MSC Cruises

Best For People Who Want:
A true bargain on a very clean, classy ship with interesting itineraries and menus, and friendly service.

Should Be Avoided By People Who Want:
All American cuisine for every meal; alternative restaurants; large cabins; all English speaking fellow passengers.

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Onboard Experience:
Passengers of MSC Cruises are greeted and escorted to their cabins by white gloved housekeeping staff upon boarding. This service is a surprise that typified the friendly, elegant atmosphere of the cruise. MSC's focus during the Caribbean season is trying to accommodate American tastes , but happily, the onboard still ambience remains charmingly European, with Italian officers and a mix of Italian, Balinese and international crew. Stellar entertainment by European performers, and the genuine Italian food and wine, set the MSC Lirica apart from her other ships in this price range populated solely with Americans. As in the Mediterranean, the announcements are still in five languages, but while the ship is in the Caribbean they make them in English first. The majority of the crew is comfortable conversing in English as well as their mother tongue.

Decor:
Each of Lirica's public room has its own distinctive color scheme, all more subdued than Opera's, and each room blends well with the next, giving a sense of unity. Cabin decks are similarly color-coordinated, each with a different hue. Abundant polished brass, mirrors, glass, and marble make the insides of these immaculate ships resplendent. The interior lighting is kept low, but during the day the sun streams through the many windows brightening the rooms and offering generous views of the sea.

Public Rooms:
The Lirica offers eight different bars and lounges, each of them unique, and most of them situated on Decks 5 and 6 connected by a grand marble staircase. Lord Nelson Pub, in the traditional English style, is a favorite for pre-dinner drinks. With no live music, it is a great place for conversation. Smoking is allowed in this lounge so it is fully occupied by the smokers on board, as is the casino bar, the pool bar, and the starboard side of the disco. Smoking is not permitted on any passenger cabin balconies. The majority of the public areas are smoke free.

There is another large lounge on deck 7, and a huge disco surrounded by glass walls on deck 12. The Beverly Hills Bar and Rodeo Drive shops near the dining room entrance on deck 5 are all duty-free shops. There is a little bit of everything, from jewelry to souvenirs. A die-hard shopper might find the shops small however, and the merchandise selection somewhat limited.

Located at the stern on Deck 12 is the Disco, the Blue Club. By day, this generously sized lounge with expansive windows is popular with the book readers, card players, and those just looking for quiet solitude while enjoying a great view. There's even access to a small outside deck overlooking the wake of the ship when underway. At night, the lights go down, and the action heats up. The bar goes into operation and so does the entertainment staff to get the passengers onto the dance floor.

Adjacent to the disco is a space called Virtual Reality Games. This video arcade is rather large for a ship this size, a bonus for families with children.

The Cyber Café, located on deck 6, has 10 computer stations. The first 10 minutes of internet is $5.00, and 50 cents per minute after that. If you bring your wireless equipped laptop, you can prepay blocks of internet time ranging from $15 for 30 minutes to $100 for 250 minutes. The photo shop and gallery are also located on deck 6.

The "I Pirati" Mini-Club is a delightful haven for younger children. Resembling a tropical "Little Gym" the kid's club is staffed by energetic, experienced staff. Children under three are welcomed to use the space when accompanied by an adult. The facility is open for 3 hours in the morning and afternoon, and 2 hours in the evening. Babysitting for children under three or for extended hours on port days is available for a charge. And while on the topic of children, expect extra friendly, helpful service when cruising with young ones. From the dining room and housekeeping staff the crew at the gangway, all are ready to lend a hand with a genuine smile.

Cuisine:
Freshly made pasta and risotto dishes are available for lunch and dinner as well as a specialty dish from a different region of Italy each night. Grilled chicken, steak, and fish are always available as an option for more traditional fare. The menu lists appetizers, soup, salads, pasta, main courses and garnishes, as well as vegetarian and healthy choice selections. The dessert menu includes cakes, pastries, ice cream and sorbet, along with after-dinner drinks. Second helpings are yours for the asking, and portion sizes are above average.

