Seascape 17 Sept Review

[angelsil]

I figured I'd write out my experience last week on MSC Seascape for anyone who is researching whether the ship might be right for them. 

 

Who we are

Married couple in our mid-40s to early-50s. No kids. Traveled extensively and cruised many times. Primarily Royal and Celebrity, but also Disney, Carnival and one prior MSC cruise in the Med on Grandiosa. I was status matched diamond on MSC. DH was status matched Gold. We are not fancy or demanding travelers, but we do expect reasonable service, decent food and a relaxing cruise. We took this cruise as it was cheap, we could drive to port, and we wanted to see if the MSC product in the US suited us better than in Europe - our Grandiosa cruise was very uneven.

 

Caveats

• This is just my opinion, of course. Experiences can and will vary.
• We were in Fantastica class, not Yacht Club. Part of the reason I wanted to write out my review was to provide an input from a non-YC perspective as so many on this board only sail in YC.
• This cruise missed Ocean Cay so I can't provide any input there.

 

The good

• Embarkation and disembarkation was a breeze. With my diamond, we were given priority boarding but I don't think we needed it. We took our luggage off the ship ourselves and were in the car by 7:40am for the drive home.
• The Aurea spa was a treat, if a bit crowded at points. We bought a week-long pass and enjoyed it most days as a haven from the chaos of the ship. The ship was so, so crowded.
• We really liked Hola Tacos and felt it was well worth the upcharge.
• The food, overall, was pretty good. We liked the smaller portions served as we're not big eaters. Butcher's Cut on Seascape was way better than on Grandiosa.
• Still best pizza at sea, though I think Grandiosa was better there. But, hey, they're sailing from Italy. I'll allow it.
• Cabins were very well insulated. We almost never heard the other passengers, which is a nice change from other ships. On Grandiosa, we were under the pool deck and woken up every day at like 1am. Deck 11 on Seascape was mostly quiet except for some noise from the adults-only deck/whirlpool.

 

The bad

• The design of this ship was confusing. Even after a week, we still got lost. Weird dead ends all over place. We had to backtrack many times because doors from the deck to the interior were locked. Not helped by the Sports Bar being closed all week. This created crowds of people. We much preferred the Grandiosa as a ship.
• Several times during the week the ship couldn't keep up with the heat, especially in port. We keep our house at 75 and the ship was running over that. It was miserable to come back from a 100+ degree day in port and not be able to really cool off unless in our cabin.
• Early dining at 5pm is no bueno. We were assigned that and only made it about half the nights. The line to change dining time the first night wrapped around the restaurant, so we gave up on that idea.
• For some reason, they only have USB ports on one side of the bed. Minor thing, but it was annoying.
• Everything that's been said on these boards about MSC shoreside is valid. They are awful at anything pre-cruise and the website is almost a liability.
• With the canceling of Ocean Cay they didn't pivot well to a sea day. Few things were open and this mean mobs of people in the 1-2 bars that were open or playing the interior games. I'm led to believe Ocean Cay is missed frequently, so I'd hope there was a plan in place.
• The atrium music was...uh...not great. At least to my taste. The rock guitarist was great, but had an iffy voice. The sax guy was just an odd choice. Again, tastes vary, but trying to enjoy a glass of bubbly with an aggressively loud solo sax version of the 'Game of Thrones' theme was so bad it was almost comical.
• They have a very nice wine cellar on Seascape. It's unstaffed, however. You have to request assistance from a neighboring bar to get a bottle of wine. The ship has no actual sommelier as we were advised the first night. Or at least none in the steerage section. Maybe YC has one.

