Splendida Western Med 7 nights - winter 2016- 2017 planning

We are on the Splendida in early March. I am so glad I found this thread. I have gotten a ton of useful information off of it. I'm curious if any of you have cruised this line with teens? This will be the first time in Europe for our 14 & 16 yr old daughters. I'm hoping someone has some tips for helping us keep them from being bored in the evenings. I'm not sure there will be many English speaking kids on board for them to talk to.

Most of the early evening will be taken up by Dinner and the Show in the theatre.

Dining times are:-

18:00 (first sitting) and

20:30 (2nd sitting); dinner will last about 1.5 hrs,

and the shows are at :

19:30 for 2nd dinner seating and

21:15 for those with 1st dinner seating.

As you leave the show "The Animation team" will be encouraging people to go the "Aft Lounge" , deck 7, for the "Lets Dance" evening entertainment which they host and will be encouraging all-comers to get up and dance and act as dance partners for anybody who wants to take part but hasn't got a partner. they also have a disco from 23:30 in Club 33 Disco 33 on Deck 16.

There is the "Young and Teens Club" which runs from 20:00 - 24:00 , it also meets from 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 - 18:00.(on days at sea) the earlier timings are dependant on the time in port on other days.

so they should be able to at least know where to find people of the own age in the first couple of days. and take it from there, they might be lucky and meet other English speaking teens or they might just not hit it off with any other teens, but at least they can have a go .

Pete

How about the question regarding room service items for breakfast?

 

Just continental breakfast stuff like pastry and coffee and tea or more cooked stuff as well? On the HAL Alaska cruise, it was great getting boiled eggs and toast for room service before all the early excursions. I think I might have written in some items and got some and not others.

I believe there's only continental option on the breakfast room service menu... but I didn't use it; the weather was not great to eat in the balcony

Speaking of food... our motto for this trip is mangia mangia!

 

Not expecting much on the ship but will be trying local places while on land. The Mr is hoping to have some truffles stuff as it should be in season. I watch a lot of Anthony Boudain and Andrew Zimmern. I think there is a famous place in Rome for a simple pasta dish mixed in a parmesan wheel?

 

I hope the gelato on board is good. I think we that twice a day during our week in Italy in 2000. Though gelato is now everywhere so not as special.

 

Cin cin...

 

Can we bring a couple of bottles on board? Haven't sorted through all the details on the website yet. If not, may just buy a bottle on board for the room.

I'm also a fan of american TV shows and foodnetwork and so on, and belive me: I like my food! :D

For those americans who like food and try new things, I think MSC is a good option, because if you like food, you want to try something diferent and not your usual american line kind of food, but on MSC you have it all, with plenty of options, as you can see from the several threads with menu pictures on it, and even if you don't like anything from the menu, you always have the safe choices available everyday like pasta with tomato sauce, pasta bolognese, lasagna, grilled chicken and so on.

And on the buffet you always have very good pizza available.

The gelatos are very good, as you can expect from na italian company.

What you can bring as a souvenir is the bags they sell through italian ports of mixed herbs and combinations to use in pasta, meat, etc..

Hi all we board this cruise 13 January Barcelona to Barcelona first time with MSC but all the research looks good. Not doing any tours as we usually wing it on the day, I've started research on what's near the ports and got a hire car booked for Malta. if it's sunny it should be shorts weather during the day but I'd advise a fleece in the shade or late afternoon. Should be a good break.

T minus 1 week! We will be on board by this time next Monday. :D

Finalizing everything:

- Called to buy the 18 drinks coupons (not available online yet for the Med cruises)

- Decided to splurge on a tour from Marseille to see Arles/St Remy/Les Baux rather than figure out the train to Arles. Plus it seems such a hassle getting from port to town. We were hoping to do truffle hunting but it was not available that day. But we will definitely eat some!

Just need to get through 2 more days at work before we leave for London. Hope the weather stays decent and dry... and the Tube workers don't have another labor action when we are there! It looked like a mess.

Please come back and let me know how everything was. A friend and I are torn between the Feb 3 and Feb 10 cruise- the price can't be beat and like you said 50 is certainly better than New England weather in Feb!!!!

Hi we are on the same but joining at Genoa on the 22nd, we have sailed with MSC several times and once before on Splendida. MSC do get some strange reviews but I think it is because they are a very cosmopolitan company. We love to meet all the nationalities and are always impressed with the cleanliness and bling of the ships. The cabins are larger than some other lines and ours have always been spotless.

I do recommend the allegrissimo drink package it has been voted the best value of any cruise line. You can have most alcohol apart from some premium spirits, but you can have all types of coffee (except alcohol coffees {just get them separately if you want to mix your own}) and you also get ice cream with the package. You will need to book it prior to the cruise to avoid the service charge, also if you don't have a package and buy drinks on the ship you will have to pay service charge at about 15%.

Most of the ports are easy to get to except Marseilles which is a long way from the dock (not walkable) Cititiveccia is about an hour from Rome and Barcelona is quite a way we use the shuttle but it is walkable but will take up a lot of your day. when there be aware of your surroundings and keep your hand on your valuables especially near any of the tourist attractions.

Hope you enjoy the cruise and we may see you on the dance floor on your last night (our first):D

Hi Chinita

You can get that drink package over the phone with MSC with your credit card. A lot easier than the website

Hi Chinita

You can get that drink package over the phone with MSC with your credit card. A lot easier than the website

That's what I did Sandi. After reading about it from you. [emoji4]

That's what I did Sandi. After reading about it from you. [emoji4]

See you a week from tomorrow Chinita when I join you onboard in Barcelona!

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Hi Chinita

You can get that drink package over the phone with MSC with your credit card. A lot easier than the website

Hi go for the allegrissimo, much better deal. remember if you go over the 18 you will pay 15% service charge also this applies to speciality coffee and ice cream (gelato). the coffee from the buffet is a bit (well a lot) poor. Remember what ever you go for, book it prior to boarding the ship or you will pay service charge. We have sailed with MSC many times you will not be disappointed. :D

We don't drink that much so 18 will be plenty.