Breakfast begins with the Early Birds' Coffee and Danish at 6:00 am, the full breakfast buffet runs from 6:30 to 9:30 am. Fresh eggs made to order and omelettes are offered at a station located in the grill area, just outside of the buffet restaurant. Piping hot coffee is served in cups and saucers by wait staff at the drink stations. No oversized mugs are available, or large sized drink glasses either for that matter. Juice is offered in the morning, replaced by tea during the day. The dining rooms served breakfast open seating style, from 7:00 to 9:30 am, and open seating lunch from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. A continental breakfast is available through room service from 7:30 to 11:00 am. The buffet is closed in the evening, so the dining room, grill and pizza stations, or room service are your choices for an evening meal.

Entrees in the Le Bistrot Cafeteria during the lunch time of 12:00 to 2:30 pm ranged from the unusual octopus stew towards more American meal staples such as broiled fish and chicken. A carving station serving of either beef or poultry is available here everyday, along with the ever tempting huge selection of rolls, breads, and crispy breadsticks.

Hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken breasts and pizza are available in the poolside grill areas from 12:00 to 3:30 pm and then again from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. The freshly made pizza is hot and delicious. The all-American favorite pepperoni is present, along with a few other not so ordinary varieties.

The MSC Lirica still hosts the traditional "midnight" buffet every night at 11:45 pm. On "gala" nights in the buffet areas, passengers are treated to Crepes Flamb�' and other delicious specialties artfully presented and served. On other nights, simpler snacks of sandwiches and sweets are served, usually by strolling waiters in the lounges and other public areas of the ship.

The Ice Cream and Vitamin bar, not complimentary, located on lido deck is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Afternoon tea from 4:00 to 5:00 pm consists of finger sandwiches, cakes, and cookies, and is usually served in the buffet area and out on the adjacent deck area.

A variety of club sandwiches, chicken Caesar salads, cheese and fruit platters, along with ice cream and dessert of the day is offered on the 24 hour room service menu. The food is good, and delivered within 20 minutes.

A coffee and tea station is available at the casual dining area after hours, but the best coffee onboard is at The Coffee Bar. Authentic Italian Espresso ($1.60) and cappuccino are available at most of the bars onboard.

A glass of house wine is available for just over $4.00, a draft beer for $3.00, and a soda for $2.20. Signature cocktails are $7.95 and mixed drinks $7.25. Reasonable wine, beer, and soda packages are available for purchase. A $28.00 MSC Junior Card would bring a grin to your little one as they ordered their own special 5 virgin drinks and 5 soft drinks. Bar wait staff did not hawk drinks in the public areas, but servers are never very far away to take your order.

Restaurants:
There are two dinner seatings in each of the two dining rooms at 6:00 and 8:15 p.m. La Bussola (618-seat) and L'lppocampo (380-seat) dining rooms are situated on Decks 5 and 6 respectively. Both dining rooms are single decks, crowded with seating options ranging from tables and chairs or bench seats, to booths.

La Bussola (618-seat) and L'lppocampo (380-seat) dining rooms are situated on Decks 5 and 6 respectively. Those prone to seasickness may prefer the mid-ship location of The Caravella. Breakfast and lunch are both open seating, while dinner is assigned.

Service:
Dining room service by the waiter and assistant waiter is spotty, and is not yet as polished for Americans as it could be. However, the multitude of dining room section supervisors and assistant maitre-de's are very much out on the floor and more often than not, working right along side the waiters taking care of special requests or refilling your glass.

Cabin housekeeping services are topnotch, and requests are responded to in a timely manner. The Reception and Shore Excursion desks are adequately staffed, and there is rarely a line to ask a question or book a tour.

Tipping:
In the Caribbean, a daily gratuity of $12 per passenger is automatically added to the onboard account. If you're under 18 and sharing with two adults, it's only $6.00 per day. The amount can be adjusted at the Reception desk.

A gratuity for bar staff is already included in the price of drinks. Spa and casino staff may be tipped in cash at the discretion of the passenger. In the Caribbean, they have come to expect a tip from the North American clientele. In Europe, tradition dictates that tips be presented to service personnel on the last night of the cruise. The cruise line suggests $3.50 to $5.00 per person per day for the Waiter and Stateroom attendant and $1.00 - $2.00 per day for the Maitre D'. Children under 12 pay half those amounts. Again, the gratuity for bar service personnel is included in the price of the drink.

Entertainment:
The Entertainers, called Animators or Palace, create a lot of lighthearted fun and mischief. You will find them throughout the ship, surprising you with their antics. Every evening, musicians perform in the various lounges, and there's jollity in profusion in the Lyric Lounge. It's here in the Lyric Lounge where you can laugh at, or be laughed at, during the passenger participation "shows".

