Gala nights on Med cruises for MSC Europa

[Nikodemos]

We are planning our 7 day cruise on the MSC Europa sailing from Barcelona on June 9th, 2023.  Does anyone have any idea based on previous sailings what the gala nights would be.  The reason we ask is that we would likely not plan anything too early (or even excursions) on the days following the gala nights since we would expect to be staying up really late.

 

Thanks.

[sealynx]

I haven't sailed MSC World Europa, yet and unfortunately, but I can answer from my experience on other MSC ships. I don't expect it to be much different on MSC World Europa. At MSC 'gala night' is called 'elegant night'. You see a lot of people dressing up, but also a lot of people not dressing up at all, and that is all fine. And that is really just about it. Everything else, is really the same as on other nights. Often elegant night is planned on the last day of the cruise for most passengers (not all, since you can board in almost any port), so this is often prior arrival in Genova.

 

My advise would be to firt think about what you would want to see in port the day after gala night, and then decide (if the port is not to your taste) whether to stay up late and sleep in, or to go to bed early and enjoy port time. Staying up to the early hours can then always be done the night before you arrive back in Barcelona.

[perakcruiser]

57 minutes ago, sealynx said:

Often elegant night is planned on the last day of the cruise for most passengers (not all, since you can board in almost any port), so this is often prior arrival in Genova.

I never experienced the gala night prior to Genova or on the last day of the cruise for most passengers. 

[sealynx]

2 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

I never experienced the gala night prior to Genova or on the last day of the cruise for most passengers. 

So what is it that you did experience?

[perakcruiser]

6 minutes ago, sealynx said:

So what is it that you did experience?

If there is a sea day it is likely to be the night before the sea day. Otherwise Gala is set on a night before a port with no or very limited guests (dis)embark. Valetta for example. 

[Tierun]

Since WE hasn’t been sailing in the Med yet there’s no exact answer except from past experiences on other ships.

[doones2]

I have a few questions for this cruise but waiting till it gets to the Mediterranean 

[Nikodemos]

The WE itinerary is as follows, and seems to match previous years' MSC Med schedule as well.

Day 1 - Leave Barcelona (Friday, June 9th, 6pm)
Day 2 - Marseille 
Day 3 - Genoa
Day 4 - Naples 
Day 5 - Messina
Day 6 - Valletta
Day 7 - At Sea
Day 8 - Arrive Barcelona (Friday, June 16th, 9am)
 

I agree that the likely second gala would be the night of day 6 (before the at sea day).  So based on folks who have sailed the Med on MSC before, would the expectation be that the night of Barcelona, Marseille or Genoa be the other gala night?

[RBrowny]

23 hours ago, Nikodemos said:

The WE itinerary is as follows, and seems to match previous years' MSC Med schedule as well.

Day 1 - Leave Barcelona (Friday, June 9th, 6pm)
Day 2 - Marseille 
Day 3 - Genoa
Day 4 - Naples 
Day 5 - Messina
Day 6 - Valletta
Day 7 - At Sea
Day 8 - Arrive Barcelona (Friday, June 16th, 9am)
 

I agree that the likely second gala would be the night of day 6 (before the at sea day).  So based on folks who have sailed the Med on MSC before, would the expectation be that the night of Barcelona, Marseille or Genoa be the other gala night?

I'm doing the sailing in May, so I will try and find out regardless. However, my impression was the day at sea would be the Gala night, with other nights being themed throughout the cruise. We are also departing from Barcelona too.

[sealynx]

On 3/16/2023 at 2:30 AM, Nikodemos said:

I agree that the likely second gala would be the night of day 6 (before the at sea day).  So based on folks who have sailed the Med on MSC before, would the expectation be that the night of Barcelona, Marseille or Genoa be the other gala night?

Most likely there will be just one elegant night. Other themed nights are often white, flower and/or Italian-colours. I've not been able to find logic in those themed nights though.

[Nunagoras]

On 3/16/2023 at 1:30 AM, Nikodemos said:

The WE itinerary is as follows, and seems to match previous years' MSC Med schedule as well.

Day 1 - Leave Barcelona (Friday, June 9th, 6pm)
Day 2 - Marseille - Farewell gala night
Day 3 - Genoa
Day 4 - Naples 
Day 5 - Messina
Day 6 - Valletta - Captain's welcome gala night
Day 7 - At Sea
Day 8 - Arrive Barcelona (Friday, June 16th, 9am)
 

I agree that the likely second gala would be the night of day 6 (before the at sea day).  So based on folks who have sailed the Med on MSC before, would the expectation be that the night of Barcelona, Marseille or Genoa be the other gala night?

As per my experience, on all cruises taking place on Genoa, Genoa will be likely the "main" embarkation port, wherever they can have Barcelona with more people embarking or not. that said all the cruise will be designed with Genoa in thought. That said, have my best bet on the 2 gala/elegant nights in blue. Usually as per my experience; Captain's welcome gala night is usually very well attended, with the farewell one not so much. Ultimately on my last 2 or 3 cruises farewell gala nights have been "downgraded" to Italian/Mediterranean sorts of nights, even though I have read elsewhere it has been eventually "promoted" again to gala/elegant nights very recently. Other than Captain's reception on the main areas, a slightly better theater show and a slightly more sophisticated dinner menu, there isn't really nothing shining along on gala nights. Bars and lounges will work out their usual entertainment sets.

[sealynx]

1 hour ago, Nunagoras said:

Other than Captain's reception on the main areas, a slightly better theater show and a slightly more sophisticated dinner menu, there isn't really nothing shining along on gala nights. Bars and lounges will work out their usual entertainment sets.

Exactly my experience.

[CruisingFox27]

Not related to Europa, so apologies to the OP, but Gala/Elegant Night in the Med. Our next sailing is a 10 night one, our last 10 night sailing was 2019 and we had 3 Gala Nights. Is this still the position?  7 night cruises used to have 2 nights, but I read this is now just 1, so wondering if they have been reduced on the 10 night cruises too?

[Nikodemos]

Thanks for the responses so far.  I had thought that there were extra 'parties' in the promenade late in the evening on the gala nights.  Is this not the case?