We selected this cruise 18 months prior because of the marketing of it and the new ship. It was billed as a gorgeous ship and it didn't disappoint. After we had it booked and paid for we were seeing some bad reviews and were a bit worried but in our experiences, those were just not the case. We did purchase the Aurea experience which included a balcony room with the use of robes/slippers, exclusive top floor solarium unlimited use with a dedicated bar and hot tubs, UNLIMITED drinks- including soft drinks, bottled water, cocktails, wine, beer, milkshakes, gelato ice cream, hot chocolate (even at Venchis) and mock-tails, just from a card scan (no signatures). It also included a 50 minute message for myself and my husband, two sun tanning bed sessions, unlimited use of the thermal spa that comprised of two saunas, indoor and outdoor whirlpool tubs, two aromatic steam baths, multiple aromatic showers (warm/cool combos) a Himalayan salt room and warming beds. It also included priority boarding, which went smoothly and quickly as well as anytime dining which we found very helpful. The ship was remarkably large and we never struggled to find a seat even at peak times for the buffet and the cruise was sold out. The crystal stairways were beautiful, the decor very elegant. It was lovely. The balcony on our cabin was good size and the cabin size adequate but could have used more/better storage for clothes. Or wait staff in the dining room was above and beyond, particularly catering to our 13 year old daughter. We had read complaints about the food but it was delicious and if we didn't like something or worried we wouldn't, we just ordered two different entrees. They were extremely friendly and worked very hard to keep us happy. The shows were the best we had seen anywhere, and were not interrupted and your view blocked constantly by waiters taking and delivering drink orders. You could bring drinks in but not order inside the theater. We never encountered any rude or disrespectful staff (or other passengers for that matter) which we had heard was a problem. We did do two excursions and the process was very organized and timely. They gave you a time to show up, they gave you a number, called your number after all had checked in and then left soon. If you showed up too early then you did have to wait as that was not your scheduled time. The excursions were very good and we enjoyed them except for the transfer when a couple was 35 minutes late getting back on the bus. Our teenage daughter absolutely loved it. They had several water slides, a zip line, full arcade with a race car simulator including a bowling ally. Not only would we go again, we booked a future cruise while on board. Highly recommend. Read Less

We booked this cruise at the last minute for my Birthday. It was on sale and we got a killer deal. Pros. Loved my group of people. Loved the other cruisers. The pizza & gelato were great. Embarkation was smooth. The port stops were great. Cons Boat does need refurbished. (Warped decks, loose tiles in the shower) Dining room service was awful. At one point we walked out after sitting there for 30+ minutes without getting water. Beds were the least comfortable of any line we have cruised. Constant announcements early in the morning. Our room was straightened but never truly cleaned. For example a tissue on the bathroom counter would stay for days. Or a cup with a melted half eaten icecream cone would just stay unless we placed it outside the door. Ports. Jamaica---- we did Dunns River Falls. No excursion. Just walked out to the street and caught a ride over for $20. Grand Caymen---Google Captain Marvin's and book straight through them. Cozumel----4th visit. So wandered bought vanilla and jumped back on the ship to enjoy the pool. (Do reccommend taking a taxi to Mr. Sanchos beach club if you are looking for s beach break). Key West.---- wandered town, had conch fritters and frozen chocolate covered key lime pie. Read Less

This is a small ship and not as "fancy" as the large ships, but the smaller size made the ship more intimate and easily to get to know the staff. Our favorite bartender was Jinyess; very nice and very funny and our waiter in the dining room was Marce who was beyond accommodating, polite, and helpful. Every meal Marce recommended was prepared perfectly. We arranged balcony rooms and were very pleased with the size and storage available. Our room steward kept our room at tip-top shape the entire cruise and always had a smile on his face (room 9106!). The dining options were varied and the food, which needs to meet a variety of international diners, was very good. There was a variety of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for vegetarians as well as 'regular' eaters. There were enough entertainment options and activities that if anyone was bored, they would have been bored anywhere!. I must say that embarkation and disembarkation were the smoothest we have ever experienced! I wish they were all that smooth! This was a big relief! The only thing I would recommend anyone double checking is their beverage package. We registered and paid for the "easy" drink package which didn't cover any of the alcohol options we drink; We're vodka, mixed drink, and wine drinkers. None of the drinks we wanted were in the package. I really wish our travel agent had perused that more! We may have chosen a different cruise line if the price were cheaper total package. We had to spend a lot of $$$$ extra to get the next level package. Every other cruise we took had ONE alcohol package: you paid one price and every drink was covered. That's my only complaint. The gym was very nice. It had machines to work every muscle, free weights, stretch/yoga area, and cardio. In summary, I would recommend the cruise line and ship but, if paying for a drink package (and it IS vacation!), I strongly suggest that you look it closely. Read Less

