MSC vs NCL

We just got off the Escape and we loved it! We would like cruise again in August and after looking at price MSC looks to be a really good deal right now.

We were parked next to the Divina in Nassau and the shipped look nice.

What can you tell me about this cruise line? Is it comparable to NCL? Is there enough to do on the ship on sea days with teenagers? The food as good as NCL? What are the main differences? How are the shows?

Any info on why you like MSC would be greatly appreciated!

We just got off the Escape and we loved it! We would like cruise again in August and after looking at price MSC looks to be a really good deal right now.

 

We were parked next to the Divina in Nassau and the shipped look nice.

 

What can you tell me about this cruise line? Is it comparable to NCL? Is there enough to do on the ship on sea days with teenagers? The food as good as NCL? What are the main differences? How are the shows?

 

Any info on why you like MSC would be greatly appreciated!

I have travelled with MSC several times over the years but not on Divina - first went on Melody, Rhapsody and Monterey which were much smaller. Have sailed on Poesia, Lirica and Orchestra and enjoyed them very much. I have also sailed with RCI, Princess and Thomson. Unlike NCL with MSC you do not have to re-book theatre shows or make dinner reservations. Also there are fewer "extras" with MSC compared to NCL.

There are two sittings for dinner and you get an assigned table for the duration of the cruise. Food is very good, waiters were always attentive and efficient. If you can get the All Inclusive Drinks Package included it is a good perk but the drinks package is cheaper on MSC than on NCL and other cruise ships I have been on.

MSC tend to have all nationalities on board which I find interesting but others may not like all announcements being made in several languages!

MSC have excellent facilities for teenagers and all ages of children.

Ports of call are very interesting whether you are sailing in the Med, the Greek Islands or the Middle East.

I will be going on Fantasia in December sailing from Dubai (the third time I have sailed from this port) My son and family are based in Dubai and I just love the UAE.

I am sure you will enjoy MSC and good luck with your plans

Suzanne

Here's a few threads you can look through:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2106651&highlight=msc+vs+ncl

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2092127&highlight=msc+vs+ncl

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2070138&highlight=msc+vs+ncl

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2020419&highlight=msc+vs+ncl

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1994293&highlight=msc+vs+ncl

I've sailed escape, getaway and divina within the last year- the lines are quite different.

If your teens loved escape, I feel they may be disappointed in divina. No rock climbing, no water slide (to speak of), no mini golf, no zip line. No waterfront dining.

Food is subjective, but I found ncl superior.

The divina is stunning, but I'm not sure teens will appreciate the eye candy of the ship itself.

Dining couldn't be any different. No waterfront on divina. You will be assigned a table at 5:30 or 8:00. If you don't like those times, The dinner buffet runs from 6-9 (but has a much smeller selection than the away ships). They do an excellent pizza until 1 am but that's pretty much the extent.

I liked entertainment on divina every bit as much as ncl and some shows were much better. Not sure I would have felt that way as a teen.

As you stated, MSC is much less expensive then the Away class and there's a reason. For many, including me, the price savings on MSC make it a very reasonable choice. Only you can decide if the savings makes it a reasonable choice for your family. :)

I was in my balcony on the Divina in Nassau looking over at you wondering the same thing! I was looking to book the cruise you were on but decided on the Divina due to price, beautiful ship, and was interested in trying something different. I am glad we did, it was a great cruise. I enjoyed the food but I will eat anything. Shows were outstanding, I have three teenagers and they had a great time. We have cruised NCL a couple times before and has been one of our favorite cruise lines. While all lines have differences, we think this cruise was on par with NCL.

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The price of the cruise is much better on MSC the entertainment is MUCH better on MSC, MSC does not nickle and dime you on everything, cost of drinks is better on MSC and we liked the food better on MSC but as far as teens go they may like NCL or RCL better. The Divina is a stunnung ship which is MUCH nicer then NCL.

The price of the cruise is much better on MSC the entertainment is MUCH better on MSC, MSC does not nickle and dime you on everything, cost of drinks is better on MSC and we liked the food better on MSC but as far as teens go they may like NCL or RCL better. The Divina is a stunnung ship which is MUCH nicer then NCL.