 

The ugly

• Service was incredibly uneven all over the ship. It was either amazing or awful. My spa therapist spent 50 minutes complaining about her life during my massage, for example. I can't see that flying anywhere else and it wasn't exactly relaxing. We had numerous encounters where the staff was trying but clearly under trained or just plain unhappy. We found this on Grandiosa as well.
• The buffet is a hellscape. The way it's designed meant lines would cross each other (where there were lines) and getting out of the buffet area to seating meant pushing through mobs of people. We only went a few times. Which brings us to the other point..
• There are simply not enough food options on this ship that don't require a reservation. Outside the buffet, we only found ice cream and a few pastries at the bar on deck 5. Even on Grandiosa, there was pizza by the pool and nibbles (for cost, granted) available in the pubs. On Seascape, if you didn't want to fight the buffet (see above) and you didn't eat in the hour or so for sit-down dining over breakfast or lunch, it was room service or nothing. We ate less on this cruise than any in the past and ordered pizza to the room twice.

 

Verdict

I don't think we'll sail MSC again unless we try Yacht Club. It's just too uneven a product from our 2 voyages and we certainly don't like the Seascape design. Yacht Club would have to compare favorably in pricing against Celebrity retreat or Virgin (which we want to try) to consider it. Our next cruise is on Viking - a river cruise in France - so we'll see how that goes!

 

[Fla Mike]

Thanks for your honest review, and sadly, about what I expect from our Seashore cruise in November.

We are Aurea, but if the spa is packed all week, it kind of negates getting away from it all.

We are some of the very few here that won't do YC. Just not for us. Period.

 

This will be our third MSC cruise, but I think there is a reason our next two cruises for 2024 are booked with Celebrity... We have never had a bad cruise with them, and the service, food, and vibe fits us well. Despite all the chatter to the contrary on the Celebrity board.

 

Personally, I'd give Virgin a shot, but Lovey would never go for it, and I doubt that we are their target. (She: Mid 70's ME: late 60's).

Yes, I married an older woman 😇.

 

Again, thanks for the review.

 

[morpheusofthesea]

3 hours ago, angelsil said:

We were in Fantastica class, not Yacht Club. Part of the reason I wanted to write out my review was to provide an input from a non-YC perspective as so many on this board only sail in YC

Thanks for your input. We needed the escort of a butler to help us dodge the problems you highlight on our first cruises on MSC, Divina, Seaside, Seashore, and Seascape. Whenever we are seen leaving the exclusivity of the Yacht Club we are prompted to use an escort. But we now know our ways around these ships to avoid the problem areas by ourselves and let the butlers help the novices. When the time comes in your lives to 'throw caution to the wind' we recommend you begin a personal list of what to look for in a cruise ship that you must have that are important to you. Moving up to suites did not happen to us until we reached 70 years of age. Everything you listed is true.

  That is why cruising has so many types of ships. If exotic destinations are ones 'wish list' like Antarctica or the Society Islands, then smaller ships are the only way to go. If "dancing" is a priority a good travel agent could research which ships and theme cruises would satisfy ones desire. I recall dancing every evening on NCL Breakaway in their 'Manhattan Supper Club'. One just has to make up ones own list'. Here is our list for those that might have missed it, that Yacht Club has all of them.

Never sailed on a MSC ship in a cabin outside the Yacht Club. But we can list now all the things to look out for when booking any cruise ship.

#1 E muster drill is better

#2 Two cabin cleanings per day

#3 No % charge for gambling if using credit card

#4 No extra charge for can sodas vs fountain drinks

#5 Reserved seating in the theatre for all shows

#6 Complimentary bottled water

#7 Reserved or ability to reserve pergola/cabanas on pool deck

#8 'Cushioned' pool lounges

#9 Escorts on and off ship avoiding long lines

#10 First to use tenders off the ship at ports that tender

#11 Dedicated restaurant that is so good one need not book Specialty Restaurants

#12 Service that does not involve 2 hours to complete a meal

#13 An attentive butler not hard to find when needed

#14 Cabins ready upon embarkation/ key cards in hand at checkin

#15 Dedicated restaurant OPEN port days

#16 Dedicated buffet to only suite guests

#17 Dedicated pool and sun deck only for suite guests with ample lounges

# 18 All the advantages of a mega ship with the exclusivity of a gated community

#19 walk-in shower not low profile tub/shower combo

#20 No non-suite paying Pinnacle/Zenith/Diamond passengers taking up prime real estate in the Yacht Club

#21 Elevator over-ride key cards for suite guests

#22 Pristine out island with NO bugs crawling all over cabanas

#23 short distance between cabin and restaurant decks

#24 At least a 100 sq ft balcony accommodating a cushioned lounge chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

[angelsil]

3 hours ago, Fla Mike said:

Personally, I'd give Virgin a shot, but Lovey would never go for it, and I doubt that we are their target. (She: Mid 70's ME: late 60's).

