Probably our last NCL cruise

[L1211]

On 1/30/2023 at 3:28 AM, woodley said:

We have one booked with MSC and one with Azamara.  Lets hope they are better.

 

I have my first MSC cruise in March - the reviews are daunting.  Wishing us both luck! 

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, L1211 said:

I have my first MSC cruise in March - the reviews are daunting.  Wishing us both luck! 

Don't trust the reviews. Just sayin'. They don't represent the average cruiser. You could have 3,000-4,000 people on a cruise and I bet 10 will write a review. And the happy passengers won't bother, only the dissatisfied or malcontents. Negative reviews are notoriously unrepresentative. Caveat emptor applies here. If you go with an open mind and don't expect MSC to be a carbon copy of all the rest, it'll be great. We love MSC because it isn't Royal, Carnival, or NCL, even though we like those, too.

[Markanddonna]

17 hours ago, DorothyB said:

Are there other cruise lines where you can wear nice clean jeans to dinner instead of needing to dress more formally??  (serious question!)

Ncl, Msc rcl, etc. We dress very casually on them all. We fit right in. My dh wears khakis and a golf shirt. I wear pants or a skirt and casual top. 

[Markanddonna]

1 minute ago, Markanddonna said:

Ncl, Msc rcl, etc. We dress very casually on them all. We fit right in. My dh wears khakis and a golf shirt. I wear pants or a skirt and casual top. 

This far, we have experienced six cruise lines. Msc is at the bottom. I'm only comparing cruises seven days or more. Anything less than seven will be inferior.

[waterbabies7415]

Totally agree with OP-we too were loyal to NCL for years. You can see in my signature how many cruises we’ve been on. Our fav area is the spa also. We love to relax and explore new places. I generally book excursions with local companies as I find they have the best tours and we have never come close to missing a ship’s departure.  However, NCL is so over priced right now that our last 3 cruises have been with MSC as is our upcoming March 2023 trip.  We have been lucky enough to sail in Yacht Club due to my husbands time at the gaming tables - nothing crazy- just a bit of fun!!  AND MSC had already given us more loyalty points (Diamond/Black) and rewards than NCL has ever given us.  I understand that NCL and a Royal are trying to payback their COVID loans now that they are due, but it’s ridiculous for them to think they can charge outrageous fees for their mismanagement of funds. MSC is a family owned Private company that did not take out loans during Covid-which is why their pricing has not become exorbitant.  I have my facts from employees who know about the loans and price increases.  I hope everyone makes the best choice for them and have fun sailing! But it’s ok to look at other lines too. 
Happy sailing everyone!! 
 

[Elvis1209]

On 1/31/2023 at 9:27 AM, DCGuy64 said:

Since when are there cruises from Dayton, OH? That's a new one on me!

It's the latest thing!  I have a cruise coming up that starts in Omaha, goes to Laramie, Fargo, and ends in Las Vegas!   And if that wasn't enough, we are in the Haven!

 

Elvis

[Markanddonna]

5 minutes ago, waterbabies7415 said:

Totally agree with OP-we too were loyal to NCL for years. You can see in my signature how many cruises we’ve been on. Our fav area is the spa also. We love to relax and explore new places. I generally book excursions with local companies as I find they have the best tours and we have never come close to missing a ship’s departure.  However, NCL is so over priced right now that our last 3 cruises have been with MSC as is our upcoming March 2023 trip.  We have been lucky enough to sail in Yacht Club due to my husbands time at the gaming tables - nothing crazy- just a bit of fun!!  AND MSC had already given us more loyalty points (Diamond/Black) and rewards than NCL has ever given us.  I understand that NCL and a Royal are trying to payback their COVID loans now that they are due, but it’s ridiculous for them to think they can charge outrageous fees for their mismanagement of funds. MSC is a family owned Private company that did not take out loans during Covid-which is why their pricing has not become exorbitant.  I have my facts from employees who know about the loans and price increases.  I hope everyone makes the best choice for them and have fun sailing! But it’s ok to look at other lines too. 
Happy sailing everyone!! 
 

