NCL to MSC

[room with a view]

We had a fantastic Christmas/New Year 2017/2018 and also Christmas 2016 on the Spirit.

 

We now are looking for 2018/19 but the Spirit is doing exactly the same itinerary as last year. Same ports, probably the same shows and music.

 

Unfortunately if we want to do Europe then it's a choice between NCL (same again) or MSC. I've read some reviews of MSC and they are not good - is it better to go with "what you know" or jump ship to MSC ? :confused:

[dexddd]

We had a fantastic Christmas/New Year 2017/2018 and also Christmas 2016 on the Spirit.

 

We now are looking for 2018/19 but the Spirit is doing exactly the same itinerary as last year. Same ports, probably the same shows and music.

 

Unfortunately if we want to do Europe then it's a choice between NCL (same again) or MSC. I've read some reviews of MSC and they are not good - is it better to go with "what you know" or jump ship to MSC ? :confused:

 

We did our first on MSC back in August. It was fantastic but it was in the States. I see you are from UK - since you won't be spending tons on transatlantic flights I'd give them a try.

 

They have all the various experiences which makes it a bit confusing. You also didn't say which ship. Have you asked on the MSC boards? Most people over there will give you an honest opinion of the ship you are looking at.

 

We've also been on the Spirit twice. It is the oldest ship in the NCL fleet but still one of our favorites.

[room with a view]

Thanks, we are just starting to research MSC and there seems to be more than one ship doing the European routes.

NCL have some fantastic cruises stateside but we don't want a long flight and for us, Barcelona or Rome is only a short flight away. Thanks , I'll look at the Boards.

[unikitty]

We have done 2 MSC cruises in the last 12 months. Aurea on the Meraviglia and Fantastica on the Divina,

 

We had a fine times on both but only fine. It's very hard to pinpoint exactly what was missing but we have decided MSC is not for us and we are coming back to NCL.

If I had to name a couple of things:

Our kids did not enjoy MSC kids club, they went once, there were no family activities. I never had a nice cocktail on MSC, we ended up sticking to prosecco and beer. We ended up with so many left over drinks vouchers , I think we left the ship with about 10 large bottles of San Pelligrino. The vouchers are great value but if there's nothing you want to drink then it's a bit of a false economy. The hot tubs were all cold. There were no free crepes, no free scoop ice cream. Buffet was boring. Staff not too helpful. The balcony room on the brand new Meraviglia was the worst. Depressing decor and nowhere to put anything, cigarette butts all over the balcony every morning.I actually preferred our inside room on the Jade. All small things I know, but all the things we enjoy on NCL.

 

 

 

And yes, some of my fellow Europeans were quite difficult to tolerate. I've always come across a couple of rude people on cruises and they are usually easy enough to ignore. Not so on MSC.

 

Just to give you an example. People embark and disembark the Meraviglia at every stop in the Med. We were at a port in Italy and I was going up in the lift. The lift stopped and about 10 passengers got in with suitcases. However they wanted to go down. When the lift continued up they all started yelling and pointing at me. Then the lift stopped at the next floor and they held the lift open with a suitcase and kept yelling at me. I only speak a bit of Italian but I think they had been stuck on an express lift for a while and they thought I had an override card or something. It was scary. So I climbed over a few suitcases and got out of the lift and continued up the stairs.

In retrospect it's kind of funny, but at the time it was a bit intimidating.

 

MSC is great value though, if you can sail Aurea to get the private sun deck and dont have kids I would recommend it.

[room with a view]

Thanks for your reply. Having trawled various review sites I find very few good reviews of MSC .They have the MSC Sinfonia sailing Barcelona - Barcelona at Christmas time but once again it can't compare to NCL.

I wish the Spirit had had a change of itinerary this year .:(

[mib150]

Thanks for your reply. Having trawled various review sites I find very few good reviews of MSC .They have the MSC Sinfonia sailing Barcelona - Barcelona at Christmas time but once again it can't compare to NCL.

I wish the Spirit had had a change of itinerary this year .:(

 

Hi there, we have only cruised once before (but booked this July on NCL Gem) . Our first cruise was on MSC Musica sailing out of Venice, it was absolutely fantastic!

I believe they are Italian? And as such the food was excellent.

As said we are not well-cruised so nothing to compare against, but it was a great first experience.

[TifffanyD]

We did MSC in the states about 2 years back. We did the Yacht Club. We didn't care for the cruise overall and aren't planning to book with them in the future.

[lovetoholiday]

Have sailed with MSC 3 times, twice in Europe and once from Miami to the Caribbean. Loved them all. The ships are beautiful, very glitzy with Swarovski staircases. The food was good too.

 

Yes in Europe they let people on at every port which they don't do in the US which is a bit strange, but I suppose it makes for easier boarding as it's not a whole ship at one time.

 

I have sailed with HAL, Princess, Celebrity, P & O, Marella and have loved them all. Last year I did a week on the Celebrity Reflection out of Miami then got off the ship walked along the pier and boarded the MSC Divina for my second week, I cannot decide between the two which I enjoyed the most, both brilliant.

 

This year will be my first time with NCL on the Jewel to Alaska in June and really looking forward to it.

