Questions Regarding MSC Seaside

[scottygirl]

Smoking is allowed only on the starboard side of the South Beach Pool area.

 

Oh good, hopefully the wind will be blowing in the right direction!

[ashley@cruisecritic]

Do you have any wine and bar lists you could post please? And thank you for the restaurant menus.

 

 

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Sure! I've created a separate thread for bar menus since there are so many photos: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2573427. Unfortunately I didn't get any of the menu from the Champagne Bar or The Haven or Garage Club. Hope this helps!

[scottygirl]

Cajun Spiced Seared Smooth Hound?!

 

What type of Hound? Basset? Beagle?

 

Is it just me or is there perhaps a translation issue with the menu?

 

I noticed that too! Would love to know what exactly that is.

[voyager89]

Now that makes sense for the South Beach Pool to be adults only, as well as the buffet on deck 16 to be more family oriented. There will be smoke on the lower decks.

 

Thanks a lot for sharing Ashley!

[ashley@cruisecritic]

I know nobody asked for these, but since this seems to be the most comprehensive thread about Seaside, here are some sample dailies. I've just included the abridged version, rather than the entire shell. Please keep in mind these were European ports, so some things might change. (Apologies for the highlighting on some of them!)

 

 

 

 

[ashley@cruisecritic]

Dailies continued

 

 

 

 

[ashley@cruisecritic]

Thank you for posting these! Did you happen to find out if these are the ice cream, hot chocolate, and coffee drinks included in the deluxe drinks package, specifically?

 

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I don't know for sure, but I'll see what I can find out about that and the black card dining stuff.

[seaweeyin]

I don't know for sure, but I'll see what I can find out about that and the black card dining stuff.

Thanks so much!

 

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[spidybabe]

Thanks for al the answers

Safe sailing

[Mpls35]

Can anyone describe how seating works in the dining room? When you come to the dining room, do they just ask how many wish to be seated? Or is it more formal than that? (E.g. what if we met new friends one the ship and wanted to eat dinner with them at the same table one night?)

[sidari]

If you are in a Bella or Fantastica cabin I believe you will have been asked what fixed seating time you want, those in Aurea will have anytime Dining while those in the yacht club have their own dining room. In the Bella and Fantastica experiences you will be given assigned seating.

[scottygirl]

When I booked our cruise they had "anytime dining" and now the booking says either early 5:30-7:30 or 7:45-9:45. when I called MSC about it they said when we get on board will be assigned a seating time between 5:30 and 7:30. I don't know if I believe that. We are in a fantastica balcony

Edited December 12, 2017 by scottygirl

[Mpls35]

If you are in a Bella or Fantastica cabin I believe you will have been asked what fixed seating time you want, those in Aurea will have anytime Dining while those in the yacht club have their own dining room. In the Bella and Fantastica experiences you will be given assigned seating.

 

Thanks, we are Fantastica, and have the early seating. My question is more narrowly to how they assign seats. Can you choose with whom you care to dine, or are you assigned a seat at a table rigidly? The dining room looks like it has many different options of 2-tops, 4-tops, etc.

 

I ask because we are traveling in a large group (different reservations/unlinked) and some have the drink plan and others don't. Our very kind PVC informed us with much apology that we would not be allowed to dine at a table with people without the drink plan. Which is ridiculous.

[Mycykfamilytime]

Are you given an assigned restaurant?

 

 

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[eroller]

Thanks, we are Fantastica, and have the early seating. My question is more narrowly to how they assign seats. Can you choose with whom you care to dine, or are you assigned a seat at a table rigidly? The dining room looks like it has many different options of 2-tops, 4-tops, etc.

 

I ask because we are traveling in a large group (different reservations/unlinked) and some have the drink plan and others don't. Our very kind PVC informed us with much apology that we would not be allowed to dine at a table with people without the drink plan. Which is ridiculous.

 

 

When you fill out your check-in information on the MSC website, there is a spot where you can link other bookings so you are seated together in the dining room. You need to know their name and booking number. Also I'm sure your travel agent can link the bookings of anyone you want to share a dinner table with.

