Formal Night when joining ship mid cruise?

[dazza74]

Hi everyone.

 

I'm on the Magnifica 15th October outta Southampton. This is a seven night round trip from Hamburg. I will be doing 4 nights Southampton to Hamburg only and need to know if they will do a formal night. Itinerary below. Any thoughts or facts.

 

Day 1 dept Southampton

Day 2 Zeabruger

Day 3 arrive Amsterdam and overnight

Day 4 depart Amsterdam 9am

Day 5 Hamburg

 

I'm gonna guess try won't be a formal night the day we dept Southampton as people wouldn't have bags in room. Not on the day it overnights in Amsterdam as that would be stupid and not on the last night as bags need leaving outside. So my guess would be day 2???

[janny444]

Hi....just returned from this cruise but we did 7 nights Southampton to Southampton. The first gala night was on day 4...the day the ship departed Amsterdam in the morning.

[sofsolnanny]

Hi janny444,

 

what did you think of the ship. We are doing Southampton to Southampton on the 8th oct. First time on MSC.

 

Di

[janny444]

Hi janny444,

 

what did you think of the ship. We are doing Southampton to Southampton on the 8th oct. First time on MSC.

 

Di

Hi sofsolnanny....it was our first time with MSC but have cruised quite a few times with different cruise lines.Before sailing we had heard many negative comments about MSC so we were a little uncertain what to expect.

Please remember it is only my point of view but I will try to be even handed.

 

First impressions...what a lovely stylish ship.

Staff...really friendly obliging staff...not "fawning" but genuinely interested in you...reception staff the best we have dealt with.

Food....we ate in the buffet apart from once in the MDR. A really good selection of food...quality good...the fresh fruit bar was the best of any cruise line we have been with. Only slight complaint was that at times it wasn't quite hot enough. We only had one dinner in the MDR because set time dining and it taking 2 hours doesn't agree with my digestion. Comments that we heard from other passengers were not favourable... not enough choice...food not hot...not good service but as I said we didn't dine there so that is other people's opinions.

Cabin well maintained... steward we never saw but it was kept clean...bed comfortable pillow not...very lumpy....turn down service but no chocolate.

Entertainment... theatre shows very very poor..went to three..they only lasted 25 minutes..not professional.. I'm sure one of the "artists" did our muster drill. I have seen better school shows.

The violinist/cellist/pianist in the atrium much better...really enjoyed that.

Pools...well maintained... one covered so very nice to sit if weather cooler and it was nice to sit there with a coffee after dinner.

Excursions... didn't do any. At Hamburg they run a shuttle to the station...bus station I think but I would say don't bother with that but turn right as you come off ship and just walk along the front. Along your way there is an old submarine which you can visit.

I don't know if you have a drink package but it is well worth it. We booked that before we went £20pppd...if you book on board they add 15% service charge. We are not excessive drinkers by any means but it was lovely to have the coffees/ice cream...what a good selection there is/juices/hot chocate/smoothies

 

Would we cruise with MSC again...yes if the price/itinerary was right.

[PrincessPete]

Very interested to read Janny 444's review of the 7 day cruise as we are doing the same itinerary on 8 October - just a couple of further questions, please.

 

You say the first gala night was on the day you left Amsterdam at (scheduled) 0900. Was there another one or just the one formal night?

 

What were the dress codes on the other nights - what was the "standard" of dressing amongst the passengers. We do like dressing up for dinner but do not want to stand out like sore thumbs if we went over the top!

 

Also did the dining times change during the cruise or was the second sitting always 2030 (if you can recall that as I know you went to the buffet mainly).

 

Thank you very much for any further help you can give.

 

Kind regards.

[dazza74]

Thxs for the info.

[janny444]

Hi PrincessPete....there was another formal night which was on the evening of the day at sea after leaving Hamburg. That was the night when you were introduced to the captain and principal officers which if you were on 2nd dinner sitting was at 6:30 in the Tiger bar and Topazio bar then a presentation at 7 in the main theatre. Dinner for 2nd sitting was always 20:30.

