Lirica Review: 1/23/09 cruise

[bighairtexan]

This was my 40th cruise, my first on MSC. My favorite cruise line is Celebrity.

This was not Celebrity for sure but then again I paid a lot less. I will break it down into negatives and positives.

I'll do the NEGATIVES first as i think they are few and not very important.

LANGUAGE BARRIERS: I did find it difficult at times in the dining room but I could always point to the menu if there was anything confusing. I had no trouble communicating with the front desk staff or anyone else. And I, personally, did not find any cases of rudeness.

CASINO: small w/ only 2 blackjack tables which were always packed.

ACTIVITIES: for the first (and last) time we did first seating which was WAY too early...5:30. So I felt like many of the activities were going on as we got ready for dinner. Also it seemed to me as if there was not a lot going on, but we did a lot of relaxing and reading so that was ok.

INTERNET: I know ships have slow connection speeds but this was ridiculous. Bob spent $20 one night and never got connected.

DINING SERVICE: Contrary to what I'd read, they do NOT try to get you to buy water but my gosh it was hard to get refills. Ask, ask and ask again.

 

I will now do the positives and THEN address the food issue separately.

SHIP: lovely and gleamingly clean.

CABIN: We had a suite and 3 days into the cruise we were still finding hidden closet space which we didn't need.

ENTERTAINMENT: The shows lean heavily toward classical which is fine w/ me. There were also broadway nights, magic nights and a couple of Cirque du Soliel type nights. The lighting, make-up and costumes were fantastic. The lounges had dance music, a really good Latin trio. Typical cruise fare.

EMBARKATION and DEBARKATION: went very smoothly. We got there around 1:30 and were in our cabin by 2.

PORTS: Pretty much everything on the ship was on time. Only had to tender in Cayo Levantado which was our 6th port and we were kind of "ported out" so didn't even bother getting off the ship which I heard was a wise choice.

PRICES ON BOARD: We got a wine package (7 or 10 wines) which was from a good selection of reds and whites and came out to $15/bottle which is fantastic. They also have ice cream packages, beer, soft drink and martini packages which make the items even cheaper, but the regular prices are not that bad.

 

FOOD: Ok this is all over the board. I found the buffet for lunch very weak. The grill had good hot dogs, decent burgers, steak sandwiches and really good fries. I never had the pizza. Tea was nice w/ small sandwiches, cookies, and was a nice snack. At tea, Jeans or shorts are fine as opposed to Celebrity for instance which really enforced the dress code, at tea last March. Breakfast was breakfast. No big deal. I am not a big breakfast person so I can't really judge.

Room Service was from a limited menu but the food was fine and very quick service 24/7.

We mostly did lunch in the dining room and it was consistently good.

For dinner, the appetizers were wonderful. The soups were also excellent and were served at proper temperature no matter if cold or hot. The pasta course had risotto which was a little too al dente for my tastes and also had a pasta which was perfectly cooked. Desserts, often a low point on most cruises, were really quite good.

Now for the entrees. There has been some talk about the beef. Day one I ordered rare roast beef and I got rare roast beef... 3 thin slices and pretty good. On one of the gala nights I ordered filet mignon, rare and got SOMETHING well done. VERY well done. Maybe horse?? When I asked again for a different rare piece done RARE, I got pretty much RAW. I honestly think it was cooked for 1-2 min per side just to get the grill marks on it. And it was SO tough as it was for the other 3 ppl at our table who ordered it. Even one of the waiters said the filet was "as hard as this table." So I'd suggest staying away from the beef. The 2 ppl who ordered lobster were also disappointed. That day, my BF and I ordered the veal chop and it was stellar. Really first rate. I had the best eggplant parmesan that I've ever had. Most of the entree's were good but not great but w/ the exception of the beef they were all acceptable to excellent.

