Splendida cruise + some Malta info

[buggins0402]

Hi Beauseant,

 

Thanks for posting this - I was attempting to post the Splendida West med. port maps I found on our MSC roll call. Was going to ask you if you had any you liked. Last night I had put in a bunch of links in my message there and then like a dummy didn't open a new window when getting the last link and lost my whole message. Mappery is pretty good - has tourist maps and metro maps.

[Minty4]

Hi Beausant

 

We went for the early sitting for dinner on Splendida and yes, it was a bit of a rush on some days (though not all) to be ready in time and I never had time to 'do' my hair as I would have liked. However, I was wiped out from all our daytime activities each day and had we taken the later sittings, I would never have made it to the shows.

 

We did notice that some people (30 - 40) had been placed in the Bora Bora for their evening meals. I would not have been a happy bunny if they had done that to me as it was nowhere near as nice as the other restaurants.

 

Glad to hear you are still keeping up with your weekly viewings of Splendida.

[LRNZ]

Hi There Beausant,

 

Thanks for all this great information. Just a quick question: what are the temperatures likely to be in that part of the world in March? Will heavy coats be needed or will sweats and jeans be enough? Obviously trying to minimise the luggage we cart across the world! Are you sailing in March did I see you say? We are on the Splendida March 16th.....

[Beauseant]

Hi buggins0402,

 

Once something similar happened to me while trying posting here, so from than onwards, I first write everything in a Word’s Document, and after that just a quick copy/paste does the thing.

 

Thanks the same for your thoughts. I downloaded many maps but unfortunately did not save their url’s/links. But will post here if I meet any good ones. Found this map-site while “studying” for my next year’s cruise (hopefully).

 

I made use of Google-Earth too...vgood for doing your own “home-made” maps. Also found "Google Earth Street View" very helpfull for familiarising myself with places that I was to visit for the first time.

[Beauseant]

Hello again Minty4 

 

We could not make up our mind on which sitting to choose. This was our first cruise experience so the only info we got was from sites like this. We preferred second seating to be more “easy”, but then decided for first sitting option because were afraid that our little girl would be too sleepy by 9.30pm.

 

Therefore we actually booked for first sitting and not second sitting! But some misunderstanding or other, had us booked for second seating by mistake! And only found about this a week prior to our cruise, when we received our boarding tickets/booklet.

 

So first thing I did once onboard the Splendida (after seeing our nice cabin of course) was to go and speak to the La Reggia Restaurant’s Maitre d'. He told me that for our first night he could do nothing but promised to change our sitting the next night if we wished to.

 

On our first night, our girl was so excited that she could not sleep!! She’s hyperactive too. Therefore, my wife and I decided to let things as they were and told the Maitre d' that we wanted to keep our second sitting.

 

Obviously, as the next day was a “full” day of activities; going ashore/pools/water-chute/playing with other kids etc, by 9.00pm, our daughter was already in sleep-walking mode! At least she used to eat something every night, but normally fell asleep in the theatre. After the show, we used to take her up to sleep in our cabin; our 17 year old boy (sleepy by that time too) was her “baby-sitter”  and so we had time for ourselves too.

 

Am glad that you still post your experiences here too. You say things in a different way than me, I’m more “crude” at saying things (well, you’re a lady! ) and like reading your posts very much. I want to "pay-back" some of the help I got from this site, and try to be of help to other people by answering any question regarding the Splendida... from my humble point of view of course.

 

Cruise Critic was and still is my main info/help site about cruises.Many helpfull people here (even though some moan too much, but...) ....and I still like reading expert views/opinions by the likes of Amomondo (for me, she’s number 1 MSC expert).

[Beauseant]

Hello LRNZ,

 

Temperatures and weather in Europe during March are unpredictable, so better bring with you a warm overcoat, raincoat, scarf and gloves.

 

Temperature here in Malta during March varies. It could be a nice sunny day (but still cold) or a windy/rainy one. More of the latter though. Average high in March in Malta is 64 degree Fahrenheit. Normally it’s still a bit chilly in March, so again, think better bring jumpers and a coat just in case. I will have same problem as you, more and more having my 2 kids along too.

