In December of 2023 a friend and I did a 3 night cruise on the MSC Magnifica. Here are some thoughts on that cruise and MSC in general.
I always tell all my guests to set your expectations before getting on MSC, its a budget cruise line, and the product reflects that. Their new ships are nice, lots of beautiful and original design and stunning atriums with something for everyone. The service, food and cleanliness could use some work.
The Magnifica is a very unique ship with interesting design and decor. They did have al their christmas decorations out, which I thought gave it a nice touch. You will usually find this starting in December on many cruise lines.
I had a standard balcony stateroom. Not really that great. The towels were worn out, same with the pillows. The bed felt more like a cot. For a balcony cabin, there isn't much space to maneuver around. I suggest bringing your own soap and shampoo when going on MSC.
The weather wasn't the best on this cruise, so, we did miss the private island, which is for many, a big reason to go on this cruise. MSC has a great private island. There was just too much wind to dock. We did go to Nassau, which was not that great. There are things to do, but make sure you have an excursion.
A lot of people returned from Nassau early and hit the sports bar, which is one of the best I have seen anywhere, especially for a ship. However, it wasn't operating till 3pm. Not even the TVs were on. We found a staff and told them people were waiting for food and drinks in the sports bar as NFL is really important for a lot of guests on board. They opened immediately, which I thought was really great. However, its odd to think this hasn't happened before. They must know people want to watch NFL. Sadly, they did not have enough staff to keep the tables and area clean of spills and food scraps, which was kinda sad.
During the day at sea, the pool was very busy, as was the game room and casino. This isn't really exclusive to MSC, its just the way cruising is. Popular places on the ship will be busy.
Walking around the ship, I noticed a lot of smells that were not pleasant, and in some places garbage and other debris strewn about.
The food and service at the main dining room was sub par. I did not finish my food nor did I return at any point during the cruise.
Overall, I would really hesitate to suggest this particular cruise to a guest. If they do want to go, I would really stress that this is not generally the "cruise experience" I'd want someone to have. I hope MSC can improve a bit in 2024 and moving forward, especially with all their new ships and how many cruises they plan on operating in North America in the very near future.
