NYcruzzer

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Yes, you don't need a dining package to book Specialty Restaurants. You will have a choice to pay for the dining experience menu or pay a la carte. If you get a free specialty dinner for being Diamond, that will be the dining experience menu.

Great. I think I may skip the dining package. I do not like the changes I saw on the website since my last MSC cruise. Price went up and if you select the 3 meal package you get one meal at Butchers cut, one at Hola and One at Ocean (Seafood) Need to go all the way to 5 meal plan to get Teppanyaki 

Another question. If we decide NOT to purchase a dining package could we still order the "Dining Experience Menu for $59.00 PP ?

29 minutes ago, bruce85 said:

I used an email in the past when sailing with MSC to request a table for 2. When I tried this time I got a reply that they don't handle dining requests. This is the email I used.

mscexistingreservations@msccruisesusa.com

 

Yep, that was the e-mail I used last time. I had heard same thing about that one no longer in use.

Just booked 9/1 on Meraviglia (Fantastica) Last June on Mera I was able to e-mail MSC and request early seating, table for two. Happily my request was granted. Is that e-mail still in use ? I know nothing is guaranteed. Just figured I'd put in a request if that's still a thing. 

Just booked 9/1 on Meraviglia (Fantastica) Last June on Mera I was able to e-mail MSC and request early seating, table for two. Happily my request was granted. Is that e-mail still in use ? I know nothing is guaranteed. Just figured I'd put in a request if that's still a thing. 

2 hours ago, jerseyjjs said:

 

If that's the case, then that freedom loving state/city of New York has the same protocol,

Please don't blame NY. It's Carnivals decision not to offer Cheers out of NY on day one. NCL's drink package starts as soon as you board the ship. Of course you have to pay the NYC sales tax.

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

You can have a vile lobster sauce with ravioli every night in the main dining room. It's on the appetizer section - I believe it's one of the appetizers that does not rotate, so is available always. I'm sure a keen eyed observer will correct me if I got anything wrong. So yes, lobster is available every night, included in your fare. You just have to slobber up some sauce to get the taste and it's not a good taste, either. 

I'm figuring the "Lobster sauce" is nothing more then lobster stock made from boiling the shells and other inedible lobster parts...My DW did get the two Lobster tails for an upcharge in MDR the last night of our Feb. cruise. She really enjoyed them and thought they were worth the upcharge..

Did you post this topic on the Carnival Board ? I bet you'll get more insight from recent cruisers there..

19 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Maybe people view them like ducks…you see them..you keep them!

Woof, I hope that same principle doesn't apply to my luggage out in the hall in front of my cabin.

Looks good. 

49 minutes ago, striker said:

Interested in MSC out of NYC but just haven't been able to out the logistics of getting from NJ to port.  We usually take the train .  Does anyone know the best way to get from Madison Square Garden to the port in Brooklyn  (best easiest and cheeapest)

Cheapest way would be NJ to Wallstreet NYC ..I assume path train ? Then a short NYC ferry ride

https://www.ferry.nyc/

from Wall Street to Red Hook. From that ferry terminal it's a 5 minute walk to Brooklyn cruise terminal

11 hours ago, boontj2003 said:

I have a free cruise offer from MSC. NO port fees and no taxes. I’m not too excited to book it as I’m prime/diamond on Royal. Anyone have experience with this and shed some light on whether it’s worth it to pick up? I have sailed MSC. My “problem” is I like all my perks at my other cruise line. Thank you!

If you are already "not too excited" to sail with MSC why book it ? I'd stick with Royal since they offer all the perks you like...

When clicking link below 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/cruise/experiences-staterooms?_gl=1*upjbvc*_up*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2saO8q2DhAMVPU1HAR0XTw0wEAAYASAAEgKK-vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

It still shows 

• Chance to request preferred dinner sitting (subject to availability)

when I click the Fantastica Food and drinks hyperlink

So sorry for your loss. Wouldn't  your mom get a refund of your dads port taxes and any other pre-pays if you cancel his half of the reservation ? 

9 minutes ago, shof515 said:

 

i wonder how the people can do the world cruise where you are cruising for like 6-9 months

A few years back I followed a few Bloggers on world cruises with Princess. The majority of pax were older and retired. Watching you-tube videos now I see folks of all ages sailing. I heard there's some kids doing the full world sailing. They are being "home-schooled"  by their parents. I'm also hearing of some who are on the full sailing who are working remote on the ship. Then there are a bunch of influences that are sailing to broadcast content. That being said I'm sure the majority of full world cruises are still retired. 

9 hours ago, MaryZ said:

I just looked to hop on an NCL in March from NYC and there is just the Getaway.