I'm really NOT a cruise snob! I don't go around telling people how many I've been on in the first five seconds of meeting aboard a ship. I don't even display my card(s) around my neck and I'm a Chaîne des Rôtisseurs reject. I choose my ships and cruises based on the price, itinerary, ship and if I'm solo or not. This one was offered by MSC as a 7-night leg on a 14-night back-to-back originally to Havana, Montego Bay, Georgetown and Cozumel. Political winds changed their direction and blew away Havana and Montego Bay, in blew Ocho Rios and Key West. (Note, I'm from Miami, born and raised. Sailed the Caribbean since a kid.) So if you add it all up, I embarked and disembarked like...ten times on this ship and each one was a breeze. I never had one problem getting aboard or off of the Armonia, unlike every darned ship I've ever been aboard! I mean it. No delays. No unwanted searches. The worst thing was this "Face-To-Face" intrusion imposed by the US Immigration Service. What a joke! I'm not going into the politics. Bottom line: despite lines to tenders and the gangway, they move pretty briskly. Maybe the ship was quite less than full on that cruise. Cabin was sized about right for two--another inch shorter in any direction would be cramped. Plenty of storage space, cleverly concealed. Nice touches absent such as towel animals, facial tissue or chocolates on the pillow. Equipped to the standard: flat screen TV (with very few channels), desk with electrical outlets, mini-bar, window clean enough to shoot video/photos through, direct-dial phone system, programmable safe and plenty of mirrors. Air conditioning worked great, the bed(s) was comfortable and a nice selection of pillows. Bathroom was the smallest one in which I've ever taken a shower. Love the ship. I truly respect her, as I would an aging duchess. She's gleaming, clean as a whistle yet nicked, cracked,worn and dented in places you'd expect after being trod on by millions of feet or sat upon by hundreds of thousands of buttocks. She has a lovely profile, looks like a ship instead of a hotel parked atop a slab of hull. She's gorgeous inside and outside, not screaming, projecting a luxurious and vibrant vibration. Colorful with taste, a bit dated in that Art Deco-inspired Starlight Disco. Comfortable public rooms, well-appointed Library, Bars, and my favorite space--the Cigar Room. Entertainment was enchanting. I was so impressed with how much they do with nothing onstage, it's mind-boggling. Ingenious use of minimal sets and props coupled with pre-recorded audio allowed for the performers' physical gifts and voices take over. The dancers were fluid and acted as well, the singers were excellent in several languages and the gymnasts and balancing act were superb. The DJs had an international flavor to the mix, sounded wonderfully exotic to our ears trained on disco, hip hop and rap. The lounge acts were professional, multi-cultural and talented. Service was modeled on Carnival, the leader in providing personal service in mainstream cruising. On MSC Armonia they ALWAYS remembered your name after hearing or seeing it the first time, they never abused the knowledge by shouting it out in false camaraderie at every opportunity. Everyone who has any contact with guests was polite, friendly without being overly solicitous or fake. They were quietly friendly. They took wonderful care of their guests. Particularly worth mentioning are my wonderful cabin steward, Shella and the best darned member of the waitstaff, Made. Ports-of-call were...well, I'm probably not the one to ask after this cruise. I've been there. It was fortunate I have a friend in Ocho Rios who was wonderful about meeting me just outside the pier and conducted me on a terrific unauthorized shore excursion. As far as the other places, well...except for my quest for Cuban cigars, I could have stayed aboard. I did find the best lunch and Cuban cigars in Cozumel, and the best cigar experience in Georgetown, Grand Cayman. Whatever you've done there, I got the t-shirt. Key West? I got off of the ship, walked far enough away to activate my cell phone, bought a bottle of water and a hunk of fudge from this lovely lady inside this old historical warehouse, smoked a cigar next to a Rastafarian playing a steel drum for an hour, angering the anti-smoking Gestapo tourists (not the Rastaman) and walked back to the ship. (Via tram) Dining was a minor disappointment, after reading so many of the previous reviewers' opinions of the food. Food is what I'm about. Some people eat to live...you know the rest. Nothing aboard MSC Armonia will kill you. Except for the corned beef hash at breakfast. That stuff is poisonous. On the other hand, the polenta was divine. The pizza, especially the whole-wheat crust, was AWESOME! The gelato, especially the straciatella was INCREDIBLE! I should have just stuck with Italian breads and ice cream the whole darned cruise. The lack of fresh fruit in the buffet area was embarrassing. No bananas! They were all at the Vitamin Bar, or they were grabbed by the bunch by my fellow banana lovers. One bowl of pineapple disappeared immediately. One bowl of watermelon walked away by itself. Too much emphasis on melons, not enough on berries of any kind. They had a couple of Italian cold cuts, but no prosciutto that I noticed (some Oscar Meyer ham) to go with their endless parade of melons. The best cuisine on the ship was the Indian, followed by the Italian. Not enough of Asian cooking. The biggest problem: serving hot food HOT and cold food COLD. The carvery was a hit-or-miss affair. I was TOLD the prime rib was great. Everything else that I saw was mediocre (pork roast, turkey breast) to horrible (meat loaf). Why were all of the hamburgers overcooked and dry? Why were the cheeseburgers covered with ONLY American cheese? No choice, not even PROVOLONE?? Thank you, chef, for staying away from attempting barbecue. With the buffet, it's purely a coin toss. In the Marco Polo Main Dining Room, I made the mistake of failing to communicate my preference to eat alone. I also failed to notice that dinner was at 6:00, a crucial half-hour before I'm used to settling down to eat--even on other cruise lines. These two mistakes forced me to record video with unusable audio thanks to excessive noise created by my dining partners Night One; and to miss out my MDR meals (that I usually enjoy) three out of seven nights. Of course, I completely missed out on "Elegant Night." Both nights. My fault. Lobster is something I like, but it's not worth sacrificing an $11.00 cigar I'm smoking in the Cigar Room in order to eat frozen fish. The only Asian-influenced dish I tried was the Thai shrimp. Horrible. Tasteless. I had to scrape that breading off to reveal the skinny shrimp. If you think that by waving the hot chile flakes over them works, you're wrong. The Asian-influenced salad was good. The pasta was al dente. That was good. There was only ONE pasta dish or sauce offered. That was bad. The lamb was served two-sided: rare on one, medium-well on the other, AND it was lukewarm and fatty. I didn't order ONE steak the entire trip. I just didn't trust the beef, I suppose after eating one bite of their hamburger and gagged. Dry as a hockey puck. The Duck L'Orange was so fatty and so lacking in orange flavor, it was a total waste of a bird destined for duck soup. The sauce coating the mussels tasted as if it came right from a Lipton Soup package. The asparagus were delicious.The Indian dishes were superb! The desserts were pedestrian. Most of them were just too darned sweet, missing the rich flavor of chocolate or fruit! The banana and coconut tart was wonderful, marred by that raspberry coulis. I'm not going any further with this. What's the point? I got what I paid for. Canned peaches and cheap chocolate. I went to that Surf & Turf Restaurant sampling meet and greet. Everything was grabbed by the early-arrivals and cleaned off every darned tray. I got one half-flute of faux-champagne, one crab cake and one piece of that disgusting pseudo-cheesecake. A complete waste of time coupled with a hustle. Overall, I'd say the food available in the restaurants was average, mediocre--a "C" grade. If you like congenial conversation with civilized people, the Cigar Room is the place to meet. Of COURSE the place smells! Of COURSE sometimes people get a little bit boisterous--there's a bar 7 meters away. OF COURSE you can watch your favorite sport sitting in a comfortable leather lounge chair smoking your favorite stogie. They have a limited but well-chosen selection of cigars available to buy at typically inflated prices. Bottom line: it was an exceedingly pleasurable cruise, subtracting the expected food fails. I had plenty of good food and drink, lovely ladies to keep me company and a diverse crowd to enliven the conversation. Watch for my videos appearing on my YouTube channel, TeachinTV. Read Less