 

But if you do a Google search you’ll have a rough idea or indication of the min-max temperatures, of the places you will visit, but again, weather in March is so unpredictable. In my opinion, think that it’s not the best time to cruise the Mediterranean Sea. Am thinking about doing a Cruise next March only because it happens to be our 25th wedding anniversary (luckily my son will still be 17.5 years old—free!).

 

Two big pluses about sailing in winter with Splendida are her heated dome-covered pool, and her stabilizers! Also, loved relaxing in the warm Jacuzzi tubs. While on our August cruise, one night, the sea was a bit rough (force7+) but her two stabilizers did their job. Our cabin was on deck 12, and forward of ship. There was very little ship-rolling.... so much so that only I noticed it a little, and was so insignificant that slept like a baby.

 

I have still not booked any cruise for March. Have still to make up my mind. In March, MSC has 4 cruises that are interesting me:

 

Magnifica 7th March, Hamburg to Venice

Splendida 5th or 16th March Eastern Med.

Fantasia 4th March western Med. ( Funchal, Tenerife, Arrecife, Malaga, Civitavecchia/Rome, Genoa, Barcelona ).

 

Only downside with the Magnifica and Fantasia options is that I think the sea will be a bit rough out there in the Atlantic during March.Don't like feeling when sea-sick! Apart this am checking other cruises during same month by Costa, Royal Caribbean etc.

 

So, for now am just “collecting” as much info as I can, but 90% will sail again on Splendida in one of those two dates. Maybe we'll meet for a bottle of wine in the jaguzzi :)

[LRNZ]

Hi Beausant,

 

thanks so much for your detailed information - oops I was hoping to do without the coats - we will have our 14 and almost 12 year old sons with us so there will be much to carry! However, we will be embarking on the trip at the end of our NZ summer so we are not going to Europe for the sun. Would love to meet up for a wine if you decide on the 16th March cruise, I have started a roll call for this cruise on the roll calls forum and have made contact with an australian family who are going and would love to make contact with others. My youngest son has just asked if there is a water-slide into the pool on Splendida? - that was all he was after when we were booking our cruise - it doesn't look like it though! And thanks also for the gorgeous webcam links - Malta looks stunning - so different to anything we have ever seen...we are really looking forward to our trip..

[hat776]

When I was a child the weather was more predictable.

In March the sun can be dangerous in the sense that as there is often a breeze, you don't realise how strong the sun can be.

Pope John Paul had visited Malta in March and it was really sunny and hot. It was unbearable on the Granaries in Floriana.

 

Then again it can be cool. Plus there is a big difference between mornings and evenings.

 

Beauseant and Minty = CC is so useful . On my first cruise we were with friends and I really impressed them with my knowledge. I felt so confident and everything looked familiar. (To be honest I haven't found so much info about the Splendida eg photo's of public areas)

[hat776]

Some one asked the difference between MSC and NCL (on the Gem site) and wrote <<I went to MSC's website and didn't find it as informative as most others. >> so at least it confirms that I'm not the only one. I thought I was doing something wrong.

[Beauseant]

Hi LRNZ,

 

Yes there is a water slide on Splendida, here’s a link to a pic of it:

 

flickr.com/photos/oliviermartins/3701644853/

 

....plus a heated inside pool, 4D cinema, different ages Kid’s clubs, Bowling, virtual games room and so on. Your kids will surely have fun!

[Beauseant]

Hello hat776,

 

True, but as no one can predict weather, it’s best to be prepared for all types of weather situations.

 

The 16th March 2010 MSC Splendida cruise that LRNZ will be going on, will depart from Genoa and then sail on to Katakolon, Piraeus/Athens, Rhodes, Alexandria, Heraklion, La Valletta, Messina, Naples, than back to Genoa. So that’s nine different countries and nine different weather patterns.

 

Last 7th August we found Rome very hot and sunny, while just twelve hours later, next day in Genoa; it was very windy and rained nearly all our stay there. And this was in peak summer.

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

Now a little about; info/no pics+ MSC and NCL comparisons etc, here in Cruise Critic:

 

First of all, I’m not an MSC 007 that has a mission or obligation to “convert” other cruisers in this CC site to sail on MSC ships. That’s MSC’s owner’s job and not mine. My “job” is only to enjoy and relax and have fun while cruising on these queens of the seas (at least Splendida is).

