This is the first video of yours that I've seen - you guys are great! Down to earth, fair, reasonable - a balanced, rational review that makes sure everyone makes the most of their cruise. And I love your "glass-half-full attitude" - when things go wrong, or don't meet expectations you make a note of it but you don't let it spoil your trip. Well done guys - keep cruising and keep reviewing!
I booked a cruise on this ship before it’s maiden voyage for March of this year. Then the horrible reviews started pouring out of the woodwork. I started dreading my cruise because of what I was hearing but I went and had an amazing time. I rebooked on this same ship for next year. I had the room with a hot tub on the balcony which has an all inclusive package. My room was huge and can we talk about the chocolate shop on board, amazing and most of it was free with our package. 98% of my drinks were free and I loved the free gelato. The spa was amazing and we got one free massage apiece. The staff went above and beyond for us to insure we had a great time. People need to understand that this is an Italian cruise line, If you want an American experience go on an American cruise line. The ships design was my favorite thing. I can’t wait to go again.
We had the same experience and loved it so much we’re going back next May and have upgraded to Aurea(though not entirely sure what we get for that haha)
@@ZoliAkiApa Zoltan, the worst thing about a lot, not all Americans and what they expect is first of all they have been made to expect too much by the freeking cruise line companies, so a lot of them just basically act like human trash, and non american companies can be similar or sometimes worse the american but usually they are guided more by common sense when it comes to certain things and are less into producing spoiled human trash passengers which in the future will become even more needy and effed up in the brain. You also need to understand that a great majority of people going on a cruise , especially cheaper cruises and cruise lines , go there to eat as much as they can, that's the focus point of their trip, and they become angry if their snowflake asses stop producing tons of crap made out of their favorite trash food. You know the companies actually count on certain percentage of retards complaining and outright lying about things just to get a free cruise,free upgrade of some kind or free what ever, it goes to that extent that for example i saw a man grabbing a wine bottle on royal Caribbean and dropping it to the floor,not on purpose but he dropped it, everyone around saw it,waiter saw it, guests saw it,head waiter even saw it, and then the guy goes and says the waiter did it, in the end getting free wine package of some sort and both waiter, assistant and the headwaiter getting a POOR mark on their record. We felt so sorry for them, but hey, the customer is always right... Right? Later we heard all the horrible stories and things people do , sometimes just out of fun, not even for free stuff...The authors of this video are not like that but still , come on, water gun too strong, come on that's not the only pool, and there are tons of other things to do, and also, just move away from it, if they make it weaker someone is gonna go and complain it's not strong enough. Ice cream , i don't know maybe they haven't counted on as many people wanting it so often and they will make a change in the future... Towels then, is it such a big problem to bring the towel with you, or to feel even a bit of bad emotion because of the thing like that, can't you see how much it takes out of your joy while being there, not that you had to bring towels with you but that you felt bad about having to do it, i bet when the day comes and some cruise line starts carrying their passengers on their backs to the pool and back, some people that experience having to walk alone on their own legs up to the pool will be resenting it and complaining about it and asking the company to change it...And complaining about the food when you have 1000 choices every day and dozens of places you can eat at....Personally i do not believe customers come first in any company, employees should come first, then they will take care of the customers(this is the opinion of one of the worlds billionaires) , but almost all of the time it's not that way...Companies are literally producing retarded people and they are growing more retarded as time passes by...It's simply not normal nor is it fair for you to get exactly what you want at every moment nor is it possible because there are couple of thousand more people there with you and everyone wants different thing.
This was probably one of the most helpful videos on MSC that I have seen!! Thanks so much - - I will watch again before we go on the trip. We still have a bit to go.
Thanks for the info on the Seaside. Going on 1 Sep first time, but been twice on the Divina. I love the negative comments I've heard throughout the interwebs. Cruising is such a personal experience for each of us, that is, likes and dislike vary just like our taste. I remember hearing U.S. Americans on the Divina complain about minor things and I had to explain this was a European company and ship trying to learn in the American market. I personally like MSC and look forward to doing a Med cruise next year. Bravo MSC, Bravo! Again, thanks for your video and your positive delivery and attitude.
Awesome review! We are booked for July 2020 and cannot wait. We just got an interior room on deck 14... nothing crazy. We love to just explore the ship. THANK YOU for mentioning the importance of gratuities!!! These crew members get paid between 600 and 800 a month and they are nowhere near their families. We cannot wait to sail on MSC Seaside! This will be our first MSC voyage... we have done Princess and NCL in the past.
Hi guys enjoyed your review, thanks. Strongly considering going on this cruise line in May but very apprehensive. Would you cruise this line or ship again? And I've been on many Carnival, Norwegian and Royal cruises before and enjoyed sea days on lido deck. Do they have group activities like the others on lido deck?
