I have to agree with you! We went on an MSC cruise out of Miami and although it was a beautifully decorated ship and the staff was great and accommodating. The food was “meh” and the entertainment was just OK. They had a Michael Jackson show which was decent, however most shows were not in English or understandable. If you’re going to jump into the American market you should cater to the American lifestyle. I get it, the ship and crew are from EU and/or Asia but I feel they loose sight of their target market being based out of an American port.
I am well aware that MSC is targeting the US market with Seaside and from next year on with Meraviglia. NCL has a strong target at Central European Markets, that's why they sell their cruises with an "Premium All Inclusive" Package here. Printing menus in German aside, are they ANY less American though? No. Do we complain about it? No. We know, it's an American brand with American food, bad ice cream, laughable bread but spectacular entertainment. And we are fully aware that without knowing English we would be completely lost. I would never expect to serve Bougatsa or Iouvetsi on a US ship and I highly doubt that they would prepare it properly, even not when they are cruising the Mediterranean. If you want everything like at home, why bother traveling in the first place? Btw. the US is flooding our markets with completely tasteless Walnuts, Almonds and Pistachios in a very aggressive way. Fortunately we have very aromatic Walnuts right where I live, but for Almonds and Pistachios I actually have to travel to Southern Europe, so thanks for that. Lastly, why should MSC do everything exactly like the US companies? Where would the USP be? That would be idiotic marketing. When you travel with Cunard you expect a British experience. When you travel with Aida, you expect a German experience (you should try that! There is no service whatsoever! German wash their clothes with Uberweiss and they get their food and drinks by themselves). When you travel with Costa or MSC you expect an Italian experience. In spite of the fact that Cunard, Aida and Costa are all US owned companies.
Wow, +torontoguy1097, as an american going to Seoul for my birthday in a few months, I don't think it's very fair to lump us all in together. But on that note, YOU, YOU guy, +MortimerEsq, YOU 'stfu'. You do NOT speak for all americans. You sound like a FOOL claiming you do. You speak for closed-minded people of any stripe. Taking american money doesn't somehow logically jump to providing something boring and cultureless. Uuuugh, that sounds horrible, stay home if you want things to be boring, don't act like everyone should dumb things down for you just because you went to buy their products. You're not their daddy, you're not their god, it's sheer nonsense that YOU going to spend your money on what they choose to provide should jump to you getting to dictate them becoming something different-you didn't do their investing, their development, you're not their boss: you either want their product or it's not for you, ok? THAT's logic. you don't get to demand to be in charge on some imaginary basis that you get to tell them what to do, because you've decided that they'll fail in america their way so your way must be better... It's just American illness that you think you get to blow hot air and have it produce some sort of "RIGHT AWAY, SIR" effect in a company that doesn't owe you ownership: go home, you're drunk.
Cause when you sail out of America.. you should fit that countries lifestyle.. we don't expect any cruise line to be American out of Rome or Barcelona....
I was a radio announcer and the Program Director of a radio station in the 1970s and 1980s. Couldn't make any money at it, so I had to move on to a different career. But in my heart, I am still a radio guy.
@@alex1532 For $1600 bucks you can go to a resort for 2 weeks. Or you can stay, eat and do stuff in Thailand for 3 months. So no, it's not particularly affordable for a 1 night stay...
TeacherTeacher i agree but if you save then you can afford a nice cruise, my parents booked a $12,000 cruise in january on the Norwegian bliss in Haven suites
I know that's crazy! When my family goes we uassually spend no more then $1000 per person for the week! (Mostly inside rooms but We've gotten balconys before) it's a lot of fun!
Dear friends. Why all the very negative comments. Jim just gives his opinion about this cruise, the positive as well as the negative impressions. An excellent video.
You have an excellent voice my dear sir. You should have your own cruise talkshow because you are honest, friendly, and personable at the same time. You are my number one guy when it comes to getting advice from any cruise ship. I cannot wait to hear how cruise 50 works out for you and the wifey really soon. God Bless.
We travelled this summer on a princess cruise ship, with two of our children aged 17 and 20. We went with two cabins rather than a suite because of the bathroom. Two cabins equals two bathrooms. Worked out great!
At 4:13 you zoomed in on the cabin we had (14233 the balcony with the extra hand rail) We somehow ended up with the handicap room and it was amazing. The room was A LOT wider than others, huge shower (with a shower curtain instead of glass walls) and our balcony was twice the length of everyone else. We spent a lot of time on our balcony having drinks and meals.
