On the Seashore (Non-YC), Any questions?

[DisneyDatknee]

Got on Saturday. I’m going to be honest, I was going to cancel this cruise because I was worried about how the experience was going to be, but I’m glad I didn’t. Embarkation was a little crazy at first with the massive line for clerks to check your vaccine card and COVID test. The line was huge and they clearly did not have enough people to check documents. There was a priority line, but I was not sure who qualified. After going through that line, you check-in for the cruise. There is a priority line for diamond and aurea members as well as YC. That line was pretty calm compared to the main line. Rooms were ready @2 PM.
 

We are staying in a balcony on Deck 12 FWD. I purchased the all-in offer with Easy Plus, Wifi for 2, and $50 OBC. Currently looking out at Saint Thomas.

 

We thought about upgrading to the Premium Package, but don’t bother. Unless you like expensive wines and spirits on the rocks, there is no reason to upgrade. You can ask the bartenders to make a “$9 version” of a more expensive cocktail if you become friendly with a bartender. I love how MSC you can order two drinks at a time (or a double shot) and you don’t need to sign for a drink with the package like other lines do. We  have had the best bartender since Day 1 and I’ll reveal her later at the end of the trip 🙂. Some B2B cruisers we met said the best bartenders are in Le Cabaret Rouge. I saw someone last night order a double shot of Jäegermeister on the rocks… could feel the memories of college come up in my throat. 

 

The food has improved since our last MSC cruise in August, however the dining room is still very hit or miss and service can be very slow. I don’t like how anytime dining is an aurea only experience, as some days I don’t want to eat as late or as early. The buffet has gotten better, so we have been eating there. We have had breakfast in the morning in the dining room each day, but one of our waiters was pretty rude and messed up our entire order. 

 

We bought the Duo Package and will be eating at Teppanyaki and Butcher’s Cut. We ate at Kaito Sushi last night since a la carte at multiple speciality restaurants was 30% in port while in San Juan. Sushi was excellent, except we were the only couple there. It seemed dead normally throughout our cruise so far, but two couples came at the end of our meal. It’s pricey, but we ate very well for a bill of only $70. You can use your drink package there. 
 

It’s been super super windy these past few days so it’s been hard to enjoy the pools. The hot tubs on the sides of Deck 8 are the place to be. The ship is absolutely gorgeous and it definitely takes the cake as far as design goes on cruises I have been on. However, I don’t like how there isn’t really a “main pool” area. There are many pools, but it just doesn’t feel the same with a main central area to hang out in. 
 

Getting off the ship in San Juan was a mess. Not really clear where the line was and people started yelling in all different types of languages. One guy was telling everyone that Royal Caribbean is better and that they would never sail MSC again. I thought it was very dramatic. IMO, would sail MSC over Royal any day.. You will see the crowd onboard is primarily European and Latin American. However, not impossible to find Americans. Primary languages used on ship are English, Spanish, and Portuguese. There are a lot of French passengers I’ve noticed. When we checked in at the terminal, the clerk said around 3000 passengers were on board.
 

Enough of my rambling. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! So far, I’m enjoying the cruise even with the negatives. Cabin is super clean and cozy. I’m happy to be able to cruise this week 🙂

Edited May 17, 2022 by DisneyDatknee

[Oxo]

Thank you for taking the time to describe your adventure. Stay Safe & Happy Cruising!

 

You bought the Duo Package and will be eating at Teppanyaki and Butcher’s Cut.

 

Please let us know what you were able to order with the Duo Pkg. From  what I understand is that there is only a selected portion of each menu you may order from without paying an upcharge of 50% of an item that is not included in the selected portion of each menu.

 

TIA

[MANDMTRAVEL]

Thanks for the review! I need the bartender names or nicknames...lol  We will be sailing very soon and have the same offer you got.  Do we need to reserve any shows in advance?

[OllieS0806]

I am also planning on ordering the Easy Plus drink package. Good to know about the "$9" version of the drink. 

 

Do you feel like you are missing out by not being in YC? Also, I thought the Fantastica experience got you anytime dining. Is that not the case?

