MSC Musica Cruise, Embarkation on Oct 23, 2025 From Geno, Italy…read more
Room Details
Musica is an older ship. It is in fairly good shape, but don't expect too much. We were on deck 12 and near the front of the ship. We had a balcony room. As we walked down the long hall towards the rear of the ship, we would always pass a section that smelled like sewer gas. We were glad our room was not in that area.
With our room being one level down from one of the main areas, we were woken almost every night between 4:00 and 5:00 am to the sound of chairs and tables being dragged across the floor. We learned later on that this was the daytime crew, preparing for service. Nonetheless, it was frustrating.
The temp control worked well in our room. The space was utilized efficiently, so suitcases could be unpacked and stored away, with enough closet and drawer space for all of our belongings.
Dining & Cuisine
Keep in mind that I am very picky about the quality of food. The breakfast buffet has mainly the same selections each day. We had the "Plus" package so we could get fresh orange juice, coffee and bottled water. The juice and fresh coffee were good.
During the lunch buffet, there was always some freshly carved meat. Beef was included one of those days and it was acceptable. When the selection was pork or turkey, it was dry. The pork or poultry in the buffet was almost always dry. I was hoping for good pizza, because the ship sails out of Italy, after all. Although they are making it from scratch, it was bland and didn't satisfy me, so day one was the only time I ate it.
Most of the time, the cocktails that were made were pretty good.
Each night, I ate in the formal dining room. The food there was better than the buffet food, but that was to be expected. It wasn't always up to my standards, but I have high standards.
Entertainment & Activities
I normally don't engage in most activities on cruise ships and sometimes seek out quiet areas of the ship to relax and have dialog with the people I am cruising with. On this ship, it was hard to find quiet areas. The musicians on the ship were quite talented.
Demographics & Atmosphere
Travelers on this ship were mainly older, but there were also some babies and toddlers and always seemed to be near me wherever I sat down, letting out ear piercing shrieks. When the buffets were full, and seating very limited, people got pretty rude. Actually, there was quite a bit of rude behavior in general, at the buffets. I am referring to the passengers and not the staff.
Service & Staff
This is where this cruise line shines. Almost every crew member I encountered was very helpful and polite. I even made a few new friends! I am adding a picture of four badges of crew members I want to give special recognition to, for making the cruise much more enjoyable. I hope the cruise line recognizes them for their outstanding customer service.
Value for Money
Considering the amount spent on this 11-day, 10-night cruise, I believe it was worth it. When you are not spending top dollar on a cruise ship, you really can't expect everything to be high-end. For this reason mainly, I rate this experience a 7 out of 10.