Back from Seaview...Attempting to Answer Burning Questions...Ask away

[petuniaflower]

10 hours ago, sailco said:

Also just off the Seaview but Fantastica Experience with a pre purchased easy beverage package. Very different experience to sailing Yacht Club of course. This was our first MSC cruise but we were status matched to a black card.

 

Our cruise was Barcelona return with a new port every day. This is quite tiring if you want to explore. We took 3 ship's excursions and they were the best we've ever taken with any cruise line.

 

We were disappointed with the food in the MDR. Uninteresting and tasteless. Ate one night in Ocean Cay and the food came hot, beautifully presented and full of flavour.

 

We didn't find the easy beverage package to be as bad as some people say. There was a nice pinot grigio and cabernet savignon. Not a great beer choice with Heinikin being MSC preferred beer. If you like it you'll be happy. Lots of wonderful coffee, juice and water.

 

We found the crew a bit unhappy and that reflected in their approach to the passengers. Happy to answer questions.

 

We will be doing that itinerary, which excursions did you do?

 

Any pics of menus in MDR?  Was it a lack of options, or actually tasted bad?

 

Any experience getting a mixed drink with easy pkg or did you stick to wine and beer?

 

Thx

[sailco]

3 hours ago, petuniaflower said:

We will be doing that itinerary, which excursions did you do?

 

Any pics of menus in MDR?  Was it a lack of options, or actually tasted bad?

 

Any experience getting a mixed drink with easy pkg or did you stick to wine and beer?

 

Thx

Ajaccio - Discover the Calanques. It was wonderful and covered almost half the island! Excellent guides - English and Spanish.

We have visited Florence and Rome before so chose in La Spezia - The National Park of Cinque Terre, and in Civitavecchia - Tuscania and Tarquinia. The Cinque Terre was especially fabulous and we only had one English speaking guide.

 

The MDR menus don't have a huge amount of choice but we found the food fairly plain and warm rather than near hot. There are many more choices in the buffet which operates all day.

 

We're wine and beer drinkers so no cocktails but the Sports Bar staff in particular are excellent and will explain the package to you. The central bar is where all the excitement happens but it's noisy and crowded and difficult to work out your options. Have a really good look at the drinks menu and you'll be fine.

 

[madeleinesmommy]

Thank you so much for answering questions about the Seaview!  We will be on the boat in mid July and I have a few questions for you.  However, I notice that you were in the YC, so you may not be able to answer some of my questions, but maybe someone else can weigh in?

 

1.  We have booked the Fantasia experience that shows us getting 12 drink vouchers.  We have also booked the Easy drink package for my husband and myself and the non alcoholic package for our two kids (13 and 16).  When figuring out the math, the easy package is $490 for the two of us.  We understand that the easy package is for drinks up to $6.  So for us, assuming every drink we order is $6, we would have to drink 13-15 drinks per day.  That seems excessive.  Does it make sense for us to cancel this and just order the drinks a la carte?  Can you speak to the drink menus in the main part of the ship and how expensive the drinks are?  Also, how does it work with the easy package being eligible for drinks up to $6USD, when the drinks on the menu are in Euros?  Do they convert and tell you which drinks are eligible based on the conversion (that seems crazy, but I can't see how they would calculate this otherwise...)

 

2.  Can you speak to the activities on the boat that are included in the fun pass (zipline, bowling alley, F1 simulator, movie theatre.)

-Is there always a huge line up for the zipline?

-How much does the bowling alley cost for a game?  Is it per person or to book the lane?

-I've heard that the F1 simulator is often broken down - is this true?

-What kind of movies were shown in the movie theatre?

 

I ask these questions because of my kids.  We will be having busy days at each port and I assume that when we get back on the ship, they are going to want to try out some of the activities.

 

Thank you!

 

[2013cruiser2013]

We didn't do any of the activities on the ship, so I can't comment on that. I can't comment on the drink prices either since we were in YC, though  I can say that I am sure that I approached that number of drinks a day when I include cappuccinos, soft drinks, and bottles of water, along with wine and mixed drinks.

[Beamafar]

I don't suppose you noticed if the Excursions people offered a tour to Rome, ending at the airport, for those disembarking at that port?

 

Perhaps someone else who'll be on Seaview before us (we'll be on 28th August) could find out if they're checking out excursions while onboard, please?

 

 

On 5/30/2019 at 11:15 PM, madeleinesmommy said:

Also, how does it work with the easy package being eligible for drinks up to $6USD, when the drinks on the menu are in Euros?  Do they convert and tell you which drinks are eligible based on the conversion (that seems crazy, but I can't see how they would calculate this otherwise...)

 

 

The prices on the menus for European sailings are in Euros and the price limit is €6 on drinks with the 'Easy' package.  I don't recall seeing a thread with the current drinks menus (€) yet, so can't offer a link for you to see what will be included.

 

For answers to your other questions, I would suggest that you start a new thread in case others who may know the answers haven't seen your post here.

