MSC was a first for us but we have been on several cruises over the past 20+ years. It started when they matched our highest loyalty rating with another cruise line which made us automatically Silver and the benefits of that. As you can see our Embarkation and Debarkation which can be stressful was a Breeze... Food and Drinks were very good.... Truly Enjoyed the Cruise Critic Forums - Sail Away - Meet & Greet and Cabin Crawl and all of the Wonderful New People that we met during. The Captain was personable. Thank You to MSC for a Wonderful Week!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We have been on Many Many Cruises and this by far was the Easiest and Quickest we have ever boarded.... Hats off to MSC for having this under control.... On top of that they were glad to tell us at 11 AM Check In our Cabin was ready....
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We truly enjoyed this ship.... And the International Experience if offered... I do understand how some may misinterpret the Experience as it is very internationally done. Our experience was very good and we did have the slow conversation but as the week went on it is clear that it is done on a international experience. The Food is Awesome and Great Choices. We truly enjoyed this cruise.... Note we had the Fantastica Experience which came with the Voucher Booklets we are not huge drinkers but did feel that 12 each for the week wouldn't be enough so purchased 2 (1 Each) of the additional 18 pack vouchers of which almost one whole booklet went unused?
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
On board activities that we experienced was Awesome... If you are a Bingo Player don't miss the Bingo Boyz... As even if you don't win you are entertained.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
If your not into the shows - Well some we are some we are not. These shows Cater on a Huge International Group in the Theater so some you may get and some you may not. We just took it show by show... However, Do not Miss the Michael Jackson Show .... Best Show I have ever seen on a Ship!
Children's Programs
No Children
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone Service and Staff member on this ship was professional - friendly and respectful... With that being said let me just say that this is an international ran ship and not all things are the same as other cruises you may have experienced. Some people in the CC Group never met their Steward others never received a Towel Animal others had only the best to say about both....
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Beautiful Ship - Elegant and one of the most consistently Cleaned Ship I may have ever experience....
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I was really afraid of the inside cabin after reading reviews. However, We did have the Fantastica Experience which was supposed to give a slightly larger room. I can't say if that is try or not but I can say this Cabin met all of our needs. We enjoy the inside cabins for the blackout abilities and they are normally more quiet which stood true to form on this ship as well. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the closest space to include drawers and shelves which normally you only get one or the other. We had all of the above.
Ship tip
I believe if you have an open mind and enjoy the Adventure of something a little different this is the Cruise for you. The Staff from Captain to Servers are very friendly, knowledgeable and warm. Note it is true that they cater to Several different Nationalities and work very hard to make each and everyone feel welcome. I feel that after taking this cruise I have a better understanding of what it would be like to cruise abroad as well as what those abroad feel like on some of our more traditional USA Cruises. We were fortunate enough to make wonderful new friends from Wales - Yorkshire that we hope to see on the High Seas again one day very soon.... ??? Seaside September may be a Reality for us and our new friends....
Due to Hurricane Irma this port was replaced with Montego Bay > We did the Grand Palladium Resort for the day and it was a Beautiful Resort and Food was Awesome
As we have cruised many many times this port has been visited more times than we can count but we always find new things to experience. Junkanoo Beach is just a 10 minute walk from the port and offers deals on Chairs - Umbrellas and Drinks. If you choose to visit the Straw Market a Simple No Thank You does the trick. Note that if you are looking for something specific just tell your favorite vendor there they will find what you want and have it brought to their booth to save you from walking the whole market looking for just one or two items.
Only on 7 + Days & Cabin Crawl & Poker Run needs to be coordinated prior to cruise. Then someone will need to coordinate with cruise director once on board a meeting place to start & then at end a place to tally prizes - have drinks etc.
If you join cruise critic group someone will coordinate cabin crawl. Going around ship to different cabins of group members to see different categories
Thanks for the positive Divina review. Most happy because you have cruised other ships so you have a good comparative base. I too am thinking MSC for the exact same reason of loyalty match. GOOD program for us, not so good for loyal MSC cruisers.
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