I'm a first time cruiser booked on the MSC Musica cruise itinerary Venice-Bari-Katakolon-Izmir-Istanbul-Dubrovnik October 2006.

Does anyone have any advice about what a newby should expect on this cruise, and does anyone have any suggestions about what to do in these ports? Should I take the shore excursions, or do the towns on my own? I'll be spending 3 days in Florence and 3 days in Venice on the way there, so if you have any advice about those cities as well I'd appreciate it.

Hallo Bill,
first congratulations for deciding to take a cruise, second welcome here to the cruise-chat. In this chat you will find all answers to your questions.
So: You want to stay at Venice for some days. Than got to "Port Hotels an Transports" in this chat, click on the icon "FIND", write "Venice" and submit. You will have a lot of answers. If you find no answer for yourself, please ask me. So I can give you some hints for a cheap hotel and so on.
The Ports. Do it same was. Go to "Europe port chat" and look for your believed port. Tom Ogg has a list of ports with excellent advices.
Venice you can visit by your own. Bari: stay on the ship. Katakolon: take a taxi to Olympia. Istanbul: take a guided tour. Dubrovnic: Your ship will tender you to the ancient port. From there you can go around the marvellous city. There are a lot of hints here in the forum. Tale the tool "FIND".
Have a nice first cruise. I did this route with my family in 2004...
Regards
Uwe

@ Bill,
to help you a little bit, here is alink to VENICE hotel:
http://cruise-chat.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2541070261/m/5681095761
REgards
Uwe

Thanks, Uwe, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

One other thing, I haven't been on a cruise before, and I don't know if I want to spend two weeks dragging my formal clothes around Europe. If I don't bring my tux, and have meals on the formal nights in one of the other dining rooms, am I going to be missing an important part of the experience?

Hi Bill,
it might not be jeans on a formal dinner, but you do not need a tux. With a dark suit you are very well dressed on formal evenings. Sure, there are some guys that wear a tux, but I have more fingers on my two hands than men wear tux´.
Fore other evenings a lounge jacket and dark ore white trousers are very fine. For this events take a scarf with you.
Any other hints? Please ask.
Regards
Uwe

Hi,

I don't know how long you will be staying in Izmir but here are a few suggestions.
1)If you like eating fish, I suggest that you go to Deniz Restaurant. It is an expensive restaurant but quite delicious. Balik Pisiricisi is an alternative to Deniz Restaurant and it is cheaper.
Both restaurants are on 1. Kordon. 15 to 20 minutes of walking from where the ferry stops. If you need more detailed info. on what to eat in a Turkish fish restaurant, please le me know.
2)I suggest that you see the ephesus ancient city and theater. First ancient Greek and then changed to Roman styleby the Romans. It is more than an hour of you drive, maybe 70 - 80 minutes.
Have a great time.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Door:
I'm a first time cruiser booked on the MSC Musica cruise itinerary Venice-Bari-Katakolon-Izmir-Istanbul-Dubrovnik October 2006.

Does anyone have any advice about what a newby should expect on this cruise, and does anyone have any suggestions about what to do in these ports? Should I take the shore excursions, or do the towns on my own? I'll be spending 3 days in Florence and 3 days in Venice on the way there, so if you have any advice about those cities as well I'd appreciate it.

There is no cruise reviews avaiable from the Musica yet, so if anybody has travelled with MSC Musica, you are very welcome to write a cruise-review from your trip!

I really want to know how the ship is like =)

HI,
look here:
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=397130

Regards
Uwe

quote:

Originally posted by Uwe:
HI,
look here:
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=397130

Regards
Uwe

Thanks for the link

quote:

Originally posted by JuniorCruiser:
There is no cruise reviews avaiable from the Musica yet, so if anybody has travelled with MSC Musica, you are very welcome to write a cruise-review from your trip!

I really want to know how the ship is like =)

Hi JuniorCruiser,

just back from MSC MUSICA I can only say wow.

It's nothting for someone who needs
1st class food
Las Vegas/Broadway/Westend Entertainment

But if you like
a great crew (very nice staff)
very nice staterooms
a nice ship
Riverdance/Cirque Soleil/The Three Tenors/Moulin Rouge-Entertainment
Italian antipasta and great desserts
very international surrounding

you will like this ship.

Currently there problems with the appearance and presentation of warm meals in the main restaurants. But Douglas Ward was on board - I am sure he can move something with MSC.

In the alternative dining venues you get great meals. Everything fits: quality, quantity, appearance and presentation.

I really loved the ship and the crew.

If I get a good offer for MSC MUSICA again - would I book again: maybe yes.

If I get a good offer for MSC ORCHESTRA again - would I book again: yes - because most of the crew will be transferred from MSC MUSICA for the inaugural season of the the new flagship MSC ORCHESTRA - and the crew is great. Just to sse them all again - I would love to.

Do you speak German:

Visit the German part - you will find a lot of pics here.

Regards,
HeinBloed