awj.hove

The differing understandings on when and how the on line checking in can take place with MSC seems to be confusing and possibly greater than one would expect from potential differences between the various MSC web sites around the world.

I had booked my cruise that starts on Monday through a TA and entered the passenger information required for the on-line check in within days of receiving the booking confirmation from the TA and did the British Airways API information on their website at the same time and this was a few months ahead of final payment. Unless you know that you will be needing to renew your passport between booking the cruise and needing the etickets and other departure documentation there does not seem to be any reason not to.

The MSC Web Site in the UK does seem to respond slightly differently depending on whether you booked directly with MSC or through a TA and whilst it does seem rather clunky in how it handles some things I have been fortunate in that it has always allowed me to do what I have needed it to but the log in can be a pain on some machines.

Alun

My wife and myself are on the Sinfonia from 14 May and because my wife suffers from COPD and severe sweats we have requested a table for 2 in the form where you set out any medical and mobility issues. The COPD means that my wife frequently gets coughing fits and although not infectious it can be very disconcerting for others on the table and the sweats mean that very often she is unable to do her hair and can at times look as if she has just walked out of the shower which makes her feel very self conscious. We are in Fantastica so on the basis of what has been said in this thread may not be much chance of them acceding to the request so we may end up using the buffet for all our meals.

Am due to fly from Gatwick to Venice on 12 May to join Sinfonia on 14 May and had hoped that the TA would email the Airline and Cruise Tickets yesterday as the paperwork from making the booking indicated that the tickets etc. would be sent 2 weeks prior to start of the package. Sent an email to the TA Customer Services at start of business this morning enquiring when I could expect the tickets to be emailed to me but have not received even any form of acknowledgement.

When does it become reasonable to start making phone calls to get some action. And yes all the passenger information has been entered on both the British Airways and MSC websites several months ago.

The types of impact I was thinking of is the smoothness / speed of the embarkation process and the menus over the first day or two .

Just wondering whether there is a very large changeover of crew at the end of a repositioning cruise and possible impact on the first cruise out of the revised homeport.

I enquire as I will be joining Sinfonia for its first cruise in the Adriatic after its repositioning from Durban.

When you first register your debit card it gives you an option of amounts to authorise, in multiples of €100. You can just do €100, and if your balance exceeds that they won't cut your cruise card off. At the end of the cruise they will give you a bill showing your balance and if you owe more than the initial deposit just use the kiosk again to pay it off- it will come up with the exact amount.

 

The initial €100 does debit from your account immediately so that's worth keeping in mind. Its a deposit more than a hold.

 

If you spend less than your deposit and they owe you, you must queue at guest services for a refund in cash which will be in €. Not ideal so spend at least the initial €100 on board! Not difficult if you have the service charge to pay every day. If I had any excess I'd probably have just spent it in the chocolate shop rather than join the endless queue at guest services lol.

 

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That is very helpful sqiishthewhale. If a minimum of £100 is required to activate the ship account it seems as though I will end up joining the queue for a refund if my expenditure on ship is as I expect.

Your experience squishthewhsle is helpful as I am from the UK and was unsure which way to go. Whilst I have a couple of Credit Cards I very rarely use them and would have to specially refresh my memory of the PIN numbers. As I have already prepaid for excursions, internet, wine and water plus put enough on board credit on to cover service charge and a few drinks I was thinking of using my Debit Card rather than a Credit Card but was worrying about whether they would put such a large hold against my card that routine Direct Debits might not get paid. When you say that they did not put a large hold against your Debit Card can you remember how much it was.

Does get a bit confusing when things disappear from one bit of the MSC system but not others without any explanation. I am on Sinfonia on 14 May and had prepurchased Surfer Cruise Plus as I did not need access to Videos whilst away but did want access to emails and being able to do some simple surfing about ports and UK news. Surfer Cruise Plus seems to have disappeared from the Internet options but still shows in what In have paid for but without full explanation as to what it covers. So it is interesting that Surfer Cruise Plus seems to still exist in what TAs are able to access and offer as the minimum available on the MSC UK site is around double the cost of Surfer Cruise Plus.

