MSC Orchestra Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We have just returned from a double cruise promotion in the Mediterranean and Black Sea -- 11 nights on the MSC Opera 21 October, two nights' stay in Mestre (Venice) and 11 nights on the MSC Orchestra 3 November.
Whilst the food quality and temperature issues are the same for both vessels, these comments refer to our experience in the MSC Orchestra.
This was our 4th cruise with MSC and having cruised with ten major cruise lines and four short river cruises (China, Vietnam and Egypt) I feel that I am quite qualified to make these comments, based on past cruising experience.
Cabin Review
Cabin: We were on Deck 8 and had upgraded to a balcony cabin -- we would have preferred an "ocean-view" cabin as it offered a lot more storage space, however there are only 8 cabins on Deck 8 that are not "obstructed" by the life boats -- some are so bad that the view is just of the (red painted) side of the lifeboat.
Lighting was excellent, with good overhead downlights as well as bedside lights. There were four powerpoints -- two 220w with European/Asian two pin (round) plugs and two US 110w for two (flat) pin plugs.
The shower had more room than that on the MSC Opera; liquid soap and shampoo were supplied but no body lotion.
The beds were very comfortable, extra pillows supplied on request.
The three drawers in the bedside cabinet were very shallow - only deep enough to take a medium sized paperback novel and of little use other than for paperwork. The two desk drawers were also very shallow, and one held the hairdryer, and so had very little extra room.
The wardrobe had six drawers, and two shelves, but one shelf held the safe, so that area was lost.
Extra coathangers were supplied on request.
Our cabin attendant Ayu Ari was the best that I have come across when cruising -- nothing was too much trouble and if she could supply/fix what we wanted it was attended to immediately.