MSC Cruises: Never again? Our HONEST review for one of the most CRITICIZED cruise lines!
Reviews for MSC Cruises are shocking! Passengers are complaining of just about everything from the food, to the service, and comments that the ships are packed, and nothing more than noisy booze cruises.
Is this criticism fair? We decided to test out the MSC product, and went for 14 nights aboard... and are back to give our honest, fair and balanced report, and whether the criticisms are valid or not.
Amongst their top sellers are the World Europa, Meraviglia and the Virtuosa. Together they are amongst the most rowdy, party ships at sea.
Is it just numbers over quality for the company?
We cover the MSC cruise experience from top to bottom, and answer your questions, so you can decide if it would suit you or not, and whether you should be booking a ticket.
This is a full, ultimate ships tour, review and summary
This is the ship seen on the Channel 5 TV show 'The Good Ship Murder'
MSC Virtuosa Party
MSC Seascape
MSC Seaview
MSC Seashore
We cover:
Embarkation
The look and style of a typical MSC Ship
The Market Place buffet
Main Dining Rooms
The theatre and shows
Sky Lounge
Bars and Cafes
Virtuosa Lounge
Butchers Cut
Indochine
Kaito Sushi & teppanyaki
Hola Tacos Mexican
Robot Bar
Master of the Seas
Bowling Alley
Swimming pools
Horizon Bar
Jacuzzis
Activities aboard
kids club
Yacht Club
Entertainment
Yacht club
MSC Yacht Club Experience
MSC Cruise ship tour
Cruise tips
Cruise news
In addition to this video, we have several videos covering Cunard Cruises. You can watch these videos :
The complete Guide and ships tour to the Cunard Queen Mary 2:
• CUNARD Queen Mary 2 in...
Which Cunard Cabin to choose:
• Cunard: Choosing the P...
What is a Cunard buffet like:
• Cunard Queen Mary 2 .....
Queen Mary 2- The Coronation Cruise:
• What's it REALLY like ...
The Quirky side of Queen Mary 2:
• Video
QM2: A virtual Walk around:
• Video
MSC sails around the world including the Caribbean, North America, and the Mediterranean
MSC Seascape
MSC Bellisima
MSC Grandiosa
MSC World Europa
MSC Opera
MSC Seaside
MSC Fantasia
MSC Seaview
MSC Euribia
Cruise ship tour
cabins
balconies
inside
oceanview
casino
resort
cruisetips
cruisingtips
Hi, welcome to Ritzy Travel Guide, my name is Bill, we are here bringing you our latest travel reviews from around the globe! We'll be travelling right around the world on cruise ships, all inclusive resorts, tropical destinations... and the deals of the day.
In this video :
00:00 - Are MSC just rowdy party ships?
01:03 - The MSC Image
03:20 - The Look and feel of MSC ships
06:05 - Poolside
09:11 - Main Dining Rooms
14:09 - Entertainment
17:46 - Family Activities
20:43 - The Buffet
24:40 - The Sky Bar
25:38 - Disembarkation
30:17 - The Good Points
32:31 - Summary & Conclusion
36:29 - Coming soon
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Email : ritzytravelguide@gmail.com
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ABOUT ME:
Hi, my name is Bill! Together with my family we have lived in 5 countries around the world, and spend our life travelling, in both a professional and recreational capacity. The aim of this channel is to give an honest, practical viewpoint, showing exactly what we found, and what tips we may be able to offer. We do not sell vacations, and the objective is to give a fully independent, and real picture. We hope you enjoy the reviews we post. Please do feel free to comment and share. Thanks!
If you enjoyed this video, please do leave a comment in the box! By the way you can watch our latest video on the best Celebrity ship here here: kzhead.info/sun/p7acc92CaZGfiZs/bejne.html
I’ve been there before
Absolutely one of the best reviews on a cruise ship online. Very thorough and real! I appreciate the professionalism and hope you review more ships in the same way! Keep up the great work!
Very kind of you to say, many thanks indees! We have several other reviews on our channel, and more coming all the time!
Absolutely. You actually provided real footage of the ship and capacity everywhere.
I was booked on an MSC crusie and read so many reviews that were negative but the cruise was fantastic! Lots of things said in the reviews were untrue. Im doing another in Dec on MSC.
Hi, many thanks for your comment. Indeed, that's what makes the world such a fascinating place .... we all see things from contrasting angles. MSC does get repeat customers, so for some, they are going it right! Have a great cruise in December. I guess it will be in the Caribbean at that time of year?
@@ritzytravelguide It’s in Europe lol. Dec 22 to 29 so xams time touching France Netherlands Belgium and Germany. I don't mind the chilly weather ! But MSC it is.
Have a great cruise, December is always a nice festive time to be aboard!
I’ve never had a bad experience on MSC
I did 2 back to back over the summer, my first time with msc, one on this very ship from Southampton and another out of Venice to the Greek isles, I usually go with American cruise ships, but decided to give MSC a try, his review is spot on, my 19th cruise and have never experienced anything like this in my 20 years of cruising, and it's in a negative way...but I must agree their prices is unmatched, but it doesn't deter me, I make the best of everything because I love to cruise
Remember.... When the buffet is crowded, the food is replaced constantly, and is FRESH.
The queues are shocking, really poor quality food.
MSC food is horrendous!
@@tessasweet5792 the buffet better then most normal 4 class hotel.. the dinner is very high quality..
À@@tessasweet5792
@@Arvidje I stand by what I say that food was HORRENDOUS!!! It's really too bad because the ship I was on was absolutely beautiful. My suite was absolutely beautiful... But between the too many children and the horrendous food ...both at dinner and lunch... I will never ever go on an MSC Cruise again. They would have to give it to Me for free in order for Me to ever sail any of their cruises again. I've never had such bad food in My life. It was so bad that We had to buy all of our food when we were off the ship 🌹..SO BAD.SO SAD! 🌹
I like very much your cruise videos (the first I saw was the one about QM2, so good that I subscribed to your channel at that very moment I finished the video). Great great narration (your diction is impeccable, the humor is perfectly subtle, the pace in the narration keeps us interested in the content), very good takes, very very valuable information, good arrangement of the sections of the video, great music at the background , and good editing. Can I make a suggestion? When you talk about prices or interesting numbers, it could be a good idea to display that briefly (2-3 secs.) on the screen. Thumbs up and please keep going on this very good work! 👍
Hi there, thank you so much for your kind compliments on the videos. Very gratifying to read! Noted on the display time for numbers on the screen.... I will keep them up for longer, in future editions!!
