Confused

[susan1957]

Instead of knocking everyone here for telling you that the recent reviews are good, why don't you just book your next cruise on your beloved Carnival.

Oh boy....I'm not knocking everyone ....actually...I did appreciate the comments that some of the earlier "negatives" had been resolved.......Show some maturity....using phrases like "your beloved Carnival"...Really??.Chill...Ax.....I posted hoping that I would hear more positive feedback on this ship.....I understand it's a new ship and it has a number of things to iron out. Fair enough....I also understand that a lot of people don't take the time to write a positive review as much as they write NEGATIVE reviews....I would love to try another cruise line ....Enjoy your day :D:D:D

[susan1957]

Sounds like Jim Zim’s review. Many have commented that most of the things he doesn’t like have been addressed. I thought his complaint about the buffet at dinner being poor was odd but then I would never choose to eat at the buffet for dinner. I read another review by deb (search going places with deb for her blog) and she addressed this by explaining that for Italians, dinner is a family gathering meant to be leisurely and not rushed so the buffet isn’t their top priority.

BINGO! One of the reviews was Jim Zim's...but what does he know! Probably wasn't even on the ship....

[susan1957]

When are people going to stop believing OLD reviews ? ... :confused:

Hmmm...reading all 40 reviews from June and July (I WOULDN'T CALL THOSE OLD NOW...WOULD YOU?)....ABOUT 40% OF THE REVIEWS WERE 1 AND 2*....NOW why on earth would I want to believe these reviews....after all...they are about 1 or 2 months old....actually some of them were last week and the week before...:confused::confused::'):'):')

[ldlewis45]

I just got off the Seaside yesterday. I was very impressed with it, especially being a Carnival cruiser (and NCL and Holland America). I thought the buffet far outshone Carnival's, but then again, I've never been impressed by Carnival's buffet. I think it's very poorly done, and tends to err on the side of casseroles and the Mongolian Wok stuff (which I think is on the level of school-cafeteria "Asian" food). If anything, MSC's buffet foods tend to be on the under-salted side, but that's easily fixed, as there are salt shakers on every table. The MSC pizza is generally as good as Carnival's newer pizza, plus you don't have to wait for it. The made-to-order omelettes in the buffet were very good, and so were the desserts and breads, especially the focaccia. I can't vouch for the dining room food, as we didn't dine there (my company on the cruise didn't like having to dress for dinner, so we generally did meals in the buffet). The steakhouse on MSC was good, but not as good as Carnival's. The Teppanyaki was excellent, though.

 

I enjoyed the live music on the Seaside. There was one guy that could play guitar very well. His singing was generally decent to good, but we had fun making fun of some of the songs he chose. We didn't do the big shows, but everything we caught bits of on board was enjoyable.

 

For me, MSC was a no-brainer. A nicer and newer ship than most Carnival ships, a balcony for the price of an inside room on Carnival, and drink package included. Now, I did go ahead and upgrade to the deluxe drink package, but that only cost me $180 for the entire cruise, and I think it was well worth it, as it included a wider variety of cocktails, including the best chocolate martinis I have EVER had in my life, plus all the fancy coffee, gelato, and wet bar items I could ever want.

[spookyfudge]

When are people going to stop believing OLD reviews ? ... :confused:

 

Sorry I cant take Opra every single night, no thanks!

[mvh]

I HAD almost had my mind made up...I was going to try MSC...I sat up late last night and read and watched reviews of the Seaside...OH BOY...they are not good at all...now I'm disappointed....Just curious....who would put a pool on a ship that you can't stand up in....this was one of the deal breakers for me....among other things....so disappointing

 

 

 

Putting deep pools in is the smartest thing any cruise line has done. Think out it. Do you really want to stand shoulder to shoulder for hours in a giant toilet? Brilliant. Sit on the side and fall in when you’re too hot. Then when you can’t tread any more, get out and walk to the bathroom. No different than the swim up bars. Disgusting.

 

 

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[susan1957]

I just got off the Seaside yesterday. I was very impressed with it, especially being a Carnival cruiser (and NCL and Holland America). I thought the buffet far outshone Carnival's, but then again, I've never been impressed by Carnival's buffet. I think it's very poorly done, and tends to err on the side of casseroles and the Mongolian Wok stuff (which I think is on the level of school-cafeteria "Asian" food). If anything, MSC's buffet foods tend to be on the under-salted side, but that's easily fixed, as there are salt shakers on every table. The MSC pizza is generally as good as Carnival's newer pizza, plus you don't have to wait for it. The made-to-order omelettes in the buffet were very good, and so were the desserts and breads, especially the focaccia. I can't vouch for the dining room food, as we didn't dine there (my company on the cruise didn't like having to dress for dinner, so we generally did meals in the buffet). The steakhouse on MSC was good, but not as good as Carnival's. The Teppanyaki was excellent, though.

 

I enjoyed the live music on the Seaside. There was one guy that could play guitar very well. His singing was generally decent to good, but we had fun making fun of some of the songs he chose. We didn't do the big shows, but everything we caught bits of on board was enjoyable.

