Overall, this was a fantastic cruise! We actually took this cruise as a roundtrip from Barcelona 13 April - 20 April 2019, with the same ports as listed below. The itinerary was excellent, we got to visit so many places (no sea days)! MSC Seaview is a spectacular and incredible ship. There was so much to do, all the staff were great and the food was good too.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
Embarkation in Barcelona was very poor. We arrived at the terminal at around 12pm, however were not ship for another 2 hours. Despite being the Aurea experience, which entitles us to priority embarkation, a member of the port staff told us the priority was 'just too difficult to organize'. This meant we had to wait in a line to drop off our bags around the taxi/bus drop off area in the hot sun, with all the vehicles' fumes going in our faces, which wasn't pleasant. Once we got to the front of that line we gave our bags to the porters and were finally given a special Aurea priority card. However, we still couldn't get inside the terminal! We had to join yet another long line, winding around the outside of the terminal building to get inside and go through security. Once we eventually got through security (at around 2pm), only then was our priority honored. We were able to check-in immediately and got on the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Overall, the food was good. Occasionally we had a dish that was disappointing, however generally it was very good. There was a good selection in the main dining room and buffet. We went to Butcher's Cut one night, where the steak was excellent, however overall rather expensive for what you get. The crepes and ice cream from Venchi was delicious!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The ship is amazing and has so much to do! We enjoyed all the activities, such as the zip line, waterpark, F1 simulator, bowling, XD cinema and so much more!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
There was show in the theatre every night, which were all very good. There was also a musician in the atrium every night. The entertainment team were excellent and all the parties were fantastic!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff are great, they are friendly and very hard-working. Particular mention must go to Reddy (bar tender), Chittawee (bar tender), Thiago (amusement) and especially Fatima (Venchi creperie).
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This is a beautiful new ship, with an excellent design. It is new, very well maintained and easy to get around.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Overall we were happy with our cabin. It is well laid-out and is comfortable, however it did lack storage space for 3 people - there is only one cupboard, with a few shelves and 2 small drawers; there is also only one shallow drawer under the desk, which contains the hair dryer. The bathroom was well designed with a couple of shelves, large sink and a glass shower door. Our cabin steward was nice and kept our cabin very clean.
In Cannes, we took and organised excursion to Cap Antibes and Cannes. The tour was excellent: the guide was friendly and knowledgeable and we had plenty of free time in both places.
In Genoa, we took a ship organized shore excursion to Portofino which was excellent. First the bus took us to Santa Margherita, where we had some free time. Then, we took an enjoyable boat ride to Portofino. Here, we had plenty of time to explore and experience the picturesque area. Our guide was knowledgeable and helpful.
In La Spezia, we walked to the train station (approximately 20 minutes from the cruise terminal) and took a short train ride to one of the Cinque Terre. We then got on a boat that took us around each of the Cinque Terre, which was beautiful. Afterwards, we took the train back to the centre of La Spezia and got back on the ship. This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Disembarkation in Barcelona was good. We stayed on the ship quite late, and when we were ready to debark just walked off. We quickly got our bags and took a taxi to the airport.
Definitely best to buy fun pass before the cruise as that is a set price (I think around £75) for unlimited use. Whereas if you buy it onboard, you have options to pay different prices for only a certain amount of credit. So unless you are planning to only use the amusements a few times (then you could work out the right amount of credit onboard), I definitely think the offer before you cruise is better value.
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