Beamafar

We’re over the worst, thankfully. And that’s exactly how I felt - at least I didn’t have to face cooking. 👍. And the bed was made up fresh twice a day.

No way will Mr B touch Guinness onboard a ship. It doesn’t travel well.

Our steward told us tonight that there had been 6500 onboard the week before this cruise; lots of kids. He gestured indicating a lot of running up and down the corridors went on. So glad we’re getting off in Genoa, before the Easter holiday crowd get on.

I can see, now, how that read. 🤣🤣🤣 No way does he know where the purse strings are. 🤪

OMG - due to busy maritime traffic and delayed re-fuelling , we’re stuck in this …. port til 10pm. No alcohol will be served til 2 hours after we depart.

Something’s that struck me is that the hot breakfast or dinner (for charge) room service items are not offered here. Can’t remember if they’re only available on US sailings. 🤔 (So funny that I always seem to type IS when attempting to type US 😱).

A 7 night cruise on this ship is not going to be enough - especially in the Med, which is usually port intensive, and some things aren’t open while in port, so you can’t even avail of the quieter ship to get to do stuff. Plus, several embarkation ports throughout the cruise, meaning venues can be closed for the muster drill in the afternoons. As to the no alcohol situation - we have a couple of bottles of bubbly and some beer to tide us over for the afternoon. 😵‍💫🤪

Thanks, CT. Enjoyed following yours. Helped me to look forward to this one.

Thanks! Not in YC on this one. Luckily himself has a good firm grip. However, I only discovered the problem in the middle of the night with a new bottle on the locker and my throat on fire.

@ConnieTact I’ve got the same problem with these as you did 🙄😂

Here’s how we’ve stocked up our minibar We removed the little shelf so we could stand the opened bubbly upright.

Now, if you’d asked me how are we getting on with no alcohol being served today - well …. 🤪😂😂

Not a problem for us. We love being onboard. Wouldn’t care if we never saw land again. 🤣 I remember on our crossing from Brazil, the excursions desk got incredibly busy after a few days at sea; everyone was going stir-crazy and couldn’t wait to get to the next port to get off and feel terra firma beneath their feet. 😁

MSC does NOT arrange visas for this POC

The following will also be relevant

I’m going to post the following screenshot from today’s daily program as a record for those who may book a cruise with Jeddah as a POC.

I’m sure it’ll all be fine - and clear - well before your cruise, SC. There’s always confusion when changes are being made around April. You’re bound to have a wonderful cruise on this amazing ship and I’m sure there will be a lot more reviews when she begins her Med season.

Exactly, SC. Same in Butchers Cut and other venues. I’ve been sticking to my favoured Cicogna rather than chance getting something other than what I order.

Would have went down very nicely with the lamb chops if they’d been any way as tasty as lamb should be. I’m quite partial to a nice Pinotage.

So, as promised, the story behind the MDR change last night (not dramatic/ intriguing, nor even as remotely interesting as I may have made it seem). Because we hadn’t been to the MDR for a couple of nights, I had decided to ring reservations to see if I could reserve the table that we’d enjoyed next to the window (and which others had been enjoying in our absence). This is when I noticed that Aurea were to dine in La Foglia (according to the daily planner, anyway). Well, like the kind-hearted person I aspire to be, I shared this knowledge with several couples I knew were also Aurea guests. Anyway, arrived to the stated MDR at the indicated opening time in the hope of being assigned a favourably situated 2-top. There were a number of people waiting outside, including a couple we’ve befriended. Inside, there was a crew meeting taking place; I assumed it had something to do with instructions re the new Aurea arrangements that were to take place from last night. Anyway, it was almost 6.45 and no sign that the place was going to open soon, so the natives (me, especially) began to get restless. The asst M’D came out and said opening was at 7pm , to which we assured him that the planner clearly stated 6.30. He finally relented and allowed us in. Well, we and our friends entered, hesitated, saw we were not going to be escorted to a table, so we agreed to look for a 4-top and headed for a nicely located one (though it was set for five). A waiter came over, looked at my card and asked if I’d changed tables. Like - what??? We said we’re Aurea and he said we were in the wrong MDR. A head waiter arrived over and we explained the situation. He confirmed we were in the wrong place. At this stage, none of us felt like going up to Bubbles as the best tables would already have been assigned, being opened half an hour earlier. But we couldn’t stay at the table we were at as it was an assigned one, but we were offered 6 seater literally across the aisle, which we gladly took. Another couple who were known to the 4 of us then joined us (they were one of the couples who we’d told earlier that day about “the change”) so we ended up having a very enjoyable dinner together. In the meantime, the m’D came to us and explained that La Foglia had, indeed, been the dedicated Aurea MDR originally and had changed for the crossing, but the person printing the daily planner had just grabbed the info from previous printouts and mistakenly inserted La Foglia instead of Bubbles for last night.

It was brought to my attention yesterday by a fellow guest that bananas are not available on the ship so, when you order a BBC they actually will give you just a BC. 😂

It’s a repo, G. We get what’s onboard and be happy with it!! 🙄🤣 In Butchers Cut, they didn’t have any of the listed wines, so the waiters have to rattle off the list that they do have. No idea what the price per glass is of any. Heard Pinotage and settled for that, making sure that our bill was zero at the end. For all I know, it may even be included in Easy. 🙄 I can’t understand why they can’t print off a supplementary to the menu with what is actually available!!

The included champagne in the Premium package has been Jacquard across most of the bars, (apart from getting Monopoli one time somewhere), SC. That is the replacement in this region for Nicholas Feuillatte (or so I was told). However, I expected to be get something different in the Champagne bar. Otherwise no need to even bother going to a lifeless, entertainment-free venue.

OK - there’s a story around the dining change which I’ll relate tomorrow. We’ve finally made it to the Champagne Lounge. No Landon here; just the champagne we’ve been having everywhere else, Jacquard. Expected to have something different. Isn’t that the whole point of the venue??!! The menu will probably be valid once we get to Genoa and the ship gets stocked (though the prices will probably have increased). I believe it’s been a popular venue up until the repo. Personally I prefer the Mera/Seaside class venue. However, there is an outdoor area which we may give a try. It’s a bit windy outside, tonight.

Well, shiver me timbers. 😂😂😂