Yes, I married an older woman 😇.

 

 

I am the early 50s in my pairing 🤣

(DH is 45, I'm 52)

[angelsil]

7 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 When the time comes in your lives to 'throw caution to the wind' we recommend you begin a personal list of what to look for in a cruise ship that you must have that are important to you.

 

Our list is more amorphous as we have different reasons for cruising (next year in France is 100% itinerary for example) when we book. Pretty much every cruise we find something to look for next time. On this one it was the availability of food outside the buffet. I doubt we'll book another mass market line that so heavily pushes guests to the buffet or reservation-required specialty restaurants. We've been happy with how Royal and Celebrity offer many options for complimentary food outside the buffet - poolside hot dogs, Johnny Rockets, cafe with pizza, etc. We were never worried about finding something to eat without a big hassle until Seascape.

 

I will say the elevator override for YC was not working on this sailing. At least per the YC guests we met in the 'down below' with us steerage passengers. Given how absolutely awful the elevators are, which I forgot to list under ugly in my post, I would have been livid. We regularly waited 10+ minutes for an elevator. To the point where we had a 'walk down, ride up' policy implemented within the first day. Worked off some of the wine, I suppose.

 

 

 

 

[joeyancho]

Thanks for the great review.  We are booked on her for a December cruise.  The non-yacht club perspective is appreciated.  

[loge23]

Very thorough recap, much appreciated.

We're trying MSC next month, but in the YC - I doubt very much we would try MSC otherwise, just too many people!

I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding your upcoming Viking River cruise - we've been on 5 on them. 

Happy cruising!

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

9 hours ago, angelsil said:

We were in Fantastica class, not Yacht Club. Part of the reason I wanted to write out my review was to provide an input from a non-YC perspective

thank you!

We are in Fantastica balcony in November. The reviews for non-YC are getting bleaker and bleaker by the minute.

[lcpagejr]

9 hours ago, angelsil said:

I figured I'd write out my experience last week on MSC Seascape for anyone who is researching whether the ship might be right for them. 

 

Who we are

Married couple in our mid-40s to early-50s. No kids. Traveled extensively and cruised many times. Primarily Royal and Celebrity, but also Disney, Carnival and one prior MSC cruise in the Med on Grandiosa. I was status matched diamond on MSC. DH was status matched Gold. We are not fancy or demanding travelers, but we do expect reasonable service, decent food and a relaxing cruise. We took this cruise as it was cheap, we could drive to port, and we wanted to see if the MSC product in the US suited us better than in Europe - our Grandiosa cruise was very uneven.

 

Caveats

• This is just my opinion, of course. Experiences can and will vary.
• We were in Fantastica class, not Yacht Club. Part of the reason I wanted to write out my review was to provide an input from a non-YC perspective as so many on this board only sail in YC.
• This cruise missed Ocean Cay so I can't provide any input there.

 

The good

• Embarkation and disembarkation was a breeze. With my diamond, we were given priority boarding but I don't think we needed it. We took our luggage off the ship ourselves and were in the car by 7:40am for the drive home.
• The Aurea spa was a treat, if a bit crowded at points. We bought a week-long pass and enjoyed it most days as a haven from the chaos of the ship. The ship was so, so crowded.
• We really liked Hola Tacos and felt it was well worth the upcharge.
• The food, overall, was pretty good. We liked the smaller portions served as we're not big eaters. Butcher's Cut on Seascape was way better than on Grandiosa.
• Still best pizza at sea, though I think Grandiosa was better there. But, hey, they're sailing from Italy. I'll allow it.
• Cabins were very well insulated. We almost never heard the other passengers, which is a nice change from other ships. On Grandiosa, we were under the pool deck and woken up every day at like 1am. Deck 11 on Seascape was mostly quiet except for some noise from the adults-only deck/whirlpool.

