Carnival couple thinking about trying MSC

[MisterOJ2]

Hey guys.

 

So after several years of being pretty loyal to Carnival, my wife and I are looking into maybe trying a cruise on the Meraviglia this spring. We've also cruised on Royal and Disney in the past. I'm mostly wondering what can I expect to be the major differences when going from Carnival to MSC?

 

We're also trying to decide if we should go with the rate that includes the mid-level alcohol package and wifi or not. We've used Cheers on Carnival a couple times and enjoyed it, but never really got our money's worth out of it. So on our last cruise, we just bought whatever drinks we wanted as we went and came out really ahead. Mostly, we like have a couple glasses of wine at dinner and a few times a week, we enjoyed stopping by the Alchemy bar for 2-3 cocktails. (We also like getting coffee drinks from the coffee bar, but those usually don't include alcohol.)

 

I know this is pretty vague, but basically any insights about the ship and MSC in general when compared to Carnival would be really appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[rkacruiser]

MSC and Carnival has similarities.  Italian Officers and International Crew; very good, diverse entertainment, beautiful ships, and ships are well designed for guest movement from venue to venue (for the most part).  The exception to this on Meraviglia is when the show in the Main Theater is over, the crowd in the elevator foyer is very large.  But, once getting through that throng of humanity, the rest of the ship on that deck is easily accessible.  

 

MSC's pizza is better than Carnival.  MSC's service is uniformly very good and personable.  (I have no complaint about Carnival's service.)  Drinks on MSC may be better made.  As a YC Guest on Meraviglia, cuisine was excellent; when I walked through the Buffet restaurant, what food I saw looked very good.  Pastas are delicious.  (How many ways can Risotto be made!)  

 

Pool decks are very nice with lots of loungers.  And, the pool deck games, at the Mid-Ship's pool, were fun to watch and different than anything that I have seen on Carnival.  

 

I am glad that I chose to sail on MSC Meraviglia.  

[Two Wheels Only]

I can only give my personal experience but I preferred RCCL over Carnival.

NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club over RCCL. 

 

If taking Haven and Yacht Club out of the mix, I'd put RCCL and NCL slightly over MSC with Carnival still coming in last. A lot of it has to do with the ship choice, though. 

 

I actually enjoyed Meraviglia more than I thought that I would. I put Seaside and Seashore over Meraviglia but the gap isn't as large as I thought that it would be. I haven't sailed on a Meraviglia Plus ship but I'm sure that I would if it was an option. I'll also try a World Class ship when one comes to Miami. 

 

2 hours ago, MisterOJ2 said:

We're also trying to decide if we should go with the rate that includes the mid-level alcohol package and wifi or not. We've used Cheers on Carnival a couple times and enjoyed it, but never really got our money's worth out of it. So on our last cruise, we just bought whatever drinks we wanted as we went and came out really ahead.

 

This varies by individual so looking at the price difference vs. what you might typically spend on drinks will tell you if it's better to take the higher price with the promos. I'd rather know what I'm paying ahead of time and not worry (as much) about buying drinks a la carte. 

 

I've never eaten in a MSC MDR but from what I saw on the menus, I would easily find things to eat. My kids and I have grabbed a few things while walking through the buffet and the food was fine.

 

I think that most complaints about MSC food are based on MSC being "different" than what people (usually American) are used to. Kids who are used to mozzarella sticks from their school cafeteria might freak out when the waiter brings mozzarella di bufala. MSC pizza is the best at sea but ordering "pepperoni" might get actual peppers instead of meat circles. You can get either but make yourself clear when ordering. I was a bit confused when I saw that a whole pizza was cut into slices of 4 instead of the usual 8 (in America) but then I learned why it is.

 

If you go with an open mind and are willing to roll with the punches on some of MSC's weirdness as far as shoreside customer service and IT departments, I think that you'll enjoy MSC.  

[1kaper]

There was a good thread recently that covers a lot. It was a couple pages back though. 
 

 

i find the drinks and wifi package is generally a pretty decent price out of the US.  It is a lot easier to get your money’s worth than carnival.  If I were you I’d compare the two prices and decide. Sometimes it is only $100 or 2 in the difference to get the drink package. Would you drink that much during the cruise? 

[mawvkysc]

The drink package you asked about includes lattes, cappuccinos etc (except at the special chocolate venue). Also, bottles and sparkling waters and fresh squeeezed orange juice, and soft serve. Apparently they charge for soft serve now. This may make a difference in your decision.
We’re getting the drink package with the free drinks and wifi promo. It was very reasonable that way.  I don’t think we would come ahead if we had separately bought the Easyplus package. 

[Heartgrove]

We are currently on the MSC Splendida in Marseille. Longtime HAL cruisers with two Carnival cruises booked for 2023 on the Legend but being in YC beats a Neptune Suite on HAL and hands down better than Viking Ocean. Hopefully MSC in the USA is just as good as here in Europe.

[quattrohead]

Have you ever owned an Italian car ???

Gorgeous lookers and performance is fantastic.....until something goes wrong, then it will turn into a huge argument with no apparent common sense.

 

Do it with an open mind.

 

[JT1962]

I was on the Meraviglia in January and just returned from 19 days on the Divina and enjoyed them both. I was not in Yacht Club, but found the food in the dining room and buffet equivalent to or better than Carnival & Royal Caribbean. A few less choices on the menu in the dining room than other lines, but I still found good options each time and you can order multiple items from each section, including entrees. 
 

As an FYI, the pre-cruise experience with the website and customer service can be horrible, but the onboard experience was excellent. The best option is to research before booking to decide what you really want, then don’t change anything. Contacting customer service or changing something after booking seems to be where the problems come in. You can usually add options like drink packages, wifi, excursions, etc. online after booking with no issues. 
 

As far as drink packages, I don’t drink enough for it to be beneficial to me, but most that I talked to seemed satisfied with the Easy Plus Package. It offered more options than than the Easy Package, but was still reasonably priced compared to other lines. The wifi was very slow from what I heard from others, so if you need more than texting, email, etc., you may be disappointed. 
 

If you are interested in any of the Specialty Dining packages, just be aware that the packages include a limited menu and not all items on the menu as other cruise lines offer. The steakhouse option includes a salad or appetizer, meat choice, including a NY Strip or Filet Mignon, and dessert. It was very good and plenty of food, but some were disappointed that they could not order the aged beef options, etc. With the package, you can choose any remaining option on the menu for 50% off, but the a la carte prices are the highest of any specialty restaurant I have seen - ex $ 89 for an aged T-Bone.

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, quattrohead said:

Have you ever owned an Italian car ???

Gorgeous lookers and performance is fantastic.....until something goes wrong, then it will turn into a huge argument with no apparent common sense.

 

Do it with an open mind.

 

LOL - my husband might say the same about a wife with an Italian heritage....