michelle.zhang.90

4 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

never had that.

we have been on RCI, NCL, Princess and MSC. Our cabins were never cleaned every time we left the cabin. That's an unreasonable expectation.

Well, as I mentioned earlier, we've never returned to our cabin to find the towel still dirty or the bed unmade. This has been our consistent experience over the past so many years. Perhaps we've been fortunate to have diligent stewards. During the first few cruises, we were pleasantly surprised by how promptly and efficiently they managed to clean up the cabin. And later on, we thought that's a standard practice till this time.

30 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

Since someone else commented on this, I figured that I would as well. This sounds extremely unlikely, since it would have meant they left after only two days and they would have received a hefty bill from MSC, who would have been fined for violating the PVSA by allowing them to embark and disembark at different US ports without a distant foreign port in between. I suppose they could have left in Nassau, but it still seems unbelievable unless someone was sick.

This is what our fellow cruisers shared with us. It's fine if you have your own judgment. Personally, I've never heard of such things before, but I've also never encountered such a dreadful cruise experience. For me, it seems entirely plausible.

2 minutes ago, Denversail said:

I have never had my standard stateroom cleaned every time I've left. Not from a single cruise in the last 20 years. I haven't cruised on NCL but I find it hard to believe they provide this level of service or anything close to it.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. What I mentioned occurred on every single time during our previous cruises with Princess, Norwegian, and MSC. We've never returned to our cabin to find wet towels on the floor and an unmade bed, not even once.

1 minute ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

Celebrity has gone down too, at least in food. But it's still better than MSC. We are trying Virgin next month; the food is supposed to be excellent. But it won't work for you since it's no kids.

 

Trying MSC Meraviglia in March, but in the YC. We did the Seaside in 2018 and hated it, but YC was the only thing that could get me back on the ship. But now I'm reading here that it's gone downhill as well on Meraviglia. I guess I'll see if that's also a one-tme thing.

 

A previous comment on this post indicated a decline in YC. I would be so mad if I invested a considerable amount in YC and received unsatisfactory service. I highly recommend staying updated on recent reviews of Meraviglia. Frankly, it seems like the management no longer cares customer satisfaction. The captain does not look like a captain, really, more like a chef. We cruised with seaside in 2018 as well. If you think back then is bad, you will hate Meraviglia today without any question.

18 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

Don't you mean "Time to pause cruising MSC for a while"?

That sounds good too.  Over the last four years, my children have grown, prompting us to shift from cruising to exploring other countries during our travels. We used to cruise twice a year now once a year. If all cruises are going down at some point, we probably will cruise less. I heard Celebrity and Princess are both still very good which left cruising as an option for us. It's just too sad to see how bad MSC goes now.

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

Definitely changes.  We've sailed Mera four times since restart.  Twice Feb 2023 then Oct.  All in YC.  October was a big drop from past.  Biggest drop was YC food and restaurant service.  Saw YC director two minutes over 11 days.  Butler and Asst plus many bar staff great.

so sorry about that, especially after how much you paid for YC. Time to pause cruising for a while.

1 hour ago, stefanel said:

Forgot to mention, it seemed to us that cabin service was done more than once per day. Cabin service was good, once the soap dispenser was empty but when I left a note in the afternoon it was promptly refilled. The steward also vacuumed the room at least once (i saw him doing it) and cleaned the balcony. This cruise came on the back of the deviated one that took the ship to Boston and Canada and the steward noted that they did not even open the balconies during that trip.

 

It’s possible by steward. Our steward is not very good. The other girl steward and boy I saw them cleaning the cabins all the time.

2 hours ago, luckyinpa said:

 

how is it monitored/enforced. on all the ships ive been on , clocks really arent ubiquitous

1 hour ago, luckyinpa said:

to the OP

 

was there really a line at the hot tubs? ive never seen that on any cruise , including one christmas cruise. how could one even enjoy their 15 minutes with people just standing there? seems bizarre

That is correct. I was in the Jacuzzi and also had a talk with the pool boy in the evening, that's how it goes during the busy time. And there is really a line for getting in everyday. However before 9 am or after dinner it's quite empty so the 15 minutes rule does not apply during that time.

