MSC Seaside shows- still a lot of opera?

I recently watched a video on YouTube from a well known cruiser known as "Jim Zimm"..he has done 44 cruises and had the Seaside at the bottom of the list..his biggest complaint was the entertainment. He said on 4-5 nights alone the shows were operatic in nature, and he said "this ship was suppose to be their American market ship- doesn't MSC know Americans don't like opera? We like rock n' roll, pop, country, etc.."..I know this would bore me to death! I, too, don't like opera..I'm a 60's 70's music guy all the way..he also said the comedy shows were terrible..also said the pools were ALL very deep, and therefore you would see people hanging on for dear life on the sides of the pool, and asked why can't MSC build pools were you can walk back & forth for some of the pool and then it gradually gets deeper in the back? This makes sense to me and with a wife who is 4' 11" and doesn't swim, these pools are not an option for her.. also said the buffet was the worst he had ever seen on 44 cruises..said the food was very similar every day with few choices that were different, unlike the buffet on the new NCL Bliss , which he said may be the best he had ever eaten at. A REALLY bad thing he said were the showers- I hate these types of showers where the shower glass only HALF covers the shower and all the water gets out on the floor..I have had this happen a few times in hotels and maybe once on a cruise..here is the video link to this review..he DOES point out some things he did like, but in the end, he ranks the Seaside # 43 out of 43 cruises...et me know what you think..BTW, his new NCL Bliss video review is killer..ranks the ship at the top of his cruises along with RCI Harmony, Anthem, CCL Vista, and NCL Escape....

Big Al

Jim Z's video was taken quite some time ago when the ship first came to the US. I would suggest trying some newer videos and reviews. From my understanding, MSC heard the complaints and has now changed a lot on the Seaside. I have not read any negative reviews lately.

Jim Z's video was taken quite some time ago when the ship first came to the US. I would suggest trying some newer videos and reviews. From my understanding, MSC heard the complaints and has now changed a lot on the Seaside. I have not read any negative reviews lately.

I noticed also that there have been fewer negative reviews lately..I just toured the ship Saturday ( I am a cruise agent) , June 23rd, and I liked the ship..yes, I noticed the pools are too deep...also it was VERY hot in some areas of the ship..my wife was not too impressed with the ship..when I asked her if she liked the Seaside as much as the NCL Getaway & Escape, or the RCI Oasis/ Allure class, she said "no"...I hope she gets better AND they fix the shower glass thing..when the new Bahamas private island opens in 2019, we would like to try her...:cool:

Big Al

We have been on over 100 cruises from high end, Silver Seas to Carnival, we find that MSC has the most beautiful ships and the best entertainment at sea. I see a fair amount of complaints from our fellow USA citizens because they don’t like anything “foreign” and “foreigners” make them uncomfortable. If you enjoy traveling to Europe, you will adore MSC cruises.

No there is not a lot of operatic singers. The singers are very well trained.

In February there was one opera show (Madame Butterfly). That´s it!

steamboats

We have been on over 100 cruises from high end, Silver Seas to Carnival, we find that MSC has the most beautiful ships and the best entertainment at sea. I see a fair amount of complaints from our fellow USA citizens because they don’t like anything “foreign” and “foreigners” make them uncomfortable. If you enjoy traveling to Europe, you will adore MSC cruises.

No there is not a lot of operatic singers. The singers are very well trained.

That' s good...however, I have about a dozen friends & clients who said the entertainment was weird..one guy said there was a Frank Sinatra singer on the Divina and although he was good, he said that in back of him were these "stupid acrobaters jumping up & down behind the singer"..a few others said the same thing...that is certainly inappropriate- Sinatra should be ONLY Sinatra...they said the Michael Jackson guy was good, but shows were all way too short ...some said there were jugglers & acrobats in every show behind the performers ( that is weird)... best shows I've ever seen ( by far) were on Disney, NCL & RCI..Celebrity, Princess, & HAL came up far short IMO...

In February there was one opera show (Madame Butterfly). That´s it!