 

The bad

• The design of this ship was confusing. Even after a week, we still got lost. Weird dead ends all over place. We had to backtrack many times because doors from the deck to the interior were locked. Not helped by the Sports Bar being closed all week. This created crowds of people. We much preferred the Grandiosa as a ship.
• Several times during the week the ship couldn't keep up with the heat, especially in port. We keep our house at 75 and the ship was running over that. It was miserable to come back from a 100+ degree day in port and not be able to really cool off unless in our cabin.
• Early dining at 5pm is no bueno. We were assigned that and only made it about half the nights. The line to change dining time the first night wrapped around the restaurant, so we gave up on that idea.
• For some reason, they only have USB ports on one side of the bed. Minor thing, but it was annoying.
• Everything that's been said on these boards about MSC shoreside is valid. They are awful at anything pre-cruise and the website is almost a liability.
• With the canceling of Ocean Cay they didn't pivot well to a sea day. Few things were open and this mean mobs of people in the 1-2 bars that were open or playing the interior games. I'm led to believe Ocean Cay is missed frequently, so I'd hope there was a plan in place.
• The atrium music was...uh...not great. At least to my taste. The rock guitarist was great, but had an iffy voice. The sax guy was just an odd choice. Again, tastes vary, but trying to enjoy a glass of bubbly with an aggressively loud solo sax version of the 'Game of Thrones' theme was so bad it was almost comical.
• They have a very nice wine cellar on Seascape. It's unstaffed, however. You have to request assistance from a neighboring bar to get a bottle of wine. The ship has no actual sommelier as we were advised the first night. Or at least none in the steerage section. Maybe YC has one.

 

The ugly

• Service was incredibly uneven all over the ship. It was either amazing or awful. My spa therapist spent 50 minutes complaining about her life during my massage, for example. I can't see that flying anywhere else and it wasn't exactly relaxing. We had numerous encounters where the staff was trying but clearly under trained or just plain unhappy. We found this on Grandiosa as well.
• The buffet is a hellscape. The way it's designed meant lines would cross each other (where there were lines) and getting out of the buffet area to seating meant pushing through mobs of people. We only went a few times. Which brings us to the other point..
• There are simply not enough food options on this ship that don't require a reservation. Outside the buffet, we only found ice cream and a few pastries at the bar on deck 5. Even on Grandiosa, there was pizza by the pool and nibbles (for cost, granted) available in the pubs. On Seascape, if you didn't want to fight the buffet (see above) and you didn't eat in the hour or so for sit-down dining over breakfast or lunch, it was room service or nothing. We ate less on this cruise than any in the past and ordered pizza to the room twice.

 

Verdict

I don't think we'll sail MSC again unless we try Yacht Club. It's just too uneven a product from our 2 voyages and we certainly don't like the Seascape design. Yacht Club would have to compare favorably in pricing against Celebrity retreat or Virgin (which we want to try) to consider it. Our next cruise is on Viking - a river cruise in France - so we'll see how that goes!

 

I think you will see a significant savings booking YC vs Celebrity retreat....  and based on  reviews YC outshines Retreat ...$$ not withstanding.  I cruised 20x on ships in a balcony and will be going on my 3rd YC cruise in November. Almost Everything you stated as negatives would be non existent if you stayed in YC....and your food issues would be resolved big time!! The beauty of YC is you have superior service, meals,etc . You can choose to spend your whole cruise in this section...or just walk the ship daily and enjoy other areas. As I have stated many times.... when booking my 1st MSC cruise...and being a seasoned cruiser.... I read between the lines on all reviews and used YC as my safety net to ensure a beautiful cruise.... Was not disappointed and it exceeded my expectations.

[lcpagejr]

9 hours ago, Fla Mike said:

Thanks for your honest review, and sadly, about what I expect from our Seashore cruise in November.

