MSC vs. Carnival. Which do you prefer and why?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

50 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Enjoy your 2 weeks on the Seashore. We will also be onboard for 2 weeks in April, but in Gen pop.

 

Thanks 🙂

 

It's actually a 4+3. I'm taking my office staff on the 4-nt sailing (~$380pp w/drinks and wifi), then we're staying on for the 3-nt.

 

Tom

[Illbcruzn4life]

44 minutes ago, Julienatul said:

I have sailed MSC 3 times (non yacht club) and Carnival about 30 times in addition to RCCL, NCL and Disney. There are positives and negatives to both of the lines.

 

MSC ships are absolutely beautiful. Hands down,  they are one of the most gorgeous and decorated to the hilt. The Swarovski crystal staircases, Bridge of sighs, elaborate lounges and decor designs are much fancier than your typical Carnival ship. I prefer the food on Carnival. There is more variety and the quality is better. The selections on MSC  are limited and almost exactly the same food is presented every day on the buffet. There is no free alternative food venues like on Carnival.  MSC does offer nice discounts to the specialty restaurant throughout the week during your sailing. For instance,  we got 40% off and a bottle of wine to eat at the Teppanyaki restaurant on the Seascape a few months ago.  The shows are better on MSC,  in my opinion. They are only about 40 minutes long,  so they are easily worked into your evening. The Casinos on MSC ships are very small so if gambling is your thing, MSC may not be for you. Stateroom service is better on MSC. Staterooms are serviced twice a day and I find they exceed your expectations. Dining and Bar service is better on Carnival.  The Vibe on MSC is more relaxed. It is not a spring break/party ship/ heavy drinking atmosphere. There are not pool games and loud music and constant activities late into the evening like Carnival. It is quieter and more of a relaxed European/family vacation vibe. It is much calmer.  

 

For me, I prefer MSC just due to the atmosphere. My last two Carnival sailings were not what I value for my family. We are not big drinkers/partiers and we are just looking for the more relaxed family friendly vacation. The behavior of passengers has changed on Carnival and rules are not enforced. I don't want to be surrounded by drugs or smoke while enjoying my balcony,  and don't need my children witnessing physical fights on the pool deck or buffet lines because people cant be respectful of others. Both occurred on my last 2 Carnival sailings last year. People can say it occurs on all lines,  but that isn't the case in my experience. It happens a lot more on Carnival.  My family cruises many times a year and I have not experienced that same thing on MSC or NCL recently. MSC will address the smoking and drugs, if it is reported. They do not tolerate it. They also enforce dress code to an extent. We were turned away from the dining room at lunch because a family member (male) wore a tank top. We were surprised but fine with it, rules are rules. Carnival used to be my favorite line but until they clean up their act and enforce respectful behavior, we wont be sailing them.  I am just happy there are enough cruise lines for everyone to enjoy. If you like to drink like a fish, gamble your night away, smoke weed and party into the wee hours, then you will likely not be happy with MSC. 

 

Thank you for your thoughts.

Try Meraviglia out of NY in the summer and come back and let me know your thoughts.

 

It was worse than a Carnival ship as far as the teens go.

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 minute ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Thanks 🙂

 

It's actually a 4+3. I'm taking my office staff on the 4-nt sailing (~$380pp w/drinks and wifi), then we're staying on for the 3-nt.

 

Tom

Very nice. I always tell my wife about you taking your staff on cruises every year. That's super nice.

 

We were booked for an 11 day cruise with 3 days at Ocean Cay. They canceled Ocean Cay and added 3 more days to the cruise for free. So now we are on for a total of 14 days. Never been on a cruise that long. lol

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 minute ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Very nice. I always tell my wife about you taking your staff on cruises every year. That's super nice.

 

We were booked for an 11 day cruise with 3 days at Ocean Cay. They canceled Ocean Cay and added 3 more days to the cruise for free. So now we are on for a total of 14 days. Never been on a cruise that long. lol

Enjoy!

 

14 is our max to date (Reflection B2B last Thanksgiving). No matter how long the cruise, it always eventually ends... 😞

 

Tom

[Cherries Jubilee]

I’ve sailed Carnival 3 times (Horizon x2, and Mardi Gras). I’ve sailed MSC twice (Divina and Seaside).

 

 I think I strongly prefer Carnival. I haven’t had a real issue that required major interaction with customer service on either so I have been lucky and my reviews only focus on the cruising experience.

