Review of Lirica 4/22-5/2

[fiorita]

I wonder if we were on the same ship that others had reviewed. I found the ship beautiful. It just seem to glide thru the water. The staff was wonderful, not nagging you all the time to buy a drink. I rather like it that way. The food is not America, it is Italian. So we went on this ship knowing this and we love the food, their were a few exceptions, where I think they need to improve. We were on the ship in record, our suitcase were there in record time by 2 that afternoon. I enjoyed the shows, the young people that are entertaining on deck are great and try to get everyone involved. The shower is a small in the bathroom. There was plenty of space for our clothing. Bed made into almost king size. Plenty of shade around the pool.

Great ice cream each day on deck, plus a great place to get any type of grilled meat you would like. I do not eat lamb but table mates had grilled lamps chops and raved.

This cruise line is not for everyone. First if you want America cruise experience, DO NOT GO ON MSC. It is just that smiple. It is Italian thru and thru. I love the music in the different lounges on the ship. Most of which was sung in Italian.

Would we go with MSC again , YES we would. We have been on HAL, Princess,NCL, Carnival, Costa and now MSC. This is not our fisrt cruise and have some experience with 9 cruise under on belt.

We look forward to sailing again with MSC.:)

Fiorita

[bigmike7]

Yo Fiorita-

 

I am SO happy to hear that you had a similar cruise experience as we did - and for all the right reasons-

 

Would we go on MSC again - you bet!!

 

Happy Cruisin'

 

Mike

[Emdee]

I feel so comforted with this review. Was a little nervous with all the neg publicity but I am actually one of those people who prefer slightly different food - in Celebrity they gave us the crew food which was not as boring as the regular menu after some time. DH will love the lamb chops. He ate them very morning for breakfast on Radisson!

 

Any tips on the excursions? Does MSC stick to the stated time at each port barring unforeseen circumstances? At Barcelona I thought we would do the hop on hop off bus. Any suggestions for Messina and Genoa?

 

Thanks

Miriam

[robertmartha]

Considering sailing on MSC and I am reading all the positive and negative but one theme keeps coming up - "not an American cruise"...I know its an Italian line but what does everyone mean by this????? - I've read not American food as well.....

We love HAL - more for the more traditional cruise experience and not for the rock climbing, ice skating, floating resorts that I think most people would categorize as american????? is that it?????

Please enlighten me....thanks all

[fiorita]

:) I guess what we are trying to say is if you want something different,not HAL, Princess, or NCL. Your wait staff will be mostly Italian. Most of the food with have a Italian touch to it. You can have steak, fish or grilled chicken at dinner each night if you are not willing to try some thing different. The have hambuger, hot dogs on deck beside pizza. The singing in the lounges will be Italian for the most part. It is an Italian Cruise Line and that is what you will get. Lots of great pasta if you want but lots of other great food. I never had a nasty person wait on us this entire cruise. Just great service and happy and smiling faces. I know that there were some people on this cruise that were not happy. But I also noticed that these same people had a bad attitude toward the staff.Someone made the remark to my husband and I you get what you pay for Well we got more than what we paid for and then some.Please give MSC a try and go knowing you are going on a cruise that will be wonderful and that you will want to go back again and again. Infact our table mates who we met on this cruise are trying to plan one for next year for us together again.

Hope this helps.

Fiorita

[bigmike7]

Yo Fiorita-

 

There you go again - saying the same things that I have been thinking of ever since we got off our great Lirica cruise-

 

Us and our tablemates also made a pact to meet again next year for the Western Caribbean cruise - just like you and your tablemates - and believe me - we will be there!!

 

Happy Cruisin'

 

Mike

[czechmate]

- more for the more traditional cruise experience and not for the rock climbing, ice skating, floating resorts -

Please enlighten me....thanks all

 

You accurately express one of the reasons that we love MSC. It reminds me of the happy times that I spent on some of the great ocean going "ladies" of past eras

It is our view that on MSC passengers come before profits, comfort before commercialism, service before size and "sparkles" and the "WOW" factor is not the feeling when the final on-board bill arrives.

