I wish we had been told this was a "Stars at Sea, David Garrett" cruise when we booked it. David Garrett is a German violinist who plays Metallica and ACDC to the violin (plus some other stuff). He has a small bunch of German fans who are crazy about him. The problem was I was expecting the usual Queen Mary 2 shows to be performed and had no idea that that wouldn't be happening. Instead, David Garrett performs 3 concerts and you get tickets to just one of those concerts, so basically on the 5 night cruise there's only one evening of entertainment. The David Garrett concert begins at 10pm and has a 30 minute interval. The concert finishes at 00:30am. There are four entrances to the theatre and no organisation. So when one section is full they don't tell people which section still has seats (remember this is a ticketed event). The German people will happily take 3 seats for 2 people because that's how they are and there's no one overseeing this. The food was also adjusted for the Germans on-board. It was ok, but not as good as other cruises I've been on. On the first night I ordered sirloin steak because I didn't like any of the choices and it was just ok. Comparing the steak between my last Celebrity cruise with the Queen Mary and it's disappointing that Cunard doesn't match up. Having said all that, it was my first time on the Queen Mary 2. I loved that the ship didn't feel crowded. I loved deck 7 for walking around the ship. I enjoyed the company we had in the restaurant in the evening. If I was travelling to New York and there was a good deal going, I would happily book to go on the Queen Mary again. Read Less

Pros = 1) Service at the dinner - Waiter always friendly 2) Service and cleanliness on our Room 3) Pre paid internet was 4gb for 4 devices and it was cheap comparing with other cruises that I´ve made 4) Pre paid digital pictures was very cheap. I got in the end a pen drive with 120 pictures taken during the cruise and it costed 90 euros. During the cruise, they were charging 30 euros for EACH picture 5) Pizza was very good Cons = 1) Overall the bar staff was not trained at all. First night at the Cruise, I ordered a bottle of Champagne, the lady came after 10 minutes with the Bottle saying that it was the first time that she opened a Champagne bottle and tried to close it with the Cork again. 2) The food at the buffet was terrible and always crowded. It was always stressfull getting food, find a table 3) The cruise only offers free Water (when other lines offer Iced Tea, etc). The places to get drinks were dirty and some of them had only Coffe and not hot milk 4) The portion size of the dinner was terrible ... everyone at our table asked always 2-3 main courses because it was impossible to have food enough with only 1 main dish. 5) The shows during the evening at the theater were very poor. Comparing with other cruises that I´ve been, it was by far the worse. I even slept because if was boring. 6) The overall entertainment during the cruise was very bad... other cruises that I´ve been, have a Cruise Director that cheers up the entire ship with lot of enterntainment and parties. At the Preziosa, and I dont even know if we have similar role during the ship. 7) Basic stuff like NUTELLA... it was not offered during the breakfast for my Daugther, but it was available if asked.. so every time i needed to go to the bar and ask for Nutella and the waiter passed me a few nutella hidden like he was giving me drugs. 8) The overall service was so bad that I went to the guest services and asked to remove the service charge. I then paid good service at the dinner and room directly to the waiters. 9) I´ve been in many different Cruise companies before and this was the first that THEY DONT OFFER FREE ICE CREAM. All other have free 24h ice cream. They charge at Preziosa for everything. Worst cruise experience I ever had, and i will never get on a MSC ship again. Read Less

We flew to Hamburg to join this cruise and were very impressed with the price. Boarding in Hamburg took forever.. we queued for at least 2 hours and we arrived early. The ship itself is beautiful and balcony cabin was lovely. There's plenty of bars and we always found someone to sit. Food was disappointing in the main restaurant. We had no rapport with our waiter who wasn't really interested..meal sizes were tiny and not very uniform. Greek salad had 1 tiny piece of feta. Tables are also shared which is difficult if you don't all speak the same language. Buffet food was good if you could find a table to eat at. Staff generally were very lacklustre and didn't seem particularly happy. Entertainment was poor with not great singers or any sort of direction. I probably would do MSC again as their prices are good but maybe set my expectations a bit lower. Read Less

The ship was beautiful but not many windows in bars and coffee shops. The staff were hit and miss many of them could not speak English , some were just plain rude. The food was mediocre no where near as much choice as other cruise lines . Ice cream was chargeable so was cinema bowling etc. the daily activities were sparse . We travelled with a five and a six year old who only went to the children's club once as they found it confusing as they cannot speak Italian or German . The pools were a joke as they were all at least five foot deep, the aquapark is only open when the conditions are right so be mindful of this. We were promised a status match as we are Diamond+ on RCI it sounded amazing before boarding . We did not receive all that was promised due to the fact it was a 3 day cruise. We did get priority boarding (thank god) as some passengers took hours to board the ship. The bottle of Prosecco arrived eventually after a lot of badgering a complimentary meal in Butchers Cut , so glad we did not pay for it as it was average to say the least. We ate once in MDR that was enough. The Inca Restaurant ( Buffet) was very nice it was a shame the food did not match the surroundings. The photos were of high standard. The theatre was lovely the shows were good . The one positive we did not have to stand in line on the ship for the face to face passport checking procedure we went straight to the front . The price we paid was good for the four of us we had a great deal with Criuse Nation. Read Less

We are a family of 2 adults and 2 teens. We have cruised many times with Royal Carribean and had Junior suites and up, so for this cruise we booked inter connecting balcony cabins on Deck 9. I had read many reviews about MSC and The Preziosa, and have to say was a little bit concerned about all the negative reviews about service and food. We had booked the Fantastica package that came with drinks up to a value of €10 per drink for the adults and soda and soft serve ice cream for the teens. We flew from Dublin to Hamburg with Ryanair and arrived on time. We took a taxi from outside the airport to the Renaissance Hotel. Hamburg is a beautiful city with lots to see and do. A couple of things we did was eat ice cream by the lake, visit Minatur wunderland and the Hamburg Dungeon (English speaking guide on Saturday & Sunday @ 10am). We took a taxi from the hotel to the Steinwerder terminal. We arrived at about 12.30 and after giving our luggage to the porters we entered the terminal and were given a number 4 ticket and told to wait till it was called. 4 was called after about 20 minutes, so we joined the que to check in. At the desk they verify your passport and documents and give you your sea pass card. We then went through security and proceeded onto the ship. When we got on the ship our photos were taken. In total from arriving to ship took about 45 minutes. Now on the ship in the atrium, staff were welcoming you on board and saying if you want food the restaurant on deck 5 or the buffet on 14. Up to 14 we go, come out of the lift and are greeted at the entrance to the buffet by 2 staff, 1 with anti bacterial spray and the other guy saying 4 of you, let me find you a table (Wow). We are sat at a window and the girls went and explored the buffet, while I kept the table. On the table is a button for bar service, so I had to press it and along came a waiter who got me some drinks. (I’m impressed with this so called bad service and rude staff) I must say the buffet restaurant is big and plenty of choice. I had read that the pizza was good, It is delicious and fresh. So after we eat, it was time to explore the ship, and then find our cabin. We had Cabin’s 9126 & 9124, interconnecting balconies. I noticed that we had early (6pm) seating in the Golden lobster restaurant, so I went to see if we could change to the later @ 8.30pm. No problem, but it is a shared table with other English speaking guests. Now the last time we did a shared table did not work out well, my kids were age 6 & 8 and the others were 3 generations of the same family aged from 87 to 43. Well I have to say we thoroughly enjoyed our table mates, The service was fine, nothing special, or nothing bad. The choice & quality of food was not great in my opinion, but to be honest it didn’t really matter as we were having great conversation at the table. We went to 1 show called the Mask, which was ok. We eat Breakfast and lunch in the buffet, food was perfect, however coffee was weak, but just press that button or go to the bar and get a fresh cappuccino included in the drinks package. The weather was not great so the indoor pool was packed. There is a pool and bar at the back of the ship that would be nice on a warm sunny day. We were only on board for 3 days but we all really enjoyed our first MSC experience. I did miss the not been able to walk around the ship on a lower deck close to the water. Read Less