 

Would I take another MSC cruise? If the price and itinerary were good I surely would. It was not Celebrity but as I said, if I paid the price for a Toyota I wouldn't expect a Mercedes but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the Toyota. If you are already booked on the Lirica, go ahead and don't worry. You'll have a great time. Just try not to be thirsty at dinner and stay away from the filet.

[cruzinmom]

:) Thanks for you review.I enjoyed reading it.

[Seago2]

Thanks for your review! You seem to have had the same experience I did.

[broham]

Finally an Okay review for the Licira. I am going next week on Feb 12, 09, so now i pretty much know what to expect. Thanks for the info.

[lavola]

I was on the same cruise, and had a totally different experience. We had been told by my mother who had taken the Lirica's transatlantic cruise twice before that the ship was a beautiful ship, a lot of fun, great food and overall a great experience. (I have cruised on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity before).

 

Boy were we disappointed. I guess first impressions are lasting. We boarded at 6.30 PM on one of the season's coldest eves in So Fl. As we made our way through the ship's pool deck 11, all I could think of was how depressing this departure was compared to the ones I've experienced and watched from Watson Island on Miami Beach. The deck was empty, there was no live music, no party atmosphere, no welcome aboard feeling. What a let down. It felt like a sad winter's day at a closed up beach resort. We searched for our cabin and hoped for a more lively evening.

 

As we passed the reception, my mother met with an officer she had met on a previous cruise and asked about an upgrade to our cabins. The officer was genuinely apologetic when he advised us that there were no cabins to switch to. However, upon finding out that it was our wedding anniversary, let me know that he could give my husband and I a balcony suite for the next 3 days, until our arrival in PR, where the cabin would be reclaimed by the passengers that missed their flight and ship's Ft. Lauderdale departure. The mini suite was larger than the ones we had slept in on Royal Caribbean, with an extremely large closet. I was surprised to find a tub in the bathroom. Once in PR we were back, like Cinderella, in a VERY small, always immaculately cleaned ocean view cabin.

 

We ordered room service one morning as we woke up past 10 am. I was surprised to read that the only breakfast I could have at that time is room service. That would not have been a problem except for the fact that it took 2 tries for the stewart to bring a correct order. (coffee and croissants, nothing too extravagant, but who can prepare a breakfast that omits cream with the coffee? Do I really need to ask for cream?)

 

The next 2 days were at sea. This is where a cruiser's memories come from, a chance for the cruise line to show off and shine their day time entertainment. I was soo disappointed. The only activities were by the pool, administered by their "entertainment team" made up of a young and energetic team who were forced to repeat every statement in five (5!) languages. The fun and games ended there. I searched for a quiet place for us to sit and read, choosing space on the 12 deck, the walking track. I could have died of thirst, as not once did a waiter/waitress made their way to that deck. You would think that the management would want to increase their profits by selling more drinks, but no. No waiters came and I was forced to look for drinks downstairs.

 

Prior to our departure we had been emailed that we were confimed on a second seating table at the Ippocampo restaurant, a smaller more subdued locale on Deck 6. When we made our way there we were told that we were actually to be seated in the main dining room, but that we were to be served by the best waiter /assistant waiter team on the ship. This proved true, as we were happy to find out for the next 3 dinners. We eventually met 2 other couples that wanted to join us so we asked to be moved to a larger table. That was a mistake! We were at the mercy of 2 novice waiters who seemed to mock us with every request. So much so that one of the Maitre D' had to be called.

 

One of the more disappointing things about the lirica is that there is no food served between 230 PM and 4 .30, so our excursions had to be made so that our return could be in time for a meal. It's not that we had to have their restaurant food, it's just that on the second occasion we had to order room service lunch, it required 3 separate calls to room service, once because no dressing was included with the salad, (I guess we were at fault becasue we did not request it...) and once becasue silverware was missing upon a closer inspection. This brings me to another major flaw. All calls regardless of the nature of the call were routed to reception, who was busy fielding questions by passengers standing in front of the desk. Therefore a lunch order was taken by a stressed out front desk officer, who omitted asking if dressing was required on a salad order. It is conceivable that a food order taken by someone in the F&B dept may have been

correct and complete.