We have just come off the subsequent cruise to yours on the virtuosa and whilst your review is fair I think there are a few things worth pointing out. This is our fourth cruise and first using MSC (others being p&o, Norwegian and royal Caribbean). All have been in the Med and in the school summer holidays. That is my first point - they have all been extremely busy on sea days and it has been difficult to find sun beds on all. If you are clever about it then it works fine. In sea days we found indoor activities to do in the morning/early afternoon such as talks by Eddie the Eagle, cake decorating classes and then went to the pool about 3pm when poolside beds were becoming available (still hot and plenty of time to enjoy it). On port days we went to the pool first - very easy to get sunbeds and swim splash free before heading onto land in the afternoon. Apart from p&o they have all been quite loud ‘party ships’ so MSC was not a surprise although I agree there are fewer quiet places than on other ships. Part of this is because they are in the yacht club. By having this paywall it does push the majority of people into less space. Also there are fewer attractions than royal Caribbean so the main option is the pool area. No problem with the food - all good but possibly less menu choice than others. We were really impressed that there were 3 show times and 3 meal times which corresponded. Booking shows on the app was really easy and made for very smooth evening arrangements. Finally our disembarkation was really smooth - no queuing at all and got off ship before our allocated time. I think our embarkation suffered due to your slow disembarkation (we were told the uk immigration were to blame). I wouldn’t be put off by msc so long as you know what to expect. It is cheaper for a reason. If you have the luxury of a bigger budget and don’t need to go in school holidays then choose something else. For us the other option for the same price was a cheap all inclusive in Tenerife and this was a much better option which we don’t regret taking at all.
Many thanks indeed for your detailed response. Well done on your daily planning to get the best out of the ship. Agreed concerning the App. It worked well and was efficient. I would have liked to attend a talk by Eddie the Eagle!
MSC is such a different experience when you go out of season. Went on Virtuosa in Feb and did not queue for anything. We had a fabulous time. Staff were so friendly, and agree the food in the MDR was lovely.
Agreed, the staff are fabulous. They always had a smile on their face 🙂
How many where on board?
For our sailing 6000
@@garyatkinson5699 ours only had 3600 so big difference to school holidays when there could be 6000 and more.
@@themoulaphokou7956 I think it also depends on the size of the ship. I sailed on Fantasia earlier this year and we had close to 3900 people on board, was still crowded in the outdoor pool area but nowhere else in the ship did it feel crowded other than the outdoor pool.
My wife and I just got back from a cruise on the MSC Seaside to the Bahamas and I will say, the staff was very friendly, the food was good and while some areas were crowded or loud, there was always somewhere quiet and peaceful to sit and relax and the on-board shows were entertaining. We saw their comedian and the star walker show. A few down sides are that the wifi was terrible, the packages we ordered to our room were not delivered so we had to visit guest services four times to sort it out. All in all, we had a good time though and would do it again.
Hi, sounds like you had a great time! I agree the food on MSC is one of their selling points, particularly given their price point. Better than some of the more expensive lines!
May be different in the Mediterranean
Sounds very different from my experience in 2018 on the Seaside out of Miami. Food and entertainment were the worst of any previous cruise ( Royal, Celebrity, Princess and Norwegian).
Thank you for that video. We joined MSC three times during spring, autumn and winter, and we enjoyed it very much. It was not crowded at all, and I think that's the point. So, choose a different time of the year, and you will enjoy it, too.
Hi, many thanks for your comments. That is great to hear. Next year, if we find an interesting itinerary, on the right ship, at the right time... we may give MSC another go. It's only fair to give them another chance, and see
You get what you pay for !!!!! 1. Boring, nothing to do 2. Cold , bad, bland, samey food 3. Hidden fees everywhere 4. Bad staff, rude, yelling, ignorant 5. Crowded, no seats, long lines 6. Dirty, dangerous, ripoff cruise
@user-lj4iv8tf9i Hi George, which MSC ship was this? Was it sailing from the States or Europe?
@@ritzytravelguide Florida, we paid about $1000 more on RC and it was 10x better...on all levels. Like McDonald's to PFchang
Excellent video! Comprehensive, even-handed, and revealing.
Thanks indeed, comments much appreciated!
We got off Saturday, it was crowded however didn’t have any issues really. We’ve done 26 cruises and 1st in school holidays. The staff like you mention are a credit along with food to what was good. This is the busiest cruise we have done but loved it.
So glad to hear you didn't have the same disembarkation problems, and that you had a great time!
thank you for this very honest review. normally the vids I watch on KZhead don't show the "other side" and you did that exceptionally.
Hi, thank you so much, really appreciate that!
Really enjoyed your video. We've just come back of a Med cruise on the Vurtuosa, had a great time. I definitely agree on some of your points, getting a bed by the pool was an issue if you weren't up early (7.30ish). We always found a table in the buffet although it was busy, on previous RCL cruises we have struggled. Disembarkation...this on our cruise was a very different experience though. We were given our meeting time and point, 8.50 in the theatre. We waited just 5 mins and were then then led straight off the ship. I could see a lot of people in your queue, I wonder why it was such a different experience. 🤔
Thanks so much for your comments, lovely to hear from others who have been on the same ship. I wish our disembarkation had been like yours!
Excellent video, we’re off on the Virtuosa on the 30th September for 15th nights. We naively thought the ship wouldn’t be full in October - it’s just sold out apart for a few Aurora & Yacht club cabins! Ah well we’ll have to come up with strategies to try and avoid the worst of the crowds. We’ve just bid an upgrade to the Yaught club internal room but after watching your video I think I might increase my bid, although none of these cabins are available so success is unlikely. Also thinking of bidding on a superior Aurora cabin with flex dining, spa, breakfast in your cabin, seperate sun deck. All 4 of your videos have been very informative, look forward to viewing the other’s.
I like your strategy concerning the Yacht Club! We also took a good look at the Aurora, whilst on board. They have a nice deck area, with segrated loungers. That could well be a good choice. Hope your cruise goes well, and good luck with your bids!
Thanks@@ritzytravelguide - If we’re unsuccessful with our bids I think we’ll be spending a lot of time on our balcony during the day & probably heading to the sky lounge in the evening - other cruisers have recommended the L’atelier bar for a more chilled evening. Looking forward to your other videos, hope you release a survivors guide to being on the Virtuosa - top tip about going to breakfast early! Thanks Phil.
Survivors Video Guide to the Virtuosa is indeed in the works! Should be ready in the next week, together with the Speciality Dining video. Breakfast in the Main Dining Rooms is excellent. Almost nobody goes, and it's nice and relaxed
We've sailed with MSC twice. Both on Meraviglia, both in Med and both in the height of summer. The first was Aurea class and the second YC. On both occasions whilst very busy it never felt over full...The ship was very much like others on non sea days being quite empty and easy to get sun beds etc. On any day in the evening we found the bars quite empty. I suspect some of that may be to do with the international audience (lots of Italians and Spanish) and the fact they tend to dine later etc. compared to the UK. Food has never been an issue for us on MSC. Certainly bar service in the main ship was a challenge on occasion on the second trip simply because it was very full. Clearly our experience on YC was completely different and the service was as good as we've had anywhere. If we could afford YC every time then we would do it.
