We Sailed on the MOST CONTROVERSIAL Cruise Line... How Was It???
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- MSC Cruises has had a LOT of negative reviews in the last few years. We have heard it was the worst cruise line, people's worst cruise ever, that the food was terrible, that the entertainment was awful... But we have yet to sail with them until now.
We just spent a week aboard MSC Meraviglia... how was it? Was it as bad as everyone has said? Or was it better? We will break down what we liked... and what we didn't like about this cruise.
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![25 Things Cruisers MUST Know Before Your First MSC Cruise [MSC Cruise Tips 2024]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/k0NLxi5ZzMI/mqdefault.jpg)
![25 Things Cruisers MUST Know Before Your First MSC Cruise [MSC Cruise Tips 2024]](/img/tr.png)
Some people would complain if you gave them a 100 dollar bill that was too wrinkled lol! Thanks guys!
I love how open and honest you two are... You always tell it and show it like it is. I really appreciate that.
I was supposed to sail on the MSC Seaside out of Miami, FL in April 2020. It was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. I choose the refund instead of the 125% credit. After getting the runaround from MSC Cruises on where my refund was (I was told several different stories), I had to get my money back by disputing the charges on my credit card.
Can you do a video explaining MSC for beginners? What is included? What is up charges? I've only cruised Carnival and Disney. Thanks
I did NOT like MSC. NON friendly staff. Below average food. Bad overall vibe
Hi you two. I was on the Meraviglia's first sailing out of Brooklyn. Yes, I was in the Yacht Club. Totally different experience starting with arriving at the port. We didn't have any specialty dining for dinner. We did eat in Hola Taco for lunch ( hope you got there). We loved the food there. We did the $17.99pp all you can eat. So worth it. The show's for us were ok. They did have an illusionists/mentalist one night and that was a really good show. Alot of the food in the Yacht Club restaurant is very European. However we always found the food to be excellent. We will definitely sail with them again. You have to try the Yacht Club. The perks alone make it worth the money compared to NCL Haven (which we really liked) until the Yacht Club. Thank you for a great review of the ship.
Thanks for the great feedback!
I think food is extremely important. We tried Carnival on our last cruise. Definitely got what we paid for. Never again. These cruise lines that are seeing a lot of negative reviews.. simply improve the food, if nothing else, will make a huge difference.
I took this cruise in May but got a cabin in the Yacht Club for the price of a Balcony on NCL, which is my normal cruise line. The Yacht Club was amazing. They walk you on and off the ship, bypassing all lines. My cabin was ready at 9:30AM when I'm used to having to wait until 2:00PM on NCL. With the Yacht Club, you have your own restaurant and lounge and its never-ever crowded... and the minibar in your cabin is free. I'll definitely do that again.
Yacht club is the only way to go on msc
How was the dress code on formal & non-formal nights? We want to try MSC & the yacht club. Thank you.
I did Yacht club on Seashore, I did not get the special disembarkation and it really sucked how slow they were.
Patrick, I'm very interested in the process and how much it costs!
@@VivianMcCarden It’s all on the cruise line websites. Go there and look around. Prices change constantly but there are definitely good deals out there if you look for them or work through a travel agent which is probably the easiest thing to do. Thanks.
I was on an MSC cruise from hell last April on MSC Divina; I was supposed to have a $200 onboard ship credit. I showed the customer service desk staff the paperwork and proof I was owed the money. The staff did nothing and didn't seem to care. If that had been the worst thing about the cruise, I could have lived with that, but it wasn't even close to being the most significant issue. The cabin next to mine was full of cigarette smoke that poured into my room under a door that the two cabins shared. When I complained to guest services, they did NOTHING. When I went to the buffet on the 14th deck, other folks around me and I saw people smoking. I complained to the staff who did NOTHING! Thanks to the entitlement of individuals who smoked, I got sick with a sore throat, my nose was clogged, and my eyes got red, which ruined my cruise. NO ONE, and I mean NOT one staff member on the MSC Divina, cared. I met a woman, a nurse from Germany on the cruise who complained about the stench of weed she smelled on her deck. NO ONE CARED.