 

 

steamboats

Good to know...we would not attend that show, though- give me Mamma Mia, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, ( NCL Bliss) We Will Rock You, ( Anthem Of The Seas) Grease ( Harmony Of The Seas), Burn The Floor,( NCL Getaway) or Million Dollar Quartet ( NCL Getaway) anyday over Opera or classical music..that's just us...:cool:

Instead of doing a full opera, like Madame Butterfly, I would enjoy a medley of opera tunes. Much like a "Salute to Broadway", some of the more well-known opera tunes. I would like that... Nessun Dorma, I love that song!

I just toured the ship Saturday ( I am a cruise agent)

Hi Al,

since you are a cruise agent I would expect you to have an open mind for a cruise line

coming to the American market.

Instead you pick on personal taste (likes/dislikes of opera) and the depth of the pools

in combination of a not recent video with a review ?

It seems you have already made up your opinion.

How about you evaluate the positive things of MSC and the opportunities for you

selling a slightly different product to your customers ? They might actually enjoy it

like thousands of passengers sailing with MSC.

Question: Did you tour the Yacht Club while on the Seaside last week ? What do

you think about this category ?

Wolf

PS:

1.) The fixed glass partition is only in cabins with bathtubs, the majority of cabins

have walk-in showers.

2.) The cabin in the review video is a Aurea Balcony with Whirlpool Suite,

only 28 cabins of this category are on the Seaside.

Why pick the video of a guy who had a beef with MSC rather than those that actually show how things are now ? Glad you are not a travel agent we use.

Having sailed before Mr know it all at Xmas and after him in April, there is very little wrong with Seaside apart from the attitude it would seem of some people who are incapable of change.

I remember Mr. Zinn.

He lost me when he tried to tell people from NJ and NY (and Italy) why the pizza on MSC wasn't authentic.

I recently watched a video on YouTube from a well known cruiser known as "Jim Zimm"..he has done 44 cruises and had the Seaside at the bottom of the list..his biggest complaint was the entertainment. He said on 4-5 nights alone the shows were operatic in nature, and he said "this ship was suppose to be their American market ship- doesn't MSC know Americans don't like opera? We like rock n' roll, pop, country, etc.."..I know this would bore me to death! I, too, don't like opera..I'm a 60's 70's music guy all the way..he also said the comedy shows were terrible..also said the pools were ALL very deep, and therefore you would see people hanging on for dear life on the sides of the pool, and asked why can't MSC build pools were you can walk back & forth for some of the pool and then it gradually gets deeper in the back? This makes sense to me and with a wife who is 4' 11" and doesn't swim, these pools are not an option for her.. also said the buffet was the worst he had ever seen on 44 cruises..said the food was very similar every day with few choices that were different, unlike the buffet on the new NCL Bliss , which he said may be the best he had ever eaten at. A REALLY bad thing he said were the showers- I hate these types of showers where the shower glass only HALF covers the shower and all the water gets out on the floor..I have had this happen a few times in hotels and maybe once on a cruise..here is the video link to this review..he DOES point out some things he did like, but in the end, he ranks the Seaside # 43 out of 43 cruises...et me know what you think..BTW, his new NCL Bliss video review is killer..ranks the ship at the top of his cruises along with RCI Harmony, Anthem, CCL Vista, and NCL Escape....

 

 

 

Big Al

Its never been 4-5 opera shows on MSC , just because someone singing does not mean its opera , and yes, many Americans and Canadians love it. tickets to opera in north America start from 150$ so people should appreciate to have it for free. Not even a free cruise will make me to cruise on NCL again but my opinion does not stop other people to cruise with them. I actually booked my Seside cruise after Jim video , I found this ship very attractive and his complains are ridiculous and not relevant for me .

I had no idea you were a TA ...Surely you are not fulfilling your brief as being totally impartial.

Personally my taste is not operatic, though I consider myself a musician (drummer), but I respect the diversity of music & the caliber of the performer.

My cruise history is predominantly American because I am totally committed to all things USA despite being a Brit! ...But MSC have a product that is not only shaping this ever growing industry, they are in many ways trailblazing, one thing for sure is that they are here to stay.

On the rare occasions CCL have deployed or delivered a vessel in Europe my guess is their unique vibe is loved by a 'certain' crowd just as it is in the States, so why would MSC's very different business model migrate equally well.

