Are MSC as Bad as Reviews Claim?

[phider]

There is a list of complaints received by travel agents doing the rounds; one of my favorite was "the taxi drivers in Spain didn't speak English"

 

On the National Geographics series Cruise Ship Diaries, where you follow the Costa Serena, one of the Staff members was approached by a couple, that complained that there was too many Italians on the ship.

 

 

Philip

[sidari]

I for one cannot wait for the reviews from North Americans when they start to sail on the Divina from Miami ... :D

 

One of the things when we go to another country or on a non US cruise line is that we expect things to be different, many North Americans it seems expect it to be like home! and that is from experience.

 

Aida for a while have been considering opening up their market to non Germans, boy would i like to read the reviews from those cruises ... :)

[All aboard??]

Aida for a while have been considering opening up their market to non Germans, boy would i like to read the reviews from those cruises ... :)

 

Should be interesting; even Lufthansa keeps to the German palate....sausages and sauerkraut if I remember correctly to 2010.

[Capricruiser]

I read somewhere recently that MSC cruise ships carried 1.4 million passengers last year (or was it 1.6 million?). I don't think too many of these wrote cruise critic reviews.

[tercar]

I have just returned from a cruise on the Preziosa and I saw this little caption in the crew corridor.

S= smile and greet.

M= make the difference.

I= involve yourself.

L= lead by example.

E= enhance guest's experience.

It was my first cruise with MSC, I had also read the negative reviews and was going with an open mind. The ship was stunning. I found the waiters good and the wine service at dinner was exceptional. Some of the food was not as good as other lines however, I still managed to gain some weight!!. The waiters were prepared to change food choices to suit ones needs, I. E. I have mussels for starter and main course no problem. One thing that some may not like is the amount of children on board, as I took my 2 grand children this did not upset me too much. Also the kids go free, big bonus. For the cost of this cruise I would say it was excellent value and will definitely go on a MSC ship in the future.:cool::cool::cool:

[glittergal1]

Thanks everyone for your insights and experiences of MSC I am actually very excited about the cruise, I HAVE A BALCONY!!!!!!!!!!!! :D the price and free upgrade for a solo passenger was the pull towards MSC that no other cruise line got close to , So I will post a review on return

[anniegb]

In a word - NO.

If you are well traveled and used to the way things are done in continental Europe and are happy to be surrounded by passengers who speak a different language and have a different culture and behaviour form home! you'll be fine.

 

That is very fair.

 

I completed my 1st MSC cruise earlier this year and was very pleasantly surprised. I like them.

 

Just one request - please don't go on board and say it is not P&O.

 

Annie

[cruisetrail]

Thanks everyone for your insights and experiences of MSC I am actually very excited about the cruise, I HAVE A BALCONY!!!!!!!!!!!! :D the price and free upgrade for a solo passenger was the pull towards MSC that no other cruise line got close to , So I will post a review on return

 

Low price is the main attractive point for Costa & MSC.

However, we found a better price on a better ship so we skip MEC Divina this your. We'll see next year.

The food (what is "food" on a cruise ship amd how to assess it) is worse on Costa but I still rank new Costa ships above MSC as Costa "big four" is far more advanced in terms of design and amenities than MSC Divina.

MSC Fantasia class has major design flaws that are somewhat worsened by their nickel and diming concept.

MSC is always pale in comparison.

As you already booked - don't compare, focus on the positive - it's like self-therapy.

You'll find things to enjoy for the price you paid.

Happy cruising!

[Tatka]

This is a hackneyed canard: "a cruise is what you make of it." In my opinion, it's an inaccurate exaggeration which I tried to satirize above. Of course, it helps to have a positive attitude, but no amount of positive attitude can overcome inferior food and service. Besides, why would anyone choose a cruise line that requires one to keep a stiff upper lip, put on a happy face, steel his nerves, or any other euphemism for stoically enduring a negative experience when there are many other options that don't require such mental gymnastics simply to have a good cruise. The food, service, and overall value of the MSC product is rated lower by far than any other cruise line by the universe of CC members who submitted reviews.

