Overall, we were impressed with MSC and I believe the difference is MSC is a family owned and operated cruise line. It is not a corporation at the mercy of shareholders. Captain Marco was warm and inviting and made himself seen throughout the ship. I even saw him escorting a tour group off the ship, to the surprise of myself and the crew member I was speaking too. We love MSC style of cruising and we have two more cruises booked with them. One on the Seaside for Thanksgiving and one next March going to Havana, Cuba! If you are on the fence about MSC and the bad reviews you may have read, don't. I spoke to travel agent on board and he said that the other cruise lines are concerned with MSC breaking into the North American market.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Fast and easy
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
DINING: My family are vegetarians and we felt there were plenty of choices for us on the cruise. The buffet was repetitive but was good. I wish that MSC would place a "V" next to vegetarian options on the buffet. I did eat one non vegetarian food item, but recognized the chicken broth right away. A lot of the deserts had gelatin. Personally, I like just going to the food you want and not waiting in line for items you don't want. I found it to work very smoothly. The only line for food I observed was for the nachos and guacamole. Dinner took about a hour and a half, including dessert. The main dining room options were some of the best vegetarian meals we have had at sea. The pasta and gnocchi are excellent,and sauces were amazing! I had read someone said that vegetarians would be disappointed on this cruise. I would disagree with that statement. I have been a vegetarian for almost 20 years.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
PHOTOS AND ART AUCTION: My wife and kids enjoy going to the art auction on board and we were not disappointed with the crew on the Seaside.I would like to thank George, from Park West, for his professionalism and kindness. I did win two bottles of champagne and a free private photo shoot, including two free pictures after the auction. We had a private photo shot with Andrea Balzano and he is simple amazing!!! From his bubbling personality to his eye for detail. We were happy with pictures he took of our family.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The entertainment on board was simply amazing!!! We loved the shows ad they received a standing ovation almost every night. The crew puts on three shows a night and work very hard. Timeless and Peter Punk were some of my favorites.
Children's Programs
Didn't participate
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
We found the service to be great. Our room steward was very nice and accommodating. The bar staff were kind and did their best to get your drink you in a timely manner. I would to say hi to Ivy for her kindness and thoughtfulness when she waited on us during the cruise. She was very kind to our children. The waiting staff was right on and served our meals in a timely manner. I had to use guest relations on a couple of occasions and was taken care of immediately. I will offer a bit of advice when dealing with staff on the ship. Great them first before you start with your concern. This goes a long way and always puts a smile on their face.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Brand new and amazing
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a balcony on the 15th floor with the Fantastica experience. The room was a normal size and we had no issue with closet space or storage of our luggage. We are a family of 4 with two kids and had enough storage space.
Love your review. I do agree with you very much about greeting the staff very kindly before you mention anything else because it does go a long way, and your on vacation so why be sour even if there is some problem that needs resolving. I've sailed Divina before and loved every minute of it and all the staff. I'm looking forward to my vacation on Seaside in November.
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