Just off Seaside/MSC Not Ready To Compete In North American Market

[lifeasme123]

On 11/25/2018 at 8:35 AM, JDGGG said:

I have no doubt MSC is having success in the Caribbean. What I meant by the title of my thread is that I do not feel that MSC is ready to convert loyal Royal & Celebrity cruisers into MSC customers. Pretty much anyone who I spoke with agrees with me. Hopefully MSC will "tighten things up" in the training department and my opinion might soon change. 

Diamond Plus on RCCL.  We went on our first cruise on Meravigilia in June 2017.  Since then we have been on Seaside twice and Musica (Greek Island).  We are booked for Meravigilia (Oct 2019), Seaview (June 2019).  Oh and will be on Divina in 9 days!  

 

We have not been back to RCCL since.  I've taken friends and family on Seaside, Meravigilia and Musica and all had a great time.

 

I do agree Seaside feels compartmentalized around Guest Relations and the shops.  Other than that....we had great service and a great time.  Dining portions are smaller because it is a European cruiseline.  I prefer it than the large portions we Americans are so used it.

Edited November 30, 2018 by lifeasme123

[lifeasme123]

5 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

I agree ... we're doing 2 MSC US-based cruises next year.  We don't want an 'Americanised' experience onboard;  we're going for the POCs.  If we wanted an American experience, we'd just do a land-based holiday.  We love the international mix on MSC ships.

Well put Bea!

[Beamafar]

3 hours ago, lifeasme123 said:

Well put Bea!

 

Hi L ... looking forward to meeting you next year!  😉

[LMaxwell]

I think MSC wants American market; but to give us the European flavor.  Some things get lost in translation.  I've always had very good service on MSC; but staff don't hang on you and pretend to be best friends; they are there to provide service when the guest requests it.  Some Americans are put off because they go on RCI or Carnival where the staff is your buddy, but frankly, smiling and cheeriness aside, I don't find service to be all that great most of the time.  So if I had a preference, I'd take the MSC way - staff is there to help if asked.  I also think a lot of US cruisers are deeply entrenched in their ways; I was on Divina twice and you would hear all about it from a Princess Elite or RCI Diamond Plus how on their preferred line things are done THIS way or THAT way; these are not people looking for a new experience - they want to know exactly what's for dinner on night 3 of the trip and can set their watch to it because that's what they have gotten on their 40 past RCI cruises.  

 

I would say in many areas MSC excels, in some areas it lags, and there are areas that definitely need improvement or tweaking; but if the guest is closed minded (not aimed at OP), then the differences are not viewed as better, or different, or a variation, but viewed as "not up to RCI'.   

[RealNorwegianCruiser]

On 11/30/2018 at 2:56 PM, TrinaLC said:

Smile away. I have been cruising since 1964, and have lived in France, Switzerland, Germany, Peru and travelled all over the world.  I think I am as equipped to make this observation as anyone. There are cultural differences, no shame or surprise there.  Americans and British queue. Many other cultures do not. (Ever been to China?!)

 

Now you moderated yourself compared to the post I quoted, and then we can agree. Noone disagrees that there is cultural differences. Different doesnt mean better OR worse.. And thank God for the differences! Just imagine a wold filled with equal cultures. How boring.. 

 

..and: Once the whole world admired USA. That has changed. Maybe "manners" got something to do with that as well...?

[Debde]

Lots of opinions here and that's how it should be. Not everyone is looking for the same experience.

Short and sweet for me, from someone who just came of Seaside in the YC. :-

It is definitely IMHO ready for the NA market and passes RCI hands down!!

[Selion]

4 hours ago, Debde said:

Lots of opinions here and that's how it should be. Not everyone is looking for the same experience.

Short and sweet for me, from someone who just came of Seaside in the YC. :-

It is definitely IMHO ready for the NA market and passes RCI hands down!!

No, no, no, no, no.

 

It’s definitely not ready for Americans.  Stay away from MSC!  Far away.  Keep the bookings weak so that I can book cheap cruises with superior products.

[hamrag]

16 hours ago, Selion said:

No, no, no, no, no.

 

It’s definitely not ready for Americans.  Stay away from MSC!  Far away.  Keep the bookings weak so that I can book cheap cruises with superior products.

Please don't ever make MSC 'ready for Americans'....No! No! No!

[#1TravelMom]

Selion - I thought the exact same thing.  If we all keep writing great reviews will the prices go up.  I hope not.  We just returned from the Thanksgiving sailing - FABULOUS!

[1fifthavenue]

I love the fact MSC is MSC, they are what they are and don't try to be something else.

 

When a ship (Magnifica) homeported in Southampton this year people were expecting great changes to the product,  whereas all that was changed were a few small tweaks to the standard product.

