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MSC Orchestra Eastern Mediterranean Live Trip Report

Love2Cruz2015

By Love2Cruz2015,
in MSC Cruises

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BermudaBound2014 Great Review Rare

BermudaBound2014

Posted
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Love2cruz: What an enjoyable read. Your food photos are making me hungry for some of those delicious MSC bread sticks! It looks like I would really like the Orchestra. In particular, I appreciate that the Orchestra has promenade not blocked by lifeboats (as this is one drawback for Divina). I'm absolutely certain you will LOVE DIVINA as much as you loved Orchestra.

 

I see you are now hooked on European cruises. Aren't they are wonderful!!! I travel across the pond at much as possible. My one piece of advice for you as you look at European cruises is to let the ports (and port times) be your deciding factor as opposed to cruise line. MSC has some great itineraries in Europe, but they also have some duds :(. If you can do a Barcelona to Rome cruise that should capture most of the popular Eastern Mediterranean Ports. I'd say the must see are:

 

1) Barcelona

2) Florence (we did a wine tour in Tuscany~ wow)

3) Rome (I didn't like Rome, but many do).

4) NAPLES with the almafi coast. Breathtaking, as is Pompeii.

 

If you can get an itinerary that captures these 4 you are doing well with your Eastern Med objective :).

 

Thanks again for taking the time to post such an extensive review :)

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Love2Cruz2015

Love2Cruz2015

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Love2cruz: What an enjoyable read. Your food photos are making me hungry for some of those delicious MSC bread sticks! It looks like I would really like the Orchestra. In particular, I appreciate that the Orchestra has promenade not blocked by lifeboats (as this is one drawback for Divina). I'm absolutely certain you will LOVE DIVINA as much as you loved Orchestra.

 

I see you are now hooked on European cruises. Aren't they are wonderful!!! I travel across the pond at much as possible. My one piece of advice for you as you look at European cruises is to let the ports (and port times) be your deciding factor as opposed to cruise line. MSC has some great itineraries in Europe, but they also have some duds :(. If you can do a Barcelona to Rome cruise that should capture most of the popular Eastern Mediterranean Ports. I'd say the must see are:

 

1) Barcelona

2) Florence (we did a wine tour in Tuscany~ wow)

3) Rome (I didn't like Rome, but many do).

4) NAPLES with the almafi coast. Breathtaking, as is Pompeii.

 

If you can get an itinerary that captures these 4 you are doing well with your Eastern Med objective :).

 

Thanks again for taking the time to post such an extensive review :)

 

Thanks BB, I had fun writing it and sharing my photos with everyone.

 

The next Europe itinerary I will do will probably be the Western Med, with the port you mentioned...I also want one that stops in Sicily (I'm sicilian) And if I can get one that stops in France, Provence region, I would be thrilled. And Morocco....oh boy...looks like I'll be taking several cruises in the near future.:D

 

They have a great special for the MED, starting at 499 on the Splendida, and it's during Spring Break week 2017. I am SOOO tempted, but I dont think my job will give me the time off and then the AIRFARE I checked was over 1200 pp, and not of the times worked with the cruise...More will open up...but I just can't take the chance.

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blittydeuce

blittydeuce

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Hey L2C! Awesome trip report and pics!

 

I'm doing this same cruise at the end of July with my fiancee! I'm worried about the crowds then, since they should be even worse than what you dealt with :/

 

Any advice/recommendations? We are 30yrs old and very active, so hoping to explore A BUNCH at each port. Were you happy enough with the MSC excursions that you didn't deem it necessary to book yours at the ports? Did you notice if any other passengers were discussing better deals/experiences?

 

We are staying in a basic room and haven't set up any drink package.. Would it be difficult to bring a bottle of liquor on board? Either at Venice or other ports? How extensive did they check your bags each time?

 

We'd really appreciate any and all advice! Thanks again for sharing!!

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Brits 2006

Brits 2006

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Hi love2cruz

 

Great review, loved all your pictures. We are boarding Orchestra on Sunday we are so excited first time for us with MSC. We did the loyalty match and got black status so really pleased.

 

Just a random question did you take hair straighteners aboard as I'm freaking out they will confiscate them and I will walk around with terrible frizzy hair.

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Love2Cruz2015

Love2Cruz2015

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Hey L2C! Awesome trip report and pics!

 

I'm doing this same cruise at the end of July with my fiancee! I'm worried about the crowds then, since they should be even worse than what you dealt with :/

Actually, the only crowds were in Santorini...the rest of the islands were great. Athens was also busy, but we drove into the middle of a strike.

