Summerland

A word of caution re the Voyagers Club selection 5%+15% discount offers. My experience has been that a lot of cruises in that section are priced higher than in the main area of the MSC site so that, even with the (almost) 20% discount applied, it can still work out more expensive to book than a regular booking with 5% discount.

@Beamafar

Hi Bea - Exactly - rarely do you get something for nothing especially extra discounts! The one time I did book supposedly with extra discount, when I boarded then cabin wasn't the one I had been allocated and it was in a bad location so I had to go through complaining and waiting to see if someone hadn't boarded before I could be moved two days later. The ship was full and a passenger hadn't arrived so I got moved to that cabin, which was an upgrade. When I tried booking via a US website to get a really cheap deal (I live in Sydney) the fare was more expensive than MSC and it was purely advertising to get you in! I've always found MSC Australia to give good prices and the best choice of cabin's :)

Margaret

Pete

@Skier52

Hi Pete

Thanks for that info but from my experience here in Oz it's very difficult to get some of these deals. I found one that was really good but it didn't apply if you were booking from Oz. Some US companies with good deals also won't take our bookings. I know the South American repo's are the best deals with MSC but our flights tend to be very expensive as there's limited companies flying there. Been there done that.

As far as the OBC, for solo travellers like me that's halved or not even given. Mind you I have managed to get several cruses with MSC with no SS - not this years or next years cruise though!

I have a friend who is a US cruise consultant and he gets frustrated at not being able to book Aussies on a lot of cruises. Maybe it's the two heads? :confused:

Margaret

If you have MSC status this may be a voyages selection cruise worth an extra 15 per cent discount Plus.... OBC...check it out. :-)

@Jerseylily

Apparently the most discount MSC give is 5%, all Voyagers Club members get that - having even Black status doesn't give you anymore discount but you do get some OBC. Some of the Grand Voyages they don't give that 5% discount. Looked at 2 repo's this year and no discount was available as they said it was already heavily discounted! :cool:

Mark - a PS....Call MSC asbookings are available for Musica now - I just checked it out on the Aussiewebsite under Grand Voyages. Guess it should apply to the US and EU sites.Enter departure port and Musica and it should come up for you. I really like MSCas being a privately owned company they're different. I've had some really gooddeals with them. If you have a loyalty card with another cruise line they willmatch it . Enter MSC Loyalty Match and you will get the link.Good luck!

Mark - a PS....Call MSC as bookings are available for Musica now - I just checked it out on the Aussie website under Grand Voyages. Guess it should apply to the US and EU sites. Enter departure port and Musica and it should come up for you. I really like MSC as being a privately owned company they're different. I've had some really good deals with them. If you have a loyalty card with another cruise line they will match it . Enter MSC Loyalty Match and you will get the link.Good luck! :)

No the one we are looking at Kimberley sails October 14 2018 on the Musica. I think the one you have found is on the Sinfonia. We can't make the earlier trip; work commitments unfortunately. Thanks anyway.

 

Mark

 

 

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Mark - Musica is replacing Sinfonia from October. I sailed on Sinfonia Cape Town to Venice and I'm booked on Sinfonia for it's last voyage from Durban to Venice in April 2018, the same as Kimberley.

I have sailed on Musica and I guess the ports will be the same as Sinfonia used along either coast. If the price is right - DO IT!

I'm intrigued, though it only goes to Durban side of SA and Portuguese island...and short cruises. I wouldn't fly there for anything less than a 7 day itinerary. I believe the Sinfonia will be there in 2018 for March.

Hi

A very late reply to your post - only just saw it! However decided to post as I did Cape Town to Venice in May 2017 on Sinfonia and loved it. So much I booked to cruise in April 2018 from Durban to Venice 25 nights. Look under Grand Voyages on MSC website!:)

Im glad to read this! Booked divina for May for what I think is an amazing price. Then I started reading reviews and my heart sank. This thread gives me hope, lol...it sounds perfect !

I saw Divina launched in Marseille and sailed on her the following year as a solo traveller and LOVED it. Too many reviews are from people used to sailing with one cruise line and as mentioned before expect to be able to get fries or English style fish and chips or similar at every meal. This is an Italian cruise line for heavens sake - eat Italian style! If you don't fancy it then don't book it.......Divina is a beautiful ship, the crew were just great - I've been on 6 MSC ships and sailed from Cape Town to Venice in May this year on Sinfonia. Have booked to sail Durban to Venice next year on the same ship. If MSC was that bad, would I book with them again? Of course not. I have sailed with 4 other cruise lines and the fact MSC is privately owned, it has benefits as you don't get certain things pushed down your throat as with some lines. Too many lines owned by the same conglomerate!!

Thanks for reply. I thought we ought to dress less touristy here, but want to be comfortable if the weather is good and warm. Will keep slightly more covered than usual.

Do you know if men/women wear shorts ever (knee length rather than short shorts)?

I apologise if I've used incorrect area to ask this question.

Please can anyone who has experienced Moscow and St Petersburg advise on expected mode of dress in these cities. It's easy in Caribbean, Med, Australia etc, but not too sure about most things to do with Russia, as a first time visitor.

Thanks in advance. :)

I was there in May and it was 29 degC both days we (a group of 6 Ausssie's and 4 Canadians) were there, and and we wore a mixture of clothes. Knee length shorts, long pants (men and women) and capri pants and T-shirts. Our local tour company had already answered my question about dress code when I booked, saying basically we could wear anything. Our guide told us we didn't have to cover our heads in churches - most we visited were museums anyway. I think do what you feel respectfully comfortable with as far as churches are concerned but make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Make sure you take a back up battery for your camera, carry water and use sun block just in case you have fantastic weather as we did. The day after we left it was 12deg!