MSC Musica - Onboard

Onboard:

The ship, like the other MSC ships we have seen, was beautiful.  So elegant and tasteful…lush and comfortable. Completely spotless and gleaming at every corner. The public spaces were well thought out and never felt over crowded even though our sailing was sold out.  The pool area was crowded but we were always able to get a deck chair. The hot tubs were over filled with people so we didn’t use those much. I didn’t find smoking to be as big of an issue on this sailing as previous ones. The smokers really seemed to stay in certain areas and mostly outdoors.

The Food:

We loved the food in the dining room. I don’t think I have eaten that much bread in a long time. There were many options and I think out of the entire week there were only about 2-3 meals that I didn’t find something I loved. We loved all of the different risottos and my kids tried lots of new seafood. We had the cheese plate often. I didn’t care for the buffet as much. It was crowded and there weren’t many options that I liked. Other people seemed happy with it tough.  Room service was limited but we did have it a few times more as a snack while waiting for the late dinner seating. I thought it was priced fairly at one item for 3 euro or two items for 5 euro. They had salads, sandwiches and desserts. We only did the continental  room service breakfast the first morning…it was late and wrong so we decided it was just easier to go to the buffet.

The Cabin:

When I originally booked this cruise we knew we did not want an inside cabin and at the time, all that was available was a cabin with an obstructed ocean view. I took it hoping something else would open up. I called MSC every few days to see if there had been any changes and a few weeks later all of those calls paid off! Not only did a balcony cabin open up (which is what we were really hoping for) but it was an aft cabin…which is off of the back of the ship! Yea! We were 4 people (a quad as they call it) so we were really lucky to get any cabin, let alone an aft balcony. This was our first balcony, now we are spoiled.

As I mentioned before, this was out third vacation with MSC and we have been happy with our cabin each time. We think the storage is ample and well thought out. The cabins feel spacious (as spacious as a cruise cabin can feel) and we never really felt overly crowded. The bathroom isn’t huge but it was manageable.

The use of color and mirrors really added to the comfortable feel.

The Activities: This trip was so port intensive that we didn’t really participate in many of the onboard ship activities and games. We watched some and did a few but this trip, for us, was more about the ports and excursions. I know that those that did participate looked like they were having a ball. The Animation Team that organizes and hosts the games and activities were young, friendly and fun. It never ceases to amaze me at their ability to rattle off instructions or bingo in five different languages so easily. It is truly impressive.

The Entertainment: We like the MSC entertainment overall. We enjoy going to the shows and think they help kick-start our evening. This trip we did the late dinner seating for the first time so it was a little strange going to the show before dinner. This trip was mostly singing and dancing but some of the shows had specialty acts and magic. The theater is beautiful on the Musica and they are able to create many different effects to enhance the shows. I was impressed with the quality of the lighting, lasers and special effects.

The Services: We didn’t really utilize many of the additional services. We didn’t eat at the al la carte restaurants and we didn’t use the spa or gym. My daughter and I did have our hair washed and blown dry for the first gala evening. That was a treat not to have to do it ourselves after the first day of excursions. We both have long, thick hair. I wouldn’t normally use the hair salon on the ship but they had a gala night special for the wash and blow dry…about 30 Euro for each of us or if you purchased any two Kerastasse hair products the wash and dry is free. I chose to do that since I like Kerastasse products. They did a nice job and the convience was well worth it.

The Staff/Employees: As on our trips before, all of the employees and staff we came in contact with were friendly and helpful. We didn’t have any issues with the quality of service we received.

Minor Complaints: There were only a few and nothing big enough to effect the enjoyment of our trip.

* We didn’t think the professional pictures were as good on this trip and we think they are too expensive. We did purchase two but didn’t care for the price.

* Our air conditioner didn’t work well and it took the first 3 days to get it fixed. Even after that the cabin never really was very cool.

* With the late seating not being until 9:30 we found that we wanted something light to hold us over from lunch that we would eat around noon and there were no options between ,say, 3:00 – 8:00. Only ice cream or room service, which was very limited and had an extra fee.

* The time in port was too short for almost all of them.

MSC Musica - Disembarkation

Disembarkation:

It was easy. They gave us a specific luggage tag color and we just waited in a designated area until we were called. It wasn’t  an early morning disembarkation so we were able to have a nice breakfast and even a light lunch.  We put our big luggage out the night before and they took it. We just kept our carry on luggage with us.  We were lucky to find a table under the overhang, on the pool deck while we waited to be called. We had to vacate our cabin early so it was nice to have a place to sit and relax…have something to eat, etc…We got off easily and waited to be picked up.

MSC Musica - Venice, Italy

 

Venice, Italy:

Both the arrival and departure to and from Venice on the ship was magical.  We chose to take our ships water shuttle to St. Marks Square. It was just easier than trying to do it on our own and was well worth the money

We wondered around the streets surrounding St. Marks Square while they were still relatively empty and open. That quickly changed!  We found an outdoor café to have something to eat. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.