I know for me now MSC vessels operating in the US is a great potential marriage.

Opinions are, well just that ...But I think the Seaside/view are simply the best looking vessels at sea currently, though NCL Bliss looks stunning.

Why pick the video of a guy who had a beef with MSC rather than those that actually show how things are now ? Glad you are not a travel agent we use.

Having sailed before Mr know it all at Xmas and after him in April, there is very little wrong with Seaside apart from the attitude it would seem of some people who are incapable of change.

Reminds me how many years ago we called TA to book Costa cruise. Her answer was:"don't book Costa , i'ts a bad cruise line' Took me 15 min to explain to her that we cruised Costa before and we love Costa.:rolleyes:I ended up booking by myself and never used TA since.

Bonny ... The travel agent likely did not get a fee from booking Costa! Have sailed only once with them on Deliziosa over Xmas some years back, very big Outside cabin, food was mainly good though the buffet was closed between 4 and 5 pm.

I have a few observations. First, I love haters of MSC. It's people like you that keep the cost down for the rest of us. For that, I thank you. Second, it seems like TAs hate MSC with a passion. Do they not pay you enough commission, so you push other lines and hate on MSC? Either way keep doing what you're doing. I'll continue to enjoy a Yacht Club suite for the price of a balcony on other lines.

Bonny ... The travel agent likely did not get a fee from booking Costa! Have sailed only once with them on Deliziosa over Xmas some years back, very big Outside cabin, food was mainly good though the buffet was closed between 4 and 5 pm.

buffet closed for one hour? are you kidding me? some people would jump overboard:'):')Last time we cruised wth them was before they become CCL:rolleyes:WE had MAx as CD and his team was a blast ,we never had so much fun on any cruise line again

Another who says to take Jim Zimms review with a pinch of salt...

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Wow, this is why I have backed off from posting on CC..you guys are pretty bad...I do NOT hate MSC- I thought the Divina was beautiful, as is the Seaside..I just was asking about the opera thing, which looks like MSC came to it's senses and changed the entertainment..it is NOT my fault that MANY others complained about MSC ( not me)...I have a close couple who sailed the Divina twice & really liked her, but did admit about the short shows ( most 30 min) and agreed about all the acrobats behind the performers..I'm glad the half shower doors are only with bathtub cabins... as far as having an open mind I bet few of you have cruised on RCI, Carnival, Disney, Celebrity, HAL, Princess & Norwegian..that's an open mind..I have enjoyed all 37 cruises, some more than others, of course..

When I tell other cruise agents I have been on CC for 17 years MANY say ,"oh, those people on there are so mean & rude..G-D forbid you disagree with them..I never go on there anymore...." I always tell all to go on here & check out the info...When I do ship tours, I tell people what I saw & experienced..if you don't like it- too bad..it's JMHO..if a young couple calls me & asks for a cruise for young families, I'm certainly not going to suggest HAL or Princess..they are nice ships, but average age is death on those and there is NOTHING to do for young kids on those lines, both whom are good lines, but are geared towards the mature cruiser for sure...

And BTW, I was born overseas and went to HS in France.. I know about culture and "non U.S." things....MSC said it wanted to break into the U.S. market..fine, we can use more cruise ships with a different flare and multi cultured. BUT Americans love rock n' roll, country, pop & oldies music, comedians , steakhouses, lobster, chocolate cake, pancakes, bagels, french fries and more typically American things...the deep pool issue is NOT a good idea- sorry folks..maybe Jim Zim was wrong about everything else, but wading in the water is not a big deal..just a stupid one...if you look at his other videos, he raves about many other ships and tells why..it's just his opinion, don't have a cow..when my wife & I cruised on HAL about 12 years ago, I put a review on CC and the HAL people had a fit!! Hey, we both thought entertainment was terrible, food mediocre, service fine but not extraordinary, cabin was nice & private island ( HALF MOON CAY ) was the best thing about the cruise..we loved Tortola, too..BUT average age was about 75 ( we were 53 & 51), and the ship was dead by 10 pm every night..we had a great time, though, as we always do.. I will never bash any cruise line or ship because I must represent all of them with an open mind- if I cruised on the ship or line in question, I tell what I thought..if I haven't cruised on them ( like MSC- only visited 2 ships) , I only tell them what others have told me..OR I tell them to look at reviews on CC, just like I tell people to look at Tripadvisor for hotels & restaurants..ALL ships & cruise lines have both positive & negatives you can find- even the $$ ones like Seabourne & Crystal Cruise lines...learn to have a bit more tolerance & respect for other opinions...Happy Cruising..:cool:

