jmele999

I'm from Portland, and I've recommended the mail boat run several times here on CC. It runs twice daily, but the later run is too late for cruise ship passengers. It gives a great tour of Casco Bay and the Calendar Islands (so called because there's one for every day of the year), and an initiation to the unique nature of island living. The boat brings more than mail for the islanders, when they come to the mainland for groceries, they are specially packed at the store, and brought by the store to the dock, and palletized by island (each person's name on each box), along with coolers for perishables, and the islanders will come down to the dock and collect their groceries. Other times it is propane delivery day, and the boat will drop off quantities of the large propane tanks for the islanders. The islands typically have an elementary school on each island, but for middle and high school, the kids have to take the 45 minute ferry ride to the mainland. Mainland schools have special dismissal times to allow the kids to be bussed to the ferry terminal for the ride home.

Thanks for information. Any opportunity to get off at one of the islands and walk around for a few minutes? I realize that the milk run is only 2 - 3 hours so this might not be possible.

Thanks Herdingdogmom and casino for the reply.

We have six ports on an 11 day cruise so a $600 ShoeEx credit sounds great until the math part comes in and if credit won’t come until day 10. So if we call ShoreEx to book the excursions will show up as full price after PP discount on both of our accounts then on Day 10 if excursions taken total at least $100 each day the $600 credit should appear on my account. If an excursion is less than $100 the credit will be for that amount or if an excursion is not taken in any port it’s zero...will be explaining this to my friend after I figure it out...we both assumed that the two $50 dollar promos could be split...duh couldn’t be that easy lol!

 

 

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Please correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression that the credit is only good for 4 ports regardless of how many ports you visit on your cruise.

I don't know if this has been posted before, but just wanted to make everyone aware that NCL has changed the schedule for final payment. Please see link below. For 7-day cruises, final payment is now due 120 days before sailing. The new policy affects booking made on or after December 17, 2017.

https://www.ncl.com/about/payment-schedule#collapse5

Was it with the Cruise Consultant?

 

In December on Orchestra, we had a wonderful one (a very rare breed, indeed!) who offered me an extra invitation when I brought up the subject of whether we, as 2 Black Card holders, got 2 evenings for 2 or not.

Yes, it was the cruise consultant. She said that it is specific for Seaside. I guess that it has to do with the fact that they have limited seating on seaside.

Yes thank you for clarifying that point for me. I did not quite understand the text of the MSC ad. This is the part that had me wondering, I quote: "

Your own Chef ... Your own Sommelier! The head Chef will cook exclusively for your table from the open and show kitchen that you will be facing." So the open and show kitchen must be what you describe as in front of the cooks etc. Very well and carefully worded MSC. I fail to see the exclusivity. Thank You for your reply.

I don't think we will go for this one. We were hoping for a more private evening, such as a table for two, etc. The idea of sitting with six strangers is not appealing in this case.

Cheers.

We were on Seaside last week and based on the reviews I am glad that we decided not to do the Chef's table. We enjoyed butcher's cut and saw the table where they do the Chef's table. It should be a more intimate setting, where, as described, you can see the chef preparing your meal.

MSC is describing something that they cannot provide.

This was changed on the 15th November 2017 according to the paperwork we were shown on the Seaside Xmas cruise, we challenged it and got 2 invites for 2 meals each. As The Voyagers Club points are awarded per person Black card holder and not per cabin I think people need to challenge this change when on the ship using this argument! time to fight back against MSC`s removal of even more benefits.

We were on Seaside last week and tried to fight it, but they said not.

Just need to quibble slightly about this line in your post:

" (Now if the issues being written about persist 6-8 months from now, that'll be another story, but I for one think it's only fair to give MSC the chance to remedy them before writing them off as doomed to failure in the US market, as others have suggested). I think they deserve the opportunity to prove they can meet American expectations, and I'm certainly looking forward to my cruise with them later this year.

I agree that they deserve a chance to improve, but there are two questions that come to mind.

1) Why advertise something (a cruise for the North American market) that they cannot deliver from the beginning.

2) Have they done their homework to understand what the North American clientele expects and desires during a cruise? We were on MSC last week (Yacht Club) and had a great time. However, the few times that we left the Yacht Club, I was not impressed with the service we received.

Any answers to my questions?

Thanks.

We are new to MSC and going on Seaside in 5 days. I was looking at the terms and conditions (T&C) for booking onboard and have some questions in regards to sections in bold. We are interested in booking a future cruise, but the sailings for January 2020 are not available for booking yet. Can we book a cruise for November 2019 and later change to a similar (Caribbean) cruise fo January 2020?

1) Flexibility. According to the T&C, we can make one change without penalty. I read on the MSC website that "The itinerary for the New Package refers to the same destination as the Original Package as definedin the relevant Company’s brochure (or Official Website)" Does that mean the same itinerary/port of call or the same type of cruise (i.e Caribbean, Mediterranean)?

