It was a great experience I will cherish forever. I hope MSC continues to improve their ships and service. Would take the Armonia again!
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Lines not too long at 2pm which was our scheduled arrival so be sure to check your ticket and arrive at your designated time. Luggage arrived within 2 hours of getting on the boat.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Armonia was better than the Divina; better pizza, burgers and specialty burgers, Buffett smaller but well maintained. Suggestion: add kabobs and chicken breast to the burger/dog grill station.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Plenty of things to do! We participated in photoshoots and Il Lido Deck was very popular and well staffed. Table tennis and table fútbol available but mini golf and shuffleboard were not installed as advertised.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
We only went to one theater show and decided it wasn't our bag. DJs were pretty good. Musicians in the deck 5 and 6 bars were good too. Personality people were very hype and seemed to enjoy their jobs.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
I had a pleasant experience with every staff member except security (for good reason I suppose). Special shoutouts to: Gede Gunawan aka the GunMan our amazing waiter in La Pergola restaurant, Veekush who we saw at many bars and was so pleasant, our room attendant Reyma was very nice. Great experience with Miclea Mihaela at the photography desk who encouraged us to act early on a photo package and IT WAS WORTH IT. One MAJOR DOWNFALL to the package was a computer virus on the MSC flash drive. We sent an email to MSC right away so I hope they address the issue within their computer systems.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
She is an older boat so yes there was creaks and design flaws but still has a classy feel and held to a clean standard by all crew. The suite we got was located on Tourmalina Deck right below Il Lido deck so it was very convenient to access the buffet, pool, and the disco club.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Best word: Spacious. Everyone who stopped by our cabin agreed. Would book again.
Ship tip
Book Fantastica experience or better, buy photography package ($250 for all prints and digitals on day 3, probably better if bought in advance), easy drink package is a must for any drinker. Buy on Black Friday thru Cyber Monday to get a great deal. Take a smaller boat like MSC Armonia and dont feel overcrowded.
We took the MSC exclusive Chacchoben Ruins Tour. Fantastic guide George and driver Eddard. The drive was 45 minutes each way but the 12 passenger sprinter van was air conditioned and provided drinks on the way home. Loved the glimpse at history and nature (we saw a primate by the Temple of the Moon). My shipmate friends went to the beach and had custom Corona bottles and keychains printed. You can haggle in Mexico -- the prices of goods and souvenirs are flexible which I capitalized on.
The weather dropped to much cooler temps. Jellyfish and sharks took over the lagoon forcing people out of the water. MSC & Ocean Cay souvenirs available and at fair prices. Convenient food trucks. Bars aren't fully stocked but your easy drink package works. The light show was very cool but could be longer in duration. Took great photos and videos at sunset.
Had an amazing time here. We visited The Lookout, a local Jerk restaurant/home kitchen, and a great 420 experience. All thanks to Troy's tours. Next big vacation - will return to Jamaica but for a week or more.
Ate lunch at a restaurant near the port. Went to seven mile beach at Calico Jack's. $6 bus fare to and from with a 15 minute ride but can be longer because the buses wait to fill up before they go. I enjoyed swimming in the Sea very clear waters. Fellow shipmates went scuba diving and loved it, others fed the stingrays and got nibbled ^_^.
Glad you enjoyed your cruise, thanks for the review. If you only cruises are with MSC, then what about cruising on other cruiselines to compare experiences?
Thank you for your review. I'm going on my first cruise EVER for my 50th bday in May. I'm excited that we're going on the Armonia.
I've read so many negative reviews that I began to get nervous. I appreciate you mentioning the down sides but not focusing on them.
So glad you enjoyed your experience. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it. There have been several negative reviews recently, especially about the food. I’m not sure what people are looking for or normally eat to not be able to find something to eat on a cruise.
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