This was my 3rd cruise with MSC and I hope there is still allot to come...Everything was excellent, cabins, food and entertainment. The staff was friendly and helpfull and we realy enjoyed the shows. Out of my view there is no option for improvement. The embarkation was quick and easy. Everthing was quickly available on the boat. My kids enjoyed all the daily activities on the deck and we as a family enjoyed the shows. The food at the buffet was excellent and there was a allot to choose from. We also enjoyed the breakfast and supper in the restaurants. The kids enjoyed the nightclub and we enjoyed the casino and lounges on board. Pomene was a great expierience and the beaches is nice and clean. The food on the Island was to die for. Allot of evert was put into it and it was easy accessable. The disembarkation went to quick and before we opened our eyes we were safe back in Durban. Thank you MSC Read Less

When we first saw the prices of the cruise and the advantages of it all, it seemed too good to be true... BACKGROUND: We booked the 15 day Indian Ocean Cruise with one night in a hotel in Mauritius (with a *drink upgrade* stopping in Seychelles, Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius) with the round trip airfare from London Heathrow for 2 people for $5739, wow this is going to be awesome! We booked it well over 8 months in advance through Logitravel with Iris Madico. Iris booked it for us and was responsive and helped us out with any questions we had.... what we hoped they would have provided was a warning about Costa cruise’s upgrading schemes, disgusting food, and horrid service! Almost immediately onboard we found out that Costa’s main objective was to take advantage of us and milk us out of as much money as they could. The package included: o round trip flight from London Heathrow to Mauritius airport o one night stay at Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel (4/5 star hotel at the port) o 15 days in a “premium balcony” cabin with a drink package (during booking there were only two types of cabins, premium and standard) o private transfer from the airport to the hotel o private transfer to the cruise o private transfer back to the Mauritius airport. The excursions were extra but we estimated 1700-1800 euros for 2 excursions in Seychelles, 2 in Madagascar, 1 in Reunion, and 1 in Mauritius. This sounded like a great deal. We wouldn’t have to pay for anything else besides tips, dinner/lunch off the ship, souvenirs, and incidentals. We got our own round trip flight from Los Angeles to London and a one night hotel stay near the Windsor castle in Eton, England to make our wedding anniversary a little special. Eton/Windsor was awesome despite the 30/40 degree weather. It was well worth the luggage space for a couple of coats and warm clothes! The flight out of London on our anniversary was delayed and our layover in Paris was delayed (due to transportation union strikes in the entire country of France.) *Air France/ air Mauritius was our airline* we put up with the inconveniences of the airlines and airports, Off to Mauritius! The Mauritius hotel and restaurant nearby was great. It was pricey for the dinner and drinks but well worth it after 24 hours of flights to get there. We woke up the next morning excited for our cruise. TRIP BEGINS DAY 1 We arrived an hour and a half before “boarding” to see only a few people waiting under a plastic canopy for their luggage to be tagged. We waited on a short line to check in and were given cool towels. Once we got closer to the end of the line we were super surprised to see everybody handing over their passports and the lady putting them in a big box behind her! We were called up and the lady asked to see our passports and looked us up in a computer and said welcome aboard. We asked, “Why do they have to keep our passports, and if they could take photocopies instead?” She said it was for visas for Madagascar and we will get them back after we leave Madagascar.... this was very strange and was our first notice that they will hold our passports for 6 days! We even asked Logitravel prior if we need to do anything for the visas. They told us “You will get the visas at the port when you arrive.” Nothing was mentioned by Logitravel that they would hold our passports. We noted the ladies name and asked her to be extremely careful with our documents. Once we were on board it was time for a late lunch. We made our way up to the 9th floor to the buffet. Once we exited the elevator the smell overwhelmed us. There was a mixture of all types of food smells. We just ignored the smell and began to survey the buffet to find something appealing. We had to dodge all the other passengers with trays and the workers with empty trays of discarded food with flies buzzing around. When we got in line we noticed a few people cutting in line, we didn’t care, we said there should be plenty of food to go around. We noticed only about 10% of the people using the watery hand sanitizer dispensers before grabbing at the utensils and touching all of them before grabbing the one they deemed fit. As we got saw the food we were extremely surprised at what an “Italian” cruise company called food. It was horrid, the food extremely foul tasting. We picked a few pieces of semi stale bread and a piece of chicken grilled chicken without any sauces. We barely got that down as the lady next to us was eating an apple and spitting out the skin directly on the table without a plate and left it there!!!! We said well hopefully the dinner will be better. After going into our room we were happy to have our own little spot on the huge ship. Once we went into the bathroom we noticed a disgusting smell of sewage coming from the toilet. We said “Oh no imagine after a couple of days on the cruise the smell will probably get worse!” We had to wait for our luggage to be brought up. We then said let’s just go get a drink and try and have some fun. When we got to the 2nd deck we noticed a long line at the customer service and tables set up everywhere with confused passengers asking questions and looking bewildered. We made our way to the main bar and asked for two whiskies. The bartender had this smirk on his face and said, “Can I see you Costa card?” We showed him and he said, “That those drinks are not included in your package.” We said “are you sure we got the all-inclusive cabin and drink package?” He replied, “You should go to the drink package table over there and talk with them.” We went over to a table and waited in line behind a couple that was furious about the prices and couldn’t understand why it would cost so much! Also the wife did not drink, but Costa makes the entire party to have the drink package, so the husband said ok we will go without it and walked away. We talked to a man and he showed us a drink package pamphlet riddled with all these extra prices for “premium” liquor and cocktails. The worse part was that there were drink packages for water! We asked, “Why there are drink packages for water?” He notified us that bottled water and water at the bar is not included with our package!” We asked, “What is the top package then?” He told us, “It is 740 euros a person for 14 days for the top drink package.” We were astonished it would cost that much! We settled for the second most which ran us a little over 150 US Dollars. We said “Wow we wished we would’ve known earlier so we could’ve booked the better package 8 months ago. Instead of taken $150 out of our spending budget. We also walked by the “internet/WiFi” table and noticed that the WiFi is not free anywhere on the ship!!! We got a booklet and saw it cost 100 euros for 3gb of data! We again wished we were informed by Costa/Logitravel of this ridiculous priced added expense. As we would have got a portable hotspot, paid for it in advance, or worked it into our budget! We went to a different bar and got a drink prepared by a rude bartender. We retreated to a table away from the bar and started to voice our frustrations to each other. As we were talking we noticed every other party doing the same