MSC Seaside. A non-review type of review.

[footzz]

1 hour ago, jdvmd said:

Curious when your Bella cabin was assigned. I am sailing this Saturday and won an upgrade from a Bella Balcony to a S2 Suite. My cabin was assigned a few days ago. Friends of ours are traveling with us and booked two Bella balconies for three people (same reservation number) and their cabins still have not been assigned. MSC says it usually comes at the four-or five-day mark or it may be when they get to the ship.

 

I, too, would love to know what cabin you had.

 

 

Our original cabin was 9163. It was a guarantee booking that was assigned about a week after we booked.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

I have more questions....

How was the food in MDR? I know it's subjective... Did you take any pics? Menus? Do you remember any dishes that stood out in a good way? What about the buffet?

 

Any funny smells around the ship? Like cigarette smoke or sewer smell? I hated cigarette smoke on Jade and Getaway  - it permeated the entire decks...

 

How crowded was the ship? Just your personal opinion? Comparing to another ship.

 

MSC has a good price on both Seaside and Meravigia for Thanksgiving 2020, and I don't know if I should take the plunge. Our first time with MSC will be next April, and it's on Mera. At Thanksgiving, Mera has a different itinerary, but Seaside has the same itinerary we'll be on in April.

 

I am not at all sure Mera will meet our very low expectations next April and I am hesitant to book another MSC cruise before experiencing it myself firtst. I am undecided on whether we should do the same itinerary but on Seaside, or a different itinerary but on Mera next November. Or wait and see if other cruise lines come to their senses and lower their prices to a reasonable level.

[CarolR]

We just got off the transatlantic sailing of the Meraviglia. We are seasoned cruisers on several lines and can unequivocally say we will not give MSC any more of our money. That being said we overall enjoyed the cruise as the itinerary was amazing.  The ship is stunning and the food was good. Service in the dining room was ok after the first few days but tended to be on the slow side. The poor waiters were running in with the printed menus and trying to put them together while people ate already seated at their tables. 

Wash clothes are not available until requested and paper products in the bathroom are not plentiful.  We needed to ask for toilet paper a few times.

Once we left iceland for north America no TV was available.  I guess for some it doesn't matter but we like to retreat to our cabin at the end of the day to catch the news or watch some sports.  The internet was painful at times.  Calls to guest services did nothing. 

We had aurea cabins with spa access. For three days both therapy pools were not available. One of the steam rooms wasn't working for a few days and when I mentioned it to the spa staff they said it was because I apparently didnt close the door properly?? 

We enquired at guest services about shuttles to LaGuardia and self debarkation. We were told there was no shuttle available until after 9 and they dont have self debarkation.  Lo and behold they called self debarkation at around 7 and the first shuttle was at 7:30.

My overall impression was one indifference. We spoke to so many North Americans who said this was there first and last MSC cruise.

 

 

 

[footzz]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I have more questions....

How was the food in MDR? I know it's subjective... Did you take any pics? Menus? Do you remember any dishes that stood out in a good way? What about the buffet?

 

Sorry, no pics. The food in the MDR was okay. There was only one dish that really stood out. It was the Veal Scallopini. The only fish they got right was the Salmon on the “everyday” menu. All of the others were way over cooked.  We only visited the buffets when the MDR was closed on port days. As far as the buffets, the quality/taste of the food was about the same as the MDR. The only thing that was memorable in the buffet was the Giardiniera at the Pizza station, otherwise, it was also hit or miss.

Any funny smells around the ship? Like cigarette smoke or sewer smell? I hated cigarette smoke on Jade and Getaway  - it permeated the entire decks...

The only occasional weird smells we encountered were in the lavatories. The only smoking allowed indoors was in the Casino and only on one side. The smell would waft out a bit, but overall, it wasn't as bad as we've encountered on other ships.

How crowded was the ship? Just your personal opinion? Comparing to another ship.

 

Considering the passenger load, the only times the ship felt really crowded, was during performances in the Atrium and the onboard sale events. Those sales were an absolute circus.

MSC has a good price on both Seaside and Meravigia for Thanksgiving 2020, and I don't know if I should take the plunge. Our first time with MSC will be next April, and it's on Mera. At Thanksgiving, Mera has a different itinerary, but Seaside has the same itinerary we'll be on in April.

 

I am not at all sure Mera will meet our very low expectations next April and I am hesitant to book another MSC cruise before experiencing it myself firtst. I am undecided on whether we should do the same itinerary but on Seaside, or a different itinerary but on Mera next November. Or wait and see if other cruise lines come to their senses and lower their prices to a reasonable level.

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

thank you, footzz!