Time of dinner on MSC

We booked a mini cruise via the MSC website and chose late dinner as times were stated as 6.30pm and 8.30pm. It is a mini cruise from Hamburg to Southampton in Sept.

I have since read reviews of the ship (Preciosa) and one refers to dining times being later than that. We would not want to have a meal time starting after 8.30pm. Is it possible the website gave the wrong info when we booked and, if so, would we need to ring MSC to change our request to first sitting?

Also we had no option to choose a table size - is that option not available on MSC?

The late seating is 9pm on some sailings, but if they told you 8:30pm when you booked, it's probably 8:30pm for your cruise.

I don't think you can pick your table size ahead of time. Maybe you can have them add a note to your reservation, but there's no guarantee that they will take your wishes into account when assigning tables. You can also ask to change on board, but again, they may not be able to give you exactly what you want.

The late seating is 9pm on some sailings, but if they told you 8:30pm when you booked, it's probably 8:30pm for your cruise.

 

I don't think you can pick your table size ahead of time. Maybe you can have them add a note to your reservation, but there's no guarantee that they will take your wishes into account when assigning tables. You can also ask to change on board, but again, they may not be able to give you exactly what you want.

Thank you very much for the reply. I seem to be making a lot of fuss about a 3 night mini cruise and the details will likely not be that important to us when we get there, but the booking has partly been made to see how the big cruise ships work. We have sailed on small ships before which I imagine is a very different experience. Nice to get the balcony at a really good price though

I have searched the MSC website for a number of my queries, but find it difficult to get much info from it, so I am very thankful for Cruise Critic and the helpful posters here. Maybe after the cruise I can help others. I will certainly do a review.

Thank you very much for the reply. I seem to be making a lot of fuss about a 3 night mini cruise and the details will likely not be that important to us when we get there, but the booking has partly been made to see how the big cruise ships work. We have sailed on small ships before which I imagine is a very different experience. Nice to get the balcony at a really good price though

 

I have searched the MSC website for a number of my queries, but find it difficult to get much info from it, so I am very thankful for Cruise Critic and the helpful posters here. Maybe after the cruise I can help others. I will certainly do a review.

You could try calling the general customer service line. I've had great conversations with them a couple times; they have been very helpful.

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Thanks - did not realise that existed.

Just rang MSC and very impressed. I was told dining times vary and that second sitting is more likely to be 9pm on our cruise (so may consider changing). Have also been able to request a table size and the lady was able to tell me that the front of our balcony is glass - it is near the front of the ship and we thought it may be solid metal, which would restrict some visibility.

Overall, very pleased indeed.

Just rang MSC and very impressed. I was told dining times vary and that second sitting is more likely to be 9pm on our cruise (so may consider changing). Have also been able to request a table size and the lady was able to tell me that the front of our balcony is glass - it is near the front of the ship and we thought it may be solid metal, which would restrict some visibility.

 

Overall, very pleased indeed.

Glad it worked out!

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Not wanting to make you worry unduly but on our recent sailing on Fantasia, 2nd dinner was consistently listed as 8:30 pm, even in our cruise docs. However, once on board it was 9:15 pm every night.

At first we thought due to late boarding of passengers in Dubai on the 1st night and again in Abu Dhabi on the 2nd night that after that it would go back to 8:30 pm. Nope, it was the same all 7 nights.

Just rang MSC and very impressed. I was told dining times vary and that second sitting is more likely to be 9pm on our cruise (so may consider changing). Have also been able to request a table size and the lady was able to tell me that the front of our balcony is glass - it is near the front of the ship and we thought it may be solid metal, which would restrict some visibility.

 

Overall, very pleased indeed.

That information may be incorrect as Preziosa, and Divina for that matter, has a different design to the number of metal balconies to Fantasia ( and Splendida) which is the first in Class build and so technical data references often give her details as fact.

here is the area of the metal balconies for Preziosa and Divina

compare with and notice the extra metal balconies in deck 8 and 9

MSC SPLENDIDA

So if you care to give me your cabin number I will give you a definitive answer as to whether you have a balcony or not.

Any cabin on the front hump on deck 8 or 9 definitely has a metal balcony

Pete.

Not wanting to make you worry unduly but on our recent sailing on Fantasia, 2nd dinner was consistently listed as 8:30 pm, even in our cruise docs. However, once on board it was 9:15 pm every night.

 

At first we thought due to late boarding of passengers in Dubai on the 1st night and again in Abu Dhabi on the 2nd night that after that it would go back to 8:30 pm. Nope, it was the same all 7 nights.

Thanks. That is bad news, we may ask to change or we could just have a snack earlier in the self service and eat less at dinner. The only port day is Le Havre and we do not leave until 10pm, so late sitting could be useful then. All this is a part of exploring other cruise lines, but feeding times are still better than the very restricted times on the smaller cruise ships.

That information may be incorrect as Preziosa, and Divina for that matter, has a different design to the number of metal balconies to Fantasia ( and Splendida) which is the first in Class build and so technical data references often give her details as fact.