 

MSC should carry on doing what they're doing and be different from the other lines. Food is of course subjective and we all have different tastes. I can eat steak and lobster at home, so it's good for me to have octopus or veal on the cruise

[Europeantraveler1]

Just wanted to contribute to this post!  I am a retired high school teacher who for 18 years took small groups of teenagers with me to different countries all over Europe during summer break.  I always emphasized that European ways/culture(s) are not the same as the American way and as a guest in a foreign country, one should respect that and seize the moment!  That is why we travel...to learn and appreciate other cultures.  

I would say that 99.9% of my students totally LOVED our adventures!  There were about two students (who stick out in my mind) that were so incredibly weak in social skills and homesick that they couldn’t enjoy the amazing experience.  

I, as an educator, lived for these European trips because it gave me such pleasure to see the excitement on my students faces when we’d visit and see incredibly historic sights that one could read about in books but now....see in person(!!)  and taste the local food and witness the various cultures.

Fast forward.....My husband and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in 2020.  Since retiring we have together traveled all over Europe on land trips (and years ago with a group of three other couples on a few Princess cruises) and in the past five years, cruising with a lovely couple we met on a HAL cruise out of Venice.  The four of us just “clicked” and it has been one yearly cruise after the other with them-all on HAL.  We love them to pieces!!!  

My husband and I took a cruise last Feb. on Oceania’s Riviera which was FABULOUS!  That ship is my very, very favorite!  The size of the Riviera is just perfect (1200+); the design of the ship is great; the interior is so beautiful; the other passengers are engaging and so interesting (my husband and I always asked to be seated at tables of six so we met some wonderful people) and the food is to die for!!

So I thought it would be lovely to set up a cruise in 2020 that included our two, grown girls (one is married with two boys-our grandsons) and one, single......our treat!  We had been waiting and waiting for the MSC spring/summer 2020 itineraries to show up since early January, 2018.  FINALLY, we saw that MSC had those itineraries available (on a Monday) and by Tuesday we were in our TA office booking our YC accomodations on the Grandiosa (which hasn’t been built yet!).  No sooner had we booked than the next morning we noticed that YC was sold out!  Amazing!!!  

I have read a lot about MSC-YC on this site.  I felt that booking YC would be a special treat for the occasion....a good choice for the WHOLE family ..... and I really wanted my grandsons, especially, to be around an international crowd and mingle with mostly non-Americans and experience the international way of doing things!  Both boys have been brought up with an incredibly good sense of manners and can communicate/socialize with anyone including adults in a respectful and open way.  They love adventure and are open to it!!!  

I chose MSC BECAUSE they are an international cruise line!  We are all looking forward to this very special 2020 cruise on the Grandiosa!!!

 

 

[sidari]

No sooner had we booked than the next morning we noticed that YC was sold out!  Amazing!!!  

 

Likely booked by US tour operators and guests who can hold on to them and Block them until the day before final payment and then cancel! This stops others who want to book taking the opportunity, it is time that this practice was stopped.

[jules815]

47 minutes ago, Europeantraveler1 said:

Just wanted to contribute to this post!  I am a retired high school teacher who for 18 years took small groups of teenagers with me to different countries all over Europe during summer break.  I always emphasized that European ways/culture(s) are not the same as the American way and as a guest in a foreign country, one should respect that and seize the moment!  That is why we travel...to learn and appreciate other cultures.  

I would say that 99.9% of my students totally LOVED our adventures!  There were about two students (who stick out in my mind) that were so incredibly weak in social skills and homesick that they couldn’t enjoy the amazing experience.  

I, as an educator, lived for these European trips because it gave me such pleasure to see the excitement on my students faces when we’d visit and see incredibly historic sights that one could read about in books but now....see in person(!!)  and taste the local food and witness the various cultures.

Fast forward.....My husband and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in 2020.  Since retiring we have together traveled all over Europe on land trips (and years ago with a group of three other couples on a few Princess cruises) and in the past five years, cruising with a lovely couple we met on a HAL cruise out of Venice.  The four of us just “clicked” and it has been one yearly cruise after the other with them-all on HAL.  We love them to pieces!!!  

My husband and I took a cruise last Feb. on Oceania’s Riviera which was FABULOUS!  That ship is my very, very favorite!  The size of the Riviera is just perfect (1200+); the design of the ship is great; the interior is so beautiful; the other passengers are engaging and so interesting (my husband and I always asked to be seated at tables of six so we met some wonderful people) and the food is to die for!!

So I thought it would be lovely to set up a cruise in 2020 that included our two, grown girls (one is married with two boys-our grandsons) and one, single......our treat!  We had been waiting and waiting for the MSC spring/summer 2020 itineraries to show up since early January, 2018.  FINALLY, we saw that MSC had those itineraries available (on a Monday) and by Tuesday we were in our TA office booking our YC accomodations on the Grandiosa (which hasn’t been built yet!).  No sooner had we booked than the next morning we noticed that YC was sold out!  Amazing!!!  