Nevertheless, the pricing of MSC and the beauty of its ships may support the purchase of the MSC product. No matter how poorly the MSC food and service is rated by a majority of cruisers, low price can be a valid reason to sail MSC.

 

Well, we usually can find good pricing on most of the lines. In fact my MSC cruise was not the cheapest by any means, our cheapest cruises in some reason were on Princess, HAL & Carnival.

 

When did you cruise with MSC?

 

We tried them this year and found no real problems with this line. More than this, we talked to some people who cruised this line several years (in Caribbeans) and they said each year was better than previous, so line is definitely doing a good job to improve their product. I also read many reviews from people who sailed on Poesia (our ship) week before and several weeks after just to check that I am not only one who enjoyed cruising on this ship and most of reviews were very positive 4-5 stars.

[Tatka]

Oh Dear I seem to have opened a can of worms ......... I have cruised a few times RCI twice NCL once Thomson once , my most enjoyable onboard experiences were with RCI my least so far was with Thomson :( and as a Brit Thomson are meant to be amazing according to reviews ???????????

So I suppose I will just have to wait and see what MSC is like , on a positive I have booked as a solo passenger a BALCONY cabin for 0% suppliment and no other cruise line has come close to offering that ............... well done MSC

 

MSC is very comparable to RCI and NCL. Each of these lines have it's own advantages and disadvantages. All are pretty small.

 

We found live entertainment on MSC to be the best on the comparable size ships (90 tons), of course RCI largest ships have more options.

 

Food... well, we experienced very different quality of food on different ships of RCI.. and NCL, so I cannot say if food is better or worse on all MSC ships than on RCI/NCL. In our opinion food was good, not great (well some dishes), some we liked less, same with RCI and NCL, but nothing was really subpar.

 

We liked cabins. Adequate size, nice, cozy decor. You might want to check my review (signature). It is not about Fantasy class ship, but still you will get a feel.

 

 

Try MSC, you might enjoy it. :)

[Tatka]

Aida for a while have been considering opening up their market to non Germans, boy would i like to read the reviews from those cruises ... :)

 

I will definitely post.

 

AIDA is planning 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 winter cruises out of Tampa, Florida.

 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/germanys-largest-cruise-line-to-sail-from-tampa-by-next-year/2149129

 

2014/2015 probably will not attract many NA cruisers as they are on older smaller ship AIDAvita and all 3-weekers, which is not an option for many here. But in 2015/2016 AIDA will send a new ship AIDAmar (?) for series of shorter cruises. We will definitely try to sail with them. :)

 

I heard about great food in buffets (I think other restaurants are optional), low key entertainment, but with some nice shows, great laser shows. IMHO, the only real problem will be a language. Most of staff do speak English, but all announcements, entertainment etc is in German now.

[The_Big_M]

Low price is the main attractive point for Costa & MSC.

 

It is?

 

I found a good itinerary, and a brilliant ship - best I've been on amongst a number of major lines. A good price just was the icing on the cake. I wouldn't sail for a good price alone as my holiday time is too valuable.

 

Then the cabin itself was also the best I've had amongst competitors in that grade.

 

As said earlier, there are pros and cons and I wasn't so enamoured of the food, though it was certainly okay. And the general service wasn't as good as competitors. But entertainment was ahead of competitors too.

 

Some people do MSC a disservice. This doesn't mean they'll be the best cruise in the world... but it seems to be what some measure them against.

[Typhoon1]

If MSC were as bad as the reviews make it sound, NO ONE would be cruising on them, and they would be defunct.

 

Don't believe everything you read. Experience it for yourself, then decide.

[MotownVoice]

If MSC were as bad as the reviews make it sound, NO ONE would be cruising on them, and they would be defunct.

 

Don't believe everything you read. Experience it for yourself, then decide.

 

 

Ha!

 

"No one goes there anymore, it's too crowded."

Yogi Berra.

[IowaChuck]

Oh Dear I seem to have opened a can of worms ......... I have cruised a few times RCI twice NCL once Thomson once , my most enjoyable onboard experiences were with RCI my least so far was with Thomson :( and as a Brit Thomson are meant to be amazing according to reviews ???????????

