deniseatnycs

2 hours ago, gravitar said:

Was hoping someone would know! 🙂

We were on Christmas and new year. Starbucks in the Atrium lovely manager and staff

18 hours ago, Kirstys1 said:

i'm going end of january if you can wait till then. The suns current itinerary seems awfully quiet! When was sun last in dry dock? i wasn't aware it was recently refurbed. i booked entirely on price as they cancelled asia and the reposition to europe was stupidly cheap. 

We did the same. Currently on the Christmas and New Year Sailing. Not the best of cruises even for the price. The crew are absolutely amazing and the food very good. No entertainment worth watching or what does sound good is in the small Windjammer.  Only buffet food during the day in very crowded areas .  NCL is our favourite cruise line but this sailing is giving many on board, including us, doubts about booking with them again 

13 hours ago, SplashOfWater said:

Does the Sun still have the fabric shower curtain and the large hairdryer unit in the bathroom?

Yes to both

24 minutes ago, ugagrad97 said:

Curious what the on board testing might look like to get off at the different ports in Spain.  Barcelona and Palma I guess are the two I can think of.  Did you test on board?  How many days in advance?  PCR or rapid antigen?  No judgement.  No opinions.  No criticism.  Facts only please.  Everyone has made their personal choice and this was ours. 

 

My husband and I are not vaccinated and we will be taking the Epic out of Barcelona on the 25th.  So we're just wondering what to expect.  We know we have to have a negative test to board but weren't sure what to expect when the Palma port comes around or what to expect on the final day when we get back off in Barcelona.

Hi 

Unvaccinated visitors to Spain just need a negative test certificate on Embarkation.   Covid status is not checked at ports of call, only at airports/ferry ports entering Spain from another country 

11 hours ago, hamrag said:

We have a cruise booked, 7 nights from Barcelona later this month on Grandiosa. We noticed a one night cruise from Palma, Mallorca, to Barcelona the previous day on Meraviglia. Having often been in Barcelona, we decided to book this one nighter to facilitate a few days in Palma pre-cruise and then use the one night cruise as a 'ferry' to Barcelona.

 

My question is, as Diamond status are we still entitled to the free specialty meal on a one night cruise? Despite sailing MSC probably 7 or 8 times now, we have never done a one nighter! 

Hi Hamrag

We have, a two nighter followed by a 7 night cruise and diamond meal on both sailings 

10 hours ago, ugagrad97 said:

I agree.  That's not how I interpret NCL's website though.  Wish someone in their corporate office would get their act together and update their site guidance for Spain now that they have waived the vaccine requirement as a company.  I'll either book with someone else (Royal) which isn't what I want, or I can wait about one more week and hope for NCL.  End of September is school break so I'm running out of time.  Grrr.  Surely this is someone's job at NCL.  

understand what your saying ugagrad97 but regardless of any Companies' website or T & Cs those are the entry requirements set by the Spanish Government.  We are on the Prima TA from Southampton on the 23rd September 2022.   NCl have done away with COVID testing but the Canadian Government require it pre embarkation.  We have the test on the 21st September and have a one port stop in Canada on the 3rd October which makes any tests out of date but its Canada's rule so we either produce a negative test result or we don't board the ship

Non vaccinated can now enter Spain (by flight, ship or vehicle etc) from 12th June 2022.  They need to show a negative pcr or antigen test.    Vaccinated entrants must have had a booster (no time limit) or their last vaccination between 14 and 270 days/

Yes to both, its on the NCL website and still applies even if you stay on board.

Our TA leaves the UK on the 23rd September and we are being tested on the 21st. 

We dont reach Canada (one port stop) until October 3rd which to us makes the rule in in our opinion,  a nonsense as its 12 days from testing.   However, its the only way to sail so we will obviously be tested 

11 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Yes. Starting in Canada, or stopping in canada for an hour is the same rules.

This makes our TA crazy re testing.   We embark in Southampton UK on the 23rd September.   We will need to test 2 days before (within the restrictions) .  Making that 11 to 12  days before we reach Canada, which is not the disembarkation port.

Our TA on the Prima this September has been very active from the day the itinerary was released.   Its now standing at just under two thousand posts and as we get nearer its expected to liven up even more.  The one on social media is active but nowhere near the CC critic one

10 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Just found my cabin is now a guarantee. Glad there is a TA now. It never ends with MSC 🙄

Ours too has changed to guarantee and there only seems to be availability for one YC.

4 hours ago, Momto3girlsintheCarolinas said:

Hello!  We have booked NCL Gem from Trieste.  We are flying from the US to Italy on Iberia.  The policy for most airlines is the same. "We'll try our best, but if you want to be sure you will sit together for this 11 hour flight - please pay this ridiculous upcharge for something you may have gotten anyway for free."

 

So, how likely is it that Iberia will let me sit next to my husband?   Experiences?  Advice?  Thank you in advance!!

Hi Momto3girls,   we fly Iberia often as its a Spanish airline.  Usually the flights are pretty full so we always book and pay for our seats.  Our next one is New York to Barcelona in October after the Prima T.A. with flights booked through NCL.   The seats together (extra leg room) were only around 40or 60 euro each so to us well worth it.   Personally on a flight more than 3 hours duration we would always opt for the booked seat option but of course its a matter of choice.