I chose this cruise for a quick getaway and was extremely impressed overall with this ship. The ship is beautiful in all areas and extremely well maintained (take note other cruise lines!) The atrium, bars, the whole interior mare beautifully decorated. I struggled to find an area that wasn’t adorned with Swarovski crystals or bling of some kind. The most elegant ship I’ve been on. My balcony cabin seemed more spacious compared to other cruise lines and the balcony itself was a generous size too. The furniture is starting to look a little tired but nothing major. My cabin steward was very efficient and greeted me on arrival and brought me extra pillows when I asked. Dining is where MSC lose a point. While the food was perfectly edible it wasn’t particularly interesting. Pizza every day in the buffet (the best pizza at sea by the way) but the other hot options were often bland and lacked variety. As a solo cruiser I shared a large table with a few other people which was a nice way to make friends. However the food itself was disappointing - tiny portions and often very bland and the dessert menu was very small, only two or three options. entertainment was mixed. bingo was appreciated but the other shows were average. I enjoy classical music but it does get repetitive after hearing it every single day of the cruise. Twee singers and dancers were very talented but it would be nice to have had some more variety entertainment-wise. The service overall was excellent. Even as a solo traveller I didn’t feel left out and the barman even knew my favourite drink after a couple of days - that’s excellent service. The customer service staff were abrupt but dealt with my enquiry and got it resolved so I can’t complain really. Overall this was a very good cruise. I had heard mixed things about MSC especially regarding the food but overall I had a great time and look forward to cruising with them again next year. Read Less

First time on an MSC cruise having previously had a number of cruises with Celebrity and Princess. Embarkation was smooth. Luggage was taken from us a few steps from our taxi and we proceeded to check-in hall where we were given a group number and asked to sit until called. Ten minutes later our number was called and we checked in and proceeded to ship. One of the smoothest check-in procedures of any cruise we have ever had. Our cabin was 12100 with a balcony and was midship. It was opposite an entrance to the hallway where two lifts are located but we heard little in the way of noise. The cabin was large with a 3 seater couch, flat screen TV and a small balcony. Only BBC World service channel in English but plenty of films to hire at 7 euro each if that is what you wanted to do. Tea and coffee making facilities replenished daily. Plenty of storage space and the bathroom had glass shower screen that could be folded back when not in use. Easily on a par with Celebrity and better than Princess cruise cabins. Food was the biggest let down. For breakfast we found the Inca & Maya buffet restaurant chaotic. There was a reasonable range of food both hot and cold but the hot food was seldom hot. Eggs were especially a problem as even new trays of fried eggs taken from the "hot" cupboard under servery were cold - no temperature probes ever seemed to be used to check how warm the food was and it was the same situation with omlettes, etc. In addition nobody checked whether coffee, juice or milk dispensers were topped up and on a number of cases I had to ask one of the white coats (head waiters?) to ask for this to be done. Lunchtime was better and the fresh pizza was great and varied with the cheeseburgers worth a mention as well. The midnight buffet we only visited once and the fish & chips were really good and tasty. The highlight for us was dinner each evening in the L'Arabesque restaurant where we had great service from an attentive waiter and hot food if sometimes the portion size was small. However, our waiter had no problem in bringing an extra portion or on at few occasions telling his assistant to double the portion without us asking. Speciality restaurant - Butchers Cut has recently replaced the previous Italian restaurant. The cost was an additional 62 euros plus 15% service charge for the two of us and the food was good. However at the beginning of the evening the staff looked after us but unfortunately we were sitting next to the table where the Captain and senior officers were to be seated with two VIP guests. When they arrived things changed as staff either ensured they were not in the same area as them or waited attentively next to their table. We sat for over 15 minutes with our main course plates waiting to be removed and had finished our wine but no one came near us. Eventually some one did and apologised for "forgetting" about us! What should have been a special evening was spoiled as we had to listen to senior officers in loud voices talk about the virtues of the newest ships! The total cost including drinks for what promised to be a wonderful experience was 135 euros for the two of us! Entertainment in the bars was fine although a bit repetitive and we did not fancy many of the shows in the theatre although the one we did attend "Songo Italiano" was excellent. One thing though there are kids and teen clubs but no adult only spaces! Tried to have a quiet beer in the sports bar to no avail as two different Italian groups of kids aged between 4 and 8 tried their hardest to destroy the ten pin bowling machine by throwing the balls in the air or climbing into the machine underneath where the pin mechanism operated watched on by parents and staff who did nothing. Eventally the ship mechanic had to be called as one lane ended up with all the pin cables twisted. Drinks package - We chose not to have a drinks package as we felt that they were not value for money. We had a bottle of decent wine each night with 3 or 4 drinks afterwards in the bars and we still saved money on the Premium package at 39 euros per person per day and I was drinking either beer and/or malt whisky with the better half on prosecco. Excursions were expensive and we found that with a bit of research precruise we could visit the same places for around 50% cheaper than MSC was charging but that is the same for all cruise lines. Downside on returning to ship for everyone (except Royal Yacht passengers) was that they seldom had more than one gangway open and this led to queues which was a problem in really cold port of calls. Other cruise lines provide hot coffee or tea in instances like this but with MSC it was only available for Yacht Club passengers. Shopping like most cruise ships there are a range of shops - duty free, clothes, gifts, jewellery, etc. Unfortunately every day and night they put out stalls to try and to sell mostly the same stuff as the shops to passengers. It detracts from the Italian styling of the ship and makes it feel down market. I know most ships do it but every day on MSC!!! The Phoenicians Plaza is an area where you can have a light breakfast and during the rest of the days complimentary snacks. It is surrounded by shops but they then set up stalls on the walkway to sell items forcing the tables into a smaller area. What should be a pleasant area to sit and have a coffee becomes a tight squeeze to make room for these stalls Disembarkation was the best of any cruise. Left cabin at 8am, met at theatre at ten past, off ship 8.15 in a taxi with luggage by 8.25am. We'll organised, quick and efficient. To conclude I would certainly consider MSC again but the food offering needs to improve in the buffet especially at breakfast. Plus give us an adult only space during the day to get away from unruly kids. In addition they should introduce feedback cards on the ships so that passengers can highlight good or bad practice from the staff or about the service they are receiving which would give the management the opportunity to start to address any issues. Also we had a card on our dinner table telling us who our waiter was but nothing in the cabin naming our steward. Why? As he was just as important in ensuring we had a good holiday. Read Less

