8 Reasons I Keep Booking More MSC Cruises! What MSC is Getting Right!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Quick correction: The price comparison was MSC Magnificia which will start doing weekend cruises later this year into 2024.

[@bernhardmueller5011]

After 55 cruises on RC I got tired of taking D+ benefits away and raising all prices. I went on the seaside and loved everything about it… the food, shows,the staff, the cabins..and the pizza. I still have 2 more RC booked and 4 celebrity (to try them out).. but I loved the MSC atmosphere so much I have 6 booked with them the next 1 1/2 years.. one thing I learned and I think you did also is that loyalty seems to be a one way street…. It’s fun to experience “new”

[@Podgey25]

I'm same as you.. can't justify RCI prices. I can go on MSCs modern ships in Yacht Club for the price of a standard balcony on a royal caribbean early 2000 Yr constructed ship of theirs!

[@AronRoss72]

Glad to hear you enjoyed MSC! As of May 2022, my girlfriend and I were new to Royal. We sailed 4 in a row from 2022 to 2023 those being Freedom, Harmony, Navigator and Ovation in that order. Like any cruise line, there are pros and cons, and we have Carnival and Princess to compare it to. We have come to the conclusion that Royal is not the ultimate cruise line to remain loyal, especially with their pricing.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That is fantastic to hear and glad you enjoyed it! It pays to check it out yourself and form those opinions! Yes, Royal Caribbean is pricing theirselves out of my cruising schedule.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@aronRoss72 - 100% agree and well said.

[@ScotchOnyx]

In an extremely long debate in cruisecritics. Many travelers have raised the issues being corporate green. The larger cruise lines companies have continue to raise prices over the years making it a norm.

[@fredfolson5355]

We are Diamond MSC Voyager's Club members and have been cruising them since we left Disney in 2016, and we love them. Now, we only cruise in the MSC Yacht Club but coming from Disney Concierge, MSC does offer fantastic prices. And the MSC Yacht Club is dollar-for-dollar the best value in "luxury" cruising.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

I would certainly agree with that! Someone on Royal this past weekend was telling me the Yacht Club beats the Suite Neighborhood on Royal's larger ships and is a fraction of the price.

[@peterjones3712]

We have basically left Celebrity for MSC YC and agree with you!

[@shaungillam6596]

Correction: MSC is no longer an Italian cruise line. They're Swiss owned based out of Geneva. They were spawned from the MSC shipping company in 1970 out of Naples, Italy. I made the same mistake until I was recently corrected myself. Love the video!! I'm an MSC fan all the way!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you Shaun! Another awesome person also let me know this! Still think they have strong Italian roots but is no longer an Italian company! Thanks for helping clarify!

[@jeremyreeve5798]

They might be 'based' in Geneva for tax purposes but they are Italian through and through. In Europe try telling the many Italians on board 'by the way, this is Swiss owned' and you will politely be told to 'arrivederci'.

[@lesliewilliams6342]

On board this last week they kept referring to themselves as "Italian" still

[@johnmayerislovee]

I agree 100% with The Weekend Cruiser as MSC cruise lines is providing an excellent product at a fair price.

[@lisampb8178]

I agree! I LOVE Ocean Cay, it's my favorite island by far. And like you, I like being able to go on more cruises because of the price point.

[@timdalewag]

MSC is the BEST! I leave Sunday on the Seaside. I've been on Armonia, Divina (4 times), and Meraviglia and each time has been nothing short of amazing! So excited!

[@benban2594]

Us too leaving Sunday on Seaside

[@MomDocTravels]

Hey Brandon! Great seeing you again on the Summit last weekend!! Agree with you- you can’t beat the value that MSC offers and Ocean Cay is so peaceful!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey Zoe! Great seeing you as well!!! Thank you for coming over with your adorable girls to say hello! Hope to see you out on the high seas again!

[@tms215]

I agree with everything you said on this video! For whatever reason, MSC gets a bad rep, but I enjoy them very much and their pizza is the best at sea!!

[@wendingourway]

Would definitely be taking some more MSC cruises in the future! Awesome cruise line! Bruce and Otis

[@Podgey25]

I love MSC so much that theyve invited me to a day onboard the Seaview here in my home of Spain 🇪🇸 on the November 22! Im a top Facebook fan ❤❤. So they invited me as a gift🎉

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That is AWESOME Stephanie!!! Who doesn't love a free cruise and on your favorite cruise line!!! I didn't know this was a thing! I might have to start commenting more in Facebook now!

[@Podgey25]

@TheWeekendCruiser Ahh..it's only for the DAY onboard..but I will enjoy getting to see the ship as I have future bookings for it. I'm going in May next year with my niece (fantastica) and again in September with my husband in Yacht club. It'll give us the chance to familiarise one on it and ask questions to the MSC crew / team! I'm lucky to live in Málaga where many cruise ships visit, so it meant I'm an ideal fan to visit the msc ships. Maybe partly why they selected me💖

[@ShawnQuish0904]

Just got off the MSC Virtuosa. Third MSC cruise. I am A loyal RCL. MSC has service issues and the food is just ok. MSC is good for the price and the private island is great. The MSC ships are beautiful.

[@maryannprepodnik9153]

I have been on 2 MSC ships and I gotta say Brandon, they are the best value for the buck. I love that you are supporting them, hope to see you on one soon :) and yes the food is so good, I can't help to compare other dining options on other ships to them.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you and agree! They are def the best bang for the buck these days! And I can't for the life of me, figure out why they have such a bad wrap! Have 10 cruises with them over the next 3 months and will see if my opinion changes!