Hi, thanks very much for your comments and observations. The Yacht Club experience is very different. Outside of it, MSC cruises have a very different feel and character
Of the people I know that have cruised on MSC they universally disliked their experience. You are spot on about their target market. I'll stick with RCCL.
Excellent review - always interesting how cruise experiences very even on the same ship. We've been on the Virtuosa twice and had 2 quite different (but not horrible) experiences - 2 of us (in our 50s) travelled to the fjords in June last year and 4 of us (us plus our 2 grown-up daughters) on a long weekend to Rotterdam. 100% agree that the way the ship is designed means that there are insufficient quieter spaces/lounges to get away from the main hub. During the day it is much calmer around the ship (away from the pools) - that main promenade is quite quiet - particularly on port days we found. I wouldn't travel on MSC during school holidays - that's when the ship will be at 100% capacity. Yes - buffet is always busy but - as you say - just go to the far end and you will usually find seating - people just can't be bothered to walk far sometimes. We found the main dining room food to be OK but that's it. Sorry you had such a nightmare disembarkation - makes me wonder if there were immigration or customs issues as we had very smooth and quick disembarkations on both of our cruises - with everyone seemingly sticking to there time slots. It's a very pretty ship with lots for everyone but I'd be careful about dates and itinerary :-)
Hi Peter, many thanks indeed for your detailed and considered comments. Yes, absolutely the dates you cruise can be critical. By and large I think the MSC product has various points to commend it. Unfortunately, anyone who travels peak, as you mentioned, is unlikely to see this aspect. If only MSC cut 25% of the passenger numbers, to make the ship more manageable. It would cost more to cruise of course, but I wager many would pay a little more, for a better experience. Once again, thanks for taking the time to comment.
Thank you for your objective review. It looks very similar to RCL - wonderful for families. I have taken 3 cruises with MSC and enjoyed them, but I tend to cruise during the low season - less crowds. C.Buie
Yes, it's extremely crowded in high season
We just got back from a family cruise last week and we're pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. Will definitely be cruising with them again
Great review Bill, and I must echo what others have said: your narration is a pleasure to listen to. I would have to pass on ever cruising with MSC if that disembarkation is the norm. I am Virgo and that disorder would grate on me terribly 😂 Thank you for this thorough review. Cheers!
Hi there, thank you so much for your kind compliments, gives a real boost to the day 🙂
This is not a norm at all on MSC. If you disembark at the designated time and place - everything goes super smoothly. MSC is just the same as other cruise lines in that regard.
Very objective and informative videos. 👌 Your family is adorable!
Awww, thank you so much!
I have sailed with MSC twice, both times it was a winter Bahamas itinerary. Never did I see lines like this or crowded pools. The buffets were busy but it never took more than a few minutes to get something delicious to enjoy and there are quiet areas if you seek them out. Our disembarkation took maybe 30 minutes and the staff are absolutely 1st class. I would not hesitate to book another cruise with them. My travel companion has already booked another.
Hi there, many thanks for your comments. It does seem to be a recurring theme, based on the feedback coming in, that Cruises operated out of North America, by MSC, are better run and organised.
Very thorough review. Thank you so much!!!
Thanks very much
We are a senior couple who both loved the Virtuosa so much we rebooked. Food was very good and so was the entertainment. So clean everywhere. The lifts were impressive. Have been cruising for 50 years with several cruise lines and the Virtuosa has a great vibe and gets a thumbs up from us.
Hi Martin, that's great to hear. I do feel that MSC unfairly gets a bad rap for it's food, we found it to be very good. The lifts are clever, aren't they . I notice a few other cruiselines are starting to use them same concept too. Saves a lot of time
Completely agree! We boarded on the day that you disembarked and unfortunately, it was exactly the same. Having cruised previously with Royal Caribbean and P&O - we would NEVER go with MSC again. It was not what we expect from a cruise at all. They definitely have their target market - but not for us at all.
Sorry to hear it didn't go so well for you. All the more reason to get planning for your next dream cruise!
@@ritzytravelguide Next 3 already booked! P&O x 2 and then our first ever Celebrity - which I am sure will be much more our style. Great videos, we watched before we departed and on return, really helpful and extremely informative. Thank you
Wow, well done, enjoy your cruises. I think you'll love Celebrity, especially if it's one of their Edge Class ships!
Agree, have cruised once MSC but not again. Have cruised Princess 2 and booked next one, Celebrity 2, Carnival2, Royal 4
@reo7575 That's a lot of cruises! Living the life!
I've cruised twice with MSC and had two vastly different experiences! My first was msc magnifica around the Mediterranean and the second was on the msc virtuosa to the fjords. I much preferred the Magnifica for ambience and tranquillity, much smaller ship nearly every bar was like the skylounge in size and atmosphere so you could always find a nice bar to relax in, pool area was busy but not like some of the videos I've seen for the virtuosa, I think I'll be sticking to their older, smaller ships. My next cruise is on the Poesía which I'm really looking forward to.
Hi, many thanks for your thoughts. We are getting a lot of people, such as yourself, remarking that they much prefer the smaller, older MSC ships. I can understand the thinking behind it
Well done. This is the first time I've seen a video by Ritzy Travel Guide. I'll be looking for more.
Many thanks! Lots more coming up over coming months, across various cruise lines. Next in 5 weeks time, a total change from MSC... we're on board the Cunard Queen Elizabeth, from Barcelona 🛳
Great video!! We are taking our 1st MSC cruise Nov '24 and very excited. We r new to cruising so we have no expectations. Our 1st cruise was ladt Nov on a Carnival ship. The food was ok, nit amazing but not bad. The pools and hot tubs were extremely crowded and could never use. So i believe that issue is on a lot of ships. Thanks gor your great videos & reviews. Look forward to watching more..
Thank you so much Susan, wishing you a great cruise in November!
We are on this one in early December from Dubai. We didn't realise it had a party ship reputation when we booked or we might not have. However we did book the Aurea (or whatever it is) accommodation and should be getting our Princess Elite status matched so hopefully it will be a bit less chaotic.
Hi Rob, I think Aurea will help out with things. Gets you choice of dining, Spa access, private deck etc. Hope your cruise goes well for you.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention the lifts on Virtuosa. Whoever programmed the control software pulled a master stroke - you just punch in what deck you want and it tells you which lift to wait at. Other cruise lines can learn from this. Been on Virtuosa twice now and going to the fjords on it in a couple of weeks. Never experienced the disembarkation chaos seem here, so will let you know how that goes. Enjoyed the video. Thank you!