I love your videos regarding the MSC Seaside because they're so thorough. I subscribed to your page and hit the notification button to receive more content. Thanks again for your honest reviews.
what my wife and i hated most was the very very very slow to no service in the main dinning room and the ship was packed 5000 passingers on july 4 week 2019 2 months later we took the Armonia fantastic food and fantastic service
We are going on our 3rd seaside cruise in March. How did you order your adult bracelets before cruise. Last year had to wait till second day in very long line.
Thank you so much for an awesome video on this cruise!! I am booking for my family (hubby and 2 teenage daughters) to celebrate with friends our kids graduating, so a senior trip. One of the things I nay have missed , so I am asking about........ as I have been researching, their has been comments about a bad smell on the ship????? any info on that?? Thanks again, you have truly eased my mind, I was frankly freaking out with all these other reviews.
A lot of ships do not allow you to open the balconies while cruising now. We were on the Divina last year and there was sanitizer every where. Always if you are a light sleeper book a cabin that is between 2 cabin floors.
I just subscribed and so glad I did. I really like the back and forth discussion and you give each other a chance to talk. I have been so on the fence for taking a MSC cruise and I think I will pass but appreciate your review.
Looking at bookings for December of 2020 out of Miami. Can’t find accurate pricing on the soda only package and WIFI. It was showing $29.00 daily or is that for 7 days? for adult soda and less for children?? I have completed 29 cruises on many different lines, two currently booked including Alaska in May 2020.
Thanks for putting this video together. The ship looks beautiful and it seems to have a more sophisticated vibe than other cruise lines. I think I was putting too much weight on particular cruiser's negative video (I think he is perhaps just a curmudgeon set in his ways). You two seem to be more reasonable reviewers and I'm glad this has been a positive experience for you. I'll be shopping for an MSC cruise in the future.
Question about the additions. Did anyone by chance purchase the Wi-Fi package? If so, did you need to purchase one for the famiy to use or a package per cabin?
The people who don't tip, or who remove gratuities, are going to do that no matter what. They are just stingy. I always tip extra, even extra extra for great service, but I find being preached at as if I were one of those cheapskates to be annoying.
Thank you so much for your review. My wife and I are from Scotland and we have booked on the MSC Seaside departing on the 7th September 2019 from Miami. We are novice cruisers having never cruised before and not 100% sure on what is included in our cruise and we want to make it the best experience ever. We have the all inclusive food and premium drinks package included and wondered if we should upgrade this as we have read reviews about drinks being minimal on this package? Also is all the entertainment included, i.e. theatres, cinema, pools as I noticed you need to buy an additional entertainment package, as well as WIFI seems to be an additional cost is this correct? Any info on our room would be gratefully received, balcony room number 15175.
Chairs scaping. I was on Norwegian Pearl and every night at 11PM the buffet staff would be dragging chairs all over the floor, and it was so loud jn our cabin on the deck below
Leland? Love the whole Leelanau Pennisula! Thanks the the info on the Seaside. The wife and I booked a balcony on the Seaside for this September for our first ever cruise.
QUESTION: This will only be our 2nd cruise...... We went on Royal Caribbean for our first, they had a formal night, people were dressed up and there was photo opportunities with the captain.... Do you recall MSC having any "formal" nights? Thanks- Shelly
Thanks for this video. I am nervous, so many mixed reviews on other websites. Did you encounter much rudeness like pushing and skipping lines by other guests? How long did you have to wait for your food for dinner? We read some reviews who said that they had to wait for about two hours every night before their food arrived to the table cold....did you have this experience? Are the pools 6+ft? Are there any pools for a non swimmer?
Hi Heather. Just wondering if we can buy drink like tequila or rum on some of the islands and bring it back on the ship, not to drink on the ship but to bring home?
Ciaran you can. Some have said MSC let’s you take it back to your room. Others shared that the ship holds it and you get it back when you disembark. But yes - feel free to buy. Just remember to save the weight in your suitcase. If you are close to the 50lb limit at the start of your trip and you plan to put it in your suitcase- keep that in mind.
Good morning! The wife & I are going on Allure next year. Its our first cruise so I don't trust myself to do the planning solo. We're in the west Michigan area, would you be willing to divulge the name of your travel agent? If not, I understand. GREAT VIDEOS by the way.
I was on Cruze after school ended..didn't like kids were bad. turning ice cream machine on and letting run all over floor. running around 2. 3 I the morning they should have been in rooms. 13 to 16 year old.
Jorge it is ages 3-6 and 7-11. There is a babies - 2 year old room available as well but I believe there was a cost associated with that room or the hours were slightly different.
No...they have the tables set for whatever number..the waiters are to take care of a certain number of people. They have it to where they like to serve everyone at the same time for each plate...i have been at dinner and the first person gets his plate and starts eating immediately...by the last person is served their salad they are just sitting there watching everyone eat...that is rude people. You wait till everyone is served then you start eating. The waiters pick up the dishes and then bring out the next. If they want to invite someone to their table it would be better if they went for the Free Style seating.. Oh...that tell you make sure where your xavin is...they say the best place is where you have cabins above you and below...then you don't have the crew setting up chairs etc. .thank you ...thank you for saying to tip these workers. They maje nothing...my daughter worked for Carnival...they work long hours...and deal with rude people. Carnival has a certain amont each group makes...so that will be their tip.