thing! After our drink we decided, hey let blow off some steam and hit the arcade and casino. Once there we realized that the arcade is not free either. We didn’t even bother with the casino as we felt it would be rigged even worse than other casinos. We wondered what else we will have to pay on this “all-inclusive” vacation! Skeptical of the food we wanted to see the dinner menu for our free sit-down dinner. The Daily Diary told us it was the “gala menu” so we went to the restaurant to try and find a menu. There was nothing there and nobody in sight. So we went to the customer service desk and asked them for the menu for tonight’s dinner. They actually laughed and threw up their hands and said, “We do not have the menus!” We looked at each other and just said, “thank you.” and walked away. We got changed and ready for dinner and headed down to the restaurant 10 minutes early to see a huge group of people waiting to get in. We noticed some obviously overdressed people that seemed to be pawns in the Costa scam. They seemed like actors that were trying to instill a fake sense of class and excitement for the cruise and the dinner. Once 7:45pm came they just opened up the doors and people literally ran inside to their tables. We thought we would have a “dinning seating choice” but we were put up against a wall at the back of the boat where the boat rocked the most. We looked at the menu and decided that we both would have the Lentil soup. I would try the pasta and my wife would try the prawn. Once the lentil came out and we tasted it we knew we have been tricked again. It tasted like literal watered down puke and we only had one or maybe two spoons each. Our entrees came out and my wife’s shrimp stunk of bad seafood and was the skinniest shriveled up prawn we have ever seen. She didn’t touch a thing. My pasta was covered in cheese sauce that tasted horrid and the pasta was chewy with a weird texture. We started to get nauseous and couldn’t take the smell of everyone else’s food. We got up and walked past the waiter and he said, “Is everything ok?” We said, “No! We are not feeling well.” As we walked out everyone stared at us and we tried to not look at the bad eating habits of the people. We had a couple of drinks (made with the cheapest of alcohols) and retreated to our room. We were so upset but we were out in the middle of the Indian Ocean and felt trapped! It was nearly 11pm and we were so hungry so we decided to order room service (which was included free in our package). We looked at the menu and noticed there were only 3 free items. Everything else we would have to pay for. Also they could not bring us water so we had to pay for two sodas. Not liking any of the free choices, I chose the “il Italiano sandwhich” and my wife chose the vegetarian sandwich (after her bad prawn earlier). The room service guy came in and said in a subtle sarcastic voice, “How are you enjoying the cruise?” We said, “Its okay so far” to avoid a weird conversation. We gave him 3 US dollars tip and he left. To our horror, as we looked at the food we almost puked immediately. The vegetarian sandwich was soggy and looked like a mashed up mixture of a bad eggplant and other indistinguishable “vegetables”. The prosciutto on the “il Italiano” was even worse it looked like spam and had some weird clear gelatin attached to it! ****see attached picture and video***** We asked room service to take the tray away and almost cried with disbelief. We could not find any decent food to eat! We then started to ask each other if we should leave and book something else. As a numbers guy I started doing the math in my head and knew if we left it was going to cost us a minimum of $5000 (for hotel and flights back to Mauritius) plus the $7500 we already gave to Costa/Logitravel! DAY 2 We went to breakfast and survived on stale bread and croissants. We spent the day sunbathing and fasting as we could not bear to even walk through the buffet area! We decided we would pay extra for a pizza as we could not, and would not, sit down for another free dinner. We said to ourselves how Italians could mess up a pizza made fresh. When we got to the pizza “restaurant” we realized it is just a section within the buffet area! People were looking at the guys kneading the dough as two guys would walk up and tried to lure them into buying a pizza. We were seated and realized only one other person was there. I asked for a pizza that included cherry tomatoes and burrata cheese. The waiter told me that they ran out of cherry tomatoes! I said, “Really on the second night?” They didn’t give a reason and told me, “They could make it with tomato sauce instead.” When the pizzas came out they were running and watery. The ball of burrata was so hard I couldn’t even cut into it! When the waiter came over to ask how the food was I said, “It is a little watery”. He replied with a belittling remark, “Well that is because you ordered it with tomato sauce.” My wife and I just rolled our eyes and couldn’t believe that he didn’t apologize or try and correct it. We decided we have to get off the ship! We paid for the small amount of data and started to try and search for our escape. We were trying to get into our Chase banking app as it gives us great deals for travel since we are reserved customers. The WiFi was so slow we could not even use it! And worse of all our data package kept draining and we kept upgrading (racking up the money for Costa!) A number of other apps did not work so we went down to the “Internet cafe”. Once there, we put in our card and the computer seemed slower than our phones! We left very discouraged and we kept searching through the Expedia app. DAY 3 We went down to customer service desk the second morning to ask for our passports back and we were thinking of disembarking from the boat. The lady wanted us to sign a disembarking form right then. We said we will not until our passports are returned to us. She said we could pick up our passports tomorrow morning. We spent the second day on the ocean sunbathing and fasting again. We ate two regular margarita pizzas again and both were soggy. We spent the rest of the night researching resorts to try and get the best deal, since we were going to lose a bunch on this vacation. We finally booked: • 4 night stay “half board” in a resort in Seychelles for $1500 and spent an extra $400 for drinks and food. (The resort and the food were spectacular!) • We also had to pay for a flight back to Mauritius so we can get the flight we already paid for from Mauritius back to London. The flight straight from Seychelles was way too expensive. The price for two passengers in economy was $800. • We also booked an all-inclusive resort in Mauritius for $3000, which was fantastic! We also booked an excursion since we lost out on our excursions with costa! Day 4 We went down to the customer service desk and asked for our passports back and the lady said, “You can have them back on the day you disembark.” We did not want to argue so we just said we will make sure we get them back before we leave the ship. We skipped breakfast and got something from a nearby vending machine on land at the port. We went on our one excursion in Seychelles. It was such a relief to be off the boat! The tour was a lot of driving and boat rides. The lunch buffet on the island of Praslin was delicious and so refreshing! Overall it was a good time (9 out of 10). We arrived back at the ship at 7pm. We packed and went to bed without dinner. We dreamt about disembarking in the morning. Day 5 We went down to the customer service, paid our bill, signed the form, and took our own luggage out and never looked back! Summary In the end we spent….. 5739 US Dollars to Logitravel/Costa for the initial booking. 2243 US Dollars for the excursions we could not cancel, the upgraded drink package, the WiFi, the pizza, and other items. Along with the accommodations we made we spent well over 13,000 US Dollars! We could’ve done without Costa/Logitravel and stayed in the two very nice resorts for the 8000 US Dollars. Never going to go on a cruise again! Read Less

