perakcruiser

5 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

Do Fantastica inside cabins have a bunk bed or a couch for a third passenger?

thanks,

Ours had two (excellent) bunk beds for the 3rd and 4th passenger. But there could be also other types, you should be able to find out with the deck plans. If both is available, go for the bunk beds. 

On 7/16/2022 at 4:51 AM, margsipie said:

Is the Baby club currently open for parents to play with kids and/or drop off?

 

The baby club is open with the two usual programs "Baby Care" (baby alone) and "Baby Time" (you with the baby). 

46 minutes ago, hoophome said:

3. One thing I enjoy about cruising is in the main dining room being able to get multiple appetizers/entrees to try new foods interesting dishes because sometimes it is just too darn hard to choose one delicious thing from the menu! Is that still allowed?  In this unfortunate period of  inflation and cruise lines trying to reduce their costs and maintain their bottom lines without raising prices too much, I would be very disappointed to be at the dining room the first night and be told it's only 1 item per course.  

 

4, I will be travelling solo, but with a group of 6 others.  It seems from reading some messages and reviews here it seems If we all want to dine together  we all have to have the same packages (I'm specifically referring to the drink package) even if we are booking separately??  Am I misunderstanding that?  I have never run into that before on any other cruise line.

 

5.  I believe there is one formal night on a 4 day cruise.  I don't think everyone in my group will want to do that.  Is buffet open on formal night with a  casual dress code? 

 

3. Certainly you can combine starters and mains as you want. 3 starters, one main, no starters, two mains, whatever, nobody cares.

4. You will not be able to link the bookings if not all have a drinks package. But this is necessary to sit together at dinner. Second chance is on board, in theory the maitre d does not really care about the packages (depends on the person of cause) when you ask to be seated together. But a table for 7 will maybe not so easy to get.

5. You need to understand the concept of elegant/gala (no formal) on European cruise lines. It should be seen as offer for you to enjoy the cruise more. It is not an obligation. The "requirements" are only minimal and can be easily met with normal shoes, trousers and not even a collared shirt is needed. But you might feel not so comfortable if you share a table only with people who want to celebrate the elegant night and dress up to the max 😄 And there are many doing this, especially from Southern Europe and France. 

Yes, buffet is open always and the dress code there alwwys is extremly casual. 

4 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

We have been to both.  We thought Ocean Cay was the loveliest paradise we've ever seen.

A few weeks ago we went to Coco Cay.  We arrived, we did the circuit, we went back to the ship. Loud music everywhere (all different), a closed-in feeling, no sense of paradise at all.  A great disappointment.

Reminds me about the cruise terminal in Costa Maya, a commercial nightmare, a place so terrible that one better stays in an inside cabin for the whole day. 

10 hours ago, TickledBlue said:

I don't understand why MSC doesn't let you put the credit card on your account during web check in like every other cruise line (well, that I've been on).   There's actually a button to do this but it doesn't work for the Seashore cruise I have coming up soon.  I was aware of the machines, just something extra that you need to do on the first day...

Very simple answer, because they did not manage it. For years there was the option to register the CC during web check in, in my case it NEVER worked. Always had to do it again at the real check in (as everybody else) and this delayed the check in heavily.

"I have done it already online" - "Yes, I know, we have to do it again now"

So they invested in these terminals.

2 hours ago, Mat8 said:

Hijacking the topic slightly, but is it possible to leave the bags at the terminal earlier and then come back for the embarkation time?

Depends on the port I guess but basically YES. We often did this, come to the terminal in the morning, get rid of the suitcases, went away for sightseeing, coming back in the afternoon when the long lines are gone.

2 hours ago, carlmm said:

 Do not worry. It is no pain of any kind (if one knows, as you do, that one needs to use them). 

Rather simpler than using an ATM. 

It saves overall a lot of time at check in.

I dont completely understand why it should be a pain to spend 30 seconds to swipe the credit card on the terminals. I would consider it a pain to stand in line at the reception for 30 minutes to hand over the credit card for swiping. And before when it was done at check in it delayed the check in so much. The terminals are one time really a great invention that makes cruise life more easy.

17 hours ago, JAGR said:

They have been standardizing the menu, at least on U.S. based cruises.  It looks like a set of seven lunch and seven dinner menus (breakfast menu is set).  We had the exact same series of menus each week of our B2B in March. 

