I know everyone’s experience will be different, but I’d like to hear what you all think. I’ve been on several Carnival cruises and Royal ones too. Last June, I even went on the first Margaritaville Islander of the Sea cruise. This year, I’m thinking of trying the MSC Seascape.
For those of you who have done MSC, how does it compare to Carnival? Are there lots of free food options? What’s the vibe like, and how are the rooms and drinks? If you’ve got insights, I’d really appreciate it before I make a booking decision.
Here’s what the original poster said in their post:
"I know everyone’s experience will be different, but I’d like to hear what you all think. I’ve been on several Carnival cruises and Royal ones too. Last June, I even went on the first Margaritaville Islander of the Sea cruise. This year, I’m thinking of trying the MSC Seascape.
For those of you who have done MSC, how does it compare to Carnival? Are there lots of free food options? What’s the vibe like, and how are the rooms and drinks? If you’ve got insights, I’d really appreciate it before I make a booking decision."
That’s the original post for context. Hope that helps!
I’ve done Carnival and Royal for the past 20 years. Last year, I tried MSC for the first time, and I loved it so much I immediately booked another. I’ll probably go back to Carnival or Royal someday, but not anytime soon.
The food is way better, the rooms are nicer, the people are great, and it’s a lot cheaper. Drinks were a little pricier, but MSC offers different drink package options. I was on the Seashore, not the Seascape, but I imagine they’re similar.
I went on my first MSC cruise last year, and I wish I’d tried it sooner. It’s way better than Carnival in every way. The food? No contest—it’s so much better. The service is better, and the rooms are nicer too.
Carnival’s entertainment is a bit more fun, but honestly, not enough to make me choose them over MSC. Plus, MSC gives you great value for the price.
I used to be Platinum with Carnival until I discovered MSC. I liked MSC so much that I used my Carnival status to do a status match with MSC, and I haven’t been back on Carnival in over six years.
MSC ships are more elegant and have a refined vibe. I also like the international mix of passengers. The standard rooms are about the same size as Carnival’s, but you can upgrade to an Aurea Suite or even the Yacht Club for a lot less than you’d pay on other cruise lines.
If you’re not super picky about food, you’ll find MSC’s main dining room and buffet selections to be similar to Carnival. They don’t have stuff like Guy’s Burgers or Iguana Cantina, but their pizza at the buffet is really good.
The stage shows aren’t the best, especially compared to something like Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class productions, but that’s not really MSC’s strong suit.
Overall, MSC feels more classy than Carnival, and it’s much cheaper. It’s not quite a premium cruise line, but it’s definitely a step above Carnival.