Rare Stockjock Posted September 15, 2022 #1 Share Posted September 15, 2022 (edited) So far, everything has been very good. We are pulling into Ferrol, Spain this morning. We are in an aft cabin on the 14th deck. I have noticed definite improvement on board, in terms of the onboard experience. I will write a full review once I return, but if anybody has any questions, feel free to ask. Edited September 15, 2022 by Stockjock 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perakcruiser Posted September 15, 2022 #2 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Very nice! Enjoy your cruise, looking forward to the review. Where on board you catched that amazing crayfish pasta? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 15, 2022 Author #3 Share Posted September 15, 2022 (edited) It’s actually lobster and it is a $17.50 per person upsell in the specialty French restaurant. The choices were pretty limited on the standard tasting trilogy menu, so I thought it was probably worth it. Edited September 15, 2022 by Stockjock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 15, 2022 Author #4 Share Posted September 15, 2022 For anyone interested, I guess there are about 3800 passengers on board and I think this ship can hold somewhere around 6000 passengers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelwide Posted September 15, 2022 #5 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Who is the YC director and HD? Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 15, 2022 Author #6 Share Posted September 15, 2022 I don’t know who most of these people are. The entertainment Director is kind of a tall woman from Germany but other than that I’m not really sure. We are not in the yacht club so I don’t know what’s going on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racephoto Posted September 15, 2022 #7 Share Posted September 15, 2022 I'm on here too. I got off the Island Princess in Copenhagen and jumped on the Grandiosa. I stay on for another 3 days at the end of this sailing, Barcelona -Genoa- Barcelona, then I hop on the Meraviglia back to Port Canaveral, ending my 140 day European adventure, 134 days of which will be on cruise ships. So far, honestly, I'm not loving the Grandiosa. I'm calling it just OK. I can't believe that there's only 3,800 people on the ship, it feels like WAY more. It's so darn loud!! I enjoyed my Divina cruises more, but that's just me. Looking forward to seeing if the Mera is different. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 15, 2022 Author #8 Share Posted September 15, 2022 1 hour ago, racephoto said: I'm on here too. I got off the Island Princess in Copenhagen and jumped on the Grandiosa. I stay on for another 3 days at the end of this sailing, Barcelona -Genoa- Barcelona, then I hop on the Meraviglia back to Port Canaveral, ending my 140 day European adventure, 134 days of which will be on cruise ships. So far, honestly, I'm not loving the Grandiosa. I'm calling it just OK. I can't believe that there's only 3,800 people on the ship, it feels like WAY more. It's so darn loud!! I enjoyed my Divina cruises more, but that's just me. Looking forward to seeing if the Mera is different. We also get off in Barcelona. So far, we do like the ship. The service is not quite up to Celebrity’s standards, but it’s a big improvement since our last couple of Cruises on MSC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adogaer2 Posted September 15, 2022 #9 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Do you find that the staff on the ship speak English? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cellfree Posted September 15, 2022 #10 Share Posted September 15, 2022 6 hours ago, Stockjock said: For anyone interested, I guess there are about 3800 passengers on board and I think this ship can hold somewhere around 6000 passengers. Who is the Captain, Massa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunagoras Posted September 15, 2022 #11 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Well: Nice review, so far. Have a nice sailing! Hope that at least the check-in process was at least relatively expedited now with the covid documents review. Curious to know in what way have them sort of improved the overall experience. With the current overall tourism industry lack of employees crisis it is difficult to improve whatever else, and MSC is not sadly an exception. Wonderful to know, that at least they're readapting themselves. And just another question: Are they offering any replacement for the departed paid for Cirque du Soleil show? Have a nice sailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bildoug Posted September 15, 2022 #12 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Thanks for the review and pics, keep them coming. We board in Barcelona on 10/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirWolf Posted September 15, 2022 #13 Share Posted September 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Nunagoras said: And just another question: Are they offering any replacement for the departed paid for Cirque du Soleil show? CAROUSEL PRODUCTION AT SEA is performing 2 shows in the Carousel Longe on deck 7 . • Carousel Productions at Sea SWEET show! including Signature Cocktail $12 per person (MSC USA website) • Carousel Productions at Sea STRING show! including Signature Cocktail $12 per person (MSC USA website) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwtobek Posted September 15, 2022 #14 Share Posted September 15, 2022 13 hours ago, Stockjock said: So far, everything has been very good. We are pulling into Ferrol, Spain this morning. We are in an