princevaliantus Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 After viewing this video of the MSC Seaside, I must say my curiosity is peaked and I will be booking a cruise on it just to get the entire experience for myself. Royal just might have gotten a competitor!! See the video and share your thoughts: https://youtu.be/IPfULwZMyBA whenismynextcruise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 Seaside is definitely a beauty. Question is that is it just smoke and mirrors? Make sure you do your research and book your room carefully. There are many discrepancies between what is described and what people are actually getting. And check the square footage, many complaints so far about space, lack of storage, and dead (unusable) balcony space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princevaliantus Posted January 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 I read all the reviews/discrepancies and there is no sure bet than booking a cruise and having first hand experience. My experience in cruising almost 40 years is that consumers in general want to drive a "Lexus" but at the price of a "tricycle". People brag about the owners suite, sky class, etc., but I have yet to meet anyone who has sailed in one of those previously mentioned and spend their ENTIRE cruise in their cabin. I sail for the cultural experience and I love the open waters, but I won't spend $4,000.00 + in a cabin that I'm barely in, brag about it on these boards and then try and skip paying gratuities for those who work hard on the ships. Given that, Seaside is dedicated to providing each individual with more of an "open air" experience and I think it's worth a booking. It's all about full nirvana, a.k.a. full satisfaction. I think MSC has the beginning of something special for everyone. whenismynextcruise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 i want to see twangsters video of his post from other thread as mentioned below :)))))) On this trip in Antigua the new MSC Seaside was across the pier from us. An older woman on the large side was on her balcony right across from us in plain view as she was people watching on the pier between us. She was completely naked. Some things can't be unseen. Lovetocruise2002 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 1 minute ago, Ray said: i want to see twangsters video of his post from other thread as mentioned below :)))))) On this trip in Antigua the new MSC Seaside was across the pier from us. An older woman on the large side was on her balcony right across from us in plain view as she was people watching on the pier between us. She was completely naked. Some things can't be unseen. I want @twangster to go and scout this ship out for all of us ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 he can go undercover which is more than the lady on the balcony was lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princevaliantus Posted January 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 11 minutes ago, Ray said: i want to see twangsters video of his post from other thread as mentioned below :)))))) On this trip in Antigua the new MSC Seaside was across the pier from us. An older woman on the large side was on her balcony right across from us in plain view as she was people watching on the pier between us. She was completely naked. Some things can't be unseen. LOL !! Did you have your binoculars? LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 Wasnt me :) was twangster who saw it, im surprised he wasnt like james bond sliding on a rope between ships Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princevaliantus Posted January 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 LOL !!! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 18 minutes ago, princevaliantus said: LOL !! Did you have your binoculars? LOL!! I found this pic while reading another blog from another board...same sailing as @twangster. Looking at this photo and assuming @twangster was on the starboard side, he probably had no need for binoculars or his super lenses..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 I didn't need binoculars but chose not to photograph her. As it turns out I was taking pictures at that time (of the Seaside). I'm about to post a couple to Shipmate, minus any attempt at a debut as a artistic nude photographer.. Lovetocruise2002 and Ray 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 1, 2018 Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 24 minutes ago, twangster said: I didn't need binoculars but chose not to photograph her. As it turns out I was taking pictures at that time (of the Seaside). I'm about to post a couple to Shipmate, minus any attempt at a debut as a artistic nude photographer.. Awesome! I've been waiting for those. Saw that you posted a whole bunch of Indy earlier today. Will check it out later for new pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose City Cruiser Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 Those stairs in the main atrium look pretty amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 4 minutes ago, jurrjurr said: Those stairs in the main atrium look pretty amazing! That's apparently the signature item on most current MSC ships -- the steps are filled with Swarovski crystal. I'm thinking, given the consistent comments I've read about food quality / prep, that maybe they should have used half as much and put the savings into the galleys and cooking/wait staff. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabdw Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 The whole ship looks nice, and they definitely have a very consistent design aesthetic throughout the ship, but from what I've heard about guest experience on MSC, I'm not sure I'm too tempted to try them out. Their prices also seem too good to be true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princevaliantus Posted January 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 Only one way to find out....your own personal experience. Like Mom always said, you never know if you don't like something UNLESS you try it !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melski94 Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 I can't quite tell but based on size and passengers I'm thinking this ship is between a Freedom and Voyager in size (please tell me if I'm wrong). So I guess I'm comparing prices to those ships. I look for cruises based on my family of 6 and here are a few of my concerns. The Family Staterooms are connecting rooms and there are only 13 on the ship and they sell out fast during school break. Those rooms sleep 3 per room so in my case one of the kids would be sleeping in my room (no thanks). I also don't like how spread out the pools are and I can't tell if the kids pool while looks amazing is covered or not (which means very little sun for me). I was looking for Spring Break 2019 and I saw a price that was about $500 less than Adventure for 2 connecting balconies but the Seaside's family stateroom sold out the next day. I think the biggest advantage is the low deposit but if I can't get the staterooms I need then the price doesn't matter. Now if DH and I ever try a trip on our own then I might be willing to try this but not for the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 9 minutes ago, melski94 said: I can't quite tell but based on size and passengers I'm thinking this ship is between a Freedom and Voyager in size (please tell me if I'm wrong). So I guess I'm comparing prices to those ships. I was looking at this the other day and found that Seaside is between Freedom and Oasis class in