cruise was advertised in the sunday times as pay for double and 50% for the third person was a very good deal and any6 other offers of that type would surly see me on board again only problem expoerienced was the drink coupond that was delayed and only recieved it on Sunday evening the excursion was vey good as far as the activeties on the island was concerned as well as the food that was catered for and the shattel of passangers to the island was also very well ocastrated cleanleness was obseved on the ship and lots and lots of a variety of food was on offer and also thier was coffee and tea as well as hot chocalte available almost 24hrs the appreciation also for the hallal corner was also noted The entertainment was most appreciated as the people that staged the show were of proffasionalst and the people on board really enjoyed themselves with the on going none stop dancing from embarkment to disembarkment If there would be a special package again i will certainly be on board again thanking MSC CRUSES for a wonderfull experience on board and a very safe sailing to and from Read Less

Why is the photos so expensive. When you dont buy it they throw all away?? Their are many people that look at the photos but dont buy. It is very nice pictures but really expensive. Think about cheaper prices as to throw everything away.. The food staff rooms and entertainment is very nice. On our 2 nd trip their was also more fish available. Deserts and so many of a variety of fruits were avaible. Cocktail of the day was also our favourite The staff is helpfull and friendly. We enjoy all the entertainment . We did not see the Sokkie singers too much to mingle with them as it would have been nice. On Portuguese Iland with all the changes and enough shades was awesome. We will definitely go on another cruise. Prices is resonible. Their is 1 more last thing. The hairdryer does not work as the laat time Read Less

My husband and I enjoyed getting away together, leaving the teenagers at home and having time to spend reconnecting after a difficult year. We had booked Easy Onboard and this made embankment easy. I am visually impaired and found that I was constantly offered assistance by staff experienced in giving aid with dignity.The staff was fantastic, friendly and helpful. We enjoyed visiting Swakopmund for an all too brief visit. The desert is beautiful and the German ambience of Swakopmund was charming. We spent much of our time on our balcony watching the sea and enjoying the sun and sunsets. It was sheltered from the wind and very comfortable. The piano, jazz music and vocalists in the bars enhanced the experience. We enjoyed a day at the Spa, relaxing in the thermal area and enjoying a massage and facial. Gale force winds meant our cruise was extended a few days waiting for the harbor master to allow us to dock. Even in these difficult circumstances the staff remained cheerful and kind and the entertainment continued. During this time we soaked in the beautiful sight of Table Mountain, Sea Point and Camps Bay. We plan to cruise again next year. Read Less