[room with a view]

Thanks, we are still comparing the two - though MSC have this confusing tier system with Yacht, Bella, Fantastica and Wellness experience. Whereas with NCL you have a cabin and freestyle dining.

[nikkiw60]

We have done 2 MSC cruises in the last 12 months. Aurea on the Meraviglia and Fantastica on the Divina,

 

 

 

We had a fine times on both but only fine. It's very hard to pinpoint exactly what was missing but we have decided MSC is not for us and we are coming back to NCL.

 

If I had to name a couple of things:

 

Our kids did not enjoy MSC kids club, they went once, there were no family activities. I never had a nice cocktail on MSC, we ended up sticking to prosecco and beer. We ended up with so many left over drinks vouchers , I think we left the ship with about 10 large bottles of San Pelligrino. The vouchers are great value but if there's nothing you want to drink then it's a bit of a false economy. The hot tubs were all cold. There were no free crepes, no free scoop ice cream. Buffet was boring. Staff not too helpful. The balcony room on the brand new Meraviglia was the worst. Depressing decor and nowhere to put anything, cigarette butts all over the balcony every morning.I actually preferred our inside room on the Jade. All small things I know, but all the things we enjoy on NCL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And yes, some of my fellow Europeans were quite difficult to tolerate. I've always come across a couple of rude people on cruises and they are usually easy enough to ignore. Not so on MSC.

 

 

 

Just to give you an example. People embark and disembark the Meraviglia at every stop in the Med. We were at a port in Italy and I was going up in the lift. The lift stopped and about 10 passengers got in with suitcases. However they wanted to go down. When the lift continued up they all started yelling and pointing at me. Then the lift stopped at the next floor and they held the lift open with a suitcase and kept yelling at me. I only speak a bit of Italian but I think they had been stuck on an express lift for a while and they thought I had an override card or something. It was scary. So I climbed over a few suitcases and got out of the lift and continued up the stairs.

 

In retrospect it's kind of funny, but at the time it was a bit intimidating.

 

 

 

MSC is great value though, if you can sail Aurea to get the private sun deck and dont have kids I would recommend it.

 

 

 

On the Meraviglia in Aurea do they serve drinks in the private sundeck area?

We have just got off the Seaside and there was a bar in this area which we loved!

 

 

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[bmwman]

MSC are upping their game and we too are now considering moving. A number of NCL senior crew are now with MSC and HAL and Viking. NCL pricing is out of control and MSC will match our latitudes level benefits :)

 

Friends of ours who are major fans of NCL and cruise multi times a year with them have now moved to MSC and say that it is a step change form the current NCL offering especially the new seaside class ships

[unikitty]

On the Meraviglia private sun deck there was a small bar. This was one of the easiest places to get drinks especially bottles of water. The drink choices were pretty limited but there was never a queue.

And they served prosecco in wine glasses which was a large glass. The flutes fell over in the wind.

Downside to the sun deck was the cold hot tub, no tables for drinks and there were a lot of entrances just roped off which a lot of passengers ignored so the stewards spent most of the time telling people to leave which did not prove for a relaxing time.

There were always loungers available though which was nice.

[nikkiw60]

On the Meraviglia private sun deck there was a small bar. This was one of the easiest places to get drinks especially bottles of water. The drink choices were pretty limited but there was never a queue.

 

And they served prosecco in wine glasses which was a large glass. The flutes fell over in the wind.

 

Downside to the sun deck was the cold hot tub, no tables for drinks and there were a lot of entrances just roped off which a lot of passengers ignored so the stewards spent most of the time telling people to leave which did not prove for a relaxing time.

 

There were always loungers available though which was nice.

 

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

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[gmbhardy]

MSC are upping their game and we too are now considering moving. A number of NCL senior crew are now with MSC and HAL and Viking. NCL pricing is out of control and MSC will match our latitudes level benefits :)

 

Friends of ours who are major fans of NCL and cruise multi times a year with them have now moved to MSC and say that it is a step change form the current NCL offering especially the new seaside class ships

What MSC benefits would you get for being Platinum?

[dexddd]

What MSC benefits would you get for being Platinum?

 

MSC matches Plats to their highest level - Black.

 

Must sail every 3 years to maintain status. 5% discount off booking is the biggest perk IMO.

 

Check out the MSC site or CC MSC and you can find the list of benefits.

[nikkiw60]

What MSC benefits would you get for being Platinum?

 

 

 

If you get Black you also get prosecco and chocolate dipped strawberries, priority embarkation, complimentary dinner per cabin for 2 in Specialty restaurant, chocolate ship, robe and slippers in cabin, welcome back gift.

 

 

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[kpjb]

We were at a port in Italy and I was going up in the lift. The lift stopped and about 10 passengers got in with suitcases. However they wanted to go down. When the lift continued up they all started yelling and pointing at me. Then the lift stopped at the next floor and they held the lift open with a suitcase and kept yelling at me. I only speak a bit of Italian but I think they had been stuck on an express lift for a while and they thought I had an override card or something. It was scary. So I climbed over a few suitcases and got out of the lift and continued up the stairs.

In retrospect it's kind of funny, but at the time it was a bit intimidating.

 

I would've definitely pushed every button on my way out! :p:p