 

MSC ships are beautiful but I had 2 vastly different experiences sailing with them. Divina was almost too laid back. There wasn’t enough entertainment for me so I spent most of the time relaxing. The food in the dining room was good but the buffet didn’t have enough variety. The staff was slow but friendly.

 

Seaside was incredibly high energy. There was a lot of entertainment. They put a lot of effort into little things like the trivia had a musical chairs element. The parties were long and they really kept the energy high. The food in the dining room was really not good and the buffet served literally the exact same thing every day. The staff in the dining room were not very friendly but it was obvious that they were spread really thin and very overworked. It took hours for dinner to be done and the servers were running around like madmen, they simply didn’t have enough of them.
 

Those sailings were both before Covid so they can’t blame that for the staff shortages.

 

The times I have sailed Carnival have not been perfect either. I always do My Time dining and we usually had quite a wait but the food was significantly better to me. There was also more variety so I never had to eat something that I really didn’t enjoy. The Carnival cruises were always entertaining. One of my Carnival cruises was post Covid so I did notice that the staff was stressed but it still wasn’t as bad as my last MSC.

 

 

I am a slightly picky eater so I’m going to pick Carnival over MSC until they add some variety. I actually made this choice recently when choosing next year’s February cruise. I couldn’t even imagine spending 11 days on MSC so I went with 12 days on Carnival.

 

I would still cruise MSC again but only if the price was much lower than all of the competition. I’ve only cruised Norwegian once and I have cruised Royal 4 times. They all beat MSC if the price is close.

[Eli_6]

I have heard really good things about the Yacht Club.  Can't say because I haven't sailed MSC.  Wish they would come to Galveston. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 hour ago, Eli_6 said:

I have heard really good things about the Yacht Club.  Can't say because I haven't sailed MSC.  Wish they would come to Galveston. 

A lot of people say that they wouldn't cruise MSC if there wasn't a YC. I can't afford that so I'll never know. After day 2 on our MSC cruise it started to feel like a regular cruise on any mass market line.

 

I may be mistaken but I think they are working on coming to Galveston.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 7/19/2023 at 4:48 PM, Haljo1935 said:

Hi - to help those of us who haven't been on both, what is it about MSC that will keep you from going back?

Have sailed on MSC twice.  Once five years ago on the Seaside in an inside cabins in the Yacht Club.  Just did them again last week on the Meraviglia out of Brooklyn staying in a Fantastica cabin.

MSC is similar to a caste system, they have four classes on board.  First class is Yacht Club.  Second class is Aurea, Third class is Fantastical and Fourth class is Bella.  Yacht Club is a ship within a ship concept that Carnival has nothing to compare to.  It's like the Haven on NCL, the Retreat on Celebrity and the Star Class on RCI. 

 

If you wish to enjoy anytime dining, which is available to everyone on Carnival, you need to be in one of the two upper classes on MSC.  Fantastica gets early or late sitting and so does Bella, but Fantastical cruisers get priority.  The difference between Fantastica and Bella is usually $50.00 pp.  This allows you to pick your own cabin and get the MDR priority over Bella.  If you choose Bella, MSC chooses your cabin for you.

The MDR seatings are plentiful.  On our recent sailing, two dining rooms were 600 and 830 while the other two were 530, 730 & 930.  Have never been on another line with 3 seatings before.

 

Lunch options are a joke.  It's the buffet for every day or the MDR on sea days.  There are zero grab and go options like Blue Iguana Cantina, the Deli, Pizza station, Guy's, Big Chicken, Guy's BBQ.

Omelettes made to order were non existent on the Meraviglia.  Nothing in the buffet and in the MDR it was either mushroom/cheese or egg beater/veggies.

 

Comedy is everyday on Carnival.  MSC it's once a week in big showroom and once a week for adult in smaller venue.  Piano Bar is non existent as well.

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I have heard really good things about the Yacht Club.  Can't say because I haven't sailed MSC.  Wish they would come to Galveston. 

Galveston is the next embarkation port on the horizon for them.  The YC is the only way to go on MSC.  We did it 5 years ago when it was reasonably priced.  Not so much nowadays.  We have them another shot last week and they're in our rear view mirror.

[NYcruzzer]

11 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

A lot of people say that they wouldn't cruise MSC if there wasn't a YC. I can't afford that so I'll never know. After day 2 on our MSC cruise it started to feel like a regular cruise on any mass market line.

 

I may be mistaken but I think they are working on coming to Galveston.

