Our first experience on MSC was fairly good. If Celebrity is a B+ and RCCL is a B, I'd give MSC a C. The food isn't quite as good or varied. There are some inconsistencies. Boarding was a nightmare. The ships are beautiful but don't have quite as much to do. There weren't any big Broadway shows but the entertainment was decent and a bit odd. One thing I truly didn't like was the lack of variety of music...it was Latin music in every venue 24/7. I know we sailed out of Miami but it would be nice to hear a mix of music.
I would recommend this cruise line and ship to anyone looking for a great value and a good vacation with reasonable expectations. If you want amazing food go on Virgin Voyages. If you want adventure and activities 24/7 book RCCL. If you are looking for great service and quality food go with Celebrity. But if you're not too snobby about anything and can let minor frustrations roll off your back I think MSC is worth a shot. I'd rather cruise twice per year on MSC than once per year on RCCL for the same money.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
Embarkation took over 3 hours. The cruise was only 14% occupied. There was no excuse for how long it took to get people out of the direct sun and rain in Miami. This was a terrible first impression of MSC.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
A lot of people have seriously negative things to say about MSCs food. You probably will find some bland food...some foods that aren't hot enough. Maybe there won't be quite the selection you expect to see on RCCL or Celebrity....but you also probably paid way less to be on this cruise. Remember that it costs less but you're still able to go get whatever you want to eat any time of day. Even a mediocre meal on a cruise ship is better than a good sandwich in your own dining room! First world problems...
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The pools and hot tubs are great. The water slides were fun. It was really disappointing that the zip lines weren't available on this ship. The arcade was cool but very expensive. These are definitely more relaxing type ships than theme park ships like an oasis class on RCCL.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Fun and interesting shows. Could have benefitted from a comedian. Plenty of love music but I would have liked to see some larger ensembles.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Staff was pretty good. For a practically empty cruise it still took too long to get a drink almost everywhere. Our state room attendant was amazing
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The Seashore was absolutely friggin beautiful. Very modern and stunning.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Nice room. Basic balcony cabin. I really wish they would have had USB ports on both sides of the bed instead of just 1. Do they think only one person has a phone to charge?
Ship tip
Really take it all in. In 7 days we barely scratched the surface.
You summed up MSC very well in your review. People want to pay McDonald's prices but expect they're going to get gourmet burgers and milkshakes.
MSC has all that and more if you book the "Yacht Club" experience. You get what you pay for.
Glad you enjoyed your cruise. We were on the Seaview previously and decided MSC probably wasn’t for us but the ship certainly was beautiful, didn’t feel crowded, and there were a lot of positives including the lower cost!
You should Try Msc Seascape at least they did a little better on that ship but still some flaws, netherless Glad at least enjoy the cruise and thanks for the review
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