How to Queue aboard MSC Mediterranean sailings

[Griller]

Hey not all of us Germans are that way. I,ve watched and read these comments and find some not quite fair. There are the good and the bad in every culture.

Greetings

Linda

 

Interesting!

 

Are there many Germans living in Toronto?

[Lindagop]

Interesting!

 

Are there many Germans living in Toronto?

 

No quite sure what this question has to do with the topic but there are a few

[AmoMondo]

I just booked on the imminent Lirica Transatlantic from Antigua to Genoa, does anyone have a decent estimate of the likely demographics on there?

 

The Roll Call has only a tiny handful of participants, several of whom seem to be German.

 

Not sure, as this is the first season they've done a Caribbean season not sailing from the US. It's meant to cater fir Europeans, so I'd expect various European nationalities to make up a big percentage. I tried to book this ages ago but it was sold out in the UK. So I'd expect a reasonable percentage of Brits. I'd be surprised if there were many Americans onboard.

 

In Italy they are selling your cruise as departing from the Dominican Republic and Matrinique as well, so there will definitely be Spanish, Italian and French in reasonable numbers

[Griller]

No quite sure what this question has to do with the topic but there are a few

 

Not much to do with anything I was just curious as I have not ever met any Germans who lived in Toronto, is it easy for EU citizens to get residence permits to live in Canada?

 

Most people I have met in Toronto who were not originally from there still had English as an original ( even if not first) language, making it easier to settle there, Sikhs, SriLankans etc.

 

They have of course mostly acquired Canadian citizenship and are now proud to call themselves Canadian.

[Griller]

Not sure, as this is the first season they've done a Caribbean season not sailing from the US. It's meant to cater fir Europeans, so I'd expect various European nationalities to make up a big percentage. I tried to book this ages ago but it was sold out in the UK. So I'd expect a reasonable percentage of Brits. I'd be surprised if there were many Americans onboard.

 

In Italy they are selling your cruise as departing from the Dominican Republic and Matrinique as well, so there will definitely be Spanish, Italian and French in reasonable numbers

 

Hi, thanks for that, its not soldout now in UK at a specialist agency as that's where I got a bargain rate on it yesterday.

Let me know if you are still interested in booking it.

Inside Cabin was 239 pounds each plus a 49 pound booking fee per cabin. For various reasons they gave me an outside for the same price but I don't know whether that would happen again.

Of course its the airfare to Antigua from UK which is the killer, I am wintering in Orlando area at the moment and its around $300 from there so not too bad.

Where I got my booking had the Martinique departure point for 199 pounds but the Dominican Republic was over a thousand for some strange reason.

[AmoMondo]

Hi, thanks for that, its not soldout now in UK at a specialist agency as that's where I got a bargain rate on it yesterday.

Let me know if you are still interested in booking it.

Inside Cabin was 239 pounds each plus a 49 pound booking fee per cabin. For various reasons they gave me an outside for the same price but I don't know whether that would happen again.

Of course its the airfare to Antigua from UK which is the killer, I am wintering in Orlando area at the moment and its around $300 from there so not too bad.

Where I got my booking had the Martinique departure point for 199 pounds but the Dominican Republic was over a thousand for some strange reason.

 

Can't go now as I booked another cruise in March instead. I'm considering booking the repo trip In March 2014 as I can get a superior balcony sole occupancy for £540 but it leaves from Santa Dominica rather than Antigua, so the one way fare is a killer. Avios is an option and I'd have enough points, the issue is getting a route that doesn't involve. 3 flights and a transit in the US and arrives at the right DR airport. Still researching but may do the Rio de Janeiro to Genoa instead as flights are so much simpler and I prefer the ship, but never been to DR before......

[Skipper Tim]

I'm considering booking the repo trip In March 2014 as I can get a superior balcony sole occupancy for £540

 

Looking forward to my future MSC Club promotion, I was trying to work out how that £540 fare was derived. I assume it is 13 nights * £45/night for a balcony cabin to get the headline £585 fare on the MSC cruise details page. When I go into 'book' I enter my MSC Club no. (which is now recognised!!!) I get £555.75 reflecting my lowly Classic status 5% discount. (See the other thread about MSC axing the 5% online discount). With Black status, shouldn't your fare be £468 (with a 20% discount) ? I hope this is not overly intrusive of me!

 

I know we are well OT now! How about, to bring it back, there is less incentive to queue for MSC Club status if the benefits at the front are not what they first appear.