Take a look at a YC interior . It's a more affordable option with all the YC benefits. Same principle as upgrading to a Havana interior vs a standard interior on Carnival. On MSC I'd rather be in a YC interior vs. a Balcony in "gen-pop"

[KyloRen]

On 3/17/2017 at 4:18 AM, bnorris10 said:

I went on MSC Divina in December .... I will not ever go back on that brand boat again

 

Now we were in the Yacht Club ... Love the service you get up there - We made good friends on this boat staff and others

 

With that being said for us personally the boat was not our style - First thing we have 2 kids neither one of them enjoyed the kids program they went the first night and never went back - my kids absolutely love the kids program on carnival - Another issue with my youngest whom is 11 - since its a european boat many of the guests are there and now my child is certainly not a trouble maker or anything like that her voice is just a little loud and she likes to goof around and have fun and we kept having these older european couples stare at us like shut her the hell up (Not MSC fault -- Now the staff loved my daughter)

 

Secondly the hubby and I love the piano bar that is where we spend every night - needless to say there is no piano bar like what you find on carnival - there piano bar involves a guy sitting at a piano playing music - no requests no jokes no group of peopel singing along - for that matter the guy did not even sing

 

Third - hands down I prefer the food on carnival - I am a picky eater so not their fault but because of their lack of choice on the dining menu each night i literally ended up eating the same thing every night for dinner - even going into their lido buffet the food just was not that great my husband eats everything and was excited a little bit to have some variety but he even agreed he prefered carnival food better

 

Fourth - nothing beats 24 hour availability of good ice cream - msc ice cream is not as good as carnival's - not to mention its only open for a few hours a day so you have to make sure you find it and miss it

 

Fifth - I liked that they had ton's of pools but what I did not like was that they were salt water

 

Now one thing I will rave about that I am sad and wish the other boats did was the picture packages and the spa packages -- I pre-ordered pictures and got 100 pictures of small and large sizes for $98 - I also pre-ordered a spa package as we never do the spa stuff but I thought since it was christmas and first time on the boat not to mention I just graduated that I would splurge as they had a package for $475 - which gave 2 people 3 massages each - So that was amazing

 

Anyways - after going on that trip and not really enjoying the boat we decided that we are just going to stick to carnival - Why waste our time on other ships when carnival has everything we love (LOVE CLOUD 9) and we can rack up our days to become platinum/diamond members - Not to mention honestly you really can't beat the price we have found they have the best rates and what i would pay to cruise on another line i can generally get another cruise out of the savings from carnival

 

I love this honest review, I’m platty on Carnival and taking my first MSC (7d mediterranean) in an Aurea Suite at the end of the month. I upgraded to the premium booze package cause I want to have a good time. I’m so curious about all these aspects and really appreciate this post. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

17 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Have sailed on MSC twice.  Once five years ago on the Seaside in an inside cabins in the Yacht Club.  Just did them again last week on the Meraviglia out of Brooklyn staying in a Fantastica cabin.

MSC is similar to a caste system, they have four classes on board.  First class is Yacht Club.  Second class is Aurea, Third class is Fantastical and Fourth class is Bella.  Yacht Club is a ship within a ship concept that Carnival has nothing to compare to.  It's like the Haven on NCL, the Retreat on Celebrity and the Star Class on RCI. 

 

If you wish to enjoy anytime dining, which is available to everyone on Carnival, you need to be in one of the two upper classes on MSC.  Fantastica gets early or late sitting and so does Bella, but Fantastical cruisers get priority.  The difference between Fantastica and Bella is usually $50.00 pp.  This allows you to pick your own cabin and get the MDR priority over Bella.  If you choose Bella, MSC chooses your cabin for you.

The MDR seatings are plentiful.  On our recent sailing, two dining rooms were 600 and 830 while the other two were 530, 730 & 930.  Have never been on another line with 3 seatings before.

 

Lunch options are a joke.  It's the buffet for every day or the MDR on sea days.  There are zero grab and go options like Blue Iguana Cantina, the Deli, Pizza station, Guy's, Big Chicken, Guy's BBQ.

Omelettes made to order were non existent on the Meraviglia.  Nothing in the buffet and in the MDR it was either mushroom/cheese or egg beater/veggies.

 

Comedy is everyday on Carnival.  MSC it's once a week in big showroom and once a week for adult in smaller venue.  Piano Bar is non existent as well.

