This was my first cruise with MSC and it was in the top 3 of the 20 cruises I have taken in the last 35 years. Having less than 500 passengers on a ship that holds 4,500 was a great experience. No wait for an elevator, no lines, no problem getting a deck chair or seat at the buffet, etc. This cruise also stopped at Costa Maya, it was not listed as an option to review. I went to Maya Chan, which is always a great experience.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Arrived at the pier at 11:20. There was a 8-10 minute wait to get the Covid test, then another 20-25 minute wait to get the results. Total time from arrival to getting to my cabin was about 50 minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and selection of the food based on some previous reviews. I had breakfast and lunch at the buffet and dinner 6 nights in the dining room and 1 night at the steakhouse. Service was great at all venues.
Waves Restaurant
5 out of 5
Excellent service, a variety of selections each night, good quality and adequate portion sizes. It did seem like they had fewer selections in each category than other cruise lines, but I had more trouble deciding which of 2-3 items I wanted rather than finding something to order. I got 2 appetizers most nights and it was not an issue.
Marketplace Buffet
5 out of 5
There was a good variety of selections at breakfast and lunch and the quality was equal to or better than what I have experienced on other cruise lines.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I did not participate in many of the activities offered, but there were numerous activities offered throughout the day, including multiple trivia games, dance classes, exercise / stretching, ping pong tournaments, poolside games, etc.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
All of the performers I saw were good and equivalent to or better than what I have seen on other lines. In addition to the main theater, there was music nightly in multiple venues around the ship.
The Broadway Theater
5 out of 5
There were 2 singers (Lisa Marie Smith & Rob McVeigh) and one comedian (Keith Bender) who performed two shows each in the main theater. All were good and equivalent to or better than what I have seen on other cruise lines. There were no large production shows or a live orchestra with the singers. I don’t know if this was due to Covid or is the normal procedure for MSC. The Love & Marriage Game Show was held in the main theater mid-week instead of one of the performers.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service was excellent on this ship. It may have been since the crew outnumbered the passengers by almost 3 to 1, but the crew seemed to go out of their way to assist. The cabin steward serviced my room twice a day and the wait staff in the dining room knew my name by the second day.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This is a beautiful ship and everything was clean and looked like it was new, even though the ship was built in 2017. The crew was constantly cleaning and it felt very safe, even cruising during Covid.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was clean, with a contemporary design and had a full size sofa and king size bed that converts to 2 twins. There was a little less storage than other cruise lines, but it should be adequate for 2 people. There were two 110v plugs, two 220v plugs and one USB plug at the desk. If you have lots of electronics, bring a multi-port USB adapter or non-surge protected power strip. The bathroom was typical size for a cruise ship and was well designed. The shower has a full glass door and one side that is mostly glass, so you don’t feel claustrophobic in the shower.
Ship tip
Don’t believe the bad reviews of MSC. The website and customer service can be tricky to deal with, but once on the ship it is a great experience.
I did self-assist and it took 5-6 minutes from the ship to curbside. Most of the time was due to the relatively long walk down the ramps from deck 6. Customs took about 15 seconds with the new facial scan system - no forms, no questions, just a facial scan and they say “Have a nice day.”
JT, thanks for the review. I was hoping you would enjoy your cruise on this ship. Our cruise on her was our last before Covid and we had a great time. Typically the worst part of a MSC cruise is their website and dealing with untrained customer service folks.
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