I saw an elderly man with Parkinson's disease complain that he had asked for a cabin for disabled people when he booked the ship, and the room was unacceptable. He left the cruise early without compensation because no allowance was made for him. The food on MSC Divina was awful, from runny eggs for breakfast to a steak that could have been used for a hockey puck. I had paid for my laundry to be done. The staff held it for more than three days, and at 10:35 p.m. the night before disembarkation, my laundry showed up - it was too late to pack it and place the luggage outside my room correctly, so I had to drag my suitcases with me during disembarkation. There were good things about the cruise. The first would be disembarking from the ship. I couldn't wait for the cruise to end. I admit the cabin was nice. I had a deluxe balcony cabin. However, I couldn't enjoy the balcony because everyone around me was smoking on their balconies.
We tried MSC for the first time in May. We took a 7 night cruise with our 18 year old daughter and 13 year old son on the Seaside. We are fans of Royal Caribbean and don’t enjoy Carnival. We absolutely loved the Seaside. The shows were great, the kids loved going to dinner and the show every night! Ocean Cay was amazing! The party at night was so much fun and the island was super peaceful during the day! The ship was beautiful and super clean and the staff was amazing! We loved the pools and the water slides and there was so much to do! The only place we think needed improvement were the seafood dishes in the main dining room! The pizza made up of this downfall though! Oh, the jungle pool was my fave!!!!!
Great review, you all! Thank you! Appreciate your balanced, fair, happy report! I am a former crew for Royal & Cunard. But, have sailed exclusively with MSC since 2016 and I LOVE this company! Thanks for giving it a try! Highly recommend you try one of the "Sea" ships next - Seascape, Seashore, Seaside, Seaview, etc! We are on Seashore on 12/29 sailing coming up! We are in Yacht Club as well. You def need to try that! Cheers!!!
We definitely will sail with them again!
Glad you had a great time on MSC . I know that they are a European company but I had heard from a friend of mine that traveled with them and they said there was a language barrier at times while on the ship. Did you notice that too?
If I was a president of carnival corporation : I would match loyalty with the partnership lines ( Carnival, Princess - P&O , Costa cruise line , Cunard cruise line , Aida cruise line, Holland America cruise line / Also Have good Perks for Carnival corporation Match.
Of all the cruises we've been on...we've never eaten any pizza. We must be super weird!
I was hoping you would have mentioned how your room was. Just a general description like was it cramped feeling or spacious, closet space, outlets, bathroom size and comfortable furniture. Also how was the internet?
MSC seems different bc it is not what we are used to from other cruises such as bad food versus healthy food. We are used to eating so bad that the good healthy food does not taste good 😌
We have sailed, Disney, Royal Caribbean, and are platinum on Carnival. We booked a two week cruise on MSC and were a little nervous about that , because of all the negativity, we kept hearing after we booked. But let me just say this… We are converts to MSC. We will be going again. We are not partiers we don’t drink we don’t gamble, we just like to relax and enjoy the ship. The Seascape was absolutely beautiful. The ports were great the service was wonderful. it wasn’t perfect… But neither has any cruise we’ve been on…But it was pretty close to being perfect.
Thank you for your honest review. I trust both of you’re advice!
I’ll pass on MSC until they make improvements,
I’m happy you both arrived back safely😊
Looking forward to your next video!
2 cruises with MSC and have another one booked. We love MSC. For reference, we have sailed 20 total which have included NCL, Royal, and Carnival. Royal has the best entertainment and food with MSC second above NCL and Carnival. We love that MSC goes to a lot of ports. The only downside to MSC is the their web browser and internet
My wife has been on MSC but it was a Mediterranean cruise so probably pretty different. One big difference there are people embarking and disembarking daily in every port. She said the announcements were in multiple languages as a result, she said they got used to just ignoring that. My wife liked the food but her mother did not. My wife lived in Italy for a few years which probably helped in that regard. The ships are beautiful no doubt, and they offer some very inexpensive cruises right now as they try to pick up market share. I have an open mind, I do worry I may not like the food all that much as I am picky. Definitely heard mixed views on service but would be willing to try for myself. Worst case pizza for breakfast lunch and dinner lol
Jason. Your take 1 was awesome!! Hi Alisa. Miss you guys. Dave in Alaska ❤❤
I enjoyed my cruise on MSC. I think the European vibe was great. The shows were better. Trying to Americanize. isn't working for the entertainment
Hi guys. Fun video. I haven’t watched you in a bit but your hair looks amazing! I know it’s bin a Journey. so girl whatever you are doing keep it up ❤️
An European Ship sailing with US passengers in the Caribbean could be disappointing??
