Tom Baker

Cruise around the UK our border force lets anything in.

An Elite travelling with a non Elite passenger can both board the priority tender if the Elite passenger has the same cabin number, they can also take their children with them too.

13 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Don't get hung up on this.  A lot of the pricing "value" for package contents is just fake puffery to make it seem terrific. 

 

ETA:  Perhaps someone else booked in USD with Premier Fare package could check their travel summary and see if the "value" of the SD meals is the same as OP reports.

Love the word puffery, I hope it catches on in the UK 🤣

4 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

The offer of alcohol to gain favor — when he is the only one that can furnish it to an underage passenger is equally troubling. 

Don't forget, these "girls" may have been drinking for many years and could probably out drink most. The twenty year old will have been very upset, having paid for a drinks package and not being able to get a drink, though she should have been more studious in her choice of route.

I think it would be best if the young ladies made their own complaint assuming they have one at all. Perception and culture may be very different between yourselves and the ladies in question and the guy may have felt sorry for the young lady and was being friendly rather than lecherous.

1 minute ago, New2cruise2022 said:

The crew member was not entertainment. Probably the first staff member below cruise director and assistant crew member. 

In which case there are strict protocols in place and the matter will be taken very seriously!

I can comment on another Carnival Brand with certainty but I am not sure exactly how Princess operate, but im sure its Carnival wide. Members of staff are encoraged to "interact" in open areas with guests, but under no circumstances should they go into cabins invited or not with guests.

That said, the entertainment are classed as guests and once their "work" is over for the day they can do whatever they want, just like any other passenger. However if this had happened to my 21 YO daughter I would be hitting the roof and making sure they were aware of this person.

Again, that said, 21year old ladies in the UK may have been at university for 3 years, in which case they may well have had lots of practice getting rid of persistant admirers. I'm sure, if they were uncomfortble they would have made themselves unavailbale.

How the hell am I going to find my cabin at 3am now staggering down the corridor is bad enough without trying to figure out the numbers

More Pics from the first day of the Sun.

My DD is on the Inaugural. You're welcome!

Does the Sun Princess have an Elite lounge, If So, what's its name. Is there a happy hour with drinks and nibbles (for those of us on standard fare) Do you get vouchers for drinks on Formal night. If someone is sharing with a non Elite can they accompany them to the lounge?

Good for you, I have used Money Claim Online to put the wind up unaccomodating customer service depts a few times. Hope you got your court fees back too!

MSC VIRTUOSA 7nts 24th June 23 France & Spain

It’s very busy, with most out on deck it is difficult to find a “spot” that you can relax by the pool. Be patient and you will. The waiters are highly trained in avoiding eye contact and drinks service is quite slow, but on deck there is a bar by the pool specifically where you can queue for a drink rather than waiting.

That said, the staff work extremely hard, day and night. The slow service is purely down to the lack of staff and NOT the staff themselves. Having been on most other major lines and observed, these waiters do not stand and chat or collect the odd glass or two and deliver the odd drink, their trays are constantly full with either full or empty glasses, up to 14 hours a day. They are work horses and MSC are flogging them. There are also pop up bars for those who want red, white, Heineken or a can of Sprite Coke or Fanta. Cocktail making is a process and it’s these that slow the service as they are made to order.

Food is always available. I cannot understand those who complain and would like to know what they have at home. The MDR food is fine, it’s an Italian ship, Fish and Pasta are always on the menu in some form, as is chicken, everyday there is a red meat, be it lamb, beef or pork. Portion size has increased and compares favourably with all other cruise lines. Starters are larger too, most with lettuce come piled high and the prawns are large and do sometimes come whole.

The ship is spotless, until late night and then some bathrooms become reminiscent of nightclub toilets of the 1990’s. There doesn’t seem to be enough bathrooms for the number of passengers during the evening, with queues for both gents and ladies at peak times.

The cabins are clean, they each have a switch with either DND or clean my room, so no more paper door signs to remember. No shower curtains, a glass fronted shower with shampoo and shower gel.

Beds are so comfortable, I heard lots of people saying what a good nights sleep they have had.

The venues are great for the most part, shows are fabulous and not GCSE standard like P&O or RCCI. The Master of the Seas “pub” is much smaller than I expected, with there being an overflow onto the promenade out front. I expected there to be quizzes and game shows here, but the venue is far too small, it’s often a singer or a duo playing in cramped conditions, nothing like Brodies for example on the P&O ships. They hold nightly music quizzes, bingo and karaoke in the TV Studio bar, between 9pm and midnight, which is OK except there is a struggle for chairs and having the bingo in the middle means that karaoke is often very late starting and a scrum for chairs.