I'm curious to know what NCL ships you are comparing on the point of entertainment.

I was on the breakaway and thought the entertainment was quite good-- better than my experience on Royal.

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I'm curious to know what NCL ships you are comparing on the point of entertainment.

I was on the breakaway and thought the entertainment was quite good-- better than my experience on Royal.

 

 

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I was on the Breakaway (and Getaway), and was also hesitant about how much I would enjoy Divina entertainment over Rock of Ages, burn the floor, Howl at the Moon, Fat Cats, etc.; as I thought the entertainment on Breakaway was the best I'd ever encountered (far exceeding Royal, Princess, Celebrity, HAL, etc..).

The entertainment on MSC is very Different, but I would say it is every bit as good as the Breakaway. You won't get a broadway play, but you will get an opera. Burn the floor is replaced with dancing AND acrobatics (think cirque). The MSC shows have no 'plot' that I could decipher, but somehow that didn't matter. I think entertainment is one of the things MSC does very well.

On the Divina there isn't a Howl at the Moon or Fat Cats running until the wee hours of the morning, but there are ample much smaller and more intimate venues with live entertainment to choose from. On Divina there is a different show every night (one for early seating dinner and one for late seating dinner) like the old days of cruising. I liked that reservations were not needed and the seats on Divina are infinitely more comfortable (who designed that bar anyway?).

MSC doesn't put a lot of money into their sets (which were absent most shows) and the music is not live (nor is all of the singing); but it's really good. Like I said, hard to explain, but imo the quality of evening shows should not be the thing to prevent you from selecting MSC.

I was on the Breakaway (and Getaway), and was also hesitant about how much I would enjoy Divina entertainment over Rock of Ages, burn the floor, Howl at the Moon, Fat Cats, etc.; as I thought the entertainment on Breakaway was the best I'd ever encountered (far exceeding Royal, Princess, Celebrity, HAL, etc..).

 

The entertainment on MSC is very Different, but I would say it is every bit as good as the Breakaway. You won't get a broadway play, but you will get an opera. Burn the floor is replaced with dancing AND acrobatics (think cirque). The MSC shows have no 'plot' that I could decipher, but somehow that didn't matter. I think entertainment is one of the things MSC does very well.

 

On the Divina there isn't a Howl at the Moon or Fat Cats running until the wee hours of the morning, but there are ample much smaller and more intimate venues with live entertainment to choose from. On Divina there is a different show every night (one for early seating dinner and one for late seating dinner) like the old days of cruising. I liked that reservations were not needed and the seats on Divina are infinitely more comfortable (who designed that bar anyway?).

 

MSC doesn't put a lot of money into their sets (which were absent most shows) and the music is not live (nor is all of the singing); but it's really good. Like I said, hard to explain, but imo the quality of evening shows should not be the thing to prevent you from selecting MSC.

MSC doesn't create shows just for the American pax,,,they are more tailored to a broader cultural mix which is why you see more dancing, achrobatics,,etc. This is also a reason why you will not find any comedy shows onboard MSC Divina.

It is De Jorio Design International who designed the interiors for the Fantasia class of MSC ships:http://www.studiodejorio.it//barclubs_gallery_4/index.html

MSC doesn't create shows just for the American pax,,,they are more tailored to a broader cultural mix which is why you see more dancing, achrobatics,,etc. This is also a reason why you will not find any comedy shows onboard MSC Divina.

It is De Jorio Design International who designed the interiors for the Fantasia class of MSC ships:http://www.studiodejorio.it//barclubs_gallery_4/index.html

Exactly ! :). That's why it is hard for me to describe the exact differences between the Breakaway and Divina entertainment the previous poster inquired about. Divina entertainment is different. Not at all worse, in fact, certain shows were even better (imo); but the shows were positively different than any of my previous main-stream experiences.

I suspect as with all lines, some people will love the entertainment (as evidenced by a standing ovation at the end of the Michael Jackson show) and some won't (as evidenced by the number of people fleeing the theater during the Opera and Swing). For me, entertainment was a strong point on MSC and would be a reason for me to sail with them again.

