Travel Channel 
Ships Report Archive: August 2011
MSC Poesia
If you fancy a glamorous Mediterranean cruise Italian-style, check out the MSC Poesia, the 9th ship in the MSC fleet. Italian culture definitely dominates onboard with superb Italian themed restaurants and elegant decks all named after Italian poets but the good thing is you don’t need to speak the lingo to enjoy it. You’ll find a good mixture of European and American passengers and all the staff speak English.
Poesia was actually the first ship in the MSC fleet to be officially named outside of Italy and was christened in view of the white cliffs of Dover by Sophia Loren in 2008. A relatively new ship, it offers all the usual facilities you’d expect to find such as swimming pools, spa, theatre and duty free shops but it also features a few surprises - there’s a fabulously well stocked wine tasting bar where you can nibble on authentic Italian antipasti, and a fantastic Japanese restaurant which has received rave reviews for its fresh sushi and sashimi.
The MSC Poesia is stylish and elegant but it won’t burn a hole in your pocket – this is affordable luxury cruising at its best.
Onboard Entertainment & Facilities
- Shuffleboard
- Deck Quoits
- Minigolf
- Tennis
- Yoga
- Jogging track
- Gym
- Children’s playroom
- Teenagers area
- Viideo games room,
- Spa & beauty salon
- Disco
- Karaoke
- Theatre
- Cinema
- Casino
- Library
- Card room
- Art Gallery
- Cigar Room
- Photographer
- Duty Free Shops
- Medical Centre
Food Outlets & Bars
- II Palladio & Le Fontane (2 main restaurants)
- L’Obelisco (A la carte restaurant)
- Villa Pompeiana (Café)
- Kaito Sushi Bar
- Il Grappolo d’Oro (wine tasting)
- Cyber Café 24 (internet café)
- The Hitchcock Lounge (Cigar room, smokers room)
- Le Rendez-Vous Bar
- Bar Smeraldo
- Giada Bar
- Bar dei Poeti (Coffee bar)
- Coral Bay – Pirana Bar (pool bar)
- Cayo Levantado – Mojito Bar (pool bar)
Accommodation
- 1275 cabins – all en suite with air con, TV, telephone, mini bar & safe
- 18 suites with private balcony
- 809 outside cabins with balcony (3 with disabled access)
- 173 outside cabins with porthole (2 with disabled access)
- 275 inside cabins (12 with disabled access)
Ship Stats
- Launched - April 2008
- Crew - 987
- Passengers - 2550
- Passenger Decks - 13
- Lifts - 13
- Gross Tonnage - 93,890 tons
- Length - 2938m
- Beam - 222m
- Speed - 23 knots
Presenter Report
Jasmine Harman - Presenter says...
This was my very first cruise so it was all new to me, but there were three really stand-out factors which contributed to my enjoyment on board MSC Poesia:
Dining was outstanding. Being an Italian ship, you’d expect decent Italian fare, but I wasn’t expecting such flavourful, imaginative and beautifully presented meals. As well as the phenomenal Italian food, I also ate the best sushi I’ve ever had in my life!
The service throughout the ship was spot on, and I felt the staff was not only friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable, but they really seemed to enjoy their jobs.
The spa was first class, with an impressive range of treatments including some divine signature treatments, in a relaxing and luxurious setting. So much so, that whilst other passengers were out exploring Lisbon, or Malaga or Vigo, I was barely able to tear myself away from it!
Itinerary
- Summer months cruises European Waters
- Winter months cruises Caribbean Waters
Producer Report
Ged Cleugh - Producer says...
One of my favourite features of the Poesia was the intimacy of the main dining rooms. There are two of them, but with clever use of curvy walls and partitions, in most areas you feel like you are in a busy decent sized restaurant rather than a cavernous hall.
We were really well looked after by the crew, our waiters were superb. The service and informality was great. By the end of the cruise we certainly felt part of the family. That was a sentiment echoed by lots of other passengers when we asked them why they cruise with MSC.
For big ship lovers I think MSC offers everything you need for a lovely cruise. If you are an English speaker and are worried about the diversity of languages spoken on board, don’t be. If anything I preferred the hum of different nationalities around the ship, it added to a European feel that complemented our ports of call.
And as a quick sign off, sailing into Southampton was great. We were off the ship and back in Central London in a cab in around two hours.