There are no quieter areas during the evening, especially when the next day is a sea day. Every night is party night and that’s where MSC comes into it’s own. The atmosphere is electric, it’s upbeat, people rubbing shoulders with each other, like a little town full of bars where you cross paths and mix with other party people. If you like sophistication, a chilled feel or quiet bars with piano music then perhaps this ship might not be your cup of tea.

I could go on and there are negatives but they are NOT down to this MSC ship. Unfortunately it’s a small minority of passengers that have little regard or respect and don’t know how to behave in society, but you will find that everywhere.

If you like a good night out, bustling, holiday atmosphere this is the ship for you. You may return tired and drained, but you will be eager to book your next cruise. I guarantee it!

On 12/12/2022 at 1:12 PM, Technoman2 said:

£14a day

£18 per day on the Azura between the 9th & 16th Dec. It was VERY slow and complaints galore at reception, who told me the staff were having trouble sending emails too!

I've read what guests do with kettles in the UK hotels. I prefer not to use them after that.

I have just booked MSC Magnifica out of Southampton on the 23rd Nov 21.

Can anyone clarify if I need to purchase a private PCR (negative) test to board?

The UK website states that I will be tested at the port by MSC with a LFT test and allowed to board if that test comes back negative and that MSC are paying for that test.

As I understand it I will also need to purchase a private LFT test and record the number on my PLF before I leave the UK and perform the test once back in the country.

Have I missed anything?

Thanks in advance

"What are things like where YOU are?"

10x more pensioners walking the streets

I'm no P&O flag-waver, but seriously! If you spent less time moaning and more time actually trying to enjoy yourself you might just crack a smile. If you're walking around taking pictures and fault finding then that makes you one sad person. I mean a tissue that missed the bin, how pathetic are you?

As for the "archaic signing in procedure" in the kids club, I know my kids will be in safe hands with fully trained child care professionals unlike one Royal Caribbean "college degree educated graduate" who gave my kid pizza despite him being allergic to tomato puree because he wasn't aware that the pizza had a tomato base. Or the South African Carnival kids club manager who told us not to worry because "We have had training dealing with retards"

In our experience, if there are no two's available at breakfast and you request a table for two they will seat you on a four and not put anyone else with you.

On 2/10/2020 at 9:10 AM, AndyMichelle said:

We often get parents apologising to us about their kids, usually for absolutely no reason. 

We all have to remember it's the kids holiday too and a daunting experience for them and we happily sit amongst them, most of the time it's a joy. 

However, we have seen babies in the nightclub at 1am, totally shattered, but the parents want just one more drink.. 

Kids should not be allowed to run riot either, for their own and others safety, but good parents don't need to be told this and the majority that we have encountered are fantastic parents. 

If it really bothered us, all our cruises would be on Aurora/Arcadia. 

Andy 

Only the good parents with well brought up children will apologise. There are some who will never apologise even when their kids are being vile.

We were sat at dinner on a 6 sharing with one other couple. The lady tried to engage with our 8 year old son, asked him several questions to which he gave no reply. She said to him "Cat got your tongue" to which he promptly stuck it out, wiggled it up and down and said "no it's still there" She was disgusted. We then spent the rest of the meal explaining autism.

Look out for the giant, creepy babies crawling up the casino wall.

Above Olsen, just below P&O

All depends on how you want to relax. As others have said If you want to laze by the main pool quietly relaxing you've no chance. Alternatively if you don't mind sitting around the adult only pool then you're fine. The retreat will give you all the privacy and quiet you want, at a price, but can also be too quiet (if you know what I mean)

Don't sunbathe outside the kids club, near the sports deck, the games area or by the jacuzzi and then complain that it's full of noisy kids. You'll find lots of beds down each side of the ship which have very quiet areas or alternatively sun chairs on the promenade decks.

The main pools and the jacuzzis will be full of kids/youths most of the day on sea days but if you do a bit of planning there are lots of opportunities while the ship is in port. Don't fret, you'll have a great cruise and be back next year.

Kids clubs finish at 10.30pm off season, but I think they stay open until 11.30pm or even midnight on some ships during school holidays.

Just to note that if you require night nursery it's first come first served and spaces are very limited. I think your 4 year old is probably too old for that, it's a note for others.

The "law" doesn't apply to P&O ships because they are registered under a flag of convenience. However they will maintain the same ratios as they have in UK nurseries etc. From memory (and there may have been cutbacks) they have at least 20 kids club reps on board during the school holidays.

#They ensure that the 8:1 ratio is maintained for the 2 youngest clubs. Staff move from room to room depending on demand. Not all kids want to go, don't attend all the time and not all at once. If you're worried about your little one they will issue you with a pager and call you if they have not settled or want to leave. You can also phone the club at any time from any phone to check on them should you feel the need

Kids traveling on board P&O are limited to the number each kids club holds in each age section. No one will ever be denied entry because it's full. Sometimes you try and book a cruise with kids and P&O won't take the booking because they are up to the allotted number in that particular age range.