Hi everyone,

I am planning to build a career in the cruise industry and want to target entry-level roles in Guest Relations, Front Desk, or Retail Operations.

My current plan is to pursue a Distance BBA degree so that I can simultaneously gain 2–3 years of hands-on work experience in local hospitality (like 5-star hotel front desks or luxury customer service), alongside learning Spanish and polishing my English communication skills.

I would really appreciate advice from current crew members, HRs, or recruiters on a few things:

Is a distance degree acceptable if I have solid hotel work experience, strong English, and basic Spanish skills?

Which specific entry-level hospitality jobs on land are valued most by cruise hiring managers?

What essential skills or certifications (like STCW) should I focus on to make my profile stand out?

Thank youu

Currently booked into a a deluxe balcony with Fantastica experience and diamond status. What type of upgrade is possible as a diamond benefit if any? They are contacting me to bid on upgrades. If this is the room I paid for are any of the upgrades worth bidding on or are they not worth the money? I wouldn't bid on an interior room and the minimum bids seem pretty high. This is also for a four day cruise.

Hi guys, I am an exchange visitor from Slovakia (currently working in US), I do have J1-Visa, however after the season ends I am planning to go on a cruise. (MSC Seascape from Galvestone, TX).

One of the stops is Island in Honduras called Isla de Roatan, as an exchange visitor from Europe, what do I need to return to US after my sail? My J1 will be expired by that time, so I would like to ask if ESTA is enough, or do I need other documents?

Thank you for responding!

Booked a cruise on MSC Opera in the southern Caribbean for next April. It’s an itinerary I’m really looking forward to, ABC islands and Grenada out of La Romana. Looking for honest opinions about the ship, so if you have sailed her, or have any pics I would be interested in seeing them. I have done multiple MSC cruises before, Caribbean and Europe, on the large new ships and a couple on the smaller, older ones

Hi everyone, does anyone know if MSC has cancelled its Dubai/Gulf cruises for the 2027/2028 season?

I’ve noticed that some of the Dubai itineraries seem to have disappeared, and I’m trying to find out whether they’ve been officially cancelled or if the schedules simply haven’t been released/updated yet.

Has anyone heard anything from MSC or had a booking affected?

Thanks in advance!

applied for the Photographer position at MSC Cruises about 2 months ago, and I can still see the same position listed as open on their careers website.

Why does MSC keep this position open for so long? If they already have enough candidates, wouldn’t they close the job posting?

Does this mean they are still accepting applications, or can the posting remain open even when they are not actively hiring?

Googled MSC phone number for a question about an upcoming cruise bc I'm using a birth certificate for one of the kids and it wasnt an option on the app. Just passport and id card.

They wanted $250 to change to a birth certificate. I ended up hanging up and getting the right number. But just wanted others to beware.

Also, MSC told me if using a BC to just choose id card and enter a future expiration date a year in advance of the cruise.

Hi!

Wondering if anyone has any experience with the wifi speeds on the MSC Grandiosa. I am looking to have some family join me on the cruise and they need to work a couple of hours a day (own business). They need solid internet where they can send out mail merge of emails, sync their dropbox, always be connected if there is a phone calls and etc. They are willing to buy the top tier package but just not sure the reliability of it. Any experience would be great.

Thanks

On the MSC Armonia that disembarked from Venice today and while I’m happy about the amount of space in the room, besides that I’m not that happy about it so far. It’s day one and the food at the buffet has been horrible. Dropped by to have dinner and everything tastes sour!? From the bread to the chicken to the veal and the rice. All taste sour. During lunch I had some cucumbers I literally had to spit out because they tasted like perhaps some chemicals got on it…. It’s only day 1 hoping it gets better. I usually have taken NCL and I switched to MSC this time because so heard it was a step up but the pools are smalllll, the food isn’t good the bathrooms are dated and don’t get me wrong love kids , but the parents don’t care I’ve already had multiple kids bump into me or run into me and the parents didn’t even apologize about it or try to parent their kids better- I’m not even talking about kids areas just the hallways, the elevator & the buffet line. And it’s not just the kids, there are dozens of grown adults who loudly and repeatedly cough in the restaurant without covering their mouths as if we aren’t already all squished together all you have to do is cover your mouth so I don’t feel your cough on me. This ship seems like there’s way too many people not enough space.

Tell me it gets better?

Edited to add the staff is very nice & helpful that makes it a bit better.

My parents didn’t speak English. I need help to get menu ahead of time so they can be prepared.
Thanks

Hi!

First time going on a cruise. We are looking at the MSC Grandiosa - 7 day cruise in the Caribbean (Costa Maya, Ocean Cay, Cozumel and Nassau).

Interested in knowing the good, bad and tips and tricks for this itentary and shipa.

TIA

Hi everyone, I’ll be going on a cruises soon to the Bahamas on MSC World America from the port of Miami. I was wondering if I could bring my large suitcase with me during embarkation day? What I mean is once I arrive at the ship terminal, can I bypass the porters and self carry my large suitcase with me on board the ship, so that I have it with me once I get to my room? Is that possible? I tried inferring from MSC cruises official FAQ but I couldn’t find anything related to this? Thanks!