 

[Zignewt]

2 hours ago, OllieS0806 said:

Do you feel like you are missing out by not being in YC? Also, I thought the Fantastica experience got you anytime dining. Is that not the case?

We were on last week, and the only time it felt like we were missing something by not being in YC was at Ocean Cay.  They got transported to their own private section of the beach while the rest of us had a long walk.  I also was told they had waiters bringing them drinks?  Not sure if that is true but it is a long walk to the bar on the peasant side.  Of course they got more benefits than that, but we couldn't see it so never felt like we were missing anything. I have been told that once you do YC, you will never go back!  We probably will try that next time if we sail MSC again.

We also had Fantastica and no, it is not anytime dining.  Either early (I think 6:30) or late which we had at 8:15.  Aurea gets the anytime dining.

[DisneyDatknee]

5 hours ago, Oxo said:

Thank you for taking the time to describe your adventure. Stay Safe & Happy Cruising!

 

You bought the Duo Package and will be eating at Teppanyaki and Butcher’s Cut.

 

Please let us know what you were able to order with the Duo Pkg. From  what I understand is that there is only a selected portion of each menu you may order from without paying an upcharge of 50% of an item that is not included in the selected portion of each menu.

 

TIA

You can only order from the dining experience menu, usually the first page of the menu. 

4 hours ago, MANDMTRAVEL said:

Thanks for the review! I need the bartender names or nicknames...lol  We will be sailing very soon and have the same offer you got.  Do we need to reserve any shows in advance?

Ronnie in the Casino Bar, works in the morning and the evening until 12-1ish am. Shows in the main theater need to be reserved, but they were never fully booked.

3 hours ago, OllieS0806 said:

I am also planning on ordering the Easy Plus drink package. Good to know about the "$9" version of the drink. 

 

Do you feel like you are missing out by not being in YC? Also, I thought the Fantastica experience got you anytime dining. Is that not the case?

 

Not really. We saw YC folk around the ship (could tell by their card). The only thing is that the front part of the ship is closed off to YC and Aurea guests, so it limits your “outdoor space” to the Long Island pool on the aft of deck 18 and the infinity pool and the side pools on deck 8. Jungle pool is on deck 16, but it’s pretty humid since it’s almost all indoor.
 

Fantastica have a choice of dining time, early or late, but not the anytime dining like aurea.  

[dexddd]

10 hours ago, Zignewt said:

We were on last week, and the only time it felt like we were missing something by not being in YC was at Ocean Cay.  They got transported to their own private section of the beach while the rest of us had a long walk.  I also was told they had waiters bringing them drinks?  Not sure if that is true but it is a long walk to the bar on the peasant side.  Of course they got more benefits than that, but we couldn't see it so never felt like we were missing anything. I have been told that once you do YC, you will never go back!  We probably will try that next time if we sail MSC again.

We also had Fantastica and no, it is not anytime dining.  Either early (I think 6:30) or late which we had at 8:15.  Aurea gets the anytime dining.

Yes, at YC beach they bring drinks to you on beach.

[mafig]

Lots of kids onboard?

[JAGR]

On 5/17/2022 at 9:25 AM, DisneyDatknee said:

We bought the Duo Package and will be eating at Teppanyaki and Butcher’s Cut.

🙂

I'm curious about how the package worked at Teppanyaki.  I've never seen a Dining Experience menu for it, but now that they are offering it as a package option, what is included?  I'm assuming it means you probably only get their lower-priced Geisha selection.  Any insight you can offer would be appreciated.

[DisneyDatknee]

9 minutes ago, JAGR said:

I'm curious about how the package worked at Teppanyaki.  I've never seen a Dining Experience menu for it, but now that they are offering it as a package option, what is included?  I'm assuming it means you probably only get their lower-priced Geisha selection.  Any insight you can offer would be appreciated.

Sencho is included. You can pay extra for the next level. 

32 minutes ago, mafig said:

Lots of kids onboard?

