Micheb5

I have a few questions, if I may. But first a big Thanks Jim for all your effort in putting together your review. Thank you for posting the downloads - I am one of those who wants to know before hand and have been looking for the dailies!! Yeah!! That was a lot of extra work and I hope others know and appreciate how thorough you are!

Seeing as some of these you many not have participated in I appreciate if anyone else reading this review can comment.

Shopping- noticed lots of specials and sales in the shops. Do they have a $10 T-shirt sale one day, didn't see that one.

Activities- Mini Golf and Mega Jenga? What is this? Do they have something they roll out to play on deck for mini golf, do they have a life size Jenga game or is it a Jenga tournament? What is Gone in 60 seconds? Is it a game?

Arts & Crafts - is there a charge for this?

Dining - On your daily programs it looks like there was only one Elegant night. Maybe someone can let me know if there are in fact 2 each sailing and which nights they are on. Was there an Italian night, what night was it?

Love your video's on Youtube. My family and I have enjoyed a lot of them, and learned a lot in the process! Thanks again.

We were on the Jan. 06 sailing of Seaside. We booked lunch in Butcher's Cut on a sea day, but there was no mention of any possibility for brunch.

 

I am happy to report that we really enjoyed our lunch! We had the "Dining Experience" since we are Black Card holders, and we had an amazing shrimp cocktail (the biggest shrimp I have ever seen and delicious), an amazing Filet Mignon (cooked perfectly, and very tender), and I had chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert while my DH had cheesecake with strawberries.

 

I have read reviews here where others have not had a good experience, but ours was great!

Thanks! Yum, all sounds delicious. I know you said you had a special as Black card holders, was it just a special event maybe and not normally available to anyone else? For anyone else who wants to have lunch there do you know if it is the same as the dinner menu and a la carte pricing, or do they have a smaller lunch portion menu?

Has anyone done this or have info on it. I believe it would only be on sea days. Times/cost/menu?

Adults only. No-one has had to pay extra for kids. They still get the same drinks included.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Forums mobile app

Thanks!

It was changed to a Sea day. The crew scrambled to change the program for the day. Some of the staff who get to go ashore must have been sad as well to have lost their time off.

Seaside is great so far. Some of the earlier complaints discussed on cruise critic have already been addressed, although there are still plenty of problems to sort out. We are here for two weeks so I will have a better opinion towards the end of our cruise late next week. One irritant is having the bowling alley one floor above our MDR. You can hear the bowling balls being rolled down the lane. We have asked to be moved to the other MDR for next week. When I complained I was told I was not the only one to raise the issue. The only solution I can see is for the bowling lanes to close during dinner. I would assume if MSC gets enough complaints they will do something.

Hope you do a review, looking forward to it. If you can post pics of your menus and daily programs that would be awesome. Quite a few people on CC are looking for recent ones, myself included. Enjoy the rest of your time on board!

Good tip, we are thinking of booking photo package and the tour so I will do that over the phone.

Seaside could not anchor in the Cayman Islands today as the port authority cancelled tender boating for safety reasons I.e. big waves.

Ah, sorry you missed a port, did you do another port or extra sea day? How are you liking the Seaside? I am looking out the window at snow coming down and rather be on vacation.:D:cool:

I just did this on 01-26-18. I'm on the Seaside on 02-24-18 and booked through a TA but called MSC USA myself. I explained what I wanted to do and the phone agent was clueless. I kindly asked her to ask her supervisor--she did--and when she got back to me she said "I learned something new today".

 

Line Item #1: Mealtime Drink Package Upgrade to Classic: $199.50 p/p for the week. "OBS Upgrade 734 - 534".

 

Line Item #2: Classic to Deluxe: $56 p/p for the week. "OBS 534 - 536"

 

Basically, what MSC did was subtract $18.50 p/p per day from the Deluxe package price. .

Thank you! This sounds like exactly what I need. We also have a 12 year old. From what I am reading she will also have to be upgraded or does it only apply to the adults?

I know you want info on the MSC tour but I'll give my input anyway. I've done the tour before with Moby Dick and they are great. It is an excellent experience. We are going to Sting Ray City with them again in Feb when on Seaside. I would highly recommend that operator.

Thanks! I have read good things about them and have seen some great videos posted of the experience. I usually book with outside companies as I can do my research and know exactly what I am getting! Booking with the cruise line I am not sure who they are booking with and if it will be a good experience, crowded, etc. This time I have people with me who are more comfortable with the security of booking with the ship. I was trying to see if someone who has been could give me feedback so I feel comfortable with the ship tour. :confused:

Have fun on Seaside next month, hope you have a great experience. We are going in March.

