Musica - Just back - Big review

[Italian cruise man]

Great review!!!:) Thank you!!

 

I'm now sure that Costa Cruise is the best!!:D

 

Bye!

[Racing]

Hi Host Andy,

 

Thanks for the kind words and also thanks again for skipping the double start. Great that you liked it. I also sent it in to be registered under the cruise reviews of the ship. I wonder if your "bosses" will accept it :D .

 

 

Hello Italian cruise man,

 

Wow, you absolutely must be a big Costa fan if I see all the cruises you went on. We'll sure try them also once in the future but ... also probably not during school holidays. When are actually the school holidays in Italy in summer, also the whole months July and August ?

 

Bye for now

 

Racing

 

(visited this sunday Golden Princess in Zeebrugge - very nice ship and wonderful food ... much better then MSC !... but also much more expensive of course)

Take care ! :)

[Italian cruise man]

Hi Host Andy,

 

Thanks for the kind words and also thanks again for skipping the double start. Great that you liked it. I also sent it in to be registered under the cruise reviews of the ship. I wonder if your "bosses" will accept it :D .

 

 

Hello Italian cruise man,

 

Wow, you absolutely must be a big Costa fan if I see all the cruises you went on. We'll sure try them also once in the future but ... also probably not during school holidays. When are actually the school holidays in Italy in summer, also the whole months July and August ?

 

Bye for now

 

Racing

 

(visited this sunday Golden Princess in Zeebrugge - very nice ship and wonderful food ... much better then MSC !... but also much more expensive of course)

Take care ! :)

 

Well, i'm an italian student...school holidays in Italy are finished...

 

Next long-school holidays are in December, from the 20th to the 7th of January, then some schools are closed in the end of February (carnival), and in April..easter until the 25th of April...some school add 1st of May, then until the finisch of the lessons no others holidays..only one day, on the 2nd of june, schools finisched on 10th June.

 

Summer holidays starts on 10th June until about 10th September...us:D , students, generally aren't on cruise in September-October-November-January-May-June(someone already on board)...in the others periods there are lot of students because on Costa and on MSC boys and girls under 17 don't pay! And this year was my last free, because i'm going to be major...

[Spunnman]

My wife and I are traveling on the Musica in late October for the 11 night cruise. It is our first trip to the Mediterannean and your post answered several of our questions concerning dress and language. THANKS:)

MSC MUSICA

 

29 July 2006 – 05 August 2006

Venice – Bari – Katakolon – Izmir – Istanbul – Seaday – Dubrovnik – Venice

 

We are a couple of 46 and 44 years old with our daughter 13 years old. Please excuse me if there are some mistakes in the text but Belgian Dutch is my normal language.

 

[Racing]

Hello Italian cruise man,

 

Thanks for the info. Woow you have long summer holidays. 3 months in a row :D Lot's of time to chase the girls ;) .

 

You are right about the free cruise for children (?) until 17 years. Main reason of course that it is so crowded on the ship.

 

 

Hello Spunnman,

 

Wellcome on the boards and thanks for the kind words. If you have any more questions about the cruise just ask.

I am sure that you will have a wonderful cruise on this beautiful ship. Weather should still be very fine end of October. You will love the Med. Have you already been in other European places ?

 

Next year end July we are planning with 4 families to travel with 4 mobilhomes through California. We also will visit Yosemeti and very probably San Francisco, Los Angeles and down to San Diego.

This will be our second trip with a mobilhome through the States (we did Vegas, Grand Canyon, Brice, Mesa Verde and more nice places in that region). If you have any good ideas ?

 

Bye for now

 

Racing :)

[car99]

Thanks (baie dankie) Racing for a verywell written review! Our first cruise is going to be on the MSC Musica in March - it looks as tho the kids will be back in school.....

What I would like to know is what will the weather be like then? I like to travel light but I dont like to be cold....I was be bit worried about the tipping - the brouchure says $100 to $200 US $ each!!! would be taken off. How much is acceptable? (we dont generally tip in Australia so any info...)

As far as drinks go only water is free? How much are drinks such as Diet Coke? Can u make coffee/tea in your own rooms?

 

How were the tours organised and paid for?

 

We are very new to cruising and spent some time deciding - any help will be appeciated.

 

Tot siens

PS I grew up in South Africa and was amazed the to hear Flemish when we were in Belgium - exactly like Afrikaans! - I'm Engish speaking but fluent in Afrikaans

[Brad1185]

I have read that MSC wants to get into the America market. Nothing I have read from the various reviews would want me to give MSC a try. It appears they dont offer what we are used to on the main cruise lines.

 

They have a long way to go to get people to give them a try.

[Racing]

Hello Car99, Hello Suid-Afrika !!

 

Yes indeed, our mother languages are very similar. South Africa is certainly a country we still are looking forward to visit... one day.

Its is also very nice to do a Carribean cruise and then come so far from home to Aruba, Curacao or Bonaire and also find out that (mostly the elder people) they understand our Flemish ther very well too.

 

Now about your questions,

The weather in Europe, well actually more really south Europe (I checked your cruise and you are possibly travelling from Genua to the south (Casablanca, Canary islands or Egypt). March is the start of spring in Europe and temperatures around Genua in that period will be around 20° C, sometimes a little colder and possibly some rain. However, the more you are travelling south the warmer it gets with temperatures up to 30° C around Teneriffe. So you might have 2 types of weather during your cruise. I think you can travel light but be sure to take a few pullovers (cold evenings, surely on deck).

 

Kids will be at school yes, so you should find a relatively quiet (beautiful) ship.

 

About the tipping it is as I mentioned in my report:

6 EUR per person per night; Kids up to 18 years 3 EUR and under 3 years for free. So for a 12 night cruise it adds up to 6x2x12 = 144 EUR for 2 persons in 1 cabin. This amount is added to your personal onboard account. You can however ask to raise or reduce the amount or to personally give the amount to the people who served you. You are free to do whatever you want but you should inform the reception in time. We simply paid the amount through our account.

 

Drinks: Water (from the ice machine) is free and also coffee and tea. All the rest must be paid for. A diet coke is I believe 2,50 EUR.

You can not make coffe or tea in your own cabin but you can ask room service to bring you coffee or tea.

 

Tours can be booked through MSC (at their counter for tours) and can be paid through your onboard account. You pay the total amount at the end of your cruise (in cash or with your credit card). However, one good advise is to try to organise some tours yourself. When you leave the ship at any port, lots of possibilities are given by the local people. Try to find some information on these boards which can help you in choosing what to do at every port (and sometimes even with who).

 

Have a wonderful cruise. Your itinerary looks wonderful.

 

Tot siens.

 

Racing