MSC EUROPA plans-should I be concerned?

[Europeantraveler1]

We have a Mediterranean cruise (all paid up) scheduled for June on the World Europa.  We began our on-line check-in (for ourselves and the rest of our family - two cabins, both in Yacht Club Deluxe) and I noticed that our original cabin assignments from all our other correspondence has been changed from cabins on the 21st deck to the cabins corresponding with the 18th deck.  Now, it would be no big deal except……there are NO corresponding cabins on the 18th deck on the World Europa with those two cabin numbers!!!  Our TA is out of town so won’t be able to address this issue until later this week and I’m extremely stressed.  Is there anyone that’s dealt with this before?

[DCGuy64]

19 minutes ago, Europeantraveler1 said:

Our TA is out of town so won’t be able to address this issue until later this week and I’m extremely stressed.  Is there anyone that’s dealt with this before?

Wait until your TA is back in town, in my opinion being 'extremely stressed' about something you can't fix is not a good recipe.

[alyssamma]

48 minutes ago, Europeantraveler1 said:

We have a Mediterranean cruise (all paid up) scheduled for June on the World Europa.  We began our on-line check-in (for ourselves and the rest of our family - two cabins, both in Yacht Club Deluxe) and I noticed that our original cabin assignments from all our other correspondence has been changed from cabins on the 21st deck to the cabins corresponding with the 18th deck.  Now, it would be no big deal except……there are NO corresponding cabins on the 18th deck on the World Europa with those two cabin numbers!!!  Our TA is out of town so won’t be able to address this issue until later this week and I’m extremely stressed.  Is there anyone that’s dealt with this before?

If you sail MSC, you'll encounter this stuff and much more 🙂

 

I would make a call to the rep. Because you're through a TA, they won't tell you much, but they should at least be able to tell you where to find your cabins on a deck map and confirm they are the same class of cabin.

 

[Two Wheels Only]

From what I can see, deck 21 Yacht Club staterooms are all Deluxe numbered 1-20 (skipping 17).

Deck 18 has a mixture of Deluxe, Duplex, Royal, and Owner's with the Deluxe numbered 4-26 (skipping 17 and 25). 

 

IF there are available Deluxe staterooms on 18, they should be roughly the equivalent to deck 21. On the plus side, on deck 18, you won't have to hear any noise from moving loungers on the sundeck directly above on deck 22.  

Edited May 1, 2023 by Two Wheels Only

[Nikita4]

About the YC on the MSC World Europa:
The YC is too big and packed, the Restaurant is too small for the amount of guests in the YC, also the pool area and the pool deck Grill.  We are cruising only in YC with MSC but the YC from the World Europa is the money not worth and this was the worst cruise ever with MSC.
We don't want to cruise with this ship again.

We don't had problems before the cruise, but on the cruise it was a mess with restaurant waiting times and lack of service.

[B_A_H]

Did you sail Europa in the Middle East?  There were clearly service and provisioning issues that seemed unique to the types of guests onboard and challenges of operating in the Middle East.

 

I'm hoping that now that Europa's homeported in the Mediterranean, MSC's home turf, some of what has been reported from Middle East sailings correct themselves.  YouTube reviews for the European portion of the repositioning cruise seemed much better than previous reviews.

 

Here's hoping.  I'm in YC on 5/12. 😉 

[Europeantraveler1]

B_A_H

Are you in YC on the World Europa 5/12?  If so, please keep us posted on your view and experiences while sailing!!  Have a great time!!

[Nikita4]

8 hours ago, B_A_H said:

Did you sail Europa in the Middle East?  There were clearly service and provisioning issues that seemed unique to the types of guests onboard and challenges of operating in the Middle East.

 

I'm hoping that now that Europa's homeported in the Mediterranean, MSC's home turf, some of what has been reported from Middle East sailings correct themselves.  YouTube reviews for the European portion of the repositioning cruise seemed much better than previous reviews.

 

Here's hoping.  I'm in YC on 5/12. 😉 

Yes we are sailing in the Middle East, and the provision problems are an other theme. The pax mix was most european in the YC so no arabian people.

The problem is that the YC is too big with too many cabins and the public areas are too small, the restaurant, the pool deck and so on. So this problem will stay the same also in the med. 
We like the Meravigliaclass ships and their YC, but not the new one.

[ocdb8r]

we were on the repositioning sailing from Dubai to Italy in the Yacht Club.  While I concur that this is my least favorite Yacht Club on the newer MSC Ships (Meraviglia or Seaside classes), despite being completely booked in the Yacht Club we had no issues with service or wait times for the dining room.  I understand from speaking with the staff that they were very understaffed during many of their ME cruises, due to both general staffing shortages and more issues than anticipated with the required visas for staff to join in Dubai.  We had a lovely cruise and didn't regret the trip.