[@boatlover1875]

We've done 4 cruises on the Maraviglia since it arrived the first time in Port Canaveral and overall, loved it. Price makes up for a few short comings. Other than the food you mentioned, the rest could be better but I've noticed that on 4 other lines since the end of the pandemic. They all have to cut somewhere or we couldn't afford to cruise. The buffet was not well organised and crowded. There is some unusual, modern decor in public areas, didn't bother me. Overall, an excellent value.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

I agree with the comment the food quality has gone down on other lines. Though, I feel like people hold MSC to a different standard. I honestly believe they serve the exact same food as Royal Caribbean lol Haha and I remember Liberty of the Seas, her art work was very weird. Can happen anywhere! They had a picture of the children of the corn! jk but that is what it reminded me of,

[@boatlover1875]

@@TheWeekendCruiser The one thing I found to really be great was the entertainment. Everyone talked about how bad it was at least in Europe trying to be all to people from many different countries. We had some of the best vocal artists I've seen on a ship. The pizza was good and we really liked the adults only pool at the back. The runners would get a bit testy when people got in their way on the track that ran right through the area, was kind of comical.

[@lexa_power]

@@TheWeekendCruiser i do agree people hold Msc to a higher standard when the food seems very comparable to other cruise lines.

[@lexa_power]

@@boatlover1875 i have sailed on msc twice so far and really loved the entertainment both times. People act like they are paying for and expecting Broadway lol. If people were more realistic they’d appreciate what they’re getting for their money.

[@boatlover1875]

Heard it was awful, found it great particularly the vocals.@@lexa_power

[@supplychainanalytics9114]

You can book a balcony with drinks, wifi for the same price as RC regular inside room. That makes a big difference for some small advantages with RC.

[@terridoerschuck7455]

Hi Brandon, My husband Ward and I enjoyed meeting you outside Allure of the Seas this weekend! You are as pleasant and gregarious in person as you seem on your videos! We completely agree with your MSC assessment! A few other benefits - MSC cabins seem much more soundproof than other lines and you must try the lobster rolls at the snack truck on the MSC private island if your haven't yet. Great deal under $13. We are on the Seashore in Feb 24 and the World America in Sept 25! I must say the entertainment on Allure was AMAZING!! MSC has some work to do on that front, but how lucky are we to have such wonderful travel options these days!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

It was great meeting you too as well!!! Nothing like the last minute! You are totally right! We have never had more options in how we want to cruise and with which cruise line! So many to consider and something for everyone! just have to find the right one for you!

[@joethecomputerguy1]

Board My first MSC cruise tomorrow. 13 days. Status match was nice. Glad to see good reviews after reading so many negative reviews

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thanks Joe! Hope you have a great time and let us know how it goes!

[@Kristie_peliroja]

I'm going on my very first cruise in January with RC but my second cruise I booked through MSC. This makes me more excited to try MSC. As a first time cruiser, I really don't know what to expect, so I have been watching your videos for insight. I hope to be able to cruise more due to the pricing on MSC, as I have to budget out everything and, I am a solo cruiser as well! Thank you for your videos

[@TeachinTV]

When cruising to Cuba was allowed, Carnival dedicated a "small" P&O ship Adonia re-branded as "Fathom." At the same time, MSC brought their Armonia across the ocean to handle Cuba cruises due to the size restrictions imposed in Havana harbor. MSC operated the Divina, a big ship, out of Miami. They competed in every way except the private island concept--soon to come.. I booked on MSC and then--WHAM--the US government put an end to cruising to Cuba. Fathom bit the dust, and MSC sent their "small" ship back to the Med. On one of her last cruises to the usual Caribbean ports, I went on the Armonia for four nights. I absolutely loved that ship! It wasn't a great ship. It wasn't loaded with bells, whistles and amenities. They did the little things better than Royal, NCL and Carnival, all of which I had plenty of experience. Examples, their Cigar Lounge was gorgeous, friendly and next to a bar. They served gelato by the pool. Their food was definitely up and down but their pizza was THE BEST EVER! Their entertainment was completely different and had that "wow" factor--featuring real talent instead of a bunch of song-and-dance theater majors. Their service was impeccable. I fell in love with the woman who would bring me my espresso from the coffee bar. Sure, there were occasional annoyances, like combative Australian and Italian passengers and the PA announcements that were made in five languages. I also appreciate their status-matching program, although I haven't actually done it yet. I'm not in love with gigantic ships, so I'm not interested in booking any of MSC's newest ships nor any of the other mainstream lines. I suppose that means my choices of ships are one RCL ship out of Miami, and a Hollland-America ship out of Ft. Lauderdale. To me, size matters. Smaller is better.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Completely agree on size mayters! Love a smaller ship. Thank you for sharing!

[@sherifuntastic]

Beautiful Brandon, just beautiful ❤️. I loved the artistry of how seamlessly your showcased all that MSC is. This has been a favorite product of mine since I was first introduced to it my a fellow Jamaican who works with them. I have successfully sent many clients on ships in Europe and the Caribbean and they raved endlessly. I just booked back to back sailing on the World America for April 2025 and I cannot wait.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you and very much so appreciate it! I am hoping to see you on the world America when she debuts as well!

[@johnclark5172]

I went this past February and I picked up a stomach bug that knocked me out for 3 days. I'm willing to give them another try though.

[@barbaramalave-pfaff6003]

OMG!!! I miss the cappuccino!

[@S-Mo319]

Their coffee is the best!