MSC cruise line is based out of Italy and they cater to the European market. We have sailed 4 times with MSC and have 2 weeks booked on the Seaside in May. Yes, it is different than the American cruise lines, which we enjoy also, mostly Princess Cruises. You never know til you try yourself.
This is so the way to cruise. When I went on a cruise from Seattle to Alaska, I would have loved to sit in a warm tub while watching the glaciers go by.
We just got off MSC Seashore. What a GREAT experience. Buffet was just ok but the dinning is the specialty restaurant's was excellent. Staff goes above and beyond the call of duty. Loved it and will Sail MSC again.
I was in a Whirlpool Suite 12064 on the Seaside 2 weeks ago and the seating inside was not the same as yours.The couch turned into a single bed and we had 2 “patio chairs”where Your little couch was. Our suite was forward facing and we did not have any issues with wind. Did not use the whirlpool as much as I though we would, mainly do to the lack of privacy. There were three of us and we loved the walk in closet, enough room for all of us. Agree about the bathroom situation, water went everywhere during a shower. I will say that the bed and pillows were the most comfortable of any cruise I have been on. My sisters took full advantage of the massages and spa access. The unlimited drinks were great! The biggest issue I had was the food. I did not care for it at all. I was very disappointed. Thank you for your video. Very nicely done!
can you elaborate more on the food, particularly buffets. It sounds like the dinner buffet is pretty small. I don't think that would work for us. Sometimes if there's an 8:30 show, we like to have a relaxing meal at a well-stocked buffet around 7 : 15 or so, but it sounds like the dining is pretty weak unless you do the MDR.
The food at the Specialty restaurants was very good. The lunch buffets were limited hamburgers/hot dogs French fries etc. sandwiches, very little hot dishes. The Pizza was very good. I did not try the dinner buffet. The MDR was so so. I did have a few things that I thought were ok, but most of what was on the menu was not very appealing to me. The service in the MDR was horrible due to the fact that they were understaffed. Most of the staff was very nice and tried so hard. I felt bad for them. I am sure with time that the service will improve. There was nothing bad enough to ruin the cruise, just a lot of things that added up and not what I am used to experiencing. I have enjoyed my cruises on other lines much more so I would choose to go on those lines rather than MSC again. Note: Food is very subjective, some may have loved the food. I didn't care for it or the European feel to the ship, just my opinion.
Thanks. If we could drive to Miami and do multiple cruises per year, I could see working msc into our rotation, but the buffets look weaker than other lines and we like a good buffet. I've seen many photos of mdr meals and they look about the same as other lines, but when dinner service is really slow, we go to the buffet on some nights. We'll probably stick with other lines for the time being.
Thanks, Daniel! You might also find my web site informative. www.jimzim.net You'll find reviews to just about every cruise we've ever done, with full details about the positives and negatives of each one.
Thanks Jim for such a thorough and FAIR review. I must admit that I was completely sold on MSC for my next cruise until your review. Although the ship looks AMAZING, I think I'll stick with Norweigan or Carnival. Thanks again!!
Hey Jim, FYI we Europeans don't stand in a shower/bathtub combination. When we don't want to take a bath just a shower, we usually sit in the tub. It's obvious while standing, water bounces of your body and gets sprayed across the room. That also keeps your towels dry :) pleasant voice, nice pace, easy to follow along as non native speaker!
Yet another example of the way MSC has tailored the Seaside to European norms, not American! It's a great cruise ship for Europeans, but a bad vacation choice for Americans. Americans would be much better off on Norwegian Escape, Harmony Of The Seas, or Carnival Vista... where they will find things have been tailored to American norms.
Hey Jim - yes, MSC is relatively new to the US market. They'll make some big investments in new ships in the coming years. I'm pretty certain they will adapt to US customers at some point (better they'll do I guess). Give it another try in 2 or 3 years and I recommend taking a look at the Yacht Club (saw your video about the Royal Suite). We ourselves were on MSC Meraviglia a few weeks ago and we had a really great time, but of course we're Europeans :P I think we'll try Royal Caribbean in the mediterranean sea next year, I'm curious if they have adapted to the EU market
You have a good narrators voice and ability to throroughly and clearly narrate and pair good shots with you voice at the right time. The shots were well done with everything in the frame, this wasn't cringy or hard to watch at all!👍👍
Yes, it's not affordable like an inside cabin is affordable. It's affordable compared to other cruise ship cabins that have private Jacuzzis on the balcony. The first time I did a cruise in a suite with our own private Jacuzzi on the balcony, it was $1600 per night. More recently, I found one for $1000 a night. The one on the MSC Seaside was more like $500 a night. So, that's what I meant when I called it affordable.