You don't consider Burgers, Hot dogs, pizza, and fries as grab and go?

[Illbcruzn4life]

7 hours ago, NYcruzzer said:

Take a look at a YC interior . It's a more affordable option with all the YC benefits. Same principle as upgrading to a Havana interior vs a standard interior on Carnival. On MSC I'd rather be in a YC interior vs. a Balcony in "gen-pop"

Most YIN's I have checked out are about 4K. I only was looking at cruises that depart from the states. Maybe the ones in Europe are cheaper.

[KyloRen]

On 7/21/2023 at 8:02 AM, TreyB said:

Hates Carnival

 

Has never sailed on MSC

 

Already prefers MSC

 

Okayyyyyy…

That’s the only person in this whole thread that seems to actually prefer MSC 

[Drew B 58]

1 hour ago, KyloRen said:

That’s the only person in this whole thread that seems to actually prefer MSC 

Well, this IS the Carnival forum…

[NYcruzzer]

2 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Most YIN's I have checked out are about 4K. I only was looking at cruises that depart from the states. Maybe the ones in Europe are cheaper.

I was referring to MSC Meraviglia out of NY. We booked 2/4/24 7 night in a YC interior. Under $2700.00all in  for the two of us. Including premium wifi and premium drink package. Looks like interiors for that sailing are sold out. Only YC balconies  and above. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 hour ago, NYcruzzer said:

I was referring to MSC Meraviglia out of NY. We booked 2/4/24 7 night in a YC interior. Under $2700.00all in  for the two of us. Including premium wifi and premium drink package. Looks like interiors for that sailing are sold out. Only YC balconies  and above. 

I'd say you got a great deal. I don't see any other YIN's with that price point I tried the same week a year later and it's about $3700.

 

Enjoy your cruise in the YC. IT is outstanding in there according to most reviews.🙂

[CruizinSusan70]

17 hours ago, NYcruzzer said:

Take a look at a YC interior . It's a more affordable option with all the YC benefits. Same principle as upgrading to a Havana interior vs a standard interior on Carnival. On MSC I'd rather be in a YC interior vs. a Balcony in "gen-pop"

Not really.  The price differential between a YC interior and a regular interior is over 1000 more than the difference between a regular inside vs a Havana on Carnival.  On the 2/1/25 sailings out of Miami, the Horizon with a 4A inside is about 755, while a comparable Havana is 1025, or 270 pp more.  On the MSC Seascape, a IR1 inside is 559 pp, while a YIN YC inside is 1819 pp or 1260 more pp.

 

With a Havana cabin, you get your exclusive pool and hot tub area on the 3 vista class ships.  With YC, you get your own restaurant, the drinks package, a butler etc.  If you add in the Cheers package though, things get much closer.   1025 x 2 + 991 = 3041    1819 x 2 = 3638.   So it's about 600 extra for YC inside versus Havana inside with Cheers on this particular sailing.  It was in fact the cheapest YIN pricing I could quickly find on their website, most of the sailings were much higher, so that 600 price difference would be higher as well.

 

You always need to try to compare an apple to an apple.

[CruizinSusan70]

10 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

You don't consider Burgers, Hot dogs, pizza, and fries as grab and go?

They were all at the buffet.   MSC doesn't have anything similar to Guy's Burgers, Shaq's Big Chicken, Pizza Pirate, The Deli, or Java Blue Cafe take out and if you want Mexican, you need to pay for it either as all you can eat for 17.99 or a la carte.  A burrito was 10.79.  At Blue Iguana Cantina, they are included and free.

 

You'll be able to compare first hand when you sail on the Jubilee in 9/24 after your 4/24 Seashore and 4/25 World America sailings.   If you're staying in YC, the cruise will be bearable, but expensive compared to Carnival.  If you're in the general pop of MSC, best of luck.  I speak from experience in and out of the YC twice on MSC and 25 times on Carnival.

[CruizinSusan70]

14 hours ago, KyloRen said:

 

I love this honest review, I’m platty on Carnival and taking my first MSC (7d mediterranean) in an Aurea Suite at the end of the month. I upgraded to the premium booze package cause I want to have a good time. I’m so curious about all these aspects and really appreciate this post. 

Unless you're a high end wine drinker, or have to have top shelf liquor,  upgrading to the Premium booze package on MSC is a total wast of time.  The Easy Plus package tops out at 10 per drink and will include Tito's vodka, Myers rum, Crown Royal and Bailey's.  If you have to have Grey Goose or Belvedere or higher end scotches, then the up grade is worth it, but most people are just fine with the selections on the Easy Plus package.