What are the costs of sodas and non alcoholic drinks and cocktails on the ship and on the pool bars??? Do you really recomend buying the all inclusive drinking package if you dont drink alcohol? Its 245 usd per person
Don't they have restaurants open for breakfast and lunch also? That menue on the lido deck seems to be the norm on all chips and cruise lines...we go to the dinning room for at least lunch and dinner so we dont have to eat hamburger or pizza.
I was onboard until I heard your comments about tipping. I don't appreciate being called stingy because I don't tip. And I don't really care that you feel strongly about it. Just curious, how much do you give to charity every year? Perhaps we could all be considered stingy in one way or another. "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
You guys had a great review! I appreciate you following up on the comments others have made. I agree with the food thing.. "when in rome." :-) I'm going on the MSC Seaside in 4 days. Super excited and I found your guys information to be very valid and helpful. My only suggestion on this video... like you seem a bit annoyed with your husband. He kind of making jokes, you're kind of ignoring them, rolling your eyes. It's kind of awkward for the viewer. I would suggest some more rat-a-tat-tat. But you almost seem like you have a cold too... so maybe you're just under the weather! You guys speak very clearly and I'd love to see more videos. Subscribed.
The Gratuities problem is based around the Cruise company not willing to pay employees more than $1 an hour with no overtime and then false advertising the price of their cruise. I think you should not play ball anymore. Make them pay a full wage or..... change the prices to reflect the actual cost of the cruise.
Thank you for your video and tips! We're going on a cruise starting september 22 til september 29 on the Msc Seaside and have a balcony cabin on the 14th floor. What dining Facility do you recomend to go have diner? And did you transfer on your own from the airport to te cruise terminal of do you recomend using a transfer service from MSC that they offer? Like people standing with a sign the says MSC if yes does it cost extra? also we did book an all in package that covers al of our bevereages, but can you say for example i want a bottle of water to take on an excursion or don't they allow that? We were also considering to take some cash money with us, can you pay cash on board? If so how much do you recomend we are taking with us? Greetings from Belgium!
bert peirelinck - hi!! I would recommend the mIn dining room for dinner unless you wanted to try the specialty restaurant which would be extra. We heard it was good but we didn’t experience it. :) We used Uber or Lyft transferring from the airport to the cruise terminal. The MSC transportation will be with a large group of people and more than likely on a bus. Not bad but if you don’t feel like waiting and a large group of people - I would recommend not using them. As far as water goes - I will have to check but I am thinking it was the deluxe package that included water. When you get off it is worth taking with you. The other thing you could do is take a water bottle and fill it before you get off the ship. We used our credit card on the ship to pay our bill and took money for cash tips that were above the daily gratuities. Any chain stores I would recommend using your credit card (in port) but if you are at a little shop / vendor you will need cash. :) probably 300 or so should be plenty:) hope that helps!!
Wow I have been on several cruises, this is the first time I have heard about pool towels being rationed. Every cruise I have been on they are handed out by the pool and even by the way out to the port if you are going to the beach. You can take two or three if you want. That is crazy.
did you guys find that people in general were (literally) more pushy/shoving than people on other cruise lines? Some have said that at buffets and such, people would sort of shove them aside, shove in front of them, etc.
Mindspring Yahoo we never experienced that. I would say anytime and any ship - if you go to the buffet at a busy time people will be hungry and everyone is trying to get their food and eat at the same time. :)
We are going in 2 days. I for the most part appreciate your informative video. Except much ado about ice cream. Not a deal breaker. Who cares if you can't get ice cream whenever you want.
My wife and I are going on our first cruise on the MSC Seaside and we are wondering if is worth getting the drink package with MSC Seaside. We normally drink during dinner time, maybe a couple of drinks each. Nothing crazy. We might have a drink during lunch time, so we are not sure. Also are the soft drinks included?
Edwin Rivera thanks for your comment! We drink about the same amount and have found it is more cost effective to just buy pet drink. Sodas are additional unfortunately. But lemonade and tea and fruit juice is available in buffet areas.
What about the Pools, they seem to made them too Deep 6ft. And I think MSC should cater to being a European Company. That way people wouldn't expect the American Experience. But MSC catered this ship to the US...
Fromthefuture I’ve heard that statement before in other places. I’m from England. At no point before, booking or during the cruise was I ever sold an “American” cruise liner. I would look at American tv and advertising to blame for that. This is a multinational, multicultural ship which caters for many many people and does it extremely well.
