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Click Here To Go Back To Cruise Ship Listing MSC Sinfonia Cruise Ship Reviews And Reports Don't Forget To Add your Own Report If You Have Sailed On This Ship

	MSC Sinfonia Cruise Ship Reviews
	MSC Sinfonia Ship Information A medium sized vessel of Superior rating. Built in 2002. Carries a maximum of 2020 in 783 cabins, 403 of which have ocean views. Four cabins have wheelchair access. Cabins are medium sized with showers. Balcony cabins have a bath and sitting area. There is one show lounges, a cinema and a casino on board.

Holiday-Truth Readers Reports
jsogr from Liverpool Area sailed on MSC Sinfonia with Virgin Cruises on a friends holiday. There were 4 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 3 2008
jsogr rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	jsogr said: The ship is an excellent state-of-the-art vessel, spotlessly clean, with well appointed bars and lounges. Smokers and non-smokers are catered for equally so as not to spoil anyones enjoyment. The Evening meals were selected from menus of various regions of Italy and not to our particular tastes generally. It seemed more about presentation than substance and indeed it was very difficult to recognise the delivered meal from the description in the menu. Having Water with your meal is a chargeable extra believe it or not! We were perhaps unlucky but we found our Dining Room waiter to be the most arrogant and unhelpful waiter we have ever encountered anywhere, let alone on a cruise vessel. Deck side restaurants and grill bars were opened and closed at stupid-o-clock times and this is NOT a 24/7 food available ship by any stretch of the imagination. There were times during the day when the only way to get a cup of coffee or tea was to BUY it in the bar. When it says the closing time will be 9:30 am for breakfast, it means exactly that..swoosshhhhh the plates and food are gone! The Bar Staff and particularly our Cabin Steward were excellent, though the language barrier did provide some minor problems. Prices were not cheap, a cocktail of the day averaging around £5 per drink and even a beer at around £4. and not large portions either. The Entertainment was another kettle of fish, from a Cruise Director who's only claim to fame seems to be to be able prattle on in multi-languages for 10 minutes introducing a 45 minute show, to a Show team of dancers seemingly without any passion for what they were doing, to amatuerish entertainers such as jugglers, magicians and contortionists. Opera seemed also to be an over indulgement of the staged shows. All of which led to a wonderful Theatre being wasted... at least.. wasted if you didnt enjoy Opera! We never use Ship Excursions so I cannot comment on them. One final comment, something I have never heard of before and find outrageous is the practice of adding about £5 a day PER ADULT and £2 PER CHILD to your bill for tips! YOU have to tell them not to, or it is done automatically. (Trying to find the accounts department open is an experience all of its own) Laughingly Tips are called a forfeit in the information books...how apt.. imagine a family of four, tips would amount to £250 alone..for goodness sake are these people real? and I wonder how much actually reaches the waiters and stewards? In fairness this was an Italian ship and catering mainly for Italians so some of my comments must be viewed in this context.... SOME...but NOT all. It was also a very cheap cruise and perhaps some of the service content is reflected in this. Would we sail on this ship again? ... NO
Frances Langston from Chippenham sailed on MSC Sinfonia with Cruise Deals on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 10 2007
Frances Langston rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Frances Langston said: We booked this cruise just 8 weeks before departure and it was our first cruise holiday. We had our flights included but had not confirmation of the flight details until one week before departure, as the flight was at 7.35 in the morning from Heathrow we booked an overnight hotel with car parking. Check in at Heathrow takes an age with over a hour in the queue. We were met at Milan and transported by mini bus to Genoa, took about 1 1/2 hours. The check in for the boat did take a long time, however there were plenty of seats and free fruit juice. We were shown to our cabin and it was spotless, very comfortable bed and cleaned every day. The life boat drill was not well done, we were told to assemble at our life boat stations with our life jackets on. No-one counted the passengers to ensure that the correct number were present. We sat around for over half an hour and then were given a demonstration of how to put on a life jacket! Would have made more sense to show us this first? We realised when we got to our cabin that our dinner sitting was incorrect, we had requested second sitting, after trying unsuccussfully to track down the Maitre 'D' my husband eventually found him at 6.30pm He was very abrupt and grudgingly changed our sitting, throwing the altered cruise ID card across the table. We had been told on booking that we could have a table for 2 or chose to be seated with others, we had stated we preferred a table for 2 as we had had previous bad experiences at shared tables. We were dimayed to find on arriving at Il Galleone that we were on a table with 6 others. We immediately spoke to the Maitre 'D' again. He was abrupt to the point of rudeness, insisted there were no tables for 2, I pointed out that there were in fact