Sadly opera and classical music is very limited now on all MSC ships. Sorry, but people who complain that it is too much must be completely out of their minds. It is really limited to maximum two or three shows per week and even on this night there is the "normal" entertainment programm going on also. I guess people who don´t like opera and classical music will not even realize that it is shown in the very limited slots.

But the good news MSC is still much better than the others. We loved the Mezzo woman and the Tenor on the Armonia and we were not the only ones.

:D

Another who says to take Jim Zimms review with a pinch of salt...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Hahahahaha I do remember him saying that he always carries some special salt with him. Good one. 😆

We cruised with MSC Seaside last month (May). Here are my experience during the cruise to answer your questions.

1. Opera shows. There were no Opera shows but there is one singer with operatic singing voice. The singer can be singing "I can't get no satisfaction" in an operatic singing voice and some people will call the show an Opera show. Even in our cruise 3 years ago in the Mediterranean with MSC Divina, there wasn't an Opera show but a couple of the singers have an operatic singing voice. The might have been 2 or 3 songs from an Opera that was sung throughout the 7 night cruise.
   
2. Evening Shows. The evening shows has somewhat themes to them but not necessarily a story line. It is not a Broadway-like musicale or play. It is more like "Americas Got Talent" quarter/semi finals episode where various acts of singing, dancing, acrobat, and magic are performed. And yes, the evening performance is short (30-35 minutes). I think they have enough talent to extend the show another 10-15 minutes. However, this will affect the other show times. There are 3 performances of the show every evening.
   
3. Deep swimming pool. 2 of the 3 'public' pools are deeper than 5'. It is great for swimming, threading, and floating (with or without a floating device). Not great if you just want to linger in the water (there is the hot tub for that or sit on the fringe of the pool where it has 2" of water).
   
4. Buffet food. I've read a lot of complaints even recently about it. The food is great and plenty of selections! The MSC Seaside has 2 buffet restaurant. The buffet in Deck 16 is the smaller of the 2 and is geared to families with younger children and therefore have selections like Macaroni & Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, etc. Soft-serve ice cream is only served in Deck 16 buffet restaurant.
   The buffet in Deck 8 is the main buffet restaurant with multiple food stations (Grill, Roast, Mexican, etc.). These stations are sometimes duplicated on the other side of the buffet restaurant. If you observe meal times, you will fully experience the food varieties and served hot. Don't expect to have the full lunch food selection if you get there at 3pm or 4pm.
   
5. Half glass cover Showers. I know what you are referring because we have seen it in our hotel in Rome.We were in a balcony cabin (no bathtub). The shower is probably 2.5' x 2.5' fully enclosed glass. It is great for people under 6' but for taller or bigger-built individuals, it will be a challenge.
   

I believe MSC Seaside had challenges during their couple of months of sailing but during our cruise, it was as expected of MSC service and great cruise value.

Full disclosure: The only perk I got during our cruise as a CC member were free drinks and a delicious cake during the CC Meet-and-Mingle with the Captain and Senior Staff. Thanks MSC! :p:)

We cruised with MSC Seaside last month (May). Here are my experience during the cruise to answer your questions.

1. Opera shows. There were no Opera shows but there is one singer with operatic singing voice. The singer can be singing "I can't get no satisfaction" in an operatic singing voice and some people will call the show an Opera show. Even in our cruise 3 years ago in the Mediterranean with MSC Divina, there wasn't an Opera show but a couple of the singers have an operatic singing voice. The might have been 2 or 3 songs from an Opera that was sung throughout the 7 night cruise.
   
