alohayall

The chocolate shop had gelato for a few. There was also ice cream or gelato (I can’t remember which) in the Jungle Pool area and possibly the bar by the pool. I only got some at the chocolate shop, so my memory is a little shady on the other two places.

You may have to just pick up the phone and call the people down in rain-soaked Florida. My last call to them was quick and painless with essentially no wait. I think they are open in Sundays - but close by 6 pm ET? I can’t think of anything else to help. Other than clear your browser and try again. This one’s a stumper. Yeah, free would be nice. And so would getting the website to work. Best of success and have a great cruise.

Here was the other option. This was after the same header as above. I picked Cruise Details and got the 3 options shown and selected Payment and price details. I am on an iPad, so running Safari. I am going through the MSC website, not an app. And signing in with email, not Booking number. If any of this makes a difference. And you are not past Paid in Full date? (Just trouble shooting anything).

Can you even get the cruise info when you sign in? Like the page that comes up for me? (I also booked directly)

I logged into the website (used my email and password). It came up my cruise info. Selected Plan My Cruise. This came up: You may have been on the website during down time.

Best advice - give it a try if you like cruising and enjoy getting a good price.

The cruise itself should not be judged based on pre-cruise interactions. (You may not have issues pre-cruise, but many have had poor ones.) All my cruises have had good/excellent service. Normal food with highlights on each, but none that stand out across the board as spectacular. Same for MSC. I think Entertainment is a major distinction among the lines. I love the Disney shows. And the water theater on the Oasis-class ships. MSC shows were more acrobatic and music - not a storyline. I believe RCL usually has a Broadway production. I skipped the shows on NCL after the first one. I sailed the Seashore and enjoyed the wrap-around outdoor promenade - similar to the one on NCL Encore. MSC = Coke. Canned or fountain. No Freestyle machines (so no weird taste). NCL = Pepsi.

Service is as good as any other line I have sailed. And I am just a peon in an interior cabin (but also Diamond level, thanks to their Status Matching Program). When you come back, let us know what you thought. Bon Voyage.

On the Seashore (low passenger count), I never saw anyone at the Credit Card kiosk (Cruise Card Activation Point). You have from embarkation until 11 pm the following day to activate your account (per MSC website). Their for-fee specialty restaurant, Butcher’s Cut, was excellent. I am one of those who thinks MSC has the best pizza at sea. It’s Neapolitan style, with a thin crust. After eating it everyday for a week, very few others satisfy. This is marinara on whole wheat. I totally did not miss cheese (but they do have excellent cheese).

Yes, it is their fault. And you did not request a refund, but you did accept that option. In the moment, a lot of people wouldn’t have thought about the OBC, either. But what most of us are saying is that this is, unfortunately, what it’s like to deal with them on the phone. Many of us who have cruised with them chose to do so again. The cruise product is good; the customer service side - if you have a problem - not always as good. I, personally, might have a such a problem with the loss of OBC that it would sour my cruise, and, therefore, I think I would just cancel. Ironically, picking another cruise line might cost more than the $200 in question. But it’s okay to vent on the forum, if you need to. Lots of folks who can identify with your pain. Hope it gets better.

I just ran through the steps to book a Med cruise. It did not mention water and coffee until I ran through all the steps - fare type, cabin, level… I picked interior Bella for experiment. This was a cheap cruise on the Splendida this month.) Just before filling in passenger info, I clicked Summary - and there it listed Mineral Water and Coffee in Dining Room. (I thought it showed up earlier in the process).

Cheap European airlines usually have strict, severe luggage rules - even for carryons. I’d check to make sure you can abide by those. Ryanair has been around for a while now; certainly it can’t be that bad? If you want a different option, I’d there a train that can easily get you to a bigger airport nearby?

I hear and understand you. Suggestion? Change cruise lines or accept the Customer Service they offer, including the loss of something they offered and then took away due to their error. If you can let it roll off your back and not bother you, then keep what is probably a good deal on a cruise (as most of their prices are). The actual experience on the boat was good when I did my first cruise (December 2021, in the cruise restart bubble). Giving it another try this October - and expect to see more passengers on board, so perhaps more of their ordinary. I still think I will have a good time.

I have a feeling you won’t have to; but carry one with you. The mask situation is an ever-changing policy. It’s not always the cruise line’s decision - and sometimes it is. (We didn’t wear them onboard last December, even though parts of the country were still stuck at home).

I have had to ask whether the Voyager’s Club discount was applied - it wasn’t this last time. She did apply it once asked. A different agent had brought a cruise price down to less than I expected. Customer service does seem to be hit or miss. This is widely commented on - and seems to be their weakest link.

I can only speak of the Seashore. So I just watched a quick video of the Divina. The Seashore was built to make use of sunshine. There is a wonderful outdoor promenade (uncovered). On it, you will find seating for some specialty restaurants, infinity hot tubs… The aft of the ship has this bridge above the twin infinity pools: There is a pair of pianos in the Times Square area mid-ship. I am hoping they are still be utilized when I sail again in October. Three different presentations each evening; look for it in the planner. The atrium from Decks 5-6 (maybe more) has a giant wall of windows; there was live music there most of the day. As a Diamond member, you will have a complimentary dinner in a specialty restaurant, to be scheduled onboard. I chose the Butcher’s Cut. It was a great choice. The filet was one of the best I have had. I plan to order the exact meal again. You do chose from an abbreviated menu, but it has great choices. I chose the outdoor seating. It was windy, but beautiful. Trivia - they could use some work on this. Some events would start a few minutes early, but then only run 7-10 minutes. Then the answer sheets were taken up to be “graded” in the back. I love trivia, but this wasn’t the best version. I am not a pool deck person, either. Seashore is not built around the pools. Although the Jungle pool outside the buffet is a nice area to be in - closed in, but no strong chlorine smell. Hope you have a great cruise.

Found the daily planner from an Eastern Caribbean cruise in 2018 (online). Location of cruise may make a difference? Otherwise, I would expect times to be fairly similar.

Have you done your Loyalty Match with MSC to your highest level on another cruise line? Even though you’ve got a lot of variety in your cruise history, one of them might get you some status on MSC.

They should just call it what it is - a package / bundle price. Here’s what’s on offer for a Seashore 7-night cruise in October: You can add this to the Escape to Sea price to see if it’s a good deal for you. If you would buy the “free stuff” regardless of price, I think the bundled / free price is usually a better deal. For example, I just looked at a Seashore sailing in September to see how prices differed. The drinks + WiFi price was only $100 pp more than the No-frills best price. Compare that to the $343 Easy Plus Package, and it is definitely a better price if you would drink $100 of beverages (and WiFi). Now, if you are just complaining about verbage, that issue goes across many lines and industries. As everyone who had economics in high school should have learned, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” But calling it FREE does get people’s attention - and we, obviously, overlook their marketing ploys and continue buying goods and services. ….They do go around with offers for food and beverage packages at the beginning of the cruise, but I think your best offer is to catch a rate during a sale.

And it’s 2 days - not 48 hours. Early morning Thursday for a Saturday evening departure is okay.

If ever in doubt which terminal at a port, check your e-ticket. But the info is buried. This was on Page 11: Not bold print, even.

I agree that the actual Sandy beach may be the problem. Fairly deep sand to get to the water. My memory is especially that of the area around the lagoon.

Can the FIL and SIL wait until your boarding time? (To fit their travel plans). Situations come up and people get delayed - they will check them in. Because everyone has to get on the boat. It’s early arrivals (line jumpers) that cause a back-up. Though you may never have to show it, that notarized letter of permission is a good idea. I carried that and my BIL’s death certificate when taking my nieces the first few times.