MSC service cutbacks over the years

[JetGreen]

Took my first cruise a decade ago in 2011: a week on the Western Mediterranean on the MSC Sinfonia. What I remember most about that cruise was the excellent food: 5/6 course dinners focusing on a different Italian region every evening with an appetizer, starter/soup, pasta/risotto, main course, desert and cheese. Dinners nowadays are a much quicker and simpler (almost industrial) affair, but it got me thinking about what else has been cut over the years from the standard MSC experience (YC may still have some of these):

 

- Baked Alaska parade at dinner (still remember it on a 2013/2014 cruise);

- Late evening/midnight gala buffet served on the open deck one night of the cruise (last seen around 2013 I think, at least on the smaller ships);

- Evening room turndown and fresh towels: probably what I miss the most. I think it was still done in 2019/2019 but no sign of it in 2021;

- Complimentary welcome cocktail(s) one evening early in the cruise (last seen in 2018/2019?);

- Bathrobes: don’t remember them ever being a regular offering on MSC but did have them once on the Presioza in 2013/2014;

- Drinks and especially drink packages going up in price dramatically (and decreasing in value due to reduced selection included).

 

Anything I have missed?

[Gatordad1967]

16 minutes ago, JetGreen said:

Took my first cruise a decade ago in 2011: a week on the Western Mediterranean on the MSC Sinfonia. What I remember most about that cruise was the excellent food: 5/6 course dinners focusing on a different Italian region every evening with an appetizer, starter/soup, pasta/risotto, main course, desert and cheese. Dinners nowadays are a much quicker and simpler (almost industrial) affair, but it got me thinking about what else has been cut over the years from the standard MSC experience (YC may still have some of these):

 

- Baked Alaska parade at dinner (still remember it on a 2013/2014 cruise);

- Late evening/midnight gala buffet served on the open deck one night of the cruise (last seen around 2013 I think, at least on the smaller ships);

- Evening room turndown and fresh towels: probably what I miss the most. I think it was still done in 2019/2019 but no sign of it in 2021;

- Complimentary welcome cocktail(s) one evening early in the cruise (last seen in 2018/2019?);

- Bathrobes: don’t remember them ever being a regular offering on MSC but did have them once on the Presioza in 2013/2014;

- Drinks and especially drink packages going up in price dramatically (and decreasing in value due to reduced selection included).

 

Anything I have missed?

maybe you should frequent a new line

[Matkustaja]

- variety of food both in dining room and in buffet was far greater before
- when people smoked in balconies they actually used to take action

- they used to provide entertainment near sail-away time (pier runners) 🙂- used to consistently offer little salty snacks with when ordering cocktails before dinner

Edited September 25, 2021 by Matkustaja

[Beamafar]

Loss of 20% discount for Black card members. 
 

Bottle of champagne reduced to Prosecco for same. 
 

Special rates for repositioning cruises. 

[shipgeeks]

Our first MSC cruise was in 2002.  The buffet at breakfast and lunch consisted of two items each.  We didn't learn until well into the 12 days that we should have gone to the dining room.

 There was no self-serve coffee other than at mealtime.  So the current offerings are far superior.

We had robes in our cabin in 2019.  Maybe a Black Card amenity?

 

[deliver42]

The only thing I can put in defense of MSC is the number of courses at dinner. People (Americans) used to complain about 2 hour dinners. They cut back on the courses, and now the dinner times are about the same as other cruise lines. Everything else the OP said is true, but I still sail them. Next cruise: Seashore in May.

[lambs2]

50 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Our first MSC cruise was in 2002.  The buffet at breakfast and lunch consisted of two items each.  We didn't learn until well into the 12 days that we should have gone to the dining room.

 There was no self-serve coffee other than at mealtime.  So the current offerings are far superior.

We had robes in our cabin in 2019.  Maybe a Black Card amenity?

 

Robes and slippers in 2019 for us but we are black card members too. I am going to miss the drink coupons we had as a Fantastica benefit that was AWESOME!

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

When we started to sail MSC Cruises in 2010 they offered no evening/dinner buffet at all. With our cruise experience from RCCL we're so surprised. The buffet restaurant was only open for breakfast and lunch and the offerings were much less than today. Today the buffet is open 20/24.