Fromthefuture Food was really good. There was a wide choice of food from fast food, Italian, traditional roasts, jerk chicken, salads and even a healthy eaters section in the buffet on deck 8. We also ate in the dining rooms and three speciality restaurants which were lovely. Breakfast choices were huge and very nice too
Fromthefuture like I said. The only people expecting an American experience are Americans. Did you here that from Jim Zim by any chance? The crap he’s peddling is annoying. I expected a cruise ship experience on an Italian ship. They cater a little bit for everyone. You don’t get Italians complaining that they have to listen to multiple announcements in different languages or Germans complaining they find out everything last. The whole “Americanised” rubbish is pure ignorance and selfish. The Caribbean isn’t American. It’s multicultural. Just because ships use the port facilities does not make it American. If I get a train from England to France I don’t expect croissants, garlic and champagne on the journey! The pools. I didn’t see the YC or Spa pools but there are three others. Two adult pools and one children’s jungle pool. The jungle pool is a good depth for children to play. The other two adult pools are 6.5’ deep. They are salt water pools. I am 5’6” tall and an average swimmer with below average fitness. I was able to float effortlessly in the pools and they were constantly busy. I didn’t have a problem with them. Jim Zim commented that they weren’t in use because of the depth. He went in winter and had gripes about other things. As far as I’m concerned the guy is cheesey, lacks integrity and is full of BS.
Phillios R I love Jim Zimm’s vidoes. He’s been on 44 cruises and he offers a lot of outstanding information presented in a very professional way. Just because it’s not your cup of tea doesn’t mean he lacks integrity. Shame on you.
Favorite cruise of all time-- French West Indies on Island Windjammers ship Sagitta (www.islandwindjammers.com). Maybe not a cruise for small children but THE BEST VACATION I have ever been on. Compare it to the big ships, just a better time.
You didn't tell us anything. Did the ship sink while you were on it? Did the captain come down from the bridge and slap you in the face? Were you put to work in the engine room? What about it was so bad?
Worst ship I’ve ever been on. By far. Dirty, terrible entertainment, poor quality food, the list is endless, but if you cruise a lot and know what a good cruise is you will be very disappointed with this ship.
umm...wtf...ummm sorry ummm...minute 2...gotta stop watching this ...ummmm........ummmm.....ummmmm...ummmm....got to check another ummmm...video...ummmm.!! she makes me crazy....please stop.....God.
It is hard to believe you travelled to foreign countries to eat food that made the same trip that you did...really lame American Perspective...I am American and have been on 61 cruises, never eat at the buffets, always pay extra for premium dining , did Carnival when I was poor....do not dig on Opera but can appreciate that on an Italian Cruise...it is part of the Italian culture...I never cruise ships with multiple language announcements(after 21 Costa Cruises, I did my Penance...basically your review exposes your uncultured lameness....
This is the first video of yours that I've seen - you guys are great! Down to earth, fair, reasonable - a balanced, rational review that makes sure everyone makes the most of their cruise. And I love your "glass-half-full attitude" - when things go wrong, or don't meet expectations you make a note of it but you don't let it spoil your trip. Well done guys - keep cruising and keep reviewing!
Hey, thanks for your kind remarks! Life’s too short. Cruise more! ;-)
I booked a cruise on this ship before it’s maiden voyage for March of this year. Then the horrible reviews started pouring out of the woodwork. I started dreading my cruise because of what I was hearing but I went and had an amazing time. I rebooked on this same ship for next year. I had the room with a hot tub on the balcony which has an all inclusive package. My room was huge and can we talk about the chocolate shop on board, amazing and most of it was free with our package. 98% of my drinks were free and I loved the free gelato. The spa was amazing and we got one free massage apiece. The staff went above and beyond for us to insure we had a great time. People need to understand that this is an Italian cruise line, If you want an American experience go on an American cruise line. The ships design was my favorite thing. I can’t wait to go again.
I saw your tip on the shower curtain. I have the same room type booked for July, will be trying it out!
We had the same experience and loved it so much we’re going back next May and have upgraded to Aurea(though not entirely sure what we get for that haha)
Hi Karen, how would you specify “Italian cruise line”? I mean what is the difference from an American?