 

For me, MSC was a no-brainer. A nicer and newer ship than most Carnival ships, a balcony for the price of an inside room on Carnival, and drink package included. Now, I did go ahead and upgrade to the deluxe drink package, but that only cost me $180 for the entire cruise, and I think it was well worth it, as it included a wider variety of cocktails, including the best chocolate martinis I have EVER had in my life, plus all the fancy coffee, gelato, and wet bar items I could ever want.

Thank you for taking the time to write this review...it's refreshing to hear all the positives on the Seaside....

[riclop]

I HAD almost had my mind made up...I was going to try MSC...I sat up late last night and read and watched reviews of the Seaside...OH BOY...they are not good at all...now I'm disappointed....Just curious....who would put a pool on a ship that you can't stand up in....this was one of the deal breakers for me....among other things....so disappointing

Very true that is a very big disappointment all the pools are 6 ft 4 and above except for the YC pool which is not as deep.

[Hobby3333]

Very true that is a very big disappointment all the pools are 6 ft 4 and above except for the YC pool which is not as deep.

YC pool on Seaside was deep also. My wife and I enjoyed the pool more on Seaside than any other ship that we have been on. The Seaside was without a doubt the very best cruise vacation ever and I have been on 15 Carnival. Going back in July 19 and taking our 16 year old son and 20 year old daughter. We got them an inside in YC and my wife and I will be back in deluxe YC. But, if you are not sure then stay with what you know.

[Tatka]

Sorry I cant take Opra every single night, no thanks!

 

 

Who is doing opera (you don’t have to capitalize) every single night? There is one show - not even always evening show - which offers some opera songs.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Sorry I cant take Opra every single night, no thanks!

 

Whaaaaaaaaaat??? Try sailing on Seaside so you won’t have that problem.

[kodesthemoose]

BINGO! One of the reviews was Jim Zim's...but what does he know! Probably wasn't even on the ship....

 

Wow, what's with the snark? Obviously he was on the ship. I don't know anything about Jim Zim other than that I've read a couple of his posts and have watched two videos (not a fan of his voice, so I watched just to find out about those particular ships). No one suggested he didn't know what he was talking about - just that many of those things have been fixed.

[DipBrat]

Sounds like Jim Zim’s review. Many have commented that most of the things he doesn’t like have been addressed. I thought his complaint about the buffet at dinner being poor was odd but then I would never choose to eat at the buffet for dinner. I read another review by deb (search going places with deb for her blog) and she addressed this by explaining that for Italians, dinner is a family gathering meant to be leisurely and not rushed so the buffet isn’t their top priority.

 

I thought Jim's review was very good. He explained his complaints so when it comes to food it was not enough salt, Italian style pizza ( both sound good to me) and limited choices in the buffet. He made a good observation that the buffet seemed to be designed only for kids (and Americans) as you say Italians would never rush through the buffet on vacation. This last point is somewhat concerning for me as with small kids usually half the time we will have dinner in the buffet. I am booked for my first MSC cruise in YC room which should negate some of this though I still might be missing an first rate buffet that some other ships have. Every cruise or vacation has pros and cons.

 

His comments on the shows were also good. I might also prefer stand-up comedy and big Broadway-style productions if I had the choice. This has usually been a highlight of our cruises, but we go to actual Broadway shows at least once a year and usually don't have time to see much stand-up on a cruise anyway. Regardless I am looking forward to seeing something new and also having short shows that allows us to split up sometimes taking a kid sometimes going alone without being gone to long.

 

Overall if you don't like change and especially haven't really traveled much MSC might not be for you. I think he makes a good point that MSC is still not designed entirely for North Americans. There are some other legitimate downsides for some people but the lack of salt is really easy to remedy.

[max996]

I too had concerns before my family's first cruise with MSC aboard the Divina a few years ago. Coming from NCL Haven Class, and Disney Concierge Class our expectations were high. I almost canceled our first cruise with MSC because of the negative reviews and their terrible website and customer service reps. But we upgraded to the Yacht Club instead and once we gained access to their shoreside concierge service afforded to Yacht Club passengers, we never looked back. I am so glad we didn't cancel that first cruise, because I've discovered probably the best kept secret in the Caribbean - MSC Yacht Club. In my opinion, it is far superior to both NCL and Disney upscale cruise offerings, and at a price that can't be matched in the industry.

Yes, the pools are 6 feet deep but everyone in my family can swim and you come to expect crowded pools anyway on any cruise ship. But in the Yacht Club you have access to a private pool, and the Top Sail Lounge is first class all the way. I'd urge everyone to give it a try.

[susan1957]

I too had concerns before my family's first cruise with MSC aboard the Divina a few years ago. Coming from NCL Haven Class, and Disney Concierge Class our expectations were high. I almost canceled our first cruise with MSC because of the negative reviews and their terrible website and customer service reps. But we upgraded to the Yacht Club instead and once we gained access to their shoreside concierge service afforded to Yacht Club passengers, we never looked back. I am so glad we didn't cancel that first cruise, because I've discovered probably the best kept secret in the Caribbean - MSC Yacht Club. In my opinion, it is far superior to both NCL and Disney upscale cruise offerings, and at a price that can't be matched in the industry.

