Since our visit to MSC Magnifica last year and the changes to the MSC Voyagers Club (with the introduction of a Loyalty Match Program) we have been tempted to book a cruise with MSC and get a taste of ‘Mediterranean style’ cruising.
A few weeks ago MSC announced they were offering cruises with a departure in Belgium, which is a first for a major cruiseline. In September 2016 MSC Splendida will offer three 7-night roundtrip cruises departing in Zeebrugge and one 13-night cruise to Genua, Italy.
MSC was offering this cruise at a promotional rate so we immediately decided to jump on this opportunity and, together with a group of friends and relatives, booked our balcony cabins for the September 15 departure.
A few days later we got our rooms assigned. Curious about the location, and even more the interior of the cabins, we went online to check them out.
From the pictures on MSC’s website we can see that the cabins are decorated with shades of red and brown, giving the stateroom an overal warm feeling. The minimal use of gold and brass coloured elements adds a splash of luxury.
We were surprised to find out one of the assigned rooms is adapted for guests with disabilities. One of the differences is that the bathroom has a more open design. Furthermore there are no steps and most of all, judging from the deckplan, the room appears to be larger than the other balcony staterooms. The pictures on the website show the room to have a predominant yellow and brown coloursheme. I guess we can live with those differences…
The bathrooms are in strong contrast to the cabins. In both cases they are disappointingly completely white.
Judging from the pictures, the cabins onboard MSC Splendida are totally different from the staterooms we have cruised in before. There is a striking difference between American and European designed cruise ships. And in this case I have to say the Italians do it better…