[Mpls35]

When I booked our cruise they had "anytime dining" and now the booking says either early 5:30-7:30 or 7:45-9:45. when I called MSC about it they said when we get on board will be assigned a seating time between 5:30 and 7:30. I don't know if I believe that.

 

Our PVC seemed certain that we would be allowed to choose upon boarding. He said we'd ask for a seating at, say, 6:30, and they'd inform us whether there were seats available or if we could have 6:15 or 6:45 instead. He said it goes in 15-minute increments.

[seaweeyin]

Upon our online check-in we discovered that some of us were given early dining, some late. We're all the same booking number sharing a superfamily plus cabin. That'll be one to sort out on the ship.

 

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[Mpls35]

When you fill out your check-in information on the MSC website, there is a spot where you can link other bookings so you are seated together in the dining room. You need to know their name and booking number. Also I'm sure your travel agent can link the bookings of anyone you want to share a dinner table with.

 

Actually I'm hoping for the opposite! We purposefully unlinked our reservations so we can have flexibility with whom we eat. I'm hoping we can just arrive at our scheduled time and say "Table for 4 please" or "Table for 6 please" but it sounds like that isn't the case.

 

My only cruising experience has been (1) old fashioned completely rigid eat at this time with only these people and (2) NCL freestyle which was wonderful and had no restrictions. I prefer the latter!

[scottygirl]

Our PVC seemed certain that we would be allowed to choose upon boarding. He said we'd ask for a seating at, say, 6:30, and they'd inform us whether there were seats available or if we could have 6:15 or 6:45 instead. He said it goes in 15-minute increments.

 

I hope so! 5:30 is too early. We like 7:00.

[scottygirl]

Upon our online check-in we discovered that some of us were given early dining, some late. We're all the same booking number sharing a superfamily plus cabin. That'll be one to sort out on the ship.

 

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We have 3 separate cabins and the reservations are linked so hopefully when I check in we will all have the same dining time.

[sidari]

Dining details are usually left in your cabin and your table number will be on your cruise card, you will be assigned a Dining room. You will need to find the Matre'D on the first day in one of the Dining rooms and request that you are seated together.

I have on 5 previous cruises never heard of the so called 15 minute slots!

[oskarNZ]

I know nobody asked for these, but since this seems to be the most comprehensive thread about Seaside, here are some sample dailies. I've just included the abridged version, rather than the entire shell. Please keep in mind these were European ports, so some things might change. (Apologies for the highlighting on some of them!)

 

 

 

 

 

These posts are excellent Ashley. Thanks so much!!!

 

Going by your highlighting, it appears that you attended quite a bit of trivia. Can I ask how you found it?

 

I love trivia and am excited to see so much of it on the planners, but I am wondering if MSC have systems for presenting the questions to multiple nationalities? I did a Costa cruise many years back and was sadly disappointed by the trivia. Asking each question in about 6 different languages, meant it took about an hour to ask no more than 10 questions. Plus, by the time each english question came around, we’d often tuned out . Sadly, we went to a couple of sessions and gave up.

 

Also, I’m guessing this has already been asked elsewhere, but how long are the theatre shows? I’m already looking at your planners and putting together an idea of how my evenings might look. :')

[ds99jove]

Dailies continued

 

 

10:30 am: Minigolf tournament

 

Where is this played? Didn't think they had a course on the boat? Kids would love that :)

 

Oh, and thank you very much for all the photos :)

[EssG]

Hi EssG. Sorry everyone for my spamming the thread, but I'm just finally getting around to reading all of these great questions. Here are photos of the nonalcoholic beverages offered at all bars onboard. The only one I saw that has a different mocktail menu is the Welcome Bar in Chef's Court (where most of the alternative eateries are located). That menu is the third one posted here.

 

Thanks ...appreciate it Ashley

[Tall-Cruiser]

Ashley - Thanks for sharing all the info you gathered while onboard.