voyagerL

Oh no! If you're on a 7 night itinerary, we get on the day you get off! 28 Jan from BCN! 😞

@heatherb1958 is definitely right about the terrible rate, it'll make an airport bureaux de change look cheap! 😄 I went to exchange euros into USD and quickly changed my mind when I saw the rate offered!

Hey Machta, I'm also sailing Bellissima in Jan, when are you embarking? 🙂

Hey nikoo, I totally get what you mean in terms of organising, I think we'd do more excursions if this info was more readily available. Once onboard, the ship specific booklets (thick with photocopied pages stapled inside ones) often have AM or PM or a time on them. As to finding out pre-embarkation, I don't think its possible 😞

I've had them in Yacht Club before but only the once - otherwise, often people just misappropriate pool towels on an evening!

Just to extend this answer, based on experience since... if you receive a Complimentary Cruise Voucher under one of the sporadic promotions they run (I don't know about the ones people get for reaching points thresholds onboard), you won't get access to the bidgrade system on those sailings - although you can just pay to upgrade (circa £650pppw from regular Balc to YC Int for example). On a 1/3 off voucher, you can use bidgrade.

The chat feature only activates once connected to the ship wifi and is lost on disembarkation.

Cabins are almost always available by 1300/1400hrs, if you're in YC then they'll generally always be available upon embarkation. Keys are generally issued at check-in as they are scanned on initial embarkation.

I think that is a reasonable rate, generally it's £83 pre-pay or £99 onboard with an offer for a couple purchasing together normally circulated on Day 2 of a cruise but nothing that would beat $70 from my recollection. The key bit being if you'll use the facility enough or just want to do a daily pass.

No, we have upgraded on a casino voucher before with no issues or changes to terms. The upgrade system treats you as a full-paying guest and you simply upgrade as normal. We've been successful on two occasions, both with vouchers doing this and friends who did not have vouchers were offered the same starting bid prices.

We watched Sweet onboard Grandiosa, which was a nice show - not too long, quite immersive and very technological. We didn't get to see the other but carlmm might be onto something with seeing one and deciding about the other later.

Hi CitizenFrankie, I haven't been onboard but have seen the ships which are very nicely dressed with all the usual and activities/music/food is themed appropriately. There's some good YouTube videos of Xmas onboard which might be worth a look at.

I think you're asking if you'll still pay 15% gratuity on any drink orders, even though you have the package in place. MSC doesn't levy the 15% service charge on drinks which fall within the bounds of a drinks package, whether you buy it onboard or not. However, if you buy the package itself onboard, you'll pay the 15% surcharge on the package cost as a one-time cost.

I'm in the same boat as you, some CC folk have exponentially more. However, your continued cruising enables you to retain your diamond status (otherwise lost after 36 months to my knowledge). I believe this question was already posed to UK Sales and MSC has no plans to extend the scheme at this time, unless someone else has insider info! 😄

Evening Cruise Critic 🙂 I'm embarking Splendida with family in August in YC. As for speciality restaurants, I'm a bit confused by what's actually onboard? MSC website is offering 'sea pavilion' and Butchers Cut but this is at odds with the main MSC site and the other sources I've found. My plan was to use my diamond for one and buy another with the family but can anyone who's recently been onboard help? Thanks as always 😄