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MSC Needs to add a better Variety of Carribean Ports

lcpagejr

By lcpagejr,
in MSC Cruises

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JT1962

JT1962

Posted
Posted (edited)
14 hours ago, Selion said:

That's an itinerary I'd jump on, but it's not available for Sep 2023.  Also, I just did a search for May 2023 and that's not showing either.  We know how MSC can be with itinerary & ship changes...


It’s May 8, 2023. Looks like it is sold out. It’s no longer on the website and other sites say you need to call to book.
 

That 7 day itinerary is also part of a 26 day re-positioning cruise that ends in Genoa. I actually booked the 7 day cruise several months ago and then added the repositioning portioning on May 15 about a month ago.

Edited by JT1962
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Eaglestrike

Eaglestrike

Posted
Posted
On 12/3/2022 at 12:05 PM, lcpagejr said:

I have enjoyed my past MSC cruises....  Several years ago. But to be honest...their carribean cruise option ports are bland and underwhelming. For a company trying to compete and be a player  in the N American market...they need to offer a better variety of ports.  No interest in sailing them again based on current ship offerings and port offering over next couple years

I just finished a glorious 17 day cruise on the MSC Seaside to the Caribbean and I must say that they have an amazing lineup of Caribbean Islands. 

 

Our cruise started in Marseille France and we ended with Barbados, Grenada, Dominica Roseau (A really beautiful and inviting Island-Great!!) St. Kitts, Martinique and we disembarked in Guadeloupe.  The ship for the season goes to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.  

The lineup of Islands seems if you take the 14 day cruise is outstanding!.

 

In any event we had an absolutely amazing Yacht club experience for 17 glorious days. Everything was amazing, absolutely fantastic from first minute to last minute. Just got back yesterday and I will do a review this week.

 

Happy sailing!!

 

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shipgeeks

shipgeeks

Posted
Posted
25 minutes ago, Basketball wife said:

I have read this in several places. What makes Ocean Cay “…far superior…”?

It feels like paradise; unspoiled and beautiful.  Views of the lovely aqua water everywhere.

A recent visit to another island was the opposite.  Noisy, filled with rides, buildings and more.  We went, we saw, we returned to the ship.

Personal preference, I'm sure, but Ocean Cay is the only one on which I ever got teary-eyed and said "It's just so beautiful".

 

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graphicguy "Live from...." Rare

graphicguy

Posted
Posted (edited)

I think any of us who have cruised out of the FL embarkation piers are familiar with just about ALL the ports around the Caribbean.  All of them are about the same.  Nassau is on EVERY cruise line's itinerary in one way or another.

 

Personally, I'm looking forward to MSC's Private Island port, as I've heard nothing but good things about it.

 

If you really want different itineraries, look at a Panama Canal Cruise.  If you're willing to venture out of FL, I can't recommend an Alaska cruise highly enough (MSC sailing 2024)....totally different from the Caribbean/Mexico itineraries.

 

The Mediterranean is right in MSC's wheel house.  Try one of those sailings.

Edited by graphicguy
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Homosassa

Homosassa

Posted
Posted

Covid has made a mess of itineraries for all cruise lines as they coped with covid restrictions, covid incubation periods, and length of cruises (get  them on, get them off before the infection picked up on the first day develops).

 

I, too, am currently disappointed by the lackluster MSC itineraries currently being offered and hope to soon see the wonderful itineraries offered in the past.

 

We were on the last MSC Armonia cruise  that returned to the cruise shut down in March 2020.

 

Among the ports on that cruise were Cartagena, Aruba and Curacao and other ports no longer being visited.

 

Unlike many, I do not enjoy private island beach days (and am not a fan of MSC's offering), so I was happy with the previously available itineraries.

 

Note for anyone going to Ocean Cay: bring water shoes for both walking on the beach and in the water (bits of coral that are sharp).

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no1talks

no1talks

Posted
Posted
On 12/7/2022 at 10:42 AM, graphicguy said:

"I can't recommend an Alaska cruise highly enough (MSC sailing 2024)."

Is this Alaska development appearing online for MSC ships,  or are you referring to Alaska cruising with Explora Journeys, the MSC luxury spin-off brand?

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neptuno

neptuno

Posted
Posted

 Alaska would be a nice addition, but I think the OP was referring to sailings out of Florida, which I would agree have become very un-attractive.  Nassau is a great place to get mugged, be careful how far you may stray from the cruise docks.  On a positive note, San Juan could be a great two nighter, there is so much to see and do in Puerto Rico, but often takes more than a few hours.  Hopefully St. Thomas will be back soon., which could also be an overnighter.  Either would be better than two nights at Ocean Cay, but perhaps docking logistics might prevent overnighters at San Juan or St. Thomas?

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graphicguy "Live from...." Rare

graphicguy

Posted
Posted

OK…Caribbean ports only.  I think most of the cruise lines I’ve been on sail to all the same places…mainly because of the infrastructure already in place to accept large cruise ships.