I'm curious to know what NCL ships you are comparing on the point of entertainment.

I was on the breakaway and thought the entertainment was quite good-- better than my experience on Royal.

 

 

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Comparing to the Breakaway, perhaps is because we enjoy the acrobats and the jugglers etc so much, and of course the Michael Jackson show was fabulous and i have seen 3 different guys do MJ and each were very good .

I was on the Divina in Dec, 2014 and the Breakaway in Dec, 2015.

Although I loved the BA, the Divina wins.

The entertainment is better, the pizza is wonderful, the fellow passengers are more sophisticated.

And the ship itself was absolutely stunning.

We just got off the Escape and we loved it! We would like cruise again in August and after looking at price MSC looks to be a really good deal right now.

 

We were parked next to the Divina in Nassau and the shipped look nice.

 

What can you tell me about this cruise line? Is it comparable to NCL? Is there enough to do on the ship on sea days with teenagers? The food as good as NCL? What are the main differences? How are the shows?

 

Any info on why you like MSC would be greatly appreciated!

Good food on NCL? :confused: Never heard about one and never tasted one. :confused:

Me either Goldenbunny - absolutely hated Norwegian Epic. Found the food to be far below what I'm used to with MSC

Did MSC Divina and NCL Getaway here is my two cents.

Entertainment - Equally as good

Food - A notch better on NCL

Booze - If no package cheaper drinks on MSC

Ship - That's very personal but MSC is gorgeous.

Cabins - MSC are nicer

Sea Days - More stuff to do for teenagers on NCL

Formal nights- Will have on MSC will not on NCL

Hope this help but once again this is my point of view :-)

If the price is right I will go back to any of those two lines anytime.

Sea ya

Eric

Ok had to give my opinion. Been on NCL Gem, and MSC Divina, we have been on more than 50 cruises. By the way I want to stress that this is only my opinion and everyone has an opinion.

DINING: MSC has it all over NCL. The quality of food on NCL is below standard. One night we had Prime and what was on my plate but a piece of stringy roast beef. Specialty restaurants was a little better but still below par.

SERVICE horrible. It’s been a couple of years but I am still waiting for desert. Someone said that because of “FreeStyle” you have different waiters and they do not get rated therefore no incentive to give good service.

ENTERTAINMENT. NCL has better entertainment. MSC entertainment is geared toward “seeing and not hearing”. By that I mean that language is not a barrier to enjoying the show.

Is it any wonder J.D. Power rated NCL and Carnival the only 2 cruise lines below standard

1985 Fairsky SITMAR {} 1986 Song of America ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} 1986 Oceanic PREMIER {} 1987 Oceanic PREMIER {} Nordic Prince ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Nordic Empress ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Viking Seranade ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Regal Princess PRINCESS {} Royal Majesty MAJESTY CRUISE LINES {} 1992 Monarch of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} 1995 Sovereign of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} 1996 Song of America ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} 1999 Oceanic PREMIER {}‘1999 Splendor of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; (Apple Vacation Charter) OCEANIC CRUISE LINE {} Legend of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Majesty of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Grandeur of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; Enchantment of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} 2000 Voyager of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; 2000 Horizon (Alaska) CELEBRITY {} 2001 Explorer of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Crown Princess PRINCESS {} 2001 Dawn Princess (Alaska) PRINCESS {} 2002 NCL Dreamward ; {} 2002 Carnival Legend CARNIVAL {} 2002 Brilliance of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; 2003 Navigator of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; Aug 2003 Horizon (Bermuda) CELEBRITY {}; Oct 2003 Serenade of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Jul 2004 Mariner of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; Dec 2004 Empress of the Sea ROYAL CARIBBEAN ; Sept 2005 Explorer of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN ; Oct 2005 Infinity CELEBRITY {}; Nov 2005 Enchantment of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Feb 2006 Golden Princess PRINCESS {}; May 2006 Zenith CELEBRITY {} May 2006 Freedom of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; Dec 2006 Millenium CELEBRITY{}