I was one time with MSC on a two weeks cruise (no B2B) in the Caribbean from Havana where the menu did not repeat after one week to my surprise. 

1 hour ago, gizmoe said:

We've been on two MSC cruises and loved their food.  Pizza and Italian dishes are the TOPS of any cruise line.

And the Mozzarella for obvious reasons 🙂 

On 6/19/2022 at 2:25 AM, Nunagoras said:

There will be a dedicated bar, usually on one of the atrium decks corner that will serve some more "exotic" coffee drinks

And for some strange and not understandable reason ALL iced coffee drinks are considered exotic enough to be ONLY served in that one dedicated bar. At the times my beloved coffee cuddle package still existed my first move after boarding always was to find that place.

But usually most bartenders will prepare a coffee shakerado for you. This insider drink is not listed on any menu of cause, but easy package is ok for it. 

42 minutes ago, JAGR said:

The gift does change at irregular intervals.  It has been a tote bag, a pen, and one time a MSC ball cap (I suspect that was a from the gift shop because they mentioned at one point that they were not stocked with enough Gold gifts).

You (luckily) missed the lanyard I got already two times 😄 

And yes, as supercheap as these gifts are, the are carrying the exact number for Gold and Diamond to my suprise. So indeed a last minute booking can produce a missing tote bag. Which then needs to be upgraded from the gift shop.

18 minutes ago, Nunagoras said:

Maybe they may to sell them onboard, but as many other MSC related subjects that's maybe a sailing by sailing sort of thing.

No, unfortunately all the wonderful booklets are gone forever 😞

10 hours ago, cruiseelady said:

What free gift are they offering for gold members at the moment, just curious.  

Think about something with 1 USD value, then you will be happy with a 2 USD value gift. Like a very simple lanyard or a even simpler tote bag.

No. But if you think about beer buckets, don't think about going on board without a drinks package 😄

16 hours ago, Hlitner said:

And those folks that shell out hundreds of dollars in the name of tips are doing nothing more than trying to bribe folks to deliver the service they are already expected to deliver to everyone.  So those "big tippers" are simply folks who are saying, "I have more money than the next guy, am willing to spend it, so please treat me better then you treat others"

Very well said, especially that "bribe" thing is the point. There are indeed some other countries in the world that share this excessive tipping culture with you, actually quite a lot. Where nothing can be done if only the official price is paid without a "tip". The idea to tip to get better service then others is really a very ugly thing and in my opinion should be proscribed. 

Having said this, I do also tip nowadays. Not so much on a cruise ship where the jobs and the salaries are good, but when using Grab (same like Uber) for a ride or a meal delivery. Those guys are using their own vehicles to do me a favour for very limited money. Certainly if the price is not so low, I would not tip, also happens. Has nothing to do with bribe as the service is already done and one probably will not meet the driver again in this life. 

And about how much tip? I guess there is a very simple internationally valid basic rule, the price of a coffee. Yes, I know, the Russians and the Chinese call it "tea money", the Germans "drinking money" 😄

26 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I should add that the last time we were in the YC on the Divina there was a Maitre'd in the YC's restaurant who was an amazing cook.  He prepared various pasta dishes in the restaurant and one evening made an amazing Cacio e Pepe that DW has worked hard to duplicate.  

Actually this is what I am dreaming of. That would make a cruise absolutely perfect. MSC has some pasta signatures that I always enjoy a lot, but a great pasta master that cooks up for us, that would be absolutely outstanding.

2 hours ago, alohayall said:

I have not seen a water package, as offered on NCL. (I also wasn’t looking).

It has been discontinued a few years before. As the coffee package. As the water & wine packages. 

All were great value and perfect for our needs. 

12 hours ago, kikimom said:

I just booked the Seascape inaugural cruise in Nov. from Rome to NY & I have tons of questions that I haven't been able to find the answers to at the MSC website.

How much are gratuities/day and are they automatically charged to your onboard account?

I am sailing solo in an interior room, fantastica level - is the coffee & water only available in dining venues?  I drink lots of water and if it's not available anytime, I might have to take a more serious look at the easy drink package.  If I had to purchase bottled water, how much is it?

Not in YC, so what dining venues will be open to me - both included and upcharge?

