MSC Splendida - Nice Ship, Terrible Food

gerrie5 · September 28, 2011

This thread seems to have run its course. Despite its very poor showing in several broadly based polls, MSC retains some vociferous fans here. I hope they enjoy their future cruises on whichever line they choose, whether it be MSC or any other. No one wishes anyone else to have a bad cruise.

Since everyone is talking about different nationalities and their perceived values, I did a little research on holidaycheck.de a large rating site for the German speaking.

Only 10 or more reviews are included, the list is sorted on "would recommend".

Keep in mind that ratings run from 1 - 6.

gerrie5 · September 28, 2011

This thread seems to have run its course. Despite its very poor showing in several broadly based polls, MSC retains some vociferous fans here. I hope they enjoy their future cruises on whichever line they choose, whether it be MSC or any other. No one wishes anyone else to have a bad cruise.

Since everyone is talking about different nationalities and their perceived values, I did a little research on holidaycheck.de a large rating site for the German speaking.

Only ratings with 10 or more reviews are included, the list is sorted on "would recommend". (Weiterempfehlungsrate)

woodofpine · September 28, 2011

So my point being that the number of negative CC reviews by comparison to their passengers is miniscule. They wouldnt be building new ships and carrying more passengers if they were not doing something right.

In pmacher's defense, the numbers you cite have no relevant or material connection to product quality. NONE. Some of your axioms are patently redicules; example: unless absolutely 100% of reviewers denounce MSC's food, that proves something (??) that MSC delivers high quality cuisine. Huh?

The line conducting a ship building boom simply means the company decided to build a lot of ships. Nothing more. Whether that's a meritorious business decision is yet unknown. But one can directly conclude that if the fleet greatly increases in size quickly, the line doesn't presently have the staff to crew those ships. Accordingly, MSC must hire a great number of qualitatively unknown (unemployed) crew, that qualitatively unknown crew must be quickly trained and put into service under correspondingly newly hired onboard managers. In fact, very fast growth is commonly a reason for quality and service decline (or disarray) in many businesses.

Just sayin'...

pmacher61 · September 28, 2011

No one is disputing your facts PMarcher just trying to get a bit of perspective around your assertions that MSC is lousy.

The fact is there are currently 888 reviews for MSC (fact)

Not all of them think the food is lousy (fact)

There are 250 reviews from September 2010 (give or take a few) (fact)

In the same period MSC has the capactity to carry in excess of 1,500,000 passengers (fact)

MSC is one of the worlds largest and fastest growing cruise line (fact)

MSC builds new ships regularly to add to their fleet for example

ships built in 2001,2002,2003,2004,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010, and Davina to come in 2012. (fact).

So my point being that the number of negative CC reviews by comparison to their passengers is miniscule. They wouldnt be building new ships and carrying more passengers if they were not doing something right.

FACTS? Well, you got the part about 888 MSC reviews (as of today) absolutely right, but exactly how do you define "lousy"? I just sampled the first page of the MSC member reviews and at least 4 reviewers on this first page gave only 1 star for dining. ( Of course not all 888 rate the MSC food as "lousy.")

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/msc-cruises/cl/

Look, you are entitled to like MSC as many others do, but you are not entitled to make up facts about how MSC is rated. What does it take for you to accept the fact that MSC is the worst rated line for dining?

Of the approximately 200 ships included in the CC Cruisers Choice poll the 11 MSC ships mentioned therein are all rated in the bottom 10 percentile (i.e. MSC ships occupy 11 of the bottom 21 places). See

www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberpoll_all.cfm?rating=Dining&sort=Highest

What means "The number of negative reviews by comparison to their passengers is miniscule"? Since we really don't know the thinking of the passengers who didn't submit a review I presume what you mean is the ratio of negative MSC reviews to all reviews of MSC is miniscule? The word "negative" may be hard to define exactly, but the FACT is that MSC scores the lowest in dining of all lines included in the CC polls (both US and UK) and places 52nd out of 53 in the Cruise Co poll you referenced earlier. A quick perusal of the "German" poll posted above seems to confirm they rate it as the lowest, too.