[@daynacjones]

We are going on a 4 night one in a few weeks, booked interior with a drinks plus plan, all in $720. They pick the room and I was pleasantly surprised when they put us in a balcony instead for same price. Without the drink package it would have been 400 for both of us. You can’t even book a hotel for that.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

One of the reasons I love MSC! I hope this never changes!

[@benyarbrough179]

You’re one of the vlogger that’s gets it right! Looking forward to your reviews on the magnifica (I’m booked for it in July) hoping for very active ship with nighttime fun

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you!! I try to just share my opinions and not feed into other content/comments. MSC to be has been a fantastic value and a good experience! Excited to board on Jan 12 and stay for 10 weekends!

[@CruiseDude1]

I really appreciate your channel and just subscribed. You complement many other excellent Cruise Channels and I appreciate your MSC coverage. We're in DC and take the train to Baltimore and hope MSC eventually starts sailing out of there and gives RC, NCL, and Carnival more competition.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you Seth and greatly appreciate that!! Baltimore is VERY easy to sail out of and the Baltimore train station is beautiful! They don't build them like that anymore!

[@CruiseDude1]

I agree and Union Station in DC is also a beauty. Believe it or not, we just booked round-trip tickets from DC Union Station to Baltimore Penn station for two and the grand total is $20 - four $5 tickets!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@CruiseDude1 love it!

[@Mark-yy2py]

My wife and I are very excited to take her first cruise on the MSC seashore. I have seen videos about the pros and cons, but I believe it will be a great experience. Follow up after our trip.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

How did it go Mark?

[@Mark-yy2py]

@@TheWeekendCruiser hello! We completed our cruise Thursday. We must say we had the best experience! Clean rooms, really good food, great drink package and entertainment, and wonderful service. The pizza and the Italian food were amazing! We will definitely go on another MSC cruise. Our favorite hangouts were the Brooklyn bar with the jazz, and the uptown bar with the Latin music and dance!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@Mark-yy2py So glad you had a good time!!! Sounds like a great trip!

[@misty1tl]

I went on an MSC cruise in Europe. I’m glad the ones leaving out of the US are similar. The pasta was sooo good.

[@peterjones3712]

Fully agree with all your points. We are Zenith on Celebrity and status matched to Diamond on MSC and have moved most bookings to MSC Yacht Club vs. Celebrity Retreat. MSCs entertainment and fun onbaord vibe in their sprarkling ships are very enticing, not to mention their suite pricing is 1/2 of Celebrity's for the same or a better product.

[@iseashell]

MSC Poesia has serious plumbing issues. My balcony cabin smelled like sewer. Many other areas on the ship smelled like public restroom. Mine wasn’t the only cabin with this problem. The crew apologized but the fact remained that it was an awful experience.

[@johndehof4076]

I just got off the seaside. The staff are very good. The cabin is nice, but there is not enough storage. The entertainment was enjoyable. The main problem was the food. The night of the gala they had surf and turf. During the day you could not acces the menu. That night they made the steak and lobster separate entries. Another night they New York steak and quarter inch thick and very tough. I am now setting in the doctor's office. I think my wife and I have covid. I also lost 2 and half ponds on the cruise.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Oh no! Sorry to hear you and your wife are not well! Thank you for sharing your experience and hope you get better soon!

[@murphsan84]

I can't wait for my 2nd MSC cruise in April! Great video. 👍🏾❤️

[@yasmeantamoor-snyder5615]

Going on our first MSC cruise Dec 2! so excited to see you review MSC😄

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Let us know how it goes!

[@andyholland3847]

Just went on Magnifica last weekend. Key West and Ocean Key. Just great. Drove from Orlando. Miami traffic awful. Bright line way to go from Orlando. Agree the island is great. Magnifica was very clean.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Glad you enjoyed Andy and thanks for sharing!

[@dgmcginty]

We love the international flair. We can always find people who speak Italian, or German, or Spanish and start up a conversation.

[@supersuperwendy]

We are trying to move away from RCCL for a change, we have booked the upcoming MSC World America and can't wait, I watched your status matching video, plan to do that tonight :)

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Woot! And World America is essentially going to be an Oasis class ship with MSC flare. You will know your way around!

[@mgdc1712]

I have both hilton gold and bonvoy platinum...I didn't saw the fine print and went ahead and have my bonvoy status match it...apparently it only goes up to silver and the gold status are reserved for bonvoy ambassador or at least titanium. I should have had status matched my hilton gold since it's gonna be match to gold as well.

[@teresa978]

I would definitely book with MSC again overall our first cruise was good. The only complaint was the food, we were able to find something we like to eat but as the cruise was getting closer to the 7 day mark, I found myself eating the same meal at the buffet and I notice the cheese pizza I loved was changed to ricotta cheese pizza for days. Price point was awesome, balcony room was nice, service was good, excursion prices were a little high but we enjoyed our excursion so much we definitely want to go back, the drink package we paid for was ok, we refused to pay for the shows, MDR was a no for my husband, gelato was so delicious we charged it to our cruise card every single night so overall it wasn’t a bad cruise.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thanks for sharing Teresa! These kind of comments help others watching the video determine if MSC Cruises is a good fit for them or not! and I joke I have never had a bad cruise. Just being on the ship, the world is at peace and I am happy!

[@emilysmith2111]

Ok I’m about to cancel my Norwegian cruise for this. Thanks for this review, it confirmed the pros that I was thinking about comparing the ships lines and sold me. Thanks 😊

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

For the price, you at least have to get over there and check it out once. It is still a solid offering, especially if you can be a little flexible on the food.