aft cabin on the 14th deck. I have noticed definite improvement on board, in terms of the onboard experience. I will write a full review once I return, but if anybody has any questions, feel free to ask. Thanks for the photos, very much appreciated! It looks like we're going to relay on the ship, as we're embarking on the 25th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 16, 2022 Author #15 Share Posted September 16, 2022 16 hours ago, SirWolf said: CAROUSEL PRODUCTION AT SEA is performing 2 shows in the Carousel Longe on deck 7 . • Carousel Productions at Sea SWEET show! including Signature Cocktail $12 per person (MSC USA website) • Carousel Productions at Sea STRING show! including Signature Cocktail $12 per person (MSC USA website) We thought that the sweet show was poor and the string show was decent. But neither compare to Cirque du Soleil. Not even close. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nufc Posted September 16, 2022 #16 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Can I ask what was the testing requirement before this cruise, I'm reading conflicting information on what is required for Mediterranean MSC cruises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 16, 2022 Author #17 Share Posted September 16, 2022 5 minutes ago, Nufc said: Can I ask what was the testing requirement before this cruise, I'm reading conflicting information on what is required for Mediterranean MSC cruises Remember this is a European sailing so the rules may be different than out of the USA, but we had to have a negative Covid test taken no more than two days before boarding, which was really more like three, because the day of embarkation is not included. We found a test center that was about $20 US per person and gave us results in maybe half an hour. You could get a paper result and the euro digital certificate. When we boarded, they asked us for that proof of a negative result and they also asked us for proof that we had been vaccinated. And other than that, it was a very quick process to get on the ship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 16, 2022 Author #18 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Here are a few more photos for the heck of it…Here are a few more photos for the heck of it. Today we are off the coast of Portugal with a stop in Lisbon tomorrow. The weather has been decent, mostly cloudy although we had a warm day yesterday in Ferrol. We are doing the walking tour of Lisbon and wine tasting tomorrow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racephoto Posted September 16, 2022 #19 Share Posted September 16, 2022 1 hour ago, Nufc said: Can I ask what was the testing requirement before this cruise, I'm reading conflicting information on what is required for Mediterranean MSC cruises This was actually classified as a Northern Europe sailing. Since the guidelines for that said home tests were not allowed, I got tested on the Island Princess so it was face-to-face. I had used E-Med for all my other cruises without issue, but since Princess would do it, I went that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racephoto Posted September 16, 2022 #20 Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) That’s hilarious. You were sitting in front of me at the piano concert. 😂 I really enjoyed the ventriloquist. I wondered how that was going to work with all the different languages, but I thought it was really good. Edited September 16, 2022 by racephoto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no1talks Posted September 16, 2022 #21 Share Posted September 16, 2022 1 hour ago, Stockjock said: "...tour of Lisbon and wine tasting tomorrow." I'm a bit envious. The fortified wines of the Iberian Peninsula are high on my list of adult beverages. I hope the tasting inclues Madeiras and ports. Cheers! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeroplex Posted September 16, 2022 #22 Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) Worth to mention, if you have a speciality package you can get both show for 5 € on board 😉 @Stockjock Do you know if the 39€ for the butchers cut menu is already the total price or do they add 15% on top? Could you pls ask for me. I booked a second cruise with Grandiosa. This time no speciality package^^ Thanks Edited September 16, 2022 by Aeroplex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwtobek Posted September 16, 2022 #23 Share Posted September 16, 2022 2 hours ago, Stockjock said: which was really more like three, because the day of embarkation is not included. Is it so? Always thought it was 2 days, whatever time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 16, 2022 Author #24 Share Posted September 16, 2022 42 minutes ago, Aeroplex said: Worth to mention, if you have a speciality package you can get both show for 5 € on board 😉 @Stockjock Do you know if the 39€ for the butchers cut menu is already the total price or do they add 15% on top? Could you pls ask for me. I booked a second cruise with Grandiosa. This time no speciality package^^ Thanks I am not sure but usually if you book in advance the gratuity is included and if you book on board it may not be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted September 16, 2022 Author #25 Share Posted September 16, 2022 24 minutes ago, iwtobek said: Is it so? Always thought it was 2 days, whatever time. For example let’s say your cruise leaves on Friday, you could do it Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. We did it the first day fairly early in the morning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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