My Wife and I Love Listening to Heart 104.5 Radio. We heard about their Jazz Cruise and enquired if there were any vacancies which there were so we Booked for their LoveJazz Cruise. We Booked a Disabled Cabin but to our diss appointment we got a normal Balcony Cabin which we were unable to get Our wheelchair through the door. After going to the Guest Services to complain we were given a seat for the shower as my Wife is unable to stand in the shower it was tiny but a shower seat was able to fit in. Apart from this small hiccup we had a wonderful time on board. The corridors were a little narrow to navigate the wheelchair as the laundry trolleys were also parked in them and it was a tight squeeze to pass them with the chair. The Public Areas were very Grand and wide so we were able to navigate them easily. There were plenty of elevators so we were able to get around to all the Decks. The Shows were great but no ramps to reach the seats upfront so we had to sit in the back as the wife could not navigate the steps. But we still had a good view of the action on stage. We enjoyed a good laugh with our Local Comedians who were on board. The Jazz Bands were good but played rather late in the evening for us Seniors I am 70 & my wife is 68 but we managed to stay up until 1-30am to listen to them. The Casino was beautiful to see although we are not Gamblers we went to have a look see at it. We.got to see most of the Ship the Shopping Area's and bought to MSC Jackets, as we forgot to pack Jackets and it got quite Chilly in the Evening's on Deck. It was my Wife's first time on a cruise and she thought enjoyed the experience that we have Booked again for next year on the MSC Orchestra,and we have a Disabled Cabin with all the bells and whistles yaay Read Less

We selected this trip as it was arranged by Bokradio and this is where it was advertised regularly as well as we are listeners of this radio station every day. The number of Afrikaans singers whom committed to the trip also contributed to our decision to go on the trip. The arrangements were excellent and as myself is a double amputee we were accommodated through early on board as well as preference treatment when disembarking at the Cape Town harbour on return. As a disabled person we were accommodated in a quite large suite and I could easily move around with the wheelchair in the room as well as the shower was also comfortable.The food, service and music was excellent every day. Thank you for also having a special place on the pool deck for disabled people it was needed and really appreciated. Just one comment I would like to make on the pool deck is that people should not be allowed to put towels and stuff on all chairs for their friends it should be first come first serve.I have seen this created some unhappiness with some people. Yes I would again go on the bokboottrip Read Less

This was chosen by a friend who was planning this trip. i scanned on website and saw the video clip of the MSC Musica and showed to my mom who was open mouth. Embarkment was a long process but otherwise it was moving. Excitement was mounting.it was a wonderful experience and I never looked back. the entertainment was riveting and kept the crowd asking for more, I thoroughly enjoyed every living moment of this cruise. I had a relaxing and well deserved holidays with no stress, routine and rush!! Pity I missed the gym even though I was prepared with my workout gear. The waiters was fabulous and friendly and even funny when they pronounced the greetings in different languages, they were all too cute. restaurant services were excellent and as well as the various buffet area and the halaal section was well cater for all for our needs. It was a bit crowded when looking for a seat inside the hall, but otherwise seating on the outside deck was awesome with the wind blowing in your hair and the wonderful Almighty creation by being surrounded by the ocean. It was so beautiful to be sailing in the ocean! it was pure bliss exploring and meeting people all over and was even surprised to meet a lady that lives close to me. The pool was not disabled friendly with no step but only a ladder to get in and out the pool. The Jacuzzi, I enjoyed the most while it massage all my daily living stress, lol I didn't participated in much activities, was relaxing on the desk chair and had a sun tan, exploring the various lounge and shops. I shopped at the MSC shop and was just in time before closing off time and purchased a special gifts for myself and my mom. •Disembarkation was quick compared to the embarkation with my luggage waiting for me, it was free flowing upon disembarked. The flow of getting out of the dock was good and not even congested. Thank you MSC from the bottom of my heart for a truly and wonderful experiences. Read Less

I wanted to spoil the most important person in my life; my 86years 'young' mother. I've been fortunate to cruise with her on the Symphonia as well as the Opera, and I find this mode of 'traveltainment' ideal for retired and elderly passengers. The Musica's decor and layout didn't disappoint! The ample and elegant facilities - recreational swimming pools, gym, lounges, library, .... catered for everyone's needs. Meals whether taken on the deck or in the restaurant were equally delectable. Eating in the restaurant also allowed for good companionship to develop. Embarkation in Durban was a hassle-free process. We arrived at N Shed at approximately 14h00hrs. The queues were speedily dispensed with and boarding was handled efficiently and professionally. Travellers were allowed to explore the ship to their hearts content and partake in a hearty lunch. So, all in all, the MSC Music with its delectable cuisine, superb entertainment, friendly staff and of course, a calm ocean, all contributed to a wonderful memory making experience! Thank you MSC Musica for making this an enjoyable experience! Read Less

We went on this cruise to satisfy my wife's wishes to go on a cruise. Boarding the ship at Durban was a disaster. Safety procedures the first day were very unprofessional compared with other cruises i have been on. Instructions were received in a crowed lounge with no intention to demonstrate an emergency drill next to the lifeboats which has been done on previous cruises I have been on. I felt a sense of poor attention to emergency by the crew. The cabin was well fitted out and comfortable. Food was generally of poor quality. Crew on board were generally helpful except for the day of arrival at Durban. Disembarking was a total shambles. The staff had promised wheelchair assistance from the cabin on morning of disembarkation and none turned up. When i called for the staff member who had promised to help, she and her colleague were not available. I will never use MSC for any cruises in the future. Read Less