It reminds me of Eurodisney in Paris. When the started 31 years ago in Europe with the theme park , it was presented in the American way. I worked at that moment in Disney. I am from the Netherlands and a lot of people applied to work for Disney . It didn’t work out with the US mentality what was presented to Europe . The culture of Europe is so different , people have other expectations about how to have a holiday in a theme park. And they prefer what they know, that is safe and predictable .
MSC is a real 100% European Italian brand in the cruise industry . In Europe and in the Emirates they are very popular. Price quality is top!
I think it is good to keep diversity in the cruise ships and what they offer . A lot of US people can’t afford a Mediterranean cruise. Now it is possible for them to experience an European ship, with European food and European entertainment from Europe , crew from Europe, the Europe style in cruising in the Caribbean . It’s like 2 experiences in one holiday . Why do people want it to be a U.S. ship? If a U.S. cruise ship sails in the Mediterranean in the summer , we do not ask them to become an European style ship. We like it to have a choice and diversity in cruise choices and we can have a US style of cruising in Europe . That’s wonderful …. I think it is time people are doing more things to experience new adventures and widen their horizon . Why do people always want the same over and over again…? Life is an adventure , embrace the new and stay open for new ways of having a holiday . It will make you richer ..❤️
I’ve never been on MSC but I’ve seen their ships in port. I’ve never even seen an advertisement for them.
No one ever mentioned about their homemade mozzarella cheese factory right in the buffet area.... Hmmm
I’m currently on a cruise with MSC and so far it’s the worst experience I’ve ever had.
Tried MSC on Divina back in 2017. Not my cup of tea. Didn’t care for the food, atmosphere, crew not helpful or even slightly happy to be there, ship needs a deep cleaning. Balcony plexiglass full of something we couldn’t wipe off, shows were ok, empty pizza pans in buffet, etc, etc. Basically worst out of 16 cruises and 7 lines. I could be a bit too nit picky. 🫤
New ships look beautiful but too many other new ships to try. 🛟
We went on the MSC last Christmas. It was the worst cruise we have ever taken. The ship was beautiful but the service was
horrible. No one would help you, food was terrible. Lineups in buffet were huge as it was just a big square to get your food. Not like
different areas like on other ships. We have done over 50 cruises and this was the worst one ever. No where to eat during day
but the buffet and it was horrible. They never opened dining room for lunch on sea days. Never again will we ever sail with them.
We were on the Meraviglia.
I believe your review unlike the others on here.Thank you. It's hard to trust the good reviews because it could be MSC's employees.
@@sarahlysobey2917 Huh? You must be fun at parties.
I just keep coming back to your videos. Nobody is even close to describing cruising as good as the two of you! I really appreciate the pros and cons!
You two were fun to watch. It was a thorough review. Thank you!
My wife and I were on the same cruise. We talked with you on the back of the ship in the adult area. You give a very accurate review of this cruise. I will mention that the casino is the smallest casino we have seen on any ship with mostly outdated machines. Overall though, would cruise MSC again. Yes, Brooklyn terminal was chaos. Leaving out of Manhattan or Bayonne much better.
Sailed with MSC twice and we enjoyed both time. Not sure why everyone is hating on them. Not to mention there were so many loyal cruisers returning to them. Food is not the best but its alright and not a deal breaker. We went to see the Carousel show and its was amazing, I have not tried the other though. Staffs were great!
Just got off the Seaside 2 months ago and my only complaint was they were definitely understaffed. I could definitely tell they had crew serving drinks that had never been behind a bar before
Great video! We were on the same trip June 14….must’ve just missed you by a few sailings! I wanted to say you should really try the Seaview or Seaside-the first 2 MSC ships we sailed. Different and in many ways better in our view. And thru e definitely gotten less European-no multiple language announcements, food more American, show more American too but I liked seeing opera etc. MSC still offers something different though and we love it.
Royal and Celebrity loyalty match with each other
Thank you!!!
Trying her out in 2024.
I too am a loyal NCL… but they are pricing themselves out.
Prima had 5 star food but everything else I felt was too expensive for what they give now…
So we shall see
I'm going back on the meravigila this summer, I hope the entertainment was just as good as it was last year. I completely understand your comments on the shows you previewed, wasn't as good.