several couples sat on their own and there were a number of empty table. He very grudgingly sat us on another table which had been laid up for 8 people. The waiter was charming and tried his best. The next day we found a note informing us we had been moved to another table. Was this a table for 2? No we were yet again on a table for 6. Luckily we were seated with a charming Australian couple and we thoroughly enjoyed eating with then each evening. However, this might not have been the case and I have complianed directly to MSC about the Maitre 'D' and his attitude. The waiters and all other staff were lovely. The food in the evening was very good with a wide choice. Breakfast and lunch buffets were good with a wide choice, we did not use Il Galleone for either breakfast or lunch. We would have liked a kettle in our cabin so that we could make early morning tea and a late night drink and why is coffee not served after dinner? We went to the shows each night and thought they were very good. It is difficult to provide entertainment when the guests speak so many languages so the emphasis is on the visual. The singers were very talented and the dancers highly trained. There was a guest illusionist who was excellent. We went on two organised tours 1) Tunis - Cultural Not a good experience, too little time at each of the sites we visited no time in the museum. On to Sidi Bou Said where we were constantly harrassed by street traders, would not want to visit Tunis again and not a safe country to explore on your own. 2)Baroque Tour of Rome Excellent, Tour guide very knowledgeble and with a great love of the city which came over. A very good way to get a taste of the wonders of Rome. We would have liked more time in Malta as we only had an afternoon. Would be a good idea to tell guests that there is a bus for just 1 euro return fare. We used a taxi and had a real arguement with the driver who was trying to persuade us to pay for a tour and not take us to Valetta city as requested. He was telling us all the shops would be shut and there was nothing to see. St John's Co-Cathedral is a must! especially the pictures by Caravaggio. Valencia - perhaps MSC could consider going somewhere else as there is very little to see and do here. Monte Carlo - we were given an excellent guide pack and map as we left the ship and were able to find our way around very easily We had a wonderful holiday and would book with MSC again
George Daszkowski from Port Credit sailed on MSC Sinfonia with LAst Minute on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 7 2007
George Daszkowski rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	George Daszkowski said: It seems bizzare that this company is in the business of doing tours as they were not the epitome of organization. Everything was done in series, getting your room assignmnet and your dinner table. I had no complaints about the food but the idea of the assigned seating was a bit bizzare as any thought of changing the plan was resisted vigourously. Given the linguistic variety on the ship, this delivered some very quiet meals. Everything was an additinal cost, water, coffee, etc. The advertised internet service was so slow as to be unusable and expensive even if it was fast. The entertainment was accpetable but Paulo the entertainment director thinks his acts are ready for Las Vegas. The highlite of the tour was the performance of a rising Italian tenor. Most of it was pretty plain vanilla. The tours at the stops left little time for actual sightseeing and seemed to be organized for shopping. The tour co-ordinator was actually encouraging people to self guide. We took the tour at Genoa to Portofino but once there you were expected to make your own fun. We had a good group, created our own impromptu wine tasting and had fun. We also took the tour in Tunis but most of that was dedicated to shopping couched in terms of buying ceramics. Malta was given too little time. We organized our tour, renting taxis to visit Mdina but there was much more to see. In the end we had a good time but only because we reached out and formed a group of 13-14 who encouraged each other to try things. The tour operator needs to put terminals in each suite and really do some workj to create databases on each of their stops. Given that they haven't you are strongly advised to do your own research before you go.
elizabeth gentle field from Worthing sailed on MSC Sinfonia with iglu on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 1 2006
elizabeth gentle field rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	elizabeth gentle field said: A most enjoyable experience, only marred by the prolonged embarkation,it must have been very difficult to organise with so many different nationalities,but, had the dining room seating been arranged at the same time as the cabin allocation it would have saved one queue, most people like ourselves were up very early to start their journey and this did tend to take the gilt off the gingerbread,but, after settling in and finding our way round the ship it was one of the best cruises we had been on. The ship itself was palatial, everything shone and sparkled it was a sheer delight to be on her for our vacation. I must not forget the journey back to Nice which gave everyone a chance to see some of the countryside another 10/10.we certainly would not hesitate to sail in her again as the crewe were most helpful,caring and attentive to all our needs in fact nothing was too much trouble for them, plus they always had a lovely smile for the passenger.