Good point, the lifts are very clever! Enjoy your Fjords cruise 🙂
Are you going on the 2nd of September cruise?
@@garyatkinson5699 yes! 👍🏻
@@steveseal4492 i was annoyed to find out ship was full , was hoping it would only be half capacity with kids at school
@@garyatkinson5699 we have no control over that unfortunately…but it may be mainly full with adults, and less families, i.e. all cabins can be occupied but circa 4200 passengers as oppose to 6000. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻. We’ll still have a great time…beautiful ship, helpful crew, lots to do, no cooking or cleaning or domestic jobs and beautiful Norway…..beats staying home or going to work 😉
We were on the same sailing as you and for the most part had a different experience to you. We did however pay the additional premium and booked into yacht club. We are so glad we did as when we booked we weren’t aware it was school holidays. We’d been on the ship previously different itinerary, outside school holidays and the ship was 50% capacity, so it’s not always rammed as you say. During this July sailing there were sunbeds every day in the main ship many people just didn’t look far enough to locate them. I think you find MSC can offer so much more than you give it credit for.
Many thanks for your comments. As you say, I think Yacht Club gives a very different environment. It's just that it only caters to 5% of the ship, by passenger numbers
Early on (2010 to 2015) we really enjoyed MSC - they were sparkly and we liked the Mediterranean feel and enjoyed our cruises. We now will only cruise MSC in Yacht Club although would still not cruise on the mega ships. We have switched to Azamara - more our style :)
Hi there thanks so much for your comments. Interesting to read your comments about Azamara. It's one of the few Cruise Lines we haven't tried yet. We really must do so. Strangely enough we did sail on the Azamara Pursuit back in 2007....but it was sailing under the Swan Hellenic brand at the time, and was called Minerva II. I believe it's had a total refit since then. Is it their service and smaller size that appeals?
You are correct with to many people at the pools. Many cruises have the same problem. On sea days on all cruise lines I don’t even try to go to the pool. I usually try to limit my port time so that I can use the pools while people are out at locations. Unless of course I’m on an excursion myself!
You're spot on about the offerings. I think there's a big buffet offering with a lot of choices. For departure , take a seat and allow the rush to go. It's best to go to the dining room and have your breakfast then leave.
We did exactly that. Sadly the extremely delayed disembarkation would have tested the patience of a saint
Thank you! should have watched your videos before making any bookings :) . looking forward to more videos from you
Thanks Chris... what have you booked?!
@@ritzytravelguide lol msc, departing next week....
Good luck!! I really hope it goes smoothly for you . You'll need the patience of a saint, it's bang in the middle of school holidays. Deep breaths... in out, in out..... now head for that Sky Lounge, find a nice sea facing sofa by the bar... and give your place up for nobody!
Really enjoyed the video x We have sailed on the Virtuosa twice , once round Dubai and the Emirates which we really enjoyed as the ship wasn't full and also the Fjords a different experience as the ship was busy ! Would we sail with them again? It would all depend on the itinerary and price point to be honest but would definitely avoid school holidays!!!!
Hi, thanks so much for your comments. That itinerary round Dubai and the Emirates sounds fascinating. Would love to cruise that part, as I've only done it on land, and that was some time ago.
When did you do Norway ? Where schools off ?
@@garyatkinson5699 Hi , we went in May last year not school holidays!
A well balanced review. Crowded maybe, but enjoyably experience in many aspects
Superb, in depth well presented insights into cruising. If I had my fairytale dream it would be the Normandie. I was fortunate to work on board Holland America Line and did the world cruise. It was sublime, sophisticated without stuffiness and reminiscent of past elegance.
The Normandie did indeed look an absolutely gorgeous ship!!
Oh, it's Mr. Ritzy Travel Guide! Sir Billy, if you please! I recently heard some mixed feedback about MSC cruises. A coworker of mine actually sailed on the MSC MERAVIGLIA here in NYC, and they had a similar experience to what you described. They mentioned that the ship was quite crowded and noisy, and the food wasn't anything extraordinary. Apparently, many people seemed to be eating pizza and the pasta dishes became a bit repetitive. The entertainment wasn't up to par either, so they mentioned they won't be cruising with MSC anymore. I'm glad I didn't give it a try myself. We tend to prefer cruising on NORWEGIAN, particularly their Haven accommodations, or Celebrity. I'm sorry to hear that you and your family didn't fully enjoy your time on the MSC cruise. On a brighter note, at least now you know what to expect from that particular cruise line. How are the kids and your wife? What was their reaction to the experience? By the way, I always look forward to your videos and comments, and I must say you are truly amazing! Keep up the fantastic work, and I can't wait for more cruise adventures from you.
Thanks for your kind comments!
Excellent video review! Agree with your observations and comments on the main dining room when compared to other cruise lines.
Hi thanks for your comment. Yes, I think the critical reviews of the main dining room are not fair. We found it to be a great experience
We were on Virtuosa July 1st to 15th so disembarked as you boarded and 100% agree with everything you have said - your experience was our experience. We are 2 ‘fifty-somethings’ and this was our first MSC cruise. Embarkation & disembarkation - chaos Virtuosa though was magnificent, it was clean and everything worked , as was our cabin. Every member of staff we interacted with from our cabin host (Omega - who was lovely ) to all in our dining room , were courteous and efficient. We were on anytime dining in minuetto at the rear of the ship and we never had to wait more than 15 mins to be seated. The lady at the entrance who coordinated it all was brilliant. Every item of food we had from either the main dining room or marketplace was good. We did all the speciality dining as well and thought they were good. The Mexican one wasn’t quite to our taste , but that’s purely our own preference - but again the gentleman who looked after us was lovely. The entertainment in the main theatre we enjoyed as well - Paul the West End singer , the Elvis and Tina Turner evenings , Adam the pianist and the classical evening with the two guys I think from Ukraine , were all good. We booked our seats on the app and always got in. The Galleria with the hi-tech ceiling we thought was great , often pausing to watch the mini shows that were put on with music and images. And I can’t say we didn’t enjoy the music events in there as well - it was quite fun to have a bit of a boogie before bedtime ! But - sadly all of the above was tainted by the same issue you highlighted - far too many people in the public areas and not even close to enough seats day or evening. We never got near the pool , and hardly ever found anywhere to sit and have a drink after our evening meal which was really irritating - perhaps 2 out of 14 attempts. Such a shame as MSC do have a good offering and for us get a lot right.