So glad you had a good experience on MSC, mine was not so good. Just returned last Sunday and I gota say not a fan. You were right about check in it was a mess, or should I say nightmare? same problem with the buffet 1st day, but we had the same problem with the buffet every day. we nicknamed it "the fight for food buffet. ALL rolls are HARD! not a soft roll to be found on the ship, fruit is not ripe except the bananas are turning black. They skimp on the watermelon it only came out 1 bowl an hour but the bacon is out in abundance. ALL juice is watered down (don't bother) hot cocoa also, dining room or buffet id does not mater . PIZZA was the best ever!! Ice cream by the pool was awesome. I ate off the kids menu most of the trip. I am allergic to garlic and mustard and most of the food is covered/cooked with one or the other of those. tried to get around it but no luck. I only asked for 2 things in my cabin 1) ice and 2) wash cloths. neither were easy to come by the entire cruise. dinning room breakfast 7:30 to 8:30 and lunch 12:00 to 1:00 we missed most of those as we enjoy sleeping in on vacation. Buffet on the island was stand in line for over 1 hour in heat to get food. You did not mention the library? or lack of one! 4 books and 2 puzzles yep that is it! We contributed our two puzzles and someone was going to leave there book so it doubled in size when we left! Not sure I could cruise with them again.
Sorry about those frustrations & bad trip! Which ship & itinerary were you on?
Ya'll are absolutely right about the pizza, second to none!! I was a diehard NCL fan (still cruise with them), but MSC is really stepping up to the plate. The ships are gorgeous and well laid out. I like that there is plenty of pools on their ships, never feels crowded at the pools. I can't speak on the food in the MDR's or buffet. The private island to me is what a island should be on vacation. Laid back, quiet and relaxing. The fact you stay there for an extended amount of time is a plus. I think MSC will get dialed in and be a cruise line folks will want to try. Once again, great video, keep up the good work!
Msc is cheaper then ncl so if u don't like fantastic food Mac is for you.
Also those Europeans let there kids hang out till 2am in adults only areas.
Also adult pools is a lie mim. Age is 16 that's not a adult.
@@jameskelly9243 I stay in the Yacht Club when I sail with MSC and the food there is awesome.
We’ve enjoyed MSC for several years. Recently the Buffett seems to serve the same food at dinner.
We will go again.
I am a long time NCL Haven cruiser. I loved the Meraviglia. I was in a balcony cabin and our steward was more attentive then any NCL steward has been. Re the shows it is individual taste I thought the shows were better than any NCL show that us nit a Broadway show which they are discontinuing The Houdini and Rock show in the Carosel Lounge were fantastic. I thought the food and service in the MDR was better than NCL haven since Covid. I did not like the MDR for lunch but breakfast and Dinner were great. I enjoyed the room service included in the fantastica experience. We tried the steak house and the Mexican and both were great. The absolute best was the gelato!!! Better than Italy. I loved Ocean Cay. The only issue was we rented a cabana and a large group decided they were going to join us. We had to hand staff ask them to move which they did but I think they should rope off an area around it. I enjoyed the casino and "earned" a balcony cruise which I booked for August and upgraded upgradedto the Yacht club for a fraction of the cost of the Haven. I cannot wait!!!.Our status match gave us diamond so was on board in 45 minutes
Did walk off and was in my car at 7:30 a.m. I really enjoy enjoy your videos . Thank you
Swarovski is just glass. They get way too much credit haha
Any chance you will go back to traveling the U.S. in your van? That is what got us hooked on you guys. We are not nor will we be cruising. So, all the cruise videos are not our jam. Didn’t know if we should hang on or move on. Thanks, God bless.
Bottom line, msc is really great the other cruise lines well Suck
RCCL and NCL are pretty bad too. Leaving and returning to the Brooklyn Pier is pretty good. Not a pool person. Not much of a show person, my late wife likes the shows. Many cruise lines are going for pubs now. Carnival has their own brewery onboard the ships. Leftovers from the day before? Pizza would have to go a long way to beat Princess. Carnival has good pizza too. Don't have pizza on Holland America. It tasted awful. Maybe it got better. Most people said the dining room food wasn't good. How is crowd control on MSC? On the ship how did you like your stateroom? Do they have a casino on board? Does it have a live craps table? The lighthouse show is different. How did you like MSC's enforcement of smoking policy? On one ship the dining room was so crowded I got the food then brought it back to our stateroom.
