Worst Cruise Ever
MSC Musica Cruise Review to Europe - Mediterranean
Sail Date: July 01, 2012
Ship: MSC Musica
Cabin Type: Balcony
Traveled As: Couple
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Ship: MSC Musica
Cabin Type: Balcony
Traveled As: Couple
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review Summary
Worst cruising experience I've had in over 25 years...disembarked a day early because we were so disappointed. Customer Service was supposed to contact us and they never did, even after I sent a thorough and detailed letter...I just want other potential cruisers to know what they are getting into before they book a vacation on the Musica.Quite simply, this was the worst cruise the four members of our traveling party have ever experienced. Between us, we've been on at least 40 cruises on several different cruise lines, including Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess and even Carnival. MSC failed to live up to our most basic expectations for ship features, accommodations, activities, service and food.
From the moment we arrived on board and toured the ship, we realized that many of the features we thought we would be enjoying on this cruise, quite simply, were not available to us. When we booked this cruise, we went to the MSC website, which offers a virtual tour of the \"Musica Class\" from the Musicas overview page that is completely misleading. It shows a sports bar that doesn't exist on the Musica. Same with the \"a la carte\" restaurant (which, on the Musica, is a roped-off section of the buffet - and not an actual restaurant). There is no Magrodome on the ship, either. These are three things that we were looking forward to using and none of them were on this ship.
While we are on the subject of misleading features, I'd like to point out that the ships \"solarium\" (Webster's definition: a glass-enclosed porch or room) is an empty outdoor deck above the pool and the \"art gallery\" is simply the name of a hallway that doesn't even contain any pieces of art. And where is that \"zen garden,\" anyway?
Throughout the cruise, I saw a video that played continuously on several TV screens on the 5th floor that highlighted all of the Musica's features, including a pizzeria, complete with special menus and dining facilities. THIS PIZZERIA DOES NO
Ship Experiences
Food and Dining
The food was below even Carnival standards with limited availability. Again\, we've all been on several cruises\, and the one thing that is a constant is the continuous availability of food on a 24-hour basis. There's always a buffet open. There are always selections available for free room service around the clock. But not on the Musica\, where buffets are open only during selected hours (usually coinciding with the dining rooms' hours). In 25+ years of cruises\, not once have I been unable to locate something to eat whenever I'm hungry. Until we boarded the Musica\, that is. Here's the deal: we're on VACATION. We eat when we're hungry\, and not during designated hours. This isn't boot camp. This is a cruise.
As I mentioned earlier\, the food was sub-par\, to the point that we stopped bothering to make an effort for the main dining rooms during dinner. For example\, the \"prime rib\" was carved roast beef about a half-inch thick with gravy\, something I'd expect at a cheap Vegas buffet.
As I mentioned earlier\, the food was sub-par\, to the point that we stopped bothering to make an effort for the main dining rooms during dinner. For example\, the \"prime rib\" was carved roast beef about a half-inch thick with gravy\, something I'd expect at a cheap Vegas buffet.
Entertainment
Our cruise was also marred by missing two ports due to rough seas or inclement weather (you choose whichever is convenient - Costa and Princess didn't seem deterred by the same conditions). Several hours after we boarded in Bari\, we were notified that the ship would not be leaving port that evening as scheduled. So\, if we are stuck in Bari all night long\, why not let us off the ship so we can explore whatever Bari has to offer? No\, that wasn't the case. We had to remain on the ship despite being docked for another 12 hours. This also cost us a port stop in Corfu\, even though Katakolon was our scheduled destination for the following day.
We also missed Mykonos\, our \"overnight\" port (from my experience\, leaving at 1 in the morning is not what most rational thinkers would consider \"overnight\")\, for the same inclement weather/winds/etc. We weren't notified until 45 minutes prior to our scheduled 10pm arrival that night. Nice.
We also missed Mykonos\, our \"overnight\" port (from my experience\, leaving at 1 in the morning is not what most rational thinkers would consider \"overnight\")\, for the same inclement weather/winds/etc. We weren't notified until 45 minutes prior to our scheduled 10pm arrival that night. Nice.
Service and Staff
Is rolling your eyes a European sign of respect that I am unaware of? Because we received a lot of that.
Ship Quality
For a ship of that size\, it's mind-boggling how there are so few actual facilities on board. The ship only had two small pools on the main deck. There was no adults-only pool\, which basically meant that\, if you wanted to take a dip\, you'd be dodging kids running around the deck and splashing in the water. And you could forget about finding any opportunity to relax poolside and enjoy some peace and quiet.
There were two 6-person jacuzzis on the entire ship. So\, at any time\, only 12 passengers (out of 2\,500) could enjoy them. Because there was only one pool deck\, it became a daily chore to scout out and reserve a poolside table since there weren't nearly enough to accommodate everybody. And the one time we actually found room in the jacuzzi was spent watching other passengers stand beside us and wait for us to leave so they could have a turn.
There were two 6-person jacuzzis on the entire ship. So\, at any time\, only 12 passengers (out of 2\,500) could enjoy them. Because there was only one pool deck\, it became a daily chore to scout out and reserve a poolside table since there weren't nearly enough to accommodate everybody. And the one time we actually found room in the jacuzzi was spent watching other passengers stand beside us and wait for us to leave so they could have a turn.
Cabin / Stateroom
Stained carpet and bed covers - something I've never seen on a cruise ship. Our balcony was the smallest I've ever had and was absolutely filthy with floorboards in disrepair (see attached photos). We never spent a single moment on it. In addition\, each morning\, we would find new cigarette butts and other various pieces of trash on our balcony. In one instance\, the cigarette butt melted and burned into one of the plastic chairs\, adding an element of danger to an already disgusting facet of our cabin experience.
In addition\, the vibrations and ensuing noise in our cabin made it impossible to sleep. Our balcony door rattled continuously (and loudly) while the front door squeaked. Things got so bad that we had to receive an interior cabin to use just for sleeping.
In addition\, the vibrations and ensuing noise in our cabin made it impossible to sleep. Our balcony door rattled continuously (and loudly) while the front door squeaked. Things got so bad that we had to receive an interior cabin to use just for sleeping.
Pros: The ports (that we actually saw)
Cons: Everything
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