Not really. Only toddlers and little kids who aren’t really in school. Lines for kid-dominated activities such as water slides are non-existent. Definitely much less kids than when I went on the Merevilgia in Mid August last year. 

[DisneyDatknee]

My cabin mate unfortunately fell ill last night and tested positive for COVID. I tested negative twice, but I chose voluntarily to isolate with her instead of doing the rest of the cruise alone. I had to pack the room up and move down to Deck 10 FWD to another balcony. Room is the same but the bed is by the bathroom instead of by the balcony door. I prefer the bed next to the balcony as the closet is right up against the bed, making it difficult to use. However, since we are in isolation, changing clothes isn’t a huge deal anyways. 
 

The staff in the medical center didn’t really know what the procedures were except that we just had to move into a specific room. A COVID team which is just two people followed my friend up to the room spraying disinfectant. 

We were called by the guest services manager about our vaccines and our travel arrangements, as my friend cannot fly back home to Atlanta for 10 days according to CDC guidance. Given that I live in Miami, we do not have to isolate in a hotel that MSC has offered to pay for. 
 

Room service called us to take our dinner order. The lady in charge of COVID orders does not speak English well, so our orders are always slightly wrong and she misunderstood something. 
 

We were given a fully stock minibar and the ability to order any food and drink from anywhere on the ship. We do have to pay for speciality meals if we want those, but I don’t think I will be using the rest of my dining experiences on room service as my friend cannot taste foods. 😕

 

We can watch any movies on the TV for free but the selection is a little random. Since we already have wifi, we don’t need the free package that was offered to us.

 

Anything we need is just a call away. I guess there isn’t a better place to be isolated if we can relax on the balcony with free room service. 
 

Anyways, not the best end to the cruise. I will have to get the refunds sorted out.

 

This is the 4th cruise I have taken since cruising resumed. I guess it was bound to happen.

 

Cheers!

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by DisneyDatknee

[Oxo]

35 minutes ago, JAGR said:

I'm curious about how the package worked at Teppanyaki.  I've never seen a Dining Experience menu for it, but now that they are offering it as a package option, what is included?  I'm assuming it means you probably only get their lower-priced Geisha selection.  Any insight you can offer would be appreciated.

 

[JAGR]

11 minutes ago, Oxo said:

 

I was asking about Teppanyaki, Shirley, not BC.  Thanks, though.

[JAGR]

44 minutes ago, DisneyDatknee said:

Sencho is included. You can pay extra for the next level. 

 

Sencho would be the Samurai now, I assume.  The names changed to Geisha, Samurai, and Emperor I think, when they dropped Waygu beef.  Nice to know that you you can get the middle level at least!

 

[JAGR]

37 minutes ago, DisneyDatknee said:

My cabin mate unfortunately fell ill last night and tested positive for COVID. I tested negative twice, but I chose voluntarily to isolate with her instead of doing the rest of the cruise alone. I had to pack the room up and move down to Deck 10 FWD to another balcony. Room is the same but the bed is by the bathroom instead of by the balcony door. I prefer the bed next to the balcony as the closet is right up against the bed, making it difficult to use. However, since we are in isolation, changing clothes isn’t a huge deal anyways. 
 

The staff in the medical center didn’t really know what the procedures were except that we just had to move into a specific room. A COVID team which is just two people followed my friend up to the room spraying disinfectant. 

We were called by the guest services manager about our vaccines and our travel arrangements, as my friend cannot fly back home to Atlanta for 10 days according to CDC guidance. Given that I live in Miami, we do not have to isolate in a hotel that MSC has offered to pay for. 
 

Room service called us to take our dinner order. The lady in charge of COVID orders does not speak English well, so our orders are always slightly wrong and she misunderstood something. 
 

We were given a fully stock minibar and the ability to order any food and drink from anywhere on the ship. We do have to pay for speciality meals if we want those, but I don’t think I will be using the rest of my dining experiences on room service as my friend cannot taste foods. 😕

 

We can watch any movies on the TV for free but the selection is a little random. Since we already have wifi, we don’t need the free package that was offered to us.