Meraviglia is a beautiful ship. On my cruise however, it took 4 hours to board despite our 11am boarding time (we got there at 10:30), there was only one 30 minute generic variety singing and dancing show each night and like 7 things to eat in the buffet for lunch or dinner. Sharp rocks at their private island, we weren’t allowed to bring our drinks into the theater, near the pool or the side of hot tubs, and the only other bit of entertainment was a show you had to pay for…but it was only $318 for me and my husband, with wifi, Easy Plus drink package, taxes and fees for our two nights. Have another 2 day cruise with them, cause I bought it before going on the Meraviglia and it was the same deal for only $218 this time…won’t be going back to MSC after this 2 day until they revamp their entertainment offerings and fix their embarkation process.
I think the important thing to note about msc is the value. Your cruise on MSC was likely cheaper than an equivalent cruise on royal especially if you factor in beverage packages. I'm diamond on royal and even considering the diamond benefits sometimes msc deals are hard to pass up.
Interested in knowing when you guys cruised? I was on 6/11-6/18 with a 10 am embarkation. From the time we entered the building to the time we stepped on the ship, it was maybe 40 minutes. And that was sitting for about 10 minutes till they called our group to board. We did a self express 7:30 debarkation and i would say from the time we left our room to the time we got to my car was probably 1 hour. I liked how they zig-zagged us through the ship. In Port Canaveral last August on RC they sent us outside in the heat which was brutal.
Very happy with the cruise overall. I just think they should concentrate on little things....soot coming out the smoke stack and ruining swimsuits/hats/towels etc. Have water more available for non drinkers (bartenders didnt seem they liked giving water). and lastly, need more free options to eat. Only having buffet and main dining room areas are not enough.
Love you guys!
Loved your review...you guys are lovely, great job
MSC is currently the best value in cruising in the U.S. We love both the Seaside and Meraviglia and thought the Seascape was nice. Already booked on the World America. Love RCL but expensive. Love the crew on Carnival. NCL is fairly expensive for what you get. Thermal suites on NCL and MSC are first rate.
This is the worst cruise line!!! Sailed on the same boat and we hated everything but the pizza and fresh mozzarella....rest of the food was gross and staff were rude and no communication at all throughout the entire cruise. We missed out on night at private island at night because they said waves were bad, but the weather was perfect. Just odd cruise line....I'll stick with royal caribean or even carnival.
We don't like msc because they are lax on smoking policy and a lot of Europeans smoke. If you have a problem or complaint they really don't care.
We went on the Meraviglia from Brooklyn in May. There were so many agents checking passengers in that there no line at all. The food to us were pretty good. While other cruise lines are getting back on food, MSC is stepping up their game. They not only have lobster night but it comes as surf and turf. We watched the sunset on Ocean Cay which was the most memorable experience we ever had during a cruise. We love our trip so much we already booked two more cruise on Meraviglia. BYW we are RCCL Diamond members.
Dont forget that MSC does a one time status match to other cruise lines. Youd be top tier for them if you status match your RCCL diamond level
We sailed the MERAVIGLIA out of Brooklyn about two weeks after you did, this was are third MSC cruise and i only experienced lines to embark and disembark like this in Brooklyn, the other two were out of Miami and they were both quick on and off. We like MSC and have enjoyed all our sailings with them. We ate in the dining room most of the nights and our table for two was like you said so so close to the table beside ours, we let them know we would like a little more privacy and they gave us a new table to suit us, no problem. Love MSC! Im looking forward to the World America and Europa ships.
We had sailed 3 cruises with MSC. Had a 4th booked when we were aboard the 3rd. Loved the ships and experiences on board.
2 months after booking the 4th, we looked at the itinerary to tell friends who were looking to book. MSC had changed EVERYTHING without notification. The ship, the ports and the dates. Thank goodness we hadn't booked our air yet. We had a cabin assignment prior and now had a guarantee. After a MONTH of trying to work with them, I finally gave up and canceled. They even tried to say that I was the one doing the changing.
While we loved the ships and experiences, the customer service was horrible. I don't think we will ever sail with them again.
Hi sailed the Divina,and the Seascape. I will be sailing on the Seaside in November. I love MSC and really don’t have any complaints. All the cruise lines are flawed, especially post COVID. I love the status match program and my sailing were either free (excluding fees and taxes) or TA rates
We're on the Meraviglia right now. It took us 90 minutes to get through security, check in and boarding. 😳 Love the decor, especially the Galleria area with the LED ceiling. Butcher's Cut was great, as was the Hola! Cantina and the Teppanyki. Buffet is so so. At least Carnival has theme nights so the menu changes somewhat. We have seen 3 shows in the theater and really enjoyed the performances. We stick to the adults only Horizon pool area on 16 aft because it's much quieter and no kids running around. Mainly use it for sun and hot tubs. Will probably give MSC another try but out of Florida.