I choose the MSC Armonia because my daughter recommended it and because of the price for an Ocean view. In general, the ship is small and old but that is not the most relevant of the cruise. Our expectations and needs were around: Jacuzzi, Casino, food, live music and musicals. It was hard to be inside the Jacuzzi and we decided to go early in the mornings. The Casino is small and there is no many machines. The food was very good and varied (Buffet and restaurant), and the pizza and gelatos excellent. The Italian musical is wonderful, the singers are virtuous. The best of the cruise: The Duo Express at the Rum Bar, beside to be exceptional musicians, they have the ability to entertain people from different nationalities, with a big variety of music. Maggie and Patrick were always ready to attend you, preparing and serving drinks. At the restaurant we were served by René, a very nice boy from El Salvador. Our table was very international (4 couples: 2 Poles, 2 american (North Caroline) one Philippines girl with an american boy and us (Latin people).One of the most important characteristics o this cruise is the opportunity to share with people from different nationalities and languages, which should be the standard of the crew; however, an employee from the restaurant went to the american couple and asked them if they want to move to other table due to "our accents" . This action promote discrimination and is unacceptable. The crew should promote interculturality; by the way, they are from different cultures and nationalities. Read Less

This was the 12th cruise I have been on with the 5th cruise line I have cruised with. This was the WORST cruise I have EVER been on and the first and LAST time I will ever cruise with MSC. I spent the first 4 days in line at the Guest Relations desk for Internet (did not have Internet access until the afternoon of the third day) and billing issues...long wait in line each time. There was false advertising for both "unlimited" Internet access and "unlimited" onboard drinks. The cabin beds were like sleeping on bricks and I had to call more than once for towels and cleaning of the bathroom. The bathroom shower was the tiniest I've ever experienced. The food was absolutely terrible both in the buffet and the restaurant (food was sent back EVERY night because it was simply inedible). The theater shows were amateurish and only mildly entertaining; the only show that was really entertaining was the crew talent show. There were few onboard entertainment activities for adults (shuffleboard...really??...and the arts and crafts were designed for children). The movies shown in the theater and on TV were at least 3 years old (also only 2 English-speaking non-sports channels on TV) and there was no streaming capability whatsoever. There were no separate activities targeted to 18-30 year olds...a single lounge disco was provided for all ages (ridiculous). To cap it off, there was no published pricing for the guest pictures for sale at the end of the cruise and pricing appeared to be established on a random basis and very unprofessionally and unethically sold ("pick out which pictures you want and we'll tell you the price"). The price quoted for 10 pictures was more than double the pre-boarding price offered online and more than I have EVER paid for pictures on any cruise. I received a lower price (albeit still higher than I have ever paid) for the pictures only after complaining to the photo department manager. And the quality of the pictures was poor, specifically the background scenery was shabby and every shot had wrinkled "flooring" which makes it clear that the poses were taken in front of fake scenery. I cannot express the extent of my disappointment in this cruise and my experience with MSC...warning...choose another cruise line. Read Less

It started with a can’t beat price, and it ended being a vacation to remember. Embarkation was a breeze, best of all the cruise lines. The ship is older but we found it to be well maintained and very clean. We were upgraded to a suite which added to the vacation. Our steward Jimmy was great always taking care all our needs, we were very pampered. Dining was solid a bit bland on some nights but nothing that salt and pepper couldn’t fix. Our waiter Christian was very attentive and always had my lemonade ready at the table. Only issue was we wished the dinners had been more Italian inspired. Entertainment was old school which we enjoyed. The crew was great in the variety show, and the performers were talented. Service on the ship was excellent never had to wait or had any issues that weren’t addressed. Ports were fun, met some very nice people and we especially loved costa maya (4 wheeling followed by a couples message, can’t beat the combo). Our guides on the 4 wheeling excursion in Costa maya, Genesis I believe was his name was excellent. I have been on many excursions and never felt that our safety was the #1 priority like it was in costa maya. All in all msc did so well by us we are already looking to book in December on the Maraviglia. Read Less

Enjoyed a (relatively) spacious cabin and great service from the onboard staff. Embarkation in Miami was fast and easy. Ate in the dining room every night and never had a bad meal. I'm a vegetarian and accustomed to limited choices. I think I tried every vegetarian option on the dinner menu and was never disappointed. Delicious! service in the dining room was excellent, too! We had the Easy Drink package. Checked the list of spirits before we bought it to make sure we'd be satisfied with the options. The bartenders are all very professional. Gelato was delicious. Several flavors each day. We ate breakfast and lunch in the buffet every day. Sometimes the seating was crowded. Crew members were always busy clearing tables. The desserts were always delicious. Pizza was very good, and a variety was always available. Made-to-order omelets were always good. The pools are smallish and oddly shaped, but so relaxing! The salt water was always wonderfully warm. It was heavenly to just float in the pool until ready for the next drink. Entertainment depended heavily on the talented crew members. The dancers, singers and musicians are all talented professionals. The cruise staff are all friendly, fun, and truly invested in helping everyone to join the fun. (Their talent show was hilarious!) We enjoyed the theater shows that we saw, but missed a couple because the theater was full before we arrived. Games were a hoot whether you watched or participated. Every area of the ship was spotlessly clean. Every crew member I encountered was polite and professional. Most were genuinely friendly. Some confusion and slow service with the booking and pre-sailing communication. 10 days later, still have not received a final statement of onboard spending. Read Less