Yes, the pools are 6 feet deep but everyone in my family can swim and you come to expect crowded pools anyway on any cruise ship. But in the Yacht Club you have access to a private pool, and the Top Sail Lounge is first class all the way. I'd urge everyone to give it a try.

Sounds wonderful to give Yacht a try..but unfortunately not everyone can afford that...:(

[CruisingFox27]

I too had concerns before my family's first cruise with MSC aboard the Divina a few years ago. Coming from NCL Haven Class, and Disney Concierge Class our expectations were high. I almost canceled our first cruise with MSC because of the negative reviews and their terrible website and customer service reps. But we upgraded to the Yacht Club instead and once we gained access to their shoreside concierge service afforded to Yacht Club passengers, we never looked back. I am so glad we didn't cancel that first cruise, because I've discovered probably the best kept secret in the Caribbean - MSC Yacht Club. In my opinion, it is far superior to both NCL and Disney upscale cruise offerings, and at a price that can't be matched in the industry.

Yes, the pools are 6 feet deep but everyone in my family can swim and you come to expect crowded pools anyway on any cruise ship. But in the Yacht Club you have access to a private pool, and the Top Sail Lounge is first class all the way. I'd urge everyone to give it a try.

 

Max please don't, prices are increasing and availability is reducing because people are recommending YC. Tell everyone it's terrible and not to book, please ;););)

[JAGR]

Couldn't agree more! In order to help save other poor wretches from having to endure the horror of MSC YC, my DW and I have booked back-to-back cruises on Seaside for both next year and the year after. We will suffer there and save others from having to take those room nights. Trying to help control the availability. You're welcome.

 

quote=CruisingFox27;56772241]Max please don't, prices are increasing and availability is reducing because people are recommending YC. Tell everyone it's terrible and not to book, please ;););)

[jody75]

Thank you for taking the time to write this review...it's refreshing to hear all the positives on the Seaside....

Does that mean you've changed your mind. I don't believe another thread will help !!:confused:

[susan1957]

Actually....I have changed my mind...I'm going to book the Seaside, thanks to all you wonderful people....Have a great day!

[JAGR]

You won't regret it. If you can get YC, do it. We are doing our B2B cruises in YC at less than a Carnival balcony for two weeks. If not, try and do Aurea. It's like having a Carnival balcony room, a Cheers package (without the 15 drink cap), priority Anytime Dining, and your own private Serenity area (you don't have to 'mark' your territory, since there are ample padded chaises for those with the Aurea experience as well as attendants and plush towels). It is a very good deal if you don't want to go YC. Have a great cruise, and I appreciate your patience with some of the ruder responses you were given. We, too, had ten plus cruises on Carnival. We don't plan on going back soon, although we enjoyed our cruises with them. Just so much more satisfied with our MSC cruises to date. Take care, John

Actually....I have changed my mind...I'm going to book the Seaside, thanks to all you wonderful people....Have a great day!

[susan1957]

You won't regret it. If you can get YC, do it. We are doing our B2B cruises in YC at less than a Carnival balcony for two weeks. If not, try and do Aurea. It's like having a Carnival balcony room, a Cheers package (without the 15 drink cap), priority Anytime Dining, and your own private Serenity area (you don't have to 'mark' your territory, since there are ample padded chaises for those with the Aurea experience as well as attendants and plush towels). It is a very good deal if you don't want to go YC. Have a great cruise, and I appreciate your patience with some of the ruder responses you were given. We, too, had ten plus cruises on Carnival. We don't plan on going back soon, although we enjoyed our cruises with them. Just so much more satisfied with our MSC cruises to date. Take care, John

Thank you so much John...appreciate your kind words and I know I will have a wonderful time, have a great day!

[GOLDENBONNY]

I HAD almost had my mind made up...I was going to try MSC...I sat up late last night and read and watched reviews of the Seaside...OH BOY...they are not good at all...now I'm disappointed....Just curious....who would put a pool on a ship that you can't stand up in....this was one of the deal breakers for me....among other things....so disappointing

I am glad pools are deep and no hordes of people sitting there for hours .

[GOLDENBONNY]

Sorry I cant take Opra every single night, no thanks!

 

MSC never had Opera every night . Just because some one singing does not make it opera, apparently not all Americans new that.:rolleyes:

[jody75]

Sorry I cant take Oprah every single night, no thanks!

Winfrey is a bit much for us every night as well ;)

[TrinaLC]

BINGO! One of the reviews was Jim Zim's...but what does he know! Probably wasn't even on the ship....

 

 

 

It is actually a very informative review, and he was on the ship. I just found though that most of what he complained about were not negatives to me at all. For example, he derided the pizza and is an avowed buffet not MDR diner. I thought the pizza was great, and am an MDR type diner so his complaints about sparse dinner buffet did not resonate. Same with his complaints about the entertainment. (Ps the diner buffet complaint was in any event resolved.)

 

 

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