Pirate Jumps Ship! A Live Carnival Vs. MSC Comparison 8/20/23 - 8/27/23

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

2 hours ago, ray98 said:

... I am not a picky eater at all and I left there less than satisfied every night, one night I swear the best thing was the chicken nuggets.  It was something I had never experienced on any other cruise line.

 

Then I'd venture that you never sailed on the Regal Empress... one day the best the buffet could muster was Little Smokies !

 

Tom

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Then I'd venture that you never sailed on the Regal Empress... one day the best the buffet could muster was Little Smokies !

 

Tom

Better watch out Tom, I've gotten ripped for saying that the Princess buffet is inferior to X since they have no cooked to order items like the Edge Class ships do at lunch time. 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

16 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Better watch out Tom, I've gotten ripped for saying that the Princess buffet is inferior to X since they have no cooked to order items like the Edge Class ships do at lunch time. 

 

I was actually HAPPY to hear about THIS ship getting scrapped --- disliked it, with a passion !!

 

Tom

[CruizinSusan70]

8 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

I was actually HAPPY to hear about THIS ship getting scrapped --- disliked it, with a passion !!

 

Tom

Unless there's a specific itinerary on one of the older ships in the fleet we like, the Royal Class and the new Sphere Class will be the only ones we sail on.  I noticed in your signature that the Regal was your lone sailing on Princess.  We really have enjoyed our past sailings of 14 nights each on the Discovery and the Majestic and have 7 future bookings on the Enchanted, Discovery and the Sun.  Their plus package of 60 pppd includes their drinks package, drink tips, wifi and gratuities.  It would cost 103 for the same inclusions on Carnival.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 minute ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Unless there's a specific itinerary on one of the older ships in the fleet we like, the Royal Class and the new Sphere Class will be the only ones we sail on.  I noticed in your signature that the Regal was your lone sailing on Princess.  We really have enjoyed our past sailings of 14 nights each on the Discovery and the Majestic and have 7 future bookings on the Enchanted, Discovery and the Sun.  Their plus package of 60 pppd includes their drinks package, drink tips, wifi and gratuities.  It would cost 103 for the same inclusions on Carnival.

 

The Regal Empress was a ship (tub!) sailing under Imperial Majesty Cruise Line (see the link in my prior reply). The only Princess ship we've been on was the Caribbean Princess. It was not a ship I'd sail on again - but that's another story !

 

Tom

[CruizinSusan70]

3 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

The Regal Empress was a ship (tub!) sailing under Imperial Majesty Cruise Line (see the link in my prior reply). The only Princess ship we've been on was the Caribbean Princess. It was not a ship I'd sail on again - but that's another story !

 

Tom

I saw Regal and the double s and my brain went to Regal Princess instead of Regal Empress.  But, I hope you do look into a cruise on either the Sun or the Star.  They will be about 5K smaller tonnage wise than the Excel Class, coming in at 175, and based on the same platform,  but will have 2000 less passengers on board.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

9 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

I saw Regal and the double s and my brain went to Regal Princess instead of Regal Empress.  But, I hope you do look into a cruise on either the Sun or the Star.  They will be about 5K smaller tonnage wise than the Excel Class, coming in at 175, and based on the same platform,  but will have 2000 less passengers on board.

 

I am intrigued by them - if only they'd bring one of those two ships to Pt Canaveral (instead of the aforementioned Caribbean Princess)!! I was thrilled when I heard about Princess finally coming to Pt Canaveral, and then the ship was named. I was also thrilled recently upon hearing that Celebrity was also coming here, but that faded pretty quick too !!

 

Tom

[pirate4me2]

4 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Couldn’t you leave your card in the slot while you were out since you had the wristbands and told your butler they could make up the room?

I guess we could have. Never thought of it at the time!

[Illbcruzn4life]

13 minutes ago, pirate4me2 said:

I guess we could have. Never thought of it at the time!

was just curious. Loved your review! 😍

[nybumpkin]

22 hours ago, Drew B 58 said:

So does that mean if you want to have your cabin serviced, you take the card out, but that means your cabin has no power, meaning no device charging?  And if you want to charge your device(s), you have to leave your card IN, which means no cabin service?  

I don’t think I’d like that…

They had this system on Norwegian Prima when I sailed this past spring. My answer was to use my Amtrak rewards card.

[Drew B 58]

1 hour ago, nybumpkin said:

They had this system on Norwegian Prima when I sailed this past spring. My answer was to use my Amtrak rewards card.

I understand leaving a different card in the slot to keep the power on.  However, it sounds like having ANY card in there will keep your steward from cleaning the cabin.

[Illbcruzn4life]

4 hours ago, nybumpkin said:

They had this system on Norwegian Prima when I sailed this past spring. My answer was to use my Amtrak rewards card.

on msc the only card that works is the actual sail and sign card from MSC. We tried different cards and nothing else worked.