 

That said, my general concerns for the Yacht Club on "World Class" ships:

 

• I fear the YC Grill will be unusable much of the year - any day it was over 27 C (85 F), it was impossibly uncomfortable to eat in what is in effect a greenhouse.  This means peak summer in the Med will be difficult and given the plans to sail the World American in the Caribbean year-round, I hope they find a way to make adjustments;
• The pool deck is much too small and uninviting compared to Seaside (my favorite YC pool deck) and Meraviglia classes.  The YC Lanai was pleasant and a great alternative, but doesn't make up for the poor pool deck.  Personally I would suggest they repurpose the Top 20 deck (just under the YC Lanai) for the YC (we actually used it more than the YC pool area);
• Not specific to the YC, but while the World Europa was beautiful, we failed to see what being on a much larger ship added compared to the Meraviglia or Seaside classes; there wasn't substantially more entertainment and the new/added spaces and features failed to impress.  We often sail Quantum Class ships on RCCL (which is the basis of the World Class ships as well) and feel these ships actually ADD a lot of additional venues/entertainment to balance cruising with so many more people.

 

Now, a few plusses for the World Europa:

• I don't think we've been on a ship with more jacuzzi space.  I hesitate to say "the most jacuzzi's" as /I may not technically be correct, but with sized factored in, I am sure the World Europa wins compared to any ship we have been on.  If in the UC you have access to one on the YC Pool deck and (our favorite) two on the Top 20 deck (which you share with Aurea class, but they were never terribly busy);
• The Panorama Lounge was the one new venue that we were impressed by.  We thought it was underutilized and could really stand out with some entertainment designed specifically for the space...I hope MSC capitalizes on this venue in the future;
• There are a decent amount of quite spaces to be found on the ship, in particular deck spaces at the back (which the Quantum Class ships lack) where you can relax and enjoy the ocean, read a book or just nap;
• Finally, the speakeasy was the single best bar/lounge experience we have had on any ship we've sailed.  Excellent (intimate) entertainment, very good cocktails and great service.  Of course, it comes at an extra cost (no drink packages cover anything here) but we felt it was well worth it and went three times on our 17 day cruise.

[Stockjock]

24 minutes ago, ocdb8r said:

 

• Finally, the speakeasy was the single best bar/lounge experience we have had on any ship we've sailed.  Excellent (intimate) entertainment, very good cocktails and great service.  Of course, it comes at an extra cost (no drink packages cover anything here) but we felt it was well worth it and went three times on our 17 day cruise.

Any more info to share on the Speakeasy?  I'll be on the ship later this year and would be interested in checking it out, but I understand it's invitation only, correct?  How were you invited?

[Nikita4]

@ocdb8r
On your sailing the YC wasn't full, so when the YC is full the restaurant and the galley are to small for the amount of guests.  Yes there was not enough personal on the cruise, but its the problem of MSC, we have paid for the cruise and the service, so they have to solve such problems and not the pax have to suffer.

And yeas speakeasy was the best Bar I ever was on a cruise ship! That was a great experience!

[Nikita4]

1 minute ago, Stockjock said:

Any more info to share on the Speakeasy?  I'll be on the ship later this year and would be interested in checking it out, but I understand it's invitation only, correct?  How were you invited?

You have to have a special token, we received the tokens from our butler. Then you have a QR code to scan for more details how it works.

[ocdb8r]

1 hour ago, Nikita4 said:

@ocdb8r
On your sailing the YC wasn't full, so when the YC is full the restaurant and the galley are to small for the amount of guests.  Yes there was not enough personal on the cruise, but its the problem of MSC, we have paid for the cruise and the service, so they have to solve such problems and not the pax have to suffer.

And yeas speakeasy was the best Bar I ever was on a cruise ship! That was a great experience!

Yes, the Yacht Club was full.  There was only a single cabin available in the whole YC.  We had no issues with the kitchen nor seating.  It did occasionally get busy (about 7:30/8pm) and they did run low on some items toward the end of the cruise (before we hit Naples).  But otherwise, no issues.

[ocdb8r]

1 hour ago, Stockjock said:

Any more info to share on the Speakeasy?  I'll be on the ship later this year and would be interested in checking it out, but I understand it's invitation only, correct?  How were you invited?

As mentioned, your butler can get you tokens.  Alternatively (and if not in YC) rumor was being friendly to the officers was another way to get tokens.

[mscdivina2016]

On 5/1/2023 at 12:58 PM, Europeantraveler1 said:

We have a Mediterranean cruise (all paid up) scheduled for June on the World Europa.  We began our on-line check-in (for ourselves and the rest of our family - two cabins, both in Yacht Club Deluxe) and I noticed that our original cabin assignments from all our other correspondence has been changed from cabins on the 21st deck to the cabins corresponding with the 18th deck.  Now, it would be no big deal except……there are NO corresponding cabins on the 18th deck on the World Europa with those two cabin numbers!!!  Our TA is out of town so won’t be able to address this issue until later this week and I’m extremely stressed.  Is there anyone that’s dealt with this before?

Yes and many other issues.

I have been bumped out of yacht club into a regular balcony cabin with no reduction in fare and no access to YC.

Rare but did happen. You also may be bumped into a different sailing or ship. Again it has happened to me.

 I just got off 3 Days ago. I booked a 14 night Middle East sailing, they changed my embarkation port and added 3 days.  Then they added a 4 day. Good thing I had refundable air.

 

 I also have had my picked cabin taken away and changed multiple times.