Thanks for the explanation. I hope you didn't think I was trying to be glib. From my point of view $500 per night is a fortune. I am happy that there are people like you that can afford those suites. It is people like you that keep people like me working. The fact that I can't watch FOX news would be a deal beaker for me...
@@radioguy19510 i'm flabbergasted that anyone can actually afford 1 $1600/ night I hope you really really enjoyed yourself. That Must be so wonderful to be able to do ( saying this with genuine intent) I don't think I would ever be able to do that so I watch RU-vid videos and live viracarolsly
Hi Jim. Your videos are fantastic! What type of camera are you using? We are going on the Seaside in May, in the Yacht Club, and I have struggled to find any videos that gave an honest representation of the ship, until I found your channel. Keep up the great work! Thanks for the good and bad about Seaside!
Jim, Could you please rank your favorite cruises, like your top 5. This review was helpful and definitely helped me decide not to choose MSC. Thank you!
Fantatsic review Jim, superbly put together, we were gonna go on the msc seaside and go for a large balcony/suite but you have put us off it now, because lets face it a cruise is food/entertainment, thanks great review, tell me what do you think of royal carribean ships??
I've been on quite a few Royal Caribbean cruises. Anthem Of The Seas is one of my favorite cruise ships of all! But even on some of the older Royal Caribbean ships I've been on, I've been surprised at how great they were. If you look at my web site at www.jimzim.net you can find all of my cruise reviews, including detailed reviews of several Royal Caribbean ships.
Can't wait to sail on that Ship, I always enjoy different foods and watch a different type of entertainment, the Las Vegas showgirls and Jersey boys are getting too long in the tooth and I would agree with you not having any abc, cbs, nbc channels really sucks. The fact that you had all those perks and pay the least amount of money should be taken into account, to each his own :) Happy Sailing.
knightd12 Ha ha ha. Yes, notice I carefully worded my remarks. I personally did not miss Fox news. But I know there are some folks that would have. Those folks should DEFINITELY avoid MSC.
I worked in radio in the 1970s and 1980s. Couldn't make any money at it back in those days, so I had to get a "real job" to support my family. Now that I'm in my sixties, my voice is actually better than it was back in those days. I like doing voiceovers on my RU-vid videos!
cool review guys. I really appreciate youtubers who do review with honest opinions. Saying both what they like and what they don't like.How did i end up watching cruise ship video in the first place is beyond me tho.
Tip for the keycard slots on cruise ships and hotel rooms: they don't actually care what you put in them, any flat (no embossed text) plastic card of the right size and shape will do. You're just depressing a switch inside. If you don't want to argue over whose room key gets left behind when somebody leaves, just stick some worthless card in there like an empty gift card or an expired store loyalty card. Just make sure it's the same thickness as a normal credit card or hotel key card.
Hey there! I've cruised with American lines (NCL, RCCL) and Europeans, even with the German only AIDA cruises, and find the difference quite interesting. I think the entertainment part is generally less pronounced for us Europeans, as the normal musical shows are not that big here, and no one really cares for them. Opera is not a normal people thing either, but if you can afford a cruise, you probably have been, and it also adds to the allure of exclusivity that cruises still feel like in Europe. The food point I always find interesting, as we generally prefer going to the dining hall, not the buffet, which I feel is actually worse on american cruises, due to it always being so similar in their offerings (pizza, pasta, burgers, hot dogs, chillis etc). My parents prefer breakfast on european cruises by far, due to the large offerings of "cold" foods, different yogurts, fruits, cheeses and especially salami and ham. A big (especially if sweet) and heavy breakfast with loads of cooked stuff is just not what we're used to (though I love and prefer it). The service feels a lot better on American cruises (wonder if that's what you mean by catering to American expectations), the only problem I usually have is the really limited and small smoking areas, as compared to European ships, where you can smoke on your balcony, and a lot of more open bar areas and patio decks. The last difference I always notice is the casino, which is much much larger on American ships and you can smoke inside, which is pretty weird for us. Hope I helped understanding where the differences come from and what they are. If you guys know any more, I'd love to hear about it. I feel like I'm an American at heart, love everything about your country (missed the US channels too on my recent AIDAprima cruise, especially Fox Business and CNBC).