We are Aurea, but if the spa is packed all week, it kind of negates getting away from it all.

We are some of the very few here that won't do YC. Just not for us. Period.

 

This will be our third MSC cruise, but I think there is a reason our next two cruises for 2024 are booked with Celebrity... We have never had a bad cruise with them, and the service, food, and vibe fits us well. Despite all the chatter to the contrary on the Celebrity board.

 

Personally, I'd give Virgin a shot, but Lovey would never go for it, and I doubt that we are their target. (She: Mid 70's ME: late 60's).

Yes, I married an older woman 😇.

 

Again, thanks for the review.

 

 

"We are some of the very few here that won't do YC. Just not for us. Period".

 

Curious why you say this?? I'm just an average Middle class person....low frills... but saw this type experience as a bargain?!  Especially when you factor in the drink package (included). I cruised with my grandchild and was outside YC all the time....it was just nice to have a quieter area...with service which exceeded my expectations and the help of a Butler (when needed)...mostly to side step crowds.

 

[thistimeplease]

50 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

thank you!

We are in Fantastica balcony in November. The reviews for non-YC are getting bleaker and bleaker by the minute.

You can't believe everything you read.  We sailed on the Seascape in a Fantastica balcony and it was a great cruise.  Everything was perfect.  We never waited for drinks, never found a problem getting around the ship and enjoyed all the shows and meals.  The only thing we didn't care for was eating with other people.  Our tablemates were nice but 2 couples didn't speak English and we don't speak Spanish so our table was very quiet. I mean really complaining about usb ports?  Is that really a complaint?  I will agree about the buffet but we would definitely cruise MSC again. The only thing I might change would be to a Aurea balcony, that way we could eat when we want and by ourselves. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

57 minutes ago, thistimeplease said:

We never waited for drinks, never found a problem getting around the ship and enjoyed all the shows and meals.

aaahhhh, but did you sail on a full ship during a school break like Thanksgiving?

[blueslily]

2 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

aaahhhh, but did you sail on a full ship during a school break like Thanksgiving?

 

The OP said that the ship was crowded? Is the week of Sept 17 some type of school holiday break somewhere? 

[blueslily]

3 hours ago, thistimeplease said:

You can't believe everything you read.  We sailed on the Seascape in a Fantastica balcony and it was a great cruise.  Everything was perfect.  We never waited for drinks, never found a problem getting around the ship and enjoyed all the shows and meals.  The only thing we didn't care for was eating with other people.  Our tablemates were nice but 2 couples didn't speak English and we don't speak Spanish so our table was very quiet. I mean really complaining about usb ports?  Is that really a complaint?  I will agree about the buffet but we would definitely cruise MSC again. The only thing I might change would be to a Aurea balcony, that way we could eat when we want and by ourselves. 

 

Thank you. Appreciate your post. When did you sail on the Seascape? 

[Fla Mike]

11 hours ago, lcpagejr said:

Curious why you say this?? I'm just an average Middle class person....low frills... but saw this type experience as a bargain?!

 

To us it is wasted luxury, meaning that at some point the law of diminishing returns kicks in.

Again, this is us, and I get it.

 

We've done suites on Royal and Celebrity, (before the Retreat was the Retreat), nice...without a doubt, just not for us.

 

For our Nov. Seashore cruise, back when we booked it, I could have gotten a YIN for a few bucks less then the Aurea Aft Suite (with drinks), no brainer, right?

Not for us.

 

We hate inside cabins. We like to sit out on our balcony, aft, preferred.

Don't need or want a butler, and the food is wasted on us.

If it's a Caribbean cruise, we have been to these ports so many times, we never get off the ship.

We have the ship almost to ourselves, works.

 

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

11 hours ago, blueslily said:

The OP said that the ship was crowded?

she did, indeed.

 

On 9/27/2023 at 8:19 AM, angelsil said:

This created crowds of people. We much preferred the Grandiosa as a ship.