I was on the MSC Seaside last year and fell in love with the ship. It's just beautiful, and the service was wonderful. And, the drink package was a nice perk. However, this year I found the service somewhat lacking, the food was mediocre this time, and the drink package seemed like more of a hassle. The food was so lackluster in the MDR, that we ate at Butcher's Cut one night, and teppanyaki on another night. We usually do not splurge for the upcharge restaurants, but after looking at the menu on the MSC app. we realized we had little choice. Butcher's Cut was phenomenal. My husband had the 12 ounce filet mignon and I had the salmon. Both were exceptional. Teppanyaki was a lot of fun and the food was also very good. My husband and I do not eat garlic and the chief was very good about cooking our rice and other dishes with out garlic. So, special requests were not a problem. The show's were exceptional for the most part. I like that they add some acrobatics to most of their shows. I'll continue to cruise with MSC, but I prefer other cruise lines if the price is compare. Read Less

i was so excited to be going on this cruise ,i had never been on this cruise line before but had heard they were good.once on board we went to the buffet and was disappointed at the choices they had to offer ,hoping it would get better as the days went on ,but it never did food was horrible ,cold or lukewarm always ! i will say the hamburgers,hot dogs, French fries were good and hot every time ,but eating that everyday got old.the pizza was good also.i was afraid to eat some of the things like dressings for salads they were never put on ice they were warm always good way to make people sick.the drink stations !!!either out of ice or ice tea and you would have to go to 2 different stations just to get a drink if you wanted both at the same time.they should also put a drink station out on the pool deck for more convenient to the guests all the other cruise lines I have been on has this.now on to intertainment what a joke.love marriage game and quest game were the only games that was fun.went to 4 of the theater shows the staff had put on they were okay.casino was so small and not much to choose from so I really didn't stay there to long for this reason.found a smoking area on the 6th floor which was nice and quiet but not a chair to sit in so you could enjoy the view and smoke.suggestion put some chairs out there !!!! I never receive a bill on the last night there as they stated everyone would get the day before so I went down to front desk but the line was so long.so I didn't know what they charged me and had no opportunity to dispute ,got home and checked my account took 4 days to take out the money but still don't know what I paid for.i will say caleb Charles bar server was the highlight of the cruise he was very personable and helpful telling us where to go and what to see when we got into the ports.cudos to caleb !!!! Read Less

We took the cruise to celebrate our 31st Wedding Anniversary on 9-17-19. Though the reviews were sketchy we really had few options with a limited last minute budget. The only good thing to say about my MSC cruise is that we were upgraded to a suite which was nice. The food was nasty and limited in selection, there were continuous options of foreign cuisine that did Not appeal to any of us. There was no decent variations of the food selections at any of the meal times throughout the day. If it weren’t for the burger buffet we would have starved for seven days. The common areas were routinely dirty with slick or sticky floors and tables, the language barriers were often frustrating and made communicating with staff impossible. After pretty much being forced to buy a drink package the cocktails were watered down so basically you pay hundreds of dollars for soda and water which was the only tolerable thing besides canned Miller light beer. The entertainment, if you can call it that, was ridiculous and childlike. We had no viable options for recreational activities except for 2 fuzball tables and 1 small ping pong table. Smokers were crammed in a tiny section with roughly 10 tables right next to the tiny pool. There were limited selections on the dining room menu making us avoid it after day 2. Every port the ship was docked about a mile away and they were short day stops. Shore excursions were ridiculously expensive through MSC and what they offered was very disappointing. In Costa Maya my GoPro was stolen while on an MSC sponsored excursion to Beach Escape beach & reporting this was a big hassle because of the misunderstandings with the language. The cabin steward was pleasant but the beds are uncomfortable and the balcony door rattled the entire cruise from turbulence and rough seas. Many of the staff were decent enough, but the overall atmosphere of the ship as a whole was complete rudeness and disregard. European passengers were Extremely rude most of the time and there was really nowhere on the ship except staying locked in my cabin to avoid it. I wish I could get a refund because this has been a horrible experience and ended up being a lot more expensive than planned with all their “extra” fees for every little thing. Making the experience more disappointing is that there was NO acknowledgement of our 31st Anniversary and the ship photographers couldn’t even take decent pictures of us so we could capture our special day!!! Just dreadful cruise, and horrible ship for Americans in my opinion. Luckily debarkation was quick enough because we couldn’t wait to get off that ship!!! Read Less