So I suppose I will just have to wait and see what MSC is like , on a positive I have booked as a solo passenger a BALCONY cabin for 0% suppliment and no other cruise line has come close to offering that ............... well done MSC

 

What did you book that you didn't have to pay the single supplement? I wonder if that is available in US.

[earn]

Most of our cruising has been with RCI, but we enjoyed our cruise in the Caribbean on Poesia so much this year, that we have booked 17 nights on Preziosa next year.

 

Price was not a consideration. Our children 15 and 13 do qualify for free cruises, but are in their own cabin, so are paying full adult price. We enjoy transatlantic cruises and have done 3 with RCI, but cruising from Brazil will give us a chance to experience a new part of the world for us.

 

I think you will have a great time.

[wayneandwaynetta]

Oh Dear I seem to have opened a can of worms ......... I have cruised a few times RCI twice NCL once Thomson once , my most enjoyable onboard experiences were with RCI my least so far was with Thomson :( and as a Brit Thomson are meant to be amazing according to reviews ???????????

So I suppose I will just have to wait and see what MSC is like , on a positive I have booked as a solo passenger a BALCONY cabin for 0% suppliment and no other cruise line has come close to offering that ............... well done MSC

 

We are spending christmas on Msc Splendida - having never tried this company before - like you I have spent a lot of time reading the reviews, but will not be put off and will make up my own mind - we are going with friends who havent cruised before and are determined to have a great time - and whats more, we WILL have a great time!!!!

[GOLDENBONNY]

I have booked my first MSC on Fantasia for a winter Mediterranean cruise , the majority of reviews for MSC are very poor WHY???? is the food and service really all that bad ???????? what is the worst aspect of a MSC cruise in Europe ?

 

any insight would be truly appreciated as I have talked 3 others onto this MSC cruise too :confused:

 

I guess for Americans worst thing -no free water in DR and too many languages speaking on board. If you can afford bottle of water and don't freak out when they speak 5 languages before show you will be fine LOL.WE cruised twice with MSC and twice we had best cabin steward we ever had. I don’t really understand what people mean by “bad service” we did not find it any different from other cruise lines.

[pmacher61]

What did you book that you didn't have to pay the single supplement? I wonder if that is available in US.

MSC and Costa have single occupancy cabins on some of their ships sold to all nationals. The price for the single occupancy of these cabins is just slightly greater than the pp price if 2 opted to occupy one of them. (I'm booked in one such cabin in the Samsara category aboard the Fascinosa).

 

There may be other lines with single occupancy cabins, but I am unaware of them. Some lines run specials where the single supplement is minimal (10-25%). One large internet TA has a link to such specials. Perhaps others do, too.

Edited October 28, 2013 by pmacher61

[glittergal1]

What did you book that you didn't have to pay the single supplement? I wonder if that is available in US.

 

I booked a winter med cruise on Fantasia from Genoa it was 0% supplement and free upgrade to balcony cabin Im booked March 26th

[anniegb]

MSC and Costa have single occupancy cabins on some of their ships sold to all nationals. The price for the single occupancy of these cabins is just slightly greater than the pp price if 2 opted to occupy one of them. (I'm booked in one such cabin in the Samsara category aboard the Fascinosa).

 

There may be other lines with single occupancy cabins, but I am unaware of them. Some lines run specials where the single supplement is minimal (10-25%). One large internet TA has a link to such specials. Perhaps others do, too.

 

Incorrect.

 

It is very possible to book a cruise as a solo with MSC and pay no solo supplement - I know I have done it 3 times.

 

Annie

[cjvinthechair]

This is a hackneyed canard: "a cruise is what you make of it." In my opinion, it's an inaccurate exaggeration which I tried to satirize above. Of course, it helps to have a positive attitude, but no amount of positive attitude can overcome inferior food and service. Besides, why would anyone choose a cruise line that requires one to keep a stiff upper lip, put on a happy face, steel his nerves, or any other euphemism for stoically enduring a negative experience when there are many other options that don't require such mental gymnastics simply to have a good cruise. The food, service, and overall value of the MSC product is rated lower by far than any other cruise line by the universe of CC members who submitted reviews.