 

The only speciality restaurants were the Mexican steakhouse on the MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida. 

 

In other words, I think MSC has become much more international than before. They must have done something right as we are Diamond members. So there are not only cutbacks around. 

 

One cutback, the club members used to have a discount in the MSC Logo Shop, that one is gone. 

 

The most annoying cutback was the loss of the 20 % discount for Black Card Holders, as mentioned by @Beamafar

Edited September 25, 2021 by Norwegian Cruiser 73

[Beamafar]

A frustrating policy of MSC’s is the unwillingness to indicate a specific drinks package for YC guests.

 

A YC booking didn’t always include drinks outside of the enclave, of which, it could be argued, the introduction was a good move.  However, YC prices increased accordingly at the time. 

[Beamafar]

Another cutback is, when there are 2 Black/Diamond members in a cabin, only one gets a dinner for two in a specialty restaurant, when they used to each get one.

[JetGreen]

5 hours ago, Gatordad1967 said:

maybe you should frequent a new line

Not sure where that is coming from? I have cruised with other companies too, but my most recent MSC experience just got me thinking about what has changed over the years.

Edited September 25, 2021 by JetGreen

[styles27]

Honestly, our first cruise was in 1983ish and every single cruise line we’ve sailed with has made most of these same cutbacks. 
But guess what?  The price hasn’t changed much from the 1980’s so something had to give. 

[JetGreen]

5 hours ago, Matkustaja said:

- used to consistently offer little salty snacks with when ordering cocktails before dinner

 

Good point re the nuts and other salty snacks they used to consistently serve. Potato crips still seem to be available on request from some bars. 

 

1 hour ago, Norwegian Cruiser 73 said:

When we started to sail MSC Cruises in 2010 they offered no evening/dinner buffet at all. With our cruise experience from RCCL we're so surprised. The buffet restaurant was only open for breakfast and lunch and the offerings were much less than today. Today the buffet is open 20/24.

 

 

Even in 2012 on the Poesia, the dinner buffet was just a trial I think (and for some reason they noted every cabin going to the buffet). I might be wrong but I don't recall there being any dinner buffet on the Sinfonia in summer 2011.

 

[Beamafar]

A lot of other cruise lines have added higher tiers with better benefits to reward their loyal customers.   All MSC has done is eroded the benefits because of offering status match to people who’ve never sailed with them, with their loyal customers losing out as a result.  

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

A lot of other cruise lines have added higher tiers with better benefits to reward their loyal customers.

 

Many complaints about the Mariner Society Program of HAL.  Benefits have been static for some time.  Although, a"new" benefit has been added just this week for cruises booked for 2022 and 2023, but, I am unsure how much this will be appreciated.  (More onboard spending money.)

 

6 hours ago, JetGreen said:

Baked Alaska parade at dinner (still remember it on a 2013/2014 cruis

 

Can't be done anymore.  Open flames are a no-no.

 

6 hours ago, JetGreen said:

Late evening/midnight gala buffet served on the open deck

 

Thank you USPH.  After years and years of such buffets being offered on open decks as well as in the MDR, someone(s) at USPH became "quite concerned" about cold food not being able to be kept cold and hot food not being able to be kept hot.  (Anyone ever hear of many cruise guests getting food poisoning from dining from such buffets?)

 

5 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Our first MSC cruise was in 2002.  The buffet at breakfast and lunch consisted of two items each.  We didn't learn until well into the 12 days that we should have gone to the dining room.

 There was no self-serve coffee other than at mealtime.  So the current offerings are far superior.

 

Thanks for your post.  Your experience long predates my MSC experience.  It does seem to me that progress has been made in some areas.  

[JetGreen]

49 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

Can't be done anymore.  Open flames are a no-no.

 

 

Good point about the open flame. I seem to recall MSC doing a battery powered candle Baked Alaska parade at some point. Absolutely no idea of the year. 

[sidari]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

A lot of other cruise lines have added higher tiers with better benefits to reward their loyal customers.   All MSC has done is eroded the benefits because of offering status match to people who’ve never sailed with them, with their loyal customers losing out as a result.  

Not even a sniff of rewards for those who actually earned the Black card level by sailing with MSC! Another loss was an evening meal with the officers.