 

On 9/27/2023 at 8:19 AM, angelsil said:

The buffet is a hellscape. The way it's designed meant lines would cross each other (where there were lines) and getting out of the buffet area to seating meant pushing through mobs of people.

 We regularly waited 10+ minutes for an elevator.

 

11 hours ago, blueslily said:

Is the week of Sept 17 some type of school holiday break somewhere? 

yes, a lot of schools have a fall break, especially those which start in July. 

 

And, considering how crowded it was during a "not your usual school break" week, I can only imagine how busy it's going to be for our Thanksgiving sailing.

Edited September 28, 2023 by Itchy&Scratchy

[angelsil]

14 hours ago, thistimeplease said:

You can't believe everything you read. 

I mean, I literally said this was my experience. Yours was different. Okay. But coming in here acting like I'm lying about what I experienced? I'll hold my tongue on what I think about that.

 

I even said the USB thing was a minor annoyance, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who likes to leave their phone on the nightstand. 

 

This is exactly why people don't post on these forums. Fanboys who think any review that isn't glowing is automatically false.

 

I'll just add this - I never said I didn't enjoy the cruise. I said the ship wasn't for me and that we preferred Grandiosa and that our MSC experiences have been uneven thus far. Not bad. UNEVEN. 

Edited September 28, 2023 by angelsil

[angelsil]

29 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

yes, a lot of schools have a fall break, especially those which start in July. 

 

There weren't a ton of kids on the ship, so I'm not sure it was a school thing. But maybe that contributed some. At least half the passengers were from Europe and I know some schools (including the Uni I attended over there) don't start until late September or early October.

 

It just seemed the Seascape was poorly designed for the amount of passengers they have. FWIW, I felt the same way about Harmony of the Seas. Whereas Grandiosa distributed the passengers nicely across several options for entertainment, food and beverage, we often found ourselves 5 deep in a line to get water or a beer at the one open inside bar (the one on deck 5). Not a vacation breaker, but not my favorite thing either.

 

[Fighterone]

8 minutes ago, angelsil said:

This is exactly why people don't post on these forums. Fanboys who think any review that isn't glowing is automatically false.

Agree! Seems it's the perfect place to challenge and berate and it's so easy because it's anonymous. 

It makes it easy to lose interest in posting reviews or even comment on CC boards.

You have been a member since 2003 with only 357 posts... I'm not far behind you... 😞 

 

 

 

 

[Nunagoras]

On 9/27/2023 at 1:57 PM, Fla Mike said:

Thanks for your honest review, and sadly, about what I expect from our Seashore cruise in November. - A cruise is basically what one makes of it. With 7 MSC cruises under my belt I know what to expect from them. Is it always perfect? No, but tell me whatever else is perfect in this life? MSC provides usually a nice value for my buck, so, what the heck is the problem? MSC is now going out of the usual "discount" factor here in Europe!... Ah, yeah! That's it, but as far as I can to snag some nice deals I'll to come in!... Would I pay RCI pricing for an MSC ship? No! But generally things work otherwise!...

We are Aurea, but if the spa is packed all week, it kind of negates getting away from it all. - JIMHO: Aurea now is a total ripoff robbery unless one wants the fancy suites!... In no way would I to purchase a so darn robbery expensive cabin just to have some faster check-in (which I can have for free being a disabled here in Europe) or my time dining, once I usually go with first seating, which in Europe it is usually the less requested by and large! For the odd day I want a spa time, I'd just to pay for the daily spa pass as I go. Far cheaper than those robberies they're doing with Aurea these days!... Generally not even a decent drinks package included anymore, unless you have a good promotion from your TA...

We are some of the very few here that won't do YC. Just not for us. Period. - And that is perfectly OK, even though there is far more value on a YIN cabin than on those Aureas out there. Am I wondering what is the target market for Aurea these days?... In some sailings there is still possible to find some nice deals even for balcony YC, even though rarer than in the past. Being flexible with your timings helps.