[@exhausted.dad.here-]

I always board an MSC cruise with low expectations and know the service will suck. However, you can’t beat the price, ships are beautiful, pizza is great, house wine is great, and ports are great.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

It is all in your mindset! We can always find something to like if we keep it all in perspective!

[@patricia1789]

I just booked the MSC World Europa and your video just made me even more excited for my trip! Subscribed!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you!!! I am hoping to get on the MSC World America when she comes to Miami! Hope you have a blast!

[@Mel-p9o]

I’ll be going n the seashore at the end of October and happy to do so.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

You will love it! One of my favorite ships so far!

[@primerc1112]

Thanks for the tips, I just booked my first back to back cruises on the Magnifica 😊

[@dawne8851]

I love MSC's pizza. I ate A LOT of it when we cruised in October! LOL

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

hahaha, you have to eat something!

[@kimberlyemerson2754]

Done a few MSC cruises…but I find the lack of food options makes MSC a no go going forward. The only complimentary food options are the buffet and MDR and often they have limited hours. I can accept the sub par entertainment and lack of service. If they would just toss up a taco hut or a sandwich shop or a burger stand for the off hours I would sail them consistently. I just hate consistently.

[@konniehowell2030]

We love all the benefits of the MSC Yacht Club. You have to try it!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Bring me with you!!! Would love to! Have bid up for it but haven't made it just yet. I will also be on the Magnificia a lot next year and don't believe she ahs a Yacht club :-(

[@honesty2476]

yes, there balcony cruises on MSC cannot be beat! but what’s going to happen is when everyone starts flocking to MSC based on those inexpensive balconies I almost guarantee it’ll be equally expensive as the other competitors. I’m excited to go on my first cruise with MSC! with a balcony! I was on Celebrity in which I had a cabin room because the balcony was too pricy,

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Same here! Prices are definitely driving more of my decisions these days. Having to watch out for me.

[@pedrozatravel]

Hmm, interesting I do find I like smaller settings. Sounds interesting.

[@nunagoras]

Ok, as far as I know MSC still attracts a huge crowd of Europeans even on the US sailings. That said, me thinks that what MSC is doing well is providing a far upper CCL experience at CCL pricing. Of course one has what one pays for, but the somewhat classy MSC experience is hard to be beaten in the whole industry and that on its own captures the attention of a certain well traveled crowd that sometimes just don't want to spend, say, X/Princess prices just to go elsewhere.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

You would actually be surprised at how expensive carnival has gotten these days. MS is even cheaper! My thoughts is that it is a privately owned company with huge amounts of money to spend from the shipping side. They are dead set on building out their Americas market and are wiling to under-cut their profits and their competition to become well established over here. This makes me happy as I am glad there is more competition in the cruise line market these days to help keep everything in check!

[@mcarabis]

Just off Seashore from the Atlantic Crossing from Rome to Port Canaveral...it was awesome! Booked two more MSC cruises!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That is fantastic!!! Glad you had a great time!

[@lisab1312]

Interesting. You have influenced me to try them.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

For the money, it is certainly worth a shot!

[@AronRoss72]

Wow! This is very interesting Brandon. Like most people I've heard more negative than positive about MSC. I guess the only way to form your own opinion is to try it for yourself. My girlfriend and I love all things Italian, so that alone is an incentive. Some days I wish we lived in south Florida so that we had more options. I wonder if MSC will ever come over to the west coast? I see you have some more videos on MSC, I will check those out too.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey Aron! Thanks for the comments! Yes, for whatever reason, believe MSC is stuck in a negative feedback spiral and can't seem to figure it out. Most only targeted their food but when choosing a cruise line, there is SO much more to consider. Totally agree, hear the feedback, use a grain of salt, and for the price, book it anyway to see what you think!

[@RichyRich-k4p]

We waiting for you guys in Bimini’s port we would love to have you guys on our cruising schedule seriously 😳 fantastic 🇧🇸 your cruise ship are always fun and very full!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

With all the new ships coming out, I feel like more will have to go to Bimini as the Bahamas is running out of slips for the cruise ships! I have been there a few times on Virgin but not a lot!

[@gum115]

Thanks for suggesting MSC. Found a very good price for a 4 night cruise. I don't know what all the complaints were about because the ship (Seashore) was great. So was the entertainment and most of the food. It was about half the price of Royal. Will definitely be booking with them again.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Right? I don't get it either. Glad you were able to grab some good pricing!

[@rotfan77]

Great review. Thank you

[@RueTravels]

The price is the best!!

[@Crunchtime7890]

We tried the SeaScape last year and not love it. the layout of the ship made it so if you want to go from the adult only pool to the adult only hot tubs in you swimsuit you have to cut though the outside seating for the specially dining. We also found the Centrom was too crowded when ever they have something going on in it. It may is so it was next to impossible to get to the excursion desk if they had music going on and you have to yell for the poor people at the desk to hear you. We were on a seven day cruise and found they seem to have the same food day after day except for a couple of theme items. We may try them again at some point but they will not be our first, second or third choice.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thanks for this comment! Great feedback for others considering MSC! Glad you were able to go there and form an opinion to help you with future bookings!

[@erhaus]

I’m not a coffee drinker but their coffee is the best, not sure about the buffet coffee 😊

[@rebeccalyons1327]

Don’t forget MSC coffre is even better because of their mugs.

