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Cruising Italian Style-MSC Cruises

By Arie Boris

Genoa, Italy-Beginning any cruise in Italy is a treat; it is one of my favorite countries to enjoy a pre-cruise stay. The people, pasta and pizza all seem better when experienced in Italy!

This particular trip we made a great discovery by staying at Star Hotel’s Cristallo Palace in Bergamo. Considering the currency exchange, everything, including hotels, are generally very expensive. Star Hotel properties are commercial hotels geared toward the European business traveler. The hotel is located in the southern part of the city, near the Porta Nuova area, 2 km from the heart of the city and a 10-minute taxi ride from the airport. The hotel group has well-run properties throughout Italy that offer the North American traveler great value. The front desk staff was attentive, the room large by European standards and the hotel offered a welcome respite from an overnight international flight. For more information, log onto cristallo.bg@starhotels.it.

After a comfortable drive to Genoa, we checked in for our very first MSC cruise on the line’s newest flagship, the MSC Orchestra. In spite of the ship’s carrying 2,500 passengers, our check-in was efficient and well-organized. It was nice for a change to be in the minority as this cruise had vastly more European passengers (Italians, Germans, French, Spanish), than Americans on board. Passengers are given the opportunity, while waiting to board after check-in, to order wine packages, shore excursions, and make reservations at the ships alternative restaurants, while passengers were boarded in a well organized, smoothly-run number sequence process.

MSC Orchestra is a beautiful ship! At 90,000 tons, she is an impressive sight. The public areas are tastefully designed with inviting European flavor – warm woods and rich fabrics prevail on this 2,500 passenger giant, the newest addition to the popular European cruise line. Although not well known in North America, MSC Cruises is one of Europe’s most successful mass-market cruise lines. MSC ships may carry a large number of guests, but the ships are beautifully designed environments that do suggest a sense of luxury. The Orchestra’s interiors are replete with marble, comfortable seating with bright but not garish colors. She really is one of the most beautiful large ships afloat. We particularly enjoyed spending time in the Savannah Bar, Canterilla Wine Bar, and the Lobby Atrium, which is filled with live music in the evenings.

Our stateroom truly surpassed my expectations. A standard room with balcony, this large cabin offered a loveseat/sofa, queen sized bed, and spacious balcony. The balcony furniture consisted of a table and 2 chairs adequate for casual dining. The cabin was beautifully decorated with ocean-blue drapes, bedspread, carpeting and upholstery. Lovely art work with a soothing watercolor palate, large mirrors, and a burgundy suede border over the head board gave the cabin a rich feel to it. This was definitely one of the nicest cabins I have stayed in on a large high guest capacity ship.

MSC Cruises is about value with a sense of upscale ambience. What is the value you get? Try a 12-day European cruise for under $1,000 per person – astonishing! What you get for your money is a beautiful cabin, all meals, and entertainment. For everything else and I mean everything, charges apply. From bottled water in the cabin (common on a mass-market ship) to any item on the room service menu, there is a fee. Even the port of call maps were for sale! There was also a charge for the shuttle bus to town should you elect not to purchase an organized shore excursion. This policy compares more with a land-based resort vacation, traditionally known as a “European plan’ where everything other than the accommodations come with a fee. Extras include all alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, soft drinks, dining in the three specialty restaurants, and spa treatments (including use of the co-ed steam rooms).

Most equivalent cruise lines have similar policies although I have never seen port of call maps for sale at the purser’s desk. In spite of all the “additional charges”, MSC still provides a spectacular value. One contradiction to the value is the onboard currency… while the ship is in Europe the euro is the standard, not the dollar. US passengers get hit by the weak currency exchange of the US dollar vs. the Euro. So while in Europe, all costs incurred at the bar, spa, boutique, or from the room service menu, are charged to your shipboard account in Euros. When MSC ships are in the Caribbean, the onboard currency reverts to the US dollar.

Specialty restaurants on board the MSC Orchestra were a high point of the cruise. Shang Kai was not only excellent in its traditional Chinese recipe interpretations but the service and music played in the dining room was enchanting. Menu selections are presented by region with a variety of options from every region in China. The cuisine was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented and simply delicious. We particularly enjoyed the Song combo dim sum appetizer, and the fried orange beef dish entrée was exceptional. I also recommend the elegantly served teas, especially the Monk’s tea which was wonderful. The pricing is all a la carte. We dined here several times and really enjoyed it. Although reservations are recommended, walk-ins were easily accommodated.

Another specialty restaurant option on board is located at the top of ship aft and boasts terrific floor-to-ceiling views. The Four Seasons Restaurant offers a fine Italian menu with entrees like Citrus Monk Fish and Grilled Rack of Lamb, and of course, as expected on an Italian ship, delicious pasta. The 18 Euro fee includes a five-course dinner with attentive service, but did not include bottled water, wine or after dinner coffee or tea(available at an additional charge).

The Pizzeria offers a very affordable selection of salads and tasty pizza. This casual dining experience makes a nice change from the more formal main dining rooms, the Ibiscus and Villa Borgese. These main restaurants are reminiscent of a convention hotel banquet dining experience…adequate, but not memorable. Remember, this is a beautiful ship, but none the less a budget cruise product.

Although the staff tries hard, language challenges can be expected given the diverse variety of nationalities of the crew and passengers. We enjoyed several meals in the dining room, but considering the relatively modest price of the overall cruise, we opted to spend several evenings at the specialty restaurants, which are superior — as they should be, considering the additional cost.

Guiseppe Pane, the Orchestra’s hotel manager, described the challenges of feeding a diverse group of passengers. He strongly encourages guests “to talk to the crew regarding their preferences early on, so their expectations can be met”’ Officer Pane described an exciting career path, including a stint on board the much-loved Monterey, which sailed from California to Hawaii in the 1980’s.

The MSC Cruise line’s Corporate Chef, Christophe LeCras, graciously gave us an interview as well and described the many efforts he and the culinary team at MSC are putting in place to improve the overall dining experience. Like many chefs, LeCras described being introduced to cooking by his mother and grandmother…eating raw pastry dough as a child while watching his grandmother at work in the kitchen. LeCras hails from Brittany and still raves about the region’s incredible seafood dishes. He most recently served as corporate chef for Celebrity cruise line from 2000-2006 where he worked closely under Michael Roux. He has been with MSC for less than a year and is clearly very excited about all the innovations being planned to enhance the MSC dining experience.

Seeing Europe on an MSC cruise is recommended if you enjoy traveling with a mixed passenger complement – this cruise line caters to a far greater number of Europeans than Americans or Canadians. If you are willing to be selective with onboard spending and appreciate an exceptional value, then MSC is for you. For more information log onto www.MSCcruises.com

Ciao!

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