Nevertheless, the pricing of MSC and the beauty of its ships may support the purchase of the MSC product. No matter how poorly the MSC food and service is rated by a majority of cruisers, low price can be a valid reason to sail MSC.

 

Oh dear, Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss 'pmacher' - I'm sailing on MSC to Brazil in less than a fortnight; I came on this thread to offer some encouragement to someone who has, it appears, been dealt something of a blow by negative reviews.

Frankly, Sir/Ma'am, the only opinion that matters on this issue is that of the person who travels, so it's sad indeed that such people, looking for a little reassurance, are met by 'the likes of' yourself, who clearly has some reason not to appreciate the line in question. Your prerogative, Sir/Ma'am, as indeed it is to give your opinion in this open forum.

I think the questioner, not to mention the rest of us, is now aware that you have considerable misgivings about this Cruise Company.

Fine - point made; now LEAVE IT !

[pmacher61]

Frankly, Sir/Ma'am, the only opinion that matters on this issue is that of the person who travels, so it's sad indeed that such people, looking for a little reassurance, are met by 'the likes of' yourself, who clearly has some reason not to appreciate the line in question. Your prerogative, Sir/Ma'am, as indeed it is to give your opinion in this open forum.

I think the questioner, not to mention the rest of us, is now aware that you have considerable misgivings about this Cruise Company.

Fine - point made; now LEAVE IT !

 

Another ad hominem attack by someone whose obvious failure to comprehend my point has not prevented her from insulting "the likes of me." Ho hum.

My point has absolutely nothing to do with my personal experience on MSC nor did I ever claim I was qualified to give an insightful opinion.

 

My point is and was:

The collective judgment of the 120,000+ CCers who have published member reviews of their cruises is more informative to the OP than the isolated comments of a few MSC customers. The all time CC Cruisers Choice Poll is a mathematical compilation of the numerical ratings given by these 120,000 CCers to the various components (e.g. food, service, accommodations, value, etc) of almost all ships afloat.

 

In addition to my post which you quote and which I stand by, my point was set forth in my first post above (#5):

You inquiry is likely to spark a fierce debate between those CCers who appear to cruise on MSC often, almost exclusively, and those who appear to have cruised on it once or twice and have a very negative opinion of the line. Unfortunately, the posts quickly tend to get personal. Accordingly, I suggest you simply go (back) to the "Reviews" section of this site and read a bit more. Here's a link to MSC. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/msc-cruises/cl/ . You can specify the Fantasia. You can also go to the all time Cruise Critic Cruisers Choice Poll for a mathematical compilation of the reviews. Here's a link. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberpoll_all.cfm?rating=Overall

....

Obviously, I'm in the camp that has found MSC wanting, but my personal experience is minimal so it isn't worth a lot. On the other hand, the reviews speak for themselves. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the price and port stops may make an MSC cruise worthwhile. And enjoyable. Especially since your expectations have been adjusted downwards. Who knows, maybe MSC is improving.

 

Moreover, when you say that "the only opinion that matters on this issue is that of the person who travels", you completely overlook the fact that the OP specifically solicited opinions of others about MSC and the worst aspects of it.

 

I understand you may have some trepidation about your upcoming MSC cruise to Brasil and that this concern has possibly triggered the need to avoid dwelling upon the poor ratings MSC has received from the universe of members, but please don't kill the messenger.

Edited October 28, 2013 by pmacher61

[Tatka]

I would check fresh reviews, because this line is growing and improving,.

[The_Big_M]

My point is and was:

The collective judgment of the 120,000+ CCers who have published member reviews of their cruises is more informative to the OP than the isolated comments of a few MSC customers. The all time CC Cruisers Choice Poll is a mathematical compilation of the numerical ratings given by these 120,000 CCers to the various components (e.g. food, service, accommodations, value, etc) of almost all ships afloat.

 

No, it's not more informative - except in your opinion. It's quantitative data, as distinct from qualitative replying to a specific question. Further, there's no discernment between what justifies a 3.6, vs a 3.8. What is the practical impact of that difference? And do some over-play the difference?

 

It's worthwhile to consider - but it isn't more informative.