5 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

One cabin cleaning per day appears to be the standard now among all mainstream lines.

Are you sure about that? We sailed out from NYC last May with Norwegian to Bermuda and our cabin was cleaned every time we left it. 

1 hour ago, MsTabbyKats said:

And what do you think that type of Pax is?

Most of OPs disappointments (food, entertainment, lack of service) have nothing to do with "that type of Pax".

I observed a significant proportion of Chinese passengers, around 50-60%, and noticed sizable groups of Indian passengers, one of which had 154 members. This differs from our past experiences. While we're fine with diverse fellow travelers, our dissatisfaction arises from the poor service quality.

35 minutes ago, tony s said:

Please tell us you yanked that Service Charge. One it sends a powerful message. Two why pay for something you obviously didn’t get.

Oh I did not. Just did not leave extra tips this time. We normally leave extra to our waiters and stewards on the last day.

5 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I’ve sailed Meraviglia, Seashore, and Seaside. We haven’t had issues on any of the ships like you’ve described. But I have certainly read about some of the things you mentioned:  crowding in the buffet, slow and lacking service, rudeness at guest relations. Honestly, it’s the reason we’ve only sailed on MSC in the YC. It may not be so affordable for a family of six but I would say MSC  does  seem to be selling two different products. 

5 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I’ve sailed Meraviglia, Seashore, and Seaside. We haven’t had issues on any of the ships like you’ve described. But I have certainly read about some of the things you mentioned:  crowding in the buffet, slow and lacking service, rudeness at guest relations. Honestly, it’s the reason we’ve only sailed on MSC in the YC. It may not be so affordable for a family of six but I would say MSC  does  seem to be selling two different products. 

Thank you! I will totally consider YC since another friend had also recommended it to me multiple times. I was being cheap and thought since I had such good experience what’s the point to pay extra. Now I see the point lol. It’s a shame that the quality goes down so drastically. 

3 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Wow. I’m so sorry this was your Christmas cruise. Sounds dreadful. I hope everyone is feeling better. 

Thanks! It's quite surprising, honestly. We've had such great experiences with MSC in the past. The kids fully recovered two days ago, and I'm grateful for that! Thank you! I'm curious to know if what happened on the Meravigalia is also occurring on other MSC ships.

16 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

This was mentioned about Meraviglia in another thread.

I posted a comment that quoted a very knowledgeable forum member....

 

 

 

Maybe that was the issue. 

Thank you very much! Wish I knew that earlier ^_^

We recently concluded our 7-day Christmas cruise aboard the MSC Meraviglia. Despite having sailed with MSC multiple times (five times with Divina, two times with Seaside, and two times with Meraviglia, with four of those being during Christmas), we experienced significant disappointment on this occasion. The experience was completely different from what we had before. I highly recommend those who have booked a Meraviglia cruise departing from Brooklyn to reconsider their trip. Here are some of the key reasons:
1. Cabin - Contrary to our previous experiences, during which the steward would clean the cabin multiple times, especially after returning from the pool or other activities, this time our steward only did so once on most days. The bathroom had a persistent unpleasant odor, making it intolerable for anything other than a quick shower. I tried to call the service desk for helping but never had anyone answered. The entire family had to cut short their teeth-brushing routine due to the pervasive smell in the bathroom. Additionally, the carpet was noticeably filthy. Even attempting to open the door to our balcony did not alleviate the issue. Despite these challenges, we considered ourselves "lucky" compared to our cousin, who encountered a toilet plumbing problem. Unfortunately, they were relocated from their balcony cabin to an inside cabin without any compensation or apology.
2.     Dining - The food left much to be desired, but we could tolerate that. What made the experience terrible was the crowded and chaotic atmosphere. The buffet was consistently packed, except for early mornings. On multiple occasions around 9 in the morning, I encountered long queues and struggled to find a table for my family of six. The lengthy lines led to frustration, with several instances of arguments breaking out over line-cutting or taking excessive amounts of food. People were even blamed for taking food for their kids or elders, creating a tense environment. Personally, my search for pancakes for my son at the designated section proved futile.