 

Any advice/recommendations? We are 30yrs old and very active, so hoping to explore A BUNCH at each port. Were you happy enough with the MSC excursions that you didn't deem it necessary to book yours at the ports? Did you notice if any other passengers were discussing better deals/experiences?

I booked with MSC for safety reasons. I also didn't consider the prices to be too bad...I booked a beach excursion in Katakalon-ended up being my favorite-to Kourouta beach. I booked a Panoramic tour to Athens-not great, but still go to drive around and experience the city. Santorini-I booked Oia-but it also took us to Fira...it was A LOT of walking...but such comfortable weather. Also very crowded. My fourth excursion to Aqualand in Corfu got cancelled due to low turnout, so we used that day to veg out on deck and hit the spa. For Kotor, I screwed up the port times, but was up early to experience the entrance into the bay..it was so beautiful. My plan was to just walk off the pier-which wasn't long..and walk into the old city...Next. time.

 

 

 

We are staying in a basic room and haven't set up any drink package.. Would it be difficult to bring a bottle of liquor on board? Either at Venice or other ports? How extensive did they check your bags each time?

 

We'd really appreciate any and all advice! Thanks again for sharing!!

I didn't bring any alcohol on the ship as I was lucky to get free drinks on my cruise..but they do have security at every port and I did see them take bottles away from people. I don't know if it was wine or hard liquor, but they seemed to be pretty strict on the Orchestra.

 

 

 

Feel free to ask any more questions.:D

Edited by Love2Cruz2015
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Love2Cruz2015

Love2Cruz2015

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Hi love2cruz

 

Great review, loved all your pictures. We are boarding Orchestra on Sunday we are so excited first time for us with MSC. We did the loyalty match and got black status so really pleased.

 

Just a random question did you take hair straighteners aboard as I'm freaking out they will confiscate them and I will walk around with terrible frizzy hair.

 

I must have taken my hair straightening in and out of my luggage a dozen times before I just said to hell with it and left it home! Your hair will get frizzy, as mine was for most of the cruise with the moist air. I've taken my straightener with me on other cruises and maybe used it once or twice and with the humidity and the wind, my hair ended up getting curly and frizzy anyway as soon as I hit a deck party...so I say, embrace the frizz...or wear a pony tail.:cool::D

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blittydeuce

blittydeuce

Posted
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Hi love2cruz

 

Just a random question did you take hair straighteners aboard as I'm freaking out they will confiscate them and I will walk around with terrible frizzy hair.

 

I must have taken my hair straightening in and out of my luggage a dozen times before I just said to hell with it and left it home! Your hair will get frizzy, as mine was for most of the cruise with the moist air. I've taken my straightener with me on other cruises and maybe used it once or twice and with the humidity and the wind, my hair ended up getting curly and frizzy anyway as soon as I hit a deck party...so I say, embrace the frizz...or wear a pony tail.:cool::D

 

Is there any chance that they would confiscate them? Why is that?

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Brits 2006

Brits 2006

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Is there any chance that they would confiscate them? Why is that?

 

Our luggage labels say they will be confiscated. I have been on numerous cruises with loads of different countries and never come across this before.

 

I'm going to take mine anyway in my carry on luggage.

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Brits 2006

Brits 2006

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Our luggage labels say they will be confiscated. I have been on numerous cruises with loads of different countries and never come across this before.

 

I'm going to take mine anyway in my carry on luggage.

 

Sorry meant cruise lines

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nese12

nese12

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And just so you all don't think Maureen is the only cat lover here, here are my three felines which will be watched over by "Nonno" while we are away, Luigi, Mama and Serenity.

 

dd67dac763c63c3d4ccb72783bf4cf9b.jpg

 

4da57ce249da07d5f9ab05264793089c.jpg

 

bae4d66bcf2dd164940c6461b98aceec.jpg

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

They are too cute!! :-)

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Love2Cruz2015

Love2Cruz2015

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How did you know which drinks were included with the package you had? Is it drinks up to a certain price?

 

Thanks for the review in Msc for the first time next March xx

 

Not based on price...Drinks with an asterisk next to them meant they were not included.

 

Some of the specialty coffee drinks and some of the specialty MSC drinks were not included. The coffee prices were cheap so a few times, I got the specialty ones anyway. All your usual drinks are included....you can check a few posts back and see some of the drink menus.

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