We are frequent cruisers doing 3-4 a year. This was our first and last time with MSC.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
It was quick, but we hated having to stand in line once on the ship to register our credit card. All other cruise lines let you do that ahead of time.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
1 out of 5
The premium bar package wasn’t worth the money. We could only get 1 drink with dinner due to understaffing. Sometimes we were eating our entrees before receiving our drinks. We had 7:15 dining and were always punctual with our group. Every night the service was so slow, we frequently didn’t receive dessert or coffee because we had to leave for the late dining. A couple of times people were still eating entrees. The food in the dining room was not very good. We always ate breakfast and lunch at one of the buffets which were excellent with lots of choices. This area was always very clean.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
The pools were nice. There was no music at the main pool. They played games, but it was below the pool area and you couldn’t see what was going on. Lifeguards on duty were a very welcome sight.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The stage shows were amazing. Some of the best I have ever saw. Live music performers were very good. There was a DJ at the pool for only 45 minutes in the morning and afternoon.
Children's Programs
3 out of 5
The children’s staff at the water slide/ zip line constantly argued with each other.
Service and Staff
1 out of 5
Our room steward was very good, but very overworked. On one day, our room wasn’t cleaned until 3 pm. The Sports Bar waiters were terrible. Twice despite having the premium liquor package, we saw them use cheaper liquors even after requesting Grey Goose etc. One even threw a liquor cap when called out about it. They argued with each other and customers. There were never more than two waiters on Deck 16 pool area.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
The sanitizers were frequently empty. We never saw anyone cleaning the bathrooms, the elevators, or decks. We were a group of 28 & all of us noticed. The elevators had dirty floors with spills for hours. The women’s restroom on Deck 16 by the bar and pool only had one working toilet the whole cruise. The other one was out of order the whole trip. We had to ask to have dirty tables wiped. We all worried about getting sick.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Our balcony cabin was small. The closet door constantly fell off the rails. The shower was very small. I am 5’4” & 118. I couldn’t bend over without hitting the wall or door. Only 3 drawers total. The toilets on our floors quit flushing two different days. It took hours to repair.
Ship tip
The crew needs to have a customer service lesson. The excursions were frequently hours late due to the staff being unorganized with checking lists, issuing stickers, & wristbands. Seeing we docked in town, some busses were far away which made getting to them slow and difficult for some. The ship really was not sanitary or clean. It is just a matter of time before passengers will be ill.
As people were scanning their cards for the last time they were stopped because the bills were closed out at 9 the previous night. We ate at a pay venue with the meal ending at 9:30 and were one of them. Someone else was pulled out over a $2.00 item purchased at 10 pm. People were not happy. Most people had credit cards on file and couldn’t understand the ship not charging them instead of pulling them out of line.
I was on the same cruise as you and I loved it.
We had no issues with the staff - everyone was nice and helpfull. And the excursions we went on was on time - one was a bit rushed, but it was a short excursion, so I guess that was the reason.
OMG..i am going on this cruise ship next week..eastern caribbean..i was on the western caribbean this time last year and all of the issues you remarked on in your review didnt happen on our cruise....(same ship..seaside..)we had a wonderful experience..everything worked out perfectly..from the restaurants to the buffet the food was top notch...i just hope things havent went down hill in the past year...because the reason we booked again was the excellent service and friendly staff we encountered during our cruise..i will add a comment again when i return in a few weeks..Mike......
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