Hi. Thank you so much for your comprehensive reply. It's always invaluable for potential future passengers to read real life feedback, and insights such as yours, are extremely helpful to others. Yes, totally agree that the experience was dragged down by the over capacity of passengers onboard. The sheer numbers and layout of the ship make it very challenging to relax, or enjoy yourself. It's a crying shame, because in parts the MSC product is good. But goodwill ebbs away when disembarkation descends into chaos, full bars and facilities, and packed deck areas cancel it all out
my MSC Virtuosa Cruise Ship Tour across Europe was absolutely insane. I loved it in everyway! And the food was great 👀
👍
@@ritzytravelguidebut I have to add, it was out of season
That's possibly the key part!
Great video 👍🏻 very informative 👏
Thanks!
Thank you for your video of MSC Virtuosa! I did my first cruise last December 2022 out of Southhampton 18 - 23 December, Northern Europe. I am surprised you did not try Yacht Club venue. It sounds like you would have enjoyed that much more as it is a ship within a ship is closer to a traditional cruise. Costs more but well worth it. My boarding and departing times were short and easy. My wife and I will be doing a cruise out of Southhampton February 9 - 16, Northern Europe, MSC Euripa I have to say I loved MSC Virtuosa! The glitter glam and fun. But with Yacht Club you can disappear into a more private area and have plenty of private space. Hope you someday try Yacht Club and give your opinion on the Yacht Club experience. I am a new viewer to your vloggs and enjoy them. Hope to see a Yacht Club video in the future. I believe your total experience will be closer to a traditional cruise. You get to escape the crowds and the price is still not that bad! Best wishes!
Hi George, many thanks for your comments. A lot of people are saying Yacht Club is the way to go.... out of curiosity I might have to try it! But probably not until next year, as we have quite a lot of cruises in the pipeline. It might well be a far flung cruise, perhaps an Asian, or Dubai itinerary. Those look interesting. Once again many thanks for your thoughts and feedback!
Bill, thanks for the response. I will be watching more of your upcoming vloggs! Being new to ocean cruising I really do not know what a traditional cruise is but being in Yacht club and talking to people on my MSC cruise they said Yacht club was the way to go!! I look forward to my next MSC cruise in February 2023 cruise. Best wishes and great sailing for you and your family!
@GJALBARR1 thanks George, best wishes, and have a great February cruise
J’ai fait 3 croisières avec MSC,la première sur le Seaside en Méditerranée en novembre 21,super souvenir,bateau grandiose très propre et très bien entretenu,cuisine très bonne et variée,la deuxième sur le Splendida en Mer Rouge en février 23 très beau navire également et rejoint entièrement le Seaside avec une petite différence malgré tout niveau intimité on retrouve des endroits plus isolés et en juillet 23 sur l’Armonia en mer adriatique vers Les iles grecques,bateau plus ancien mais avec un charme différent et qui rejoint les deux autres au niveau qualité.bientôt en mars 24 la quatrième sur le Seaside vers les Caraibes.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Pool area on the MSC Virtuosa made me feel sick. There is an element of Butlins at sea on the MSC. I went on the Wonder of the Seas (RC) ship then went on MSC Virtuosa 2 weeks later. Opposite ends of the Spectrum and experiences but one cost 5x times more than the other.
Hi, yes it's a conundrum. MSC is ridiculously overloaded most of the year, incredibly frustrating for any number of reasons, is an embarkation and disembarkation nightmare.... but does offer value for money
Went on the MSC Meraviglia in July to Bermuda. The best thing I loved about this cruise was the cabin. We had a huge balcony stateroom at the aft of the ship and the photos we took were breathtaking of sunrises and sunsets. Unfortunately, totally overcrowded with not enough staff. The food was good, staff were excellent. Trying to get a place by the pool was impossible during peak times. Embarkation and disembarkation were very chaotic. If someone you are with uses a wheelchair, you will bypass the huge lines, but it's still hectic. Yes the price was great, and it's a beautiful ship, but it's not a cruise for those my age. (Over 65). We booked a Holland America cruise shortly after this one ended. HAL is more for those my age. I would probably not book another MSC cruise. The review was spot on.
Hi there, many thanks for your comprehensive comments and thoughts. It helps other viewers in their decision making process
We were on the Virtuosa in April for four days. Our check in was fine and the food was fine. We had an accessible cabin. We had two camp style beds which slid across the floor which was not much help. It was certainly a beautiful ship but the noise in the restaurant and in the public areas at night was deafening with conversation and loud music. As pensioners it was too much of a party ship for us. We prefer a quieter life. We have also cruised on the Splendida round in the Med in 2017 and it was impossible to sit by the pool in the afternoon because of all the loud games and music. Our experience on the Magnifica was quieter although if I remember rightly the indoor pool was a salt water pool which gave me a rash as it had too much salt in it. We never had a formal night on the Virtuosa although formal night on the Splendida consisted of my husband and another man on our table being the only two men in dinner suits. Italian women in glamorous dresses were accompanied by men in cut off denim shorts.
Hi, many thanks for your insights to your cruise. Yes, MSC is certainly not particularly formal on Gala Night, compared to other cruise lines. It makes for a quirky night out, with those who did dress up feeling a bit awkward!!
Our disembarkment was just awful, too! It was slow and crowded, but in the end we were in a line outside trying to catch rides….with the building they pushed us out of minutes before not allowing anyone back in, we had to stand for almost 2 hrs. In pouring down rain. It was horrible. Our suitcases got wet, we were drenched and the whole event still seems like a nightmare!
MSC just don't seem to get disembarkment right. It happens over and over again!
I hope msc will not start gouging cruisers as the others do and will continue giving cruisers the best bang for their buck...they can only get better with anything you may think is lacking... Looking forward to my first msc cruise in May '24 , from Bklyn NY.
Seemed like a very fair review. We're heading out on an MSC ship in March, we now know what to expect.
Have a great cruise. Which itinerary are you on?
Finally, a PARTY BOAT!!! If people want a quiet cruise with only a theater and casino for entertainment, they can literally pick ANY OTHER cruise liner! If someone knows of another "party boat" that offers the same level of service, quality, entertainment, and activities to do for the same price or less, PLEASE let me know! I live in Tampa Bay, Florida. You can read the rest if you'd like.....or not, lol. I have taken 2 cruises in my life, and they were both in the Carribean. One was Royal Caribbean (7 day) and the other was Carnival (5 days). Both ships were similar experiences. The ONLY thing to do on BOTH ships after about 10:00pm was gambling, assuming you were at sea, not at port. Both ships had a "club/disco" that was open until something like 1am, but NOBODY was ever there; they were empty! The only girls onboard were either married, engaged, or under 18. There were no arcades, water slides, LED ceilings, fancy promenade, pianist (there were pianos, but nobody to play them), rock climbing, etc. There were just a few pools, that were nothing special. Then there's the music, or lack thereof. The only live music was a couple of "bands" that played uninspiring music by the pools. If the ships were playing background music, it always sounded like something you would hear at Walmart. Both ships also had NO real entertainment. The "menu" of activities to do on both ships was mostly a joke, like "arts and crafts for kids," "meet the captain," "work-out session" with John Doe, "lecture by Jone Doe," which is actually a high-end sales pitch. Heck, there were almost NO SHOPS except an art gallery, duty-free store (almost everything was so expensive it was cheaper to pay the tax at home!), and the equivalent of a very small and expensive Circle-K that was only open from 8am-8pm. Both ships had a large theater, but nothing sounded interesting, and NO other passengers had anything great say about the theater entertainment. The only things to do while at sea were eat, drink, gamble, and get lost on a very large boat. The food was good, but there was no "dining room" breakfast OR lunch. Breakfast and lunch were buffets only, but good. I wasn't bored, but I wasn't entertained either after about 3-4 days. There was NOTHING to do after 10pm and most people (80-85%) were in their cabins by 10:00pm. I expected Carnival to be more of a "party boat," than Royal Caribbean, but the passengers weren't big "partiers" on Carnival either.