One port day, we decided to dine at the buffet, which turned out well as it was less crowded. However, we noticed three waiters in our dining area, none of whom seemed inclined to clear our empty plates. Consequently, my dad took the initiative to bring the plates to them multiple times. Due to the hectic environment, we opted to frequent the Wave (formal dining room) for most breakfasts and lunches, where the experience was relatively better. However, during dinner, we encountered some peculiar situations. Has anyone ever experienced a waiter refusing to provide an extra spoon because you already have one? My aunt's request for an additional spoon to share food with her son was denied, and I had to approach our very friendly head waiter (the only amicable person in the dining room) to obtain one. Moreover, our waiter declined to bring me another appetizer, citing that there were two more seatings to follow, despite my parents skipping dinner that day. The dining experience seemed absurd, but fortunately, it improved after I spoke to our head waiter. I believe these peculiar incidents were a result of the venue operating at full capacity, akin to the bustling dim sum restaurants in Chinatown.

3. Entertainment - I might have a high expectation because we were so in love with the kind of shows in MSC Divina and seaside before (nice vocal, high quality acrobatics, etc), as well as the show in other cruise lines we loved (Princess and Norwegian) the show this time were mostly disappointing. The singing and dancing were just okay. there were two magic shows and you know what, even my 10 year old can can simply find out what is going on. the magician who played poker were good though, very interactive and funny.

4. Family - nothing really exciting. The pool were packed, again. Jacuzzi has 15 minutes limit most of the days. Meaning you have to get out of the jacuzzi and go back to the end of the line after 15 minutes. My kids never liked their kids club so I cannot provide much information.

5. Fitness - We used the fitness center daily. 25 minutes limit on the treadmills but if there is nobody waiting, we can do another 25 minutes. Bring your own water though because the only fountain there is weak.

6.  Sanitization - Despite my kids never falling ill on any previous MSC or Princess cruises, this time was an exception. Both my son and our cousin developed fevers between days 2 and 5 of the cruise. The prevalence of coughing was noticeable everywhere – in the buffet, main dining room, theater, and even the elevators. While we acknowledge it's flu season, we cruised in 2022 during a similarly challenging time, and no one got sick. We suspect insufficient sanitizer measures may be a contributing factor.

I observed that several public bathrooms lacked adequate water pressure, and some sinks were without soap. Outside the main dining room, two out of three sanitizer machines were consistently empty, with no effort made to refill them. In the past, crew members would typically sing "washy washy" outside the buffet, reminding guests to use sanitizer, but such reminders were absent this time.

7. Service - There was a noticeable lack of attention to guest needs during this cruise. The shift in service was perplexing until we attended the welcome back party. The event was brief, and the captain appeared for only five minutes before disappearing with other officers. There was no effort to engage with repeat guests. In contrast, in numerous past instances, the captain not only stayed to converse with us but also took pictures and occasionally even danced. If the management team is indifferent, it seems likely that the crew would follow suit. We chat with people and found there were some guests flew back home in the first port due to dissatisfaction of this cruise. I also found the lead customer service were very unfriendly and unpleasant.  Perhaps that's why I feel compelled to write this extensive review. I might be wasting my time by writing this review, but delaying and dismissing them wouldn't be fair. I hope my review reaches the cruise line and our fellow cruisers because we all anticipate a fantastic or at lease a pleasant sea experience. No one should have to endure a prolonged wait and pay for an experience that totally suffering.

Attached image description:

After enduring a lengthy line to return to the ship from Ocean Cay, our cousin discovered a plumbing issue in his cabin. Clad in a wet suit and now running a fever, he faced the challenge of having no suitable cabin to retreat to. Despite his mom's efforts at the reception, it wasn't until 11:46 PM that day that they reluctantly decided to assign him a nicer inside cabin. Initially, we all had balconies on the same deck.

The reception staff, specifically Kim and Dave, were notably unfriendly throughout the ordeal. They initially insisted that the only available cabin was one beneath the pool. After an hour of discussion, they mysteriously "discovered" another inside cabin, although it came with the caveat that the ceiling-hanging beds couldn't be fully secured. Frustration mounted over the next two hours as they declared we were wasting their time. Eventually, they conceded and provided my aunt with another inside cabin that presented no additional issues. Throughout this ordeal, our cousin lay in the lobby, visibly unwell, but received no sympathy; the staff seemed more intent on expediting our departure than addressing our concerns.

