Anyone have information on MSC Orchestra?

[cruisewith2kids]

We are taking a Mediterranean Cruise on MSC Orchestra at the end of October and would be grateful if anyone had information about kid's programs on board. I have read their website and looked at the kid's area on the video but I have not found any detailed information. I would really like to know what hours they are open. Are they open during dinner? Can we hire a babysitter on board if needed? Can the kids wear jeans after 6 pm (the website says no jeans after 6)? Is there an indoor pool or just outdoor pools?

 

Thanks for the help.

[kitty9]

MSC is not known for having a great kid's program. They will probably have a very limited program with very few kids on board.The Medmeans that there will be very few kids on that cruise. If you were sailing during a month when there are families on board, that's a different story and they run three age groups. But late October, when American and European kids are in school, I would guess your cruise will be mostly older passengers and not that extensive of a kid's program.

 

They don't provide in cabin babysitting on MSC. If your children are going to dine with you in the main dining room, jeans are not appropriate. Docker's type slacks are a better choice. MSC tends to be a little more formal in the dining room and the no jeans thing is a part of that. My cousin, for whom I did all the research for on their MSC cruise, said the program for her kids, ages 7, 11 and 15, were no where near as good as programs on other ships. But since there were about 150 kids on their cruise, they did run a program, but this was in July.

 

There are two pools on the Mandolino Deck and an outdoor children's pool and game area on the Chitarra deck.

[cruisewith2kids]

Thanks for the information. I guess we will take the kids to dinner with us. They have gray school uniform slacks that will do in a pinch for dinner. We are Americans living in Ireland and our kids have a school holiday at the end of October so I hope that we will be lucky and have other kids on board. We'll see. This will either be a great time or a disaster. But it's our last year in Ireland and it will never be this easy to take a Mediterranean cruise again.

[cruisincarrie]

I'm sure you will have a wonderful time even if there aren't many kids on board. We were on a cruise in January that only had a handful of children. My girls were treated so well. I think they were treated even more special since there weren't as many on board. The wait staff went out of their way to accomodate them and the other passengers were so complimentary. It was a wonderful experience for all of us!

 

What a wonderful opportunity for your family to see the Mediterranean! Enjoy your cruise.

[cruisewith2kids]

I sent an e-mail to MSC's UK office and received some information. They do not have set hours for the kid's club. The hours vary based on the ports. The opening hours are listed in the daily information. They do not have a babysitting service. There is a cool looking play area but it is only open when there is MSC staff present.

 

When we return, I will post how it was on MSC Orchestra.

[cruisewith2kids]

We cruised on MSC Orchestra Oct. 27-Nov 2 with two boys. I can provide some information for potential future family cruisers. There is no in room babysitting. The kid's club was fun for the kids but very few English speakers and cartoons and such were in Italian. My kids are used to visiting relatives in Europe and being the only English speakers so it wasn't a big deal.

 

The kid's club was open most of the day but usually closed in late afternoon until about 8 pm. The kid's club was open during shore excursions and you could leave the kids while you went on excursions. We left both on board during Istanbul because we thought a palace would bore them and we intended to walk a lot. We took ship excursions to Olympia and Ephesus. Both are great excursions but you have to examine your own situation. Strollers would be impossible--these are ancient locations and the ground is steep and uneven and no ramps. The excursions do not provide much additional time to eat so taking snacks is essential.

 

The official dress code says no jeans after 6 pm but lots of people wore jeans and most kids wore jeans to dinner.

 

Anyone thinking of MSC in the Mediterranean should feel free to ask any questions.