[sailco]

There is only one white and one red wine under 6 euro and two beers ..heinikin and Amstel light. Limited choice of cocktails but we found the easy package worked for us once we included good coffee and water.

[Beamafar]

On 5/27/2019 at 7:41 AM, sailco said:

Ajaccio - Discover the Calanques. It was wonderful and covered almost half the island! Excellent guides - English and Spanish.

 

  

I've just booked this excursion on foot of this!  😊

[kodesthemoose]

I can confirm, having sailed Seaview May 25-June 1 that nothing at Venchi was included with YC, except for gelato.  In fact we were told by Venchi staff that no packages are honoured for drinks at Venchi.  

[sailco]

On 6/4/2019 at 8:18 PM, Beamafar said:

  

I've just booked this excursion on foot of this!  😊

You'll love it! When are you sailing?

[Beamafar]

21 minutes ago, sailco said:

You'll love it! When are you sailing?

 

We're embarking in Civitavecchia on Aug 28th.  The only class of ship we haven't tried yet, so really looking forward to it.

[WonderMan3]

On 6/6/2019 at 3:20 PM, kodesthemoose said:

I can confirm, having sailed Seaview May 25-June 1 that nothing at Venchi was included with YC, except for gelato.  In fact we were told by Venchi staff that no packages are honoured for drinks at Venchi.  

 

Are the Venchi drinks really that good? I assume you could get a Chocolate Martini made at any other bar. It might not be with Venchi chocolate but it could still be tasty. I make them at home with a chocolate liqueur.

[WonderMan3]

On 5/27/2019 at 2:41 AM, sailco said:

Ajaccio - Discover the Calanques. It was wonderful and covered almost half the island! Excellent guides - English and Spanish.

 

 

Quick question. What time did your tour depart? I have booked this excursion but it does not indicate what time it departs just that it's 5 hours long. We arrive in Ajaccio at 12pm and all aboard time is 6pm so our depart time is going to have to be 12, 12:30 or 1. It would be helpful to know in advance in order to figure out lunch for that day. Might need to have a big breakfast if it leaves at 12 or 12:30.

[sailco]

MSC don't tell you the departure time until you're onboard 🙃. I can't remember what time we left the ship but I know we got back with less than an hour before all aboard. From memory we had a big breakfast and I recall having a protein bar or two along the way.

The tour stops a few times with options to purchase food and drink. There was a supermarket at the first stop and wine, coffee, meals and snacks at the Calanques. On the way back we stopped at a locally famous cafe where we were given a drink......wine, coffee or soda.....and many people purchased a meal. It was about an hour home from here so very late lunch.

 

 

[sailco]

Found the Daily Planner from our last day onboard. 

[jamon]

Can you tell me if they served Corned Beef, and also Chicken and Dumplings in the Yacht Club.......really like these two items...thanks😋

[Beamafar]

I've never seen either on an MSC menu - let alone in YC - so I would doubt very much that they're served in YC on Seaview.

[2013cruiser2013]

4 hours ago, jamon said:

Can you tell me if they served Corned Beef, and also Chicken and Dumplings in the Yacht Club.......really like these two items...thanks😋

They didn’t have either when we were on. In fact the only time I’ve ever seen corned beef on a MDR menu was on a Royal Carribbean sailing at Christmas time that coincided with Hannukkah. 

[jamon]

2013cruiser2013:  Thanks for the reply...we also cruise Royal Caribbean sometimes and that might be what I was thinking especially about the corned beef...great info from you so far about the Seaview...thanks😍

[andymattmom]

What type of YC cabin were you in? We are sailing the Seaview YC in May 2020

[2013cruiser2013]

6 minutes ago, andymattmom said:

What type of YC cabin were you in? We are sailing the Seaview YC in May 2020

We were on deck 16 in a Deluxe Suite. We enjoyed the room. It had decent storage, and a good sized balcony. 

[andymattmom]

12 minutes ago, 2013cruiser2013 said:

We were on deck 16 in a Deluxe Suite. We enjoyed the room. It had decent storage, and a good sized balcony. 

Can I ask what number? 

 

[blueboys24]

sorry newbie msc cruiser, just wandering if im right in thinking that if i have the fantasia experience that i will still be able

to purchse a drinks package before we cruise. im just looking to book for next year and normally cruise rcl so a bit new to msc.

thanks for any information.

[sailco]

3 hours ago, blueboys24 said:

sorry newbie msc cruiser, just wandering if im right in thinking that if i have the fantasia experience that i will still be able

to purchse a drinks package before we cruise. im just looking to book for next year and normally cruise rcl so a bit new to msc.

thanks for any information.

Yes, and it's best to purchase before you sail to avoid the extra 15% tax.

[RachelSwiss]

On 5/2/2019 at 3:46 PM, Beamafar said:

Thanks for the report.  We're looking forward to trying YC on Seaview in Aug/Sept.  Was there a sommelier in the restaurant, and, if so, was he attentive?  How were the wine offerings?

If you order a bottle of wine, a sommelier will be there in the YC. It was like that on the Seaview last year.