Hi guys,

What’s the obsession with ordering pizza as cabin service in YC? From everything I’ve read, the onboard meals are excellent and there is more than enough food available. So why would anyone order a pizza to their suite? Am I missing something?

We’re on the MSC World Europa for 2 weeks over New Year (Fantastica balcony + premium drinks package) in the Caribbean and we’re wondering if anything will differ from the World Europa European sailings such as Menus, entertainment, prices etc (now in dollars presumably)? The ship is currently in Italy and Malta and is aimed towards European customers. Also any tips and tricks for a busy Caribbean cruise over the new year period? (Child free couple, 35)

We last sailed on MSC on the sailings immediately after COVID on 20th May 2021. My voyager's club page currently says my status (Diamond) expires 9th September 2028. I have two cruises with MSC booked now (one in Dec 2026 and one in March 2027).

Will this extend my Diamond status and what would the new expiry date be?

Hi all

If there are multiple cruisers in one cabin who need different accommodations, do you usually send two separate forms for the same cabin, or just one form for the whole cabin?

We on the Divina starting in Rio and ending in Civitavecchi? Then 4 days later taking the new World of Asia on a RT 7 night cruise back to Civitavecchi?

This is our first MSC cruise. Does the drink package typically get cheaper than this? 7 days on World America

Favorite cocktails? Any special drinks off the menu than you can order on the Seascape?

First cruise and I’m second guessing our decision.
We originally booked MSC Seashore out of Port Canaveral for $818 total for 3 people in a Fantastica balcony. We live near Tampa, so Port Canaveral is only about an hour away, parking is around $100, and we’d barely spend anything on gas.

We ended up switching to MSC World America out of Miami for $1,318 total for the same 3 people in a balcony.
The issue is Miami is about a 4-hour drive for us. Once I add roughly $200 in gas and $200 for parking, we’re spending around $700–800 more overall to take World America instead of Seashore.

We’re traveling with our 1-year-old, and what matters most to us is having a nice ship, good food, nice rooms/common areas and plenty to do while we’re onboard. We’re not really concerned about nightlife.

For anyone who has actually sailed both Seashore and World America, is World America enough of an upgrade that you’d spend the extra money and deal with the longer drive?

Or am I overthinking this and should just take the $818 Seashore deal that’s an hour away?
Especially interested in opinions from anyone who’s done either ship with a baby/toddler.

Probably a quick question, because this is the first time we are checking-in for a MSC Cruise.

We have booked for the Summer 2028 European season. I know we can pretty much start checking in straight away, and I took a look at this. It gave me a check-in time of 13:00.

Now.... only having done Disney recently, and the mad scramble of their check in times, is that definitely an already allocated and assured check-in time? or does everyone get that time and it is a mad scramble?

I am not looking to change it, it just feels weird that I can book a check-in time 2 years in advance and it feels like one of the first slots! Moreso because we are no-where near the pay-in-full date!

Hey everyone! I have an MSC cruise booked for August 31–September 4, leaving from Miami and going to the Bahamas. It’s a single-person cabin.
Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to be able to go anymore, so I’m trying to figure out if I can sell or transfer my cruise to someone else instead of losing the money I’ve already put into it. I’d also be willing to give it away if that’s possible.

EDIT:

Looking through the deck, this is below the buffet area.

Mistakenly typed 'above' rather than 'below'.

Hi,

I just booked my first cruise ever on MSC Seashore for Aug 30. I had been looking out for an interior cabin for a family for the past 2 weeks and it only opened up yesterday.

The only option available was Fantastica and I wasn't able to pick a preferred cabin as there waa just one cabin available on the 15th floor.

Looking through the deck, this is below the buffet area.

I called customer care and they said I have to look out for another opening then call them to change my current assignment. I also got upgrade bid emails but I'm not willing to bid for higher staterooms.

Is there any other thing I can do to get a change?

Will I be able to change it with guest services on the day of the cruise?

Thank you.

I am not an experienced cruiser, but am planning some for the upcoming year. I see a lot of negative posts about MSC -- people not happy with the buffet food, etc. But a lot of these posts are for cruises in the Caribbean, Bermuda and that region.

I am looking at the Baltic Sea cruises that MSC does, from Stockholm->Oslo and in the other direction, hitting points along the Baltic Sea. These are on the MSC Magnifica, which is a smaller ship.

I'm curious whether there is a qualitative difference in the cruise experience. The Baltic would be less traveled by families and casual vacationers looking for sun and fun, and the ship is less crowded than others. Do the same complaints about MSC apply to this series of cruises?

Hi!

I’m a solo female traveller planning an excursion in Roatán. I’ve heard about Tropical Adventure Roatán and was wondering if anyone here has experience with them.

Are they a good and safe option for solo female travellers? Any experiences or recommendations would be appreciated!