Still confused about drink packages for Divina

[austenfiend]

I'm so sorry, I know this has been addressed ad nauseum, but I'm still confused. I think the reason is that my husband and I are not drinkers. So, none of the packages seem to make any sense for us. I have read the bar prices (in pounds, not sure how that translates to $). I noticed that they have a couple of new packages for the Caribbean, one being the DoReMi (really, that's the best they could come up with?) package. They say you get a specific number of vouchers. Are these physical vouchers that you have to carry on you? That's inconvenient!

 

And when they talk about milk shakes being included, since they don't mention gelato, I'm going to assume that is not included. How much is the gelato? With my "17-year-old, having a continuous growth spurt" son, I cringe to think of how much he might have in a day!

 

May I just say, that MSC's way of doing things is WAY more confusing than other lines we've been on.

 

Any thoughts or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[AmoMondo]

Doremi is actual book of vouchers you have to carry with you and hand over each time you want a drink. They cover vitamin drinks, non alcoholic cocktails, milk shakes, smoothies and fresh fruit juices. If you preorder you save the service charge and the cost of a couple of drinks. If you buy onboard you just save the price of 2 drinks.

 

Gelato is not covered by that package but I think they sometimes have a voucher package available onboard for that too. Can't remember the exact cost. Think it's around $2 for a simple tub or cone and around $5 if you go for one of the fancier sundae concoctions.

[papcx]

My advice.

 

Go for the Allegrissimo package. The std package should be fine unless there's something on the Premium you MUST have. A coffee in the morning, couple of bottles of water for an excursion, beer in the afternoon and wine with dinner and its paid for itself.

 

Last year DW and myself had the Premium and saved loads, without trying.

 

This Friday we're sailing with the std (classic) package. With drinks, juice, gelato, coffees, water, etc etc we'll save again.

[austenfiend]

Well, we don't drink, I don't drink coffee (my husband might have one cup a day). I'm even more frustrated now than I was earlier in the day! We spoke with our travel agent, who spoke with MSC, and she got different answers concerning the drink packages. You have to purchase them ahead of time, no wait, you don't! She wasn't able to get any answers about specifically what is covered. She said that an MSC representative is meeting with them on October 3 and she should have some answers then. I'm sorry, is this any way to run a business?! I realize that this is the first time for this ship in the Caribbean, but I hate to think that we are paying good money to be guinea pigs...

[sthelder]

From my experience, after I made my booking via an US TA, I could check out those packages available for pre-book (not pre-paid) on the MSC USA website. I only logged on and checked the prices about 2 months before my sail date (so it could be available even earlier).

 

Packages available should include Allegrissimo, Cheers (not recommended, as only useable at lunch/dinner), various water, cocktail (alcoholic and non alchholic variants) and wine packages. Other specialties are fruit plate or romantic packages.

 

On-line pre-book packages are also available on board, but you will need to pay a 15% service charge. Please take note that you need to pre-book 4 days in advance for you to enjoy the service charge free perk. While you are at it, remember to do the web check-in and print it out at least 1 day before your sail date.

 

Do-Re-Mi was not available for on-line or pre booking via TA. Same for coffee package. Think they could only be booked at the embarkation hall or on board.

 

If you sail out from US, water and coffee will be served in MDR, so you not even need to order them.

 

In my opinion, the drink prices on board are quite reasonable. At worst, not more than comparable drinks on mainstream US cruiselines. Some of the items are amongst the nicest I have ever had. The paid-for gelato is worth every penny (or cent or whatever currency you are using)!

 

*edit* If you decide to pre-book something, do remember to print out the confirmation! Unfortunately, MSC is not known for its organisational skill

Edited September 11, 2013 by sthelder

[AmoMondo]

Well, we don't drink, I don't drink coffee (my husband might have one cup a day). I'm even more frustrated now than I was earlier in the day! We spoke with our travel agent, who spoke with MSC, and she got different answers concerning the drink packages. You have to purchase them ahead of time, no wait, you don't! She wasn't able to get any answers about specifically what is covered. She said that an MSC representative is meeting with them on October 3 and she should have some answers then. I'm sorry, is this any way to run a business?! I realize that this is the first time for this ship in the Caribbean, but I hate to think that we are paying good money to be guinea pigs...

 

Sounds like part of the issue is your TA not knowing the product.

 

If you don't drink alcohol, rarely have coffee, what is it you do drink? I'm not trying to be rude but if you were to tell us what you typically want, to drink in a day, we can tell you whether there are any packages that would suit you or not. Have you tried looking at the prebook packages on MDC's website?

[austenfiend]

I drink iced tea or bottled water. My husband drinks bottled water and has diet soda with lunch and dinner, possibly coffee after dinner. My son drinks fruit juice, water, smoothies, lemonade, milk shakes, milk. I'm thinking we should just "pay as we go" (and does that mean it just gets charged to the room and settled later, as per other cruise lines?). Since gelato is a separate animal, I'll just expect a big bill for that at the end of the cruise, based upon how good everyone says it is!

[GOLDENBONNY]

I drink iced tea or bottled water. My husband drinks bottled water and has diet soda with lunch and dinner, possibly coffee after dinner. My son drinks fruit juice, water, smoothies, lemonade, milk shakes, milk. I'm thinking we should just "pay as we go" (and does that mean it just gets charged to the room and settled later, as per other cruise lines?). Since gelato is a separate animal, I'll just expect a big bill for that at the end of the cruise, based upon how good everyone says it is!