L Brookes from Port Talbot sailed on MSC Sinfonia with MSC on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 12 2005
L Brookes rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	L Brookes said: The ship is very nice with excellent cabins. The food was not up to an acceptable standard and was not always warm. Some meals that were served to our table in the evening resteraunt were sent back because of their poor quality and tastelessness. Considering this was a Christmas Cruise the entertainment was awful. It was all so boring with no modern music at all. There were no special celebrations for Christmas, no decorations,crackers or carols, in fact there was no mention of it being Christmas Day from any of the crew. When we complained to Reception they just did not want to know. We were so disappointed that ourselves and another couple left the ship in Madeira and got a flight home. We certainly would never cruise with MSC again
CJC from Oxford sailed on MSC Sinfonia with MSC on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 7 2005
CJC rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	CJC said: Sunday 3rd July 2005 – 1 week Mediterranean – Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Tunis, Palma, Barcelona & Marseilles We were met by an MSC representative in arrivals. The transfer from the airport all went smoothly, and we were at the port in Genoa by 2pm. The embarkation process was extremely efficient, and we were on the ship within 15 minutes of arriving. Having said this, there were only about 30 people there – we were later told that those embarking at Naples had a much different experience; taking up to 2 hours but that was due to there being around 300 people. Ship The ship itself was absolutely gorgeous. It was spotless and very well presented. There were always people cleaning and tidying up. We were met at the gangplank by a member of staff who showed us to the cabin. I was really impressed by the cabin – good size with a queen bed (could be 2 singles if preferred) and very modern. We had an inside cabin, so there were lots of mirrors to create a sense of space. There was bags of storage – didn’t use half of it. Also had a large TV, minibar, safe and telephone. The charges for the bar weren’t too bad either. Bathroom was small, but modern, clean and everything you need – the shower was always hot and powerful. The bed was always made in the morning, and then the bed turned down at night and the next day programme was left. People With it being an Italian ship, the Brits were in the minority – probably about 50 amongst all the passengers. However, they were really good about seating us together so that there was lots of dinner conversation – I had read on an earlier review that two Brits had been put with other nationalities and no one could understand each other, but this seems to have been ironed out. Everyone was very friendly but just be aware of the cultural differences of the Europeans – i.e., they don’t seem to queue or say please and thank you very much!!! The staff aboard the ship were fantastic – they all spoke English and couldn’t do enough to help – of course, this was reflected at the end of the trip when you tip the staff via envelopes that they leave in the room. Food Food was excellent. Breakfast was served in two restaurants – either the posh one downstairs "Il Galeone" (where you have the evening meal) or the self-service upstairs. I found both lovely with a wide choice of everything you could want. You can also have it delivered to your cabin. Lunch was in La Terraza restaurant (upstairs), with different items on offer inside the restaurant or at the outside grill – again, superb food. Afternoon tea was also offered here if you needed it!! Dinner – this was at the El Galeone restaurant downstairs and you go to your allocated table. We were lucky enough to have brilliant company. Food was amazing – 7 courses, with even more extensive menus on the two gala nights we had. One word of warning – we were (unlucky) enough to be by the captains table, and they had a habit of inviting Italian “celebrities” aboard to dine with him – this mean a influx of people crowding our table to take their photos which became annoying on the 5th night of doing so, especially as they were celebs we’d never heard of! Waiters are fantastic and ask about the wine package – you can pay 99 euros for a wine bundle for the week which works out cheaper. Entertainment To be honest, there weren’t enough hours in the day for us to take much of it in. We were at the later sitting for dinner so by the time we’d used the gym and got ready, we’d missed the show. Not too worried as not really our cup of tea anyway, but I’d heard good things. The live music was entertaining and we spent most of our time in The Manhattan Bar. We used the gym which was good, and had a massage at the health suite – although we thought this was very overpriced. Excursions We did two excursions – one in Naples which was to climb Mt Vesuvius. Excellent trip and certainly the highlight of the week but be warned – you need comfy shoes and a good amount of puff!! The bus takes you so far but the last 250 metres you have to walk and it’s all uphill! Well worth it though. We also did the Shopping excursion in Tunis as we’d never been to North Africa and didn’t know what to expect. This was split into two parts – the first part was to visit a Souk – a Tunisian market. This was good to see but I personally felt that we spent too long there, and at one point you are taken into a room where they show you handmade rugs and carpets. All well and good, but I would have preferred to be outside rather than stuck inside. Also, they don’t tell you this in the information so if it’s something you feel you’d like to purchase, take some money or credit card with you. The second part was to a traditional Tunisian village called Sid Bou Said and this was lovely – very pretty with shops and stalls, and a look around a very grand Tunisian house. Only complaint was that there were loads of tourist coaches and it was packed. Apart from that, we did our own thing everywhere else. The Excursion Office on the ship has photocopy maps which you can take. The boat pulls right into the centre of all the ports, with the exception of Marseilles. Palermo, Sicily wasn’t nice – dirty, smelly, traffic everywhere so I would recommend an organised trip here. Palma and Barcelona, great – easy to walk to and lots of see. Marseilles – to be honest, we didn’t bother. It was the last day and we wanted to make the most of sunbathing by the pool and the fact that the ship docks 10km from the town didn’t make it attractive, but they do lay on a courtesy bus if you can be bothered. Transfer Back Bit of a downside, but we left the ship at 10am and were transported back to Genoa airport, arriving about 12.30 and our flight didn’t leave until 6.50pm. We considered going into Milan, but decided that we didn’t have enough time. In the end we went to the Information Point at arrivals, and spoke to a really helpful lady. She recommended a restaurant about 7kms away, who would come and pick us up in their courtesy bus, take us there for a meal and then bring us back to the airport for 30 euros (not including lunch). So we put our luggage into left luggage, the chap picked us up in 10 minutes of the information point phoning them, and we spent the afternoon having a superb lunch in a fantastic family run restaurant in a lovely village – they then took us back to the airport about 4pm-ish. It certainly beat sitting in the airport for 6 hours like many others did. The restaurant is called La Pista – just ask at the information point in arrivals, or see their website www.lapistahotel.it. Think that covers everything, although I’m happy to answer any questions. This was our first cruise and we loved it – the experience was made by the fantastic ship, friendly and helpful staff, great amenities and of course, wonderful food!!!
