MSC Sinfonia Review

4.0 / 5.0
706 reviews

Feeling cheated

Review for Africa Cruise on MSC Sinfonia
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LotraS
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Feb 2018
Cabin: Fantastica Balcony Stateroom

I have just come off an MSC Cruise in South Africa (26th February - 2nd March 2018). We boarded the Sinfonia at 12 o'clock and were due to depart at 2 p.m. The ship left at 3 p.m. and prior to our departure, it was announced whilst we were still docked in Durban, that due to strong winds and bad weather we would be changing our itinerary. Instead of going to the Portuguese Island on Tuesday, 27th Feb, we would be going to Maputo. And instead of being at Pomene on Wednesday, 28th Feb, we would be going to the Portuguese Island. We experienced magnificent weather on our cruise (no strong winds) and very calm seas. However, I do know that some 200 passengers from a Church Group headed by Prophet Bushiri, missed the ship in Durban and were boarded in Maputo the next day. This cruise had not been advertised as an event cruise. We had more than 1000 Prophet Shepherd Bushiri followers on board who were made to believe that it was their cruise and almost asked "What we were doing there?" I was asked by crew staff to leave various areas of the ship as they had been booked for events. This cruise was not advertised on the MSC website as an ''Event Cruise". I had confirmed when I did the booking that it was not an event cruise. There were many unhappy passengers on the cruise - who had not been told that this was a Prophetic Cruise with planned events in various areas of the ship. I saw a passenger being pushed out of the elevator. One of their staff members was highly traumatised by the events that occurred during our cruise. We couldn't use the pool on one of the days as they were baptising people in the ship's swimming pool. The San Carlo Theatre was used for their events as well as the Pasha Disco on various occasions. We felt as we were being diverted permanently due to their functions. I feel that the "guests who did not form part of the event" were being unfairly treated because many areas of the ship were out of bounds. The juice machines were often not replenished with more juice, coffee often ran out, the buffet restaurant was very dirty at times. And the food on the buffet of very poor quality! I have been on 4 international cruises and 4 South African Cruises with MSC and I have never, never experienced such a bad cruise before. Some staff on the ship were not responsive to guests complaints and told everyone to complaint to MSC once they were on land. I am a Gold Member. Bottom line, MSC was not transparent with its guests!!!

Cabin Review

Fantastica Balcony Stateroom

Cabin B2

The cabin was ok but on the MSC Sinfonia the balcony cabins are smaller than on the other MSC larger ships.

Port Reviews

Portuguese Island

This is a small inhabited island located in Maputo bay, Mozambique. The waters and shallow and warm.

Maputo

The capital of Mozambique. A must see is the Railway Station, the Cathedral and the Central Market.

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