Another experienced cruiser thinking about MSC...please advise

[bostonfred]

Hi, there seem to be a lot of these threads. We always sail midship balcony. In order to obtain one of these rooms it appears we have to upgrade to one of the higher priced categories/experiences....is that true? When we request our status match..what does it offer as far as useful perks....thanks in advance and feel free to add anything else that a new to MSC cruiser should be aware of...:D

[CruiseIreland]

Hi, there seem to be a lot of these threads. We always sail midship balcony. In order to obtain one of these rooms it appears we have to upgrade to one of the higher priced categories/experiences....is that true? When we request our status match..what does it offer as far as useful perks....thanks in advance and feel free to add anything else that a new to MSC cruiser should be aware of...:D

Hi. You can get a Bella balcony fairly midship but low down, say deck 8 or so. Your view might be out over lifeboats. It's worth it to go to Fantastica for free room service breakfast plus you probably get vouchers for 12 drinks. I'm not sure about matching but if you match to Black you may get free speciality dinner and priority boarding. Although food is subjective, expect small, pretty portions but you can order several. Shows tend to have little dialogue but are short and slick. Great value cruiseline!

[riclop]

Hi, there seem to be a lot of these threads. We always sail midship balcony. In order to obtain one of these rooms it appears we have to upgrade to one of the higher priced categories/experiences....is that true? When we request our status match..what does it offer as far as useful perks....thanks in advance and feel free to add anything else that a new to MSC cruiser should be aware of...:D

Not true , look at the deck plans.

[Beamafar]

I don't know what level you'll be status-matched to, but here's a link to the Voyagers' Club levels and what each offers so that you can check out what you'll get for the level you attain:

 

http://www.msccruises.ie/en-ie/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Voyagers-Club.aspx

 

Higher-end cabins/suites are more often found at the top and front of the ship. Here's a link to Divina's technical sheet for you to see where the various types of cabins are situated (I'm assuming that's the ship you're considering sailing. If it's not, just substitute the name of the ship in the URL for the one you want). They are colour-coded to reflect the 'Experiences': Bella, Fantastica, Wellness, Aurea & Yacht Club:

 

http://www.mscpressarea.com/media/corporate-informationitems/attachments/msc-divina-technical-sheet.pdf

[jdvmd]

We did the cheapest balcony guarantee and were assigned a midship balcony on Deck 9. We liked the location and the room.

[cellfree]

About the food, we just got off the Divina yesterday and found the food wonderful, generous portions, some of the best steak we have ever had on a cruise ship in the Dining Room.