I had done a little research on gondola prices and what to expect and it was right on. We found an area they were departing from…they are all over.  I think it was about 80 euro for about an hour. It was a combination of the back alleys and the Grand Canal. It was a bit crowded but still a wonderful thing to do. They took us by the Rialto Bridge and our driver pointed out important and interesting sights.

After, we just wandered around some more, had gelato and shopped.

The last time we were in Venice, St. Marks Cathedral was closed for renovation so I knew I really wanted to try and see inside on this trip. Again, I did research before and found a site online where you can book entry ahead. If you just show up it is free to enter but the lines stretched around the building. If you reserve online it is $1 each person but you are given a specific time frame on your specified date and you just show up and walk in. OMG, SO worth it!

Be sure to give yourself time to check any backpacks or bags. It is a short walk around the building to do this so you want to make sure you have enough time.

We took the ships water shuttle back and enjoyed the view of the city from the water.

It was fun to watch the tugboats help the ship leave the dock…a perk to having an aft balcony!

MSC Musica - Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik:

We were kind of torn about Dubrovnik. It was a destination we didn’t know anything about before we left and we weren’t even really focused on it. From my research pre-cruise, I learned a little about it and the glowing things people had to say about it. Before we left, there didn’t seem to be any ship sponsored excursions that we wanted to do but once on the ship we noticed one we don’t remember seeing before. It included a trip to a beach and sounded like something we would like. Unfortunately we took too long to sign up and all spaces were filled…which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

This is what we did…and it was a magical and less expensive day.

We got off of the ship as early as possible…about 7:45/8 a.m.. We chose not to do the ship provided bus into town. There was a fee and we knew it would be very crowded. Instead we walked to a small information booth a few feet away and got a map of the town. The woman informed us that the taxis would take Euros and that the same beach the ships tour was on (St. Jacobs Beach) was only a short drive away. We grabbed a taxi from the taxi line and he took us to the main gate of the old town for 10 euro…super simple. We were immediately struck by the view of the water to the right and stopped to take some pictures. We did see an exchange office just before entering the old city but there was a line and we figured there would be more opportunities inside. Truth is everywhere we went they too euros.

It was a great time to get there as it wasn’t crowded and we got to watch the old city “wake up”. We walked the main street to the end where the harbor is. So beautiful! We bought a few souvenirs and just kind of wandered about. We had read there was a Wi-Fi hot spot by the Lacoste shop so we stopped there to see if we could check our email, etc.… We didn’t get a good signal but right across for the store is a café Orlando and they had good, free Wi-Fi. We sat outside and had some coffee and cold drinks. They also had a nice, clean bathroom that was free to guests or about the equivalent of $1 for non-guests.

At the harbor, we saw some glass bottom boats that do a 45-50 minute tour around the island and will drop you off and pick you up at St. Jacobs Beach. They charge 10 euro a piece for the trip. We thought that would have been perfect but it turned out that it was too windy and they would not be sailing until later in the day.

We walked back to the front gate to get a taxi to the beach and by now there was no line in the exchange office. We changed some euros so that we would be prepared if we went somewhere they didn’t take the euro. The woman in the office warned us that it was a holiday and that all of the banks were closed…that we wouldn’t be able to change the Kuna back to euros. We found out later we were able to change them back at the exchange at the cruise port, no problem.

We got a taxi and headed towards the beach. The ride was about 7-8 minutes and we saw the backside of the city walls. It was very cool. The ride cost 10 euro.

When we got out of the taxi the view took our breath away! The beach area and the water color looked like a postcard. You just have to walk down some stone stairs to get to the beach. There is a beach club there called East West. They rent beds, lounge chairs and canopy beds. The canopy beds rent for 35 euro and the lounge chairs rent for 10 euro each. We rented 4 lounge chairs. Because we were there early and well before any cruise tours, we were able to select4 chairs right at the seas edge. It was too windy for an umbrella though.

The beach club is great. I only wish we had more time to spend there. They have beach service for food and drinks and soft pillows for the lounge chairs. They also have a restaurant, ice cream bar and a nightclub. It is all very modern and has a sexy vibe.

The beach is a pebble beach covered in smooth stones. I had on sandals and the stones got in my shoes and hurt. It is a bit hard to get your footing as the stones slip around and sink. I did bring water shoes but mine are the type that are open on the sides also letting rocks inside. It was uncomfortable for me to walk on the stones in my bare feet but others were doing it just fine. The water was glorious. Cool at first but then it warmed up right away. We had masks and snorkels and that made it fun to explore. A funny tid-bit, my husband found an X-rated sculpture/drawing made out of larger rocks in a flat area about 30 feet down under the water. He took a picture to show us. If you go, see if you can find it!