2) Confirmed bookings have the option to receive an Instant Cruise Shipboard Credit on their current voyage. Is it better to receive an instant cruise shipboard credit on the current sailing so that you can also apply a different offer that has shipboard credit for the future cruise? The reason why I ask is because in the T&C it says that "If shipboard credit is selected for a future cruise, then it cannot be combined with another offer that has a shipboard credit."

3) A reduced nonrefundable deposit is due at the time of booking: $50 for inside; $75 for ocean view; $100 for balcony; $150 for Suite; $200 for MSC Yacht Club. Is the deposit non-refundable when you book onboard and cancel later? For the deposit, is the it pp or per cabin?

• BEST PRICE GUARANTEE: Book now & if you find a cheaper price later, we will match it
  
• FLEXIBIILTY: Change your reservation to suit your needs prior to final payment
  
• COMBINE & SAVE: Combine offer with MSC Voyagers Club exclusive savings
  
• BOOK EARLY: Choose from the best selection of staterooms and suites
  
• REDUCED DEPOSIT: Have a reduced deposit as low as $50 per stateroom
  
• DOUBLE POINTS: Earn Double MSC Voyagers Club points
  

Receive up to $200 shipboard credit per stateroom:

• Interior Stateroom: $50 USD/Euro
  
• Ocean View Stateroom: $75 USD/Euro
  
• Balcony Stateroom: $100 USD/Euro
  
• Suite: $150 USD/Euro
  
• MSC Yacht Club: $200 USD/Euro
  

Terms and Conditions

*Shipboard credit is provided per stateroom, is non-refundable, non-transferrable and has no cash value. This offer is exclusive to MSC Voyagers club members residing in the USA and Canada and valid only for new bookings confirmed after December 6th, 2016. Confirmed bookings have the option to receive an Instant Cruise Shipboard Credit on their current voyage. MSC Cruises will apply shipboard credit to the guest’s current sailing depending on guest purchase of future stateroom: $50 for inside; $75 for ocean view; $100 for balcony; $150 for Suite; $200 for MSC Yacht Club. A reduced nonrefundable deposit is due at the time of booking: $50 for inside; $75 for ocean view; $100 for balcony; $150 for Suite; $200 for MSC Yacht Club. If shipboard credit is selected for a future cruise, then it cannot be combined with another offer that has a shipboard credit. The shipboard credit may be used only during the future booked cruise by the passengers accommodated in the booked stateroom. Shipboard credit shall not be available for cruises below 7 nights. Instant Cruise Shipboard Credit is valid for Grand Voyages. Instant Cruise Shipboard Credit is not valid for the World Cruise onboard the MSC Magnifica for January of 2019. 100% Best Price Guarantee and Flexibility to change your cruise only applies to offers advertised by MSC Cruises USA. 100% Best Price Guarantee is only available within 30 days after booking has been confirmed. Flexibility is only available to change for cruises before final payment. For details on flexibility, refer to the booking form. This booking can be transferred into a group but cannot be combined with another shipboard credit or select group amenities. Confirmed bookings shall be assigned to the travel partner through which the passenger has purchased the current cruise; the guest may decide to assign the booking to another travel partner of the same country. Subject to availability at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply. Subject to availability at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply. Ship’s registry: Panama and Valletta.

Did you go to the Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle and voice your concerns to ship management? If you're a Black Card, similar question?

You made a very interesting point. However, the meet and mingle parties are typically held at the beginning of the cruise. What they should do is offer to have another session towards the end of the cruise where frequent cruisers, or anybody who wants, can offer concerns and opinions to management. NCL was doing this, but not sure if they are still doing it.

I am still looking forward to our cruise next week, but really wondering what kind of research MSC did to make this ship "for the North American Clientele". I totally agree that the ship is beautiful, but the cabins are average, and the dinning options sound like a big problem.

The biggest question is whether MSC is listening to these complaints and how they are going to react and fix these problems. If they don't fix these problems, I don't think that they are going to be able to complete with the other big players (RCI, NCL, Carnival) in the North American cruise market.

Only time will tell.

actually no one is stating what sailing they are booked on - there are 2 Canada New England cruises, followed by a 13 night caribbean positioning cruise on the 28th of October, 2019 - if it is the caribbean cruise you were seeking, there were inside YC available yesterday - not sure on the Canada/New England cruises however...

Any idea as to when booking for the Caribbean sailings from Miami (Winter 2019 - 2020) will open? Will try to book a YC balcony suite before prices go up.

 

Now some not so good news, just been to the Voyagers club info point and we were told that One month ago they watered down the Black card benefits of only 1 meal per cabin and not per card holder! the same goes for the chocolate strawberries! .