I'm sure I'll think of more questions, but that's enough for now.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

 

OK, one important thing you need to know (for all cruise lines). If you ask anything you need to provide the information WHERE you booked the cruise. If you booked this Italy to USA cruise with MSC USA or MSC Italy that makes a huge difference. Or MSC UK, MSC Germany, MSC Singapore, different legal systems, different terms and conditions. Totally different.

If the gratuities are automatically charged to your onboard account? - Depends on where you booked.

If the gratuities can be adapted/removed? - Depends on where you booked. Most markets even cannot remove if beaten up but the staff directly after embarkation (happens not too often).

If you get free water in the dining room? - Depends on where you booked.

If you get free coffee in the dining room? - That privilege seems to be restricted to the British only 😄

One thing is the same for all. 24 hours free water, coffee and tea (and milk) at the drinks stations in the buffet. So if you have no drinks package it is a good idea to select a cabin close to the buffet. If you have a cabin front ship on a lower deck you will probably die of thirst on the way there. Life saving 1 liter bottle mineral water should be €2,90 plus Service Charge.

3 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

In Europe, the situation and generally reversed with late dining being preferred (in my experience.)

Depends on. From Barcelona of cause. In Northern Europe defintely not. 

But in the Med and the three sessions on the Mera I got the shock of my life with a 10:15 pm dinner time printed on my cruise ticket. Called them and they changed. To a 5:30 pm dinner time which I also not liked and not knew before seeing it printed on my cruise card. On board was no problem to get the middle session.

From my experience the price difference between high and low season is even bigger than before. With all cruise lines I checked recently. Not MSC, but same ship, same cabin, same route, from 699 to 1749. And I am not even talking about Christmas or school holiday times. 

1 hour ago, unrealHeather said:

My travel agent was told by MSC that it's only available to the Aurea class cabins.  Let's hope that's not the case. Just put down my deposit last night.

During covid conditions this was the case. No spa passes available for Bella and Fantastica. Now should be back, so make sure your TA really asked MSC NOW and not just tells you outdated information.

Sometimes they offer couples passes, but have not seen in a while. 

On 7/9/2022 at 7:10 PM, Nunagoras said:

I didn't know you can't to chose your cabin anymore with Bella (maybe this might to be a temporary measure covid restrictions related).

No, this is to make Fantastica more attractive and will stay. But still Bella sells out so fast, especially Inside cabins, not so much Balcony where the people are more interested to select their cabins as many experienced restricted views with Bella. 

On 7/9/2022 at 7:10 PM, Nunagoras said:

I did know you can't to chose your dining time with Bella

This I also have not heard before, I think still can. Just Fantastica has "Priority" with dinner time wishes.

On 7/9/2022 at 7:10 PM, Nunagoras said:

Oh: And Fantastica and above cabins will in many cases to have an Easy Plus drinks package built in the deal from where I live...

Heard about it, especially US. But that was never so in European main markets. 

Had to book Fantastica a couple of time before, because Bella was sold out and/or 3 pax in cabin. The only advantages for us were the free photo and the extra Voyager points. Now things are a little bit different, I totally dislike the idea of getting a cabin front ship in the lowest deck, to avoid this risk I am willing to pay the (not too big) price difference. 

Aurea is too confusing for me, I don´t want to think too much about it. If I would spend this amount, I would spend even more to go YC.

10 hours ago, scottamemnon said:

Right off the bat, sorry if this feels like bashing the lin

Well the title sounds like it, but the story certainly not. Totally unacceptable how MSC handled your case. Starting from no buffer zone to the quarantine cabins. 

Best recovery for you and your family. 

8 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

Oh, guys!... What else? Bella/Fantastica/Aurea experiences are now so equal one another that I con't really justify why they retained them instead of the more normal Inside/outside/balcony categories we usually find out elsewhere on the cruise industry!...

OK, I found the differences between Bella and Fantastica are BIGGER now as you cannot select your cabin anymore with Bella. And a lot of cabins for more than 2 are only available with Fantastica. Apart from that the Fantastica advantage comes with the Voyager points. If you are close to reach Black and can make it with Fantastica then it is worth to pay the extra $$$. Which probably is the case with my next cruise. 

6 hours ago, amurray88 said:

To be clear, I was never given a choice by MSC on my dining time.

 

Probably you booked with a travel agent and the agent forgot to ask you. Or you have overread it during the booking process.