 

Gelato is so cheap ..I dont know how much you should eat it to get big bill. :p

[GOLDENBONNY]

I'm so sorry, I know this has been addressed ad nauseum, but I'm still confused. I think the reason is that my husband and I are not drinkers. So, none of the packages seem to make any sense for us. I have read the bar prices (in pounds, not sure how that translates to $). I noticed that they have a couple of new packages for the Caribbean, one being the DoReMi (really, that's the best they could come up with?) package. They say you get a specific number of vouchers. Are these physical vouchers that you have to carry on you? That's inconvenient!

 

And when they talk about milk shakes being included, since they don't mention gelato, I'm going to assume that is not included. How much is the gelato? With my "17-year-old, having a continuous growth spurt" son, I cringe to think of how much he might have in a day!

 

May I just say, that MSC's way of doing things is WAY more confusing than other lines we've been on.

 

Any thoughts or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

How dose it works with other companies vauchers? :confused:

[AmoMondo]

I drink iced tea or bottled water. My husband drinks bottled water and has diet soda with lunch and dinner, possibly coffee after dinner. My son drinks fruit juice, water, smoothies, lemonade, milk shakes, milk. I'm thinking we should just "pay as we go" (and does that mean it just gets charged to the room and settled later, as per other cruise lines?). Since gelato is a separate animal, I'll just expect a big bill for that at the end of the cruise, based upon how good everyone says it is!

 

Pay as you go sounds fine then. If your son is likely to drink at least 12 milk shakes, smoothies or juice, get him a Doremi and save a few $s.

 

Yes all onboard spend goes on to your cruise account and is settled at the end of the cruise

[mikesteg]

one being the DoReMi (really, that's the best they could come up with?) package.

 

Doremi is the name of the mascot in the shape of the MSC blue and white sun. I don't know where they came up with it, other than the obvious... thinking that do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do is perhaps too long of a name. :p

 

Anyway, the mascot tends to be more around the kids club and this is more of a kids voucher book, which may be why they hijacked the name. I'll still be buying one... or two. :D

[Maksim]

Can anyone please advise what is the best way for us, a couple that drinks occasionally, at dinner time, wine or cocktail. These packages seam to be very expensive and not worth it for us. I was thinking of $72 package for 15 drinks. Not sure how much they are a la carte. $4.80 for a drink seams reasonable. Any suggestions are welcome.

[Danbee46]

Then again, you can book a YC cabin where all the drinks are included.

[riclop]

Can anyone please advise what is the best way for us, a couple that drinks occasionally, at dinner time, wine or cocktail. These packages seam to be very expensive and not worth it for us. I was thinking of $72 package for 15 drinks. Not sure how much they are a la carte. $4.80 for a drink seams reasonable. Any suggestions are welcome.

That seems like a good package for you if you are not a big drinker. Thats the package we are looking at also. Enjoy.

[AmoMondo]

Can anyone please advise what is the best way for us, a couple that drinks occasionally, at dinner time, wine or cocktail. These packages seam to be very expensive and not worth it for us. I was thinking of $72 package for 15 drinks. Not sure how much they are a la carte. $4.80 for a drink seams reasonable. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

Just be aware they do not sell cocktails in the dining room. You need to get those from a bar.

[Maksim]

Just be aware they do not sell cocktails in the dining room. You need to get those from a bar.

Great. Thank you for letting me know. So, if you are at dinner and want to drink a cocktail as opposed to wine, you need to get up from your table and go to the bar? THis is a little inconvenient. However, wine by bottle will probably cost the same, so still, appears to be a better package and if we run out, just buy as we go. Thanks again for collaboration.

[AmoMondo]

Great. Thank you for letting me know. So, if you are at dinner and want to drink a cocktail as opposed to wine, you need to get up from your table and go to the bar? THis is a little inconvenient. However, wine by bottle will probably cost the same, so still, appears to be a better package and if we run out, just buy as we go. Thanks again for collaboration.

 

Well it may be different once the Divina is sailing out of the US all year round. If you really want one, it is easier to pick it up from a bar on the way in to the MDR.

 

The thing is Italians don't drink cocktails with food, so normally MSC just serves beer, wine, water and some soft drinks in the dining rooms. You may also want to consider buying wine by the carafe if you are not big drinkers - it's is usually proced very reasonably and sometimes arrives quicker than when you order a specific bottle from the wine list. You can also leave a bottle unfinished and they will return it to you the next evening.

Edited November 12, 2013 by AmoMondo

[Maksim]

Thank you. Sounds good.

[GOLDENBONNY]

Great. Thank you for letting me know. So, if you are at dinner and want to drink a cocktail as opposed to wine, you need to get up from your table and go to the bar? THis is a little inconvenient. However, wine by bottle will probably cost the same, so still, appears to be a better package and if we run out, just buy as we go. Thanks again for collaboration.

 

 

You don't need to go ,there is always witresses from bar in DR ,they will bring it to you.

[AmoMondo]

You don't need to go ,there is always witresses from bar in DR ,they will bring it to you.

 

Really. That must be yet another variation for US sailings. Doesn't happen generally elsewhere.

[Cruiser Snowy]

Wonder if anyone can help. Are Smirnoff vodka and Jack Daniels included in the Allegrissimo Classic drinks package?:cool:

[nowaysis]

based on past reviews things have changed, you will get a bottle if have package & yes waiter will get drink from bar while dining, and you can get several drinks on one card

 

but i will say do not buy the premium

if you want drinks in your room restock the fridge your self, don't worry about being charged as you have to fill in a chitty for mini bar & sign

 

its only 12year & up whiskeys that are not in classic everything else is