Of course, you might mean to say that even if all 888 CC MSC reviews were negative (they aren't) that number is miniscule compared to the number of passengers MSC has carried since it went into business. I agree with that. It is also patently absurd to argue that this proves that MSC is not rated "negatively" by the cruising public.

You are not fooling anybody with your protestations about MSC. It's time you stopped fooling yourself.

gerrie5 · September 28, 2011

In pmacher's defense, the numbers you cite have no relevant or material connection to product quality. NONE. Some of your axioms are patently redicules; example: unless absolutely 100% of reviewers denounce MSC's food, that proves something (??) that MSC delivers high quality cuisine. Huh?

The line conducting a ship building boom simply means the company decided to build a lot of ships. Nothing more. Whether that's a meritorious business decision is yet unknown. But one can directly conclude that if the fleet greatly increases in size quickly, the line doesn't presently have the staff to crew those ships. Accordingly, MSC must hire a great number of qualitatively unknown (unemployed) crew, that qualitatively unknown crew must be quickly trained and put into service under correspondingly newly hired onboard managers. In fact, very fast growth is commonly a reason for quality and service decline (or disarray) in many businesses.

Just sayin'...

Just a little more details on the German ratings:

holidaycheck.pdf

gerrie5 · September 28, 2011

This thread seems to have run its course. Despite its very poor showing in several broadly based polls, MSC retains some vociferous fans here. I hope they enjoy their future cruises on whichever line they choose, whether it be MSC or any other. No one wishes anyone else to have a bad cruise.

It all starts with upper management: Both on Costa and MSC the officers of the ships seem to be hiding. While on truly American lines they are very visible.

On my last cruise on NCL I met many officers which where genuinely interested in my well being and suggestions, if any.

On MSC and even on Costa (owned by Carnival) they seem not to exist....well you see the captain at the Gala...but he's only there to sell pictures....(for all I care, it might even be a stand-in)

Summing it up...Italian officers are lazy...while American or other officers make the best of their time on board and that of their passengers..

and that is their job after all. And they do it well...Chapeau!

Norwegian Cruiser 73 · September 28, 2011

It all starts with upper management: Both on Costa and MSC the officers of the ships seem to be hiding. While on truly American lines they are very visible.
On my last cruise on NCL I met many officers which where genuinely interested in my well being and suggestions, if any.

On MSC and even on Costa (owned by Carnival) they seem not to exist....well you see the captain at the Gala...but he's only there to sell pictures....(for all I care, it might even be a stand-in)

Summing it up...Italian officers are lazy...while American or other officers make the best of their time on board and that of their passengers..

and that is their job after all. And they do it well...Chapeau!

I believe that's more of a cultural thing than laziness. However, on my last cruise on Fantasia in August the officers where very visible, at least in Yacht Club. Both the 1. Purser, Headbutler and the Cruisedirector where several times pr. day in the lounges and the pooldeck to ensure we had a great time. In the main ship they had the usual officers presentation in the theater in addition to the captains cocktail in both Yacht Club and the rest of the ship.

No different from my cruise on the RCI Navigator Of The Seas two years ago.

gerrie5 · September 28, 2011

I'm not talking Yacht Club...it better be perfect for those prices!

Norwegian Cruiser 73 · September 28, 2011

I'm not talking Yacht Club...it better be perfect for those prices!

I was in the rest of the ship too and the officers where around:) And the YC was perfect, so great that we are in the process of booking another on the brand new Divina next summer.

pmacher61 · September 28, 2011

I was in the rest of the ship too and the officers where around:) And the YC was perfect, so great that we are in the process of booking another on the brand new Divina next summer.

Were you on your honeymoon on your (last) MSC cruise?

woodofpine · September 28, 2011

It all starts with upper management: Both on Costa and MSC the officers of the ships seem to be hiding. While on truly American lines...

Which 'truly American line' are you referring to NCL(?) Founded by a Norwegian and an Israeli-American (who died in Israel) that is now 50% owned by a Malay-Chinese company and a US private equity firm (the ships rarely having USA personnel)...

Or are you talking about RCI that was founded in Norway, or its operating subsidiery Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. a Norwegian-American company which also owns Greek founded Celebrity and Spanish Pulmantour... And also tends to keep the gringo's off ships...

