Starlight Cruises

We booked a trip on the MSC website from Durban to Portuguese Islands and we bought the drinks voucher online as well. The boarding process is a little long and it does get tiring following queue after queue. All documentation needs to be checked and verified so it can get tedious especially if your party included young children. Once on board, we were ushered into the savanna lounge to pick up our drinks vouchers, take pictures and then it was off to the suites to freshen up/rest after following the long queues. Once on board, you may visit any of the lounges, have a meal at the buffet, swim or relax poolside ie. if you can find an available lounger as it fills up rather quickly. The suites are very comfortable as we upgraded ours to include a balcony. Fresh towels daily are available on request from housekeeping and the suites are cleaned upon your request. You may have your breakfast and lunch at the buffet which contains a large variety of food and you may dine at your allocated restaurant and time slot for dinner. We were at ibiscus restaurant for the sit down dinner, the meal portions are rather small but you may order multiple times. The food was not very good as it was under seasoned and overcooked. The waiter forgot to bring some of our meals and I was not impressed by this particular place. We opted for breakfast at la piazetta as the buffet was filled to capacity and it would have gone past breakfast time if we waited in line. This was a sit down breakfast and it was of a menu so it was delicious and stress free. You have to be up rather early by 7am to collect the tickets to board the boats to the Portuguese islands. Numbers are called in batches and the boat ride to the island is quick. Dress in your beach wear as you are dropped off in shallow water and have to walk to the shaded area in the sand. The island is gorgeous and we had a fantastic day. Lunch is provided by MSC but the lines are lengthy so get in early. Take some cash along as the locals do sell some momentous. There is a half hour theatre show onboard every evening for entertainment. There is also a kids game room on board but you have to pay to make use of it. There are various bars and lounges at the upper deck at the pool but if you don’t consume alcohol then there’s not much in way of entertainment. Drinks packages include cocktails, mocktails, sodas and ice cream. We did have a fantastic time on our trip but disembarking wasn’t so efficient as our bags were mislaid and we had to wait for someone to go back on board to locate it so I suggest you don’t check in your luggage but rather take it along with you. We checked in our luggage and as a result waited from 8am you have to vacate the suite by this time to 1pm to disembark which was rather frustrating. This was a lovely cruise and I will definitely rebook.

What an unforgettable experience on the MSC ORCHESTRA. Excellent staff, waiters and a beautiful boat. Will recommend it to everybody

One of the worst experiences I’ve ever had in my life. The embarkment and disembarking was awful. We had to wait in the queues for nearly 4 hrs with no water or place or sit. When we arrived back at the port we had to get out with our luggage and walk in the RAIN with no assistance about 1km to immigration. The lack of entertainment and same food was boring. It was overcrowded offering no dining seats to sit a lot of the times. Poor service and no thought gone into creating great customer service. They try to steal your money at every corner of the boat too. The “all inclusive” is a scam too. Please save your money and enjoy your holiday elsewhere.

A great experience for the whole family… The vessel is humongous, lots of entertainment onboard. The alcoholic drinks seemed to have been diluted .. I didn’t like the food… The overall experience was fairly good. We were fortunate in that our booking was upgraded , priority boarding and a suite, much bigger than the std rooms. Would I do it again? Different destination maybe? No.

Msc Orchestra portuguese Island .. first timer on a cruise and I must say it was so amazing .. booked on msc website .. bought prepaid drink packages which is discounted . Did not wait in long queues to check in on the ship .. was done within 10 minutes .. helpful reception if you require any info .. the on board staff are friendly and always ready to help. Orchestra has 15 decks in total. Deck 13 is the entertainment area that has two variety buffets open breakfast,lunch and dinner.. msc in house coffee and water at la piazetta and 4 seasons ristorante are complimentary 24 hours open. There are two bars in deck 13 , deck 5 and 6 have sit in buffets with selected menu to choose from.. there is also a speciality restaurant called Shanghai for a thai experience.. which is 28 dollars per a person ..plenty of bars and lounges to choose from.. one thing for sure .. you will not go hungry on this cruise. I chose the fantastica experience .. my room was cleaned twice a day.. clean towels , clean sheets .. msc has set a standard.. really amazing experience.. bravo Msc

The MCS Sinfonia food was below BELOW average! Such a pity because the members of crew are absolutely phenomenal but the food is a shocker. From deck 11 to the formal dining it’s all not good. Not even talking bout spices and herbs but just even salt and pepper. A lot of the food was under cooked or over cooked and bland. From leathery bacon, blue steak, flavourless desserts, watery eggs, burnt hashbrowns and so much more! The wait for the food isn’t even worth the food that one gets so just end up got to get pizza or chips to at least get some food in one’s stomach. Very disappointing and dissatisfying!

