saxkid

6 hours ago, ccw2891 said:

 

 

1. How early have you checked in for embarkation? 

We checked in at 11 and were on the ship by 11:30am

 

2. I have been reading that formal nights do not have to be suit and tie or tux. So I'm assuming for ladies a sundress or blouse and skirt & slack with a collared shirt for men will do?

Yes, thats' fine.  You also do not HAVE to dress up if you don't want to.

 

 

We are on your cruise on Monday...

In Honduras we are using Victor Bodden tours, they have monkeys, sloths etc, but our cruise ship docks after the time period they allow people to hold sloths. They have lots of options available.

Costa Maya - we are using Native Choice for a trip to Chaccoben ruins

Cozumel - I have done Nachi Cocom all inclusive beach resort several times. Always good all drinks unlimited and a four course lunch for each person.  You need to book ahead of time on their website.  This time we are doing a chocolate factory tour instead.

George Town - we splurged and are taking a jetski tour to stingray city, booked ahead with fatfish adventures.

I almost never book excursions from the ship anymore as there are better/cheaper ones available third party. The only time I would book with the ship is if it was a very long excursion and I was risking not being back in time.

Hope to meet you on board!

exactly, particularly if you're bella inside bidding on a suite 

Right, that is taken from the terms and conditions they sent me.  I'm not saying it won't be your experience on the ship, but you shouldn't expect it.

Just as an FYI - I found this when looking up something for myself.  We had bought fantastica Oceanview.  Bid on a Suite upgrade, and got an Aurea suite.  So, if you're booking a Bella inside, and you bid on a suite, you will still only be entitled to Bella level experience perks.  

16. If the Guests purchases an Upgrade which is accepted by MSC Cruises SA, all other conditions of the original cruise reservation will remain in effect following the Upgrade. This includes conditions, experience, pertaining to cancellation, penalties, and changes. If the upgrade cabin category includes a higher service charge amount, the guests occupying the upgraded cabin will be charged the service charge amount applicable to the upgraded cabin. 

17. The Upgrade does not include any additional promotions. Guests whose upgrade bid is accepted will receive the experience level included with their original reservation. 

I just went through the terms and conditions of the upgrade program and found this:

16. If the Guests purchases an Upgrade which is accepted by MSC Cruises SA, all other conditions of the original cruise reservation will remain in effect following the Upgrade. This includes conditions, experience, pertaining to cancellation, penalties, and changes. If the upgrade cabin category includes a higher service charge amount, the guests occupying the upgraded cabin will be charged the service charge amount applicable to the upgraded cabin. 

17. The Upgrade does not include any additional promotions. Guests whose upgrade bid is accepted will receive the experience level included with their original reservation. 

So it would appear that we will not receive any of the Aurea perks, just the cabin. 

Well here's an interesting thing.

I got an upgrade to an S3 Aurea suite.  My experience on my ticket says Fantastica, this was a bid upgrade, not a complimentary one. We will be able to access the Top 13?

That's not what I meant.  Carnival keeps the time of the port you embark in. I was wondering if MSC Armonia keeps Miami (Eastern) time or changes to the ports you are visiting...

Hey there

I know I read this recently on the boards, but now I cant' find it. Can someone confirm that MSC follows local time?

I was able to call in and ask for an upgrade for the price I paid and was successful. Just call and ask, worst case scenario is you cancel and rebook for the lower rate. Best case, you either get the difference in credit or an upgrade to a better cabin.

I called and asked for an upgrade, and got one, keeping my $400 in OBC.  I did not ask for the difference in credit.  All I said was "I'm on this sailing, and I"ve noticed the price has dropped significantly,  is it possible to get an upgrade? " And I went from an O2 to a B2 (oceanview to Fantastica balcony)

It's definitely worth calling.

Hey all, sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, but I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for in a search.

Can someone tell me what beers are available on board the Armonia?