Poor food. Very poor service in restaurant Golden Lobster Low.. Very slow service, wrongly deposited bottles of wine, bread service only by request and slow. Shore excursions extremally expensive. Some of them absolutely not interesting for example in Seydisfjordur. Transfer to the city in Reykiavki terrible expensive (should be free of charge). Some cruise crew are quite arogant. Towel service at pool not available. Maya and Inca restaurant terrible overcrowded with poor drink services and a very slow cleaning tables. Quite frequently cards were mixed up during bar service causing further problems. Cabin no. is on key card wich is quite rare on board. Wrong charges are quite common. For example for mini bar. All my excursions booked on line disappeared and I have to book them again on board. Pluses: quiet cabin. Interesting itenerary. Smooth check in and check out. Very good theatre performances. Good musicians and comfortable lounges along the ship however music was sometimes too loud.b Read Less

Queen Victoria is a wonderful ship offering excellent entertainment options and an amazing dining experience. It does have some problems, as does every ship I've sailed on, but overall I think you'll enjoy your experience. First of all, it is not a young person's cruise. The average passenger on my cruise was 70+ years old. If you have trouble with elderly people walking very slowly in front of you and stopping suddenly for no apparent reason, you may be frustrated at times. At the height of the summer cruise season for families, there were hardly any children on board. Secondly, It is largely a British clientele, which I found charming. The average cruiser was well educated and well mannered. No line jumpers of chair hogs, which was refreshing. I could strike up a conversation with almost anyone I met and found most of them interesting. However, if you want to shoot the breeze about NASCAR, baseball and the NFL, you may be disappointed. Check-in was smooth on the dock, but scattered and unprofessional on board. No one met us in the lobby. There was no sign telling us where to go. We were boarded on the open deck three and had to find our own way inside. Even inside, no one greeted us or offered to help us find our cabin, lunch, etc.. We had to ask! Talk about a bad first impression. It got better after that. We had a suite and were dining in the Queens Grill. Our butler met us at the door (Suite 7050), took our alcohol orders for the in-room bar, showed us how to work everything in the room and walked us to the elevators to show us how to access the private Queen's Grill dining room. She was amazing throughout the cruise. She set up a cocktail reception in our room for a half dozen guests (the complimentary appetizer platter was huge and delicious). Lourdes took care of last minute laundry requests and kept our suite spotless. She also restocked the bar any time we were running low. The suite has a boxy crowded configuration which made the room seem much smaller than it was. There were plenty of electrical outlets with both American and British sockets. We had no problem keeping two cell phones, two tablets and two fitbits charged. The love seat is fine. There is adequate storage space and the butler stowed our empty luggage so we wouldn't have to worry about it. TIP: Don't remove your stateroom luggage tags. You'll need them to find your luggage at disembarkation! The balcony was large enough for a table and three chairs plus two loungers. The bed was very comfortable, however they do not use typical American sheets, on board, but rather European duvets. Very comfortable, but not what I'm used to. The bathroom was functional, with a private toilet room and a private room for showering and bathing, The tub was jetted and offered a very relaxing bath with bubbles. The towels were not soft at all, The teri cloth material made for the worst towels I've experienced in 25 cruises. The suite's bar was stocked with loads of teas, coffee and cookies. My wife and I each chose a brand of alcohol. I requested Crown Royal, even though it was not on the list offered by Cunard. The butler made it happen! The fridge was stocked with Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, 7-Up, tonic nd soda water, Carlsberg Beer and plenty of water, Again, our butler replenished our bar twice a day! We dined in the Queen's Grill, which is the best dining experience on the seas, in my opinion. The menus are very similar to those in the Princess Grill and Britania Dining Room. The difference is we were invited to order off the menu at every meal, and the dining staff did their best to accommodate us. Among the items I ordered off the menu were: Caviar, shrimp cocktail, Dover sole, chateaubriand, lobster, veal parmasean, fettuccine Alfredo, pistaccio ice cream, french onion soup and several different salads. Basically, the sky's the limit, if they have the ingredients on board, The tables are close together. My wife and I were seated at a table for two, but conversed easily and often with diners at nearby tables. When we wanted privcy, we were left alone. However, we all became instant friends. Here's a tip: Be the first to say hello to someone and do it early in the cruise! Coincidentally, one gentleman, at a six-top next to us, turned out to be a Cruise Critic member I had conversed with on line! He and his wife were positively charming! I found the entertainment on board to be excellent. The big production shows were good, but not amazing, Headliners like the magician and acrobatic dance team were marvelous. And it seemed on any given night there were six or more venues offering music and fun. I've never experienced such a wide variey of musical enterrtainment on any ship I've sailed. It truly was a highlight of th cruise.And it meant fewer crowds. We never had a problem finding a table or a seat in the showroom for the late shows. The only bummer was the Grills Lounge never had live entertainment. The enrichment activities were a disappointment. Cunard offers wine tasting seminars on its web site. High end wine seminars. However, after pre-booking a very expensive tasting, we got on board to learn the wine seminars were canceled. In fact our sommelier told us they han't done the high end wine tastings in six months. Cunard refused to credit the money from my canceled wine tasting to my shipboard account and told me I'd have to try to get refunded when I returned home. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SEVICE on that! Tip: Do NOT PRE-ORDER WINE TASTINGS! There were 3 speakers on board. One was a retired fighter pilot, who offered some fun anecdotes about his flying career. The other two sounded so boring, I cannot even remember them. I believe one woman was discussing the film career of an actor I've never heard of. We did not use Cunard for shore excursions. We booked everything independently. I suggest you consider private independent shore excursions as well. Remember, every group tour moves as fast as its slowest member. Everyone else has to wait on the slow poke. You may only have one shot to visit some of these ports. Do you relly want to wait on that last person? Additionally, Cunard builds profit into its excursions. The independent tours are almost always cheaper. Cruise Critic has an excellent section devoted to independent tours. Disembarkation for this cruise was difficult, because we got off in Kiel. It is an hour+ drive to Hamburg from there. It's pricey and difficult to reach the airport in time to make flights to the USA. Many people opted to spend an extra day in Hamburg. Don't take the negative aspects of my review as an indication I was disappointed. I was not. I will definitely cruise Cunard again if I can find the right itinerary. And I will definitely book Queens Grille for the dining experience. These reviews are supposed to help future cruisers prepare, I hope I have! Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was going somewhere we always wanted to visit. Also, we got a Queens Grill cabin for the price of a balcony, so the value was there. With the included drinks package, we thought we had gotten a great deal. We sailed from Hamburg on July 16th, our first day being a sea day. The ship is very pretty, but a bit tired. Could use some sprucing up. The carpets were worn in many spots, and you could see rust all around the ship. Our cabin, 5190 was on the back of the ship and had a very large balcony. However, compared to other cruise lines, the suite was quite small. I was shocked by just how small it was. We sailed HAL two years ago and our suite was easily twice the size. Queens Grill dining made up for the tired ship and small cabin however. The dining room was beautiful and the food and service amazing. Anything you want you can have. It is never too much trouble, and offered with a smile. Everyone who works there seems to really care about the passengers. What a great experience. The included drink package comes with one caveat. Any drink over $12 will be charged in its entirety. Most popular drinks on the ship are priced at $12.50. Makes the package not much of a perk. The one shore excursion we took through the ship almost had a mutiny it was so bad. People were leaving in droves, and everyone complained about it. It was boring and hot. The guide was not very good at what he did, and almost everyone could not wait until it was over. As an example, they took us to a pier for a break and there were only two restrooms. We spent the entire time waiting on line. We saw only one show, which was ok. Most of our evening time was spent either in one of the lounges, or sitting on our balcony watching the ship move. Since it got dark so late, we really enjoyed it. Also, the included liquor supplied in Queens Grill didn't run up our charges. Considering all of these issues, we did have a good time. I would say I am only 60/40 as to whether I would cruise on Cunard again. With the dressing up, the state of the cabins and the boring evening entertainment, perhaps it is time to try one of the smaller luxury lines. Read Less

