Georgia_Peaches

Our boarding time was 10 AM but presumably the ship hadn’t received the all clear by then. We showed up at 10:45. Still waited till noon to board. Apparently the times really don’t matter. If you show up early and the ship isn’t ready for passengers you can wait with refreshments in the YC area.

Our director is a recent MSC acquisition from RCL. He hasn’t been with the company long but he has been very personable. One thing I’ve realized as an American sailing on this ship is that language is a barrier at times. Perhaps some of the ships’ officers have been reluctant to speak to the guests because they don’t know the language of the guests in their midst. I’m just venturing a guess bc I’ve read some reviews where people have commented on the reluctance of the officers to engage with the passengers. In 5 days we’ve encountered 10 different languages and counting.

So the fan request was a no go. And the aghast look I received when asking was priceless. DH and I had a good laugh. But there’s good news, Mafig! We spoke to Phil, the YC director and explained the situation. He immediately whipped out his phone and within the hour our problem was solved. Last night I actually slept with covers! Room was nice and cool. So lesson learned. We should have escalated to YC Director much sooner as the rooms obviously have the capability of going colder. Am beginning to wonder if my need for a cold room is one of those subtle cultural differences between me and my fellow international cruiser who may not require such sleeping conditions.

Yes, we were not put off by the prerecorded vocals. It was the lead voices to which I was referring. They were outstanding IMO but I’m no opera expert. In fact, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, although I sound great in my head 😊. Therefore, my litmus test is quite low.

I didn’t see it on the list of prohibited items.

Yes, that’s what I thought. no, we have Anna Lisa. She is a delight. 😊

Sorry. My suggestion: pack an extension cord and request a fan for your room. Moving air helps. Wish I had thought of this before. Actually you may not need the extension now that I look at the outlets. I’m goi g to ask my butler about a fan and will report back.

So the a/c thing is definitely going into the CON category. Most nights I’ve slept with no covers. It’s much warmer than my preference. I’ve reported a warm room to my butler. But no change. I told DH that I was convinced that someone nearby must have the balcony door open all the time! I dared a glance into each of our neighboring balconies and sure enough, one of our neighbors had their door wide open…presumably to hear the water 😬. I’m not sure if the a/c units are all connected like they are on older ships. I thought since this is a new ship the a/c might be different. Nope! I have felt comfortable in the public venues tho. For reference, back home we sleep in about 65 degrees. I’d say our room temperature is about 74 currently.

In YC on Seashore now. Not using the wristbands or the app. Getting along just fine with the key card and paper menus/daily planner.

Breakfast and lunch can be had in both the MDR and the buffet on port and sea days. Hours of operation vary so check the daily planner. I think the MDR has a shorter serving window than The buffet. Some specialty dining options are available for lunch. Hola tacos has advertised all you can eat for $17.99 pp and bogo margaritas.

Currently on Seashore. All venues open and at full capacity. Theater shows at standing room only. Things appear to be in full swing both on ship and in ports.

Such a great idea!

Omg we are having a blast! Now let me temper this with the fact that we haven’t cruised since 2019… but I have to say MSC may just be our new go-to cruise line. Service in YC is impeccable. Almost over the top. Example: last night our butler literally chased us down the corridor to catch up to us so that she could escort DH and me to dinner. ship is full but never feels that way. We haven’t waited more than a minute for an elevator anywhere on the ship. Entertainment is typical cruise ship fare although they did a mini opera of Madam Butterfly yesterday afternoon and it was simply amazing. Oh the voices! It was about 40 minutes long, which was perfect. Last nights main theater show was just ok. Food is certainly not bad, nor does it rank in my top for cruise food. For me the main problem is the temperature of the food, lukewarm to warm but never hot. Butchers Cut has been the exception. Still, my waistline seems to be expanding 😋😋. Yesterday we had some rain in Grand Cayman but it was at the end of the day so no plans were ruined. I will post a full review when we return. I have lots more to say as a first time MSC cruiser and want to address some of the negative reviews I read as it relates to our experience.

We got the email in advance of embarkation. We made a wine, paper, and pillow selection. None were in place when we boarded and our butler had no record of my preferences being made ahead of time. But she asked us when we arrived and got us hooked up pretty quickly. Currently on board 😊

More specialty dining options on Silhouette. We enjoyed the lawn club grill very much!

The cruise…duh. sorry. I’m in Miami. Waiting to embark tomorrow. Several mojitos in. Love a live review. Hoping our guys are ok.

If it’s a popular show then it’s good to have a reservation. While it may seem scheduled (bc it is) some venues fill up quickly. I like the flexibility of making reservations in the cruise planner but it’s totally ok if you don’t. You can always approach a reservations desk for specialty dining. They will get you in but it may not be your first choice in day/time. Additionally, there are kiosk screens throughout many of the ships where you can simply touch screen to see what’s available. I believe you can do this on your stateroom tv as well. Basically, you can be as scheduled (or not) as you want.

Good for them! It's about time. I was on a flight home to ATL when the mask mandate was dropped on planes. The flight attendant made the announcement and she was near tears. There was a loud round of applause and lots of cheers. I'm sincerely happy for them if this is true!

Ok, whatevs...🤷‍♀️ I'm not the OP's advocate but it seems to me that he had a legitimate question about billing and another CC user made the judgement call that OP was somehow trying to get out of paying his bill. At the very least his response was not helpful at all. I think I'm just gonna stick with rude. Yep.

In my experience making reservations in the cruise planner does not equate to charges until you actually show up and dine in the specialty restaurant. Furthermore, if you have a dining package included in your fare (two restaurants now, I believe) there would presumably not be an additional charge since they were included in the fare. Even the gratuity would be added when the dining experience occurred....not before. Having said all this, your comment to the OP is frankly, just rude.

I can only imagine what a nightmare this would be for the ship's crew. Nice idea, tho.

I printed mine out and then colored them with marker.

Wait..so are you saying there is no bar service until everyone has had their cards scanned?

So is everyone heading to the muster station at the same time to get their cards scanned? That's my impression. From your description, it seems not to be the case.

You’re not the first to make this observation. Apparently you watch a video in the cabin then all proceed to the assigned muster station at the same time? Kind of a head scratcher if the goal was to avoid large crowds. Guess we will grin and bear it.