 

NCL, Royal and MSC all have their own Bahamas based private islands.  Royal’s is more of an amusement park.  MSC’s is more of a nature preserve.  NCL splits the difference.

 

Been on Royal’s island (once is enough for me) and NCL’s. Looking forward to going to MSC’s as I’ve heard it’s beautiful and geared more to remaining as unspooled as possible.  That appeals to me.

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PG_traveller

PG_traveller

Posted
Posted

I haven't sailed on MSC yet, I am booked on the Meraviglia in March. I also haven't cruised in ten years, and never solo, so this will be a test to see if I like it.

 

That being said, when I was looking I saw that they have some wonderful itineraries to the southern Caribbean islands that I would love to try. Will have to start saving my pennies! 

 

I am looking forward to Ocean Cay. Is it weird that I am proud that they took what was once a garbage dump and turned it into an oasis? And that it is a marine reserve? 

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Homosassa

Homosassa

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, graphicguy said:

 

 

Been on Royal’s island (once is enough for me) and NCL’s. Looking forward to going to MSC’s as I’ve heard it’s beautiful and geared more to remaining as unspooled as possible.  That appeals to me.

 

8 minutes ago, PG_traveller said:

 

 

I am looking forward to Ocean Cay. Is it weird that I am proud that they took what was once a garbage dump and turned it into an oasis? And that it is a marine reserve? 

To get your island history straight, MSC acquired the remnants of a key that had been stripped of all it surface sand and the surrounding waters dredged for sand.  The sand was used to refurbish beaches elsewhere in the world.

 

To built the private island, and sandy bottom beaches, MSC in turn had to bring in sand  that was stripped from elsewhere.  And the beat goes on....

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graphicguy "Live from...." Rare

graphicguy

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

 

To get your island history straight, MSC acquired the remnants of a key that had been stripped of all it surface sand and the surrounding waters dredged for sand.  The sand was used to refurbish beaches elsewhere in the world.

 

To built the private island, and sandy bottom beaches, MSC in turn had to bring in sand  that was stripped from elsewhere.  And the beat goes on....

More details about it…..

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/things-to-know-about-ocean-cay-msc-marine-reserve/37450

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PG_traveller

PG_traveller

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

 

To get your island history straight, MSC acquired the remnants of a key that had been stripped of all it surface sand and the surrounding waters dredged for sand.  The sand was used to refurbish beaches elsewhere in the world.

 

To built the private island, and sandy bottom beaches, MSC in turn had to bring in sand  that was stripped from elsewhere.  And the beat goes on....

 

Yes, I watched the documentary. The previous owners left behinds tons and tons of rusty metal, equipment, pipes, etc. that had to be cleaned up and hauled away before work could commence. They also showed that sand and rock had to be brought in. 

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mowogo

mowogo

Posted
Posted
On 12/11/2022 at 9:51 AM, EllieinNJ said:

Living in the NY area I was happy to find a Meraviglia cruise in October that goes to the western Caribbean.  I don't think any other cruise out of NY does that .

 

I was seriously looking at the first Mera cruise out of NYC, but found the trip of Canaveral, Nassau, and Ocean Cay an extremely depressing cruise compared to the Miami and Canaveral departure options.  

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jame_g

jame_g

Posted
Posted

I agree that the MSC Caribbean itineraries could use more variety. They seem to be the most "basic" ports compared to other lines. With new ships being added, they need to add new ports and itineraries too. 

 

Saw some comments on Ocean Cay and will say that MSC did an excellent job with this island and we loved the day there. Looking forward to going there again.

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Homosassa

Homosassa

Posted
Posted
On 12/12/2022 at 6:55 PM, deliver42 said:

Passengers have been complaining about the same old, same old itineraries for years now. There's no imagination with MSC. They can't use ship size as an excuse because none of the ships here are too big for any Caribbean port.

Actually there are many Caribbean ports that some of the MSC cruises are too large for either the channels or piers. However, this is a problem that many of today's mega ships share.

 

If the Armonia ever comes back into the US (Tampa home port, please), the ship was smaller enough to do different ports that the larger ships.

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shipgeeks

shipgeeks

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Actually there are many Caribbean ports that some of the MSC cruises are too large for either the channels or piers. However, this is a problem that many of today's mega ships share.

 

If the Armonia ever comes back into the US (Tampa home port, please), the ship was smaller enough to do different ports that the larger ships.

My vote would be for Armonia to be based in Baltimore!  

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ready2cruzagain

ready2cruzagain

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, PG_traveller said:

It would be nice if MSC started stopping in Cuba, since none of the American Cruise lines go there. I did a land based trip there in 2018 and I remember seeing a ship docked in Havana, but I have no idea what cruise line it was.

That is not going to happen. When you were there in 2019 cruise ships were able to dock in Cuba but if I remember correctly there was something about having to do humanitarian work. In June of 2019  the regulations were changed to make it illegal for people from the US to travel to Cuba under the people to people category so you won't be seeing a MSC cruise ship from the US going to Cuba.  

 

I am sure there are many on CC that can explain it a lot better than I just did and hopefully someone will.

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