7 Things I Learned On An MSC Cruise Ship
When I have a client who has never cruised before I always start with MSC. But since they are the “new” ship on the block, inevitably my clients ask “Is an MSC cruise good?” I went on a 3-night voyage on the MSC Meraviglia to the Bahamas. I then went on a 7-night cruise from Brooklyn on the same ship. Here are the 7 things I learned while I was on my MSC cruise ship.
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Organization Is Not A Strong Point
Unfortunately, the organization of MSC is very subpar. I think that they need to revamp their embarkation process. They had a lot of issues with getting guests onto the ship. One of their issues was their method of managing all mandatory requirements before sailing. It requires passengers to bring their travel documentation with them.
I even saw entire families waiting in the holding area because they were being denied entry! That’s why I encourage all of my clients to get travel insurance either through the company or better yet with my personal choice Safety Wing!
Inevitably, there were many passengers who didn’t, and that immediately created lines. Luckily we arrived a couple of hours earlier so we didn’t have to wait too long. Unfortunately, others were not so lucky. Our ship was supposed to leave Port Canaveral, Florida at 4 p.m., and there were still lines at 6 p.m.
There needs to be a different more streamlined process because it created a bit of chaos and a little bit of disorganization. Another one of their disorganization issues revolves around the mandatory evacuation drills. Most cruises that I’ve been on have a seamless process, MSC not so much. Disney Cruise Lines shines in this department.
During the chaos of embarkation, they made several shipwide announcements to all passengers to voluntarily report to the muster station. A good portion of the travelers on the ship had never heard of this drill before!
Travel Tip: Muster Station Safety Drill
MSC’s muster drill was a series of announcements over the ship’s system demanding that “all passengers report to their muster station.” If you didn’t know what that was, you were not reporting. Even if you did know where it was, you didn’t know where to find it! This only added to the chaos that was embarkation. This is absolutely NOT one of the things that make MSC cruises good.
Cleanliness, Beauty, and Dining Are Where They Shine
The MSC Meraviglia is beautiful. There really isn’t any other way to describe it. It looks like it’s brand new, and has never been used. It smelled new, it was shiny and it literally sparkled. And by literally, I mean that the stairs literally sparkled! Seriously, they are made of Swarovski crystals and are absolutely breathtaking.
The rooms were very clean too. Honestly, it oozed “modern.” We stayed in a standard balcony stateroom and it was slightly larger than other cruise lines we’ve sailed. The bathroom was spotless, and for me, that is a big win. As with all cruise staterooms, the bathroom was on the smaller side, but it was overlooked because of how clean it was.
Travel Tip: Make sure you bring an adapter if you want to blow dry or straighten your hair in the bathroom. Since it is a European ship, they only had Euro power outlets in the bathroom. These are the ones I recommend.
The Food! Things I Learned On An MSC Cruise Ship–EAT ALL THE FOOD!
By day two we were loving every bit of food we ate. I don’t remember having one piece of food that I did not like. The quality is fresh and the variety is acceptable in the buffet area. I particularly liked the breakfast options. The variety of pastries alone made me wish I was back.
Their main dining hall was at the back of the ship and offered spectacular views. We ate there for what we affectionately called “dinner” at the earliest time 6 p.m. and found that the menu did not change, at all. That made our ventures into the specialty restaurants which we called “supper” that much more eventful.
We ended up eating at several of their specialty restaurants, and they are worth every penny of added expense. The options were:
- Hola! Tacos & Cantina
- Butcher’s Cut
- Kaito Teppanyaki and Sushi
- Ocean Cay
- Main Dining Buffet
One of the negatives was the bars/lounges. Most of them were closed for our cruise. We were told that it was because of a staffing issue. I think that they need to improve this in order to improve their US-based customers.
Travel Tip: Try a drink when you are on a cruise that is different than anything you’ve ever had! If you like it, at least you’ve found a new drink! If you don’t, at least you tried!
They Are Very Family Friendly
Some cruise lines excel at family-friendly activities. MSC is one of them. First, moms of littles, you will be happy to learn that MSC offers a fun playroom for children under 3! Most places don’t offer that service!
They also have plenty of amenities that cater to older kids. There is a basketball court that converts to a teen nightclub at night, an ice cream bar, a virtual reality arcade, LEGO rooms, computer labs, and more!
What sets them apart, however, is that they have activities for families that like to think outside the box. I call these families “learning families” because they try to have moments with their kids while on vacation. MSC offers that with multiple “teaching with experiences” activities.