 

Plus I’m only sharing my experiences of my cruise on MSC Splendida by trying to answer questions from my point of view + trying to re-pay the help/tips I got from browsing through CC forums here. I’m not good at writing stories, so am only giving crude facts.

 

So now, hope that no one thinks that MSC pays my pay check every month. Also am not a dependant/ or work for Hamilton Travel (msc local travel agents)...he has more than enough able persons to do this :)

 

Now you said that:

“...Some one asked the difference between MSC and NCL (on the Gem site) and wrote <<I went to MSC's website and didn't find it as informative as most others. >> so at least it confirms that I'm not the only one. I thought I was doing something wrong.”

 

As I see it, this is very simple to answer. As MSC is European, the majority of the people that sail on their ships here in Europe are 90% non-English speaking tourists. Majority are Spanish, Italians, Germans, and French. That’s why one rarely sees any posting here on CC from a non-English-speaking cruiser.

 

Cruise Critic is mainly aimed for English speaking persons, and is more targeted for people coming from the US/UK/AUS/New Zealand or other multi-language speaking people such as us Maltese.

 

But then, there are scores of other Cruise Forums online BUT in Italian, French, German, Spanish,etc. I follow Italian and Spanish cruise forums too, and rarely if ever, see a posting by Americans, English or other English speaking persons. So this means that only europeans cruise?

 

But any English speaking person only needs to go to :

 

http://www.msccruises.com/cruises.asp

 

...and there one can find info/cruises/bookings/excursions/360 deg views/pics/movie clips etc. Don’t know how one can say that MSC’S Official site is not informative enough.

 

Think main problem is that many people don’t like browsing the net for info... I booked nine months before Splendida was officially launched but still had a clear picture of what I’ll find by doing some “studying” of MSC Fantasia (sister ship). Plus lots of sites like:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliviermartins/tags/msc/

 

http://www.flickr.com/

 

http://www.msccruises.com/cruises.asp

 

http://gallerialesignoredeimari.ning.com/

 

http://www.cruisemates.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610741

 

http://heinbloed-musica.blogspot.com/

 

http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/reviews/msc/fantasia.cfm

 

(These links can be copied/pasted in the URL window )

and so on and on and on ....:)

 

Lastly, don’t like to get into polemics about which ship is nicest/best/cleanest and so on, between Gem and Splendida....Everyone has eyes to see and compare. But there’s a difference between a Ferrari and a Ford! As I’m a Ferrarista (Ferrari F1 fan) , I choose to sail on a the “Ferrari of the Sea’s”. Some like blonde and some like Red Heads hahaa...at least that’s how I see it. No hard feelings for Gem lovers!

[hat776]

Beauseant - your Review is very popular but with time it won't remain on the first couple of pages and will be lost.

Why don't you post it on the Reviews section - there aren't any on the Splendida yet.

Minty - the same applies to your Review.

They are both so useful that it will be a pity when they no longer remain at the top of the board. Maybe we could bump them up occassionaly, even though that is frowned upon.

[Beauseant]

Goodmorning hat776,

 

I don't mind popularity, ....and only replied here to other cruisers' questions concerning Splendida. But when this thread will be relegated to other pages, they still will be there for people to read. I for one, still sometimes explore past postings about ports of call for example.

 

Minty's raccont is more suited for a review than mine :)

[Beauseant]

Other pics of Splendida:

 

http://www.msccruises.com/flotta/def...&page_id=6451#

 

...click on "Discover the ship". enjoy :)

[Beauseant]

Sorry but seems above URL or link does not always work. So, you can still see this fantastic Splendida views by entering the MSC website, than from Fleet, choose MSC Splendida, and than click on Discover the ship.

[Beauseant]

other Splendida pics for you hat776 :)

 

http://mscsocialnetwork.ning.com/photo/photo?page=12

[Minty4]

Beausant, you flatter me ;)! Thank you.

 

Everyone has a different style of writing. I feel your reviews are far more informative than mine. I feel mine are more like a 'story' I want to tell and I worry that it will be boring to others. The positive remarks and encouragement keep me coming back to post more, albeit slowly! Sorry.

 

I have considered posting to the Review section but first of all wish to satisfy the questions of those about to embark on a Splendida Cruise. Like Beausant and others, I got an awful lot of insight from these forums and would like to give back what little I can.

