Review of the MSC Orchestra

On Wednesday, May 6, 2009, I was invited to see the MSC Orchestra on it’s first port call in New York City. This is the first time any MSC ship has visited New York and they have promised to visit New York more frequently.

There was much fanfare about the ship when we arrived. The press was invited to tour the ship along with high ranking police and fire department officials, as well as about 100 or more local travel agents. As this was the first time that I had ever seen a ship from this cruise line, I was very anxious to see what MSC was all about.

Upon entering the ship, you can see right away that this ship is stunning with rich dark woods and elegant furnishings. Although we didn’t get to see the entire ship, I truly liked what I saw.

The main theatre is large and probably the nicest that I have seen on any cruise ship. Again, the décor was stunning and elegant- rich blues and thousands of tiny blue lights to greet you upon entering.

We saw a couple of different lounges. The Savannah with it’s leopard décor is exotic and fun but done is a tasteful way. All of the furnishings are in a leopard print with leopard lamps all round and one would think this would be tacky- but it wasn’t at all. It was probably my favorite of the lounges.

The cabins are small but adequate. There were stall showers in all but the suites, which had bathtubs. The cabins all have TV’s, in room safes and mini bars. The standard balcony cabin is 161 square feet plus a 38 square foot balcony- a bit smaller than many other cruise lines and I might imagine that on a longer cruise, this might be a bit tight on closet and drawer space. The interior cabins are 150 square feet and some can accommodate up to 4 guests with 2 upper berths. Again, to me this might feel tight but for a family on a budget, this is an extremely economical way to cruise.

Speaking of families, MSC is one of the cruise lines that allow kids 17 and under to sail for free when in the cabin with 2 full fare passengers and they truly mean it. When I priced out family cabins for clients, all the kids paid were the taxes. There is a nice kid’s area as well with a great jungle gym, as area for the teens. The Kids Sail Free is capacity controlled so if you are considering taking advantage of this promotion, it would be a great idea to book early.

Food is always a big part of cruising and MSC lived up to their Italian heritage. We were treated to a great lunch that included an appetizer of a king crab leg and smoked salmon, salad, ravioli (among the best I have ever had) and a main entrée of full lobster tail and a huge portion of filet mignon. Tiramasu rounded out the meal and I can honestly say the food was excellent. The waiters came around with bottled water constantly and wine. This, of course, was a special luncheon and wine would be additional at a normal meal.

We didn’t get to see the buffet but we did see the Shanghai Asian restaurant which gives guest an option of dining there for an additional fee. Room service is free in the Caribbean (I heard that there was an additional charge for it in Europe). There is actually 1 hour during the day (between 5 and 6 pm) where there is no food available other than room service. Dining has 2 set seating options- main and late and there is the option of upstairs at the casual restaurant which turns into the Four Seasons at night offering a wonderful sunset view. This offers an a la carte menu at a set charge. The casual, pool side restaurant, La Piazzetta, also offers pizza in the evening.

Entertainment is an area where MSC stands out and their entertainment staff puts on a different show every evening. The evening shows range from a main theatre production, opera type production, acrobatics, magicians or jugglers. Please keep in mind that the MSC ships attract an international clientele and some of the productions might not be entirely in English.

Who would I recommend to sail on MSC?
MSC is a European cruise line and will attract a very international clientele. For those travelers who are looking for an all American crowd where English is the only language spoken, this is not going to be the cruise line for you.

If you are comfortable with English being one of 5 languages spoken and you like a more European atmosphere, MSC is a great option offering great values.

I can be reached at mindy@myvacationlady.com for more info on the MSC Orchestra.