Benefits of booking next cruise aboard?

[Skipper Tim]

With our first MSC cruise rapidly approaching, we have started looking into the next! We are used to the generous benefits (e.g. $200 obc) of putting a deposit down while aboard Royal Caribbean for a future, even unspecified cruise. This is on top of any other discounts available at the time of booking or nominating which cruise the deposit sHould be applied to.

 

I read earlier in the year that MSC were trialling two separate book onboard benefits schemes this Summer aboard different ships. Does anyone have any recent experience or knowledge of these? I can't find anything on the MSC UK website. Is it worth booking aboard? Can it be pay-now, decide later? Do you obtain the MSC Club discount that the cruise you are currently on would qualify you for? Any information would be much appreciated.

 

Tim.

[Alex71]

On our last cruise on the Opera in July, we were able to buy an OBC (150 EUR for inside, 200 for ocean view, 300 for suites) for 10 EUR.

 

We submitted the voucher to our travel agent after booking our next cruise for October. It sounded like there were some strings attached to using this voucher, so we'll see if we will actually get the credit.

 

The club discount was in any case independant from the OBC.

 

They did not offer the option to already book on board.

[riclop]

Msc always runs behind other cruise lines with everything.

[AmoMondo]

I've never known them to allow you to book onboard on any of the cruises I've been on.

[riclop]

I've never known them to allow you to book onboard on any of the cruises I've been on.

You are right and its not very smart on there part. Other lines do a big business booking future cruises on board there ships.

[Skipper Tim]

Here is the only reference I could find to MSC starting to take onboard bookings....

 

"MSC anticipates offering various onboard booking promotions throughout the year and is currently testing two onboard booking programs, as follows:

 

"Trial program #1: On all MSC vessels, except the MSC Fantasia and MSC Magnifica, the line is offering a 300 Euro shipboard credit per stateroom, for any seven-night or longer Mediterranean cruise departing through May 31. The voucher is provided to the guest to bring to their travel agent. The purchase is nonrefundable.

 

"Trial program #2: Guests onboard the MSC Fantasia and MSC Magnifica receive a shipboard credit of up to 400 Euro, depending on cabin category, when purchasing a future cruise voucher for sailings departing through May 31. To claim shipboard credit, travel agent must fax in the voucher at the time of booking."

 

(http://www.travelmarketreport.com/content/publiccontent.aspx?PageID=1365&articleid=7091&LP=1)

 

In the total absence on the web of any reported real experience of these or similar, I assume MSC didn't go ahead with any sort of book onboard scheme.

 

It is quite surprising. Even on RCI's smaller ships (Legend, Grandeur) my experience is of having to wait days for a 15 minute appointment with one of the two, full-time 'future cruise consultants' - such is the demand to book onboard. MSC are certainly missing a trick here.

 

Now I am sitting with RCI future cruise voucher sitting in the drawer and waiting for them to compete on price with MSC!

[The_Big_M]

In the total absence on the web of any reported real experience of these or similar, I assume MSC didn't go ahead with any sort of book onboard scheme.

 

The above don't refer to actually booking onboard, and Alex's reply sounds similar. It sounds like they did go ahead with those programs, although they are not actually booking onboard, but designed to get someone to make a payment for a future booking.

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

On our last MSC cruise, MSC Divina in June they offered onboard bookings.

 

From the MSC Divina Daily Program:

 

" CHOOSE TODAY, CRUISE TOMORROW, FUTURE CRUISE CONSULTANT"

 

Up to EUR/USD 400 in shipboard credit, choose your cruise of tomorrow, today."

Meet Julie, our cruise consultant.

 

So you could easily book your next cruise onboard MSC Divina :)