Trying to find the perfect gift is always daunting, luckily i decided to gift my husband a cruise with the Msc Musica, Upon Arrival at the harbour, There was a que to get into check in and to leave your luggage, each step was even more exciting as its just one step closer to boarding, When we reached check in and all was in order my two kids, husband and i literally ran to the boarding area, We stopped quickly at the refreshments area to grab a drink and off we were ( this was so though full after waiting in the ques, a thirst quench was just what we needed) The music and the friendly staff outside just set the mood, Finally we arrived inside the ship, our passports was taken and immediately we were sent upstairs to get a wrisk band for my 7 year old, so basically this as to be worn by the child throughout the cruise, as it makes it easy to locate which cabin the child is,incase they get lost. As we explored we bought our drinks package and went on the 13th deck for our buffet lunch, this was my favourite spot throughout the cruise haha hence the weight gain, everything was perfectly set up, different types of food, bread rolls, salads, dessert, tea coffee and water is always served. We sat at a table and indulged in our scrumptious lunch btw the buffet is open 20 hours, breakfast lunch and supper, And the pizzas is thee best tasting pizzas ever, Everything is always in order as soon as u done eating theres always someone to clear up ur table. Making it easier for the next person to come in, After eating we went to our cabin to change up and went on deck to do the drill, Finally we set sail, the experience of just leaving was absolutely amazing. Everyone was filled with excitement. We had abit of a confusion with our cabin and illena from reception was the absolutely best, so friendly and she even sent up a bottle of champagne and some yummy snacks for my husband on his birthday. Theres so much to do on the ship but we mainly hung out on the deck as the kids wanted to be in the pool, there is a kiddies and teens club aswell, my 7 year old loved it and still talks about his teachers, they provide activities the entire day for the kids and believe me its so safe. They even take the kids for dinner and it's so exciting for the kiddies, Again the level of quality and security is absolutely amazing these ladies and gents are so patient and caring with the kids, Everything is always in a order, at 8pm every night we were allocated a restaurant which we could dine in, the food is absolutely amazing and our waiter was so friendly and welcoming, the manager if this restaurant was extremely rude and to be honest he was the only bad experience throughout our cruise, The shopping is a must, my husband bought me the most beautiful jewellery and the 4.5 liter drinks is absolutely well worth it, Island day: Day of island was amazing such beautiful experience, u have to get a ticket on board which will tell u what boat number u are, u go to the 4th floor and a boat awaits u, nothing to be scared about again everything is always in order and safe, when we arrived at the island the blue waters and music and views was just breathtaking. There's alot of locals selling stuff so carry some cash, it was extremely hot so we went straight to the buffet, freshly caught grilled fish and the delicious water melons and mangoes was my favourite, A dj and also a live band makes u feel so blessed just to experience this.We spent the day in the water and then finally decided to leave early as we didn't want to wait long with the kids, The boats started loading up and we finally entered the ship again, As we entered there was a gentleman handing us an ice face clothe again very well thought of as coming out from the heat, this ice cloth was a bit of heaven for us, Back to sail and after refreshing up we went on board for some activities. What amazed me was everything was always in order, the staff are all very hard working, A few are abit rude but majority are so welcoming, oh please be careful when buying drinks on the deck, if u not using ur drinks package, we paid 45 dollars for two jack Daniels and two cans of coke, yet at the bar across is was 5 dollars. So always ask the price before you purchase. The theater the night before we left was absolutely amazing we got to see the captain break some moves, so friendly so creative and overall it was definitely the best experience ooooh i forgot to mention i felt sea sick for two nights so make sure u take something and they also provide some tabs at the reception area. Would i recommended this cruise? I will be off my head not too, A lifetime experience, My Kids are still talking about it and my husband says he doesn't no how to top this for my birthday hahahah. Overall I'll be back again Read Less

In the beginning of 2018 we thought it will nice to go on a family cruise. We told the kids and they have been excited since. The thought of being in a big ship like the MSC Musica and being on the ocean was just exciting. Our experience was generally great. Embarkation was a bit overwhelming in the beginning with thousands of people queued up for what seemed like eternity. A big THANK YOU to DEON du TOIT who saw us with a wheelchair. He took us through immigration control, registration and showed us around the ship. He was OUR HERO. He was PATIENT, CARING and made us comfortable. Without HIM, we would have been frustrated and probably overwhelmed by what we would have experiences. So a BIG THANK you indeed to Deon du TOIT. :) MSC, please reward him. The MSC MUSICA staff were very helpful. We, with a disabled child, were looked after very well, given priority pass and places reserved for us, although we always found people who did not need such places already occupying them. We enjoyed the food, there were enough variety and always available. Without proper check, one would eat a lot more than they need. There was sufficient entertainment. Albeit too short in some instances, the stage plays for example. Just as we sit to enjoy the Disney Characters they were finished. Although we had all the help we could get from all the staff members, the excursion at Pomone was just not comfortable. So, I felt traumatised by the experience... Would I go again? Maybe, but not anytime soon. Read Less