I always wanted to visit Norway and the fjords as I am intrigued by the history of Vikings and of the scenery. This was our first cruise , it was our 25th wedding anniversary and my husband 's 50th birthday .There were a couple of things that bothered us like the wait to get on board the ship on the departure date we got there at 13.00 PM and had to wait 3 hours in the queue , we were tired and hungry and thirsty and that was not the greatest way to start our holiday. Secondly a fault that we found on the ship the only one I would say is that there is no, do it yourself laundrett , a must on a ship that carries 4500 passengers and 1200 crew members.On a 11 day cruise one needs to wash his clothes, I did manually but the rules on the boat say that no clothes are allowed to be hanged in the balcony, so that was a problem and last but not least as we are still suffering from a severe backache, the mattress in our room was very uncomfortable it needs changing, I should have mentioned this to my room attended, but never got round to it. As for the rest everything was great from the food to the service and the crew were excellent starting from our room attendant John Lerry Cuyos, who cleaned and took so good care of us always making sure we had clean towels and sheets and making up our bed even twice a day , so friendly and kind he always started my day with a smile bless him, and than our two favorite waitress Elena Gonzalez Gonzalez and Italjani, and last but not least our personal waiter Maskurin from Indonesia, they were all even others exceptionally kind, good at their job and friendly, I recommend this Holiday and MSC Preziosa but please anyone of the administration that reads this please take note of my request, as I am sure that in future alot of people will comment on this. Thanks again for our fantastic holiday, Anthony and Fiona Borg. Read Less

I choose MSC without going through the reviews and that was a big mistake. The only high standard other than the ship is the amazing staff which I believe that they are the most valuable asset. And if they they don’t take care of them they will loose them all. The food is not to the standard as in other cruises I’ve been to. The same food offered in the buffet as for n the dinner seating dining. Other cruises offer water, lemonade or ice tea without any charge during the dining seating. All other drinks are charged. But with MSC you have to buy your drinks. The food in general is not very tasty. From the 11 nights. Only few nights the dinner was tasty. The pasta and risotto was under cooked. The seafood, scallops risotto with one small piece which might be a starter but not main dish. They offered butter chicken which was tasty also. The ice cream and desserts was tasty. Which you can only get for free in the dining seating. In other places you should buy them. No soft ice cream machine. One small snack bar which offers complementary cakes and sandwiches. The buffet area is the only place you can get snacks from till 2am. In the buffet during lunch and dinner only water, tea and coffee is available without charge. The pizza is very nice. All the food offered is labelled. They offered roast turkey which was tasty. But most of the food offered needs to be improved in standard and quality. Salads and dressing was nice too. The daily show was boring. One or two nights were ok. The last show was a disaster and it was what was best as they say from what was presented during the previous nights. The animation team were very good and exciting. Again all the staff were so good. They worked so hard. Some did look tired but didn’t stop smiling to the guests. The excursion were over priced. I’d like to thank all the staff if it wasn’t for them it would have been a hell of a long journey. Definitely won’t cruise with MSC again. Read Less

We wanted to sali on QM2 for a very long time, and 5 day cruise from Hamburg was a great opportunity. First glimpse of her at cruise terminal and already: wow! Ship makes very good first impression, its grand, elegant, with golden age liner look. A rare view comparing to other ships nowadays. Embarkation: Very, very smoth and very fast. It tooks us 35 min from entering terminal to get to ship! There was around 20 counters open, so Line was moving all the time. Fun fact: our emabrkation time was set on 3pm. We arrived at terminal at 12:30 and at 1pm we were already onboard! Pleasant surprise! Ship: Like i said, its magificent. Vast public areas, never feel crowded. Lot of nice artwork, sculptures and little details. Pictures dont give up all her beauty. Layout of decks may be little confusing at first but after some walking we get use to it quickly. And yes, WALKING. Due to size of this ship there is a lot of stairs and distance from one room im front to aft deck can be quite big, but we really enjoy our strolls, especialy in this kind of surroundings. Very smoth sail, almost no movement is noticable. Also very quiet inside. Like you may already guess average passanger age is 65+, but it really doesnt make this Trip worse, to be honest alot of passengers are very friendly and open, and there is always a chance to have nice, inteligent chat with someone onboard. Majority of passengers were German (we heard that almost 2000 are German) but it didnt couse problems for english speaking people. All announcements were In english and then german. Dress code: during day almost every option is avalible. Anything that makes you comfortable ll do. After 6pm its time to shine. There is No way to be overdressed on Queen Mary but there was also alot of more modest, yet stylish outfits. We thought that all that dress up thing ll make this trip stiff and pretentious but we couldnt be more wrong. Its a integral part of this ship, and make it more special. Cabin: We were staying In sheltered balcony cabin on deck 5 mid aft. Very nice location, between two main stairways. Quite big (for todays standard) balcony. Metal structure prevent strong wind. Cabin itself was nice too. Good size, everything Thats needed is inside. Very clean. Big storage for clothes, very comfortable bed, and most important very quiet. Dining: We tried all avalible options, but Brittania Restaurant was our favorite. Great taste, variety and presentation. We ate all dinners there and that was best idea. Our waiter was also superb and trying his best to make everything perfect. My only complain ll go to sommelier. He was not very polite, and speaks way to quiet, but worst thing was, when he started to make strange faces when i told him that we want order any alcohol tonight. For that one moment i felt guilty and bad. experience... Kings Court - always lots of people, that only one place onboard that feel crowded. Food is ok, there is many thing to choose from but for lunch we preferred Brittania, for breakfast room service. Veranda Grill - one word: excelent. Everything was top quality. No problem with booking a table. Drinks - tough subject. We are not heavy drinkers, so there was No need for us to buy lot of alcohol, but prices are quite high. May be a problem for someone who like to drink few drinks every night plus champaigne during day but well... this is Queen Mary. Entertaiment: Live music playing In various areas was really nice. Not to loud, or too agressive. Our favorite was Vladimir Zinchenko Trio In Chart Room. Quality jazz, makes you travel back In time, to golden era of ocean liners. We watched two shows In Royal Court Theatre and we enjoyed both. Rythm of the night and Three Voices. Great production value and entertaiment team was giving their best. Queens Room Ballroom dancing was a new, but nice experience, especially with big band music. Fun fact: during night at stern, there is some quiet, lounge music playing. Nice idea! We didnt perticipate In daytime activities but they were not disturbing our free time. There was many options to choose from but very relaxing ad slow paced. Swimming pools were almost every time empty (surprisingly) so we can enjoy them fully. Service: Top quality. Very polite, descrette, patient and helpfull. Top Marks for our stewardess Janette. Such a nice and friendly soul. Always smiling and gives us tips and advices how to enjoy cruise more. She keept our cabin In best condition. Port and Excursions: We went off only In St. Peter Port, by tender boats. Very well organised. No rush so you can leave when is the best time for you. (All booked excursions went off shore first) Nice touch, when you re going back to ship they take more scenic route, so you can make nice photos of the bow and whole ship. Reassuming that was a great trip, so great that we already booked next one, and we cant wait to go back on this magnificent ship! Read Less