Hi many thanks for your comprehensive reply, and taking the time to give your thoughts. It's always great to hear from people, and MSC, almost more than any other cruise line, garners very differing opinions! Did you get a chance to try Virgin Voyages yet? Whilst it is more expensive than MSC, the cruise price does have many inclusions, and the ship, the activities, and entertainment definitely have a lively vibe!
The crowds, lines and children did it for me. I have cruised on smaller ships and found the lack of privacy , lines and crowding to nearly pushed me to jump overboard. Thank you for the viewpoint.
Thanks Terry!
I think it is generalizing to say that all MSC experiences are like this, crowded and loud. I have been on three MSC cruises so far and none of them were like this. In fact, I found that, compared to NCL, Royal and Carnival, the MSC Seaside/Seashore class of ships were amazing at dispersing crowds! You never felt crowded and there was so many great quiet nooks both indoors and outdoors. Absolutely lovely time and we are not partiers nor crowd lovers! We did Yatch Club on one of those three cruises and OMG, it was heaven at sea!! By far our best experience ever and we cruised on Celebrity and Azamara in the past.
Hi thanks for your comments. Sailing in Yacht Club I think certainly does make a difference. As several people have suggested we make a video from Yacht Club, we may have to dip our toes in next year. We'll keep an eye out for an intriguing itinerary.
Excellent review video (one of the best i've seen!) and thank you for suffering through all of that, ha!
Thanks a lot. I took one for the team 😂
I feel very sorry for the MSC crew. With all the queueing most of their interactions would be with justifiably annoyed passengers. What a stressful way to work 😢. I would not choose their cruise on that basis alone. It’s hard to have an enjoyable holiday when the crew have it so tough. Their quality of life is important too. Thank you for this thorough review.
Hi, I'm sure the crew hate these full ships, yes!
I went on the MSC Virtuosa from Southampton Feb this year for 7 days around northern Europe. It took around 20 minutes from dropping off bags to get onto the ship and never found the ship to be too crowded or noisy at any time of the day. No queues for anything and the food was pretty good for what you are paying. Better than P and O in my experience. There are a lot of hidden costs though so take your own movie on a laptop to watch in you room as the ones onboard are ppv. Also found a lot of members of staff trying to sell shows with drinks packages and speciality dining. Personally I wasn't too bothered and was never pressurised into buying anything I didn't want. It's a budget cruise which can be great value for money if you are savvy and not drawn into making purchases that you do not want.
Hi there, many thanks for your comments. I would agree the upselling isn't too pressured. You can take or leave it. Food I thought was excellent for the cruise fare. I found the staff to be very good natured and approachable (except for some guest services who were curt and especially security, who were unecessarily off hand)
Hi, I’m planning a trip on MSC Euribia in February next year. How is the weather in February for a 7-night journey from London to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France? We are a first time traveler and should I get a interior cabin or the Balcony? I wonder because of the cold whether balcony would be useful.
Hi, personally I wouldn't take a balcony in February in the Northern European countries you mentioned! AS it will be bitterly cold, with icy winds. But that's just me. Others might give a different response! I couldn't say you will never use the balcony, but I'd be surprised if you used it much in February. I'd book an inside or ocean view, and put the money you'd save, towards the bar tab/speciality dining/ or the Spa.... which will be nice and toasty in February!
@@ritzytravelguide Thank you for your prompt reply. Understood about the balcony.I would go with ocean view probably. When booking, is it worth doing the booking on the MSC website itself or using any other third-party website? I’ve noticed that prices tend to be lower on third-party websites. Also if I’m using the buffet I hope there won’t be any other extra charge?
It wouldn't matter whether you book direct with MSC or a 3rd party agent. Whichever gives you the best deal. Both the BUFFET, and the Main Dining Room are included in the fare price, and neither would incur an additional costs. But Speciality Restaurants are additional cost. We have videos in our playlist that cover the restaurants onboard. These would give you some useful pointers
Couldn't do noise on a cruise.
Bill, Excellent video & I think your description of Butlins at Sea appears to be very pertinent! After watching this review we almost cancelled!!! However we paid to upgrade to Yacht Club! (We’re in our early 50’s & 1st time cruisers!) But one question we have for you… who’s the artist of those two paintings of the ladies over your shoulder? Enquiring minds need to know!
Hi there! I think upgrading to Yacht Club has probably saved you! Have a fantastic cruise. Please let us know in the comments how it goes. Concerning the paintings, we bought them in Indonesia, from an art market in Java, and are part of a series. We loved the place so much we shipped back about 15 paintings!
Thank you, Mr. Ritzy, you have changed my mind. I just might give MSC a chance.
Let us know how it goes!
Went on the MSC Seascape this past August for 7 days. Only thing good about the ship was the staff and that it was newer ship. Literally everything about the cruise was a negative exp. This was my tenth cruise with this being my first and last with MSC. I knew it was too good to be true when I booked the balcony with drink package as cheap as I did. The following negatives for me are things that I have not exp on any other cruise line/ship in the past. Here goes: The food was bland. Only 1 night with steak options at main dining unless you paid for a premium restaurant. The passengers were rude and inconsiderate. The buffet was literally a mad house at all times of the day. Could never find anywhere to sit and eat. The elevators didn't work often and if they did they were turned off for "Maint" or "crowd" control. Elevators were way over crowded and over the weight limit. The layout of the ship was difficult. Always huge long lines at any of the bars. The bartenders seemed to not have any "pep" in making the drinks. I could go on and on but does anyone really want to hear all of it? Prob not. We talked to many guest and a cruise staff on board about our exp and they all seemed to agree with my opinions. Of course a few passengers didn't get the same vibes as we did. Many passengers we talked to were back to back cruisers on the same ship for multipe sailings. They had agreed with my opinions but said that week prior was a complete difference. Much better exp. Like many here and other places have stated... probably will have to stay away from the these new super large ships and go back to the smaller/normal size ships were the passenger to staff ratio is more even. This will probably eliminate half the issues I had. Cheers!