Heard about cruise from a friend so therefor we joined them on the next cruise which was on the 02/04/2018 to 06/04/2018. Most staff was very friendly, all meals were out of this world. Watching how the children enjoyed themselves on Deck 11 was amazing and parents just relaxing. How people make new friends like we did and we chat nearly every week. We loved the islands words cannot explain... glad got onto the island early to really enjoy the day and what the island had to offer to each and every one of us. Was heart touching when we could help out by buying things on the island to help the locals. The locals were also so friendly and how they speak English so well. The experience we had on our trip was amazing words cannot describe. I would love to take my children on the MSC Muscia before they leave for England in 2020. This would really make my heart happy and we could really make special memories for ever. Thank you to the Captain and all staff that made our cruise so special.... Read Less

We had done a family cruise in 2007, a cruise with friends in 2014 and this time around it was just my wife and I. No one to slow us down or dampen the party mood so we enjoyed this cruise like a second honeymoon. The service and meals at the restaurants was awesome and the staff across all departments were pleasant and delivered on everything. Retail therapy was a pleasant experience with some really good bargains in the alcohol and perfume departments.I managed to get gifts for my two sons as well as my family. I would like to recommend that the photographic department take advantage of technology as printing the photos is not an ideal digital advantage. Photos could be displayed on all display screens throughout the ship and based on your cabin number you can book your photos and packages and then add it to your basket, this will enable the cost to be more decent and less wastage of printing thousands of photos that end up getting destroyed as costs currently are stupendous. Read Less

We chose this one as it is one of longer ones. They have taken away the 7 day cruise so this was the next best. As Mom uses a wheelchair the service to get on and off is allways great. We always go for either balcony or suite cabins as it has the space to use a walker in. We watch the activities and always have a good laugh. The service on the ship is great and the staff always willing to help. We dont go on any of the excursions as Mom uses walker and wheelchair. Would love to bring my grandson kids always look like they are a having such fun. We will be going again as soon as Musica is in our waters. Looking forward to exploring the new ship. I would recommend the cruises to all. Families with kids cant go wrong at the price. Always great to travel with MSC Read Less

I'm 31 yrs of age and I took my 59yr old mummy on a cruise for the first time.She turned 59 yrs on board. What a surprise birthday she had.She didn't know,I kept it as a surprise. I knew she was going to enjoy herself for this was my second cruise.She still can't close her mouth.Her highlight was the food and the hospitality.The best treatment ever. The stuff made it really special. I'm so glad I chose taking her on a cruise for her birthday.I'll go on a cruise anytime of the day. Anytime is cruise time. Everyone needs to go on this cruise...I can go on and on and on about this cruise.I love you guys,keep up the good job. I'm definatly taking my brothers on the next cruise which has to be very soon. and obviously my future husband has to go with me again,I mean everyone in my life have to know about this cruise,I know it's sounds funny. Experience value for money. Oh the dance ,what an entertainment. I dance my lung out.I had too much fun.The best place for socializing,good time I had wow. We also enjoyed Portugues Island,best weather ever. My mum had the best time ever.She swam literally the whole day.She was just having fun.Even when we got there,the service was still on point. I'm just all over the moon about this cruise. what a smooth embarking and disembarking on this.fast moving lines well controlled,took the best pictures in the process. Oh I must say,perfumes,bags and watches are very cheap there. I always have extra cash to spoil myself with. Read Less

it's not wise to combine the group of people Church conferences with special vacation. as this disturb the cruise like us we had payed for the cruise of Portuguese, Pomone and Durban but now because of the church conference you had on the cruise we went to Maputo instead of Pomone and that was not caused by the weather as initial said on our Embarkation. so for this we not happy as the weather was ok at all times of the cruise. hope this will never happen again now that we going to cruise again next year and some of my friends are coming again this year November to the new ship Musica. as this was approved long before we embark and for the whole day stay at Maputo for those church members to come on the cruise it was acceptable at all Hope my request and opinion will be adhere to regards Josephine Mota last cruise cabin number 9080 Read Less

I had a great time,unforgettable,great expirience I have no doubt that im coming back, we just working around it.real that was our honeymoon with my wife.your stuff is amazing dedication is unbelievable .wow we real enjoy each and every moment we spent there.casino, excursion,great activities, fitness etc it amazing im greatful for spending my holiday with you and your team no regret.im proud..im a voyage member :-) Read Less

My first time on the the msc. The embarkation was a bit sloppy. Took forever. Just before boarding, at passport control, friendly crew staff, checking passport. On board we welcomed by by friendly staff.at first i thought i was in shopping mall. Wow, my cabin was great, clean, the ship was clean, beautiful layout. I enjoyed the staff partying with us as we left durban harbour. It was awesome.our deck send off. The food was great. Plentiful.the live shows were excellent,the dinning room service was good.the bar tenders were on their feet. Good service. The different entertainment centers were great.almost cut myself in half. Did not know were to be,. The children enjoyed the deck.lots of entertainment for them. Their live shows were magical,. so much to say.i think the time was short with lots to do,/ My grandson refused to leave the ship.said it was his home. Disembarking was quick,i would definitely do it again,cannot wait. Read Less