[vistaman]

since I started to cruise in 1983  and later on the luxury segment in 1990 the cruise world did change , including a lot of cutbacks. 

real luxurious gala buffets are gone on nearly every cruise line , on Crystal it is done ( pre covid ) when 4 seadays are involved  - however post covid may also history 

welcome aboard bottles of french champagne : on the premium lines nearly gone exception made for penthouses - even if you have a higher loyalty degree 

turndown service and bathrobes : only for penthouses  

charges for breakfast in cabin :  several lines do it 

bathroom amenities : replaced by dispensers  ( also done by a better hotel chain now ) 

even if you are in a top degree on a company doing regular transats you do receive basic brands of licor  and a poor party in view of the very high fare 

so it is not only MSC !! 

[Beamafar]

12 hours ago, styles27 said:

Deleted. 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

12 hours ago, styles27 said:

Honestly, our first cruise was in 1983ish and every single cruise line we’ve sailed with has made most of these same cutbacks. 
But guess what?  The price hasn’t changed much from the 1980’s so something had to give. 

 

Well, our first MSC cruise was in 2011.  Back then, you could get a balcony cabin for under €700 - it costs double or more now. 
 

We booked our first YC for €1250 pp, including flights.  A YC1 costs twice that now without the flights. 
 

MSC used to have a promotion for repos: 30/35/40.   They were the prices per day for inside/ocean view/balcony.   Those prices are now only a distant memory as repo prices have now fallen in line with season itineraries.  

Edited September 26, 2021 by Beamafar

[ready2cruzagain]

18 hours ago, lambs2 said:

Robes and slippers in 2019 for us but we are black card members too. I am going to miss the drink coupons we had as a Fantastica benefit that was AWESOME!

Yes it is a Black Card Benefit, we had them in Dec. 2019

[styles27]

5 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

Well, our first MSC cruise was in 2011.  Back then, you could get a balcony cabin for under €700 - it costs double or more now. 
 

We booked our first YC for €1250 pp, including flights.  A YC1 costs twice that now without the flights. 
 

MSC used to have a promotion for repos: 30/35/40.   They were the prices per day for inside/ocean view/balcony.   Those prices are now only a distant memory as repo prices have now fallen in line with season itineraries.  

It depends when you book.

 

For our upcoming7 day  Divina cruise in November we are paying $1500and change total for two of us in a Fantastica balcony rear facing aft on deck 11 with the Easy Plus and WiFi browsing package. 
I’ve seen balcony cabins on that sailing for as low as $359 depending on when you book there are always new promotions going on. 
In 1996 we took our two children from Boston to Bermuda on the old Majesty Cruise line for $799 each for me and hubby and the kids were $99 each. 
Summer 2019 we took our grandson on same itinerary but on NCL for the same exact price. 
 

Compared to the inflation we’ve seen in other areas, for us at least, cruise pricing has not changed much. 
Now when we get onboard we do eat at specialty restaurants 3-4 nights so factoring in the cost of that it comes out to a few hundred dollars more because in the 80’s and 90’s we didn’t have those options on cruise ships

Back then the dining room food was similar to the meals we now have to pay for in the specialty restaurants. 

Edited September 26, 2021 by styles27
Spelling

[Geobugs]

MSC prices have decreased over the past decade.

MSC Meraviglia, August 13, 7 day cruise, balcony cabin, cabin fare $350 plus taxes and port charges.

MSC still has excellent food, sometimes you have to go to a specialty dining room to experience it.

Baked Alaska parade is a gimmick and a fire hazard.

Midnight gala buffet is a waste of good food.  I prefer pizza that late.

Cabin stewards cleaned our room two or three times per day, with an evening turn down.

 

None of these complaints are service related, it is product related, and since the price of cruising has decreased, just pay for it, it is still cheaper.

[Beamafar]

We don’t get prices like that here.  MSC’s focus is on building its market share in the US - hence the low prices and special promotions.  

[Geobugs]

5 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

Well, our first MSC cruise was in 2011.  Back then, you could get a balcony cabin for under €700 - it costs double or more now.

 

I just paid half of that for a balcony on MSC Meraviglia, August 13th.

November 21 MSC Divina 11 day cruise with balcony is $580.59pp plus fees. 

That is less than $53 per day.