[@mortar235]

One negative about msc (for me) is you can't have drinks in the pools, hot tubs, or main theater. But I could see some people liking that

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you for sharing this one! Not being a drinker, didn't realize that was a thing. Though, I definietly had a decaf skinny cappuccino with me in the theater :-x

[@mortar235]

@@TheWeekendCruiser yep it's actually all drinks I believe including non-alcoholic

[@johnl56]

I'm happy to hear this. I'm really nervous about trying Seashore in March. Mostly because my wife has food allergies and I'm worried msc is not going to have any options for her

[@garyfun2drum]

Don't be nervous at all. I've got numerous food allergies from nuts to shellfish, and once I told our restaurant server the first night, she double checked that all ingredients in my selections were okay for me. Then she brought me a menu for the next night before leaving, which she had me check off my selection and she would make sure everything was right for me ahead of time. Furthermore, I got a couple of phone calls in our cabin from the service desk asking me if my food allergies were being taken care of adequately by the crew. Seriously, I've never before experienced the level of care and concern for my allergies that I received on the MSC Seascape last month - and that includes my own family, lol. As for the buffet, foods with common allergens were marked as such, and I found the buffet staff to be helpful in answering specific questions in their own sections. By the way, we loved the food on the ship, and never felt the need to go to one of the specialty restaurants - but of course we're not ruling out trying one on the next trip.

[@garyfun2drum]

Don't be nervous at all. I've got numerous food allergies from nuts to shellfish, and once I told our restaurant server the first night, she double checked that all ingredients in my selections were okay for me. Then she brought me a menu for the next night before leaving, which she had me check off my selection and she would make sure everything was right for me ahead of time. Furthermore, I got a couple of phone calls in our cabin from the service desk asking me if my food allergies were being taken care of adequately by the crew. Seriously, I've never before experienced the level of care and concern for my allergies that I received on the MSC Seascape last month - and that includes my own family, lol. As for the buffet, foods with common allergens were marked as such, and I found the buffet staff to be helpful in answering specific questions in their own sections. By the way, we loved the food on the ship, and never felt the need to go to one of the specialty restaurants - but of course we're not ruling out trying one on the next trip.

[@jconnor619]

Will never go back to Royal Caribbean, 30+ cruises feed up with the rises, hidden charges and service. MSC all the way for us now

[@payotimeRamsYT]

Thanks for the video. I’m debating trying an MSC cruise for the first time. What does getting matched in mean? That’s a new term to me

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

It means if you have loyalty status with a hotel or other cruise line, they will "status match" and give you the equivalent in their program. So, with no cruises on MSC, your first cruise you can enjoy the free benefits. Here is a video about it to help and show you how: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3zHcqWce5qNnbc

[@payotimeRamsYT]

@@TheWeekendCruiser thank you!

[@lexa_power]

I agree with all of this! I think i will be checking out the magnifica soon. The prices are too good to beat.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

I'll be there weekend after next! Stay tuned!

[@lexa_power]

@@TheWeekendCruiser awesome can’t wait to see! I am thinking of doing a back to back in February a 3 day and then a 4 day to the Bahamas. Where is your sailing going? I’m hoping to continue my good luck of paying for an interior and getting a balcony upgrade which I’ve had good luck doing on msc as long as the ship isn’t crowded 🙏🏻🚢 But I’ve never been on that ship so I’ve love to see an interior and a balcony cabin!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@lexa_power I am there but or kiss in February. Have a celebrity, royal and msc and one weekend off (for now😜)

[@lexa_power]

@@TheWeekendCruiser that’s awesome i am looking forward to following your adventures. Hope to see you on a solo cruise one of these days!

[@soulfullmusic100]

Great vlog, just subbed and I'm a big MSC fan, MSC deserve your praise, they really do give great value for your buck.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Thank you and they sure do!! Glad I started sailing them!

[@Toogoodtobetrue458]

Never hurts to see the other side of the grass

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

It sure doesn't! It might be greener, it might be the same, or it might be dead. Either way, you now know :-)

[@TheRiverPirate13]

I enjoyed your video mate. We sailed on MSC Seaside on the infamous 3-night cruise at the end of April that failed the health inspection. MSC matched our Hilton member level of Diamond for the cruise which was nice however it didn't translate to added benefits on the ship. The ship was 200 crew short (not MSC's fault) and Expedia Cruises had 400 members on board (MSC's fault). All specialty dining was blocked off for Expedia Cruise members only plus the Haven Lounge, Sports Bar and the Garage Club. Very disappointing. HOWEVER I am giving MSC another with our next cruise on MSC Seashore the 1st week of December. I hoping to have a much better MSC experience. I fully agree, Ocean Cay is a fantastic private island and helped offset the disappoint of the ship experience on the MSC Seaside.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

You sound like an great, logical person first of all. Sounds like the cruise was not ideal but you took it in stride! Impressed you are going back and giving her another try recognizing that your first cruise was not the norm! (at least I hope you don't have a repeat experience!)

[@TheRiverPirate13]

@@TheWeekendCruiser Aye! Thank you. I am fairly certain MSC Seashore December 3rd cruise will be a fun & great cruise. My wife was the hardest to convince to give MSC another try! I think she will realize the poor MSC Seaside experience was not a normal MSC cruise.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@TheRiverPirate13 fingers crossed! You can't recover if the second one goes bad!

[@TheRiverPirate13]

@@TheWeekendCruiser Lol! Very true!

[@lolayu]

Sailed MSC Divina and Sea side loved every minut of it. This June, going on Meraviglia, can't wait.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

I would love to do Meraviglia!! I have heard wonderful thing about her design! Have a blast and let us know what you think!