Thx
Zoltan
@@ZoliAkiApa Zoltan, the worst thing about a lot, not all Americans and what they expect is first of all they have been made to expect too much by the freeking cruise line companies, so a lot of them just basically act like human trash, and non american companies can be similar or sometimes worse the american but usually they are guided more by common sense when it comes to certain things and are less into producing spoiled human trash passengers which in the future will become even more needy and effed up in the brain. You also need to understand that a great majority of people going on a cruise , especially cheaper cruises and cruise lines , go there to eat as much as they can, that's the focus point of their trip, and they become angry if their snowflake asses stop producing tons of crap made out of their favorite trash food. You know the companies actually count on certain percentage of retards complaining and outright lying about things just to get a free cruise,free upgrade of some kind or free what ever, it goes to that extent that for example i saw a man grabbing a wine bottle on royal Caribbean and dropping it to the floor,not on purpose but he dropped it, everyone around saw it,waiter saw it, guests saw it,head waiter even saw it, and then the guy goes and says the waiter did it, in the end getting free wine package of some sort and both waiter, assistant and the headwaiter getting a POOR mark on their record. We felt so sorry for them, but hey, the customer is always right... Right? Later we heard all the horrible stories and things people do , sometimes just out of fun, not even for free stuff...The authors of this video are not like that but still , come on, water gun too strong, come on that's not the only pool, and there are tons of other things to do, and also, just move away from it, if they make it weaker someone is gonna go and complain it's not strong enough. Ice cream , i don't know maybe they haven't counted on as many people wanting it so often and they will make a change in the future... Towels then, is it such a big problem to bring the towel with you, or to feel even a bit of bad emotion because of the thing like that, can't you see how much it takes out of your joy while being there, not that you had to bring towels with you but that you felt bad about having to do it, i bet when the day comes and some cruise line starts carrying their passengers on their backs to the pool and back, some people that experience having to walk alone on their own legs up to the pool will be resenting it and complaining about it and asking the company to change it...And complaining about the food when you have 1000 choices every day and dozens of places you can eat at....Personally i do not believe customers come first in any company, employees should come first, then they will take care of the customers(this is the opinion of one of the worlds billionaires) , but almost all of the time it's not that way...Companies are literally producing retarded people and they are growing more retarded as time passes by...It's simply not normal nor is it fair for you to get exactly what you want at every moment nor is it possible because there are couple of thousand more people there with you and everyone wants different thing.
Karen B glad u had a great time
We just got back from our MSC Seaside cruise and we absolutely loved it we were on Deck 15. We can't wait to go back. Thank you for the tips!
This was probably one of the most helpful videos on MSC that I have seen!! Thanks so much - - I will watch again before we go on the trip. We still have a bit to go.
Any updates did you go on or did the corona catch you guys?
Thanks for the info on the Seaside. Going on 1 Sep first time, but been twice on the Divina. I love the negative comments I've heard throughout the interwebs. Cruising is such a personal experience for each of us, that is, likes and dislike vary just like our taste. I remember hearing U.S. Americans on the Divina complain about minor things and I had to explain this was a European company and ship trying to learn in the American market. I personally like MSC and look forward to doing a Med cruise next year. Bravo MSC, Bravo! Again, thanks for your video and your positive delivery and attitude.
Excellent video guys. Thanks for taking the time to make it, some good tips there. Barry. England, UK.
Awesome review! We are booked for July 2020 and cannot wait. We just got an interior room on deck 14... nothing crazy. We love to just explore the ship. THANK YOU for mentioning the importance of gratuities!!! These crew members get paid between 600 and 800 a month and they are nowhere near their families. We cannot wait to sail on MSC Seaside! This will be our first MSC voyage... we have done Princess and NCL in the past.
Shower Curtain idea with strong magnets! Amazing Pro tip idea and will be using it!
excellent tips, thank you, will be traveling this June
Thank you 🙏🏻 helpful , first cruise since covid !
Hi guys enjoyed your review, thanks. Strongly considering going on this cruise line in May but very apprehensive. Would you cruise this line or ship again? And I've been on many Carnival, Norwegian and Royal cruises before and enjoyed sea days on lido deck. Do they have group activities like the others on lido deck?
I love your videos regarding the MSC Seaside because they're so thorough. I subscribed to your page and hit the notification button to receive more content. Thanks again for your honest reviews.
Nice video. I like that you encourage to keep reasonable expectations when cruising.
what my wife and i hated most was the very very very slow to no service in the main dinning room and the ship was packed 5000 passingers on july 4 week 2019 2 months later we took the Armonia fantastic food and fantastic service
Can you take an empty canister for filling with water? Or must it be a plastic bottle?
I like you guy’s review.. quick question have you two been on carnival? Which would you prefer?
Thank you thank you for all your tips. I am sailing solo on Seaside Sept 8, 2018
We are going on our 3rd seaside cruise in March. How did you order your adult bracelets before cruise. Last year had to wait till second day in very long line.
Thank you so much for an awesome video on this cruise!! I am booking for my family (hubby and 2 teenage daughters) to celebrate with friends our kids graduating, so a senior trip. One of the things I nay have missed , so I am asking about........ as I have been researching, their has been comments about a bad smell on the ship????? any info on that?? Thanks again, you have truly eased my mind, I was frankly freaking out with all these other reviews.
A lot of ships do not allow you to open the balconies while cruising now. We were on the Divina last year and there was sanitizer every where. Always if you are a light sleeper book a cabin that is between 2 cabin floors.
I just subscribed and so glad I did. I really like the back and forth discussion and you give each other a chance to talk. I have been so on the fence for taking a MSC cruise and I think I will pass but appreciate your review.
Looking at bookings for December of 2020 out of Miami. Can’t find accurate pricing on the soda only package and WIFI. It was showing $29.00 daily or is that for 7 days? for adult soda and less for children?? I have completed 29 cruises on many different lines, two currently booked including Alaska in May 2020.
I am also considering a Dec 2020 cruise with MSC Seaside. Thus my binge TH-cam videos regarding this ship. Nice to know I am not alone.
