am, then maybe not so much.

[Tony O]

MSC is a wholly owned family company

[kernow]

We did our first MSC cruise in January around the Emirates and agree that we also found them very good. It felt like good old fashioned cruising, a nice ship, great food, good entertainment but without all the gadgets and gimmicks that Royal seems to concentrate on these days and we don't feel is for us.

 

We did the loyalty match and got a black card, the perks are a lot less than RCL(no lounges or free drinks) but were nice to have. The drink prices are much lower than RCL, we got the Allegrissimo package (similar to premium but also includes coffes and ice creams) for £22 a day so a real bargain.

 

While we still enjoy RCL we'll also be doing MSC again too.

 

Julie

[mintypixie]

My first cruise was on the MSC Melody and I will never set foot on one of their ships again.

 

I appreciate that the Melody was a smaller and older vessel, however the company did not seem to care at all about its passengers.

 

Being new to the whole cruising thing we were a bit naive and when our travel agents told us that MSC were doing an offer which included flights we took it. We were meant to fly out to Genoa and back from Genoa. 2 weeks before we left they changed it (and there was not enough time to arrange our own flights) so we flew out to Nice (in the wrong country!) we had to wait for 2 1/2 hour for people to arrive off another flight, then nearly a 4 hour coach trip to the port. By the time we got to the ship it was 5pm, the buffet was closed and we had not eaten all day.

 

The food was terrible, really it was. For an Italian company I expected much better, often cold esp in the buffet. The seating area for the buffet gets really crowed and you are not allowed to take your plate to another area of the ship. Whilst it was old it really was not looked after, there was mould in our bath room and the panels in out cabin were coming away from the wall. Plus our bed had a scratchy old blanket instead of a duvet.

 

There was very little entertain on board ship, the TV's in public area were generally set to German or Italian channels, one time I changed the channel to BBC as no one was watching it, 5 mins later a woman came through turned it onto a German channel and then read her book, I tried to change it back and she started yelling at me.

 

The entertainment, with the exception of the Piano Bar, was awful, really cheesy Butlins style games which was very intrusive and took up most of the pool deck. The Piano Bar was great and the musicians top notch. The other shows were bland at best.

 

On the way back MSC decide we should fly from Milan so by 9am (after having us crammed in the disused theatre for an hour)they put us on a coach, we arrived at Milan around 12pm, however the flight MSC had booked for us was at 9pm!!! Seriously the dropped a coach full of people off and expected the to wait around for 9 hrs! it was disgusting the way we were treated, but by that point they had all the money they would get from us.

[LMaxwell]

My first cruise was on the MSC Melody and I will never set foot on one of their ships again.

 

I appreciate that the Melody was a smaller and older vessel, however the company did not seem to care at all about its passengers.

 

Being new to the whole cruising thing we were a bit naive and when our travel agents told us that MSC were doing an offer which included flights we took it. We were meant to fly out to Genoa and back from Genoa. 2 weeks before we left they changed it (and there was not enough time to arrange our own flights) so we flew out to Nice (in the wrong country!) we had to wait for 2 1/2 hour for people to arrive off another flight, then nearly a 4 hour coach trip to the port. By the time we got to the ship it was 5pm, the buffet was closed and we had not eaten all day.

 

The food was terrible, really it was. For an Italian company I expected much better, often cold esp in the buffet. The seating area for the buffet gets really crowed and you are not allowed to take your plate to another area of the ship. Whilst it was old it really was not looked after, there was mould in our bath room and the panels in out cabin were coming away from the wall. Plus our bed had a scratchy old blanket instead of a duvet.

 

There was very little entertain on board ship, the TV's in public area were generally set to German or Italian channels, one time I changed the channel to BBC as no one was watching it, 5 mins later a woman came through turned it onto a German channel and then read her book, I tried to change it back and she started yelling at me.

 

The entertainment, with the exception of the Piano Bar, was awful, really cheesy Butlins style games which was very intrusive and took up most of the pool deck. The Piano Bar was great and the musicians top notch. The other shows were bland at best.

 

On the way back MSC decide we should fly from Milan so by 9am (after having us crammed in the disused theatre for an hour)they put us on a coach, we arrived at Milan around 12pm, however the flight MSC had booked for us was at 9pm!!! Seriously the dropped a coach full of people off and expected the to wait around for 9 hrs! it was disgusting the way we were treated, but by that point they had all the money they would get from us.

I don't think a tiny 35 year old second hand ship sailing in Europe (and no longer part of MSC fleet) has any relation to the beautiful Divina sailing from Miami and constantly being tailored for the US market and squarely aimed at RCI and NCL. But yes I would not have liked your experience either!

[Yorkvillain]

Great thread LMaxwell. Thank you. I've had one eye on the Divina for awhile now.

[George C]

My first cruise was on the MSC Melody and I will never set foot on one of their ships again.

 

I appreciate that the Melody was a smaller and older vessel, however the company did not seem to care at all about its passengers.

 

Being new to the whole cruising thing we were a bit naive and when our travel agents told us that MSC were doing an offer which included flights we took it. We were meant to fly out to Genoa and back from Genoa. 2 weeks before we left they changed it (and there was not enough time to arrange our own flights) so we flew out to Nice (in the wrong country!) we had to wait for 2 1/2 hour for people to arrive off another flight, then nearly a 4 hour coach trip to the port. By the time we got to the ship it was 5pm, the buffet was closed and we had not eaten all day.