 

I have read that if you go on MSC for a second time that the card from the first cruise will work. I don't know if in fact it does though.

[Essiesmom]

5 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

on msc the only card that works is the actual sail and sign card from MSC. We tried different cards and nothing else worked.

 

I have read that if you go on MSC for a second time that the card from the first cruise will work. I don't know if in fact it does though.

On Divina, any card would work.  On Seaside it had to be ship specific, can’t remember if it had to be cruise specific.  EM

[pirate4me2]

14 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

was just curious. Loved your review! 😍

Thanks for following! 
 

12 hours ago, nybumpkin said:

They had this system on Norwegian Prima when I sailed this past spring. My answer was to use my Amtrak rewards card.

Only our ship card would work. 
 

7 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

on msc the only card that works is the actual sail and sign card from MSC. We tried different cards and nothing else worked.

 

I have read that if you go on MSC for a second time that the card from the first cruise will work. I don't know if in fact it does though.

I kept my card from the cruise, I will try to remember to pack it next time I sail MSC!

[Essiesmom]

Just to clarify, first time on Seaside I had taken my previous cards from Divina and Armonia.  They didn’t work.  Only the Seaside card worked.  EM

[shipgeeks]

On 8/28/2023 at 11:51 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

wiThen I'd venture that you never sailed on the Regal Empress... one day the best the buffet could muster was Little Smokies !

 

Tom

Wait....are you talking about Regal Empress, or Regal Princess?  Regal Empress, a gorgeous ocean liner owned by Regal Empress Cruise Lines, had some of the best dining room food we've had in our 50 cruises.  Best duck, best pasta, best orange sherbet.....and we still remember them from over 20 years ago. We have photos of the elaborate buffet displays on our wall.  Loved that cruise.

The cruise director we had on that trip will be on our RC cruise next month.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

3 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Wait....are you talking about Regal Empress, or Regal Princess?  Regal Empress, a gorgeous ocean liner owned by Regal Empress Cruise Lines, had some of the best dining room food we've had in our 50 cruises.  Best duck, best pasta, best orange sherbet.....and we still remember them from over 20 years ago. We have photos of the elaborate buffet displays on our wall.  Loved that cruise.

The cruise director we had on that trip will be on our RC cruise next month.

 

THIS ship.  🙂

 

Tom

[shipgeeks]

16 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

THIS ship.  🙂

 

Tom

Yes, that's our Regal Empress, thank you.  We sailed on her in 2000.  When did you?  Ours was a fabulous cruise in all respects.

[shipgeeks]

And now you've made me think some more....

I think that in those earlier days, the buffet was meant as just a backup to the MDR, for people who wanted to stay in their wet bathing suits, dash in, dash back to the pool.  We certainly discovered that on our first MSC (US) cruise two years later, in 2002.  We were disappointed in the meager offerings in the little buffet at breakfast and lunch, then, perhaps six days into the 12-night cruise, I wandered into the dining room, and found everyone eating from a nice, extensive menu.  

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

Yes, that's our Regal Empress, thank you.  We sailed on her in 2000.  When did you?  Ours was a fabulous cruise in all respects.

 

March '08.

 

I understand she was quite the ship in her day - all 23,000 GRT of her. I could see some areas of detail and workmanship (some public areas/dining room), but they really let her go...

 

I can't find my (detailed/scathing) review, but here are a few pics (ours was one of the "nicer" suites - complete with a hot tub).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ninjacat123]

39 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

March '08.

 

I understand she was quite the ship in her day - all 23,000 GRT of her. I could see some areas of detail and workmanship (some public areas/dining room), but they really let her go...

 

I can't find my (detailed/scathing) review, but here are a few pics (ours was one of the "nicer" suites - complete with a hot tub).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow!  Those are some dark walls.  Reminds me of our cabin on the Queen Mary at Long Beach in 1991 (I think).

[knottma]

On 8/24/2023 at 2:48 PM, pe4all said:

I just did the status match to see where I would land on MSC.  Diamond on CCL, but they matched me to Gold on MSC.  Interesting.  

Same here. I wonder if they only match if you have been diamond on Carnival a long time or for many cruises. For me it was only 5 years and 4 cruises and I got MSC gold not diamond.

[pirate4me2]

6 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

And now you've made me think some more....

I think that in those earlier days, the buffet was meant as just a backup to the MDR, for people who wanted to stay in their wet bathing suits, dash in, dash back to the pool.  We certainly discovered that on our first MSC (US) cruise two years later, in 2002.  We were disappointed in the meager offerings in the little buffet at breakfast and lunch, then, perhaps six days into the 12-night cruise, I wandered into the dining room, and found everyone eating from a nice, extensive menu.  

I usually like eating in the dining room, but every once in a while, I don’t want to have to sit thru a “formal” meal. I just want something quick, and I appreciate that Carnival has a better option in their buffet.