2. Evening Shows. The evening shows has somewhat themes to them but not necessarily a story line. It is not a Broadway-like musicale or play. It is more like "Americas Got Talent" quarter/semi finals episode where various acts of singing, dancing, acrobat, and magic are performed. And yes, the evening performance is short (30-35 minutes). I think they have enough talent to extend the show another 10-15 minutes. However, this will affect the other show times. There are 3 performances of the show every evening.
   
3. Deep swimming pool. 2 of the 3 'public' pools are deeper than 5'. It is great for swimming, threading, and floating (with or without a floating device). Not great if you just want to linger in the water (there is the hot tub for that or sit on the fringe of the pool where it has 2" of water).
   
4. Buffet food. I've read a lot of complaints even recently about it. The food is great and plenty of selections! The MSC Seaside has 2 buffet restaurant. The buffet in Deck 16 is the smaller of the 2 and is geared to families with younger children and therefore have selections like Macaroni & Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, etc. Soft-serve ice cream is only served in Deck 16 buffet restaurant.
   The buffet in Deck 8 is the main buffet restaurant with multiple food stations (Grill, Roast, Mexican, etc.). These stations are sometimes duplicated on the other side of the buffet restaurant. If you observe meal times, you will fully experience the food varieties and served hot. Don't expect to have the full lunch food selection if you get there at 3pm or 4pm.
   
5. Half glass cover Showers. I know what you are referring because we have seen it in our hotel in Rome.We were in a balcony cabin (no bathtub). The shower is probably 2.5' x 2.5' fully enclosed glass. It is great for people under 6' but for taller or bigger-built individuals, it will be a challenge.
   

I believe MSC Seaside had challenges during their couple of months of sailing but during our cruise, it was as expected of MSC service and great cruise value.

 

 

Full disclosure: The only perk I got during our cruise as a CC member were free drinks and a delicious cake during the CC Meet-and-Mingle with the Captain and Senior Staff. Thanks MSC! :p:)

Nice post..thanks for the commentary! :cool:

I recently watched a video on YouTube from a well known cruiser known as "Jim Zimm"..he has done 44 cruises and had the Seaside at the bottom of the list..his biggest complaint was the entertainment. He said on 4-5 nights alone the shows were operatic in nature, and he said "this ship was suppose to be their American market ship- doesn't MSC know Americans don't like opera? We like rock n' roll, pop, country, etc.."..I know this would bore me to death! I, too, don't like opera..I'm a 60's 70's music guy all the way..he also said the comedy shows were terrible..also said the pools were ALL very deep, and therefore you would see people hanging on for dear life on the sides of the pool, and asked why can't MSC build pools were you can walk back & forth for some of the pool and then it gradually gets deeper in the back? This makes sense to me and with a wife who is 4' 11" and doesn't swim, these pools are not an option for her.. also said the buffet was the worst he had ever seen on 44 cruises..said the food was very similar every day with few choices that were different, unlike the buffet on the new NCL Bliss , which he said may be the best he had ever eaten at. A REALLY bad thing he said were the showers- I hate these types of showers where the shower glass only HALF covers the shower and all the water gets out on the floor..I have had this happen a few times in hotels and maybe once on a cruise..here is the video link to this review..he DOES point out some things he did like, but in the end, he ranks the Seaside # 43 out of 43 cruises...et me know what you think..BTW, his new NCL Bliss video review is killer..ranks the ship at the top of his cruises along with RCI Harmony, Anthem, CCL Vista, and NCL Escape....

 

 

 

Big Al

Not so they have 1 opera show, they have improv comedy late at night, which we did not care for and yes the pools are deep 6 ft 4 in and 6 ft 5 in which is a mistake imo. He was a suite but the regular rooms have a small shower, the buffet is very good with lots of variety. Take his reviews with a grain of salt.The entertainment is the best at sea.

I saw his review yesterday after I booked my first MSC cruise for next year. I am not really a big fan of his reviews. There was something about his commentary, as well as the responses on his video to those that disagreed with him.

A few searches more and I found more balanced reviews, especially by one travel agent who really toured the whole place, and I could tell that JimZim (or whatever his name is) was wrong about that.

I'm excited to try it out!