 

We never had their grilled lunch food, but the pizzas were always delicious as well as their pasta dishes cooked up by the pool. Their buffet lunches were adequate while their dinners, even if varied, were never excellent, nor meeted our expectations considering the ship is Italian. The salmon featured one night was cold, dry and unappetizing. Their "always available" meals were also uneventful and disapponting. We don't eat shrimp or lobster so we cannot rate those meals.

 

I must say the ship's entertainment in the theater at night was as good as any I have seen before, if not better. I looked forward to every evening's show and was never disappointed. The magician was excellent as well as their Cirque du Soleil-like show. The ship's Casino is lacking, with only 2 black jack tables. The croupiers were entertaining and friendly for the most part, except for a few that were openly rude to passengers. Once they knew I spoke fluent italian, they made a point of disparaging others, which put me in an emabarassing situatuation as I knew other passengers around me spoke italian. It might be time for some croupiers to be replaced as they are showing sign of job related stress. Everyone is replaceable.

 

The port's of call were great. I had never been to PR and enjoyed walking in the old town. We only took 2 excursions, one in Antigua, (DO NOT take the pirate ship excursion.. your money is better spent by renting a taxi and going to a local beach.) We did take the Virgin Gorda excursion in Tortola and were WOWED by the blue/green waters of the island. The only shortfall is the time limitation. It took 1 hour between fast boat transfer and driving to get to the local bus, to take us to the park. We were rushed to get there and rushed to leave, but the 45 minutes spent on that beautiful beach made the trek worth it!

 

All in all, I would NOT recommend this cruise or the MSC cruise line. I'd stick to the tried and true Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. It seems to me the Italians have a lot to learn in terms of entertaining on a ship. MSC cannot rely on their "Italian" label and reputation. That only goes so far.

[AmoMondo]

I'm sorry that you were dissappointed with your cruise, especially as it was your anniversary. Although I do think that it was nice of them to upgrade to a suite for a while.

The thing is that they are not trying to be RCCL or celebrity or carnival. They don't bill themselves as being a party ship with constant activity. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they are without fault and that there is no room for improvement but i for one don't want them to become the same as the mainstream American lines. If you prefer a more European experience then there is only MSC or Costa.

I smiled as I read your comment about the cream for your coffee and di you really have to ask for cream...I was thinking well yes you do whenyou are on a European line as Italians 9and the french and Spanish for that matter) rarely have milk or cream in their coffee - they always drink it black.

 

Please don't think I'm criticising you, i'm not. This is just another example of different lines suit different people and so many people who go on MSC and are dissappointed have often failed to appreciate the differences they will experience with a European company. I think they would also have some of the issues with European and restaurants too. It's great that this forum exists and good of you to share your experience as it allows others to learn about some of the differences before they book and avoid being dissappointed

[NHBob]

This was my 40th cruise, my first on MSC. My favorite cruise line is Celebrity.

This was not Celebrity for sure but then again I paid a lot less. I will break it down into negatives and positives.

 

I found your review most interesting, in that it more or less paralleled mine, both strong and weak points, for my 12/3 Lirica cruise, also my first with MSC. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=51083

 

I didn't mention the so-called fillet mignons in my review, but two ladies at my table had exactly the same experience as you describe. Never did figure out what cut of meat they were - certainly didn't resemble any fillet I've ever seen! What I really would have liked was a good Florentine steak, but it was never on the menu.

 

You are, of course, right about keeping in mind the difference in cost between MSC and Celebrity, as I also have to keep reminding myself that I can't expect Crystal at MSC's rates. However, it doesn't cost anymore to prepare food properly than to do it badly.