Enjoyed your video especially the room tour. We did the Seaside and had a lovely time. It was our 20th cruise and so many things we enjoyed about it. My kids who are picky eaters even food they liked the found better than our 13th Disney cruises.
Was born and raised in England the half shower thing was super common ! Never liked it. Love your reviews Jim, I can’t wait to see a complete one on this ship. Shame it was a bad cruise ship looks gorgeous.
Oh well, I guess my socioeconomic stature and your lifestyle doesn't make us see eye to eye very often in terms of politics that counts. 😉 I would have voted Trump, though, if I had voting rights in the American election.
Jim, I think you did a great job on this video. As an avid cruiser, who has not yet experienced MSC, isn't safe to believe that MSC was planning to enter the American market but with their European product. That would include, their idea of cruise ship design, entertainment, food, and service. The American market being US cruisers would than decide if we liked it or not. And from the sounds of it, not so much. Other channels are reporting that there were smells of a terrible odor all over the ship, which is not a good thing. I have experienced this in isolated locations on many ships from time to time that was clearly sewer gas. Reviews like yours will let the market decide if this cruise is worthy of our hard earned dollars.
Holy cow, what a great cabin with awesome perks! Very interested to hear that you didn't enjoy the cruise though. Will check out your review on your website for more information. I'm English, and the DH, though American, has spent some time in England and Europe, so it may be that the European stuff would feel more comfortable to us. Thanks for another great video. =)
Yes, I think you and your husband would probably be a better fit for MSC than my wife and I were. We've never been to Europe, and have no interest in going. Someone that is comfortable travelling in Europe would probably enjoy MSC more.
Wow Jim.....that was a pretty harsh conclusion...... (but warranted) I have sailed on the MSC Divina and did experience much the same with the food and overall customer service. The ship was beautifully decorated but the staff seemed unprepared to handle the American passengers' expectations. Definitely Mediterranean in food, service and culture. I enjoyed your video on Carnival's Havana Cabana area. My wife and I have booked an aft facing cabin inside the cabana grouping of rooms. We can't wait for December to cruise on the Horizon!!! Keep up the excellent work.Thanks!
Excellent video and review. Already booked this for spring break 2018 with the family, but now that the boat has been out of Miami a few times, I'm not hearing good reviews.
Excellent review! It's disappointing to hear that it was only okay because this ship was so hyped up. I really enjoyed my sailing on the MSC Divina last year, but similarly, the food was a hit or miss.
Thanks for this. We have a 2 bedroom Aurea Suite booked, but with the reviews coming out, it might not be worth it. Especially because the other people traveling with us are in Bella - so we might not even have the option of sitting together for dinner (particularly if they end up being booked into the buffet for dinner). Food is a biggie for me as well. A great cabin just isn't enough to overcome the negatives, at least for me. Thanks for an honest and balanced review!
Please don’t use a fisheye lens. They’re garbage for trying to determine the actual dimensions of a space. That lens does no favors whatsoever towards showcasing the cabin.
I used the wide lens in just a couple of scenes in the video, where I was in very tight quarters. It was the most effective way to get a good view in a tight space... for example, in certain shots in the bathroom. Mostly, I used a regular lens on the video. I'd guess that in the 16 minute video, less than one minute was shot with the wide lens setting.
Haha I actually thought "I'm so glad he's using a fish eye lens" .. This was the first video I've watched from your channel, loved it, trying to make a decision on a cruise! Will subscribe!
I'm a cancer survivor, under doctor's orders to avoid unnecessary exposure to the sun. So, in the Caribbean, I almost always wear something to cover my back and shoulders... even in the Jacuzzi. Plus, I don't want to get sunburned... and I don't want to wear sunblock in a Jacuzzi because it will just make the water icky. So, several reasons.
As a European: finally, a cruise ship not focussed on the North American passenger even though MSC claim otherwise! The cabin you features looks to be a good halfway point between a standard cabin and a real suite. Personally, this ship is too large for my taste - the ship appears to be built for families with younger kids.