Hi there. Many thanks for your thoughts and comments. I have to agree with many of the points that you brought up. The ship at all times feels very crowded, too crowded actually. It was almost impossible to get away from the large numbers. Meaning that getting a drink took forever, getting a place at the buffet was loud, noisy, and frustrating. Getting on and off the ship at each port stop meant queing up in very long lines, and could often take up to an hour. For us, though the ship was new and seemed to have been well maintained, that couldn't overcome the issues of the overcrowding. MSC seems to be struggling with their mega ships, getting the passion passenger to crew ratio correct. To balance the books they are stuffing the ship to the gills. Not trying to stop anybody booking on MSC, but please be aware that unless the ship is half empty it could lead to a frustrating experience for you
I've been cruising for more than 50 years... have "loyalty" with about 4 "main cruise companies"... have done 2 MSC cruises, and this video "nailed it". NEVER again! thank you for the BEST video yet.
That's very kind of you, thank you so much! I try to keep our reviews as honest and fair as possible.
Enjoyed watching that. Will definitely come back for a review of other cruise ships before paying for them. Thanks a lot.
You're welcome, thanks for watching
Enjoyed the review -very helpful and informative
Glad it helped!
Thanks, no msc
I have watched several of your reviews and they are all wonderful! In Las Vegas, Nevada in the late 1990s there was a revitalization effort in the downtown area that was called the "Fremont Experience". The crown jewel of this development was a light canopy that consisted of probably well over 100,000 light bulbs capable of displaying 4 colors. Any scene imaginable could be displayed, underwater, jets flying over your head with sounds, mountains, forests, et cetera. The display canopy aboard the ship doubtless uses LEDs, light emitting diodes, that results in a much finer and more detailed display. It is a wonderful idea for entertaining and displaying important information. You are a really neat couple and family.
Hi Christopher, thank you so much for your very kind comments! We visited the Freemont Experience in the late 1990s, I remember it well! Now you mention it, you are absolutely right, it is very similar to what's on MSC. Remarkably so!
My first cruise was MSc and I can really say that I enjoy my self and would definitely recommend the food and the staff is very helpful towards everyone needs the entertainment was good so much to name a plus ours left New York I’m definitely coming back 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Hi there, thanks for your comments. Glad to hear you had a great time
Loved the format of the video. My wife is disabled, and spends a lot of time on the ship, so it’s a bit busy on deckI. I think I’ll give it a miss 😂
Hi Steven, thanks for your kind comments.
Great job!
Thanks!
The ship looks beautiful, but I certainly don't fancy those crowds. I'm looking forward to my first cruise on a more sedate ship. We're going on the Queen Mary 2 next July to Norway, for my daughter's wedding.
That sounds fabulous, what a way to celebrate a wedding with the QM2! Have an an amazing cruise!
Never been on MSC but I heard the way to go is the Yacht Club as you mention - escorted embarkation/debarkation so maybe 10 min. Guaranteed seating at theaters. Private dining and lounges. Plus your room is a suite.
They do have inside cabins in Yacht Club and those definitely are not suites.
Fantastic video! The solution to crowded ships is simple: take repositioning cruises! They have far fewer people on board!
Hi, yes they certainly do!
very fair review maybe do a comparision cruise outside of school holidays probably be a much improved experience. I wonder where thee disembarkation queues the result of people waiting for the lift when u could take the stairs .
Hi, sadly the stairs were equally packed.
Just came across your channel, probably because I was preparing for my next cruise, and watching some videos. Thank you very much for the video, very useful. Starting from my first cruise, I have been cruising only with Norwegian , I don't want to compromise on the service and quality, but since the prices are way higher, in comparison, I always wonder, whether I should try another cruise company, but I am afraid to get disappointed. 🙈
Yes, there is often a big price difference between NCL and MSC. It's difficult to predict how you would feel on MSC. As you can see from all the comments on here, there are extremely divergent opinions on MSC. Very polarizing. You could get lucky and have a fantastic time.... or absolutely not. It can be a bit of a lottery with MSC. But if there is a pattern emerging from all the feedback on here: their Cruises departing from Northern America tend to get better scores and opinions. The MSC outfit appears to be run slightly more professionally and slick than their European division
What time of year was this please? Was it school holidays? Looking at booking in the Middle East in February. Thanks for the video
Hi, it was just a few weeks ago, mid July. A lot of people are mentioning the February Middle East sailing. Particularly the one from Dubai. It must be selling well.
Finally! Bravo on a well-balanced cruise video. Very informative. We've been on 20+ cruises on 6 different lines, and I agree with you, MSC isn't for everyone. We sailed on a week-long MSC Meravigilia trip on spring break 2023 to the western Caribbean. Maybe it is a US cultural thing, but we almost never qued for anything unless we were reboarding from a port. It wasn't crowded for us, since we don't drink or dance. Even the silent disco was utterly silent! It was so bizarre! The food was decent, extra-pay shows were outstanding, crew was helpful and friendly, ships were clean and bedazzled, and hard cabin beds were abysmal. We'd sail MSC again for the bargain prices.
Hi Stevie, many thanks for your comments, great to hear from you! So glad to hear your Meraviglia cruise went well. MSC management onboard seems to be a little better in the North American market place, compared to elsewhere worldwide. Perhaps they all went to training camp at Disney first!
Wonderful photography! Very well done and informative.
Thank you!
Thank you!
We had a fantastic experience with MSC, and have since booked for more cruises with them! I would highly reccomend them!
Thanks Carol 🙂
We just completed a7 day cruise on the Seashore and when we disembarked we were off the ship and on the curb waiting for our transportation in 10 minutes. We carried our own bags off the ship and did not have a line at all. We never stopped moving.
That's great. Well done
A 73 and an 82 love MSC have been sailing with the over ten years
Interesting. A brit enjoyed a party cruise ship. I am on a smaller MSC ship in a few weeks. Glad you enjoyed the cruise and posted this honest review. Hope I enjoy mine as much!. Cheers.
Have a great cruise Joe. Let us know how it goes for you, on a smaller MSC ship. We'd love to hear your verdict!
Curious if there are any rules or regulations about where you can take your buffet food, and/or bev? For instance, could I make a cheese plate and head to a bar that serves the wine/bubbles I want, or to an area where live music is playing that isn't the buffet or the bar I got my drink from Ty for your videos!
Hi, I've seen many a passenger take a tray of food out of the buffet, back to their cabin.... but, I can't recall seeing a cheese platter heading towards the bars to listen to the band!!