[@carolyngardner4999]

If they want to win the American Cruise Market they need to do better with the food offerings. That was the problem in the beginning with MSC. Yes they are an Italy style company, but you have a board ranger of different cultures.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That is very true Carolyn! I think they are starting to figure that out and the shift is happening. Especially, with an Oasis like class of ship coming over in 2025, they have to figure it out.

[@kimberlyemerson2754]

Food options are so limited - you can go hours and have no where to grab something. It’s why we stopped cruising with them.

[@makkaG2155]

MSC are getting everything right where RCI are getting wrong. On a side note, the UK is losing Anthem in 25 and getting old Indy back, and the itineraries are garbage, yet they've overinflated the prices.

[@adamp2384]

No joke I am loving the service I get onboard and the still twice daily room cleaning that other lines have abandoned and some of the cheapest gratuities at sea as well on top of that

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

I have seen a lot of comments about Indy going back. Personally, I do love Indy and would take her any day! Just did her last weekend sailing in Port Canaveral (videos coming up) two weeks ago. Granted, I totally get the international market and a lot of others love their new ships with the bells and whistles. I think they probably should have sent Freedom, at least that gives you a different ship to go on. Singapore is also not happy with their ship assignment. I think they should hire us for a consult!

[@ScottLara]

Heading on MSC seashore Dec 3. I bet it doesn’t compare to Virgin Voyages!!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

haha umm no. Comparing a $500 cruise to a $2,000 cruise will always be akward! Hope you had a blast!

[@Davey7358]

I would take a cruise with u any day. I’ll be on the Seashore for a NYE 2024 cruise. 🎉

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That awesome Davey! Sign up for the group cruise newsletter to stay informed on where we are going! Would love to have you join us! www.theweekendcruiser.com/group-cruise-sign-up

[@derkong7114]

We left Carnival and joined MSC...

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

It's a good cruise line! I'm enjoying my time here

[@KS-kr4ok]

I tired MSC twice. Not going to try a third time. cheap pricing is not worth it for crappy food all week.

[@m.m.4645]

We are on the Armonia at the moment, eastern Europe. The food is really awful, you are right. I also don't like the shows.

[@adamp2384]

Must have had some bad luck, I have sailed on many MSC cruises and only found maybe 1 or 2 dishes bad in all my times

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Adam is correct below. These days though, most ships are sailing at capacity but upgrades can certainly happen! I am hoping to win an upgrade into the Yacht Club one day!

[@adamp2384]

@@TheWeekendCruiser I am in the yacht club this January, can’t wait this will be the cruise I get to diamond status on so very excited

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Have a blast!!! Let us know what you think afterwords! @@adamp2384

[@dand5829]

The Yacht Club isn't competitive at all though. In most cases it's the same (or even more) than a comparable NCL Haven cabin with comparable benefits. It is usually priced slightly under Sky class on the big RCI ships but not by much. I've been wanting to try the Yacht Club product but if the fare is the same as NCL then I'm just going to take NCL each and every time. I actually just sailed on Anthem OTS from NJ in Sky class and paid 40% less than a comparable Yacht Club cabin on Meraviglia from NYC.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That is good info Dan! Always do your research as there are no "set rules" when it comes to pricing!

[@davidh2420]

Brandon, can you go over the status match? I get the match. But what happens when I go up on another line? Do they "re Match". IE I'm NCL Platinum right now. Next cruise I become Sapphire. So if I status match today, do I redo it after I get Sapphire? This would be a video. One thing I heard from guests on an MSC I've seen in ports and on KZbin is MSC food is horrible??? Now are you dining at Specialty restaurants? or did they step up their game?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey David! Great questions! Not sure on the technicalities but this video will direct you to the right place kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3zHcqWce5qNnbc ! For food, it was absolutely fine. Was it Michelin star rated, no but it was certainly not the horrid food I have heard people mention. Here is my review of MSC Seaside where I go into more detail there: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6TPpqGrptSnndE

[@babybunnies]

@The Weekend Cruiser, I heard from many that the hot tubs are not that hot and are warm water only! Not good for people with pain or stressed out and need a hot sitting in water! Is it worth $62 US for a 3 day for the THERMAL AREA SINGLE CRUISE PASS. Although I will be with a friend, he is not into these things. No videos areo mention of what this includes or what it looks like. I will be on the Divina and and now worried I will have to pay extra when on Carnival it would have been all included in the basic fair rate!! Nobody on MSC knows about the DIVINA and to what it offers...sigh

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

The times I have been in the hotubes they have not been that hot. The thermal spa on Divina does not include a hot tube but does have several dry saunas and one really nice Turkish bath wet sauna. All of these rooms were very hot. When you board, ask the spa staff for a tour to see what you think!

[@ScotchOnyx]

Hey Cruiser, i know price is a big factor but does MSC offer similar/equal quality. From food to service to entertainment and satisfaction.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey there! I published this video just for you on Monday!! It will directly answer this question. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXmrZ3iBp8-MicU

[@Jenshalom01]

Hi Brandon, I saw when booking MSC there are a couple of different cabin price categories. I was confused about the option where you get to pick your dining time, that one was more expensive. I guess my question is how does dining in the main dining room work on MSC?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Great question and will be answering that in January with a video! It depends on the package you buy. If you get the Bella experience, they chose for you. If you get Fantastica, you can choose.

[@Jenshalom01]

@@TheWeekendCruiser Great looking forward to it!