 

Anything we need is just a call away. I guess there isn’t a better place to be isolated if we can relax on the balcony with free room service. 
 

Anyways, not the best end to the cruise. I will have to get the refunds sorted out.

 

This is the 4th cruise I have taken since cruising resumed. I guess it was bound to happen.

 

Cheers!

 

Sorry for your friend's misfortune, and yours by extension.  Glad to know that they are at least trying to treat you well!

[Oxo]

6 minutes ago, JAGR said:

I was asking about Teppanyaki, Shirley, not BC.  Thanks, though.

Sorry, too quick to respond rather than read carefully.

 

[JAGR]

Just now, Oxo said:

Sorry, too quick to respond rather than read carefully.

 

NP!  I share that habit at times! 😌

[Oxo]

What are the current prices for the Seashore  Specialty Restaurant Dining Packages?

I find it almost impossible to find MSC information on the Internet. Is it Mr or the Internet? LOL

TIA

[Zignewt]

9 hours ago, DisneyDatknee said:

Anything we need is just a call away. I guess there isn’t a better place to be isolated if we can relax on the balcony with free room service. 

So sorry this has happened to you but glad they seem to be treating those in isolation better than I have read happening on other cruise lines.  My biggest fear was not in catching COVID but in being in isolation in an inside room and slow responding room service.

[Oxo]

1 hour ago, Oxo said:

What are the current prices for the Seashore  Specialty Restaurant Dining Packages?

I find it almost impossible to find MSC information on the Internet. Is it Mr or the Internet? LOL

TIA

Found it again. Must sign in to your cruise. Then select add to cruise. 

Dinner & Bubbles $135/Adult - Ocean Cay or Bucher Cut w/bottle of Champagne

4 Dining Experiences $155/Person - Ocean Cay, Bucher Cut, Teppanyaki  & Halo

Butcher's Cut Chef Table $99/Person

3 Dining Experiences $110/Person -  Ocean Cay, Bucher Cut & Halo

 

Do these options only allow you to pick from the Dining Experience Selection of the menu only?

 

Not specific in the details on the Internet.

 

I will ensure that I keep this from now on.

 

[Joken35]

on seashore now . capacity had been verified to be 2825. 

[JAGR]

13 hours ago, Oxo said:

4 Dining Experiences $155/Person - Ocean Cay, Bucher Cut, Teppanyaki  & Halo

3 Dining Experiences $110/Person -  Ocean Cay, Bucher Cut & Halo

Do these options only allow you to pick from the Dining Experience Selection of the menu only?

Not specific in the details on the Internet.

Interesting!  My prices are different for multiple dinner on Meraviglia later this year.  In the past it has been Dining Experience only, and I suspect that is the case now, especially with the words "Dining Experience" in the title of each option.

[Oxo]

8 minutes ago, JAGR said:

Interesting!  My prices are different for multiple dinner on Meraviglia later this year.  In the past it has been Dining Experience only, and I suspect that is the case now, especially with the words "Dining Experience" in the title of each option.

I personally believe that these prices vary based on ship. I have seen the same logic on the other Cruise lines, too.

Seashore is the newest ship, so everything costs more on her. Big difference between the two ships. I would buy the UD pkg if the Seashore had those prices you show. 

Like you,  I would assume it would be the Dining Experience section of the menu. 

Thanks! 

Stay Safe and Happy Cruising! 

[Oxo]

Just rechecked my Seashore Cruise Specialty Restaurant Package Prices. Still the same as it was before. 

[DisneyDatknee]

So seems like a lot of this quarantine cabins are filling up with both crew and staff. Not sure how many are infected, but I would definitely be cautious if you’re cruising soon. Let my guard down as it felt like cruising back to normal. We asked a crew member staying below us how many crew were out sick, he said too many. Fortunately, they are still paid if they are sick. 
 

We are feeling better, but still stuffy and coughing. Some of my friend’s taste is back. We are at Ocean Cay today and still have not docked due to a strong current.

Edited May 20, 2022 by DisneyDatknee