Jun 2007 Caribbean Princess PRINCESS {} Aug 2007 Explorer of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Oct 2007 Vision of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Jul 2008 Explorer of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Oct 2008 Solstice CELERITY {} Nov 2008 Enchantment of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} Nov 2009 Dream CARNIVAL {} Dec 2009 Solstice CELERITY {} Jun 2010 Emerald Princess PRINCESS {}; Nov 2010 Enchantment of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} July 2011 Allure of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {}; Dec 2011 Silhouette CELEBRITY {}; May 2012 Oasis of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN {} July 2013 Gem NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES {}; Dec 2013 Divina MSC, {} Nov 2014 Divina MSC, {} Feb 2015 Divina MSC {} Apr 2015 Quantum of the Seas ROYAL CARIBBEAN, {} Dec 2015 Divina MSC {} Jan 2016 Divina MSC

I've sailed on the Escape and the Divina and several other Norwegian ships. I too loved the Escape but I thoroughly enjoyed the Divina as well but for different reasons. If any of you have not recently sailed with Norwegian, they have really upped their menus and improved their dining since they purchased Oceania and Regent...they actually came in and re-did a lot of the menus. My last sailing with Norwegian, I felt the food was equivalent to the "good ole days" Of course, as others have stated this is all my opinion.

I do agree though that the Escape will have more than what the Divina offers for teenagers.

Regarding the drink packages if you purchase a package the Divina's are much more reasonable but as a rule you can get the promo that includes a drink pkg. on the Escape, you just have to pay for the gratuities for the pkg.

Both ships are great in their own way but agree as most stated here, very different.

Hello - I realize I’m resurrecting a pretty old thread but - we are seasoned Princess cruisers looking to try either the NCL Epic or the MSC Seaview in the Med fall of 2019 - price is close enough to not really factor in....curious about current opinions and comparisons between these two lines and/or Princess. Thanks!!

Hello - I realize I’m resurrecting a pretty old thread but - we are seasoned Princess cruisers looking to try either the NCL Epic or the MSC Seaview in the Med fall of 2019 - price is close enough to not really factor in....curious about current opinions and comparisons between these two lines and/or Princess. Thanks!!

I would definitely choose the Seaview, but when you compare the "close enough" prices keep in mind the NCL prices include free mealtime drinks (MSC only water, tea, coffee at the buffet), free internet and there is no separate Service Charge or tips (MSC askes for 10€ Service Charge per day per pax, but can be cancelled or reduced without giving a reason).

I would definitely choose the Seaview, but when you compare the "close enough" prices keep in mind the NCL prices include free mealtime drinks (MSC only water, tea, coffee at the buffet), free internet and there is no separate Service Charge or tips (MSC askes for 10€ Service Charge per day per pax, but can be cancelled or reduced without giving a reason).

The poster of this question is in US so don’t think the service charge etc is included over there for NCL?

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The poster of this question is in US so don’t think the service charge etc is included over there for NCL?

Uh, this I don´t know. Thought they stopped the Service Charge worldwide meanwhile.

I would definitely choose the Seaview, but when you compare the "close enough" prices keep in mind the NCL prices include free mealtime drinks (MSC only water, tea, coffee at the buffet), free internet and there is no separate Service Charge or tips (MSC askes for 10€ Service Charge per day per pax, but can be cancelled or reduced without giving a reason).

Yes I realize there are costs that need to be factored in - I’m not too concerned as they are comparable enough not to sway our decision. Really more interested in ship/line feel and experience. I’m other words, why would you pick the seaview? Thanks for the reply! 😊

For Dining in MDR, are you assigned a time and a table? Is it a shared table or can you request your own table of two? Thanks!

It depends on your Experience.

Bella - assigned time

Fantastica - assigned time

Aurea - "My choice dining" freely selectable times

It depends on your Experience.

 

Bella - assigned time

 

Fantastica - assigned time

 

Aurea - "My choice dining" freely selectable times

Am I correct that for assigned dining - it’s a window of time and you can ask for a certain time inside that window once onboard? Also, I’m still trying to understand how the Experience concept works - it looks like you can add this on to your cabin, or possibly that the cabin category you select determines which level of Experience you receive (?)

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