[@ladyslotsquatch2149]

Okay you talked me into booking a cruise! Can you stay on the ship or go back on when at Ocean Cay? Are you able to eat on the ship?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

You sure can! That is actually what I have done a few times. If the line is too long, I will go back and enjoy the A/C on the ship!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hope you have a blast and let u sknow how it goes!

[@karlsmith7016]

I'm so sad. I'm currently on symphony of the seas and I have isolate until the end of the cruise because I have covid. It was my one chance to see the Bahamas and I'm all scared as a solo cruiser. Any advice please

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey Karl, very sorry to hear you are not feeling well and are in isolation on the ship! A few tips! 1) Make sure you ask for what you need. Don't be scared to pick-up the phone and call guest services or room service 2) Stay positive. Try not to judge this trip too harsh because you got sick. It is unfortunate but could happen to anyone. 3) Use the time to start planning your next cruise! There are more Bahamas cruises calling your name! 4) See if you get free pay per view movies (this was a thing during Covid's peak) 5) Watch this video to laugh at me with COVID on a cruise ship when I first started the channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5SVloOnmbtnqbs Hope this helps and wishing you a quick recovery!

[@tonyintrevado8960]

? Just left Seascape after 2 week back to back. Yes, beautiful new ship BUT, food fair, limited selection. (pizza poor). Secondary food venues (snacks) nil. Noisy. Elevators sloow! Entertainment fair. Space per guest tight in public places. Hard to maneuver around the ship. Ocean Cay however is their strong point.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey Tony, thanks for sharing! Always love for others considering booking MSC to hear other opinions to be able to formulate their own! I am with you on Ocean Cay! LOVE it.

[@anastas6179]

Ive tried looking at RCCL, but their prices (including the variable drink package pricing) plus being a solo traveler have not allowed real consideration from me. I'm a big MSC fan and also Princess. Have my first NCL trip booked over a year from now.

[@Podgey25]

Msc have solo cabins and are really fair prices.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That is exactly why I started looking outside of RCCL as well and glad I have! Still like Royal Caribbean but don't need to spend that kind of money every weekend.

[@JasonInWilton]

Last time I was on MSC out of Miami was about 5 years ago. Very rude Europeans and some what getto type crowd also tons of announcements which was annoying. Has that changed ?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

That was not the case out of Florida.... Could be different if sailing on their home turf of the Mediterranean. I am not sure I recognized or heard a single European language. Definitely did not find the people to be rude or crowded.

[@Michael-rx6ji]

You probably can buy three Applebee's steaks for the price of one capital grill steak. Does not mean it's going to be the same thing by any means

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Depends on how much enjoyment you get out of an Applebee's steak. Do you get 3x that enjoyment at Cap grill? It's good but I don't need that level of experience every cruise. We are all different on this one.

[@Michael-rx6ji]

@TheWeekendCruiser I will never eat an Applebee's steak. I am assuming I do get 3 times the enjoyment out of a Capital Grill steak since I am not sitting around a bunch of different type of people/crowd, enjoy a wonderful ambiance, quality food, and exceptional service I am not saying MSC is the Applebee's of cruising. Seems like it might be a good value and tempted to try it once in their new mega ship in 2025

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@Michael-rx6ji haha, okay, their steak might not be the best! I think your last statement is true for a lot of folks. MSC has changed their ways post COVID and is really trying to make a big splash in the US market. To do that, they have to up their customers service and food game.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@Michael-rx6ji I am luckily on the 3rd sailing of the MSC World America and can't wait to see how they make an "Oasis class Ship" feel like it belongs to MSC as RCL uses a very different way to design their interiors. Fingers crossed they can do well with it as I am loving the added competition to keep those prices in check!

[@Michael-rx6ji]

@TheWeekendCruiser I looked at going on that ship for Christmas in 2025 and priced out the yacht Club. It was like $7,000 for two people for an inside cabin. I think I'd rather try just being in with the regular low lifes to see how MSC truly is for the masses before I would try the yacht Club. I didn't notice that MSC ships have an awful lot of mirrors and shiny objects. I think that would be impressive at first but it doesn't feel too warming

[@ariesescudero7039]

It’s just not used to their set up in Europe in which on every port there new people and people leave the ship otherwise they cheap and food were great 👍

[@carinag4635]

what are your thoughts on the specialty dining packages?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Great question, I have not done the package but have eaten in their sushi restaurant a few times and pan Asian once. The food has been superb! I talked a bit about it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6TPpqGrptSnndE If you want to have an elevated experience, I think their specialty is a great option (without seeing prices) and the food I have had is very good. Others also talk very highly of it.

[@dennischerone6780]

MSC as a whole comes off as low rent. The food is forgettable. The cabin reminds me of Motel Six. Everything is sub-par compared to RCI. We always keep our eyes open for deals on RCI. And when something good comes along we grab it. I enjoy a civilised dining experiance. So we eat dinner in the MDR. Our dinners have been wonderful.

[@javamon]

You're in love with MSC now. 😊

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

haha, I am in an open relationship with all cruise lines. ;-)

[@javamon]

@@TheWeekendCruiser When are you going on a date with Margaritaville?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@javamon no plans right now. Calendar is fairly booked. I reached out to their social media team and they said no thanks lol

[@javamon]

@@TheWeekendCruiser They don't want any more reviews, no one will go!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

@@javamon yeah, the social media world has not been kind to them.