I wonder how many people with status on other cruise lines have now matched to Black and MSC is now realizing what they did and want to water down the benefits. We were looking forward to our two free dinners. I guess that we are now going to be eating an additional dinner in the Yacht Club.

MSC has to be careful with all of these sudden changes and increase in prices (as suggested by others). They are a fairly new cruise line in North America, and customers will gladly go back to the old cruise lines if the value is no longer there.

Totally agree with you. I think that the online menu for Ocean Cay is missing a page. I don't see MSC letting a customer order a $29 appetizer when the customer only paid $69 for the trio package.

I also wonder if black card members will be able to order from the Ocean Cay menu posted online.

What I think is odd is that the menu is not specific to the food choices available, as it is in the 2 other menus.

 

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Dear MSC PR department,

As a loyal NCL customer, I booked a Yacht Club Suite for January 13, 2018 almost two years ago because we wanted to experience something new. However, what I have experienced in dealing with your website, e-mails, and customer service representatives is not the type of service that I expect from a company that is trying to grow in the United States.

Where should we go for answers if your website doesn't work and customer service doesn't have the answers? How can we book specialty restaurants if we don't know what we are getting or cannot even book it online? The 25% off promotion for the trio package that we all received through an e-mail cannot be booked online, so why bother telling us about it?

We look forward to our cruise on MSC Seaside. I typically enjoy the planning stage on my vacation, but planning this cruise has not been fun.

Sincerely yours,

A frustrated new customer.

If I thought I was confused before.............

 

Yes, those prices are beyond ridiculous and won't fly in the US.

 

 

MSC emailed me to book dining packages for my January Seaside cruise but when I click on the link they provided me the packages are nowhere to be found. Only drink packages and in-room cakes are available under the "food and beverage" section. Huh?

 

 

So if I could access these packages what am I buying? Access to an alternate limited menu? In 20 plus cruises I have never seen a la carte pricing on a specialty restaurant.

 

 

At one point a chef's table at the steakhouse was available for $75.00 per person which would be a steal compared to these a la carte prices. But cannot find that option anymore either.

Totally agree with you. MSC’s website is a total mess. Why advertise something when they are not ready. :rolleyes:

Can you let us know what you find out? Thanks!

Not a lot to report.

They told me about the $69 pp trio special.

Ocean cay is $40 pp which includes a 25% discount.

There is a $75 pp Chef’s table at Butcher’s cut.

Bob - Thanks! I see what you are saying and think you are right that it's in the Dining Experience section. If you choose something that's not in the Dining Experience package then you pay extra for that item. When I saw an item in Butchers Cut for around $90, I knew it probably wasn't included :)

I wonder if the Ocean Cay menu is missing a section as there is no Dinning Experience package section on that menu. I really don’t see MSC allowing guests to get a $29 dollar appetizer when they only paid $69 for the trio dinning package.

I am calling MSC today to see what restaurants we can choose from for our black card dinner. I also want to find out more about the Chef’s table.

I wonder if the spa will have separate spa-like rooms for men and women or if they will just be plain locker rooms. Did not see anything indicating the location of the men’s and women’s sections in the picture below.

Actually I answered my own question. Here is a detailed diagram of the spa area. They have that pool labeled as a whirlpool. I'm guess it's more of a thero-pool.

 

There is a snow room and salt room (experience both on Norwegian Escape). Pretty cool!

 

 

 

Not a problem. The way it is presented makes it kind of had to get it in one screenshot, so I made a PDF of the dining options for you. There are more options, but they are all for the various drink packages (alcohol, water, soda, and coffee). And remember that this is what comes up for MY sailing (Feb 3rd).

Thanks.

No idea. It does work for me. (At least right now).

Thanks for checking. The website is still not working for us.

Is it possible to take a screenshot of the dinning offers and post it here.

Tried to call MSC, but they are already closed even though it is only 6:30 pm EST and they work until 9:00 pm. :eek:

You have to log into your booking...it is in the section where you buy dinner and drink packages.

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately, and as it is common with MSC, that section of website is not working.

I really wonder how MSC is going to be able to compete with other major cruises in the US when their website does not work half of the time. They are able to compete right now because of low prices, but what is going to happen when the prices start going up and the customers start complaining about their pre-cruise services (website, etc) Just my two cents.

FWIW, the price for the steakhouse is NOT $75.

 

The $75 price you see is for a special dining experience in the Steakhouse. This experience goes off of a special menu, and your meal is personally prepared by the head chef. This is not the normal price/experience.

Are you able to post a link to this offer?

Thanks.

Same line but more new photos!

 

https://www.mscfans.it/seaside-class/msc-seaside-work-in-progress/

Thanks for the link.

Bistro Le Boheme looks great. Does anybody know whether is is going to be a French bistro for snacks etc or a real restaurant? Free?