I am on Sinfonia in May and am confused as the Internet Package I have already paid for no longer seems to be available on the Internet options so I am unable to check exactly what I have paid for. Whilst the simplification of the choices and descriptions is helpful in some respects it has made the basic more expensive.

I have got Surfer Cruise Plus which I thought only allowed for one device which is why I was getting confused by recent posters referring to being able to us 2 or 4 devices which made me look to recheck what I had. Does seem like Internet and Drink packages are a changing feast in the MSC systems.

6 years since I was on an MSC Cruise but always enjoyed their pasta dishes and looking forward to it when I am onSinfonia in May.

Is a lot of this technology only on the latest 2\3 ships. My last cruise with MSC was in 2012 on MSC Armonia but am going on MSC Sinfonia in May. As I understand that both Armonia and Sinfonia had some updating when they were lengthened I assume that there will be some additional technology compared to 2012 but not as much as on Divine and Seaside

I have booked through a TA for each of my MSC cruises so the information I received from my TA is that they will email the etickets to me but I have responsibility for doing the online provision of passenger and passport details on the MSC website at the earliest opportunity which I did a few months ago even though my cruise date is 14 May. However it does sound as though the functioning of the MSC websites does fluctuate between the various countries.

Have been fortunate never to have experienced such poor service / food as to want to reduce or refuse to pay the service charge. I do not have as much experience as many on the Forum but have done 2 cruises with MSC, 2 with Thomson's, and 1 with Royal Caribbean.

I have already purchased enough On Board credit to cover the Service fee and plan to buy a bit more soon to cover some drinks in bars as neither my wife nor myself drink much ( have already purchased the wine and water package plus internet )

One thing that does worry me is whether MSC put a hold figure against your card when you register it as I would be annoyed if a Direct Debit for a Utility did not get paid because of that particularly when I have gone to the effort of making sure there is enough in the On Board Account.

Thanks both of you for your responses. Contacted TA today but MSC have told TA that all the Balcony Cabins are already booked up but can try to enquire again nearer to date of cruise to see if there have been any cancellations.

We have a booking on the Sinfonia for May next year (Venice, Slovenia, Croatia, Ancona. Venice ) in an Inside Fantastica. As it is my 70th birthday in February one of my sons has offered to upgrade us to a Balcony. Not sure what the prospect is of doing this and whether I go to the TA (CruiseNation) or direct to MSC. My other anxiety is whether there would be a large charge for changing the booking on top of any difference in price.

I have a recollection of adding a granddaughter to a booking a few years ago and the cost of changing the booking being as much as the charge for her being in the cabin.

Should have mentioned that we are on Fantastica Experience

My wife and I are on the MSC Sinfonia next May and the booking details received from the TA indicate First Sitting with a table for two people.

My wife suffers from COPD and experiences frequent coughing fits plus can experience sweats with no notice that can have sweat rolling off her face and wet hair. This makes her feel very self conscious so we are pleased that we have a table for just the 2 of us.

Just worried as to whether we can be confident that it will be honoured when we get on board as otherwise I suspect that we will probably end up having all our meals in the Self Service Buffet Restaurant.

Thanks for that Kerryincork. Should not be a problem for me as I am in the UK so don't have the frequency difference with Europe.

Am going on MSC Sinfonia in May 2018 where ship is in a Mediterranean port every day. Am wondering if purchasing credits to use my 3 Mi Fi may be a reasonable and possibly cheaper alternative to an on board internet package. Granted it means probably no internet during the night as ship will be too far from mobile masts whilst travelling between ports but would mean having internet for the two days in Venice before joining the ship. Has anyone tried this ? Advantage if it works is that more than one device can be used at a tine.

Looking forward to the next instalment. Very much appreciated particularly as it is so soon after your return from the cruise.

Alun