 

I've also been puzzeled by the many posts by others who have equated poor service and food with MSC being Italian. This is nonsense - Italians won't accept poor service and food any more than other nationalities, at least my Italian friends won't. I know that the food in my small neighborhood trattoria when I lived in Rome for a while was more consistently good than Lirica's.

 

Maybe MSC should adopt Forrest Gump's observation: "Life (on MSC) is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get"

[sea-explorer]

 

I've also been puzzeled by the many posts by others who have equated poor service and food with MSC being Italian. This is nonsense - Italians won't accept poor service and food any more than other nationalities, at least my Italian friends won't. I know that the food in my small neighborhood trattoria when I lived in Rome for a while was more consistently good than Lirica's.

 

Maybe MSC should adopt Forrest Gump's observation: "Life (on MSC) is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get"

 

Hi Bob,

I know I have posted in the past about the service being different, but I would never excuse poor service on these grounds or any others. I just think it helps if people are aware of the differences. Yes, if you take a seat in a restaurant or a bar in Europe, a waiter will come to take your order. However, they will probably not return to refill your drinks unless you indicate that is what you want. On the ship it is different, or at least in has been for me sailing in Europe with predominantly Italian passengers. I have sat in the lounges and bars where half or more of the passengers have not wanted drinks. They have been there just to chat with friends or maybe watch the entertainment. They do not want to be hassled by waiters, so it is the norm to just signal them.

 

Our experience is that the service has always been good, but yes, you do have to indicate that is what you require in the first instance. I have also noticed that if you frequent the same bars the staff soon know you will require drinks, and also that you will probably want a refill & keep an eye out accordingly. Generally I have also found that they very quickly become used to your order and a simple nod across the room is enough for them to bring a tray with the required drinks straight to your table.

 

As for the food. Well, yes. I have always maintained it is fine, generally okay, but certainly not 'top notch'. I just think it helps though to be aware that different nations will probably prepare the same food in different ways. Actually, every 'authentic' spaghetti bolognese I have eaten in Italy has generally been blander than anything I have received at home. I must also admit to being amazed when I received my filet mignon on the Poesia, it was superb! The tiramisu too was much better on the Poesia than on the Lirica. It just goes to show that it all depends on the ship, the chef, the kitchen, the day etc...certainly well in line with your Forrest Gump quote. :)

 

I'll happily admit too, the main attraction of MSC for us is the price, although I believe the margin is not as great in the Carribean. If it wasn't for MSC, we probably wouldn't be able to afford a cruise at all, or at least, maybe only once every 2 years or so as other lines here charge at least twice as much. For roughly the same price as a land trip to Europe consisting of basic spartan self-catering accomodation we can buy an MSC cruise on one of it's beautiful ship's, attractive and comfortable accomodation, transport from port to port, entertainment and all meals thrown in. No, it is not perfect, but for us at least, it is no contest. It represents excellent value for money, even with the ups and downs of the food issues etc. :)

[bighairtexan]

One thing I forgot to mention. I went to lunch almost every day in the dining room as I slept through breakfast most days and was hungry. The buffet just didn't thrill me but the lunch in the dining room was usually very good. And it gave me a chance to talk to different people each afternoon. There were MANY people who were unhappy with their cruise and EQUALLY as many who were extremely satisfied.

But what I found the oddest was that, of the unhappy people, half said that the service was fine but the food horrible. The other half said the food was great but the service horrible. I personally found both to be good. Not great. But good. I just find it interesting how two people on the same cruise, eating more or less the same food from the same kitchen being served by many of the same crew have such diametrically opposed experiences.

Lastly, I also think that if I had gone on that cruise looking for things to go wrong, looking for rudeness, looking for inedible food..... I could find it, on MSC and on other cruise lines. I went in smiling, laughing, determined to enjoy myself and I did, and it wasn't hard to do.

My advice to those going on MSC would be to go in with an open mind and a positive outlook and it'll be fine.