s from kendal sailed on MSC Sinfonia with msc on a singles holiday. There were 1 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 6 2005
s rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	s said: The 'four Spanish men' in the previous review were actually four Mexican mariachis from Mexico City. Also why do English people in Naples expect Neopolitans to speak English? The only complaint I have is that the English people on these Italian ships never stop complaining about no teapots, no English people to speak to, and not enough announcements in English. In fact. every single announcement is followed by the English translation. As far as the entertainment is concerned every show was excellent and very professional. If you want English speaking shows. pots of tea and English food then stay with P&O so that I dont have to listen to your wingeing on MSC ships.
Tom Burke from SHEFFIELD sailed on MSC Sinfonia with Ideal Cruising on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 5 2005
Tom Burke rated the MSC Sinfonia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Tom Burke said: The ship was spotless and in excellent condition. Our (inside) cabin on deck 9 was plenty big enough, with a good amount of clothes storage space. The food was a mixed bag. The dinners were excellent - well cooked, lots of courses (appetizer, soup, pasta, main, dessert), lots of choices, but never too much. We enjoyed every dinner. Lunches & breakfasts were less successful, especially if you went outside the main restaurant and took them in the (semi) self-service snack bars (La Terraza, & outside on the desk, both on deck 11). So the ratings for restaurant dinners would be 5*, restaurant lunches would be 4*, restaurant breakfasts would be 3*, and self-service breakfasts & lunches 2*. Note that if you take a morning excursion, you effectively have to eat in the self-service for breakfast - there isn't time to go in the restaurant. And on returning from the excursion you might find that only the self-service places are still open. We're not entertainment people so we didn't bother with that much, but the main shows, while well presented, have to stick to things that will work in a multi-lingual/multi-national environment. So lots of singing (things like 'Opera Highlights', eg Nessum Dorma), and things like magic shows, but no comedy. The lounge entertainment was less good - rather mechanical & going through the motions, apart from a 4-piece spanish group (guitars & singing) who I thought were excellent. They were older than all the other performers, too - looked they'd been doing the music for many many years, and seemd to have a very close understanding between themselves. Excursions were a mixed bag. We did three; one was excellent (Cassis, from Marseilles), one was a shambles (not MSC's fault, there was a strike by the carriage drivers in Palermo who blocked all the roads, and it took us an hour just to get out of the dock), and one was mixed (Carthage, from Tunis) - the history was excellent but the visit to the 'picturesque village' at the end was actually a chance for millions of arab street traders to hassle you. Be aware that during this summer (2005) Costa Fortuna (even bigger) is doing almost exactly the same cruises, ie the same ports on the same days, and they do very similar excursions. So there were about 20 coaches at the Tunisian village, and (I gather from someone who did the trip) there were about 50 (!) coaches at Pompeii. So lots of potential for confusion and stress. For other ports (Naples, Palma, Barcelona) we did our own thing, and as long as you've read up about the relevant city it's do-able. One tip for Barcelona: you can get *very* hot on an open-top sight-seeing bus, and they take a long time to get round the city. The metro is cheaper, air-conditioned, and easy - the ticket machines work in four languages, including english. Another tip, this time for Naples: we found very little english spoken by anyone in the city. And why should they? - but this did contrast with Palma & Barcelona, where lots of people (eg, taxi drivers, waiters) seem to know at least some english. Final comment: the week we went there were very few english-speakers even on the ship, so for three nights we were efectively on our own at dinner. For the other four nights we were sat with some swedish people who spoke english so we had some conversation those night, but the other nights were perhaps a bit lonely. There's good support for english speakers on the ship itself, however - all announcements are made in multiple languages, including english - and most of the bar staff are Balinese and seem to speak excellent english. Would we go back to this ship, or one of its sisters? - yes, the on-board experience was good. In a review you tend to highlight the negative aspects, but in fact it was great fun and we had a good time. We'd do it again.