 

So if you care to give me your cabin number I will give you a definitive answer as to whether you have a balcony or not.

Any cabin on the front hump on deck 8 or 9 definitely has a metal balcony

 

 

Pete.

Mmmmmm, see what you mean. The MSC website shows what is probably deck 10 as deck 9 when you view the deck plans and cabins on Preziosa, but looking at the lifeboats, that seems to be wrong. Our cabin is 9034 and, like we thought to begin with, looks it has a solid balcony. The lady on the phone did ask for our booking ref and take time to look it up, but perhaps as you say they have the wrong details for that ship on their system.

The only other cabins were on deck 13, so could suffer noise form the deck above (especially ones under the outside decks and we were unsure about the self service as well). Also some of those cabins are smaller and others have intercommunicating doors which is another big no IMO. Do you know how restricted the vision is on the solid balconies - do they stop you seeing the sea or low lying land if sitting down? I could check from time to time to see if any other cabins become available and ask to change.

Again, thinking of the non balcony cabins we would have on smaller ships, it is not that bad - the main thing we want is fresh air, we hate the only air supply being from the A/C.

Mmmmmm, see what you mean. The MSC website shows what is probably deck 10 as deck 9 when you view the deck plans and cabins on Preziosa, but looking at the lifeboats, that seems to be wrong. Our cabin is 9034 and, like we thought to begin with, looks it has a solid balcony. The lady on the phone did ask for our booking ref and take time to look it up, but perhaps as you say they have the wrong details for that ship on their system.

 

The only other cabins were on deck 13, so could suffer noise form the deck above (especially ones under the outside decks and we were unsure about the self service as well). Also some of those cabins are smaller and others have intercommunicating doors which is another big no IMO. Do you know how restricted the vision is on the solid balconies - do they stop you seeing the sea or low lying land if sitting down? I could check from time to time to see if any other cabins become available and ask to change.

 

Again, thinking of the non balcony cabins we would have on smaller ships, it is not that bad - the main thing we want is fresh air, we hate the only air supply being from the A/C.

Two views of the metal balconies for you

A lot of deck 13 cabins are heavily shaded by the deck 14 overhang

Deck 13 seen from deck 12

Here is your cabin location from outside the ship, with the decks numbered

you could email the MSC rep who told you it was not a metal balcony and include this image

Pete

Thank you for that.

Those metal sides are really high, other decks are now showing when I make a mock booking and there are some at the back of deck 11, which look much better - do you agree?

Barbara

Have rang and changed our cabin number for 11305, which is overlooking the back of the ship and has a balcony just over twice the size of the standard ones. We will no doubt hear some noise as the ship goes into port or changes direction and it is opposite white space that is probably a stewards area, but still better than the other one I think. Shame we will be going south on the sea day so will not get the sun, but very little wind either, so cannot complain. I do like just sitting and overlooking the wake on cruise ships.

Thank you for all your help on this skier52 and hope you enjoyed your recent skiing holiday that you mentioned on another thread. I am very grateful that you pointed out the problem.

Barbara

Thank you for that.

 

Those metal sides are really high, other decks are now showing when I make a mock booking and there are some at the back of deck 11, which look much better - do you agree?

 

Barbara

I agree at the back on deck 11 would be belter provided its number is between 11226 and 11254 on the starboard side (even numbers) and11261 and11289 on the port side (odd numbers) or any of the cabins on the stern.

11258 and 11293 have partial metal balconies

Pete

Have rang and changed our cabin number for 11305, which is overlooking the back of the ship and has a balcony just over twice the size of the standard ones. We will no doubt hear some noise as the ship goes into port or changes direction and it is opposite white space that is probably a stewards area, but still better than the other one I think. Shame we will be going south on the sea day so will not get the sun, but very little wind either, so cannot complain. I do like just sitting and overlooking the wake on cruise ships.

 

Thank you for all your help on this skier52 and hope you enjoyed your recent skiing holiday that you mentioned on another thread. I am very grateful that you pointed out the problem.

 

Barbara

That's a fantastic cabin the balcony is 96 sq. ff

and her is an image of one

Pete

Looks like I owe you a drink!!

Cheers,

Barbara

Looks like I owe you a drink!!

 

Cheers,

 

Barbara

If ever our paths crossed I'd be delighted to accept a drink

Pete

That information may be incorrect as Preziosa, and Divina for that matter, has a different design to the number of metal balconies to Fantasia ( and Splendida) which is the first in Class build and so technical data references often give her details as fact.

 

 

here is the area of the metal balconies for Preziosa and Divina

 

 

 

compare with and notice the extra metal balconies in deck 8 and 9

 

MSC SPLENDIDA

 

 

 

 

 

So if you care to give me your cabin number I will give you a definitive answer as to whether you have a balcony or not.

Any cabin on the front hump on deck 8 or 9 definitely has a metal balcony

 

 

Pete.

Hi Pete!

Do you know if Cabin 10167 on Divina has a metal or plexiglass balcony?