@@ritzytravelguide my obsession with charcuterie is one of the reasons i'm taking MSC as my first cruise ever! lol TY for answering!! xx
Ha ha! Their charcuterie, cheese, and meat selections are excellent!
that gooey bleu tho!!! DROOOOLING! it was THAT cheese in this video that promted me to ask.. that, with a lovely demi-sec rose... ooof. @@ritzytravelguide
Thanks for sharing the video! I have been seascape on last August! This is best food , fun and best island Ocean cat. We will be back on this August for Bermuda. Especially the price from MSc is cheaper than others cruise line.
Have a great cruise in Bermuda
Excellent videos, really enjoyable.. Can help but think where I saw you before... Then it came to me.. Youre a ringer for Charles Hawtrey.. From the carry on movies
Thanks for the compliments on the video..... then it all went a bit south, when you linked me to Charles Hawtrey 😂
MSC is our top pick for cruises - their food and European flair are unbeatable! We've tried many luxury cruise experiences, but the MSC Yacht Club takes the cake. If the cost fits your budget, upgrading to the Yacht Club is a decision you won't regret.
I sailed on the MSC Seashore last November....7 day Caribbean cruise. I had a wonderful experience....great staff, spotless clean ship, excellent food, excellent bar service.....all aspects were flawless.
Hi, thanks for your comments. Yes, I totally agree with the ship being spotless, the staff and great food!
We are sailing on Seashore this November, leaving on the 26th. Glad to hear you had a wonderful experience.
Great review thank you. We are going with 3 young children in summer holidays and ive taken note of a few things mentioned here. We are travelling on the Grandiosa though so hoping there may be more space in crowded areas. How was disembarking for excursions?
Hi, disembarkation for us at each port was slow. Often big lines to get off. If you're not pressed for time, I would let the crowds go first, and get to the ramp 45 minutes after they open up. Good luck!
We went to Canada and New England on the MSC Meraviglia a few weeks ago. No problem with crowds. Beautiful ship. Great deals on specialty dining package. Super fast onboarding and departure. Entertainment experience was mixed. Overall, a great cruise. Our 3rd with MSC.
Hi, great to hear that. Based on the many comments we've had back on our channel, North America seems to have a slightly better organized MSC operation than their global division
Great, informative vlog and it was fantastic how you spoke about the good with the bad. We've cruised with Celebrity, Princess, RC (which we didnt like) and we're on VV this year. I was always curious about MSC, especially because of the price but ill be honest, it looks too claustrophobic and noisy for me. Ill definitely be looking at your other reviews, a new follower here❤
Hi Emma, great to hear from you. If I'm being honest, if you enjoyed Virgin Voyages, and Celebrity (particularly if it's any of their Edge Class of ships) I'm not if MSC is for you. Most of the MSC ships are huge 6000 capacity, and have a very different vibe. They are large, slightly manic, larger than life ships. MSC Yacht Club is a possibility, but that's triple the price of 'regular' MSC.
@ritzytravelguide the yacht club would definitely be an option but if you're paying that price, I'd imagine you'd be better off going with Celebrity/Princess
@emmabourke6565 Yes, that would be my thought
Thanks for the review, I’m booked for MSC World Europa sailing January. Can’t wait 😊
Hi, Where are you going on the World Europa?
This was fantastic! Thank you for such good information!!
You're welcome!
Having been on Virtuosa I would say this is a fair assessment, we enjoyed it and will be booking our 11th and 12th in a few days time. We have boarded this ship and it’s sister, in Southampton all bags were on the dock when we got off, having put them outside our cabin before retiring, and we just collected from the hall, from leaving the buffet to driving out of the carpark gates no more than 20 minutes! We didn’t go to the designated area one of the staff who we had been friendly with just waved us through! These two ships are very much more (Erubia) glitzy than some of the older ships , none are actually old, and all are bright, clean and friendly, my guess is that all have similar menus, but the cooking is better on some than others! We can have four or six weeks cruising in a year, probably nearly twice the time that our money would buy on other cruises, the premium drinks package is expensive for me and my wife but we can drink champagne all day and we make it pay😜
Wow 12 Cruises, you are MSC pros!!
Thank you for your wonderful video Could you tell me where you got your ice cream on your beautiful back drop? I need one :)
The staff was great on the seascape out of Miami. The MDR was also a plus. The buffet was a ish show like u said. MSC really needs more included food items so the buffet is not so insane. The ship was crazy full all over like u said! We did get lucky with disembarking and got off easy.
Thanks indeed for your comments. Yes, MSC could have a really compelling product... if they sorted out their crowd management in key sections of the ship. Too many people in the same place. You can't keep sending people to the buffet or the same bars. Their ships are great value, but way too full. Something has to give.
After 20 cruises with Royal I'm a 64 year old traditional cruiser,we loved it.But we don't do sunbeds,or disco. But have never cruised in school holidays which adds 1500 to the cruise.Always had meals in the MDR,and there are only 2 dinner sittings out of school Holidays.
Hi, yes I think going out of season on MSC... is 'mission critical'!!
I must say -- What an EXCELLENT Review -very CLASSY and very INFORMATIVE ❤IT! Looks so crowded...I am looking at MSC Mediterranean Cruise for June and now have paused...
Thanks a lot!
Reminds me of my last trip to Disney World 22 years ago. Ok for kids, families and young people, but not for me anymore. I was mentally comparing everything to my Holland America experiences, and being very glad I chose them and Viking the last 15 years. There was a time when I loved big ships and crowds, and didn't mind standing for long periods. But in all my cruise experiences I never saw anything like the disembarkation you documented. It reminds me of my last time through customs in Terminal 5 at O'Hare. Never again! Your great videos help people know what they are getting. Thanks for doing them.
Hi Gregory. Thanks so much for your kind comments. I do try to be very honest, fair and accurate with my videos. But I do at the same time get a lot of criticism from people asking why I'm showing the negatives, or the not so good side, and 'how dare I do that!' Some people get quite salty when I show both sides of the situation, but I feel it's important that people can take a look, and form their own decisions. Once again many thanks for your kind comments
I went on the MSC Meraviglia last year cause of the cheap price. You totally nailed it. Trying NCL this year.
Hi. Which ship on NCL? Let us know how they compare
@ritzy Thanks for being so helpful. After watching this, I am so stressed 😫. Never doing it!
Ha ha!
What an excellent video - you have tried to be really fair. You have confirmed what we’d already thought - MSC is really not for us. Far too many people, queues, disembarkation etc.
Hi there. Thanks very much for your comments. Yes, there is a cruise line for everyone out there.... just got to find it!! Thankfully so many choices these days. 19 cruise lines and counting. That's the fun, going through them all .... and then finding the perfect one!!