terms of passenger capacity. Freedom class: ~3,800 double-occupancy, ~4,500 max (1,360 crew) Seaside: ~4,100 double-occupancy, ~5,200 max (1,413 crew) Oasis class: ~5,400 double-occupancy, ~6,300 max (~2,400 crew) Also of note here is the passenger to crew ratio for each Freedom class: 2.8:1 double-occupancy, 3.3:1 max Seaside: 2.9:1 double-occupancy, 3.7:1 max Oasis class: 2.25:1 double-occupancy, 2.6:1 max When maxed out (and let's be honest here, with their much lower prices we can count on them being closer to max than pure double-occupancy), Seaside is going to be putting a lot more strain on the crew with her crew count in line with a Freedom ship, but a max passenger capacity more in line with an Oasis ship. This would jibe with the early reviews complaining about crew attentiveness and long wait times at the MDR during peak hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 hour ago, melski94 said: Now if DH and I ever try a trip on our own then I might be willing to try this but not for the family. That is our strategy....scope it out first and then bring the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 3 hours ago, JLMoran said: When maxed out (and let's be honest here, with their much lower prices we can count on them being closer to max than pure double-occupancy), Seaside is going to be putting a lot more strain on the crew with her crew count in line with a Freedom ship, but a max passenger capacity more in line with an Oasis ship. This would jibe with the early reviews complaining about crew attentiveness and long wait times at the MDR during peak hours. There has been very heated discussion on CC the last few days surrounding this issue. I think there are several different issues here: - They are maxed out and because of that they are putting some of their "Bella" passengers (they have 4 classes - Bella, Fantastica, Aurea, YC) into the buffet (set up like MDR) for dinner. This is their overflow strategy. Supposedly this is noted in the booking details but some claim it was not. Many see this as unacceptable that their MDRs cannot handle all the passengers and some see it as deceptive because they claim it was never stated. I don't know what it true because I personally did not look at a Bella suite. - Also supposedly half their crew is from the Divina (already sailing in the Caribbean) and the other half is from other ships (not NA). So there are many complaints of the staff not being able to speak English or even understand basic request like cream with their coffee. - There is also very heated discussions regarding the attentiveness and wait times while dining in MDR. But as one poster on CC put it, the ship has European roots and some of it comes down to cultural differences. The poster commented that it is typical of Europeans to spend more time dining, that dining itself is an event, while most NA don't want to spend that much time at the table. And he also commented that it is not typical customs to check in constantly to see if you are ok hence some people seeing this as "inattentiveness". However, many argue that this ship was suppose to be geared towards the NA market and therefore should follow NA customs. I will try to find the actual post and copy it to here. I am not re-wording this very well. - They are apparently short staffed as well. Many have commented on the staff looking very stressed and overworked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 Here's the link to the post: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2578628 JLMoran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose City Cruiser Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 Does MSC have their own version of the "Ultimate Dining Package?" I would consider it just to avoid it's MDR issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 1 hour ago, jurrjurr said: Does MSC have their own version of the "Ultimate Dining Package?" I would consider it just to avoid it's MDR issues. Took this screen shot from my cruise coming up. Looks like they only have 3 night packages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L454S Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 I have been keeping up with the discussions you mention on CC. On Divina , dinner was VERY similar to RCI in terms of quality and time for dinner. We never had a 2 hour dinner, more like 1 - 1.5 hr. Just about what RCI averages. The gripe I hear and can understand is when the main buffet on deck 8 is turned into the dining room for Bella class passengers in the evening(dinner only). Anyone wanting to have dinner in the buffet have to go to the other buffet on deck 16. Problem being, there is a very limited selection. Burgers, dogs, pizza and as I read "few other items". This in no way compares to RCI or any other cruise line I have been on. Not pointing this out as fact, just relaying what is being said by those onboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 4 hours ago, L454S said: I have been keeping up with the discussions you mention on CC. On Divina , dinner was VERY similar to RCI in terms of quality and time for dinner. We never had a 2 hour dinner, more like 1 - 1.5 hr. Just about what RCI averages. The gripe I hear and can understand is when the main buffet on deck 8 is turned into the dining room for Bella class passengers in the evening(dinner only). Anyone wanting to have dinner in the buffet have to go to the other buffet on deck 16. Problem being, there is a very limited selection. Burgers, dogs, pizza and as I read "few other items". This in no way compares to RCI or any other cruise line I have been on. Not pointing this out as fact, just relaying what is being said by those onboard. All I can say for now is that I am glad I'm booked in YC. Will be interesting because I have close friends sailing soon in March in YC and non-YC and my parents actually booked a Bella suite ?. So hopefully I will get a more clear picture with that and what others here will chime in with by end of April when I have to make my final payment. Would love your feedback Lenny after you get back. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 Booked in a Fantastica balcony at the end of May, looking forward to trying it still. Hopefully teething problems are done by then and I can report on a "mature" experience :) If not it was a whole lot cheaper than a comparable RCI cruise and I can chalk it up to getting what you pay for ;) Lovetocruise2002 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 9 hours ago, jticarruthers said: Booked in a Fantastica balcony at the end of May, looking forward to trying it still. Hopefully teething problems are done by then and I can report on a "mature" experience :) If not it was a whole lot cheaper than a comparable RCI cruise and I can chalk it up to getting what you pay for ;) I suspect the initial teething problems may be fixed but MSC needs to North Americanize the ship more culturally which will take a little longer. They have more ships that will be home ported here so it will happen but that will be a slower learning curve for them. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Saw a post on another forum stating zip line is $10 per ride or $50 for unlimited rides per cabin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 1 hour ago, twangster said: Saw a post on another forum stating zip line is $10 per ride or $50 for unlimited rides per cabin. Yup. People are going crazy mad over it. It was complimentary on the first two sailings and then yesterday's sailing they started charging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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