[NYcruzzer]

6 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Not really.  The price differential between a YC interior and a regular interior is over 1000 more than the difference between a regular inside vs a Havana on Carnival.  On the 2/1/25 sailings out of Miami, the Horizon with a 4A inside is about 755, while a comparable Havana is 1025, or 270 pp more.  On the MSC Seascape, a IR1 inside is 559 pp, while a YIN YC inside is 1819 pp or 1260 more pp.

 

With a Havana cabin, you get your exclusive pool and hot tub area on the 3 vista class ships.  With YC, you get your own restaurant, the drinks package, a butler etc.  If you add in the Cheers package though, things get much closer.   1025 x 2 + 991 = 3041    1819 x 2 = 3638.   So it's about 600 extra for YC inside versus Havana inside with Cheers on this particular sailing.  It was in fact the cheapest YIN pricing I could quickly find on their website, most of the sailings were much higher, so that 600 price difference would be higher as well.

 

You always need to try to compare an apple to an apple.

I was basing my comparison on my 2/4 booking at just under $2700.00 all in for the two of us. When you did your math you forgot that MSC YC comes with unlimited premium WIFI for two devices. So you would need to deduct that from your 600 difference. 

 

I agree best way to compare apples to apple's is to compare same sailing date similar itineraries and similar ship. I still love Carnival the best and looking forward to our 9 night on the Venezia this Oct.

 

I sallied MSC out of Brooklyn this May in "gen pop"  After that I decided I would only sail MSC again in YC...

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Apples to apples (Carnival vs. MSC Yacht Club) is not possible - owing to the dedicated dining room which is offered to YC passengers. That dining experience is far superior to what we've experienced in the past on Carnival (MDR) - which helps to explain why we basically haven't enjoyed a dinner in the MDR on Carnival in easily 10 years (save one or two while on the hunt for prime rib)!

 

Tom

[Illbcruzn4life]

9 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

They were all at the buffet.   MSC doesn't have anything similar to Guy's Burgers, Shaq's Big Chicken, Pizza Pirate, The Deli, or Java Blue Cafe take out and if you want Mexican, you need to pay for it either as all you can eat for 17.99 or a la carte.  A burrito was 10.79.  At Blue Iguana Cantina, they are included and free.

 

You'll be able to compare first hand when you sail on the Jubilee in 9/24 after your 4/24 Seashore and 4/25 World America sailings.   If you're staying in YC, the cruise will be bearable, but expensive compared to Carnival.  If you're in the general pop of MSC, best of luck.  I speak from experience in and out of the YC twice on MSC and 25 times on Carnival.

I will never experience the difference because I wont be in  a YC cabin, ever.

I have cruised on the Celebration already so I know of what you speak.

 

I was just pointing out the grab and go options that are available outside on deck 15. There is also a soft serve machine and a bar out there.

 

While I agree there is no comparison in the amount of different free lunch options, there are grab and go options, just not like Carnivals options which are way better.

[KyloRen]

One of us should make this thread on the MSC forum. I wish it was more active, curious what they would say. Some of these responses have been very thoughtful and have a lot of good information on MSC. 
 

Booze Packages:  I noticed someone said upgrading to the premium drink package was a waste of money. I just returned home from a 17 day cruise to Hawaii and I purchased the top tier drink package and I think it was well worth it to be able to get the premium alcohols. I happened to enjoy things that aren’t just well cocktails though. I think that’s where I like Carnivals drink package, there is only one price and the

 minimum for drinks is much higher as I basically live at Alchemy bar. You couldn’t get a drink anywhere near that on MSC I think is my issue and why I ultimately upgraded. I am not going to want to drink well cocktails, pina coladas and Miami vices all week. 

https://profcruise.com/msc-bar-menus-and-drink-prices-2023/

 

 

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by KyloRen

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

33 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

I will never experience the difference because I wont be in  a YC cabin, ever.

I have cruised on the Celebration already so I know of what you speak.

 

I was just pointing out the grab and go options that are available outside on deck 15. There is also a soft serve machine and a bar out there.

 

While I agree there is no comparison in the amount of different free lunch options, there are grab and go options, just not like Carnivals options which are way better.

I agree that, especially on the Celebration and Mardi Gras, there are numerous quick food options that are superior to what I saw on MSC Seaside.

 

Tom