[@3103Juan]

Does anyone knows what upgrades they are doing to the island. I hope is more shade/palm trees. I hope they don’t go the route to add a huge waterpark and fees to it. Sometimes simple is cool. Right now all they need is shade/ more palm trees

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Great question! I read this somewhere but have forgotten. I don't believe they are going that direction but building for crew on island? Don't hold me to this. There in two weeks, will try to research some.

[@gabebeshaw]

Have you done longer itineraries on MSC?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Not yet but I am open to it! So far, only weekends on 3 different MSC ships. Would def be interesting to see if it is a different experience. Also, hear it could be different in Europe than Americas.

[@ramongutierrez5585]

Hey there I just subscribed to your channel. I’m waiting on msc America coming on 2025. I’ll will like to know how I can be diamond status on msc. I’m a diamond status on carnival & I keep hearing that I can be diamond on msc also. If so can I get a few more details. Thank you 👍

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Not sure of Carnival's tiers but here is the video I made on status matching. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3zHcqWce5qNnbc Whatever they match you at, is better than no status at all!

[@ramongutierrez5585]

@@TheWeekendCruiser hey thanks for the update. Like I said before I’m just waiting on msc America. Again thank you 👍

[@amygress4590]

Do you have any info on the accommodations for gluten allergies?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey Amy! I have not looked into this and hate to give advice where I might be wrong. If you want to ask this in the Facebook Group, you might get a better response from someone who has first hand experience. facebook.com/groups/1353877165437730

[@michaelvitale4029]

Congrats !! Yours is the first positive review I’ve seen for MSC 😂 Seriously though, I’ve often wondered about them, being an Italian line. We recently moved to Florida as to branch out a bit and try other lines. We’ve been loyal to Royal for many years and now looking for other options. Thanks for the interesting vid

[@Podgey25]

They're Swiss (Switzerland Italian 🇨🇭 part) the Swiss are known for being very thorough.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Have I been getting this wrong Stephanie!? I was calling them an Italian line! Should I change that to Swiss cruise line? Apologies if I was misspeaking here!

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

haha, it is a good cruise line! I have never understood the others who bash them so much. One day, will make a video on Why MSC is held to a different standard than other mass market cruise lines.

[@davec2020]

I am going on my first msc cruise April 2024 out of Brooklyn. Are they like other cruise lines and can get a better deal for an upgraded room closer to departure date? If available of course

[@adamp2384]

Depends on occupancy but they have an “upgrade” bidding program like most other cruise lines that you get an email inviting you to participate but not everyone gets an email so it is luck of the draw

[@davec2020]

@@adamp2384 ty for that info

[@adamp2384]

@@davec2020 no problem generally if you get an upgrade bidding invitation it will be after final payment date and make sure you are opted into marketing emails or you won’t get it

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Agree with @adamp2384 below. Cruise ships are sailing very full these days, so last minute deals are rare if not impossible. Though, the upgrade programs are working very well and see those happen all the time! I am even hoping for an upgrade to a Yacht Club one day!

[@drdc72]

How does the food compare?? I’m a convinced Celebrity cruiser…how does MSC compare??

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Great question and sitting on Celebrity Summit as I type this. Celebrity is a premium cruise line and the food will be a higher tiered experience. MSC, is a mass market cruise line, and will be more generic with the food. Though, I swear it is the same exact food that Royal Caribbean uses. I failed to see any difference. All things being equal on price, I would go with Celebrity. It comes down to "is Celebrity worth $600 or more dollars" and is the experience THAT much better that I want to pay for it. For me, that depends on how much money is in my checking account at time of booking 😂

[@gerrygibeault]

I'll never cruise with MSC after they canceled my booking with them one month prior to sailing, gave no explanation as to why, and then refused to give me my money back( fcc only). Total BS IMHO.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Hey Gerry, very sorry this happened to you as that is never a good experience! Though, this horrible situations could happen on any cruise line. Even Royal is notorious for overbooking their ships.

[@malarkeymatt598]

Ive found with the easy drink and WiFi packages msc typically ends up slightly more than booking a balcony with royal for similar length cruises without any options. That alone is a massive savings.

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

Oh it is huge! The drink package plus 18% gratuity on Royal Caribbean is worth another cruise! Worst case, things on MSC don't go well, just order another drink until you start enjoying! 😂

[@truthalways8071]

Thank you for in advance for anyone who could give me some information on all the other cruise lines I have gone all the bars every night 3 to 4 bars will have musical entertainment till about midnight or 1 in the morning one will be Latin club one will be a guitar player playing Rock one will be a piano bar and there may be a band in the other so every night till midnight or 1 in the morning you have great different entertainment all over the ship on a one week Cruise can you be so kind to let me know if MSC does this and if not what do they do. I was told by others that they might only have one music entertainment in one of the bars till 10:00 p.m. and then all goes quiet any details or information especially if we're talking about the MSC meraviglia leaving out of Brooklyn New York would be incredibly appreciated thank you in advance for your replies

[@deliceylynch5872]

Very interesting

[@dutchman7216]

Did your stateroom have a mini frig.?

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

I sure did! On MSC they also come stocked with mini bar items for a charge. Can always ask room attendant to remove so you can use for other things.

[@dutchman7216]

@@TheWeekendCruiser I'll probably do that. Thank you so much for your reply. Take care.

[@marymeyer772]

Is there a formal night on a 3 night cruise

[@TheWeekendCruiser]

There is not. Weekend cruises by nature are a bit more casual. For MSC, I will say their clientele will dress nicer than some other lines. It's all about what makes you comfortable. MSC does.have a more restrictive policy in dinning room attire but I have not seen it enforced on weekends. Would being long pants just in case.