Tell me something about MSC to help me pass time

[toxicfairy]

We're ( DH , myself , 26 yr old DD and 21yr old DD) going on Seaside on July 14. Seaside is about to embark on it's first journey. It's finally built and getting ready to go. I'm ready to burst with excitement. I'm also hoping the kinks are worked out by July. So having never cruised MSC tell me something about it. We'll be doing Caribbean. We'll be in a suite and an inside both fantastica level. I know you can't tell me about Seaside yet but what can you tell me about the MSC line? What should I / can I expect? We've always done Royal but they royally let us down last August so we are switching brands.

 

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[Kris73]

What happened with your experience with Royal?

 

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[riclop]

Just read some of the reviews .

[toxicfairy]

What happened with your experience with Royal?

 

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Hurricane Harvey. They handled it awful. Told us to go out to Houston or we would lose our money. So we flew out and they kept updating that they were still going on with the cruise. All the way up to that Sunday. They never cancelled until after we should have been on the ship. We were trapped in a hotel for 5 days. Finally we were able to rent a truck and drive 31 hours home. But Royal would only refund the price of cruise and prepaid things. Refused all claims for hotel food and anything else. Even though we called on Friday before we flew out. Cost us around $2000 just to be stranded... hotel bill, food, rental to get home (since all flights in and out were cancelled and both airports were closed down), $500 in gas. Not to mention step daughter got a UTI couldn't get her to a doctor since roads were flooded and closed, by the time we got home after 5 days the infection was in her kidneys. Had we gotten on the ship ( or been told in advance they were cancelling) she'd have seen a doctor much sooner.

 

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[spidybabe]

Divina had the best pizza !! We are from NY and used to good pizza, but theirs is the best.

Beautiful clean ship

Safe sailing

[Kris73]

Wow that is a horrible experience

 

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[Stockjock]

It's grossly underrated.

[Kizzabel]

The gelato is pretty good too. Loved the coconut and kinder bueno.

[CTBob]

You can check out the website that I have put together for my January B2B. I will be posting many photos from our cruise when I return. You can also find out information on Twitter and Instagram. Captain Scala has been posting almost every day the last month. I guess we'll see if he continues once the ship has sailed.

http://ctbobcruisesite.com/SeasideMain.html

 

Bob

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Hurricane Harvey. They handled it awful. Told us to go out to Houston or we would lose our money. So we flew out and they kept updating that they were still going on with the cruise. All the way up to that Sunday. They never cancelled until after we should have been on the ship. We were trapped in a hotel for 5 days. Finally we were able to rent a truck and drive 31 hours home. But Royal would only refund the price of cruise and prepaid things. Refused all claims for hotel food and anything else. Even though we called on Friday before we flew out. Cost us around $2000 just to be stranded... hotel bill, food, rental to get home (since all flights in and out were cancelled and both airports were closed down), $500 in gas. Not to mention step daughter got a UTI couldn't get her to a doctor since roads were flooded and closed, by the time we got home after 5 days the infection was in her kidneys. Had we gotten on the ship ( or been told in advance they were cancelling) she'd have seen a doctor much sooner.

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I realize you are responding to a previous question...but I think it is VERY IMPORTANT to let everyone know that this horrible incident DID NOT HAPPEN ON MSC...IT HAPPENED ON ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL...and that is why you are now going on MSC. :)

[toxicfairy]

I realize you are responding to a previous question...but I think it is VERY IMPORTANT to let everyone know that this horrible incident DID NOT HAPPEN ON MSC...IT HAPPENED ON ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL...and that is why you are now going on MSC. :)

Yes! And that is why I am looking for info and fun facts. I am aware I can read reviews unfortunately many of them are very negative and from people comparing apples to oranges. I am looking for info from people who enjoyed their experience and may have those little fun facts like you have to try this, or this is what we most enjoyed things if that nature. It's always fun when someone says oh I found this out and it's not well known. I'm just extremely excited and need to pass the next 7 months with something other than dieting [emoji4]

 

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[toxicfairy]

The gelato is pretty good too. Loved the coconut and kinder bueno.

This! I am super excited , i love gelato!😁

 

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[toxicfairy]

You can check out the website that I have put together for my January B2B. I will be posting many photos from our cruise when I return. You can also find out information on Twitter and Instagram. Captain Scala has been posting almost every day the last month. I guess we'll see if he continues once the ship has sailed.

http://ctbobcruisesite.com/SeasideMain.html

 

Bob

Thank you so much I've been reading everything and anything I can find. My motto is even a bad cruise is better than a good day at work[emoji6]

 

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[LMaxwell]

The Seaside features 7 new production shows. They don’t do jugglers, comedians, headliner acts. Lots of acrobats, dancers, singers, great costumes and lighting. I think I counted 26 performers on stage during a Divina show at one point.

 

I’m from NJ and the pizza is really good. I also like Princess pizza, Carnival is okay, Royal is garbage. You can walk into the buffet at 11pm On MSC and watch them hand tossing pizza dough and using real pizzeria ovens, and they’ll be hand rolling and baking fresh treats for all to see.

 

I’ll guarantee you will never see look anything less than pristine, they keep clean ships. Like crew scrubbing metal stair treads on the pool deck regularly to shine them up clean. For a ship full of chrome and mirrors you won’t find a fingerprint anywhere.

[toxicfairy]

The Seaside features 7 new production shows. They don’t do jugglers, comedians, headliner acts. Lots of acrobats, dancers, singers, great costumes and lighting. I think I counted 26 performers on stage during a Divina show at one point.