 

This will be our third MSC cruise, but I think there is a reason our next two cruises for 2024 are booked with Celebrity... We have never had a bad cruise with them, and the service, food, and vibe fits us well. Despite all the chatter to the contrary on the Celebrity board. - X is doing too many cutbacks and service adaptation to the future market demands that are by the most part upsetting their "pro" regulars, hence their board is becoming sometimes crazy. I believe they'd be better with both their current client base and the one they're now trying to attract if those changes had been more incremental and not all at once. By and large an MSC YC regular balcony can go at same price of a steerage X cabin with similar inclusions, and YC gets the butler thing... But; I accept those ones whom want a big ship that is all premium compared to a premium area inside an "average joe's" ship. Different things for different individuals, but that doesn't change the obvious: The world is changing and cruising will change with the world. Let me to give you an example: The younger affluent professionals of today on their 35-55 are going all sober experience. They'll consume less and less alcohol. They'd prefer to pay some 30-50 bucks for the once a week above average half wine glass, or the "odd" 100 bucks for a once in a lifetime half Moêt flute, than to have a basic alcohol package included with their experience that means nothing for them. That's how the near future experience is setting to work out. Time for us old timers to adapt a little bit!... Premium lines are tailoring the experience along the lines of the newer generations demands. That's it.

 

Personally, I'd give Virgin a shot, but Lovey would never go for it, and I doubt that we are their target. (She: Mid 70's ME: late 60's). - Ok. There are some late 70's, early 80's pretty active these days! At late 60's to mid 70's you have tons of perspectives these days at your front!... But I understand your Lovey's perspective as well. Virgin JIMHO is for those 35-55 younger affluent and above affluent professionals with no kids out there. It is perfectly tailored to the early Millennial or late Gen Z out there!... They have it all there. As for what I can grab from your regular posts, you won't regret not going with Virgin. The X/Princess/Disney combo seems the best outfit for your needs, JIMHO.

Yes, I married an older woman 😇. - LOL!...

 

Again, thanks for the review. - Yeah, very nice and well balanced review!...

 

 

[thistimeplease]

16 hours ago, blueslily said:

 

Thank you. Appreciate your post. When did you sail on the Seascape? 

We sailed in May 2023.  We were able to get to Ocean Cay also and I really liked it.  Our cruise was absolutely wonderful and we would definitely sail with MSC again. Then again we've never had a bad cruise, lol.

[thistimeplease]

5 hours ago, angelsil said:

I mean, I literally said this was my experience. Yours was different. Okay. But coming in here acting like I'm lying about what I experienced? I'll hold my tongue on what I think about that.

 

I even said the USB thing was a minor annoyance, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who likes to leave their phone on the nightstand. 

 

This is exactly why people don't post on these forums. Fanboys who think any review that isn't glowing is automatically false.

 

I'll just add this - I never said I didn't enjoy the cruise. I said the ship wasn't for me and that we preferred Grandiosa and that our MSC experiences have been uneven thus far. Not bad. UNEVEN. 

Sorry I didn't mean to imply your review was not what you experienced but I was responding to someone who posted that they've read a lot of negative reviews.  I've cruised with 3 different cruise lines and when researching for my trips I've read negative reviews about each so feel people have to decide for themselves.  I'm going to say that I think writing about placement of a usb port is pretty funny and hope someone doesn't decide not to cruise on a certain cruise ship because of this, lol.  I've sailed with 3 different Cruise lines and have never had a cruise where I could write anything negative about them but I do agree with your description of the buffet.  

[Itchy&Scratchy]

39 minutes ago, thistimeplease said:

I was responding to someone who posted that they've read a lot of negative reviews.

yeap, to me. Why shouldn't I believe other people's reviews? Why should I believe only your reviews?

[morpheusofthesea]

17 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

yeap, to me. Why shouldn't I believe other people's reviews? Why should I believe only your reviews?

I would find your reviews and views more credible because you have a good track record versus someone like me that gets  criticized for being narrow-minded and elitist.

[blueslily]

9 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

she did, indeed.

 

 

 

yes, a lot of schools have a fall break, especially those which start in July. 

 

 

Ok. I'm accustomed to fall breaks in October. Man.