numberguy

2 hours ago, kaprin02 said:

 

We were able to use our FCC for FAS gratuities and DSC (and, obviously, base fare and taxes/fees).  However, we were not able to use it to pay for an additional Dining Package (we have 3 people in a cabin for one of the cruises we booked with FCC).  I've heard mixed reports about being able to use FCC to pay for excursions, but do not have any personal experience with that, as our cruises are too far out (January and April 2021) to book excursions.

Then let me ask you another question:  I had heard the DSC and the FAS gratuities on the CANCELLED cruise were returned in cash.  But I'm wondering if they were included in the FCC calculation.  Any info on that?

--Michael

2 hours ago, brovol said:

It worked out very well for us, because the new promo came with $280 cabin credit.  We booked the exact same cruise, the exact week (but in 2021 obviously), out of same port (NOLA), with same cabin (spa mini-suite, now called "club").  It is the Breakaway instead of Getaway (sister ships), which is the only difference. Not only did we get the additional cabin credit, but we had several hundred dollars FCC left over.  I prepaid all gratuities, and purchased the unlimited streaming internet, and still have almost $200 left.

Hey there!

I had heard you couldn't use the FCC for Free at Sea gratuities or the prepaid Daily Service Charge.  Are you saying you were able to do so?  If so that's great, because when mock booking a cruise we want to go on (we don't have the FCC yet, but should get it Friday), I calculate we'll have about $1200 of FCC left after booking the cruise.  If we can use it to pay the ppd DSC and the FaS gratuities, that would be great!

We'll try to book this weekend, and give you our experience...

--Michael

17 hours ago, Love my butler said:

NCLH is burning about $250 million/month.  They are projected to have about 5 months before bankruptcy is imminent.  This money will merely allow them to hang on for a bit longer.

Exactly.  That's why corporations do this.  To hang on until they can't anymore, if it comes to that.  Any prudent corporation would do just that.

Our cruise to Norway for June was cancelled yesterday.  We're going to take the 125% FCC and are looking at a cruise in February 2021 to New Zealand.  If that one is cancelled or we feel it's too soon to cruise (and if Norwegian is still taking the Peace of Mind route for cancellations), we'll cancel and hopefully have the 125% amount for a cruise further out.

Actually, I read (via a youtube video) that Carnival Corporation will be asking everyone to wash their hands at sinks where the staff can see you before entering the buffet, and that buffet food will be served to you by staff.  I'm guessing, but pretty sure, that this will become the industry standard.

Perhaps they'll install sinks or require that passengers use the hand sanitizer before they're let into the dining rooms, too.

3 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

It's right there on the main page.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the link "For Investors" in the right column.

Thank you.  Didn't think it would be in that section.  I tried searching the website using the search function and nothing came up.

Thank all of you for the information.

--Michael

Just curious, what OBC does one get for owning, say, 100 shares of NCLH?  Thinking of maybe buying a little stock.  Asked another way, what's the minimum stock ownership needed to get any OBC?

And please don't go into how all the stock is going to be wiped out, etc., because of bankruptcy--it's a chance I'm willing to take.  Please just answer the question(s) asked.  Couldn't find it on the NCL website.  Thanks.

--Michael

We're scheduled on the Norway Above the Arctic Circle cruise beginning June 14--we're just waiting for that cruise to be cancelled.  We might select that cruise again for 2021, but it's not one of the cruises currently listed for June 2021 (although they didn't put the 2020 one on the schedule until May or June of 2019).  Pretty sure we'll cruise again; just not sure when.  And their prices will have to come down some (possibly when they start cruising again?).

--Michael

I'll probably sail with them again.  My current scheduled cruise in Norway Above the Arctic Circle in June--it'll probably be cancelled, and I'll get FCC +25%.  I'll just probably reschedule for next year, same cruise.  We'll see what prices are.

I have to take a cruise in 2022 with MSC to keep my status with them.  We were also looking at taking a family cruise on NCL (5 siblings and a nephew with 5 significant others) in May 2021--we'll see if the newbies still want to sail then.

--Michael

3 minutes ago, Heavy's wife said:

I think what has happened is one will be for 1832.41 and the other is correct at 1332.41 which is [1832.41-500 (for cruise next certificates, which hopefully will be returned to your account)=1332.41]

 

My emails were similar, one was not what I had expected, but when I subtracted the amount of our cruise next certificates, that is what was totalled.  I am now waiting for the cruisenext certificates to be added back to me account.  I hope this makes sense, it does in my head, lol

 Perhaps I'm missing something, but if they're giving you FCC for the CN Certificates, why would they also give you the CN certificates back?  Not trying to start an argument at all; I just want to understand if they begin cancelling June cruises (when I cruise).

--Michael

13 hours ago, ready2cruzagain said:

On a b2b you will get the laundry for the first week and then again for the second week.  We just did a 10 and 11 day cruise on the Breakaway and received 4 bags total, one bag each for each cruise. Also received Platinum dinners for each cruise, etc.  They were booked as two separate cruises so we received Platinum benefits on each cruise.

Unfortunately, this isn't b2b; it's a 14--day cruise.

I thank you all for your input.  Looks like we'll probably be able to do laundry twice.  Means packing fewer underwear...

