This cruise was the worst we have ever been on. The food, the overworked staff, and cleanliness were the problems that we saw on this ship. We have never seen any of these problems on any other ship. We all got colds and gastrointestinal problems which we attributed to overall lack of cleanliness in food preparation and general cleaning on the boat. On other boats you would always see crew wiping down railings and always busy cleaning open areas. Bartenders were overworked and it was hard to even order a drink. Behind bar was a mess because they were so busy trying to help customers. In the buffet they covered juice dispenser after breakfast so no juice was allowed for remainder of the day so only choices were water, coffee, or hot tea. It seemed as if cost-cutting had impacted the cruiser's experience.
The rating which includes port calls should not be interpreted as a better rating for the ship and its services.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Satisfactory
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Food quality/cooking style was poor. We had to search for something that appeared or we had tried to be good to eat as opposed to having to select from items so good that we could plan them for different days. We also believe that we got food poisoning (4 of us simultaneously) - not verified - might have been neuro or retro virus (from contaminated food from kitchen?). We ate mostly at sit-down restaurants but at times from the buffet. Exa: Grilled chicken breast was thin (ok) but tough/chewy. Turkey burger was ground and mushy. Hamburger was also weird and tasteless. Pizza was oily - not up to American or Roman standards. Dining room bread rolls were tough and chewy -- little choice.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
n/a
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Evening shows in the auditorium area were well done. However, in a two-week cruise with overlapping 1-week cruises - the shows were repeats centered around the 1-week cruise mix.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Room staff person (Yogi) was friendly and professional and helpful. Dining staff (Tomi and Martika) were excellent - remembered our names and preferences - took special orders (exa: simple salad vs. a more complex salad).
Bar staff was mixed. We once waited to place an order for 20 minutes or more and the bartenders never looked up and said "I will get to you as soon as I can." -- they did get to us but the attitude was not one of friendly professional service. This was not the same reception at all bars - some were fine.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Elevators and stair rails were not cleaned frequently. Ship layout should have supported an end-to-end walkway around all sides, rather than having restricted areas on main decks - it creates a class distinction noticeable by normal passengers who are most of the guests.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
We have been on cruises on most of the major cruise lines. MSC Seaside had the smallest cabin and baths of any that we can remember. We expected more spaciousness. We were quarantined for over two days because of gastrointestinal issues and the TV was antiquated at best. (Medical staff was good and professional). Few channels - most non-English - BBC and CNN - some ESPN. Internet was ok but sluggish. Internet was not a good alternative to TV because of restrictions. So, the TV became even more inadequate.
Ship tip
Choice another cruiseline. We have cruised on Celebrity (the best), Royal Caribbean, NCL, Holland America - all are better - even the older ships.
The 5 different languages what were announced that took about 5 minutes each to finish. The smell of poo through parts of the ship and the way they set up the smoking areas on the ship too. It did have 2 buffet areas and nice look of most of the ship and a very valuable number of staircases in the main area. You know, I think I'll have to write a review of my own on MSC Seaside.
Thanks for the review.
It had problems on MSC Seaside too, it's not a top line in service or delivery. It does have a competitive price though, I hope this isn't a running theme with MSC
One thing I would say about our one MSC cruise, which was on the Seaview, was that the ship was beautiful, clean and very spacious. Sorry you had a different experience.
Thanks for your review. Sorry you guys got sick.. We were on the Seaside back in August, and the ship was remarkably clean, and the service was great.. The sports bar service was the best on the ship. I hope you guys feel better.
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