Thanks for putting this video together. The ship looks beautiful and it seems to have a more sophisticated vibe than other cruise lines. I think I was putting too much weight on particular cruiser's negative video (I think he is perhaps just a curmudgeon set in his ways). You two seem to be more reasonable reviewers and I'm glad this has been a positive experience for you. I'll be shopping for an MSC cruise in the future.
Do not go on this ship. It is dirty and just all around bad. Seriously you will hate it.
Tks to provided me some information about the Seaside. I,ve booked to dec next. From now on i’m really ecxiting for my honeymoom.
Question about the additions. Did anyone by chance purchase the Wi-Fi package? If so, did you need to purchase one for the famiy to use or a package per cabin?
Quick question on the Fun Pass for the Amusement park? Did you purchase? And what does it actually cover if purchased? Is it necessary? Thanks
The people who don't tip, or who remove gratuities, are going to do that no matter what. They are just stingy. I always tip extra, even extra extra for great service, but I find being preached at as if I were one of those cheapskates to be annoying.
Thank you so much for your review. My wife and I are from Scotland and we have booked on the MSC Seaside departing on the 7th September 2019 from Miami. We are novice cruisers having never cruised before and not 100% sure on what is included in our cruise and we want to make it the best experience ever. We have the all inclusive food and premium drinks package included and wondered if we should upgrade this as we have read reviews about drinks being minimal on this package? Also is all the entertainment included, i.e. theatres, cinema, pools as I noticed you need to buy an additional entertainment package, as well as WIFI seems to be an additional cost is this correct? Any info on our room would be gratefully received, balcony room number 15175.
Martin my wife and I are taking the same cruise. It will be interesting to mix with those from other countries. Our cabin is 11088.
So guys, DIDJA MEET UP?!?
Excellent review! Thank you for sharing.
Chairs scaping. I was on Norwegian Pearl and every night at 11PM the buffet staff would be dragging chairs all over the floor, and it was so loud jn our cabin on the deck below
Leland? Love the whole Leelanau Pennisula! Thanks the the info on the Seaside. The wife and I booked a balcony on the Seaside for this September for our first ever cruise.
Okay so do you prefer royal Caribbean or Msc seaside?
Which Royal Caribbean ship?
Emma Lundgren I’ve been on both and we loved MSC!
QUESTION: This will only be our 2nd cruise...... We went on Royal Caribbean for our first, they had a formal night, people were dressed up and there was photo opportunities with the captain.... Do you recall MSC having any "formal" nights?
Thanks- Shelly
Shelly O'Dell they will have 2 formal nights and there were picture opportunities and I have seen photos with the captain!! Have fun!
Shelly- they do have formal nights however we chose not to attend.
Thanks for this video. I am nervous, so many mixed reviews on other websites. Did you encounter much rudeness like pushing and skipping lines by other guests? How long did you have to wait for your food for dinner? We read some reviews who said that they had to wait for about two hours every night before their food arrived to the table cold....did you have this experience? Are the pools 6+ft? Are there any pools for a non swimmer?
We had every negative you listed here and many more. Carnival is pretty low end, this is a lot worse.
never waited for food
We bought one of those large mesh laundry bags and we just hang it inside the closet! So much easier when traveling!
Hi Heather.
Just wondering if we can buy drink like tequila or rum on some of the islands and bring it back on the ship, not to drink on the ship but to bring home?
Ciaran you can. Some have said MSC let’s you take it back to your room. Others shared that the ship holds it and you get it back when you disembark. But yes - feel free to buy. Just remember to save the weight in your suitcase. If you are close to the 50lb limit at the start of your trip and you plan to put it in your suitcase- keep that in mind.
yes you can buy liquor and cigarettes. lot cheaper
Is it true that shorts are not allowed in public areas at night time??
They say that but it's never enforced
Thank you so much what a great job
I love your review...very fair and balanced.
Love the Michigan sweatshirts!
Thanks for all the information which has been very helpful.
Good morning!
The wife & I are going on Allure next year. Its our first cruise so I don't trust myself to do the planning solo. We're in the west Michigan area, would you be willing to divulge the name of your travel agent? If not, I understand.
GREAT VIDEOS by the way.
Darnell Tabor You should check out TH-cam vids from Mr. Traveler. He’s a cruise expert. He is originally from Chicago and now lives in Florida.
I was on Cruze after school ended..didn't like kids were bad. turning ice cream machine on and letting run all over floor. running around 2. 3 I the morning they should have been in rooms. 13 to 16 year old.
Love the channel guys! Great editing!
Hi, how is the kids club? I have 6 year old and a 2 year old. I'm trying to get a review on that.
Jorge it is ages 3-6 and 7-11. There is a babies - 2 year old room available as well but I believe there was a cost associated with that room or the hours were slightly different.
Awesome. Tha is for the info. Looking forward to November cruise. Hopefully is not cold out there.