We chose this cruise to circumnavigate the British Isles and found nothing but dissapointment. We have recently returned from a cruise around the British Isles on MSC Orchestra (5th June Hamburg). If MSC gave us free tickets to cruise again we wouldn't accept them. Our first encounter was at embarkation with queue after queue checking the same thing over and over followed by sit-down lunch (deck5 ) where we were refused 2 glasses of water and both the waiter and maitre de argued with us over our need to pay around EUR1 per glass to get tap water! This continued at the dinner table also. Secondly, our anticipation of having a great time was greatly diminished when the cabin staff told us we would not be provided with a box of tissues and we had to use toilet paper in their place! Thirdly, we booked a Fantastica Balcony Stateroom at the rear of the ship (smaller than most others) and expected a 5 star room - the bathroom shower has plastic curtains! No facial tissues and one roll of toilet paper - enough said. On review there are more than 21 items (including the cheap rate shows) that are far less quality, service and level of acceptability in comparison to other cruise ships of the same standard. MSC = more sur charges. All up you would be better advised to choose another cruise company and experience a level of professionality you deserve on a cruise. FYI - we have cruised over 15 times with other companies - all balcony suites, no complaints - all inclusive. Read Less

This cruise was chosen for its itinerary. The ship is a fancy barge where you pay extra for anything you may need. We were expected to pay for a glass of tap water in the formal restaurant. They do not provided any facial tissues in the balcony stateroom. They allow open smoking in several areas inside the ship which permeayes the showroom and other bars! There are over 21 points for improvement with this cruise company. The entertainment us cheap, appears unrehearsed and karaoke like most nights. Embarkmemt required showing proof you were a real person I've 3 times and queuING each time. If you are a first timer cruiser this cruise may be good for you as you would not know how low a standard MSC is. Of course you may like to pay to have open dining but other crise companies have all the above plus more included in their offer Read Less

My wife and I, and another couple booked 2 MSC European cruises about a year in advance. The first, on the MSC Orchestra, sailed from Hamburg on June 5th and visited ports in Scotland and Ireland. This was our first experience with MSC. Overall, this was a lower priced cruise, and the lesson learned is you get what you pay for (unless it's on the drink package, then you may not even get that). When we bought the cruise, we also purchased the Deluxe drink package that was supposedly the best and it included the most expensive drinks. Since then, MSC has redefined their drink packages and our Deluxe had been renamed Premium which covers drinks costing up to 10 Euros. They also changed the prices of some of the best spirits to be 11 Euros or more effectively moving the best quality drinks out of our package into the new Premium Plus category - hence my 'Bait & Switch' title. We tried to explain the situation to the bar staff and also complained to customer service, but to no avail. On rum drinks, the best we could get was 8 yr old Bicardi's rather than the Zacappa 23 that we'd paid for. I cannot fault the bar staff, this was a recent corporate/management decision. The honest course of action would have been to honor the original package parameters. My only recourse is to warn other cruisers that if you buy an MSC package ahead of time, don't be surprised if it's downgraded by the time you sail. One of the highlights of the cruise was the excellent staff members who do the actual work on the ships. The bartender in the wine bar, Louis from Peru, was an absolute professional. He is personable, extremely knowledgeable, multilingual, a natural leader for the rest of the staff, and an awesome singer & magician. The rest of the staff Sri, Pascky, Akash and Ace all provided excellent customer service and are valuable assets to MSC. I am unimpressed with the leadership and management on MSC. The officers, while being polite to customers, were aloof and sometimes rude to the workers. In one instance, I watched a group of 4 officers hold an impromptu business discussion that went on for more than 5 minutes about 4 feet in front of the singer who was trying to entertain the people in the wine bar. The dining room staff worked hard to make it a good experience. Olvin, our principal table waiter was great. The food variety and quality was fine, but not up the standards we've seen on other cruise lines. There was no problem getting enough to eat, but the budget aspect of the cruise was evident in the very thin cuts of meat and limited wine selection available in the dining room. There was no sommelier or wine steward. Self disembarkation in Hamburg was a good experience and strongly recommended if available. Some ports don't allow it. We got off before the rush and caught a cab out front to the airport - easy. We would never book another MSC cruise. The price was lower, but the way they cut corners and redefine services erodes the experience. Read Less

My husband I were on MSC Preziosa for the 11-night Northern Europe cruise (May 26 - June 6). We picked this cruise because of the itinerary which included Hamburg, cities in Scotland and Iceland. The ship interior was beautiful and the public area was clean. This was our first cruise with MSC. We have cruised over 10 times with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian. We were disappointed by MSC food quality and overall service. It is unlikely I will book another MSC cruise again. FOOD Breakfast -- The breakfast selection was pretty much the same everyday. Coffee is too weak everyday. Pastry quality and selection were good. Plenty of fruit Dinner -- We picked the 1st seating option in the dining room. I would rate the entree quality from poor to just OK. The food presented often did not match the descriptions on the menu. Occasionally, there would be a good entree and/or desserts. I was most surprised by the poor pasta entrees since MSC is an Italian cruise line! SERVICE The ship appeared to have the most confusing beverage policy. For example, we had the non-alcoholic beverage package. We could get free bottled water in dinning rooms but not at the buffet or different bars. I could get a free cup of tea but not coffee after dinner. We were charged Euro 3 to 5 each time. Different staff members had different explanations. Many passengers were confused and argued with servers about this. Our cabin service was below par. It took several days to get face cloths and a missing mug. The room to room phone message system does not work. We were traveling with another couple and there was no way to leave them a phone message. We called the guest service and was told that the message system on the phone does not work. ENTERTAINMENT The in-house group of singers and dancers was quite good. However, it could get repetitive night after night. On the last full day of cruise, it had a piano concerto performance by Maestro Mauro Bertolino in the afternoon. It was great!!!! TV and COMMUNICATION The in-house TV offered little useful information except I could review my room charges online. It does not even show the temperature of the port of call. There was only one English speaking station (BBC). I bought the standard Internet package. It was working fine until the last week. EXCURSIONS We booked our own private tours. The ships offered many excursion options but appeared to be overpriced Read Less

