MSC Opera
There are so few products available at a reasonable price in the Med and Aegean. Up until this year, the choices were Royal Caribbean r/t Barcelona, and a variety of Costa sailings that in my opinion are not incentive quality. If your group is small enough to charter one of Star Clipper's ships, then you are in luck. But if they are larger, or want more traditional cruising - then what? Buy The Sea has the answer, and it is called Med Shipping Cruises.
Headed up by the former executive and sales management team from Celebrity prior to the RCCL "submerger" - comes a fresh new product. New ships, new itineraries and new concepts. Med Shipping is most definitely a product with European flavor and flair. Although I sailed the Opera in the Caribbean, it is not the Caribbean where I see most of my client base using her. This is a product with Italian onboard management and a "cappuccino and croissant" mindset. Polar opposites with Carnival and Royal Caribbean in terms of onboard programming, the ships of MSC Cruises are subdued in terms of décor and ambiance. The Opera for example is a throwback to the days of Celebrity's Horizon and Zenith. Simple elegance. Nothing glitzy or ostentatious. Instead of a shopping mall feel, the Opera has a "piazza" feel, with different performers serenading you and different cuisines enticing your palate throughout the voyage.
The Italian food - primarily the pasta dishes and pizza concoctions were surprisingly delicious..better than any ship I have sailed on, and equivalent to any restaurant in Italy I have dined in. The fish selections were wonderful. The other items were okay - certainly better then anything RCCL serves, but nothing to rave about. The service is "Italian" - and in my opinion needs a little "adjustment in attitude" for the American market. Nothing that cannot be overcome easily - and please do keep in mind that MSC Cruises has only been serving the American clientele for a few short months. I see definite potential for the onboard delivery to be right up there with any of the major lines in no time.
What makes this product unique is that they are NOT trying to be RCCL or Carnival or any of the other major American lines. They are not geared toward children's programs, rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks and alternative dining. This is a product to relax on - with more deck space than anyone could hope for, and more lounges than most groups could possibly utilize for private functions. There are two main dining rooms, L'Approdo - 380 seats and La Caravella - 618 seats. Both offer the same menu selections. If your group size matches either of these capacities - you can most definitely have an exclusive dining time. Additionally, there is le Patio "restaurant" with a grill and a pizzeria - and Le Vele, the lido buffet, which acts as a nice alternative for breakfast, lunch and casual dinner. Le Patio is a wonderful covered outdoor deck area and would make for a nice group dinner function. At lunchtime on the day at sea, there was a Spanish guitar trio performing for the guests. I must say it was a refreshing change from the more traditional Caribbean Steel Drum band you might hear on other vessels. Maybe I am getting old or my taste is more refined - or both?
The entertainment is better than I could have ever expected. There are mind-boggling magic shows, classical music concerts, violinists, guitarists, wonderful vocalists, music in English, Spanish, Italian and French, full production shows, comedy - and all of it is superb! There are bits and pieces of the entertainment that reminded me of the antics you might see at a Club Med - but here, it is done correctly and tastefully. There are some things that could be perceived as a little "hokey" - but for the most part, it is impressive and enjoyable.
The spa and fitness center are perfect for a vessel this size. Balinese therapists provide wonderful body treatments. Most notable are the two quiet relaxation rooms and the ample men's and ladies steam rooms and saunas. Very well done and sparking clean. Actually - the entire ship is sparking clean and fresh-smelling.
The cabins - even the "suites" are relatively small on this ship, but with decent storage space. The bathrooms are tiny. But the service is good and the cabin stewards, mostly Indonesian, are great. Again, when comparing it to the new built-for-the-Caribbean products, the accommodations don't really stack up. However, looking back on the European competition, it will work just fine. Keep in mind the price point. For $1300-$1400 pp (including port charges) for a seven night Med or Aegean sailing - MSC Cruises is quite a bargain. When you take a look at what the US dollar currently buys in Europe, this just cannot be beat.
Without a doubt, the Opera - and the rest of the MSC Cruises fleet, are diamonds in the ruff. The Opera and the Lirica are brand new builds. The Armonia and Sinfonia were acquired from the bankruptcy of First European Cruises, and are only a few years old. These four ships are identical sisters with one exception. The Opera has one category of cabins that the other three do not have. The Opera has 172 outside cabins with a balcony and 28 mini-suites with a balcony. The other three ships have 132 mini-suites with a balcony, but no standard outside cabins with a balcony. That is why the Opera carries 1700 passengers, while the other three carry approximately 1550 in double occupancy.
