MSC Opera Review

[Lill]

I posted this under Reviews but it will take a few days to show up. These of course are just my personal opinions. If there are any specific questions, I'll be glad to answer.

We arrived at the ship around 12:20 and was on the ship within an hour. Everything went very quickly and the staff all made you feel very welcome. They had water and orange juice while you waited. It was the easiest embarkation I’ve ever experienced.

We were taken to our cabin by a white-gloved attendant. There was a bowl of fresh fruit in our cabin which was replenished daily. Our cabin steward had a bit of an English problem but took care of all our requests very quickly. He was great. He kept our cabin in great order.

The ship was lovely. At first glance you might think it to be bland but on closer inspection find a very understated elegance. The colors are very soft with a lot of mirrors and brass.

We were in cabin #8275 which is an ocean view. By most standards it is small but with all of the storage space it was most workable. We were two women traveling together with all the clothes that requires plus we also had scuba diving gear. We noticed some of the desk chairs in the hall and figured out that when the bed was in the queen configuration that it took up too much space. Our cabin was next to the last aft cabin and we enjoyed having the fantail to relax on. The bathroom was small with a tiny shower but it had a removable shower head which was a huge help. There was plenty of storage in the bathroom. There was a blow dryer on the wall which we didn’t use.

Food is very subjective but talking with other passengers, I found most shared my opinion. The buffet was not good. We had all of our meals in the dining room which we found to be very good. There were a few disappointments but found the food to be really good overall. We saw a big change in dining room service just in the week while we were on board. We asked to be moved and our request was gladly taken care of. We had great dinner companions and enjoyed our meals. Champagne was served on our last formal night which I thought was a nice touch. They had the baked Alaska parade AND it was actually yummy.

Instead of a Cruise Director the ship had a Cruise Staff which was FANTASTIC! They made sure that everyone who wanted to have fun did. We would check our daily program to find where they were going to be and that is where we headed. I just can’t say enough good things about them. There are numerous lounges with great musicians in most. My personal favorites were the Caruso Lounge and the Cotton Club.

I have sailed on Carnival, Celebrity, HAL, Princess and Royal Caribbean. The MSC Opera was the most “fun” cruise I’ve taken. If you enjoy new experiences, don’t sweat the small stuff and like to have fun then the Opera is the perfect ship.

[Benitad]

I'm on the Feb. 26 cruise, and curious ... What exactly was the problem with the buffet? Was it the midnight or lunch or what? And were there enough alternatives?

[Lill]

Benitad, Not sure how to explain the buffet food. It reminded me of the food you used to have at school. Not sure what the problem was as the food in the dining room was great. I found this to be the case at breakfast and lunch. I didn't try the midnight buffets. There is a grill that has good burgers, hotdogs, another meat that I didn't try and really good fries if you don't want to eat in the dining room. There was also pizza but I didn't try it as it looked like frozen pizza. I'm sure they received many complaints regarding the buffet and may have it corrected before your cruise. BTW, room service hot cocoa was yummy! :)

[eroller]

We were in cabin #8275 which is an ocean view. By most standards it is small but with all of the storage space it was most workable. We were two women traveling together with all the clothes that requires plus we also had scuba diving gear. We noticed some of the desk chairs in the hall and figured out that when the bed was in the queen configuration that it took up too much space. Our cabin was next to the last aft cabin and we enjoyed having the fantail to relax on. The bathroom was small with a tiny shower but it had a removable shower head which was a huge help. There was plenty of storage in the bathroom. There was a blow dryer on the wall which we didn’t use.



Thanks for the review Lill!

I do have one question regarding the cabin. I have an outside cabin just like you .... in fact it's right down the hall from the cabin you occupied. Are the beds in these cabins against the back wall with the window, or are they side-ways against a side wall? I know in the balcony cabins the beds are against a side wall so you can walk around them to the balcony door. I'm not sure if they kept this arrangement with the standard outsides without the balcony?

I'll be sharing the cabin with my mother so the beds will be in a twin arrangement. From what people have stated this arrangement will be better space-wise.

Thanks!

Ernie

[Lill]

The head of the beds are up against the wall with the window. The twin configuration is much better space wise. There is a nightstand with lamp and storage space beside each bed.

[eroller]

The head of the beds are up against the wall with the window. The twin configuration is much better space wise. There is a nightstand with lamp and storage space beside each bed.


Thanks Lill!


Ernie