Or are you talking about Carnival Corp and its name sake line - both British-American companies (founded by the same Israeli-American that co-founded NCL); the parent owning Italian Costa, Dutch origined HAL... shall I go on... All of whom keep gringos off the ships...

So much for 'truly American lines'!

Summing it up...Italian officers are lazy...while American or other officers make the best of their time on board and that of their passengers..

and that is their job after all. And they do it well...Chapeau!

I'm not sure I've seen an American officer on a popular cruise line. In fact, about the only place I'm reasonably sure I've seen them are staffing the 'kids club'...

On that note, most of Princess cruise lines officers are Italian (certainly the bridge officers some Brits) and Celebrity's Greek officers have approximately the same characteristics you universally slight (broad brush wrongly) of the Italians...

American officers... nah! Only nationalistically bias picky pax...

OneNewTexan · September 28, 2011

Maybe the intent was not "American Owned or Staffed" lines, but rather cruise lines that are generally English speaking and are largely targeted to the American market, where standards and expectations of service and food quality are apparently different than the lines targeting non-Americans. Just a thought.

I was the OP and as far as this issue is concerned, MSC stunk and we wouldn't step foot on an MSC ship ever again. I truly felt we did not get our money's worth --- and as for dining in the MDR or buffet, it was a nightmare that I would like to forget. Denny's is of far better quality than a meal in an MSC main dining room. The buffet was gross and we had ship-envy when we were docked next to a HAL ship. Midway through our MSC venture, we wish we could have moved our luggage off of the MSC Splendida and over to HAL.

I often take some photos of the food served on the ships when we take cruises, but not on the MSC Splendida this time. I did not take photos this time as it would have been so silly to take photos of such uninspiring food and its plain presentation. I was concerned that if I took some photos, the well-intentioned waiter might have thought we were mocking the food and the cruise line. In hindsight, I wish I had some photos so I could post the evidence here for all to see and judge for themselves. While in the MDR and buffet, my wife and I would just keep our thoughts to ourselves and whisper to each other how awful the food was compared to the other lines we have been on.

Norwegian Cruiser 73 · September 29, 2011

Were you on your honeymoon on your (last) MSC cruise?

One year anniversary cruise. Our honeymoon/weddingcruise was last year on the same ship.

Frode · September 29, 2011

I am an European (actually from Scandinavia), and have cruised a number of times with MSC Cruises. In December my wife & I will do our first RCCL-cruise (from Dubai). I very well know the standard of the food, the service, the product a.s.o. onboard the MSC ships :cool:

Now, I am really looking forward to sail onboard RCCL's Brilliance of the Seas. It will be so interesting to compare their food / service / product.

Be sure, I later om will write a review (and compare the two companies/products) :rolleyes:

woodofpine · September 29, 2011

I am an European (actually from Scandinavia), and have cruised a number of times with MSC Cruises. In December my wife & I will do our first RCCL-cruise (from Dubai). I very well know the standard of the food, the service, the product a.s.o. onboard the MSC ships :cool:
Now, I am really looking forward to sail onboard RCCL's Brilliance of the Seas. It will be so interesting to compare their food / service / product.

Be sure, I later om will write a review (and compare the two companies/products) :rolleyes:

That ought to be an interesting comparison. I've not cruised RCCL - but reviews and opinions generally place it (re food) less than Celebrity and HAL, maybe less than Princess or on par, on par with Carnival (?), but better than NCL and... Well you tell us later!

Brilliance is a well regarded and liked ship...

Enjoy!

mezza · October 1, 2011

Onenewtexan - you described our eating (anywhere) on the Orchestra recently. Pennypinching is one thing but when the menu boasts the Executive Chef as a starred Michelin chef and then you receive food where quite clearly the descibed ingredients have been substituted for something cheaper, or aletrnative the cut of meat advertised turns out to be different when served, then it is food fraud. If the chef was restricted by budgt, then I feel sorry for him but the company needs to revise its policies in many ways, coz food wasn't the only penny pinching area!!

MSC Splendida - Nice Ship, Terrible Food

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