Happy Hols 2018

12 minutes ago, JAGR said:

Here is what MSC says:

The Fun Pass is your all access pass to the Amusement Area and it has a value of $180.
It can be associated to 1 passenger only, but it can be used by all family.   It's valid for the Formula 1 Simulator, Bowling, Interactive XD Cinema, Select Video Games, and the Zip Line or Flight Simulator or Vr Maze*. F1, Zip Line, and Cinema admittance starting from 110 cm height. 

Cost is $100 if you book online, so you do get the extra $80 in credit.  You also avoid the 15 Service Fee if you wait till you get o board to purchase the pass.  Is you would use the attractions, it is probably worth it, but you can do any of them ala carte.
 

Thanks Jagr

Does anyone know how much the fun pass is? Is it worth getting one or can you do things separately e.g. bowling but not zip line etc without getting the fun pass?

6 hours ago, blueeyes_two1 said:

So we will be first time crusiers on the MSC Seaside this july and i would like to thank you for all your informaton so far - -i love to do research and all your information has been so amazing! Thank you - -so Question: if we upgrade to Premium Plus, Vechni is NOT included?? even though the menu photo above that say "All coffee and chocolate based drinks included" ??

 

can someone confirm?  

Would also love to know the answer to this as we have the Deluxe Champagne package and thought that all ice cream and Vechni was incuded ??

Great information, thanks a million.  There are 8 of us travelling, booked separately but with the same experiences - do we have to 'link' our dinner reservations (how do you do that?) before we board in order to be able to sit together or can we do it once boarded? 

Thanks to both of you for your replies, appreciate the help.

Hi, Sailing on Seaside in June first time with MSC.  We have booked into a balcony with the Fantasia experience with the Deluxe (champagne) package and gratuities already paid.  Can anyone advise if there are going to be a lot of extras still to be paid - e.g. do you have to pay for ice-cream or the chocolate bar (Venchi). Do you have to pay for items you use in the mini fridge? Is it advisable to pre-book excursions (would rather go with MSC organized ones as very new to cruising) or wait until we are on-board? Do they give you towels/water to take with you on excursions - is there a charge for that? Ideally I would rather have everything paid before we go.  If you don't get the Wi-Fi package can you still access the App?  Can you use the App to stay in touch with other guests on the ship. Last question there will be 8 of us (booked separately but all with the same experience) will there be a difficulty trying to get a table together, we all booked the late sitting.  Thanks for any advice you can give us.

The official site for the ruins offers some information to get you started here, in English: http://pompeiisites.org/allegati/A%20Guide%20to%20the%20Pompeii%20Excavations.pdf

 

It's very easy to get there and back on your own.

 

Primary transport options:

• SITA bus (closer to the cruise port than the train, pretty much guaranteed a seat, AC works, but slightly longer walk to entrance of the ruins - two tenths of a mile, and only a couple of runs each morning)
  
• CAMPANIA EXPRESS train (far more comfortable than the regular commuter train, you will get a seat and the AC works, but it is slightly more expensive and there are only a few runs each day, station is over a mile from the port)
  
• CIRCUMVESUVIANA train (inexpensive and frequent runs throughout the day but insanely overcrowded, few seats, AC can't keep up, constant issue of pickpockets, station is over a mile from the port)
  
• TAXI (most expensive, if you want to stay longer than the set fare time of two hours you must negotiate higher fee vs. fixed fare)
  

Once you decide what you want to do we can help you with the specifics.

Thanks

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^^ Not true at all. Plus the OP has 11 hours in port, which isn't what I'd consider limited time as a port stop goes....

 

There are several easy ways to get to Pompeii on one's own.

 

Taxis have a fixed rate to take you to Pompeii and wait 2 hours for you, then return. As of 2017, that fixed rate was 100 euro per taxi (not per person). I couldn't find the 2018 rate card, perhaps it is not published yet.

 

There is also an express bus that leaves from near the port terminal and takes you directly to Pompeii. One regular poster (euro cruiser) has posted about this service a number of times; it has limited times but if the times work for you, it is supposedly very easy. See, for example, this post: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2568597&highlight=pompeii+express+bus

 

The post linked above also discusses the other options -- a commuter metro/train (Circumvesuviana line) and a more express train line, the Campania express, again with limited runs.

 

All of the options mentioned above are considerably less expensive than a taxi. You can find out more by searching this forum (or Google is also your friend).

Thanks

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It will be busy, but it's also such a small island that you can do it on your own. There is a bit of a bottleneck getting up to and down from the main town because you either have to use a cable car or walk a long zig-zag path filled with donkeys.

 

Ship excursions tend to get dropped off at another port that coaches can get down to, so they can depart a bit more quickly - but some also drop you off at the top of the cable car to make your own way back down so you may not be much better off in that respect.

 

I took a 3-hour ships excursion to swim in the centre of the Calderra (very warm) using a pirate-style boat, and then made my own way up to the main town and caught a public bus to Oia at the other end of the island, had lunch there, which was another 3 hours, and still made it back in plenty of time. (Obviously some ships may stay different lengths of time.) I think there were 3 other ships in at the time.

 

It's a beautiful place - don't miss the sunset.

Thanks, really hope we see the sunset

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Hi, first time cruisers doing Italy & Greek Isles on RC Jewel of the Seas in the beginning of June. I've read that Santorini is very busy so although we were hoping to do the ports on our own would it be advisable to book a ship excursion at this port just to be sure we get off/back on in good time? I've checked and it looks like there are 4 ships due in the same day. If we don't use a ship excursion is the beach/town close to the port? Thanks in advance.

Hi, first time cruisers doing Italy & Greek Isles on RC Jewel of the Seas in the beginning of June. Could anyone advise if it's possible to do Pompeii on your own e.g. take a taxi from the port and purchase tickets when you get there instead of taking a ship excursion or pre-booking a private tour, would taxis be expensive? thanks in advance.