We had problems with the crew,but this was 4 yrs ago. Don't know if I would try them again
Great video. I was on this ship in 2018 when it was in Europe. Love the ship. Food is hit and miss but entertainment was great when we were in Europe. We will be sailing on their newest ship, MSC World Europa that we can't wait. FYI, MISC World Europa has its own complementary restaurant that serves pizza and burgers all day. In my opinion, Royal Caribbean has the BEST shows. No one can beat them.
We totally enjoyed our MSC cruise last year and have another cruise planned for this fall . We have cruised with Carnival and RCl, but I believe we have found our niche with MSC.
Kudos for not parroting the usual negativity. I cruised MSC in the Med in the mid-90s when it was in its infancy, and even then I enjoyed the cruise.
You guys really have a way of communicating. I love the analogies, puppets on the strings, the furniture inner monologue on your thoughts. You really paint a picture perfectly. I subscribed even though I am not really looking for Cruise info
Haven’t cruised MSC. But the ship looks beautiful, the pool is huge. I have always heard bad things about the food, entertainment, and service. Love private Islands and MSC private Island looks beautiful. Would love to see the lighthouse show in person. Thanks for your review and information.
MSC has beautiful ships but
NCL has way better food….
100%
Meraviglia in February was by far our worst cruise.
Did Seaside first sailing out of US. Loved ship design and spa was best ever for me. Food was limited. Dining only open specific times and basically no snacks after 11pm. Hard for us because we like shows then casino, music or something and like a drink and snack before bed. Dinner was at 5pm? Also, didn't like that passengers in Yacht club? could basically highjack the elevator. They scanned a card and the elevator skipped your stop for their's.
I'm glad to see that things seem to be evolving. I would like to try them again and Mergavilla looks beautiful. Thanks for a more unbiased review show casing the good things. I agree the shows were very disappointing. Same format with different costumes and very short (25 min). MSC may become much more attractive since several cruise lines, like NCL which I really have liked, is eliminating their production shows. Why pay so much more for so much less than before? MSC is way more budget friendly.
I just got off Celebrity for 2 weeks and had heard how wonderful the food was, but it was very repetitive and highly underseasoned. Eve specialty dining which was very expensive wasn't fantastic and at $50+ that is not ok.
So MSC here I come!
I'm a solo traveler and I spent most of my time in the aft pool and the casino! Love the Maraviglia! 🤩
We sailed on the Meraviglia last February. Super cheap deal included drinks so it was well worth what I paid. Loved the lido and Ocean Cay but the food and entertainment were disappointing. Glad I tried it but probably won't cruise MSC again.
MSC "customer service" stinks! I had a booking with MSC which they subsequently cancelled, without explanation, and then refused to give me my money back! I'll never book with them again.
NCL fan here, best food on any cruise I have been on! Unfortunately, they are dumping their shows!
Have never cruised on MSC...and no plans to do so..Next 2 cruises are NCL Encore and Prima, then Holland America for 2 week cruise in Nov '24. Will be our 14th and 15th consecutive NCL and our 1st Holland America.
We sailed out of Brooklyn took close to 3 hours to get on the ship. Our room wasn't cleaned, pretty nasty. The ship is beautiful and the main pool is great but the food, entertainment, and service was so so at best. The buffet lines were stupid long with rude people cutting the lines constantly. People smoking on the balconies and the smell of pot everywhere. Our bathroom smelled like urine the whole cruise. We have cruised 10 times with NCL and Royal and decided to book this one because the price was great. Not sure if the low price was worth it. Coco Cay was beautiful. I don't think we would book again. I hate to leave a bad review, we did have fun but MSC is just not on par with the other lines.
embarkation and disembarkation issues seem to be an MSC issue. My sailing out of Port Caneveral took me 60 mins, but as the day went on it took people 3 hrs to get on. And at the end it took people over 3 hrs to disembark. Luckily, I missed that disaster by a few minutes because they let me use the Haven line to get off. Primarily because I was in a suite and I had priority disembarkation. But even at 7am the line was insane and looked like it would take over an hr. They also ran out of a LOT of things, even the Mexican restaurant - which was amazing on day one only had ingredients to make 2 dishes by day 2. Their logistics operation is just terrible. But I loved the food and entertainment.