[AmoMondo]

Looking forward to my future MSC Club promotion, I was trying to work out how that £540 fare was derived. I assume it is 13 nights * £45/night for a balcony cabin to get the headline £585 fare on the MSC cruise details page. When I go into 'book' I enter my MSC Club no. (which is now recognised!!!) I get £555.75 reflecting my lowly Classic status 5% discount. (See the other thread about MSC axing the 5% online discount). With Black status, shouldn't your fare be £468 (with a 20% discount) ? I hope this is not overly intrusive of me!

 

I know we are well OT now! How about, to bring it back, there is less incentive to queue for MSC Club status if the benefits at the front are not what they first appear.

 

No of course you're not being intrusive, it's actually the 15 night. I've just gone and plugged the details in again but said no to MSC Club and it comes out at £675, so that is the 20% off. It's still £675 pp if 2 people in the cabin, so £45 per night. The 13 night (leaving at Barcelona instead of Genoa) comes out at £585 before my discount, so should be £468 after the discount. Maybe I should do that one and spend a few extra days in the Dominican Republic first! Decisions, decisions........

[Skipper Tim]

No of course you're not being intrusive, it's actually the 15 night. I've just gone and plugged the details in again but said no to MSC Club and it comes out at £675, so that is the 20% off. It's still £675 pp if 2 people in the cabin, so £45 per night. The 13 night (leaving at Barcelona instead of Genoa) comes out at £585 before my discount, so should be £468 after the discount. Maybe I should do that one and spend a few extra days in the Dominican Republic first! Decisions, decisions........

 

Oh that is most reassuring! Thank you.

 

You are right about the flights to DR though. Avios economy fares and taxes from the UK to Caribbean amount to around the same as the full fare on another airline. http://www.skyscanner.net and http://www.dohop.com are useful tools, the former especially when you specify 'whole month' instead of a particular date. However, Rio from Madrid with Iberia can't be beaten - around €54 taxes & fees + 25k/50k Avios (economy/business) if you went for the Orchestra option.

[AmoMondo]

Oh that is most reassuring! Thank you.

 

You are right about the flights to DR though. Avios economy fares and taxes from the UK to Caribbean amount to around the same as the full fare on another airline. http://www.skyscanner.net and http://www.dohop.com are useful tools, the former especially when you specify 'whole month' instead of a particular date. However, Rio from Madrid with Iberia can't be beaten - around €54 taxes & fees + 25k/50k Avios (economy/business) if you went for the Orchestra option.

 

Thanks for those links Tim, ill have a look this weekend.

 

Rio is certainly seems easier and quicker to get to. Only need 2 flights connecting in LHR and a lot less Avios than DR. Seems an option would be EDi to LCY, LCY to MAD, MAD to SQD. 29 hours journey time and would probably need an overnight at London. Then again, I could try packing a bit lighter and get easyjet to MAD from EDI. Hopefully that deal on these 2014 will last a bit longer. I'm interesting in when they're going to list the return voyages of the Armonia from the Red Sea and the Lirica from the Arabian Gulf. Never sailed the Suez, so could be interesting........

[Skipper Tim]

Then again, I could try packing a bit lighter and get easyjet to MAD from EDI.

 

That's the way!

 

Hopefully that deal on these 2014 will last a bit longer. I'm interesting in when they're going to list the return voyages of the Armonia from the Red Sea and the Lirica from the Arabian Gulf. Never sailed the Suez, so could be interesting........

 

It is! I did it on the Singapore-Rome repo on the Legend. The Gulf of Aden was especially exciting for women of a certain age all on deck after dinner hoping for Burt Lancaster to climb aboard :)

[AmoMondo]

That's the way!

 

 

 

It is! I did it on the Singapore-Rome repo on the Legend. The Gulf of Aden was especially exciting for women of a certain age all on deck after dinner hoping for Burt Lancaster to climb aboard :)

 

Hmmm my younger team at work already view me as a woman of a certain age (probably old witch is nearer what they really thinK!), but I'll pass on Burt Lancaster!

[claudio]

We had a laugh when we disembarked melody in genova it was a free for all to retrieve thier luggage on wharf if you cant beat em join em and im an aussie italian mind you its not just italians the germans can be testy pricks when it comes to pushing and shoving and dont get me started on their all day deckchair reservations

[All aboard??]

Apologies - totally off topic but ......

 

Claudio,I am so jealous.

 

Archille Lauro and Canberra cruises under your belt...