16 hours ago, pennyspain said:

Three days before we were due to sail on Epic out of Barcelona on 5th June, my husband was taken into hospital. I contacted my travel agent on Friday 3rd June to ask them to notify NCL that we couldn’t travel. I have a cancellation invoice from my TA which indicates that I should get prepaid gratuities, taxes, and excursions refunded. Questions 1. Will we get our CruiseNext credit refunded? 2. How long are we likely to wait for refund? Thank you.

Hi Pennyspain,

If like us,  you booked through the U.K. office then as your agent says you will of course get a refund on gratuities, shore excursions etc. Sadly though you will not get your deposit (CruiseNext) refunded or any other payment for the cruise itself.   Has your insurance covered this part it should do?  Hope your husband is on the mend and you can look forward to cruising again soon

2 hours ago, Kodewalker said:

The status now says “Upgrade Unavailable” with no modify or cancel option. 😕

May be an idea to check your method of payment.  Our credit available on our credit card changed by the bid amount 2 days before we were notified that  it was an acceptable bid.   We were in the exact same position, and there was no YC available on the web or by phoning direct at any time but we still got one.   Did think to leave the purchase of the drinks package until day 2 to make the price the same as online if our bid was not accepted.

1 hour ago, deniseatnycs said:

Fi

1 hour ago, deniseatnycs said:

First doses

Sorry posted without finishing.   It is 1st doses unless you have had a booster.  Although if you have had the booster then the six months does not apply.   It is not very clear is it?

6 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

When it asks about covid vax in last 6mo, does it mean just the first doses or is it counting boosters?

 

Does anyone know?

First doses

Hi Kandmd  no, you will keep the experience you booked.    The only exception is an upgrade to Yacht Club, where you get all the YC benefits included.

MSC UK answered the phone within 2 minutes and spoke with a very pleasant agent called Cassia.

We have had our YC upgrade bid accepted this morning so wanted to check up on a couple of queries.    We have excursions booked at very reasonable prices so wasn't too concerned.   Happy to hear though that from 22nd March passengers will be able to once again without MSC excursions.

MSC UK answered the phone within 2 minutes and spoke with a very pleasant agent called Cassia.

We have had our YC upgrade bid accepted this morning so wanted to check up on a couple of queries.    We have excursions booked at very reasonable prices so wasn't too concerned.   Happy to hear though that from 22nd March passengers will be able to once again without MSC excursions.

On 3/14/2022 at 2:28 PM, Longimanus said:

The MSC website originally stated that individual excursions in the Med would be possible starting Marchi 1st, but this was postponed to April 1st. I believe it has to do with the fact that Italy still prohibits individual excursions. 

 

It's a bit weird that MSC still requires ship-organised excursions for the whole Med-region (and only for the Med-region), while only Italy as a country prohibits individual excursions. Possibly just easier (and financially better) for them to do it this way. We also hope this changes starting in April since we're booked on Virtuosa from April 19th.

 

Covid state of emergency in Italy should end March 31st, so hoping that will also change some cruise ship rules. Also hoping on the removal of obligatory masks indoors. This is possible since a lot of countries in Europe no longer require them in other indoor spaces, only on public transport. But not counting on it for April, probably only by June i fear.

We are on the Fastasia 1st week of April 2022.  Email arrived today from MSC stating cruise excursions only.   This is also to include the whole of Spain (we are Spanish Residents).   For us its not a problem as we booked in December under these conditions but for others it could be a deal breaker.  The U.K website says possibly April but not April 1st for independent excursions but its not looking to be the case unless its late in the month.

We are on the Prima TA September 2022.  When I read about the menu changing I wasn't too bothered.   If I don't need to shop, cook and clear then I am happy.   Husband on the other hand, (who has no part in the previous)  wasn't too happy with the idea.   Not a defender of NCL at all cost but had to point out that our favourite local restaurant has had the same menu for 15 years.  Added to that, we have 4 free at sea, 2 Latitude, the local and the buffet.  Result one happy husband 

1 hour ago, keeven2 said:

It is in Europe, Mediterranean. Not a round trip though, the start and finish ports are different. I wonder if the reception will refuse to produce the bill one day earlier

we have done this twice without any issues.   disembarked Barcelona as its nearer to where we live,  we just let  reception know the day before

4 hours ago, Go4Golf said:

I called 833-270-2063. She was pretty useless also.

 

We’ve been on 6 MSC cruises, none were more than 3 years apart, so they should all count. I think they messed up my account.

Hi Go4Golf   Have you sailed within the last 3 years    you need this  to maintain your level or go back to basic member.   They did increase this to 4 due to not sailing the first year of covid so you may still qualify but need to send in the dates etc., by email to query it 

20 hours ago, mcoler181 said:

Due to the all the testing requirements prior and when on board that I have been reading about, plus the possibility of being quarantined with a 7 and 11 year old in our cabin just for being near someone who tests positive we have decided to cancel/postpone our April cruise and have a couple of weeks in Orlando instead.

 

Ideally we would like to move it to next year but I can’t find any availability online, is it possible to just get a credit note for the £600 deposit we have paid so far to use in the future?

We had similar  situation a few months back.   U.K. bookings are different in the terms and conditions.   Deposits are non refunable and usually,  unless you pay an admin fee you cannot move your booking. For the last year or so MSC U.K. have let us move our deposits to another sailing but sadly no refunds. 

To be fair when we booked we knew the terms and conditions and MSC emailed me 3 times before we cancelled to see if we had found something else we would like to book and transfer our deposit to

27 minutes ago, ready2cruzagain said:

Well that answers about the Divina but the other is Seashore and I see it has interior YC but not seeing how to book

 

If they are not available to book they may be sold out