MSC Cruise Line

Author Message   NF Senior Member Username: Armywifey Post Number: 91 Registered: 08-2007 Posted on Thursday, April 10, 2008 - 05:04 am:    Thank you for all the tips and information. After doing some more research we ended up booking a cruise through a USAA partner on Royal Caribean to the Mediterranean.   Suzi Johnston Intermediate Member Username: Suzi Post Number: 19 Registered: 01-2008 Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2008 - 05:39 pm:    We took a MSC Cruise 3 years ago to destinations in the Baltic like Sweden, Russia, and Estonia. We had an awesome time with our two boys - ages 10 and 13 at the time. We were the only Americans on board and sat with a family from South Africa. True, it was not luxury and the entertainment was all that is well described here. Also, it was so cold we never used the cold, saltwater pool. Overall, however, for the price and the destinations I would definitely do it again.   Allan H Weagle Intermediate Member Username: Popsie1947 Post Number: 11 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008 - 06:42 pm:    We have cruised the Carribean with them twice; both times out of Fort Lauderdale. Once for seven days; once for twelve days. Entertainment was okay, food was okay but not equal to Carnival or RCL. Use them as a floating hotel if you like ports of call and the ship is a means of getting there. This is not a cruise for people who want a cruise to be a floating resort. Price is probably the best aspect of the line.   Gary Thomas Advanced Member Username: Mallarduck Post Number: 26 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 04:28 pm:    NF, my wife and I also took the MSC Lirica transatlantic cruise 3 years ago for the bargain price of $799 each for 17 days, plus taxes and tips, along with another couple. We all had a great time. The entertainment was nearly all outstanding and they all tried hard to please, the ship was extremely clean and fairly new at that time, and the food was plentiful and usually tasty. Our waiter quickly learned our food preferences, and was very efficient. The ship employs a group of young persons called the Animation Team to lead daily activities, and they were lots of fun to watch and very talented. Though interesting at first, we did get tired of the announcements in 5 languages. The exercise room was outstanding and well maintained. Overall the cruise was well worth the money, and we enjoyed the Italian flair.   Mike Senior Member Username: Immerfertig Post Number: 450 Registered: 01-2007 Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 10:53 pm:    Dennis, While stationed in the UK from 2003-2006, my family did a 7-day Red Sea cruise package. Ship was the Thomson Spirit. Cruise started at Sharm El Sheikh and we visited Petra, Jordan, the Pyramids in Cairo, and Luxor. Really fascinating. The ship was fairly small, but the food was good and plenty of it. Also took the Hurtigruten ship (MS Richard With) down the coast of Norway for 5 days. Tho not your typical cruise, the beauty and the experience can not be matched.   Dennis Knott Senior Member Username: Degause01 Post Number: 117 Registered: 07-2005 Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 07:11 pm:    Mike Where were the other two cruises to? I know, never end a sentence with a dangling preposition but you get the point..This is better: Where did the other two cruises go?   Mike Senior Member Username: Immerfertig Post Number: 448 Registered: 01-2007 Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 05:07 pm:    My wife, 2 small kids and I took a Med cruise on the MSC Armonia in April 07. Embark/Disembark from Venice. It was arranged thru ITT at Ramstein and coinsided with DODDs spring break. Resulted with cruise having many Americans and lots of kids. Very popular cruise with Americans stationed in European. This was only our third cruise and not as good as the other two. However it was a good value for the price. Nice ship with lots to do. I would have liked to have seen more options for food. Besides Venice, we stopped in Bari, Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Dobrovnik. All were very nice. Cruising in and out of Venice is truly a spectacular sight.   dinotars Senior Member Username: Dinotars Post Number: 3333 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2008 - 12:53 pm:    We took a Med cruise on MSC lines last year.Good ship newly built.Interesting ports of call Spain, Tunisia,Malta,Monaco,Genoa.7 days in all.Departed Civatavecchia and return there.Good connections to Naples for spacea.   Jeffrey G. Carlen Senior Member Username: Jcarlen Post Number: 314 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 11:22 pm:    NF...We took a transatlantic cruise on the MSC Lirica a few years ago. The price was dirt cheap for a long transatlantic cruise but there was a distinctive European flavor. The cruise terminated in Genoa and there were many Italians on board. There were also plenty of other Europeans and the cruise director made all the announcements in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. It took forever to get them out! There was a smoking section on the starboard side (thats right to you ground pounders) of the main entertainment deck. Unfortunately the traffic flow was such that you had to pass through it. Europeans smoke like chimneys! The food was better than mediocre in the beginning but halfway through they changed to their European menu and we were very disappointed. The entertainment was clearly European style, almost vaudevillian although the ventriloquist who had a live basset hound as his "dummy" was hysterical. All in all we would probably do it again but it would depend on the itinerary and the price. BTW, MSC Lines is the worlds second largest container line and this is their cruise division.   DeeDee Clarke Senior Member Username: Deedee Post Number: 114 Registered: 05-2004 Posted on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 07:02 am:    My friend went on one of their Mediterranean cruises this fall and said never again. They have cruised before, and this cruise did not meet their expectations at all. Like you, she also read reviews before going. However, when she returned she read a review that was posted while she was gone, and said it mirrored their experiences much more than the other reviews. She only wished it was posted before she booked her cruise. She agrees with the accuracy of this review: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=34003   NF Senior Member Username: Armywifey Post Number: 64 Registered: 08-2007 Posted on Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 04:52 am:    Has anyone heard of this cruise line or taken a cruise with them before? My husband and I are looking at taking a Mediterranean cruise this year and MSC seems to offer a wide range of Mediterranean cruises. I have done some research on the web about reviews on the company but i'm looking for anyone who has any personal experience with them or knows of someone who does.