First time..2 week cruise for our family of five. My husband and I have already been on 2 Carnival cruises which were fun and decided to book a 2 week cruise for us and our 3 children (first time on a cruise for the kids 18, 16, 14). CONS: - Food was mediocre. Luckily my kids are really easy to please and were content with pizza, burgers, fries and gelato. The buffet was average, normal breads and pastas but I would say lacking in variety. Being on a 2 week cruise is great but the food choices become mundane and repetitive which makes eating less exciting. Lol. Blah and average. Wait staff was attentive, but some were a little less friendly which could be attributed to cultural diversity since they all come from different parts of the world. So I’m definitely understanding in that aspect. - Unfortunately room cleanliness was lacking. I always bring Lysol and Lysol wipes to scrub down my cabin at first walk through. Being a nurse I know the importance of disinfection and would rather have piece of mind from the very beginning. That being said, my bathroom shower stall had mold. Very gross. My room steward was the sweetest person and I hate confrontation. But I brought him in the room to point out the areas of mold in the shower. He told me he would clean it and it was never done (or if he did do it, it wasn’t done well). I went down to guest services and told the staff and they said it would be taken care of with a deep clean. Upon returning to my room, the bathroom smelled like bleach or some kind of cleaner, however the mold still remained. I basically threw my hands up in the air and decided to let it go. I didn’t want a long drawn out battle and wanted to enjoy the rest of my vacation without any drama. Therefore, mold was my cabin mate for 2 weeks. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the Cuba ports, unfortunately they were cancelled. Our 10 year old child LOVES MSC mini and Juniors club. MSC Orchestra was our first ever cruise in 2014, and we've loved them ever since. We been on Divina and Seaside and now Armonia. The only complaint, well not complaint I had this whole cruise was on Italian Night, there was no "show" if you will, we always look forward to that. But at least they had the baked Alaska cake :) FREE GELATO!! It's was a pleasant surprise to be able to have complimentary gelato!! We partook daily :) And of course the pizza is always the best on MSC Cruise liners, secretly I cruise MSC just for that reason :) I wish the arts and crafts were better, maybe a paper rose making class, or adult coloring books, orgami, etc. Loved the Rum bar and the Pub!! Seemed to be our only hang out spots. Wonderful staff and stewards on this trip. Except for a sassy girl that served us in the Pub, she didn't know what she was doing. Oh well...no one is perfect. Now, this may be a sensitive issue but when did formal nights become so casual? I understand that some people may not like to dress up for that night, but maybe those select few should be directed to the buffet for that evening. I literally seen a man wear a bandana, t-shirt and jean shorts to both formal nights. Not a huge deal but he was always seen in the background of my families photos on formal night. Let's make cruising classy again, MSC!! Read Less

Originally booked this cruise for Cuba, but since changes in itinerary, we visited Honduras, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Key West. Great ports, ship docked close to all restaurants and shopping. On board the Armonia, the food was typical, shopping good, and shows great. Ship is in need of updates, since its an older ship. Cruise critic put in an amazing private party with cake, drinks, and hor'dorves. Great to mingle with fellow cruisers and get good information on their experiences, and to get insight on future crises. Pros and cons of other cruise lines. Cruise critic does not sell anything during this private party. They only want you to have fun and meet and mingle with other guests. Cruise director was there and we had a group picture that we got free, delivered to our stateroom the next day. 8x10. That was awesome! Looking forward to next cruise and definitely the cruise critic patty! Thank you Cruise Critic! Read Less

My wife and I greatly enjoyed this cruise. The most that caught our attention was the excellent treatment we received from all MSC Armonía employees. Kindness and courtesy since we entered through the doors. Especial mention to the waiters at Marco Polo Restaurant, Kosih and Renelyn, excellent service. In the service area of ​​the room, Mr. Marion Garcia, far exceeded our expectations. The entertainment Kevin and Moises and their group are wonderful, original, dynamic. The shows at the Fenice Theater, compare with Circo de Soleil, or Brodway, incredible talents. The BR Beats band, wonderful, excellent musicians, and great singing. The cruise director Miguel and the captain (I don't remember the name) are high-class professionals. People who with honesty, respect and warmth make everyone, employees and clients feel like a family. The infrastructure of the ship requires remodeling. But the customer service, human warmth and love of its employees far outweigh that weakness of the ship. Read Less

We chose this cruise in order to visit Cuba. Unfortunately, due to US sanctions we were unable to visit this port at this time. This ship is the oldest in the MSC fleet, and definitely due for some updating. As a whole, the ship looked very clean, but did have a musty odor. The entertainment was ok.......a little too much dancing for our taste, but nicely done. Food was good......nothing really outstanding, but the service was excellent. The wait staff was very accommodating and professional. Unfortunately we were unable to go on any excursions due to a knee injury, but did take a sail boat ride/snorkel out of Key West which was a lot of fun. We did a little in-port shopping and had fun shopping for souvenirs and experiencing a bit of the native culture. We would definitely cruise on MSC again, but on one of their newer ships. Read Less

Following are comments from our latest MSC cruise. Will number them so everything doesn't run together. 1) Ship is spotless - clean carpeting, clean flooring, no rust - crew always working 2) Service - in both our Cabin and during any of the dining times/locations was excellent 3) Crew - always smiling 4) Captain - very approachable and friendly 5) Shampoo & Body Wash in Cabin is MSC's signature product - very nice 6) Interior Cabin - storage adequate 7) Interior Cabin Shower - one suggestion that worked for us - shower is very 'tight' and curtain clings to you during shower - but you are able to shower without having the curtain pulled if you have the water directed appropriately - water does not flood the entire bathroom area - a quick wipe up and all is well - curtain not really necessary 8) Buffet - is very crowded and difficult to find seating during peak times - but staff is always wiping tables and doing their best to accomodate everyone - there is plenty of outdoor seating but not real comfortable in the heat - not sure if this is something that will be addressed during Dry Dock or not 9) Poolside - never had trouble finding a lounge however people do tend (as on every ship) to throw a towel down and reserve for extended time - lounge chairs are not good for reading - but there are 'chairs' also around the edge of the pool which are usually stacked that you can move to wherever suits you - I would move a chair alongside a lounge and all was well for me 10) Embarkation - arrived at ship about 11:15 and almost walked right on - it was great 11) Debarkation - exceptionally fast - Key West was our last port and we all went through Customs there - agents were on ship and we simply had to show our Passport - back in Miami there was no Customs 12) Fitness Center - used daily by husband - equipment okay - he is suggesting they could add the following: leg press, bicep machine, tricep machine, pull-up bar 13) Deck/Poolside - the one area of the ship that was "worn" and definitely needs replacing is the rubberized part of the deck - it is worn and has holes in it - I would think this would be addressed during dry dock. 14) Gelato and Soft Serve Ice Cream - on Deck 11 - is complimentary - can have it in either a little bowl or waffle cone - had 2-4 choices daily 15) Surf n Turf Venue - very good service and food exceptional - husband said it was the best Rib Eye Bone-In he had in a very long time 16) Food in other venues - we enjoyed everything offered and had no difficulty in finding something we enjoyed - no complaints Well I hope I have commented on everything i wanted to. If any questions please ask. Perhaps under the MSC Board is the best place to ask a question. Read Less