We chose this cruise for the destinations. Those did not disappoint. However our experience with the staff was unpleasant at best. For example, 1. In the wine bar, we asked our server for a napkin to wipe our table from a previous occupants spill and we were told we had to go to another bar to get one. When we did, it was closed. 2. We bought an expensive drink package and were allowed to have any drink up to 10 euros. We ordered a wine tasting for 9.50 and were told that we had to pay for it because it wasn’t included in our package. As a matter of fact, that seemed to be the phrase of our Cruise “it’s not in your package” 3. At one of our sit down dinners, we asked our server for a mixed drink. His reply was, “well I’m gonna have to go all the way to the bar to get it because we only serve wine and beer”. Hence we only sat down twice for dinner and ate at the buffet the rest of the time. 4. Our adult friends wanted an ice cream (the dessert options were very minimal) and they were told that it was for the children. 5. We wanted to buy some photos, and began inquiring about the various packages. I’m not sure if that upset the man behind the counter, but he was rude so we left without any photos. 6. Food was nothing spectacular. No ice carvings, or dessert sculptures or chocolate fountains like you see on most other cruise lines. Very plain. This is the kind of attitudes we dealt with the staff for the entire cruise. Very short, curt answers to our questions. Just not accommodating or friendly at all. The one positive dining experience was at the butchers cut restaurant. Everyone was simply amazing, especially Muliada. Has We will never sail on an MSC Cruise Ship again. They just can’t compare to Norwegian, or Royal Caribbean, or Princess. Read Less

There’s no point beating about the bush. Booking my first cruise filled me with dread; at one stroke I was destroying my credibility as an independent traveller. 15 years and 40 cruises later, I admit I couldn’t have been more wrong. Sea travel has opened up a new world of exploration and last week I repeated my first ever cruise, but this time with Cunard. Would the grand histories of the Baltic ports be matched by the royal splendours of Queen Victoria? THE PORTS Every city on the Baltic itinerary is steeped in history and if palaces, galleries and cathedrals are your thing then this cruise does not disappoint. And if, like me, you appreciate Scandinavian art and design, the ports have some wonderful specialist shops and art studios as well. Be prepared for eye watering prices, however. A cup of coffee and a pastry in Copenhagen for £9 is one thing, but £925 for a cake slice is quite another, albeit an exquisite one designed by Georg Jensen. St Petersburg remains the highlight destination and these days there is more of an effort to make visitors feel welcome: immigration formalities have been streamlined and stern faces replaced with occasional smiles. This is one port where organised excursions are the only way to enjoy the city’s palaces and museums because independent sightseeing is impossible without a visa. I started with a four-hour walking tour, led by a witty and knowledgeable guide who was as happy to be quizzed about Salisbury as she was to rib Putin. One of many highlights was the Church on Spilled Blood with its onion domes reaching to the sky, still beautiful despite a major programme of renovations. Stockholm’s royal palaces are as good a starting point as any for understanding the city’s history but there is so much more. The Museum of Modern Art on the island of Skeppsholmen is worth a visit, its gardens home to colourful and zany sculptures. Although there is a shuttle bus service available, I found it as quick to take the riverside walk past the Film Museum and enter Stockholm via the warren of narrow streets in the Old Town. Of the other ports, Tallinn is compact and the easiest to explore on foot. My starting point was the 13th century cobblestoned main square where I enjoyed a coffee in warm sunshine. From there I walked up to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an orthodox and gloriously ornate cathedral funded by public donations. Kiel on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast was less impressive. It is twinned with Coventry but has not been as successful in rebuilding after the devastations of war. The Rathaus, or Town Hall, with its ornate interior survived the bombing but Kiel is one place where the best plan might be to book an excursion. THE SHIP Ask loyal Cunarders which is their favourite ship and the answer more often than not is Queen Victoria. I can see why. My cabin was spacious and the public areas luxuriously comfortable, with deep sofas and armchairs waiting to help relieve tired legs after busy days ashore. The dark wood veneers, deep pile carpets in golds and creams, and art deco marble tiling all recall a golden era for passenger ships. The elegant Queens Room on Deck 2 is a popular haunt, not only for afternoon cream teas served by waiters in white gloves but also because it is a ballroom where every evening there is dancing to live music. Cunard dance hosts offer to partner single guests and during the day there are classes led by a professional dance couple. Guests Jane and Robert from Harlow in Essex are keen dancers and the ship’s ballroom was one of the reasons they booked the cruise. “The setting is beautiful,” Jane told me. “We love dancing and enjoyed our times in the Queens Room – but more opportunities for sequence dancing would have been nice.” The handsome two-storey library is well-stocked and the two librarians impressed me with their courtesy and knowledge. At the Purser’s Desk, international receptionists like Lisa from Berlin, Martin from Vienna and Charles from Cambridge were fine ambassadors for Cunard, cheerfully responding to my questions and often providing me with additional maps before going ashore. I cannot think of any area where service was less than excellent. On deck and in the bars, stewards were attentive however busy they were and in the Chart Room ($4.83 for an Illy cappuccino), waiters Julito, Martina and Rolando made every visit special thanks to their professionalism. It was the same in the Britannia Restaurant with waiters Gede and KC delivering faultless service at our table, and Cyril offering expert wine advice. The House wines were good although $14 for a glass of red made my eyes water! The galleys prepare around 5000 meals a day and standards are high. My beef sirloin and pork medallions were first rate, piping hot and full of flavour, and the fish was also excellent, whether the roasted monkfish or the grilled turbot. When I asked for chips, they were delivered immediately. For desserts, and knowing that coffee and chocolates or petit fours would follow, I generally restricted myself to the ice creams. Yes, there were disappointments but they were remedied quickly. My roast turkey one evening was lukewarm and Gede handled the matter without fuss, apologising and returning promptly with a hot replacement meal. There was a wide range of activities to choose from on sea days, from bridge and watercolour art classes to port presentations and talks from guest speakers, all of them well attended. Captain Tomás Connery was seen around the ship every day – always a good sign - and at midday updated us with navigational details. In the evenings, The Royal Court Theatre Company presented music and dance shows to packed houses and there were guest artists too. My favourites were Roy G Hemmings who spent ten years as a singer with The Drifters and Jon Courtenay, an energetic pianist comic. Perhaps because of the Baltic itinerary, there was an international dimension to the cruise. The majority of passengers were British but there were several other nationalities as well – mainly Australians, Americans, Germans, French and Dutch . . . and one South Korean. Does such a mixture have a major influence on menus? Not according to Jackie Bott, the ship’s Hotel General Manager (HGM). “People generally come to Cunard because it’s Cunard,” she told me. “Our international guests tell us that they don’t want to be served with their local dishes. They want to taste British food.” Nancy and John Keisman, guests from Brandon in Mississippi, took the same view. “We loved this cruise,” said John. “Not only for the ports with their different cultures but also for the opportunity to enjoy some great British food - Yorkshire pudding was new to us but we kinda liked it!” Nevertheless some of the food did reflect Continental tastes. The variety of bread and pastries served at breakfast in the Lido restaurant on Deck 9 is one example, with white, black, rye and brown breads, along with bagels and croissants, available each morning. WORTH BOOKING? The Baltic itinerary features throughout the Cunard 2019/2020 brochure and, although I have now done it twice, I would happily do it a third time because each port offers such a diverse range of history and culture. But the real star of this cruise was Queen Victoria and I can’t wait to return on board. HGM Jackie Bott unwittingly summed up the ship’s success when she told me what appealed most about her work in leading a department of 800 officers and crew. “Passengers think it must be the chance to see the world that is the best part of the job, but ports are secondary to people and in any case I’ve visited most ports more than once. People are far more interesting and complex and they are central to everything we do at Cunard.” No surprise, then, that Queen Victoria delivered such a successful cruise. Read Less