The thing about MSC is pricing. It is so affordable compared to other cruises that I think the "lows" become more forgettable and the highs are valued more. You can cruise with MSC with a real all inclusive package on a balcony room, for the price of an interior room with no beverages on other lines like Carnival. This is why I think I always prefer MSC. I think I prefer to cruise more with a little less "luxury".
I will be going on my first MSC cruise in October 2023 and I am looking forward to it. Your insights on the Meraviglia and sharing your experiences with me and your followers have given me an idea of what to expect. As a fellow travel agent, I look forward to discovering what this cruise line is like. Thank you for all your hard work in making these videos and sharing them with us. I look forward to following your channel.
Mary
Expedia Cruises.
Glad it was helpful!
You’re going to love MSC. Avoid the buffet and the steerage, unless that’s your groove. Their main dining room and menu are beyond compare. If your table is curious and adventurous, suggest to your table, the whole menu….tapas style! You’ll taste the whole menu and not walk out bloated.
Cheers!
@@Worldtraveler-24 thank you so much. I'm not a big fan of buffets unless it's Mandarin Restaurant 😜. I never would have thought of "tapas" style dining with my table, that is a great idea. Thank you for your suggestions.
Thanks for sharing. 🎉
We enjoyed your video. We have just finished 2 months back to back cruises in Europe. (Divina, Euribia and Preziosa). We are looking forward to cruising on the Meraviglia soon. Our experience with MSC is very similar to yours. The food can be repetitive and very noticeable when going back to back. No one likes lines or searching for tables in the Market place so we try not to go during peak times to avoid the chaos. This rule applies to all ships. Nothing can compare to the value MSC is offering today and it makes up for some of the shortfalls. Thank you again for the insightful video. We are working on our travel channel and found yours super helpful.
I really like how each of the pool areas has a different feel/vibe to it. That way people who lean one-way or the other have options. I am surprised in 2023 MSC still doesn't understand what the people want for food. All they have to do is look at their competitors or do they feel being different is winning for them somehow?
Because it is standing up a completely different taste profile that they have to stand up, and then get the ships converted to support the new menu. And being an Italian company, things don’t happen quickly.
@@mowogo101 nah. whoever decides their menus needs to be fired lol. simple as that
I sailed on one MSC cruise, it was the Divina. I would have to say it was a mediocre to poor experience. I found the food to be poor quality, and the entertainment was lacking on board the vessel as well. I’ve been on many cruises in my lifetime with all the major cruise lines, but I tend to sail on princess or Norwegian, more than the others. Thanks for making this video. It has encouraged me to try MSC again at some point in the future and hopefully my next experience will be better than the one that I had onboard the Divina.
How were the rooms? Thanks for the vidio , might try them someday if the price is right
We’re NCL fans!!
I really liked the loyalty match idea which would make it better to try MSC.
Loyalty match is awesome but you didn't explain what perks you get!.
I went on an MSC cruise to Europe in December. It was the Grandiosa very reasonably priced and could some of the food been better, yes But overall, a great experience! I would highly recommend taking a cruise out of Rome to the Mediterranean. Great way to see a lot of different countries for not a lot of money and Grandiosa also was newer and is in the same class as the Meraviglia.
Nice extensive review on MSC..We have sailed MSC twice now, once on the Meraviglia and then most recently on the Seaside..We enjoyed both cruises a lot, really enjoyed Ocean Cay..Only real complaint we would have with MSC is that in booking they disregard your dining choice. Both times they stuck us in 2nd seating in the main dining room(8:30PM - who eats dinner at 8:30PM!?!?!), sorry, but sailing with a 4(now 5) year old, that's his bed time! On Seaside we were able to get it changed to 1st seating..
As far as your embarkation woes..I think it is a Meraviglia thing, because we had a sort of similar situation when we embarked her..Now, Seaside, we checked in through security and were on the ship in like 30 minutes!
This ships looks bland.
Definitely do the beach party next time, I went in February and it was one of the best times I had on the Mergivlia. Love this review, I had highs and lows on my MSC cruise, but would definitely cruise with them again .
You didn’t mention the drink service. That is what we were most disappointed with. What did you think? I’m talking quality of drinks and the service itself.
The furniture!! Did you see the question mark chairs? I say the decor was Joe Farcus on serious sedatives. And I mean that in a good way. It was probably the cleanest ship I’ve been on too.