I have sailed with several American cruise lines and was interested in trying MSC. Let’s just say that I should have listened to the reviews of other Americans who similarly had cruised other lines and warned about the negative aspects of MSC. Let’s start with the pros: well organized for embarkation and disembarkation. Like a well oiled machine!!! Smooth and seemless from start to finish. Technology on board, great and convenient. The ship itself, beautiful with tons of space and amenities for fun. The entertainment shows were amazing and beautifully choreographed. Cleanliness, top notch. Workers constantly wiping, vacuuming and cleaning every aspect of the ship. The negatives: lackluster excursions at almost triple the cost of booking independently at port. Limited staff availability to assist you when needed, many calls to reception went unanswered and if you need tech support for use of the app while onboard, plan on waiting over an hour for help. The staff are not the least bit warm and fuzzy or even the tab bit enthusiastic like on American cruise lines. The music on deck was either nonexistent or elevator type, with no energy and excitement of a vacay. The required need for a room card to activate electricity in the room is ridiculous. You can’t leave your phone to charge in the room if you take your room card with you. The activities like Kareoke and live music are often in other languages other than English. As an American, you will be the minority on the ship. When you find other Americans like we did, it was like finding a prize. And last but not least, the food is HORRENDOUS! Absolutely appalling. Items are repeated morning, noon and night. The food is bland, flavorless, not kept at appropriate temps, and plain disgusting. No creativity, no appeal, and repulsing. Cesar salad is warm time and time again, burgers are cold, scrambled eggs are watery like soup, etc etc. day after day. Food options at port were our only saving grace as all 5 of us dreaded eating on board. There was NOTHING positive about the food.... not one!! And none of us are picky eaters. The food is designed for the European in mind. Many breads, smelly cheeses, cold cuts, and antipasto. Even items like pizza were over cooked, flavorless and not edible. They would re-invent items from lunch to dinner by adding one additional ingredient to it and renaming it. It is basically the same disgusting item. Over and over and over again. Read Less

I wanted to write a full detailed review as best as I can. My husband and I did a 14 day back to back cruise on the new MSC Seaside. This is our second cruise with MSC and we've never done any cruise with any other company. So, I wanted to write about our experience on the MSC Seaside. I went into this cruise reading all the reviews that I could. And I wanted more than anything to give MSC Seaside a 5-star review. I tried my absolute hardest to stay positive, go with the flow and just enjoy my time. I did enjoy my time. What I will write about are some things that really bothered me but also where MSC Seaside really shines. Embarkment/Disembarkment - This is heavy streamlined. I loved the process. We arrived to the port early and were on the ship within an hour! MSC really has this down pat and they do a great and organized job of getting people on and off the ship. The Seaside is absolutely beautiful! There is no other ship, I believe with the craftsmanship of this boat! When you pull into port, the boat is so much larger and more beautiful than the other ships.. it is really breathtaking. Cabins: People weren't kidding when they said they had very little storage. I actually didn't want the room cleaning guy to come in hardly ever because we have clothes EVERYWHERE. There was just not a enough room. We had a balcony room - Bella experience. So, we had a lot of clothes and just no where to put them. I just tipped him some money at the end, because he was always wanting to clean our room. lol. Which was his job.. but I was too embaressed for him to come in. Additionally, we had two water leaks in our room and our shower door fell off! The smoke alarm went off twice and no one showed up for 2 hours! This was a big issue with me... and it was because I stayed in my room way more than I wanted too because the ship was so over-crowded that it was miserable to be outside of the room. I am an explorer and an active person who likes to mingle.. but there were so many people on this ship... I felt like a sheep. The over-crowding is my biggest complaint. The first 7 days there were 5,000 passengers and the second 7 days there were about 4100 passengers. There was zero room to swim or really get away from ANYONE unless you locked yourself up in your room. It was not relaxing and this is why. So many people. SO MANY PEOPLE. We went on the Divina and we did not feel this over-crowding problem at all. We felt like we had plenty of room.. and space. Not on the MSC Seaside! Food: I hate to say it because I didn't want too, but it was all canned and frozen. It was maybe worse than cafeteria food. I really really wanted to like it. And if you complain about it, they take it as a personal offense. Man, if they would increase their food quality and give MORE options... they would really win more of the American market! I couldn't eat a meal without someone trying to sell me something.. every time... every meal... every day... I was as polite as I could be.. and just smiled and said no thank you every time. The only pushy people were the photographers which made it super uncomfortable. You say "no" and they say "why?" And I replied, "Because I said No." And awkwardly walk away as they keep pushing you. The port itinerary was great. It was neat to see so many places. I know people have complained that the times are short on the ports.. but they def. have a lot of ports to go to. Which was fun for me! I felt very safe on MSC Seaside. When you get back from a port - you have the sense of overwelming safety when you get back on the ship. My safety was NEVER in question. If you are the Bella experience - you do not have to pay for room service food, but you have a $3.95 room service charge.. every time. Wanted to clear that up. MOST IMPORTANT: DO NOT PUT CASH ON BOARD! We made this terrible terrible mistake. We put ALL OF OUR CASH on board, thinking we could withdrawl money when we wanted. NOPE! They will not give you ANY of your cash back until 4 P.M. the day before your last day... so we had ZERO money for ports because we were idiots and didn't know this. Ruined our cruise on that part. VERY UNHAPPY about that. We put $1500 on board CASH... yeah... ugh. Came home with a lot of saved money for sure. The white party is a riot!!! GO! You MUST GO TO THE WHITE PARTY! It was the most fantastic part of the cruise! The cruise director is funny and personable and my favorite person on the ship. The staff was very friendly. Treat them like the people they are and they will become your bestfriends on the cruise! It was still a great time... but we have decided that we will NOT be going with MSC again unless it's Yacht Club. The Italians (this is not MSC's fault) are very very nasty and rude. They will cut in lines (like this is extreme... they are very rude about it). They are mean and I am a very likable person. They were a big reason why this cruise was not fun. And I am accepting of all cultures and I tried really really hard. This one woman cut in front of me so bad she pushed me and then when I told her she was being inapproprite her husband had to hold her back as she tried to assault me. It was a very very bad situation. MSC has 50% discounts for all military members and that was a steal for us. But the overcrowding was a major issue and they closed the adult pool at 8pm every night. They have actually caused me to look into other cruise ships for our yearly cruise, but I do want to check out their Yacht club. I hope this helped some people out. Like I said, I really wanted to write a 5-star review... but I just couldnt. Maybe 14 days was too long for us and I really love MSC, but I am so glad to not be on their boat right now and am glad the vacation is over. 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A new ship. I am use to crusing with Carnival. We had many perks for cruise. We stayed in room 13001 with Aurea experience. We had 2 free massages, free easy drinks, and 3GB wifi. I thought overall the cruise was great. I thought the shows were fantastic. Great acrobats and many talents. I didnt care for the opera, but to each their own liking. If I had to change something it would be that on the buffets. You should place butter and syrup at the end of buffet not the beginning. It's hard getting back in line to syrup up your items. I feel that if you are trying to Americanize a ship, that the first spoken language should be english. Our dance instructor was great. He asked how many knew english. Over 75 percent raised their hand, but unfortunately he spoke mostly itilian or spanish the entire dance. We were all clueless. They only had karaoke one night. The turnout was huge. They should have it more often. . Our server Ddick was excellent! I hate that they had so many seafood choices. We went to Ocho rios, cozumel, grand caymen and nassau. I believe that unless u book an excursion, then jamaica is not worth getting off the ship and getting haggled. Nassau got cancelled due to tropical storm, but I have been b4. Not worth getting off ship. I feel it's very dirty. Love Cozumel! Well that's my cruise review. Read Less