MSC CRUISES SOUTH AFRICA is the most AMAZING cruise line in South Africa. I highly recommend any of their cruises, specifically the cruise to POMENE in Mozambique. This is a four night five day cruise & you are guaranteed a fantastic time. BOOK AND CRUISE WITH CONFIDENCE Putting the safety of our guests and crew first with MSC’s leading protocol ALL GUESTS AND CREW VACCINATED AND TESTED Booking flexibility MSC Cruises FLEXIBLE BOOKING CHANGES Peace of mind PEACE OF MIND BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE CRUISE Full experience MSC Cruises A FULL EXPERIENCE TO MAKE YOUR CRUISE SAFE & ENJOYABLE ABOUT MSC CRUISES Only the Sea, Only MSC After 300 years at sea, MSC Cruises knows the treasures that lie off the beaten path. Our cruises are designed to enrich, delight and create unforgettable emotions. Our well-travelled crew members are ready to help you uncover the best-kept secrets of each new destination. We have a passion for the sea and a commitment to excellence in hospitality, mastering all the details that make each cruise a unique experience while respecting the sea and the environment. Embark on a world of discovery with MSC Cruises MSC CRUISES We had the pleasure of cruising on the Musica to POMENE where we did an outreach to the community of Dignity Dreams Washable Sanitary wear as well as toiletries, clothing, stationery for the school & much much more. #TheAfricanQueenFoundation #AfricanBeautyQueensOfSubstance #PageantsSA #AfricaPageants #MozambiqueOutreachPomene #DignityForAll #MscOrchestra #ThePowerOfTheSash #TheReal #TheAuthentic #SheIsAfrica #PageantsSA #MissJnrSA #MrJnrSA #MissUniversalSA #MrUniversalSA #SirSA #MrAfrica #SirAfrica #MissAfrica #MsAfrica #MsAfricaElite #MrsAfrica #MrsAfricaClassic #QueenOfAfrica #African QueenAmbassador #TheAfrican QueenFoundation #ThisIsMe

The Aurea experience on MSC Orchestra Walvis Bay 07/04 - 11/04 was awesome! Please do ensure that you have knowledgeable people at queuing / luggage drop off points; we almost missed out on priority embarkation due to lack thereof. Call centre agent Rozanne Swart was consistently patient, professional and helpful. The cruise itself was great and the staff was helpful. I was promptly assisted with my seasickness for example. Minor annoyances here and there, but not dealbreakers. The spa was a mixed bag. I got my mani / pedi in a freezing cold room. My massage therapist’s friendly facade dropped when she realised I wouldn’t be buying any products - in spite of the fact that we had booked 8 treatments between my husband and I - can’t describe how awfully rude she became. Pity I forgot her name; I would definitely put it on here. The cruise was overall a worthwhile experience though.

Leaving Durban harbor on the majestic Sinfonia was an experience of a lifetime. Your baggage is checked In just before customs and is delivered to your cabin door. We had the balcony room that offered spectacular views. As I have been in many 5 star hotels I must admit that the interior and trimmings of this ship beats most of those hotels. There is ample food and drinks available pre buy a beverage coupon There are easy kiosks at check in to add a credit card and load your room key with credit Entertainment is ongoing and the shows on the evening excellent. There are qualified teachers to look after kids. A very modern gym to burn of a few calories or take a walk around the deck and enjoy the sea air and gorgeous views. I would suggest taking - meds before the trip for sea sickness as it’s not easy walking in a straight line due to the ships movement over the waves rooms are almost completely sound proof. Staff are extremely helpful and friendly. Remember to leave a tip for the cabin staff that do a excellent job of ensuring your room is clean complimentary turn down service pool is filled daily with sea water and emptied at night. Night life from jazz lounge to disco is awesome. During the day courses are offered for free in the massive lounges eg foldimg napkins or just fun shows for the entire family. Safety is paramount with MSC ‼‼

It was a good experience on the Orchestra until a worker bypassed our door and entered whilst the " DO NOT DISTURB" was in the door. Do not disturb means do not disturb. Speak about feeling violated. I asked him to leave and he proceeded to atay in the room. I spoke to the supervisor who did not make any effort to get back to me.