The negative comments seem to be in these areas:-

a) the food - one person described the food as 'for the most part uneatable';
b) there have been comments about friction on board between the Italian/European staff, and those crew members not from Europe - eg, the Indonesian crew members. Stories of public arguments, criticisms, and so on; and
c) some adverse comments about excursions.

Most reviews seem complimentary enough about the ships themselves, even though they definitely aren't mega-ships.

this sounds most strange, indeed. MSc has been receiving rave reviews from European passengers recently. The gratuity thing is particularly strange as - at least in Europe - MSC has no automatic gratuities at all.

Best,

quote:

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Originally posted by PamM:
, as much for their unBritish/unAmerican flair as anything else.

Pam

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And this factor, I fear, is the reason MSC is having trouble attracting and appealing to the huge American mass market. Ma & Pa Iowa get on board and complain that it doesn't meet their expectations, it doesn't measure up at all to when they sailed on the Royal Queen Star of the Seas, etc.

And MSC is caving in, to meet passengers expectations. At least, what they have learned to expect from a cruise, since 90% of North Americans just don't know any better or any different. Their mindsets are formed by Carnival, RCI, and today's Princess cruise products.

Sad, but true.

quote:

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Originally posted by Tom Burke:
Not only is that more than other cruise lines, but, allegedly, it doesn't go to the crew; they apparently receive only a standard, regular wage.

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Standard cruise wages are so very low (Carnival used to be $1 per day) that the tips ARE the wages. The cruise lines don't really pay the staff, we do.

So I would imagine the crew MUST get much of the 12%.

And MSC is caving in, to meet passengers expectations.

MSC will probably go to any lengths to fill their ships in American waters. After all how Norwegin is NCL or how Dutch Holland America?

[ 01-27-2006: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Bar Waiters: $1,200 or 1,400
Waiters: $2,000
Table Managers: $5,000

Fair enough to me. But of course all this is purely passenger 'talk' and none of it may be true. If they do receive those salaries then I expect the auto tipping does indeed get used to pay the salaries, just not get handed over as a TIP.. it doesn't matter how one wishes to look at it. I expect the staff prefer having a set figure and known income. Any cash given directly is kept on top.

I imagine [my speculation only] that Sasso's plan last year with the 'no tipping' policy left many people confused not knowing what to do, and leaving nothing. $12 is the same as Cunard. MSC cruises ex US are much cheaper per diem than those in the Med which is why I expect this is being done, and the added 'income generating' things snuck in.

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Originally posted by billee:
It's definately not the food most Americans expect.

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Exactly, these people are not the types to appreciate MSC, so I wonder why they booked it; apart from price. I expect American type foods on US based ships, I do not expect it on MSC, nor do I expect it on a British vessel. Now my HAL & NCL cruises did not provide me with food most British people expect.. so should I call it lousy? of course not.

There are however others on that same cruise who enjoyed it, and loved the food. You cannot please everyone.

There is an online booking form for agencies to use to order wine for customers aboard. It has to be completed a few weeks beforehand. probably gets to the right person, quicker than phoning.

I will book them NEVER AGAIN!!!

This is an Cruiseline with lousy, cheap pre-cooked Banquet Food, unexperienced Waiters, lazy Head-Waiters, lousy loud and niveauless Entertainment.

Take your Money and spend it at Celebrity or an other good Line, you will have an fantastic Holiday, on MSC you will get an Holiday, in which you are angry from the first Day until the last Day.

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Originally posted by billee:
My travel agency just had 24 couples on the Jan. 14, 2006 sailing of the Opera. The vast majority of them did not like it.

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Just curious, how did they come to choose MSC for this cruise? Had any of them cruised with MSC before?

I have seen complaints about MSC's bar staff because they do not do this, instead they wait for you to call them over to order drinks.

Which do you prefer?