 

I’m from NJ and the pizza is really good. I also like Princess pizza, Carnival is okay, Royal is garbage. You can walk into the buffet at 11pm On MSC and watch them hand tossing pizza dough and using real pizzeria ovens, and they’ll be hand rolling and baking fresh treats for all to see.

 

I’ll guarantee you will never see look anything less than pristine, they keep clean ships. Like crew scrubbing metal stair treads on the pool deck regularly to shine them up clean. For a ship full of chrome and mirrors you won’t find a fingerprint anywhere.

This sounds great! Although I have to admit I think I'm the only Jersy girl who does not like pizza[emoji15]

 

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[LMaxwell]

On the Divina outside the room in the ceiling is a very discreet set of LED colored lights. If you are in the room and have a card in the power slot the light indicates a certain color to tell steward room occupied, if power card is removed it is a different color to indicate vacant. Very very subtle.

 

If you remove a card from the power slot a nightlight comes on above the door inside to give you a little bit of guidance out. If you leave a card in so your power is on constantly a steward may think room is always occupied and not enter to do morning or evening service.

 

 

Not sure what further advances the Seaside has.

[toxicfairy]

On the Divina outside the room in the ceiling is a very discreet set of LED colored lights. If you are in the room and have a card in the power slot the light indicates a certain color to tell steward room occupied, if power card is removed it is a different color to indicate vacant. Very very subtle.

 

If you remove a card from the power slot a nightlight comes on above the door inside to give you a little bit of guidance out. If you leave a card in so your power is on constantly a steward may think room is always occupied and not enter to do morning or evening service.

 

 

Not sure what further advances the Seaside has.

See these are the this bits that are good to know!

 

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[spidybabe]

On the Divina on formal nights, before dinner, they had free cocktails at most bars!!

Sign up for their meet and greets-free drinks there too, with great appetizers and sheet cake. They take everybody's picture, and send a copy to your cabin.

If you qualify do a loyalty status match-the perks are great.

Safe sailing

P S- the pizza is great

[toxicfairy]

On the Divina on formal nights, before dinner, they had free cocktails at most bars!!

Sign up for their meet and greets-free drinks there too, with great appetizers and sheet cake. They take everybody's picture, and send a copy to your cabin.

If you qualify do a loyalty status match-the perks are great.

Safe sailing

P S- the pizza is great

Thank you. We did status match that was great and got us a discount! We LOVE formal nights I guess at this point we are in the minority of people who love to get dressed in gowns ( of course my Husband in a nice dark suit ).

 

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[OceansOfTravels]

The passengers onboard will be very different than what you're used to on Carnival or Royal. A large percentage of the passengers onboard will be from a European country. This could mean many things, depending on how you view opposing cultural customs, but if you go in with a positive attitude, I imagine you will make many international friends. At dinner, you could be seated with someone from Lisbon or Munich, instead of Cinncinati or Nashville. This allows for a completely different mindset to be had onboard, one that I have not been able to match ever. I enjoy MSC for this reason exactly, the diversity of its people. The passenger diversity is also reflected in the food choices, entertainment options, and the daily announcements. Again, I personally LOVE this, and I think one of the biggest things that had me falling in love with MSC was the fact that you could ride an elevator with someone from France, be line line to be seated in the MDR with someone from Poland, and be seated for dinner with someone from England. It really made the cruise for me. I think you may enjoy it just as much as I did!

[voyager89]

The passengers onboard will be very different than what you're used to on Carnival or Royal. A large percentage of the passengers onboard will be from a European country. This could mean many things, depending on how you view opposing cultural customs, but if you go in with a positive attitude, I imagine you will make many international friends. At dinner, you could be seated with someone from Lisbon or Munich, instead of Cinncinati or Nashville. This allows for a completely different mindset to be had onboard, one that I have not been able to match ever. I enjoy MSC for this reason exactly, the diversity of its people. The passenger diversity is also reflected in the food choices, entertainment options, and the daily announcements. Again, I personally LOVE this, and I think one of the biggest things that had me falling in love with MSC was the fact that you could ride an elevator with someone from France, be line line to be seated in the MDR with someone from Poland, and be seated for dinner with someone from England. It really made the cruise for me. I think you may enjoy it just as much as I did!

 

This sounds awesome :)

[spidybabe]

Sorry to hear about your experience with Royal and the hurricane. This is how MSC handled hurricane Irma. After 21 NCL cruises we sailed first time on the Divina and were highly impressed with the compassion of the company and captain. Of course they needed to change our itinerary, couldn't be avoided, and didn't matter to us. After going to 2 ports, the Captain decided to skip our next port and return to Miami at top speed. He decided to do this because there were a few people from Miami/Florida who really wanted to get home . They met with the Captain and asked to be taken home. So even tho we were safe, and away from the storm, and could of stayed where we were, we went at top speed back to Miami, had 2 hours in port to offload about 70 passengers and take on provisions, then we headed back at top speed to Cozumel for 3 days. This cost the cruise alot in fuel $$, for something they didn't need to do. The Captain keep announcing that everyone would be safest staying on the ship. Many flew home from Cozumel. We stayed aboard for 13 days. There were no extra fees, all plans stayed in effect, no port charges (absorbed by the company). They opened up free wifi for all, so we could be intouch with family, and change flight arrangements. When it crashed for short time, the crew made phone calls for passengers (I was thrilled to talk to our son-in-law).

MSC is family owned and run by family, and it showed

Safe sailing

[OceansOfTravels]

This sounds awesome :)

 

It really was! I hope you have the same experiecne that I did on your upcoming cruise on the Seaside, it really made the cruise for me. Enjoy!