Hi there, we are a family of four, visiting Bermuda with Norwegian Joy soon. The children are 11 years old DD and 8 years old DS. We used to cruise to Caribbean many times and this is the first time to Bermuda. We are all very excited! The children love to swim and they are good hikers too. Could you please recommend some excursions to us that are fun and have good reputation? I would like to book in advance so we won’t need to panic when we are there. TIA!

6 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

 

The info is in the link.

got it thanks!

On 9/20/2019 at 3:39 PM, mitsugirly said:

As others have mentioned, Chankanaab and Money Bar are the "from shore" type of snorkeling places. But, if you want to get out to the reef, you'll need to go by boat. We've been to just about every beach club there and recently took a boat excursion (not with the cruise line) to Palancar and Columbia Reef and had an amazing time! The reef was awesome and then they take you to the starfish area where you will see hundreds along with the El Cielo sandbar where they let you get out and spend some time in the shallow waters, they make homemade salsa, gauc and serve drinks and it is so good.

 

You can get out my review and pictures HERE if you are interested.

 That sounds so much fun! Could you share the excursion info with us?

 We are looking for excursions for Ocho Rios in December, do you have any suggestions? Originally thinking about Dunn river fall and blue hole, do they worth to go? I see most excursions do not include the admission ($23 pp for Dunn and $20 pp for blue hole). Is it better to book in advance or take a taxi when we arrive?  Also saw the river tubing.  We have two kids (6 and 8 ), they are good swimmers, will these two spots suit them? Or if there’s other ones? Any recommendation is appreciated! TIA!

On 11/14/2018 at 3:57 PM, PAcruiser19372 said:

I've done both but hard to say for your family.  When we did the Eco tour thru a private company it was very good.  Where there was some rock climbing my wife and I stayed at the boat; she swam and I did a little snorkeling.  There was another part where we climbed up to an overlook while they were preparing lunch on the boat.  We had our grandkids with us but they were in their early teens so the rock climbing and going up to the overlook was no big deal for them, not sure about a five and a half year old.  But one of you could stay behind while the other did some exploring.  We did the lobster lunch thru RCI and while it was OK it was somewhat boring as all we did was stop at a couple of beaches and swim.  The grilled lobster on the boat was very good however.  Swim and lobster lunch or some snorkeling and sight seeing with a lunch on the boat, that is the question!

 Thank you! We chose Eco tour. Hope DS can have some fun! PS. We are from PA too!

On 11/9/2018 at 2:01 PM, paul58 said:

You may see some monkeys on your island tour. Your land tour may end up at one of the beaches on the SE Peninsula(South Friars or Cockleshell) occasionally there will be monkeys crossing the road ahead of you. For the most part they are shy. Try to avoid the guys with the baby monkeys. They will want to take a picture of the monkeys (with your camera) that they have placed on your shoulders etc for a fee. The handlers of these baby monkeys do not really help the babies. Consider how did they happen to acquire them? What happens when they are to large to control? What really happened to the mother? Just my rant on the monkey situation. 

Thank you Paul. We will definitely avoid the guys with baby monkeys. Always hate the people who took the poor wile animals away from their home. I understand those people need a way to make their living, but by ruining other's life? I cannot agree.

8 minutes ago, paul58 said:

If the kids were teenagers the catamaran might be fun for them. I have done it many times over the years and have seen very few children on the excursion.  

Oh great, thanks Paul! I'll stick with the land tour then. The catamaran looks so cool. They said they like both! They want to see monkeys and also want to ride on a Catamaran! Maybe next time!

2 hours ago, paul58 said:

If the kids were older I would opt for the catamaran but I would do the Grand Tour of St Kitts.  

Thank you Paul!

We are a family of four, kids are 7 and 5. We are trying to decide between

1. The Grand Tour of St. Kitts

or

2. CATAMARAN FANTA-SEA TO NEVIS & BEACH BREAK

The pro of the first one is kids may have chance to see monkeys. The pro of the second one is it sounds very relaxing and kids have never done catamaran before.

Please help to choose.

Thank you!