If you go again get the Ossobuco on the night that it’s in the MDR. MY favorite cruise entree ever! Also, the pistachio dacquoise dessert in the MDR was my favorite cruise dessert ever. And the 🍕 yum
We cruised MSC Divina pre-covid and loved it. MSC Meraveglia was the last cruise ship to sail out of our port of Corner Brook NL in the fall of 2019. Watching her sail by our backyard, I said to my husband, we're going to cruise that ship next cruise. But, of course, we had to wait quite a long time for that to happen. We had it booked out of NYC for 2021 but MSC would not let Canadians cruise with them during this time for insurance reasons due to covid. We were refunded our money without choice.
We finally got to sail on her last Christmas out of PC. We waited in line for 2 hours ouside with only shorts and tshirt on. It was sooo cold. The ship was at full capacity. Same experience, the buffet was a madhouse pretty much all the time. The dining room was open for breafast for 1 hour and never open for lunch. We could not get not 1 reservation at the specialty dining restaurants. The pizza wasn't even good. We loved it on Divina but not here. The service at the bars was crap. It was non existent at the pub.
Having said all that, we are looking at booking her again for this Christmas out of Brooklyn. New York is a close port for us and I wouldn't mind giving it another try. I would now know to prebook specialty dining as soon as I book the cruise. Hopefully, we don't have to wait outside for 2 hours in New York in December, it will be a tad bit colder than any Florida port for sure.
And yes, the furnishings are very futuristic looking. We sat on the silver twirly chairs at the atrium bar. They're designed so you don't stay for long... lol :)
Very bad customer service
Went on the MSC Divina in 2019 in Europe, the ship was nice but something we did not enjoy was how at every stop was on where people got on to start their cruise. So there was always luggage in the hallways. Also one of my older family member fell and they were not very helpful in accommodating her. But going on the Meraviglia in 2 week and can’t wait.
We are Carnival Platinum Cruisers and we sailed MSC last March 2023 after our Spring break March Carnival Celebration Cruise. We actually enjoyed our 2 specialty restaurants very much and made great friends with the maitre D in the main dining room. We are sailing again MSC this Sunday on the new MSC Seascape and are excited to be sailing with them again ...we will see if our first experience was a fluke or a repeat of pleasures. We sail as a family of 4 (Wife, Myself and 2 teen daughters) and although they definitely do NOT match the food variety of the Vista Class or XL class ships (No One Does) the great kid camps, the great VR entertainment and bowling keeps my girls excited and most important occupied so us adults can also have a great time.
Pizza with no sauce is called White Pizza or Bianca. My go-to every time. It's MSC with boarding and disembarking. Spent 2 hours plus on our first MSC Divina cruise in 2014. Food is unimpressive. There is no presentation at all. Our last MSC cruise was on Seaside and I have a long laundry list of small things that added up to an annoying cruise experience. From having to park at a different terminal's parking lot to broken glass in the sand at Ocean Cay, to ordering a cappuccino 3, Yes 3 time, during dinner and never getting it!!
That’s because they can’t believe anyone would be cringe enough to order a cappuccino during dinner. Only a gauche American tourist would order a cappuccino after noon and even that’s a little late.
OMG. Thank goodness for variety. Again, Mediterranean...think Italian fashion. Who wants boring American stick chairs?
Funny how most feedback on cruise lines are predominantly negative. When things are good we don’t hear about it nearly as much. Knowing that, it’s always best to experience things for ourselves! Thanks for the balanced review! 🍺🚢
Hi guys. Thanks for the information on MSC. The one thing I loved on Ovation of the Seas was the guy that said WASHY WASHY every time you went into the buffet dining room. He was so funny. I am looking for another cruise soon for our 50th wedding anniversary. Don't know where yet. Will definitely be calling you to book.
Thanks for this review! We have a 14 day cruise booked on Seascape, going out of Miami, in December. Now, I'm less stressed about it 😅
We have cruises MSC about 4 different times and there ships just keep getting better. Our only dislike is that they make every announcement in like 8 different languages 1 right after another but we know there are people from all over the world that cruise
I love love love the idea of a longer or overnight private island stop - that could actually make me overlook many things - I will never be someone who eats to go to the beach at 9 am and I love sunset beach cocktails and even dinner!
We haven't had issues with embarking but haven't cruised from USA with MSC. We have loved our cruises with MSC, obviously not 100% perfect but no cruises are. Can't wait for our next cruise through Norway on MSC Euribia.