Comparion of MSC to other lines

[stanjj111]

We have been on 1 cruise each on Princess, HAL and RCI. How would you compare the pricing, service and food on these lines vs. MSC?

[eroller]

We have been on 1 cruise each on Princess, HAL and RCI. How would you compare the pricing, service and food on these lines vs. MSC?

 

I'll let you know in a couple weeks. I've sailed multiple times on Carnival, Princess, NCL, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Cunard, Silversea, and several cruise lines that are no longer with us. Frankly I'm getting a little bored with the mainstream lines and I hope MSC will be different.

 

I'm sailing on MSC OPERA this Saturday. I'll be sure to write a review (with comparisons) when I return.

 

Ernie

[Benitad]

Saturday? Wow, Ernie, how time flies. We can't to hear ALL about it! Have a wonderful, wonderful time!

[darmanad]

Please see my review of the MSC Armonia posted here on Jan 3 titled IF YOU ARE THINKING OF CRUISING MSC...STOP AND RECONSIDER.

The 12/27 sailing of the MSC Armonia provided the worst food and service of any of the 35 cruises I have experienced. From hotel manager, to dining room mgr to pool attendant service was incompetent. The food was shockingly bad and often downright inedible. 2000 + passengers aboard a 58 000 ton ship translates to a tight squeeze for space.

Some tout what is supposed to be an Italian influenced, non-traditional (read non-American) approach to cruising offered by MSC, e.g., no art auctions, no offers to buy drinks from wait staff, pasta and risotto with every meal. Whatever other nuances are to be found in this so called non-traditional approach the bottom line was that the food and service were horrendous. Other MSC ships may (would have to be) better, but the reviews are sufficiently mixed that at this point I would never willingly board an MSC ship again. Any company that provided such a terrible product such as the Armonia of 12/27 is not trustworthy. I would have to hear a lot more objective substantiated positives about MSC ships to undo my negative impression.

A word in defense of MSC lest their principle shareholder attack me as biased. The Armonmia sailed in Brasilian waters and the Brasilian governmen does impose harsh conditions on cruise lines. For example, I was informed by a bar man that cruiselines that sail in Brasilian waters exclusively have to pay 30 % of the bar revenue to the govt. Another harsh condition related to me by my table mate ( who ironically once owned a small piece of a cruise line sailing in Brasilian waters) is that Brail charges $30 to load each bag aboard the vessel while Miami , for example charges $ 4. Someone has to make up for these and other expenses. Nevertheless, I regard these conditions as an ameliorating factor only not a justification for a bad product.

[czechmate]

Really all I can say to you is that you must decide yourself. I would not presume to advise you.

What liner are you considering? I could possibly give you some good leads with lots of helpful factual information.

 

On Melody and Lirica we have enjoyed good food, brilliant service and a simply outstanding cruise. For us MSC is our FIRST choice. That is us.

Liria is a beautiful elegant ship and I understand Opera is the same. Sadly I must wait till April to see the reality.

 

We all have different wishes and expectations. What one person LOVES another will HATE and this board shows that oh so clearly. There are brilliant reviews, bad reviews and in between. Certainly MSC provide ALL the ingredients for a fantastic cruise and at the end of the day it will be down to you. Sadly a post has recently been deleted and that contained an extremly balanced review from an experienced cruiser who overall enjoyed his Lirica transatlantic crossing.

 

I would say that if on board shopping, gambling and art auctions are the reason you cruise MSC is not for you but WOW there are 1001 other reasons to go!

 

May I suggest you wait for Ernies return and report. He will have right up to date info for you - from the perspective of himself and his mother. 2 generations.

 

.

[MikeWitte]

Stan I just debarked MSC Lirica and liked it better than QE2, the waiters were somewhat variable but if you told them in no uncertain terms what you expected then it improved from that moment on.

Cabins were nice, and it was a CHEAP ticket , thats the only word for it.

Dont expect a typical US line experience but if you are open to a new experience you should not be unhappy, at least on the ship I was on. Dont know about the others.

[stanjj111]

Thank you for the reviews. Enjoy your sailing on Sat

[webdesigner]

hello stanjj

 

We just got back from the Lirica transatlantic sailing and have been on 3 consecutive HAL sailings in 2004 before to compare.

 

It's actually pretty easy to choose for us in the future, it all depends on how you set your priorities:

 

Need high quality and variety of all international food specialities , presented on a very high level of 5 star grand hotels = stay with HAL

 

do you like a european crowd from Italy/France/Germany/UK = go with MSC

 

is an American crowd important to you = stay with HAL

 

did you like the very personal assistance from the asian HAL hotel staff(Indonesia/Phillipines) = stay with HAL

 

do you like better chances in Casino (especially Roulette without double zero) = go with MSC

 

are you open minded to Italian mentality about "what does not work tonight may work tommorrow" and the worldwide known Italian charme = go with MSC

 

if you like different pools where one is adult only with no kids = stay with HAL

 

if you like "flirty" eastern european and italian waiters and like to joke with them = go with MSC

 

if you enjoyed HAL beautiful decorated buffets with specialities from Asia - Europe - South America and more = stay with HAL

 

if you do not mind paper cups for your breakfast coffee (self service) and for your morning juice, and just Mc. Donald type of paper napkins for breakfast/lunch/buffets is alright for you = go with MSC

 

most MSC bar drinks seem to be cheaper in average US$1.00 - 2.00 = go with MSC

 

if you do not like to go to the dining room every evening and rather have some nice buffet (incl. service) without dressing up = stay with HAL

 

if a full room service incl. dining menue in cabin service, important to you = stay with HAL

 

if you like smaller ships (Lirica+Opera have 56K tons / HAL Vista Class have almost 90k tons) = go with MSC

 

if you like a better ratio / more staff for less passengers = stay with HAL

 

if you like non stop funny animation at the only pool area = go with MSC

 

those are just some things that jump in to my head.

 

sounds like I complain but I don't.

 

HAL is surely the better cruise line in service and quality and if you plan on cruising the Carribbean or so, you may be better going with HAL as prices start as low as US$ 700/800 for a veranda cabin / US$400/500 for inside/outside per week. It seems that comparable cruises with MSC (Opera 7 days / Lirica 11 days) are more expensive.

 

But

what we paid for our transatlantic cruise (18 days suite = comparable to HAL veranda cabin) with MSC, we would have paid almost double for a comparable HAL / Princess cruise in the veranda category.

 

So what you pay is... what you get,

and we enjoyed the Lirica and staff just fine for the money paid,

and that counts for me.

 

so under those circumstances MSC and this trip were "bellissima" for us.

 

Have fun and go with the flow..... ;-)