We boarded the Silver Spirit in Dubai and sailed over to the Seychelles - lovely itinerary with some nice sea days as well. Getting onboard the ship was easy and very fast and just no Q's at all. The ship looked lovely and the staff were amazing. We ate in most restuarants my favourite been the main dining room and Hot rocks which is up on the pool deck - gorgeous when you are in port to dine up here. The suite was gorgeous lots of space and very nice furnished with a great dressing room area for your clothes and shoes so it keeps your suite tidy. The butler and room attendant looked after us very well and kept our bar and toiletries stocked up. I would bring the butler home if I could. The beauty of Silversea after the lovely ships, staff and food is the size of the ships you sail right into the ports and some destinations you actually over night in which is lovely to do. However if you don't over night they seem to spend a lot longer in port than other cruise ships and the fact you sail right into the port with out getting on the tender boats is a big plus. We did some of the ships excursions which were excellent in Cochin we went on the River Boat and in the Maldives we did the beach visit to a resort - for such a wonderful destination we really needed more time. In Mumbai we took the private car trip with guide which we enjoyed as we could determine how long we were going to stop. Guests onboard are a mix so you find you are not dominated by any nation and a real nice European feel onboard the ship. Entertainment - there is a show each evening and the performs sing extremely well - we liked sitting in the bar and listening to the piano player or the Jazz bar was just excellent. Also enjoy going up to the DJ and sitting on the terrace listening to the music after dinner. Totally recommend for people who like the nicer things in life and enjoy real quality. Not much activities for children so you don't find children onboard really. Read Less

This was me and my daughter's first time on a cruise ship and it was an absolutely fabulous experience on board. The ship was always, always neat, everywhere you go and the cabin was clean every day even the public rooms was also neat and tidy. The service and food was excellent and so many to choose from. There were a lot of entertainment and activities to enjoy throughout the day and night. As well as the security checks and safety drill that was done. So there were really no dull moment on the cruise. The Port and shore excursions was done smoothly and fast, it proceeded with efficient flow and in a speedy manner. We had a great time on Maputo, the Portuguese island and Pomene. It was absolutely exiting and spectacular. Every crew member was friendly and always smiled. Everything was Excellent and I will definitely do it again. Read Less

We decided on a 5 day cruise featuring South African performers so that we could relax and also see some shows. The shows are top class and also having the opportunity of chatting to the performers when seeing them at the various bars and lounges was a plus. The staff were very helpful and we felt pampered and spoilt. The communication of every days activity and general information provided was to be complimented. We felt relaxed and rejuvinated at the end of our trip. So glad we decided on a balcony cabin as this afforded us such beautiful sunsets and also a quiet place to relax. The only disappointment was the Sun Sea and Sand excursion at Walvisbay which was not worth the money it cost. Too rushed and not really well executed. It felt as if the excursion was not organised with the the various places we visited. We probably might have been better off taking a local taxi. Nevertheless we had a wonderful time on the Sinfonia! Read Less

I have never been so excited and anxious all at the same time, as I was for my first cruise! I travelled on the MSC Sinfonia and did the cruise was from Cape Town to Mossel Bay and back to Cape Town. I did all the reading and research prior to the cruise but the info regarding wheelchair access really was limited. I wasn't even sure how I would board the ship! We arrived at E berth just after 11h00 on the day of departure. Dropped our suitcases off first and then started the check in process. The departure and arrival's area is all ramped and wheelchair accessible. It is a working harbour, so it's like a warehouse or storage space but it's clean and it's accessible. It's a slow process as all hand luggage is scanned and any prohibited items confiscated until after the cruise. Once we went through the hand luggage check, we had our photo taken further down the passage and then you queue again to check in and receive your plastic card which is everything on the cruise! You use the card given for buying and for access to your room. This card is like gold! From the check in counter you then wait to board the cruise ship. If you in a wheelchair like me, you get to bypass the queue. For wheelchair users there's a separate entrance, which the staff help you go up. It's the same entrance which is used to load the luggage on etc. It's quite wide; my wheelchair is 70 cm's from rim to rim and then there was still space on either side. Once on board I was whisked straight up to my cabin, which I don't recommend doing as I actually needed to queue at the accounts counter. You need to link a credit card to your cruise card or load money onto it. And yes that's the most important thing, so do it first and get it out of the way. So I had to find my wingmen in the queue and wait to link my credit card. It's a slow process. I stayed in cabin 9149, which is 1 of the wheelchair accessible inside cabins. Inside cabins have no windows. Be warned. The doorway is I think 80cm's wide. On entering the cabin they had made up the 2 single beds as a double bed, which really does limit the manoeuvring space. As I was staying on my own, we had housekeeping sort out the beds, which gave me much more space to move around. The bathroom doorway is also 80cm's wide and the door opens outwards into the cabin. Bathroom has a small roll in shower, toilet and basin with easy access and grab-rails. There's a hand held shower, which is also height adjustable and 1 of those little shower chairs to sit on. I was worried about the bathroom as I wasn't sure about access and the space but it really was fine and is more than do-able. The towel rack is a bit high, as is the shelves to store your toiletries but I just used the counter space. The basin plug didn't work so well, so wash quickly! And when showering the water did tend to drain away slowly (also depending on the roll of the ship) and flowed over the little shower lip. So be careful of that. Cupboard space has ample hanging space and comes with a lowered rail. The safe is also inside the cupboard and is easily assessable for a wheelchair user. Then there's the usual stocked bar fridge, TV etc. All levels of the ship are wheelchair accessible. You just need to know which lifts go to which level and which end of the ship you are at. I got so lost, so many times! Good fun though! All the entertainment areas are accessible, that includes the different lounges, bars, disco, restaurants, shops, library, pool deck and even the upper most level which has the walking track. The pool and Jacuzzi weren't accessible from what I noticed. Be warned if you using a wheelchair, the carpets are thick and the going is not so easy, unless you have a pusher with you. Some of the doors leading outside are those really heavy doors, so some help was needed but everyone was willing. Disembarking was a bit slow but then again, there are over a thousand people all going in the same direction as you. So be patient, you'll get off. Would I go cruising again...? MOST DEFINITELY! I can't wait to go again! Read Less