No...they have the tables set for whatever number..the waiters are to take care of a certain number of people. They have it to where they like to serve everyone at the same time for each plate...i have been at dinner and the first person gets his plate and starts eating immediately...by the last person is served their salad they are just sitting there watching everyone eat...that is rude people. You wait till everyone is served then you start eating. The waiters pick up the dishes and then bring out the next. If they want to invite someone to their table it would be better if they went for the Free Style seating..
Oh...that tell you make sure where your xavin is...they say the best place is where you have cabins above you and below...then you don't have the crew setting up chairs etc. .thank you ...thank you for saying to tip these workers. They maje nothing...my daughter worked for Carnival...they work long hours...and deal with rude people.
Carnival has a certain amont each group makes...so that will be their tip.
What are the costs of sodas and non alcoholic drinks and cocktails on the ship and on the pool bars??? Do you really recomend buying the all inclusive drinking package if you dont drink alcohol? Its 245 usd per person
if you are talking about soft drinks you can take a 12 per person keep in fridge in room
Don't they have restaurants open for breakfast and lunch also? That menue on the lido deck seems to be the norm on all chips and cruise lines...we go to the dinning room for at least lunch and dinner so we dont have to eat hamburger or pizza.
Thanks for the video, my wife and I are booked for next year :)
my wife and i were on this ship july 4 week a fantastic cruise and ship this was my 19 cruise and 2 weeks ago we were on the Armonia also fantastic
20 days before your cruise you can connect your credit card on your phone from home. skip the line.
Thanks for the info. Does the MSC Seaside offer lunch in the main dining room?
Tyiesha Ford Only on sea days if I remember correctly. Not at ports.
I was onboard until I heard your comments about tipping. I don't appreciate being called stingy because I don't tip. And I don't really care that you feel strongly about it. Just curious, how much do you give to charity every year? Perhaps we could all be considered stingy in one way or another. "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
very well detailed
We never waited but a few minutes for the soft serve ice cream. We loved MSC Seaside as much as Disney and Princess.
Jamie Dodge - you are so lucky. :) we always had to wait!! :)
I assume there was no Starbucks on board . That is a plus.
Thanks!!
base fare, excursion prices, skip line museum tickets, destinations. comfort we will give up for affordable price same for entertainment skip
I have the seaside booked .....i was on the divina and love it.....and booked one for 2019......would you go again ????for me I would
Richard Deason we would go again. In fact, we rebooked our next cruise already!!
You guys had a great review! I appreciate you following up on the comments others have made. I agree with the food thing.. "when in rome." :-) I'm going on the MSC Seaside in 4 days. Super excited and I found your guys information to be very valid and helpful. My only suggestion on this video... like you seem a bit annoyed with your husband. He kind of making jokes, you're kind of ignoring them, rolling your eyes. It's kind of awkward for the viewer. I would suggest some more rat-a-tat-tat. But you almost seem like you have a cold too... so maybe you're just under the weather! You guys speak very clearly and I'd love to see more videos. Subscribed.
Agreed re gratuities. They work really hard and deserve it.
The Gratuities problem is based around the Cruise company not willing to pay employees more than $1 an hour with no overtime and then false advertising the price of their cruise. I think you should not play ball anymore. Make them pay a full wage or..... change the prices to reflect the actual cost of the cruise.
Thank you for your video and tips! We're going on a cruise starting september 22 til september 29 on the Msc Seaside and have a balcony cabin on the 14th floor. What dining Facility do you recomend to go have diner? And did you transfer on your own from the airport to te cruise terminal of do you recomend using a transfer service from MSC that they offer? Like people standing with a sign the says MSC if yes does it cost extra? also we did book an all in package that covers al of our bevereages, but can you say for example i want a bottle of water to take on an excursion or don't they allow that? We were also considering to take some cash money with us, can you pay cash on board? If so how much do you recomend we are taking with us? Greetings from Belgium!
bert peirelinck - hi!! I would recommend the mIn dining room for dinner unless you wanted to try the specialty restaurant which would be extra. We heard it was good but we didn’t experience it. :) We used Uber or Lyft transferring from the airport to the cruise terminal. The MSC transportation will be with a large group of people and more than likely on a bus. Not bad but if you don’t feel like waiting and a large group of people - I would recommend not using them. As far as water goes - I will have to check but I am thinking it was the deluxe package that included water. When you get off it is worth taking with you. The other thing you could do is take a water bottle and fill it before you get off the ship. We used our credit card on the ship to pay our bill and took money for cash tips that were above the daily gratuities. Any chain stores I would recommend using your credit card (in port) but if you are at a little shop / vendor you will need cash. :) probably 300 or so should be plenty:) hope that helps!!
use credit card on ship they add up all week then charge you. take cash if you get off boat. shpping eat lunch off boat bought some stuff for children
@@HeatherLovesCruising we ordered a 12 pack when we booked. it was in fridge when we got there
Wow I have been on several cruises, this is the first time I have heard about pool towels being rationed. Every cruise I have been on they are handed out by the pool and even by the way out to the port if you are going to the beach. You can take two or three if you want. That is crazy.
