All in all it was an OK cruise. I was on the Meraviglia two weeks before, so there is NO comparison.
I doubt that we will use MSC again - it's geared towards the European guests.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The dining room food was very good, could have used a bit more seasoning The fish was cooked just right, but the prime rib and steak were way over done.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Children's Programs
No kids with
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
They were all very good, but it seemed that the dining room was under staffed.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The ship was clean, but everything was getting a bit tired. The layout was fine, except for the theater seating. You couldn't get in or out of the row around those awful little table.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The shower was very small and the curtain did not keep the water from going all over the rest of the bathroom floor.
Ship tip
Be prepared to hear every announcement in 8-10 different languages - it gets old really fast.
The Everglades tour was not worth the money. You spent almost an hour each way on the bus and then only 30 minutes on the boat ride, and another 45 minutes and a 15 minute show and gift shop. Then back to the airport by 12:00 It was booked as a 4 hour tour, but was barely 3.
The merchants are very pushy in Jamaica. And you will be followed around by people trying to sell you drugs. Dunn River Falls used to be great, but with 6 ships in port, it was crazy busy. It took an hour to reach the top - where you could easily to it twice in the same amount of time a couple of years ago. The beach was nice.
Caught the ciy bus to the Turtle Farm and Dolphins for $2.50 each way. Don't bother with the ship transportation in this port, the bus is the way to go.
It's a very nice island - tons of beaches, but not much else. We had to leave 6 hours early due to the winds. The MSC ships often can't make it in or out of the narrow channel if it is at all windy, so the port is often skipped or shortened. Hopefully they will fix this problem by tendering in or fixing the channel.
It should be mentioned on the ships that you can take a bus provided by MSC to the airport for $8 a person, we found it by mistake. There is no advertisement for it or signs. Cruisers should know before they get off the ship that this option is available.
Just curious- it says you traveled with older children- what ages? Our son will be 18 when we sail and curious what activities might be available for him...is there a basketball court?
Bummer to hear about MSC. I guess I just really want it to happen and every reliable review I have read basically says if you cannot do a Yacht Club cruise, don’t bother. Thanks for the review!
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