Nevermind, did a little more digging and found this post from Beamafar:  

Ah, well that's a surprise.  Thanks!

1 minute ago, Beamafar said:

 

You must be in a Fantastica suite, so, and will have MyChoice.  MSC's system doesn't seem to be able to over-ride the inclusion of the set dining times.

It's a B2 - Balcony, so Fantastica Balcony

ok - interesting. Here's where I saw it:  https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/MSC-Voyagers-Club/MSC-Club-Pax-Type-515.aspx . Probably a mistake on the website.

I just got an upgrade to a balcony and it does say "My Choice Dining" on it, but also says "Second Seating" . So, who know what that means.

I got a cabin upgrade yesterday. I'm booked on Armonia August 12th.  Prices have dropped. I asked if there was a possiblity of an upgrade based on the price we had paid. The agent put me on hold, and came back with a balcony upgrade for us. Easy Peasy. It's worth calling. 

For what it's worth, I called at 12:15pm EDT and waited 4 minutes on hold for an agent.

So I was looking at my upcoming cruise on Armonia to check for price drops, and I see under the Aurea Section both "Aurea Experience Suite" and "Suite"

What's the difference?  

Can you do this even after final payment?

So, I was having this problem as well, and here's how I got around it.

Get your reservation number and DO NOT log into the website.  Instead, go directly to the "Web Check-In" tab at the top of the MSC page. Fill out the form with your reservation, First and Last name as prompted. 

That's the only way I could get it to work. If I logged in and then clicked on the web check in, it would redirect until it failed.  Hope that works for you.

Well, I found this in the "Health and Fitness to Travel" section of the Booking Terms and Conditions:  

The Passenger warrants that he is fit to travel by sea and that his conduct or condition will not impair the safety of the Cruise Ship or inconvenience the other Passengers. Any passenger with a condition that may affect his fitness to travel is strongly encouraged to check with their personal physician regarding their ability to travel and to obtain a written physician's certificate of Passenger's fitness for an international sea voyage. If it appears to the Company, the Master or the Cruise Ship's Doctor in their sole discretion that a Passenger is for any reason unfit to travel, likely to endanger health or safety, or likely to be refused permission to land at any port, or likely to render the Company liable for Passenger maintenance, support or repatriation, then the Company or the Master shall have the right to take any of the following courses and the Company shall have no further liability to Passenger: (i) Refuse to embark the Passenger at any port; (ii) Disembark the Passenger at any port; (iii) Transfer the Passenger to another berth or cabin; (iv) If the Cruise Ship doctor considers it advisable, to place and confine the Passenger in the Cruise Ship's Infirmary, to Passenger's cabin or any other cabin, or to transfer the Passenger to a health facility at any port, all at the Passenger's expense. Passenger acknowledges that travel by sea involves certain risks and hazards including motion of the vessel by sea conditions, and the delay and/or impossibility of immediate evacuation from the vessel in the event of a medical emergency depending on the vessel's location and prevailing sea and weather conditions. The Company shall have no liability and shall owe no full or partial refund in the event the Passenger is refused passage, disembarked, confined to the infirmary or their cabin, or transferred to another berth or cabin pursuant to this section. 

That being said, if they are getting over the chicken pox and just have the scabs then I would think you wouldn't have any problem as long as you have a doctor's note.  I would bring some sort of doctor's note anyway just in case.

Do you mean chicken pox?

Keep us posted!

I'd like to know what hours the thermal spa is available on Armonia?

The whole thing definitely appears to be a mystery. We don't drink enough to make a drink package worth our while, but drink vouchers would have been nice. Regardless, we booked for the itinerary, not the drink vouchers. If they appear, then bonus.

We were there in August. It was the same as always. Good service, good food, nice quiet beach. I think it's a great place if you want a nice beach to chill out and relax without loud children running around. I've been there 3 times now, and each time I've loved it.

They will try to upsell you on some extras like floats or tours, but all if you have to say is that you aren't interested and then they leave you alone.