To begin with – why exactly “Eastern Tale”. Generally, MSC offers two week-long cruises in the Gulf region – “Eastern Tale” and “Pearls of the Gulf.” “Eastern Tale” attracted, firstly, by Oman. And Oman is a country quite different from all other countries in the region. The fact is that the father of modern Oman – Sultan Qaboos – forbade the construction of buildings taller than mosques. There are no skyscrapers in it! And the result was a country with a very special and unique flavour.
And secondly, this route attracted Hasab, where some snorkelling was expected. Of course, the reef was supposed to be quite different from, say, on the favourite Red Sea, but, nevertheless … it was absolutely impossible to stay on holiday without the underwater world))) .
Touching down on the runway – at 8.40. Around 10am we went through all the procedures and came out with our luggage. Next on the programme we had a transfer from the airport to the cruise terminal – as we took the cruise as a tour package. At the exit from the arrival area we were met by guys with MSC signs who immediately took us to the bus. There were about 10 of us on the big bus. We didn’t wait for anyone else and went straight away.
We were driven straight to the cruise terminal. There we check in, drop off our luggage (which the staff will then bring right under your cabin door), get our cruise cards – this will be your main document on the ship :
By the way, I saw a lot of people boarding the ship in Abu Dhabi. Even saw people boarding in Muscat. It seems you can board the ship at any point on the itinerary – the ship goes round and round anyway. Check this with your travel agent.
Settlement. According to the rules, the cabin must be ready no later than 14.00. But the luggage can be brought much later((. Our luggage was brought just before the ship left, almost at 18.00((( – take it into account.
What do some obscure inscriptions on the card mean?
- Muster Station : V
What is it? Running a little ahead on the chronology of the report. Having checked into the cabin, at 16.00 we went to the meeting with the guide. Then, returning back to the cabin, we watched a safety briefing on TV (in English))). At the end of the briefing there will be a phone number. From the cabin phone you have to call this number and say that cabin so-and-so has watched the briefing. And then you will have to go down to the 6th deck – this deck is where the lifeboats are located. Deck 6 is divided into zones marked with big letters of the Latin alphabet. And you need to go to the zone that is indicated in your card in this line Muster Station. We had, as you can see, zone V. It is in this zone that our lifeboat is located. There will be a member of staff sitting at a table in the area who will tell you that cabin so-and-so knows where her lifeboat is.
The next inscription on the cruise card is DECK 9 Norma. This is the number of the deck where our cabin is located. The decks are named after Italian operas (the ship is called Opera for nothing))). Our deck 9 was named after an opera by Vincenzo Bellini.
9143 is our cabin number
Dinning: La Caravella AFT
Table:477 Seating:19.00
This is the name of the La Caravella restaurant we are attached to – there are two of them on the ship. La Caravella is located on deck 5. 477 is the number of the table to which you are assigned. Dinner time – 19.00 Dinner time you choose yourself when booking the cruise – 19.00 or 21.00, I think. But I’ve seen some other times in reviews – 18.30 and 20.30. They can change from flight to flight.
So, the cards were received. At 11.30 we were already on the ship. The cabin was promised to be ready by 14.00. Knowing this, we took our swimming costumes with us and settled down on the sunbeds of sunbathing deck 11. Those who didn’t take swimming costumes with them – settled down on sunbeds directly in travelling clothes, or just wandered along the decks.
Now I can already say that it makes sense to periodically check the readiness of your cabin even earlier than 14.00. At the end of the cruise, on the day of check-out, I observed already at 8-9 am new arrivals in travelling clothes, but already with cabin towels. So their cabins were ready at 8-9am! Here everything will depend on when the previous guests left and when the cleaner will clean the cabin.
By the way, swimming costumes to take with you on the day of arrival is good also because, for example, you can easily get into the Jacuzzi on the sunbathing deck. When the cruise starts, getting into these jacuzzis will be problematic – there’s a whole queue for them, led by a local employee. And on the day of arrival (or departure, if a late departure) – beauty)), you will be completely alone.
There, on deck 11 you can already have lunch on the buffet.
The cabin, as I have already said, will be ready by 14.00. At 16.00 there is a meeting with the guide in the theatre room. Then, as I said, a briefing on TB, and descent to the dinghies.
I don’t remember exactly, but boarding the ship ends at about 18.00. Or even 17.30? Who can’t get to the ship earlier – find out exactly when the boarding closes.
Now let’s walk around the ship. In general, where what is on the ship, schemes of decks so well and in detail are described in the previous review on “Eastern Tale” from the user Galina, then I can not stop at this point, and immediately go to
Food
)). The food outlets start at 6.00am and finish at 1.30am. You can have breakfast-lunch-dinner in buffets, and you can have it in restaurants – who likes it)).
In general, when you hear the word “Buffet” you immediately associate it with our railway station eateries)). Please do not be frightened – on the ship buffet is called what in hotels is called “buffet”. The buffets are located on both sides of Deck 11.
The restaurants are on Decks 5 and 6. Our Caravelle is on the 5th.
The burning question immediately arises – what to choose, a restaurant or a buffet?)) Where is better?))) Having studied the reviews, I came to the conclusion that it is better to have breakfast and lunch in the buffets – there is more choice. But some people like to have breakfast and lunch in the restaurant – it’s up to you. And, of course, it is not forbidden to go immediately after the restaurant to the buffet (or vice versa) – aby forces were))).
Since restaurants charge for all drinks, you can go up to the buffets for tea/coffee afterwards.
And on our last evening we decided to go to the buffet for dinner – I don’t remember why. Apparently, for a change. And what do you think)). We come to the buffet for dinner, look, and you know – we even started to regret that we went to the restaurant)))). Firstly, in the buffet you could see some of the exact same dishes that we ordered in the restaurant. And secondly…
However, now, reviewing the photos, I wanted to go to the restaurant again)). So you see, the choice of where to go for dinner – restaurant or buffet – is not easy)). You can easily find yourself in the position of Buridan’s donkey)). I think if we happen to be cruising again, we’ll have to combine somehow)).
Now let’s see what the buffets have to offer.
It all starts at 6am with the early birds breakfest in the IL Patio buffet.
Then at 6.30am the main breakfast starts. Long spreads stretch along both sides of Deck 11, and converge aft. First the buffet opens on one side, after some time – on the other. The basic assortment on the port and starboard sides is basically the same. But it’s better to walk on both sides.)) – I sometimes found something on one side that was not on the other side))).
For breakfast in the buffet is offered, of course, scrambled eggs. And it is not fried in front of you, as in hotels, but brought out already ready. Well, it is clear, the space on the ship is limited after all. Then – everything that is supposed for breakfast: omelettes, oatmeal porridge, cereals.
We got out that day to sunbathe quite late – about 11 o’clock. We went round the 11th deck – there are no free sunbeds((. Not at all. We went up to the 12th – the same effect((. We could hardly find two free sunbeds, and in different places(((. And only closer to 12, when people began to move closer to buffets and restaurants, the family reunion took place))).
The weather favoured sunbathing, as we can see on the photo – the sky was clear, the sun was shining, there was almost no wind. And such clear and sunny weather was all 7 days of our trip.
The water in pools on the ship is overboard and is not heated. That is, it is quite cool – the water in the Persian Gulf in February has not yet warmed up. On the stand the water temperature in the pools was stated as 23 degrees centigrade. I doubt that. I’m pretty sure they’re lying. 21 degrees, well, maybe 22 from force – and that is unlikely.
The animation team entertained people to the full, and did it very professionally, especially the main host. There and charging, and learning all sorts of dances, and all sorts of games. The team was Italian, so everything was either in Italian or in English.