 

:)

[hat776]

Minty and Beauseant - Both of your reviews are excellent and informative and I still think they would be excellent in the Review section.

Beauseant - you say your review will still be available to those who research. When I go on holiday I enjoy doing the planning and researching. Apart from the MSC board where I went back to June, I checked out the Ports of Call on CC and the Roll Call. Looked for the Reviews (there were none). Went to Trip Advisor on the Marseille and Genova Forums . Looked up the Tourist Authority sites etc etc.

However, from the experience I have on Trip Advisor, very few do so. You often get a question and the identical question is on the previous page and sometimes actually on the first page,

Anyway congrats to you both.

[LRNZ]

Hi Beausant,

Thanks so much for the info and links re the Splendida. It's a bit of a worry that we take our sons to the other side of the world for 6 weeks and all one is concerned about is whether there is a slide on the ship! However, he assures me he won't be sleeping because he doesn't want to miss out on anything so I am sure he'll absorb other sights! ;) Thanks for the warning re: hats and gloves - we wouldn't have taken them otherwise because we don't need them where we live in NZ. Also, it's a good point you make about the english-speakers on the site - it is easy to get a bit insular and forget there are whole other worlds/languages out there. That's our whole reason for sailing on MSC, to get a taste of different languages and cultures. It's nice to get a different perspective...thanks.

[Beauseant]

Hello Minty4,:)

 

Everyone has his/her way of saying things. Plus as I see it, diverse opinions are healthy for forums. What I dislike is some people’s always moaning on little things while missing or forgetting to mention nce things they saw (maybe we southern europeans take life in a more relaxed and positive way).

 

Not everything was 100% perfect on Splendida but, I tried to see the positive aspect of things. There were some negative things too (e.g. smoking in no-smoke areas one of them) but, if one puts everything in a balance, the positive things massively outweigh the few negative ones. Many times, a vacation’s success depends on the type of persons that are on vacation with/near you. So, it’s down to luck too I say (like the type of weather you find during the cruise). At least even though my cruise was full-up (first week of August is peak time), 90% of people on board (including officers/staff/crew) always had that smile on their face.

 

When I write I try to go in depth in my explanation, but this can get boring at times because I end up writing a bible!---see what's happening here!-- It’s like when speaking to a person and want to say a million words in a few lines. This is one reason why I’m finding it difficult to write a short review on Splendida. But will give it a try maybe.

 

No, your “story” is never boring....take your time....no one is running after you after all, and keep it up. You make me remember things that I have already forgotten! Cannot believe that 2 months have already passed.

[Beauseant]

Hi hat776,

 

Thanks for your encouragement :)

 

For me, the vacation starts from day I book it. Planning where I’ll be going, downloading maps, seeing pics and even movie clips(YouTube for example), studying places by Google-Earth-street view, reading lots and lots of other reviews(example like port of call sections)sometimes even day dreaming and so on, make me feel like I’m already there virtually or mentally. That’s how I am anyway.

 

I booked 9 months earlier, but have to tell you, time seemed to fly. Worst part was our last morning on board. For others, it was a fantastic moment, i.e. watching the ship’s entrance into the Grand Harbour, but for us, it meant game-over... end of vacation.

[Beauseant]

Hello again LRNZ,

 

Your son will have fun, and only hope that the weather is a bit sunny and maybe not too cold during your time to cruise. Don’t think that water slide is heated though, and as it’s on the outside, it’ll be a bit cold and windy there....but you have to wait and see how the weather will be than. Anyway, the inside glass-roofed pool + its 3 big Jacuzzis are heated and “weather –proof”.

 

Yes it’s an experience to hear many people speaking different languages. On my cruise, there were even Chinese (or could have been Japanese for that), Russians, and even saw one or two with the turban. But, nearly everyone had a smile on his/her face.

[LRNZ]

cvc

[Beauseant]

To LRNZ,

Did not understand your last message....cvc? :)

[LRNZ]

To LRNZ,

Did not understand your last message....cvc? :)

 

Sorry! I was trying to write/edit a post then the site crashed.AAargh! Just saying thanks so much for everything- we are currently booking our airfares as the earlybird fares have been released in NZ and booking the rest of our trip - will stay in touch with you all!