 

The food was terrible, really it was. For an Italian company I expected much better, often cold esp in the buffet. The seating area for the buffet gets really crowed and you are not allowed to take your plate to another area of the ship. Whilst it was old it really was not looked after, there was mould in our bath room and the panels in out cabin were coming away from the wall. Plus our bed had a scratchy old blanket instead of a duvet.

 

There was very little entertain on board ship, the TV's in public area were generally set to German or Italian channels, one time I changed the channel to BBC as no one was watching it, 5 mins later a woman came through turned it onto a German channel and then read her book, I tried to change it back and she started yelling at me.

 

The entertainment, with the exception of the Piano Bar, was awful, really cheesy Butlins style games which was very intrusive and took up most of the pool deck. The Piano Bar was great and the musicians top notch. The other shows were bland at best.

 

On the way back MSC decide we should fly from Milan so by 9am (after having us crammed in the disused theatre for an hour)they put us on a coach, we arrived at Milan around 12pm, however the flight MSC had booked for us was at 9pm!!! Seriously the dropped a coach full of people off and expected the to wait around for 9 hrs! it was disgusting the way we were treated, but by that point they had all the money they would get from us.

 

We loved the food on Melody, but agree piano bar was the only entertainment, we did it in the Caribbean and it was a very old ship was a Home lines ship.

[mcatmcat]

Demographics?

 

 

50% european[emoji634]

20% Hispanic [emoji1083]

15% American[emoji631]

14% Canadian [emoji1063]

1%asian

[mcatmcat]

Why are the prices so much cheaper than Royal? What's the catch? Or has Royal become overpriced?

 

 

I read that MSC is trying to attract Royal passengers. MSC doesn't has a flow rider or a zip line but for 500$ less I'm more than happy sailing in a ship which has their price in half compared to Royal.

 

MSC Divina is sailing out of Miami weekly and the Royal presence is very weak. Royal have their headquarter facing the port but for some reason having big ship in Miami is not top priority for them, instead it's for other cruise line such as Disney, Carnival,and NCL

[Tatka]

I sailed on MSC Poesia two years in a row in the Caribbean and loved it. The ship was beautiful. There was a musical trio with a harp onboard that was fabulous. I thought everything was very Italian and classy. I did both the Western and Eastern itinerary on Poesia; partially because the price was so good. When I was planning my Mediterranean cruise, I again looked at MSC and actually booked but I cancelled because the length of time in port did not allow for a full day excursion. So, I went on Liberty of the Seas and absolutely loved it.

 

Next month I'm off again in the Mediterranean, this time on Jewel of the Seas. Can't wait!!

 

Well, we did Poesia in 2013 and Divina in 2014. Both in Caribbean sea.

While Divina is even more beautiful ship and entertainment was top notch... great shows every night! Divina does not have Italian flare like Poesia had. No Italian tenor or Sicilian guitar duo, but there were great singers and dancers... It just felt more American, which is MSC purpose I guess.

Edited April 17, 2016 by Tatka

[Garavar]

I am not seeing these "cheaper" prices, looking at sailings out of Miami in Suites (we book JS or GS always) and the prices are a lot higher than Freedom Class or below. I havent compared it to Oasis/Quantum class because I dont sail that class. Maybe thats where its cheaper?

[Clarea]

Well, we did Poesia in 2013 and Divina in 2014. Both in Caribbean see.

While Divina is even more beautiful ship and entertainment was top notch... great shows every night! Divina does not have Italian flare like Poesia had. No Italian tenor or Sicilian guitar duo, but there were great singers and dancers... It just felt more American, which is MSC purpose I guess.

Yes, from the recent reviews and reports I've been reading, MSC seems to be changing the ship(s) based in the US away from those based in Europe.

[Tatka]

Yes... and this is good and bad. Good, because of more "perks" (tap water, better nightly buffets etc)... however for sailed MSC to experience "Europe", which we love. We have enough our American lines. In European flare MSC was unique.

[Cruiser21]

I am not seeing these "cheaper" prices, looking at sailings out of Miami in Suites (we book JS or GS always) and the prices are a lot higher than Freedom Class or below. I havent compared it to Oasis/Quantum class because I dont sail that class. Maybe thats where its cheaper?

 

What month's are you looking at? I just looked at June 2016 and you can get into the MSC Yacht Club for around $4,200 for two. You can't get a GS on rccl for that price maybe JS but there are no perks with that type cabin.

[Garavar]

What month's are you looking at? I just looked at June 2016 and you can get into the MSC Yacht Club for around $4,200 for two. You can't get a GS on rccl for that price maybe JS but there are no perks with that type cabin.

 

I book GSs on Freedom class or below, 7 nights for $3.5K or less. All the GS, RFS, OSs etc. I have ever booked (in my sig) have been $400 per night or less.

 

$4,200 for 7 nights is $600 a night. For $600 a night ill book Crystals instead of MSC.

[tip]

No. And casino was no smoking

 

No balcony smoking and no casino smoking. Those are two favorable points which gives cause for further investigation and consideration.:D

[Cruiser21]

I book GSs on Freedom class or below, 7 nights for $3.5K or less. All the GS, RFS, OSs etc. I have ever booked (in my sig) have been $400 per night or less.

 

$4,200 for 7 nights is $600 a night. For $600 a night ill book Crystals instead of MSC.

 

Enjoy Crystal.

[Garavar]

Enjoy Crystal.

 

Booked for Jan 2017, we shall see ;)