--Michael

Hi everyone,

Do Platinum cruisers get additional discounts for 14-day cruises vs 7-day cruises?  Just wondering if we might get two free bags of laundry each.  If not, do they offer the "all you can stuff in a bag for $25" more than once a cruise for longer cruises?

It would be too much to wish for if there were two sets of free meal coupons.  Just wondering.  Just planning my dining nights and other things for my June 2020 cruise.  I'll go with the flow whatever we get--just curious I guess.

--Michael

On 11/19/2019 at 12:27 PM, cruiser man 60 said:

No cruise ships allowed in or out at present, all being rerouted to Trieste S mentioned above. I know from others that coaches are being laid on by MSC ago take any passengers to Trieste and back to Venice 

Yep, that's what happened, without any prior notice from MSC.  I went to the terminal to check in my bags, then they told us to get on a bus and we drove to Trieste.  Same but in reverse for disembarkation.

--Michael

The Weather Channel website says Venice is 85% underwater, and they're predicting at least 50% precipitation every day for the next 15 days.

I'm not sure how they'll recover or what we might do for our hotel nights for pre- and post-cruise stays.  Should I be worried?  Any cruise on MSC out of Venice when it was flooded?

--Michael

Here's another question:  How formal are the dinners in the main dining rooms on European cruises on MSC?  Jacket/tie required?

I usually go in khakis and a button down shirt, but I think MSC might be a tiny bit more formal than Norwegian.  Any thoughts?

Leaving in 19 days from Venice...

--Michael

Thank you so much!

--Michael

Hi everyone!

DH and I are going on our first MSC cruise over American Thanksgiving week (Nov 24-Dec 1, 2019).  Got a great deal and got status match and 2for1 and a free upgrade to a balcony and everything else for a Greek Isles cruise out of Venice!  Anyway, almost all of our experience has been on Norwegian Cruise Line, so I just want to ask a few questions for comparison purposes.  If I think of other questions later, I'll also ask them here.

1.  How is the internet on MSC?  How does it compare speed-wise and price-wise to NCL?

2.  How do they handle disembarkation?  Do they use colored tags with times?  We're spending a day and night in Venice so we can be among the last ones to disembark, so I just want to figure it out before we get on the ship.

3.  Now this is just an opinion and not anything related to MSC or NCL:  we've already been to Athens (Piraeus), and I don't think there's much to do in Piraeus proper, and EVERY MSC shore excursion to Athens includes the Acropolis.  DH has had leg surgery and I've had a mild stroke, so we're not too keen on going to the Acropolis again.  DH suggested staying on the ship in Piraeus.  Opinions?

Further questions to come if I think of them.

--Michael

Thank you everyone for responding.  Our scheduled times are 6:30 and 8:30 (I think).  We're confirmed for second seating.

We're taking our first cruise with MSC in the Adriatic in November (Venice, Bari, 4 stops in Greece, Kotor).  We have late dinner seating.  How does this work?  We're used to Freestyle Dining on NCL.  We've experienced fixed seating once on Royal Caribbean that didn't go all that well (table for six, two people never showed, two people who didn't speak much English and we don't speak Cantonese).

How does it work on MSC?  Do we have the same dining partners each night?  Is it  possible to get a table for two each night?  Just not sure  how they do it.  Any insight would be appreciated.

--Michael

On 8/11/2019 at 11:24 AM, Essiesmom said:

Nothing has been decided yet, so far it is still a lot of posturing.  I would not worry about it. 

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190810/no-venice-isnt-about-to-ban-cruise-ships-from-its-lagoon

EM

Thank you for this article.  I wasn't panicked, but was just wondering what might happen.  I'm just waiting to hear from MSC...

--Michael

Hello everyone,

We're on the November 24, 2019, cruise out of Venice to Italy, Greece, and Montenegro on the MSC Magnifica.  With the announcement in the press that ships will be transferred for embarkation/disembarkation to other locations in Venice, has anyone heard anything about when the transfer for MSC ships might occur?  I know that "by 2020" was mentioned, but just not sure for our cruise.  We haven't heard anything directly from the cruise line; we were just wondering if anyone else had.

--Michael

2 hours ago, erdoran said:

Numbersguy, this is one of the 20% discount cruises.  Make sure you get that discount!

Yeah, I realized after I posted that people were discussing the Latitudes discount.  So my post wasn't as much of a revelation as I thought it'd be.

--Michael

3 hours ago, tomk3212 said:

Question: you mentioned that you talked to a customer service rep.  Was this your NCL PCC or was it just a random NCL customer service rep you were connected to after calling the 800 number?  Just curious.

Called the 800 number.

--Michael

On 7/24/2019 at 9:34 PM, don't-use-real-name said:

 

There is a different tune being played after Final Payment.

 

Still yet did you keep all your bonuses perks promos OBC ?

Did you get any new ones ?

Didn't lose, didn't gain.  We only have one perk (inside).

--Michael

Hey everyone!

We just noticed that our distant upcoming cruise (June 14, 2020 cruise to Norway and the Arctic:  Summer Solstice) now costs $440 less pp than it did a couple months ago.  So we called expecting an offer of onboard credit or an upgrade.  Nope, nothing doing.

All we did was ask what the customer service rep could do for us.  And all she did was change the price, and now we owe $880 less.  No muss, no fuss.

I love NCL.  That is all.

--Michael