The main show lounge, the Broadway Theater, offers two shows every evening, one at 8:15 and one at 10:15. The DGM Dancers along with other featured entertainers, offer after dinner entertainment ranging from Las Vegas type song and dance productions to magicians and comic routines. Show up early for a good seat; the early show especially fills up fast.

Italian cooking and language lessons; trivia, mini-golf, ping-pong, shuffleboard tournaments; a new type of dance lesson and arts and crafts everyday; leave barely enough time to lounge in the sun, or sneak away for an afternoon nap. Bingo is offered on board, but pay attention or you might miss it.

The two large swimming pools are separated by a duo of whirlpools with their own elevated lounge deck. There's plenty of deck space around the swimming pools, and the staff brings the fun outdoors for the pool crowd with games, dancing and parties. An expansive sun deck is located forward on deck 13, two decks up from pool deck. The pool and sun decks are furnished with adjustable loungers, each with their own attached sun shades. There's a table set up with a check in/check out for pools towels, but enforcement of the policy is rather lax, so no worries if you forgot to return your towel.

Baseball themed Caribbean cruises allow passengers to rub elbows with five All-Star and Hall-of-Fame baseball legends. Hitting, pitching and batting clinics, interviews, Q&A, storytelling, and autograph sessions are all popular. Golf fans will enjoy honing their skills under famous trainers and other professional of the game during selected Mediterranean cruises. MSC has additional themed cruises in the planning, including culture, hobbies, cuisine, music, well-being and more.

Cabins:
Inside staterooms at 140 square feet, are on the small side, but well appointed, as are the rest of the cabin categories, with a mini-bar, safe, and closet and drawer space for a one-week cruise. A corner vanity below a mirrored corner cabinet (here's where the hairdryer is stowed), provides table top space, along with the usual two small nightstands. There's a chair tucked under the vanity and another by the bed. Ask your cabin steward to have one of the chairs removed if you prefer more floor space than sitting space. If you book an outside cabin with a window, the only thing you will gain is the ocean view, not more square footage. The inside and outside cabins designated for triple or quad occupancy are outfitted with upper bunks.

Suites, the only category with a private balcony, are a roomy 250 square feet. The additional space is furnished with a glass shelf serving as a convenient entry table, a larger closet, a full size bathtub, and a comfortable sitting area with a love seat. The love seat is a sofa bed, making all the suites suitable for triple occupancy. The remote controlled television is perched on top of a long cabinet opposite the love seat, with additional storage and the mini-bar. A coffee table and chair in the sitting area, along with another chair serving the vanity area, and two nightstands, complete the furniture inventory. The private balcony is a comfortable size, completely sheltered from above, and furnished with two chairs and a table.

There are two, two-room family suites measuring 237 square feet. The four handicapped cabins are all inside staterooms and are 226 square feet.

The bathrooms are small, but offer adequate storage space. The towels, although not overly luxurious in texture or weight, are huge. The bath towel, measuring 3 x 5 feet, is more of a bath sheet, with matching oversized hand towels. Shampoo and bath gel are provided in small bottles, along with a shower cap, shoe shine sponge, and a travel sized sewing kit.

Most of the mattresses on the Lirica have been replaced with extra firm new ones, without a cushy pillow top. Foam egg crates are not available, but an extra blanket folded up and placed under the mattress pad did the trick if you prefer a softer feel. Pillows are abundant, and you could bounce a dime off those expertly made crisp sheets.

The telephone did not have the capacity for voice mail, but you could program it for a wake up call. The remote controlled television offered several different news and movie channels, as well as programming for children. Some of the programs are in European languages, but there is always something for the English speaking passenger.

Fitness/Spa:
The gym, deck 11, offers aerobic equipment in a light-filled room with floor-to-ceiling windows. The spa offered the usual cruise ship fare of facials and massages, with different Bali massage specials just about everyday. Aerobics classes are free, with personal training sessions and Pilates classes for a fee. There is a jogging track on deck 12 above the pool.

Attire:
The dress code is resort casual with two formal nights on ten-night, three on 11-night, and four on 17- and 18-night cruises. In the Caribbean, dress on formal nights is varied, with women wearing dressy pantsuits, cocktail dresses, or evening gowns, and men in either dark suits or tuxedo.