I Wanted to try MSC and see what i thought,I had done 5 cruises on them but not for 7 years. sadly you cannot carry over your points so from BLACK i was NOW SILVER. PRE CRUISE. I Flew on RYANAIR from STANSTED AIRPORT to HAMBURG got train to HAMBURG and found my hotel very close the station. I had to walk up stairs to get to the RECEPTION to check in and get KEYS then a lift to the 4th floor anmd walk up to 5th floor. A good size room with heat working i shared a toilet. After retired as it had been a long day. FRIDAY 26th APRIL. After BREAKFAST with was good but hard to find a free table as there was lot of people there. I found JUICE,CEREALS,MEATS AND CHEESES and FRIED EGG. A ROLL AND CHOCOLATE SPREAD. Then left the KEYS and went to LANDSBRUCKEN and walked along the PROM found some ship models and walked to the CRUISE and MARITIME MUSEUM. I always love going there even though i had done it before. Saw lots of models to buy and went in lift to 9th floor and saw thousands of models. Then got train back and had a GERMAN SAUSAGE. Then got ferry to see "BALMORAL" CRUISESHIP THERE and walked yup the many steps to get a great view of the ship. Eventually she left and then went back to get something to eat. EMBARKATION DAY. After BREAKFAST much quieter today i left HOTEL to get a ticket for the SHUTTLE to the SHIP they charged it to my onboard account. After a super fast check in i boarded the SHIP and as CABINS were not ready till 2pm i went to have a BUFFET LUNCH. Then the CABINS WERE READY and was happy ton find a large inside cabin with COFFEE MAKING FACILITIES. I put my small case in so had to wait for it to arrive. Lifeboat drill was 1715Hrs So had cakes in the buffet for afternoon tea. I picked up my LIFEJACKET and went down to the CASINO. I showed my CRUISE CARD and managed to find somewhere to sit. They showed up how to put the LIFEJACKET on then it was over it was hard work walking up 5 flights to get back to my cabin. Then dinner was at the LOBSTER RESTAURANT 1st sitting which i like and sat with TIM AND ANDY another couple and another couple later. THE Food was good a lot of choice i had free bottled water as i had booked through an american agent. Then i went to the SHOW at 2115 After going up on deck to see the ship leave. It was called 70's FEVEWR SHOW 2 ladies singing 70's songs i like some of their songs but a lot of people walked out. I saw them on the bus and they were so nervous doing this new show. I now went to the LOGO SHOP with the PREZIOSA models which were gone! they said they had sold out but managed to the one in the window. Next day they were there why would he lie to me? I like a cigar butb even though she is a big ship she had no CIGAR ROOM I went on deck it wad very cold and noticed it said NO CIGARS? where are we supposed to smoke them then? NO coffee in cabin despite asking for it but had ice in bucket. AT SEA. I went tom the LOBSTER RESTAURANT and asked to sit with other but the other 4 people spoke german and very little english! We wait for 30 mins to take out order and had to waive out menu's atb the waiters! Got JUICE and asked for SWISS MUESLI it was ordinary muesli with milk and yoghart (NOT THE SAME) and EGGS BENEDICT WHICH WAS GOOD and hard toast. LE HAVRE. I got up at 0545Hrs to see the ship arrive in LE HAVRE,Then had BREAKFAST in the BUFFET plenty of room and found a much better SWISS MUESLI,FRIED EGG,BACON,SAUSAGE,BEANS and BLACK PUDDING. Then the ship was cleared so i could leave. As i had not booked and excursion and the shuttle bus was 6 EURO and last one was 1800 i Walked to the STATION it took 40 mins the queue at ticket office was so slow in missed the train to PARIS and had to wait 2 hours for the next one. The toilets were out of order too. I Had a CREDIT CARD but as the ship wanted to charge 250 euro i had only a 200£ limit i could not use it on the ship so i had to get 220 euro out of the ATM. It took 2 hours to get to PARIS got a ticket for the METRO went to the EIFFEL TOWER and MONTMARTRE a lot of walking there and it had changed a lot.I missed the 1723 Train but mins and gor 1749 instead it was rush hour but got a seat ok. When i got to LE HAVRE i walked to far and had to go back ended up at cross channel port had to go back and only got on the ship with 10 mins before i gangway went up! All the food wasc finished apart from slices of pizza i wanted cake but said not till 2200 lady got me 2 plates of cakes and watched the ship sail. Saw a much better show with singers and dancers. DISEMBARKATION. I woke up at 0445Hrs to make sure i saw us arrive in SOUTHAMPTON I got MY PARMA FLAG OUT and hope STEVEN SAW ME and the flag as we passed by. Had another nice BUFFET BREAKFAST but no BLACK PUDDING. As i had only a case i could leave the ship at 0730Hrs i also could not find my t shirt and asked my CABIN STEWARD where it was he found it under my pillow he never even said sorry i never gave him a tip. I walked off the ship and got the 0900 train to LONDON. WHAT I THOUGHT of CRUISE. I liked the food Service was poor in parts show were pretty good. But did'nt like credit card charge,logo shop,cabin n steward not the best and smoking was a bit strange. So not asure if i would go on MSC AGAIN. Read Less