I have read a lot about MSC-YC on this site.  I felt that booking YC would be a special treat for the occasion....a good choice for the WHOLE family ..... and I really wanted my grandsons, especially, to be around an international crowd and mingle with mostly non-Americans and experience the international way of doing things!  Both boys have been brought up with an incredibly good sense of manners and can communicate/socialize with anyone including adults in a respectful and open way.  They love adventure and are open to it!!!  

I chose MSC BECAUSE they are an international cruise line!  We are all looking forward to this very special 2020 cruise on the Grandiosa!!!

 

 

Congrats to you on 50 years of marriage.  Sounds like a wonderful trip with your family.  

 

 

[Europeantraveler1]

Thank you, ‘jules815’!!  We are all so excited!!

My youngest daughter (original name: Julie) has gone by “Jules” now for sometime!!!  

 

[Europeantraveler1]

“Sidari”....when we booked the seven of us, we were required to put down a sizable deposit.  I would think that most people (perhaps not all) would have planned/thought very carefully before deciding to book because they wouldn’t want to lose their deposit $$$ if they ended up cancelling (???).  

For us, this wasn’t a random decision.  We spent a lot of time comparing cruise lines; costs; itineraries; onboard activities for the boys in particular; departure location (Naples instead of Civitavecchia), etc...and of course, feedback from this incredible website!  

I agree, if that is a common practice among guests or US tour operators to book until nearly the day of final payment and then cancel, it is a bummer for all those who seriously wanted to cruise on this ship (or any other for that matter).  But, how the heck can you determine that beforehand?  

[sidari]

ET1 ... You guys can cancel and keep your deposit I believe unlike anywhere else, I know at least one person who had 3 cabins held on one ship!

[hamrag]

4 minutes ago, sidari said:

ET1 ... You guys can cancel and keep your deposit I believe unlike anywhere else, I know at least one person who had 3 cabins held on one ship!

 

Sid, let it rest and accept that the USA system and ours has differences!.....we have ATOL protection which, for many, trumps the loss of a deposit in the event of having to cancel.

[sidari]

Hamrag ... Why should I, just because you say so!  Losing a deposit has no benefit whatsoever apart from gaining the cruise line free money.

[hamrag]

1 minute ago, sidari said:

Hamrag ... Why should I, just because you say so!  Losing a deposit has no benefit whatsoever apart from gaining the cruise line free money.

Indeed, but ATOL protection in the event of a TA going under is a real benefit....think about the fact that the USA system does not have such!

[sidari]

Booking direct with MSC negates that issue and blocking cabins for sometimes upto 2 years should be stopped.

[hamrag]

1 minute ago, sidari said:

Booking direct with MSC negates that issue and blocking cabins for sometimes upto 2 years should be stopped.

Yes, I guess it does, a fair point....but by doing so they probably lose discounts and/or OBC that a TA can give. Even in the UK, the agency I use gives a full 10% discount on MSC prices.

[Tapi]

On 11/26/2018 at 12:43 PM, JDGGG said:

Scot, MSC is clearly trying to attract more North American Cruisers for example:

Status match

Heavy advertising on American TV

Sponsored an NFL game I recently attended (American Football)

Basing ships year round in American ports

 

This was the whole point of my original post.

 

I agreed that MSC is targeting the American market, as in people who live In the Americas. But lets not generalize or stereotype. I believe that not all Americans are created the same.

 

There are the ones that have a hard time getting outside of their comfort zone, and any change to the way they do things is cause for unnecessary uproar. For them, there are plenty of cruise lines already that deliver an American-centric cruising experience, from the food, service, TV channel lineup,  and entertainment onboard, to the Americanized private, cruise line built ports of call with Margaritavilles and Fat Tuesday’s. 

 

The Americans that MSC is targeting are not the ones described above, but the ones who thrive on the differences that MSC is bringing to this side of the Atlantic. All MSC needs to do is to generate enough local business to complement the cruisers coming from other parts of the world and who already know and love MSC.

 

We’ve sailed on MSC twice, once in the Caribbean and once in the Mediterranean. The one in the Caribbean a few years ago was just OK, partly because I believe that MSC was still tweaking their American product, but also because I believe that many Americans onboard were unjustly appalled at the MSC product. Everybody that we talked to was hating it because “there are too many foreigners”, or “they don’t speak enough English”, or “the food and service are not to my liking”, or “there’s no comedy club or piano bar”, or (my favorite), “it’s not like Carnival”. In retrospect, I believe that a big part of my underwhelming feelings about that cruise had a lot to do with the negativity permeating from my fellow American cruisers and which just spread among other cruisers and the crew. It was negatively contagious. 

