We are experience cruisers - with well over 300 nights at sea. MSC, while new to the US market, is not new to cruising or providing a service. There were several hiccups that could have been avoided with better communication. MSC has yet to send us a survey - which implies a lot about customer viewpoints. The embarkation experience set the tone for the cruise. While aspects of the food were good, the buffet was mediocre, at best. MSC could do a lot better with their port times too.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
Our embarkation started with a "late arrival notice" due to weather. While I commend MSC for taking safety first, there were no further updates. We arrived at the terminal around 7p, and finally got on board around 10p. In reality, MSC would have been better off canceling the original boarding day, and then sailing Saturday instead.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The main restaurant had awesome food for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. The buffets were not that good at all. While the food was edible, there was no variety in the food from day to day, no themes (e.g., Italian, Greek, German, etc.) and the dinner buffet was the same as the lunch-time buffet. MSC could do a lot better around buffet service.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There is plenty to do on the ship. Between games, pools, slides, etc.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The stage shows were fantastic. I have come to despise most shows on cruises. The other major cruise lines could learn from what MSC offers.
Children's Programs
no little children traveled with us.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Our steward was fantastic. Our dining staff was a little slower than we're used to and they could offer more wait staff per table.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Hands down, the ship was the prettiest ship we have been on.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
It was a cruise cabin. Not huge, not a closet. The bed and pillows were very nice for a cruise ship. But, what made it really nice was our steward.
Ship tip
Make sure you know the time you will be in each port, they tend to be shorter than other lines. Eat in the main dining for all meals or take advantage of the specialty restaruants.
We arrived around noon, and an all aboard by 4:15. While there isn't a lot to do on this island, the lounging around time could have been longer. They also did not provide food service on the island. It's not like it was a real long cruise to get there. And, given the embarkation experience, they could have provided more time.
Again, not a well timed visit. The ship arrived at 7am, before anything opened. We booked a 4 hour tour - but it lasted 5 hours. We had just enough time to get off the tour bus and speed walk back to the ship. There was no time for anything else.
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