MSC Seascape - Mid Week Thoughts

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Mid-Week Impressions of MSC Seascape

I boarded the beautiful MSC Seascape on Sunday, March 1, for a busy Seminar at Sea. Just wanted to drop some mid-week thoughts about the experience thus far.

Embarkation

• Very easy at the Port of Galveston’s new terminal 16. Pulled into Lot 2, was told I could park anywhere I wanted, zipped into a spot near the crosswalk to the terminal, grabbed my luggage and headed across the street. Within 25 ft, a porter grabbed my bags, and I finished the walk to the terminal.
• Once inside, the queue for initial boarding pass check was long but moving consistently. Security was also quick even with the guy in front of me getting searched as he had giant scissors in his backpack.
• After security, I walked around the long lines to the Aurea check – in with only one person in front of me. Quickly checked in and off I went to board the ship.
• Once onboard, was directed to my Muster Station, checked in there, and was told I could drop my computer bag in my cabin even though they weren’t officially open until 2:30.
• Super easy and organized embarkation so that was a huge plus.

Overall dining experiences since Sunday:

• Main Dining – First night was lackluster but Monday’s meal was much better. Tuesday night, I enjoyed Butcher’s Cut, which is MSC’s steakhouse experience. It was very good! Service, food, and ambiance were top notch.
• Buffet – The Marketplace is MSC’s buffet. The set-up is a bit odd – kind of broken apart into sections but there is ample seating and the food is a good option for breakfast or lunch. Of note, they have one section that is strictly for kids with kid favorites and portions.
• Lunch – I had lunch in one of the main dining rooms yesterday and it was pretty good with a menu of about a dozen appetizers/entrees to choose from and three desserts.
• Snacks – This is where MSC falls a little short. Although the coffee shop, The Loft, and the Sports Bar serve some light snacks, it is not advertised. The Sports Bar doesn’t serve until later afternoon. There is also gelato available at several locations, smoothies in the mornings at the Champagne Bar, and room service but food options as are found on competitors is limited.

Stateroom:

• Aurea Jr. Suite on Deck 9 – Very large verandah with two loungers and two chairs. Downside is only a small section is covered; it is right above the restaurants on deck 8 so kind of loud in the am and late evening and the view is not directly of the ocean but of the awnings of the restaurants. You can see the ocean above that, but it is, what I would call, a partially obstructed view. It is nice to enjoy afternoon sun on the loungers without having to go to a pool deck, but you are also exposed to all the balconies above you. An odd combination. I’ve only sailed on this type of verandah one other time on Holland America’s Konigsdam and it was in Alaska, so it didn’t strike me as hard as this sailing.
• The storage in the cabin is set up oddly with the closet being next to the bed with only about 10 -12 inches of clearance between the closet and the bed. Since I’m sailing solo, it’s not that big of an issue but if I were sailing with a person other than my husband, it would be an issue. Once the bed is split into two twins, it would be very tight. The desk area has extra storage, and the fridge came with a mini bar as part of the Aurea experience which is stocked complimentary at the start of the cruise. Refills are charged.
• Bathroom is a typical cruise bathroom, but the configuration is a bit constricting in space. Small sink space but several shelves for storage.
• Cleanliness has been good with morning and turn down service. The turn down service is nice as we just sailed on a competitor’s ship and there was no evening service. But no towel animals – MSC is very eco-minded and the less laundry that needs to be done, the better they feel it is for the environment.
• Air is consistently cool although not cold. Mini-travel fan is the lifesaver at night.

Entertainment:

• Music – There seems to be a lot of venues for music and entertainment. There is someone playing in both atriums most of the day/evening. They’ve been ok from what I have heard and was told by people in our group that the dueling pianos are excellent.
• Show – I’ve only made it one show as we have late dining. I went last night and saw the show in the main theater. It was a love song themed variety show. Overall, it was middle of the road. Very little staging, choreography seemed a little redundant, and singers kept playing with their earpieces. They were good singers so it was worth the sit through. Theater is medium sized.

Spa:

• Part of the Aurea experience is use of the Thermal Suite. For sea days, you have to schedule a time but on port days, you can use as a drop in. I scheduled two times but haven’t been able to use it yet. Thermal suites are usually something I enjoy doing on each cruise as it is a wonderful reset for your body especially on days when there’s been a lot of walking.
• Prices on the spa menu are comparable to other lines with daily specials offered. Can be seen in the app and I got some printed notices last night in my cabin about today’s port specials.

 

Activities:

I’m not one to seek out all types of daily activities on sea days. To me, those are made for sleeping in, enjoying coffee on the balcony, getting some sun, and reading. However, I’ve browsed each daily schedule, and it is robust with activity options for all ages. We’ve also been in training for the past couple of days so once done with that so outside of that, activity time has been somewhat limited.

Ship:

She is a beautiful, modern, and large ship. I do like her design and spaces but I’m having a harder time learning the ship than I normally do as it is somewhat segmented. Two atriums which is a bit confusing at first. Decks 6-8 are the main hubs. From what I have seen, the ship is clean and well-maintained.

Crew:

Have been very friendly. We had an officer’s panel yesterday and I was pleased to learn that most of the officers have been with the company for 5+ years. In the cruise industry, longevity to a brand speaks highly of that brand. English is challenging for some of the staff but nothing that has been detrimental in communication.

Tipping is always a hot topic on a cruise. I will say that the tipping culture on MSC is non-existent. You are not forced to sign receipts which as for more tips, given envelopes for more tips, reminded with every purchase for a tip, etc. This is a big PLUS for me as I think it has gotten out of hand on other lines.

Overall, my mid-week impression is solid. I would cruise the Seascape again and would consider doing so in other destinations. It’s a great value, ships are lovely, and I have enjoyed the atmosphere immensely thus far. I’m also happy to report, after meeting with our Business Development Manager yesterday, that MSC is 100% committed to the Galveston market. They are happy to be there and are learning the value of putting their unique product in our market area. We look forward to working with them and offering MSC as a good option for our clients for their cruise vacations. More to come as we finish out the week.