They aren’t just fun and games, they offer cooking classes, language classes, and immersive cultural tours while on location.
But when it comes to fun and games, they offer enough varieties to keep the kiddos entertained.
I Like How They Are Growing Their U.S. Fleet
MSC will have 2 new ships in 2022, the MSC Seascape and World Europa. They will then have 5 ships sailing in the USA throughout the year. Each of these ships has that unique new “flair” that MSC ships seem to offer. The word that comes to mind is sophisticated.
They are building a new port in Miami which will be the furthest and last built in a state-of-the-art cruise terminal that will open in late 2023. The key takeaway I got was that MSC is a higher-end cruise line. Their amenities and services are not for those who are looking for budget or party cruises.
In April of 2023, they will start sailing from New York City, which is such a benefit to my fellow northeast peeps! MSC Seascape will make its home there. MSC also announced that they will be launching World Europa, their largest ship in the fleet, and her sister ship MSC Americana.
I’d be cautious about booking cruises on those first cruises out of either new port. I’m sure it is not going to be organized. You’ll definitely want to avoid booking after they’ve been returning from a foreign country as the entire crew has to be inspected and the crew has to participate in Coast Guard drills, etc. That means lines, and waiting and we already know they aren’t good at that.
The Yacht Club Upgrade is Essential
MSC’s Yacht Club is an exclusive white glove service upgrade. They market it as a ship within a ship. It’s geared towards the more open-minded explorers w/higher education or more experience with travel. Yacht Club members are the travelers who when they arrive at a destination experience it. They go to museums, visit locals and eat at dive restaurants.
The Yacht Club amenities are worth taking a look at. Not only do you have access to your own wing of the ship in larger staterooms, but you also are treated like royalty!
On the ship, the Yacht Club experience is designed to give you 360 sea views at all times. In their private area on board, Yacht Club members receive:
- Private white-glove butler service
- Espresso machine (in-room)
- Pillow menu
- 20-hour private concierge
- Premium open bar
- Private area for shows
- Priority boarding and disembarkation (which allows them to avoid the lines)
- A dedicated private beach area at Ocean Kay (private island)
- Yacht Club Only restaurant with Michelin star chefs
- Private pool and whirlpools
- So much more!
In my opinion, it represents the future of cruising. On some of the newer ships, the Yacht Club is going to feel like you are in a 5-star resort in the middle of the ocean.
The Private Island is…Spectacular
There really isn’t much more to say than that. It’s the Bahamas, so you can already assume that the island was going to be nice. But MSC made it a mission to repurpose this island into the beautiful paradise it was.
The private island has a wedding venue and a pavilion. I would definitely be adding it to the list of best places for your destination wedding or honeymoon. Bimini Beach is on the list and I try to visit it as much as I can!
I highly recommend choosing a cruise that spends the night on the island so that you can witness the lighthouse light show!
Their Customer Service Leaves A Lot To Be Desired
It seems like a lot of the staff was not knowledgeable about certain things. It was almost as if they were new to the ship and didn’t know how to properly do their particular job. Throughout the entire trip, I heard guests complain about the customer service. One passenger stated that a staff’s response to a customer issue was “oh well.”
I didn’t personally have any issues, but whenever I had a question, I did find it a little unprofessional that the staff I asked usually couldn’t answer it. I spoke with a logistics coordinator for MSC in the shipping sector who was also on this cruise and she stated:
the customer service aspect is consistent in that it is not quick and they don’t provide you with the answers that you are seeking.
One of the issues people were having was with the credit card on file. Most cruise lines allow guests to use the credit card that they used to book their cruise for additional expenses. If you purchase anything you’ll just get a bill at the end of the cruise, and that’s it! Again, MSC does things differently.
They require clients to add a card either at check-in or at one of their kiosks for charges on board. This caused confusion, especially for travelers who are used to just having their card added for them automatically.
The credit card situation came back again when we were checking out of the ship. Passengers couldn’t disembark until they “settled their bill” prior to leaving. Most cruise lines do that for you. Very chaotic.
Conclusion: Would I Recommend MSC Cruiseline?
If you are sailing to the Caribbean, my answer is not quite yet. I think they need to get a year or two into the U.S. market before they are ready for the accolades of other companies. On the other hand, if you are cruising in Europe, I wouldn’t go with any other brand.
I do think that if you are a seasoned cruiser, you’ll definitely like the “up-scale” nature of MSC. If you would like to book your MSC cruise at some AMAZING rates! Click here to schedule a consultation with me!