Myself , My Partner & My Parents Done a Back to Back 8 day cruise on 22nd April 2018. We arrived at Southampton and joined the ship very easily our rooms where ready and all our details where checked very well. We had a easy Drinks package and was surprised of the lack of choice on this package included however I did include the drink my partner mainly drank that was until half way through the cruise and they changed what we where allowed so our drinks package was a waste of time after this Food was always cold in the buffet restaurant no matter where time we actually went to eat, we changed our eating time over the cruise but this didn’t matter , at the al la carte restaurant the menu was limited and portions very small Entertainment was not the Best compared to other cruises it was very amateur and some of the show themes just didn’t make any sense. The only think that made this cruise enjoyable was the staff , they are one of the best we have experienced and they can’t do enough for you, always smiling and asking are we ok and telling us to enjoy our day, Read Less

We joined the MSC Preziosa in Hamburg for the west European cruise visiting Le Havre, Southampton, St. Peter Port, Brest, Lisbon, Cadiz, Malaga, Vigo, Rotterdam and back to Hamburg. This was our first time with MSC and we booked the Yacht Club (YC). The embarkation experience with the separate YC welcome lounge and being accompanied through security and through to the YC concierge was a pleasant start to the cruise. Out butler Nandan Priolker and junior butler Muhammad Moelyadi did an excellent job and were very friendly. We explained to them that we didn’t want to be waited on hand and foot and they respected this wish. But they did treat us very well and were always there to give us advice and to help us with any problems we had. Overall the staff in the YC were very friendly and helpful. They know when the guest would like to chat or if the guest wants to be left alone. Nayara, Priscilla, Natish, Pradeep, Mungroo, the barman “Odd-Job” just to name a few, work hard to make a pleasant cruise experience. The Top Sail Lounge offers continental breakfast, afternoon tea and various small snacks according to the time of day. It would be nice to see a change in the selection of bread rolls and Danish pastries on the breakfast buffet but otherwise it was sufficient for us. For a light breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon etc. it’s possible to go to the outdoor One Bar on deck 18 – even during bad weather. The lift to deck 18 is in the YC area. The One Bar also offers light lunches with salads and cooked food which vary from day to day. The cooked food is on warming trays but is not covered. So, if the weather is cool (as it was in northern Europe), the food gets cold. Added to the plastic plates also being cold doesn’t make the food very appetising. On our first day we asked if there is any soup as the weather is cold. We were informed that they could get us some but why didn’t they just have a tureen on the buffet. The next day there was a card to say that soup and a daily menu could be ordered. If you order eggs (e.g. poached, omelette etc.) at breakfast or if you order the soup or daily menu these are cooked in another part of the ship. Therefore, when you get them they are not hot anymore. We didn’t use the YC Palmerie restaurant; it’s at the other end of the ship. If the weather is nice and NOT windy you can stroll along deck 15, otherwise you have to go down in the lift (preferably to deck 7), swim though the crowds to the back of the ship then go up in the lift to the restaurant. This was the only part of the YC which was not actually in the YC area and was a big disappointment. We visited the Inca/Maya buffet twice. We didn’t eat there but it seems there is a good selection of food but we can’t comment on the quality. The food stations are spread around to avoid queues. The front of the restaurant was crowded but there was plenty of free seats at the back. We liked the idea of the take-away burgers, hotdogs and French fries which we tried and found to be very tasty. We had roomservice pizza twice. This was delivered quickly by our butler. It was warm and we found the quality very good. But then again, we wouldn’t expect anything different on an Italian ship. When visiting the ports, we didn’t do any MSC excursions but used the shuttle buses. The service was good and the prices reasonable. If you have time do not go on shore first thing, wait a while until the rush is over. The queues are very long at the 2 gangways. When we went ashore in Guernsey by tender, we waited in the YC concierge lounge and where then escorted as a group by a YC butler. For the other guests this may seem that we were pushing in front but, Hey! we paid for this service. Disembarkation was a pleasure! We had to leave the cabin by 8:00 to 8:30. We could have breakfast in the Top Sail Lounge and could wait there. When we wanted to leave we were again escorted by a butler who helped us with our cases which were waiting in the Cruise Terminal. We were the escorted outside to the Taxis. On the whole we enjoyed our cruise in the MSC Yacht Club. We were just dissapointed at not having the restaurant actually in the Yacht Club Area and that the only other choice was to go to the One Bar on the 18th deck. As mentioned above there wasn't much choice on the buffet and the food wasn't hot. Also, it's not the place to be in cold weather. Read Less

Whew!!! That sucked. We've been on 42 cruises and this is the bottom of the list. Never again. We'll start with the positives. Our cabin steward, Kadam, was excellent, he was always there with a smile and a pleasant greeting. One attendant at the Marketplace buffet, Laxman Singh Kanyal from India was very pleasant and went out of his way to help us.. We had o make reservations for the shows, while different this is a good idea to assure everyone get s to see the shows. The Himalayan walk and slides were fun Thats it. The ship was too big, the crew was rude, the passengers from Europe were incredibly rude. People cut in line, the crew did nothing even though it happened right in front of them Passengers reached across your plate, cut in line and were generally unfriendly. Maybe this is the norm for some European countries. The tours were consistently screwed up. Embarkation and debarkation was a sad attempt. Many passengers shared similar comments. We were walking down an aisle, quite few crew members were hanging out talking about whatever. OK no problem but they blocked about 80% of the aisle and made no attempt to move and let us pass like any normal courteous person would do. The hot water was consistently unavailable at the buftet. The food was uninspired at best. There was not one single meal I ate that I'd go back for. I could go on and on but I have better things to do. I DO NOT RECOMMEND this cruise line. Read Less

I wanted something different than the usual Caribbean cruise, and this was an excellent choice. Every day was another spectacular scenic view and/or interesting town or small city. I highly recommend a Norwegian fiord cruise once in your life. The NCL Jade is a very nice ship, which looks new because of it's recent refurbish. You might expect one rough sea day, as this is the North Sea after all. Very convenient start of the trip from Hamburg Germany, only one day away from the start of the ports of call. The weather in August was about half foggy/rainy and half sunny. The temps were 55 to 70 ish. I packed a light winter down parka which compresses down to a very small package and I am glad I brought it, I used it many tour days. I did not have any Norwegian Kroner and it was no problem, all vendors seemed to take a visa card, even for a cup of coffee. I did have some Euro's for Germany which I am glad I had for cash transactions. Read Less

We have sailed on most major cruise lines, but this was our first Norwegian cruise. Overall we were very impressed. The food was the best ever and the crew was always accommodating and friendly. I was impressed by how well everything was organized. The excursions,embarking and disembarking as well. When returning to the ship from excursions we were always greeted by hot chocolate,l juice and a hot towel. We tried three of the specialty restaurants and they were excellent. The food in the main dining rooms and buffet was excellent so we didn't really need to eat in the specialty restaurant. I must say the Treppanaki restaurant was a special treat. All of the shore excursions were excellent and a good value. This is the first time we have tried an inside cabin and we really didn't miss not having a window. We didn't spend much time in our cabin as there was so much to do. We were also very impressed with the condition of the ship. It was in beautiful shape. Just like it was brand new. Overall this was an excellent cruise. Read Less