Other theme evenings...Green/white/red.....costume...white...60/70/80s....the other evening was casual.

Standard of evening dress was quite casual....very few men wore dinner suits and there were not many long evening dresses. I don't think 10% wore dinner suits....unlike P&O where nearly everyone wears dinner suits.....some wore suits... many wore jeans with a jacket...many just casual.

We found that people from Europe have a more casual approach to dress...smart but more casual.

[Mateybubbles]

Hi PrincessPete....there was another formal night which was on the evening of the day at sea after leaving Hamburg. That was the night when you were introduced to the captain and principal officers which if you were on 2nd dinner sitting was at 6:30 in the Tiger bar and Topazio bar then a presentation at 7 in the main theatre. Dinner for 2nd sitting was always 20:30.

Other theme evenings...Green/white/red.....costume...white...60/70/80s....the other evening was casual.

Standard of evening dress was quite casual....very few men wore dinner suits and there were not many long evening dresses. I don't think 10% wore dinner suits....unlike P&O where nearly everyone wears dinner suits.....some wore suits... many wore jeans with a jacket...many just casual.

We found that people from Europe have a more casual approach to dress...smart but more casual.

 

 

Hi janny, nice to read your review-we are sailing on the magnifica on Wednesday. I don't suppose you remember what time first sitting was for dinner as on another review the daily planner stated it was 5.30! That's a bit early for us.

 

Glad you had a good holiday :D

[janny444]

Hi mateybubbles....1st sitting for dinner is at 6

[lovecruise22]

We are also on magnifica on Wednesday. Out if interest at Le harve did msc put any shuttles on? And were there many taxis at the cruise terminal?

 

Thanks

 

 

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[janny444]

Hi everyone...something I forgot to mention and not sure if it happens every week but when we were at Hamburg we had a real pleasant surprise...in fact fantastic. We came off ship..turned right along the front and there was a street market.At the street market there is a market hall and as we approached music was coming out from there. Me being nosy had to take a look...what a surprise...it had been turned into a beer Keller and a group playing live music. Oh the music...think Deep Purple....Free....Status Quo....Bad Company...they were a really really good rock band....no charge unless you wanted a drink. It was only on in the morning...finished at lunch. Think the group may have been called Blar or something like that but not sure...just know they were great.

[janny444]

Hi lovecruise22...yes there were shuttles in le Havre...not sure where the drop off point was. I didn't notice any taxis at cruise terminal because we walked into Le havre....takes about 15/20 minutes

[sofsolnanny]

Thanks for your reply janny444.There are a few reviews now trickling in for the Magnifica(Stef's being the exception :D).It is interesting to read the different opinions of the ship.It seems like marmite-you either love it or hate it.

 

Never sailed MSC,so like yourself we are going with an open mind.

 

Seriously concerned about those lumpy pillows :(:(:(.

 

Regards.

Di

[janny444]

Thanks for your reply janny444.There are a few reviews now trickling in for the Magnifica(Stef's being the exception :D).It is interesting to read the different opinions of the ship.It seems like marmite-you either love it or hate it.

 

Never sailed MSC,so like yourself we are going with an open mind.

 

Seriously concerned about those lumpy pillows :(:(:(.

 

Regards.

Di

 

Stef is writing with great style a very in depth experience complete with photos...its great.

 

As regards the pillows...its not pillows but pillow....you only have one each....suppose I could have asked for another but didn't want two lumpy pillows....next time I would certainly take my own.

 

Just shows the old saying is right..."One man's meat is another man's poison"....go with an open mind and don't expect a P&O or American style experience but something different...enjoy :)

[sidari]

On our three previous MSC cruises we have asked for and got extra pillows from the cabin steward .... :) do not be afraid to ask for them.

 

Janny ... Good to hear the cruise went well for you.

Edited September 30, 2014 by sidari