MSC Orchestra - plan to post "live" on E. Mediterranean cruise

[babygirl722]

I certainly understand your viewpoint. However, as we travel now as just a couple (husband and wife), we would prefer not to subsidize 3rd and 4th passengers in a room who pay less than full passage and sometimes even get FREE passage. Usually, but not always, those 3rd and 4th passengers with the deeply discounted or free tickets are children and/or teens who eat as much as we do (and don't drink expensive alcohol or gamble in casinos) and create at least as much wear and tear and pollution as adults.

 

It doesn't seem fair to me that singles and couples should have to subsidize the extremely low fares for extra people in a cabin. And the amount that we pay to subsidize 3rds and 4ths in a cabin adds up to a lot of money, more than enough to pay for some free room service or pizza, I think.

To be clear, I don't mind at all when 3rds or 4ths or seniors or military, etc. get a good discount, I do mind when their fare is literally only half or less of what we have to pay each to cruise on the same ship.

 

 

Now I would like to say a very big "thank you" to moveup for the numerous detailed reports from the ship and afterwards. We very much appreciate it.

 

The rates are rock-bottom on this cruise for 1st and 2nd, so I'd hardly call this a subsidy on behalf of those that have kids sailing free. I think it's more a matter of the line trying to introduce itself to the market by offering incredibly low fares. And, in the Caribbean, there are no charges for room service, pizza, etc.

[Frankkosta]

Hi

 

moveup: Thanks very much for the "hot" info about the MSC Orchestra. We are about to book a Med cruise and your posts were very informative. I have one question for you. One recent review (http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=38212) mention, and let me quote: "CONSTANT vibration of the obviously overworked and underpowered engines". Did you felt that also? I apreciate your comments.

 

Oceans&Rivers: I understand your point. But see our case: a couple with a 5 month daughter, who is considered 3rd passager. Is this fair? That's why we gave up RCI and look for other options.

 

Regards

 

FC, Portugal

[moveup]

We noticed engine vibration along the window walls in the buffet area, which is Deck 13, (Chitarra) almost all the time. It was not so bad as to interfere with dining. We did not notice any engine vibration in our cabin (mid-ship, Deck 5, Pianoforte). The engine vibration was minimal elsewhere on the ship. Whether the vibration is due to how much power the engines have is beyond my subject matter expertise. I can tell you that we were on time or early to all our ports, so the ship's schedule takes into account the ship's maximum speed (which seems to be about 20 knots, judging from the constant updates available on the ship's TV). You might want to post a new thread entitled "MSC Orchestra Engine Vibration?" to draw other responses from cruisers who may not be reading this thread.

[Frankkosta]

Hi moveup

 

Thanks for your reply. I apreciate it.

Regards.

 

F.Costa

[babygirl722]

We noticed engine vibration along the window walls in the buffet area, which is Deck 13, (Chitarra) almost all the time. It was not so bad as to interfere with dining. We did not notice any engine vibration in our cabin (mid-ship, Deck 5, Pianoforte). The engine vibration was minimal elsewhere on the ship. Whether the vibration is due to how much power the engines have is beyond my subject matter expertise. I can tell you that we were on time or early to all our ports, so the ship's schedule takes into account the ship's maximum speed (which seems to be about 20 knots, judging from the constant updates available on the ship's TV). You might want to post a new thread entitled "MSC Orchestra Engine Vibration?" to draw other responses from cruisers who may not be reading this thread.

 

Moveup - If you've covered this already, forgive me, but I'd really like your thoughts as to how the ship/food/service etc compared to your HAL Noordam sailing. As I may have mentioned, we recently sailed on the Noordam and fell in love with her.

 

Thanks so much!

[moveup]

We cruised the Noordam last year and we thought the Orchestra compared favorably in every way except most of the cabins on the Noordam are larger than most of the cabins on the Orchestra. The ships were built in the same shipyard and the public rooms are very similar. We paid about 50% more per day for our cruise on the Noordam so we thought the Orchestra was a far better value.

[American-in-Belgium]

Thanks Moveup.

 

We will sail from Barcelona doing the Western Med Circuit (Barcelona, Marseille, Genova, Naples, Palermo, Tunis, Palma, Barcelona.

[DHux]

Please remember that MSC changes there policy for caribbean sailings, what they charge for in Europe.....is not the case in the caribbean....so for those of you who are going to sail on the Orchestra in 2009 for caribbean PLEASE understand that room service is FREE......

They DO not charge for Pizza

There is a charge for ice cream if you want it not at dining times....at dining times it is FREE

There will be a small charge for the special dining for Oriental dining...like any of the other cruise lines that charge for special dining.....

Europe sailings are very different then caribbean sailings

and for the price MSC can not be BEAT....................

I would hope that this will correct some issues about what there is a charge for and what is not....

I was just on the caribbean sailings on MSC and there was no charge for Pizza

[Davinababe]

so, do you think that the Dec 16th sailing transatlantic from Genoa to Fort Lauderdale will be classified as a Europe or Caribbean sailing in terms of charges etc?

 

All the best

 

Davina

[aquamaster]

Hi I would Like to know how Do I need to be Fit during the dinners ? Do I Have to be usin a tie every night dinners ?

[moveup]

Each evening your cabin steward will leave the next day's program in your cabin. Some nights are designated "formal." On the Orchestra last month in the Mediterranean, "formal" was broadly interpreted. A few passengers wore tuxedos and gowns. Coat and tie for men, and a dress, skirt or pantsuit for women was fine on the "formal" nights. Some passengers were dressed less formally than that, which was somewhat disrespectful to the passengers who were dressed up for the occasion. I did not see anyone turned away from the dining room, although some severely under-dressed passengers were turned away from the Captain's reception. On the "casual" nights, almost no men wore ties, but you would have been out of place in shorts or tee shirts. On those nights, men would be fine with slacks and a shirt with a collar (even a polo shirt), and women would be fine in almost any clothes. On a Caribbean cruise, I understand that many passengers refuse to dress up even on the "formal" nights.