 

Then we sailed on MSC in the Mediterranean a few weeks ago, and the cruise was absolutely fantastic. Easily one of the best cruises I’ve taken in 30+ years of cruising. A different vibe altogether, and a very good one. We only met a small handful of Americans onboard, and while the MSC experience was definitely not geared towards them (no American TV channels, almost no mention of Thanksgiving, very little American-geared food or entertainment, very little English, and very authentic ports of call void of American chain restaurants or stores), everyone that we talked to was having an absolutely wonderful time. THIS is the type of American cruiser that MSC is targeting in the Americas. 

 

I believe that a lot of Americans will try the MSC product in the USA. Some will love it. Some will hate it. But it’s the ones who love it and who thrive on the type of cruising experience that MSC delivers, the ones who will return. You can count us as part of the group who will return! 

Edited December 5, 2018 by Tapi

[sidari]

11 hours ago, hamrag said:

Yes, I guess it does, a fair point....but by doing so they probably lose discounts and/or OBC that a TA can give. Even in the UK, the agency I use gives a full 10% discount on MSC prices.

From people I know in the US it does not affect any obc they may get from their chosen TA, the guy we use also gives a discount based on cabin type. Some travel agents share part or half of their commission as discount while other don't.

[Hlitner]

We just returned from our first MSC cruise which was 21 wonderful days in the Divina's Yacht Club.  This was our 15th cruise line and in some ways one of the best!   Will we cruise on MSC again?  The quick answer is yes ).  We actually booked another Divina cruise in the Yacht Club and kept the same cabin (15016) that we had on the recent cruise.  

 

I must admit to being a bit tired of hearing fellow Americans not happy because something is a bit "foreign" or "European."  We were very pleased with the YC staff on the Divina who exceeded all of our expectations.  These folks could not do enough for us, were very friendly (yes, they even smiled) and gave us service beyond anything we have experienced on any other cruise (and we have been on far more then 100 cruises).   Outside of the YC, service was not nearly as good...but then the staffing levels do not come close to what we had in the YC.  But I did manage to have discussions with multiple crew members (from Madagascar, St Lucia, Mauritius, Italy, Sweden, etc) and was usually greeted with smiles.  Since this was our first MSC cruise we wanted to learn about the crew, their contract terms, families, etc.  Our only service related complaint had to do with lousy bar waiters in several venues (outside the YC).  It turned out that many of these bar waiters/waitresses were on their first contract and lacked both experience and motivation.   I agree with the other comments that the operations around the bars (with the exception of the Top Sail Bar where everything was perfect) needs some improvement,  Our favorite bar in the YC (at the Top Sail Lounge) had one of the best bar tenders we have had on any cruise.  In the Top Sail Bar you would seldom wait more then 30 seconds before a waiter (or sometimes one of our YC Butlers) was at your table.   This is one of those situations where you get what you pay for!  Those is the YC are generally paying 2-4 times the price of many of the non-YC experiences.  

 

We were pleased to meet many Europeans (North Americans were in the minority in the YC) and made friends with folks from England, Germany and France.  I also chatted with a nice young couple from Finland (we rarely meet Finns outside of Finland).  The International flavor of the passengers suited us fine and made our Caribbean cruise feel more like a cruise in the Med.  We will be disappointed if MSC decides to become just one more "American" cruise line and hope they keep their European tilt.  They must be doing OK in this market as our 2 cruises (10 and 11 day) were pretty full and MSC is bringing a third large ship (Mergaviglia) to the US market next year.

 

To be honest, DW and I would not want to cruise on MSC outside the Yacht Club.  We felt that the crowding, service, and atmosphere was close to lines like Carnival and RCI....which is not what we seek.  The YC is a different matter and is truly a ship within a ship.  We also look forward to when we can try one of the 4 smaller Yacht Club-quality vessels which will be making their debut in the next decade.  A word about the staff on MSC.  This line is rapidly expanding (about 2 new vessels a year) and has to hire thousands of new staff every year.  Many of the service staff do not get any significant training until they start to work on the ships, and this does certainly create problems.   Had to laugh at a sign we saw in the crew area that said, "Smile" which made me think of this thread.  

 

Hank

P.S.  To answer another post, I am part of the "American market" and was more then satisfied with the YC.

[Debde]

On 12/4/2018 at 7:30 PM, Tapi said:

I believe that a lot of Americans will try the MSC product in the USA. Some will love it. Some will hate it. But it’s the ones who love it and who thrive on the type of cruising experience that MSC delivers, the ones who will return. You can count us as part of the group who will return! 

 

Agreed

This is why I said earlier it is ready for the NA market.

The YC experience for us, was just what we were looking for!!