How did you guys hang swimming suits to dry? Do you recommend bringing a clothes line to hang in the shower?
did you guys find that people in general were (literally) more pushy/shoving than people on other cruise lines? Some have said that at buffets and such, people would sort of shove them aside, shove in front of them, etc.
Mindspring Yahoo we never experienced that. I would say anytime and any ship - if you go to the buffet at a busy time people will be hungry and everyone is trying to get their food and eat at the same time. :)
We are going in 2 days. I for the most part appreciate your informative video. Except much ado about ice cream. Not a deal breaker. Who cares if you can't get ice cream whenever you want.
My wife and I are going on our first cruise on the MSC Seaside and we are wondering if is worth getting the drink package with MSC Seaside. We normally drink during dinner time, maybe a couple of drinks each. Nothing crazy. We might have a drink during lunch time, so we are not sure. Also are the soft drinks included?
Edwin Rivera thanks for your comment! We drink about the same amount and have found it is more cost effective to just buy pet drink. Sodas are additional unfortunately. But lemonade and tea and fruit juice is available in buffet areas.
I keep hearing this not enough food. But it's because we are accustomed to over eating. IMO
Guys loved the video, are you guys travel agents too?
D&R Travel LLC nope, but we have a great one we LOVE working with!
thank you
You are welcome!!
We'd do the Yacht Club & avoid the masses.
What about the Pools, they seem to made them too Deep 6ft. And I think MSC should cater to being a European Company. That way people wouldn't expect the American Experience. But MSC catered this ship to the US...
Fromthefuture I’ve heard that statement before in other places. I’m from England. At no point before, booking or during the cruise was I ever sold an “American” cruise liner. I would look at American tv and advertising to blame for that. This is a multinational, multicultural ship which caters for many many people and does it extremely well.
Phillios R , How was the food. I have seen many reviews saying it did cater to American taste and no variety ?
Fromthefuture Food was really good. There was a wide choice of food from fast food, Italian, traditional roasts, jerk chicken, salads and even a healthy eaters section in the buffet on deck 8. We also ate in the dining rooms and three speciality restaurants which were lovely. Breakfast choices were huge and very nice too
Fromthefuture like I said. The only people expecting an American experience are Americans. Did you here that from Jim Zim by any chance? The crap he’s peddling is annoying. I expected a cruise ship experience on an Italian ship. They cater a little bit for everyone. You don’t get Italians complaining that they have to listen to multiple announcements in different languages or Germans complaining they find out everything last. The whole “Americanised” rubbish is pure ignorance and selfish.
The Caribbean isn’t American. It’s multicultural. Just because ships use the port facilities does not make it American. If I get a train from England to France I don’t expect croissants, garlic and champagne on the journey!
The pools. I didn’t see the YC or Spa pools but there are three others. Two adult pools and one children’s jungle pool. The jungle pool is a good depth for children to play. The other two adult pools are 6.5’ deep. They are salt water pools. I am 5’6” tall and an average swimmer with below average fitness. I was able to float effortlessly in the pools and they were constantly busy. I didn’t have a problem with them. Jim Zim commented that they weren’t in use because of the depth. He went in winter and had gripes about other things. As far as I’m concerned the guy is cheesey, lacks integrity and is full of BS.
Phillios R I love Jim Zimm’s vidoes. He’s been on 44 cruises and he offers a lot of outstanding information presented in a very professional way. Just because it’s not your cup of tea doesn’t mean he lacks integrity. Shame on you.
Favorite cruise of all time-- French West Indies on Island Windjammers ship Sagitta (www.islandwindjammers.com). Maybe not a cruise for small children but THE BEST VACATION I have ever been on. Compare it to the big ships, just a better time.
Umm....very informative. Thx
My experience was horrible! Everything when wrong! I spend lots of time trying to get everything straight. Not fun, never again.
You didn't tell us anything. Did the ship sink while you were on it? Did the captain come down from the bridge and slap you in the face? Were you put to work in the engine room? What about it was so bad?
I dont know if I want to go on this ship cause 20 min. Into this video.....all negative. Smh
Worst ship I’ve ever been on. By far. Dirty, terrible entertainment, poor quality food, the list is endless, but if you cruise a lot and know what a good cruise is you will be very disappointed with this ship.
Tell that woman to stop yapping and interrupting
umm...wtf...ummm sorry ummm...minute 2...gotta stop watching this ...ummmm........ummmm.....ummmmm...ummmm....got to check another ummmm...video...ummmm.!! she makes me crazy....please stop.....God.
It is hard to believe you travelled to foreign countries to eat food that made the same trip that you did...really lame American Perspective...I am American and have been on 61 cruises, never eat at the buffets, always pay extra for premium dining , did Carnival when I was poor....do not dig on Opera but can appreciate that on an Italian Cruise...it is part of the Italian culture...I never cruise ships with multiple language announcements(after 21 Costa Cruises, I did my Penance...basically your review exposes your uncultured lameness....