Yes, the cabin really is a good compromise between price and features. You get a lot of space and some fantastic perks without having to pay the higher prices of the Yacht Club suites. You have way more benefits than the folks in the regular cabins, but the price isn't outrageous. Regarding the American/European thing... It seems to me that MSC understands who the majority of their passengers are. They make their decisions to please this core group of customers... and that core group is Europeans, not Americans. I think they are hoping to pick up some American customers, too... but they don't want to do anything to push away their core European customers. So, Opera is in, and the ship waits until 7 PM to depart from Miami, so the Europeans can fly in the same day.
I live in the UK and most of the showers in our hotels are like the one you had there. I hate it! The bathroom ends up soaking! But then again I wouldn’t want a shower curtain- most people view them as dirty and unhygienic and they are a bit too personal. The towels are also hung in the same way- right in front of the shower! I don’t understand that decision either! Most hotels in the UK have a key card to control the lights and power too. I don’t understand how you didn’t like the entertainment though, sure I’m not really a fan of opera but I wouldn’t come out of my cruise and say that ruined the experience for me. I appreciate the art and the singing that the performers do. The food is a weird one too, you didn’t like anything at the buffet!? Also who cares about TV when you’re cruising the world! On all the cruises I’ve been on there haven’t been any channels except a movie channel where they show certain movies at certain times of the day. There was no BBC or ITV (British Networks) I did think you did a good review and you were very informative- I didn’t really like the look of the room or the ship so I probably won’t be cruising with them!
I really do have trouble understanding what attracts people to the cruise ship experience sometimes. I love cruise ships and ocean liners from an engineering/architectural point of view, but the mentality of people who travel on them baffles me sometimes. 4:37 in particular. Why would someone choose to prance around with a whole load of other people, in front of a giant TV screen, when they're on holiday? Each to their own! :)
A lot of people take the stairs instead of the elevators, too. It seems to me that what they're thinking is "I'm going to be eating a whole lot of extra food this week, so I better try to get as much exercise as I can to help offset those calories". Some people use the gym during a cruise, too.
Yes, that's true. I suppose it's a way of attoning for the indulgences on a cruise. I can sort of understand the gym I guess, it just looked quite amusing seeing all those holidaymakers dancing in front of that TV screen! It's probably the least relaxing way I can think of to spend a holiday, but that's just me I guess :)
tjf4375, It's as fun or relaxing as you make it. I wouldn't really stereotype the 'mentality' of those on board. Some like to dance, some like to relax and watch movies by the pool, some like to play cards or board games with friends. HAL actually has a great movie and tv selection on the cabin tvs. For us, it's relaxing, the kids can go to the kids clubs, no need to cook/clean, nice breezes and occasional bobbing of being out on the water. But I do have relatives that would rather spend the holiday in a rented house somewhere, everyone sitting around at night playing on their i-pads. For us, that's just *boring*.
Fair enough :) You're right, I shouldn't have generalised. Your explanation makes a lot of sense, and I can understand the appeal of that. I guess I always get a certain type of person in mind when I think of the cruise ship experience, but it's probably the regular cruisers of the older generation. They like the structure and routine of cruise ship life, and become almost like robots, indulging in all the organised activities, going to all the restaurants at the allocated times, doing all the things on the itinerary, but not necessarily engaging with anything. The people doing aerobics on this video did make me laugh for that reason! :)
Then you would really love the Norwegian Sky cruise ship! It has a free open bar for every passenger. You just walk up to any bar on the ship and order whatever you want... and they give it to you at no additional charge. You do not even have to show a room key card, or sign for anything. Every passenger gets free drinks!
Jim. Great video. We are new to cruising and to making RU-vid cruising videos. We heading out on cruise #3 next month and already agree with the idea that food plays a big part in the cruise experience. What cruise do you think offers the best free food offering from a taste and variety perspective. Thanks. - Tony
Yes, that's really what I meant... that this particular cabin was a bargain compared to what it would cost to get a cabin with a private Jacuzzi on another cruise line, plus the drink package, and all the other perks. The prices for all the cabins, even the most basic cabins, are quite low on MSC Seaside compared to comparable cabins on the other cruise lines... and that's on purpose, as MSC tries to convince American cruisers to give them a try.
Jim Zimmerlin Yes thats what i though, it is indeed very cheap considering everything you mentioned, you make very good and informative content, cheers from Sweden!:)
