MSC Orchestra Review

4.0 / 5.0
394 reviews

MSC ORCHESTA {If you booked it already, it's too late}

Review for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise on MSC Orchestra
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zezimaj
First Time Cruiser • Age 20s

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Sail Date: Mar 2009

In summary, the crew is limited in English speaking members and at times are quite rude. I understand this creates communication barriers. Therefore the MSC cruise line needs to provide more English speaking crew members when sailing out of the the US and don't have to repeat every message in four languages which most times you can't understand. The MSC Orchestra ship is new, very nice and clean {so clean that you will get "brass polish" on your hands at least once on a seven day cruise. Our Cabin {a balcony on the Chitarra Deck 14} rather small but well appointed. Our Cabin Steward never introduced himself. We waited on our luggage which we finally went to get ourselves. In the Dining Room {table 624} we meet Luigi {best thing} in the dinning room, and probably on the ship as far as the crew goes. Normally we would dine at the buffet {on most other ships we found the buffet has the same food as the dinning room and is less informal} DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME IN THIS AREA, GET DRESSED AND GO TO THE DINING ROOM, WHICH IS BEST OF THE TWO AREAS. And don't even think about 24 hour food service, for it doesn't exist on this ship. Quality of the food on a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a minus 1. For an Italian Cruise Line TERRIBLE would have to describe the food and I'm Italian. On the 5th day I went to the accounting office and removed the $12 per day tips for my wife and myself knowing I would take care of my waiter and cabin steward only with CASH, and by the way MSC doesn't like this policy. Tuff, I took care of the crew who at least tried to take care of us. I stopped a young lady crew member and asked her if she spoke or understood English, and in a perfect English accent her response was "No I don't" and she keep on walking. That's when the tips were removed. Our time in the ports was short, shorter than most other ships we have sailed in the Caribbean. The first port is a beach party on Cayo Levantado, you get nothing, no water, no food, just a towel and a tender boat ride. Unless you enjoy the beach, Well judge for yourself when you get there. The other three ports St Maarten, Antigua and Nassau were shorter than our itinerary had listed and we fully understand that the ship and captain have the right to alter itineraries. Don't fall for the "self assist" luggage program, it's organized confusion at best with no one and I mean no one from the crew will tell you whats going on. In short the MSC line is a massive entity in Europe {Italy and Spain} if they want to service the US they will have to make some changes in crew, food service, quality of food, or they will win with "first time cruisers only". I would not sail again on this line and I wish them all the best.

Cabin Review

For a balconly cabin samller than most other ships, well appointed.

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