[Learning the ropes]

Fiorita, you mentioned you have sailed Costa as well as MSC....how would you compare the two? We are looking for a med. cruise with our family next year and like the itineraries and prices of both those cruise lines. We are prepared for an "italian" experience - that's why we want to go to the med., to experience something different. Cannot understand...would people go to Italy and expect everyone there to speak English and serve American-style food!?

 

 

Thank you.

[fiorita]

To be very honest there is no way to compare Costa to MSC. The Costa ship was brand new and there were many problems on it like toliets not working, having to use the public restroom. Making annoncement over the PA system all day in 5 different languages thru out the day.

The food was bad, and this is from me who parents were born in Italy. So I know the good stuff. Plus the staff was not very friendly. NOW MSC was a different story. Good food, the real stuff,not for everyone. Got to like Pasta seafood, fish. The crew is great very friendly, good service. Plenty of shade around the pool. Things for the children to do. I am looking forward to booking another crise on this line. Hope to get more family to go with us and share the great experience. Hope this helps.

Fiorita:)

[fin]

This time next week, I will aboard the Lirica. My cruise documents came yesterday, but include no information on shore excursions. Does anybody know a link to the various excursions which can be taken from Lirica? Thx

[ozdick]

Hi fin,

Are you doing a Mediterannean cruise on the Lirica?

If so, then I found the following document which lists shore excursions

http://www.msc.com.au/CRUISES/med05.pdf

 

Shore excursions start on page 30.

Richard

[fin]

Outstand RIchard...grateful thanks. Yes, flying Sat via Madrid to Rome and happily looking forward to a wonderful week going new places and enjoying new experiences. Excellent reference...thanks again.

[chiefstart]

Hi Florita

 

I have just come back from a cruise on the Lirica and I fully endorse everything you say. I have cruised before but this one was fantastic fun from beginning to end but if you wanted just to do your own thing noone pushed you.

 

Will I go again?

 

You bet as soon as possible!!!

 

Chiefstart

[fin]

Well, my cruise is over - Rome, Messina, Tunis, Mallorca, Barcelona and Genova. My cabin was outstanding, with walk in closets, terry robes, bathtub and a lovely balcony. The cabin stewards were likewise top notch.

 

Other than that, I would not go with them again, and I would not recommend the ship to other Americans. Someone way before my cruise was of the opinion that the Information Desk crew did not like Americans, and although I tried to be my most charming to them, they left me totally cold.

 

The impression I got was that the ship was being run for the convenience of the staff and that the passengers were a nuiscance. Since last September, this is my fifth cruise on three lines, and the first time that I have been so hungry so often, as, between the scheduled meal times, there is no food to be found.

 

Most requests were met with a SHRUG. Would they possibly make a call to reconfirm my transfer? Shrug. Could they change a fifty dollar US bill so that I could tip cabin and dining staff? Shrug - bank closed. When would we get our passports returned? Shrug. Internet down? When would it be fixed? Shrug. Enough was enough. Debarkation, although it worked and I made a tight schedule and got on my flight home at 12:20 was a shambles. The person giving the debriefing talk did not speak or understand English well enough to field the questions, and the answers that he did give were wrong.

 

The written material prepared to assist in debarking was confusing and contradictory as well. The people I was with made a smooth debarking DESPITE the crew, not because of them. One of my requested tours was overbooked and one was cancelled due to insufficient interest. BUt my biggest gripe was simply the lack of any inclination by the purers desk staff, particularly at night, to do ANYthing to help passengers.

 

When one calls the info desk to ask a question, and the answer is "Did you not get the material sent to your room?" I find that rude. The ship itself was OK, and the ports of call were all pleasant, but without the help, backing and assistance of the crew, without actual CARING about the passengers needs and worries, it is a waste of money, in my opinion. Perhaps NCL has spoiled me.