Has any one taken this tour? How did you like it? Specifically looking for people who booked with MSC, not with an independent tour.

If you try once and they say no, just thank them and try again. I called the first time and asked. First was told can't be done except on ship, then was told oh sorry don't know how. Called back and was told as long as the option is available to click on their view of the booking it can be done pre-cruise, but many newer agents don't know they have to click through to a certain page to see it. She clicked through and I was able to pay via credit card over the phone.

 

If you've added a picture and paid in full for your cruise you should get an email confirmation with your cruise documents attached. It will list upgrade from Classic 534 to Deluxe 536 on the documents. Or at least this happened for us. We weren't even within the 20 day pre-cruise limit. I thought that was very efficient. :)

Thanks TravelinGert! I will try again. I do have my travel documents so I will take a look through those. I am trying to see if I can upgrade from Meal time to Classic so we shall see. When I log on

Interested to hear more about your experience!

Yes my info was from the US. Site. What a way to mix us all up! Different offers for different countries? What a wild ride.

Thanks, I did find a thread a while back stating people did this for $399 per couple. I will try calling again, seems you always get a different answer when you call MSC. Something I read also said ask for Beverage Agent. I thought, really they have a beverage agent? But I am willing to ask. In the end meal time drinks plus our 12 drink vouchers is probably good enough.

This post from Travellingert might help. I copied it from another forum topic. Not my words/find.

Saw what to me was a bit of an update to this on Facebook. The zip line charge is being rolled in with the fun pass. So for example if you buy the pay $25 for $30 worth fun pass you can try the $10 Cinema, $10 F1, and $10 zip line for just $25 spend. This may not suit everyone but for me it makes it seem a bit more reasonable.

Edit to add in the picture I saw:

Okay, I'm interested to hear what you have to say.

Anyone know how this would work if I wanted to upgrade from Mealtime drinks to the Classic? Can I call and ask for UPGRADE734-534? Previously, I saw a picture in someone's review, of an upgrade sign posted at a bar on board with prices to upgrade your package. I called to see if I could do this ahead of time. Rather pay now and know it is taken care of . The MSC rep said I could not upgrade it at all. Is that because it was a booking bonus or because he just don't know what to do? If I gave a code maybe it could be done?

Any thoughts?

Hi Suzieanna, are you sure it is all inclusive drinks and not mealtime drinks? The current promotion on MSC's website is $50 OBC, wifi and meal time drinks with a balcony cabin. We booked this in a Fantastica cabin and it looks to be the same. I just copied this from the website.

Balcony Staterooms: $50 shipboard credit per stateroom + WiFi + mealtime drink package

That includes wine, beer, water and soft drinks at the posted lunch and dinner times in the main dining rooms and buffets. Fantastica cabins also get the 12 drink vouchers pp (good any time and most anywhere) as mentioned previously. If you are Bella you can still choose your Bella cabins, they are usually the ones the cruise ship deems less desirable - but you still have a balcony for a good price. You do not have room service (at all or maybe for a charge you do, not exactly sure on that). If your cruise is fully booked you may be eating dinner in the Marketplace restaurant that is converted to a 3rd dining room at dinner time, but you will have the same food and your same table/wait staff like everyone else.

If you do have All Inclusive beverages thrown in, perhaps that is a perk from an outside travel agent? As long as you like the price and know what you are getting for your money then go for it. I think some people who are disappointed with Bella did not check it out thoroughly and then it seems a nasty surprise to be eating in the converted buffet or not being satisfied with their cabin. A lot of comments on these boards/reviews about feeling like they are in steerage or treated like 3rd class citizens.

Hope you find the answers you are looking for and you book something that suits you perfectly so you enjoy your experience.

I believe you can also get them by the South beach pool. Gelato for sure there and I am pretty sure crepes too.

Pretty sure it is the chocolate shop, Venchi Chocolate Bar. Awesome post by another CC member, she has pics of the menus on the first page here. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2582190

The Jungle pool has a roof that can be closed when the weather isn't ideal.

Bump! Me too please. Our itinerary has Costa Maya instead of Nassau. Would be great to see some Daily Programs outside of Holiday Season.:D

There was a beach within walking distance there but from what I read it’s had some issues with pollution. I didn’t check it out but it was close by.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I am interested in this beach, the bay to the left (when facing the island) vs the right where Margarittaville is. Do we need to walk out of the port area and go along the street, or can we get to the beach just out of secure area and keep walking along the beach? Are there some chair rental places/food beverage stands?