After cruising several times on the same brand ship we decided to venture out and try a new brand. We found MSC and saw where they do loyalty match so we started researching them. We decided on the Seaside out of Miami and booked our cruise. The day we embarked we noticed a much quicker process and loved it. Their customer service center was huge and quick. Once on board the hype was all true...this ship was gorgeous. I was definitely not disappointed. I quickly realized there wasn’t a hole punched in my room card and thought how will I wear this on my lanyard? To my great surprise they offered wristbands to wear that did all the functions of your room card. My favorite part was no one hardly wore their cards around their neck to prove status or feel privileged in some way. I was worried about the food since I personally am a picky eater, but I found plenty to eat and was never hungry. The ship was always clean and the staff was friendly. We had the privilege of meeting the captain and I must say he was amazing. He had a great personality and humor. We saw him walking on the ship one day with another officer so we didn’t even try to bother him and he stopped and spoke to us like we were family. Now the shows. I loved everyone of the shows on this ship and can honestly say all of the performers were great and you could see how they got their job. It really made the other brands shows look like amateur hour. I am so glad we tried this ship and have booked another cruise on MSC on the Magnifica. We had another cruise booked on the other brand ship and have decided to loose the deposit and cruise with MSC. Read Less

This is the second time I cruise with MSC along with my family of 4 -- myself, both parents, and sibling. This time we set sail on MSC Seaside, but I'll attempt to compare the experience with my next best knowledge having set sail two years prior on MSC Divina. In general, both ships are very luxurious, from the evening dinners (especially the gala night) to the overall look and design of each deck. MSC definitely caters to an international audience which is really neat if you want to immerse yourself in different cultures. There were many European guests throughout the ship, and most of the staff throughout the ship are literally from all over the world. MSC Seaside is a gigantic ship and feels just as such when walking through the different decks. Although, it did seem bigger than MSC Divina, much of the extra space felt that it went to more decks for extra cabins to fit more people on the ship. The decks on MSC Seaside where the fun happens seemed very similar to those as the MSC Divina with the exception that it did seem to have an extra pool throughout the ship and an extra Buffet restaurant, but the main theater did seem smaller compared to the one on MSC Divina although it had 3 different show times each night compared to the two on MSC Divina. The entertainment atmosphere was just as expected and very lively and full of energy throughout each day. MSC Seaside has a great entertainment staff always putting up fun games, activities, dance competitions and rallying the crowds up for their parties each night. 70s night was definitely a favorite! One thing I missed was the morning shows recorded the day of on MSC Divina on things to look forward to each day that I would play on the TV as I was getting ready each morning and where I had a chance to submit questions to be answered by the hosts of the TV shows. On MSC Seaside, the morning shows seemed to be prerecorded and dull when compared to the entertainment factor offered on MSC Divina. My family and I partook in the main restaurant evening dinner each of the 7 nights. The food was a delicious gourmet dish served to perfection. Even better than the food however, were our two waiters, Mr. Destawa and Mr. Romano who were very friendly, attentive, and offered perfect suggestions on what to choose for dinner each night. Our waiters alone made each night enjoyable and something to look forward to every time. Awesome job! For morning breakfast, midday and evening snacks we usually went to the Buffet dinner room on deck 16 or the Market Buffet on deck 8. Both buffets served a great variety of food during main eating times, but their pizzas did not disappoint as a midnight snack. This was our first time we booked an excursion through the ship and the trip to the Tulum Ruins in Mexico did not disappoint. This MSC Seaside route felt that it had more variety in terms of stops when compared to our MSC Divina route two years ago. Each of the port stops were great, fun, and offered different types of experiences. Our last port of visit to Nassau, Bahamas did however get cancelled due to a Tropical Storm watch along with our prebooked excursion the night before which was unfortunate. The crew made that last day a Sea day which in my opinion was somewhat unfortunate as we had already been at sea the day before. I wish the ship would have been routed to the Florida keys as it was within distance or return to port of Miami for an optional disembarkation rather than have done circles in the Atlantic. At the very least, complimentary WiFi would have been nice! My only few real qualms was the customer service during embarkation check-in with the representative throwing our documents around without any care and not providing any directions on what to look forward to. And my other qualm was observing some supervisors disciplining their employees in front of guests. In my opinion, it only served to humiliate the employee and left me feeling somewhat embarrassed as a guest for the employees. This wasn't very common, but just a shocker the two different times I was observant to it. Overall, MSC has been a delight to set sail with and they can expect a third booking in the near future where I look forward to having more fun along with family and friends! Read Less