We dislike that ship, so that ends it for us.
It seems to me CAS has been really trying to get us back.  We get offers every other day to book our free cruise...lol
We've been sailing on the Venezia and Royal for the past year.  I do miss the Haven but I won't sail on the Getaway ever again.
Hated it in Miami, hated it even more from NY. 
The Prima doesn't look appealing for cold weather, so that ship is out for us too. 

How did you like Venezia ? We sailed on her in October with a super low casino offer. We hated the ship so much that we canceled our January sailing on her and switched to Getaway 2/6. The Venezia casino is super smoky. More than any other Carnival ship. The little smoke free annex casino didn't have the machines I wanted to play. Service was very spotty. Especially casino drink service and MDR..Next Winter I'm going back on MSC Meraviglia. Nice winter itineraries January '25

21 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

The staff did not do their job. Several hours later I brought it to the attention of the YC director.

 

When I spoke to the staff member the next day they told me they are instructed to not say no to things.

 So to give you a little more info, I asked that staff member if later in the day I came into top sail and lit up a cigarette would they tell me to put it out? He said yes. Both are not allowed but apparently they pick and choose.

 

 So if you think a personal music device, a guitar, and singing religious songs that could be heard across the top sail is acceptable I am glad I will be sailing with the other stuffy people.

You keep bringing up that fact that he was singing religious songs. Would it have been more tolerable if he sang Broadway showtunes or 60's folk rock ?

18 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Does anyone really care if a terminal is shiny and new? MCT works fine, its not new, its not shiny but its very easy to get around and its clean, its not like you are spending the weekend hanging out at the terminal. Most weeks it's used for about 24 hours. 

Passengers may or may not care. However there's a good chance cruise lines do. That was my point.  NCL signed exclusive agreements with port of Miami and Port Canaveral committing to a certain amount of sailings per year. More ships sailing out of Florida and elsewhere means a ship that would have otherwise sailed out of NYC is no longer available.

I don't think NCL is completely abandoning NY. This cut in sailings is a trend that has been going on for the last several years. I have a few theories. 

1. NCL figures that they can increase revenue by putting a ship elsewhere.

2. MSC has a ship in Brooklyn year-round that they now have to compete with to fill cabins.   

3. Other cities like Miami have built shiny new Terminals while MCT continues to be a relic of years gone by. Perhaps they want to make a statement to NYC officials by reducing sailings ?

I am on the 2/6 sailing on Getaway.  Ship close to sold out. Prices up. Doesn't appear that there will be those last minute "fire sales" of previous years. 

1 hour ago, bkrickles1 said:

I believe it's more at the pier. 

Code is CCAI

I don't know if it still works but it did last week. 

I'm sailing Getaway April 19th. 

Discount code worked like a charm..Thank you

17 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

Actually, the parking at MCT for 10 days is 315 plus a fee of $9+.

I purchased parking a few weeks ago and that was what it came to, $324.

I ended up canceling and rebooking as someone on the other website posted a coupon code that made it $292 total. 

Is the $315.00 fee only available if you pre-book online ? Or will same discount apply if we pay at the pier same as as the cruise ? Is it against the rules to post the discount code here as well ?

58 minutes ago, Tura Lura said:

It’s a big miss on their part. They cruise to Alaska, they cruise to Canada… they should have a pool with a retractable roof at least like other lines.  You can easily cruise out of NY/NJ on other lines.  I live in NYC, absolutely not limited to NCL.  

I agree. NCL is not the only game in town. That is why I have Sept. and January "25 cruises on MSC The  Feb. '24 cruise on NCL Getaway is most likely my last Winter cruise on NCL for the foreseeable future.

3 hours ago, Tura Lura said:

NCL ships aren’t made for winter /cold weather ports anyway.  No indoor pools or hot tubs, most activities are outside.  They really need to design a different ship for cold weather.   

I don't see this happening. NCL constantly rotates ships out of NYC. Doubt they will design and build a ship specifically for colder weather cruising with indoor pools. 

We love the convenience of sailing out of NY/NJ and don't mind losing a few days of warm weather. On NCL we usually book the Thermal Spa when sailing Winter or Canada/NE itineraries. 

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

@PistolPete13 

 

Hi Pete, I just discovered your thread here. Like other NCL vets, I’m interested in your thoughts about MSC. I too am disappointed in NCL’s offerings out of NY this winter.

 

I hope you have a great time on the rest of your trip! 

You will be even more disappointed in NCL's winter offerings Winter '25...lol Their only choice out of NY in January is a REPO ending in Galveston. NCL's offerings in NY are not anything close to what they used to be. No biggie after this Feb. cruise on Getaway I have two MSC cruises in the pipeline including next January...

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Anyone want to discuss formal wear?

Only if we can follow that up with  discussions on Chair hogs, Smoking and what night is Complimentary Lobster served in the MDR