We ordered drinks and dried off in the warm sun. There was a great breeze…and sometimes a very strong wind gust, which made it not seem so hot. Then we walked up the stairs and headed toward a taxi stand. There were plenty of taxis waiting but ours did not want us in there with wet bathing suits so we had to sit on towels. It was 15 euro to back to the cruise port. Once there we shopped in some tiny shops that had opened while we were gone and exchanged the rest of our money back to euros. We headed back onboard and went to have lunch.

It was one of our favorite stops and we ended up saving a lot of money by doing it ourselves. I would highly recommend it.

* Note – we had planned to walk the old wall too but we had just come off of 4 days of major walking tours of Greece and we just didn’t have it in us. We don’t regret our choice and look forward to doing the wall on another visit. For us, the old town and the beach were perfect!

MSC Musica - Corfu, Greece

Corfu:

Corfu is such a pretty island. Lush and green…turquoise water.

We did a private tour and had another great day. Based on research and Cruise Critic suggestions, we chose Spiros Kritikos from Corfu Taxi Tours. We thought the price was fair and knew we would get to see most of the island.

We were late getting off of the ship due to the crowds and had to tender to land. We called our driver to let him know about the delay and he was waiting for us, no problem. He took us to so many cool spots that we never would have found on our own. A great thing was that he took us to an out of the way small local shop with authentic souvenirs and gifts. We got fresh olive oil, olives, honey and much more.

We went to the Monastery with the most spectacular ocean views. We went to Paleokstara beach and were able to snorkel for about an hour. Be careful, we saw sea urchins hiding in the rocks. Be sure to bring water shoes. Most of the beaches we went to had rocky bottoms.  He took us on a tour of the whole city and pointed out the Jewish section and synagogue. He was a character and kept us entertained with personal stories and beliefs. He was very opinionated and traditional.

He offered to take my post cards and said he would mail them from the post office near his home…I thought that was very considerate.

* Packing tip – Our guide told us to take an empty water bottle and cut around the top. Then you can put your bottle of oil or any other breakables inside and the bottle cushions and protects it during the flight. We did it and it worked like a charm. I left the bottles wrapped in their bags and stuffed the whole thing in the empty water bottle.

MSC Musica - Athens, Pireaus, Greece

Athens/Pireaus:

We were all excited about this stop but by the time it came up we were all so tired from all of the sightseeing! Athens was a big city…like any other big city. We did a private excursion here that I booked from home. I chose Paul Kalomiris https://www.athensminibus.com based on recommendations I found on Cruise Critic. It was a great decision.

We went right to the Acropolis completely beating all tour buses. It was practically empty for our whole visit! The buses were letting off just as we were leaving, whew!

Again, we were so grateful we didn’t have to be with a big group. We saw many other parts of the city including The Plaka where we had some lunch and got a few souvenirs. We saw the changing of the Guards too…very cool. Our guide knew all of the best spots to view things from. We were very pleased with our choice.

The only evidence of the political issues in Athens was some banners and signs hanging around City Hall. There were no demonstrations or crowds.

He delivered us back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. It was a great day and the sites were memorable but I don’t think I need to go back there again.

·      I noticed a small clear sticker with a little metal thing in the center on the right side of the windshield of our driver’s car. I asked what it was and he told me that it proved he is an authorized taxi and said that there are lots of unauthorized drivers. He said no one ever asked about it before.

MSC Musica - Mykonos, Greece

Mykonos:

This was sort of an unexpected stop but kind of cool. We were going to be there for the evening for dinner, shopping and some nightlife. We chose to do the ship’s shuttle bus from the port to town. It was easy and quick.

The town is so pretty and right at the edge of the sea. If you are there in the eve, I recommend that you take some pictures as soon as you arrive as the sun went down quickly. We wandered through the narrow alleys filled with shops and restaurants. We decided to eat at a really pretty outdoor restaurant in the middle of an open courtyard. It was called Familia. The food was good but expensive. The atmosphere was wonderful…like you were in the middle of a party…under a pergola draped with bougainvillea. There were many cats wandering about and one scrawny one sat at the edge of my leg for my entire meal…just staring up at me.

After dinner, we did some shopping and I got a beautiful gold ring. I had hoped to find a gold ring on our trip as a memento and that I could wear as an updated wedding ring. I found it in Mykonos. It was a replica of an old coin that flipped. One side had Zeus and the other side showed Apollo’s Harp. Both Gods have personal meaning in one way or another to us and our children so it couldn’t have been a more perfect memento of our trip and a representation of our family.

On the walk back to the ship’s shuttle, we tried some Baklava and Kababs at an outdoor café on the water. We stopped in a tiny church and lit candles. It was too early to enjoy the nightlife but the music was starting and the lights were flashing…