Review of LIRICA 3/9-3/20

[italgal]

REVIEW OF MSC LIRICA 3/9/05 – 3/20/05

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am writing this with the experience of more than 50 cruises on many of the major lines.

 

 

 

The MSC Lirica is a beautiful ship with Public Rooms and Lounges that are well decorated and furnished in grand style. It is the smoothest moving ship I have ever been on. The cabins are tastefully done, though smaller than on some lines. We had a queen size bed, desk and chair, two night stands, refrigerator and three closets. Since for us, a cabin is to sleep and change clothes in, it was ample. The bathroom was adequate, but the shower would be tight for some of the more “rotund” passengers. It has two swimming pools and two hot tubs, plenty of deck chairs both in he sun and the shade all around the open decks. Deck Stewards are available but do not “push” drinks.

 

 

 

The food at best is FAIR. I have never been on a ship with worse food. In fact, I lost weight on this cruise! Everything came to the table COLD. On four different days the meat entrée was so TOUGH I could not eat any of it. Vegetables as well were cold and often “MUSHY”. The Caesar Salad must have been waved over the plate, because there was NO dressing on the greens or on the plate. I did have a couple of cold soups that were good. The DESSERTS were terrible! I don’t think they know what CHOCOLOTE is. My 14 years old Grandson makes a better tasting chocolate cake. There were no PIES or PUDDINGS. What happened to the fabled ITALIAN PASTRIES? It was almost impossible to get a cup of COFFEE with the meal and if you did forget about a refill.

 

 

 

The BUFFET was no better. POOR SELECTION, POOR COOKING and INDIFFERENT SERVICE. Who ever heard of just TWO JUCIES at Breakfast? POTATOES and BACON poorly cooked and no HAM or SAUSAGE PATTIES. The FRENCH TOAST was waved over the batter, not SOAKED in it, thereby being VERY, VERY DRY. The PANCAKES were not much better.

 

 

 

Don’t have to purchase toiletries or Over the Counter Medicines!! I had to pay $25.52 for a package of NYQUILL. When we complained about the price, we were told,”that is the price… If you think it is too much, don’t but it”. I had no option I was suffering from a cold!

 

 

 

While many of the staff was friendly, warm and helpful, many have to learn how to treat customers better. I think language was a big problem.

 

 

 

The passengers were truly International. You realize this when everything written or spoken is done in FIVE languages. Thank goodness only important things were announced. It is hard for jokes or even songs to be successful during the shows.

 

 

 

The theatre with large soft seats and NO bad seats, staged a different show each night. Some were GREAT and some a little amateurish.

 

 

 

The music in the various Lounges was very good. We found a piano/violin duet and a female/keyboard as our favorites. The drinks were a little expensive and there was no HOT SNACKS before dinner and not even a napkin to wipe your fingers after eating the fruit from your drink.

 

 

 

In conclusion, until MSC upgrades its food and general service to the standards of the other major cruise lines and learns what the American Traveler EXPECTS, I will not be sailing with them again. I never saw a Ship’s Officer walking the decks or talking to the passengers. That type of interaction is a MUST!

 

 

 

A final note:

 

Never have we not gotten a chocolate on our pillow at night, until the LIRICA.

 

In conclusion, until MSC upgrades its food and general service to the standards of the other major cruise lines and learns what the American Traveler EXPECTS, I will not be sailing with them again.

 

Well, if you read your own review, this is exactly what you said...."AMERICAN TRAVELLER EXPECTS".....Judging by your comments, I can tell that your attitude towards the staff must have been the reason that you did not get the service that you "expected".

 

Next week, I will be on the Lirica and I will form my own opinions about them. I hope not everyone reads your posting and decides not to try them. I think it would be a shame.

 

I think you might be happier sticking with Princess or HAL.

[Benitad]

Granted, I was on the Opera, not the Lirica. But I can't believe you said drinks were expensive. I found them so INEXPENSIVE, as I said in my Opera review -- cheaper, in fact, than the Atlanta airport and, in actuality, than metro Atlanta! I also found the announcements unobtrusive and minimal.

 

But, as everyone who was positive about the experience has said already, to each his own. A European/Italian theme in the Caribbean is what you make of it. As for me, I Really do want to go back on another MSC cruise, because I had SO much fun; the officers were friendly; the staff was accomodating, the food was both interesting and good, and the passenger mix was fascinating. And the Animation crew was ... well, animated.

[Turtle Derf]

I find it hard to believe that everyone is talking about the same cruise line and the same ship!

 

 

 

Six of us went on Lirica on the 11 night southern Caribbean trip on 2/15/05. The ship was beautiful, immaculate and one of the smoothest cruising ships I have ever been on. The wind was blowing so hard one morning we couldn’t get into Saint Lucia so the captain cranked up the engines and made the 2-hour trip to Martinique for us and if I hadn’t been watching the bow cam I never would have know what was taking place.

 

 

 

We had 11 days of very good food, always hot and served beautifully by a very friendly staff. Some bozo who wasn’t looking where he was going ran into my waiter and some food got spilled on my shirt. When I returned from the next day’s shore excursion the shirt had mysteriously disappeared from my cabin and then reappeared having made a trip to the ship’s dry cleaners. Our cabin steward was a beautiful young woman from Italy who kept our cabin immaculate. Our ice bucket was always full, 24/7. The Entertainment Team kept us in stitches every night and I still find myself chuckling over my photos of some of their crazy antics. No, the crew does not have advanced degrees in English but I didn’t know one word of Italian and it took a little patience and effort to communicate what we wanted and how we wanted it. The crew knew we were sincere in our efforts to get to know them and express our needs in a polite way. As a result there was mutual respect and we made a number of new friends with them. As a matter of fact we are sailing 9/2/05 out of Barcelona and will meet and have lunch with one of them in Rome.

 

 

 

I enjoyed the European flair to our cruise and that’s why we are doing the western Mediterranean for the first time next month. Lirica was neither Carnival nor Disney but I wasn’t looking for that. Celebrity is still my favorite cruise line but MSC Lirica was a great experience.

 

 

 

Puzzled in Atlanta

[bigmike7]

Yo-

 

Your cruise mirrors our 03/31 to 04/11 on the "Lirica" perfectly-

 

As I have said so many times - probably our best cruise since our very first experience on Sitmars "Fairsea" which was an all Italian crewed ship-

 

Would we sail on the "Lirica" again - in a heartbeat!!

 

Thanks for the great review-

 

Mike