This was our first cruise with Oceania and shortly after we boarded one of the staff commented that it was pretty brave to choose an unknown cruise line on which to pass the next 65 days. We choose our cruises based on the ports of call first and then the size of ship. Of course one always has a preference to a known cruise company but our agent was certain we would enjoy what Oceania had to offer on board. Oceania did play around with the itinerary just before final payment was due and we had booked a back to back, so when Myanmar was slashed for "whatever" reason I did do a hmmmm but made the final payment and thought oh well, hopefully they don't slash any more ports. First Kenya, Tanzania and then Myanmar, basic reasons we did choose this cruise. They truly didn't "think about" the ports they put in place of those slashed, so corporate office get someone outside that little office to think about what to replace Myanmar with - not Trincomalee Sri Lanka! Anyhow on to the Nautica and I must say from the get-go the staff was excellent. Possibly one of the best bunch of crew we have had the privilege to sail with. Friendly, helpful always going out of their way to make sure our day was just that much better. From the Captain down each person was a pleasure to interact with. I have not come across a General Manager that was more human, helpful and thoughtful than Dominique a gem of a gentleman. If from here I continued to mention names of people that impressed me it would fill the page. The food fantastic! Imagine every day fresh berries (at least 2 varieties) and fresh tropical fruits like mangos and papayas alongside.. never missing a day. The Grand Dining room was just that, a slow, relaxed dining atmosphere. The 2 speciality restaurants and the management fantastic. The alfresco evening dinners in the Terrace were also a delight. Perhaps the best were the baguettes and French pastries, took me back to small bakeries in rural France, fresh out of the oven. The afternoon tea with the Florentines took me back to my younger days in Europe - thanks for the memories! There was a "situation" with the doctor, hired by Oceania, and eventually it could not be overlooked those in charge of the ship, brought it under control in a gentlemanly way as quick as they possibly could. It did mar the Dubai to Cape Town leg and gave for some worrisome times, I did even call Oceania's head office in Miami to lodge a personal complaint, which I never did hear anything from, another sweep under the corporate carpet. Before we sailed I had read 3 important/interesting things about Oceania. First, there are no activities for any child or even teen so don't expect to see many, if any, children on board. Second, Oceania is a port intensive cruise line so don't expect too much from the nightly entertainment, truly some of the entertainment sent by corporate office was questionable. Third expect the best beds in the cruise industry. True, true and true! The little touches of no charge on specialty coffees and non-alcoholic drinks and the free speciality restaurants were a nice touch. My only complaint was the lack of port talks. Yes we did get a verbal reading of what each port was like and what there was to see. But it was a "report" not a port talk. Nobody mentioned about the local dishes to try in different countries, or what to expect if we didn't take one of the very, very over priced tours. There are some people like my husband and myself, due to medical reasons, we cannot commit to the tours and then had to research or talk to others in order to glean something about the ports of call (remembering the speed and cost of the Internet we couldn't even search for ideas of what to do) Fortunately again the multi-country staff came to the rescue and gave us some ideas of what to expect. Other cruise lines I have sailed sell their ship tours but still give the independent traveler a lot of information and encouragement to enjoy the strange new countries they are about to see and experience. Many a passenger on this cruise had no idea of the poverty or the difficulties the countries were up against as that wasn't in the "manual". Perhaps some of the passengers would have appreciated things they saw more with a real port talk. On arrival in a port it was often heard, there is nothing to see here so guess we will go into port for a look-see. Even the names of the ports and important sights were so badly mispronounced it was hard to imagine what was being said. With the international crew on board one could have just asked around for correct pronunciations (that is what we did) to educate the passengers properly. With a little more enthusiasm during the port talks the guests would have been humming with delight for all the countries we were privileged visited. Will I cruise with Oceania again, hmm not sure. That is to say it is only the corporate office that is not getting my vote. Pricing of the cruise itself was very high. Pricing of the tours unreal. Spa prices hit the roof and the doctor prices (company quoted) were astronomical. I am writing this in comparison to the many other cruises we have taken. If I base it on my time spent on Nautica with the excellent staff - yes I'd sail with them again! Read Less