Lousy food is subjective. What is lousy to one person may well not be for the next. I have eaten the same food as a tablemate.. they thought their's was wonderful, mine was mediocre at best The difference was, I prefer a small piece of meat and lots of veg, they prefer a plate of meat, 2 peas & 1 string bean.

I usually order cheese and fruit for dessert... this is no problem on some lines .. but on others it appears to confuse the wait staff who treat it as 2 desserts, one after the other, no matter how many times I ask for them together Should I call this lousy service... not particular good, but not lousy.

Mass market ships are not gourmet restaurants.. they cater for hundreds sometimes thousands at once. The food is better than many standard US restaurants, but not a lot and certainly there is no way a ship could cater for even the regional variations in US palettes, let alone those of the World. A spaghetti in New York, is different to one in LA, and cannot be compared to one in Italy, or the UK, which is the better? None, it depends on where you come from and what suits your palette. However there are those who will says the Italian one is dreadful, purely because they come from LA and think all spaghetti should taste like that in their local restaurant... that is what is wrong imo. People should accept what others in this world like and dislike, not stamp a foot and say something is lousy because it is different.

If someone is not prepared to accept different foods in life, they should not go on any cruise that may serve them something not the same as their home town as it is bound not to be enjoyed. One cannot say that anyone sailing MSC has not be warned they won't get USA 'home cooking'.

I guess I will never get my point over

Spanish food was great on Pullmantur... now I cannot imagine a single person disliking that.. but I could say it was lousy as half of it, I had never tasted or seen before. I couldn't even tell you what some of it was called.

quote:

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Originally posted by billee:
[...] Sometimes I wonder if they were on the same ship. Go figure.

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Why? Ships are generally big - service can already be very different on the next table.

This is the main problem with the feedback one gets on a certain ship (including professional reviews) - it is a non-represantative 'sample' - usually one (or two) passenger(s) out of several thousands - not to talk about how things change with time.

[ 01-27-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

all I can say is, don't feed the trolls.

Best,

A SAAB owner can tolerate a rather vanilla Camry, but a Camry owner will not tolerate a SAAB and it's quirks.

I like driving SAABS, but not owning them, if I did I could not afford to take any cruises

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Originally posted by mikiebaccarat:
I cruised on MSC Opera in Jan of 05. It was my 22nd cruise, first on MSC.
The meals were excellent, service friendly and good, cleanliness was outstanding as was the entertainment. The ship was elegant and very comfortable. The variety of food was considerable and excellent. I can't she why we have all these Americans , 'bitching' over food. Do they eat nothing but steak and potatoes?

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[ 01-27-2006: Message edited by: desirod7 ]

quote:

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Originally posted by PamM:

Exactly, these people are not the types to appreciate MSC, so I wonder why they booked it; apart from price.

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Unfortunately price is the key driver for these people. The see that irresistible 7-day MSC Cruise to the Caribbean advertised for $495, and they can't refuse. Then once onboard they are the first to bitch and moan because it's not exactly like Princess or Royal Caribbean (which are more expensive). Does MSC really want these passengers? Apparently so.

MSC has a true identity problem in the US, and they are going to have decide one way or another what direction they want to go in. The "in the middle" approach is not working, and new mega-ships are coming out very soon.

Frankly I wish MSC would not change from the way it was on my OPERA cruise last January. Unfortunately I already see that is not the case, with "inch of crap", "fine art auctions", and auto tipping. Funny, last year MSC was advertising "tipping not required". My have things changed in a year.

The reason why they should come to Australasia, I believe, is two fold. Firstly, competition for Carnival Australia; secondly, Australians are very multicultural, they will accept European (Italian) influences (food, service, entertainment, etc.) with no problems. All MSC has to do, is give the Aussies/Kiwis decent prices.

******

quote:

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Originally posted by Sailor:
So what is the solution...do in Rome what the Romans do or don`t go to Rome...

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Unfortunately Rome wants to go to America and wants those dollars.

There is a big cultural differance between European (and British) styles of decore, food and service as you have high lighted.