That doesn't mean Msc hasn't made cutbacks. We are on a MSC B2B right now. I have never seen such an overworked unhappy crew. I have overheard six crew member/boss interactions thus far. Never saw such unhappiness on a cruise ship before, esp since the crew have been excellent. They don't deserve this.

[pghflyer]

We took an MSC cruise in Europe last year and LOVED it, very different from the other lines with a true European feel....AND probably half the price of NCL or RCL on equivalent itineraries. I like NCL but I like my money more.

[Lionkingrichard]

17 hours ago, renji said:

I was just in 17100 on the Bliss. Definitely a sewage smell. They ran the traps which reduced but didn’t eliminate it.  

So if you have a smell then cover Trap with wet towel. I'm not saying it's right, but it will help at that moment.

 

Also what did Concierge say or do? They are your personal help desk!

 

Waiting till land will get you nothing!

[Markanddonna]

On 1/31/2023 at 12:04 PM, Tatka said:

 

 Interesting. I do not think if we will sail with MSC any time soon.. as we sail locally from Northeast now, but we thought entertainment on MSC Divina 2014 and smaller Poelia 2013 was one of the best. Production shows nightly, opera.. and some very authentic Italian stuff.

 

 Food was weak and service too relaxed we thought. Ships were spectacularly beautiful.

The Italian flare on Msc has disappeared. No more opera, limited Italian food. It caters to the Hispanic groups in the Caribbean and central America. 

[Tatka]

14 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

The Italian flare on Msc has disappeared. No more opera, limited Italian food. It caters to the Hispanic groups in the Caribbean and central America. 

 

Agree! This what we LOVED on Poesia in 2013  and what changed on Divina in 2014   (both from Florida)

 

This was entertainment on Poesia

 

 

On Divina entertainment was much more adjusted to American.

Opera was great and Italian, but singers where my fellow Ukrainians (don't get me wrong, they were extremely talented, but not Italians)

 

I love American things, but for that I have all other lines. We picked MSC to have some European/Italian flare

 

I also do not think they had real Italian or European food to start with .We travel to Europe from time to time.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Tatka

[Markanddonna]

I'm of Polish descent and make better Italian food than on the Divina. Of course, an Italian taught me...

[woodley]

On 1/30/2023 at 6:12 PM, Diver2014 said:

So the OP didn't like the short excursions.  Reason to go to another cruise line?  Lotsa luck on finding something better since shore excursions are thru 3rd party vendors.  

You are correct but when you book direct you do not pay three times the price and you have more control of what you do and see.

[Diver2014]

13 minutes ago, woodley said:

You are correct but when you book direct you do not pay three times the price and you have more control of what you do and see.

Not concerned with price and I don't need control over a place I've never been to before and know nothing about.  To each his own.  I like the convenience of going to the shore excursion desk if a port is cancelled or the ship arrives late and getting a refund right there without having to contact an outside vendor and pleading for a refund. And if the excursion is late getting back, the ship waits.  

Edited February 3, 2023 by Diver2014

[njkate]

On 2/1/2023 at 2:11 PM, waterbabies7415 said:

Totally agree with OP-we too were loyal to NCL for years. You can see in my signature how many cruises we’ve been on. Our fav area is the spa also. We love to relax and explore new places. I generally book excursions with local companies as I find they have the best tours and we have never come close to missing a ship’s departure.  However, NCL is so over priced right now that our last 3 cruises have been with MSC as is our upcoming March 2023 trip.  We have been lucky enough to sail in Yacht Club due to my husbands time at the gaming tables - nothing crazy- just a bit of fun!!  AND MSC had already given us more loyalty points (Diamond/Black) and rewards than NCL has ever given us.  I understand that NCL and a Royal are trying to payback their COVID loans now that they are due, but it’s ridiculous for them to think they can charge outrageous fees for their mismanagement of funds. MSC is a family owned Private company that did not take out loans during Covid-which is why their pricing has not become exorbitant.  I have my facts from employees who know about the loans and price increases.  I hope everyone makes the best choice for them and have fun sailing! But it’s ok to look at other lines too. 
Happy sailing everyone!! 
 

They also have the other side, the cargo ship side which probably helped the bottom line financially