This is our 4th time sailing with MSC... we always have the best time! Embarkation and disembarkation is the best! The shows are fantastic ... best on any other cruise line! We always find the staff to be friendly and kind.... we did not sail yatch club! We had an aura balcony ... we loved the thermal spa. Although the portions are small in the dining room we don’t mind it because we always end up having late night snack of pizza, cookies and tea!! The buffet has a good variety of food... make sure you go through all the stations ... more then one! They have more then enough bars on ship so you don’t need to worry about getting a drink! Which is why they don’t have bartenders coming around constantly bugging you for a drink... I didn’t have a problem going to the bar to get one.... the Venchi bar had the best chocolate martini! If you’re thinking about cruising with them don’t hesitate... it’s definitely worth the money! Read Less

Because of the hurricane Dorian our 7 day cruise was delayed leaving from the Port of Miami. This resulted in us missing the first 2 days of our cruise. Other than that everything went perfectly. Boarding went very well. We had requested 2 wheelchairs to board and after 10 minutes the chair pushers arrived and very carefully pushed up the jet away to the ship. This was the first time we were in a fully air conditioned jet away. It made it very comfortable. We were taken directly to the buffet and seated at a reserved table for handicapped passengers. As soon as we got in line a crew member immediately came over and asked if they could help hold the plates. We thought that was very caring and thoughtful. After eating we went to our cabin and checked with the front desk to see if any handicapped cabins had opened up since when we booked none were available. We were told they had to check with the guest services manager, Chanel, and call us back. Since we had an outside cabin moving us to an inside handicapped cabin was a downgrade. After seeing the other cabin we immediately agreed to switched since it gave us so much more room for our walkers and no steps into the shower. We noticed there was no note in our cabin with instructions for the Meet and Mingle Party so we called the front desk and they were able to tell us the information. They said the letter would come later. We went to the life boat drill and were relieved that we did not have to stand for an extended time. Since we were. Black Card Members we were able to dine in the Surf and Turf Restaurant one time at no charge. The service was excellent as well as the food. Food in the main dining room was okay and the service was excellent. Our cabin had a small TV with remote that had a built in sleep timer. The air conditioner was very strong so we asked for more blankets. The cabin stewards were always dressed in very elegant uniforms. They did an excellent job in keeping the rooms neat and clean. We were able to get room service every morning and had breakfast in bed at no charge. The pool was wonderful, it was salt water. They had a fully automated chair lift to help handicapped persons in and out of the pool. The pool temperature was just right. Nearby the pool was a Gelato Bar which was free and delicious. There also was a pizza bar which had several different kinds of pizza. There also was a hot dog, sausage and burger bar near the pool. Every day they had at least 3 Trivia games which we enjoy. We love to play so we can expand our knowledge and also for the competition. Maverick was our favorite Trivia caller. Their game of Quest was a lot of fun. Their shows were excellent. The movie theater was very spacious and comfortable with a nice sound system. We loved all the Ports of Call. We were fortunate to be invited to have dinner with the Captain and the Hotel Director Robert. The Captain had a great sense of humor. He also was very informative. The food was excellent and the service was elegant. When it came time to debark we had to get up early and were wheeled off the ship quickly. Special recognition to Chanel from Guest Services, Maverick from Cruise Directors staff and Joice , translator, who was an all around angel. Thank you for making our cruise really special. Read Less

We originally chose the Armonia because of how cheap the price was. I sailed with my husband and two kids and my mother in law. We had two ocean view cabins on the 8th floor. I knew going on the cruise that I shouldn’t expect too much from it just from reading previous reviews and watching videos on YouTube prior to sailing. Yet, I hate to say that even with low expectations I still wouldn’t sail on this ship again. First off, the ship is very very old and it clearly shows on the appearance of it. The lido deck floors are all chipping apart and the chairs upstairs near the pizza area and the hamburger areas were wobbly. The ship was “re-vamped” in 2011 and all I could think about is the fact that it still looked like nothing was done. The buffet area upstairs in uncomfortably tight. Even for a smaller ship and less people it felt more crowded then the ships I’ve been on with 6k+ passengers. The rooms were extremely tight and uncomfortable. I’m surprised they would even put three people in that small of a room. The bed in our room was broken and nothing was done to fix it. The ac felt like it was never on all over the ship and especially in the cabin. And the shower frame fell and hit my son. There are two pools both which were a decent size but with disgustingly warm and extremely salty water. They only had two hot tubs that were so small and only fit five people each. There was always a line to get in the hot tubs. The kids splash pad was probably one of the nicest splash pads on a ship that I have been on. My kids really enjoyed it. The food was below average in the buffet and dining room. We did really enjoy the breakfast options but lunch and dinner had barely any options other then the pizza, burgers, hot dogs, salad and fries. The five to eight options in the buffet were not good. The shows were not good except for the last night show which was the abyss which we enjoyed. There were barely any activities throughout the day so we spent our time mostly in the room or on the pool deck or eating. Overall, I knew to not expect much from this cruise but I was still disappointed. I wouldn’t go on the Armonia again. I would rather pay more and actually enjoy my cruise. Read Less