Any reports from the MSC Armonia from the Canaries?

[Skipper Tim]

As subject, Many of us here would love to hear.

 

We have a record-breaking MSC roll-call for the repositioning cruise back from Gran Canaria to Venice in March, yes even more read and posted to than any Diva roll call!

 

Any reports from aboard the Armonia would be much appreciated.

 

You know, we want to know all the usual things like dinner sitting times, drinks prices, best staff, entertainment etc. and anything we really need to know.

 

Tim.

[moomoocow]

As subject, Many of us here would love to hear.

 

We have a record-breaking MSC roll-call for the repositioning cruise back from Gran Canaria to Venice in March, yes even more read and posted to than any Diva roll call!

 

Any reports from aboard the Armonia would be much appreciated.

 

You know, we want to know all the usual things like dinner sitting times, drinks prices, best staff, entertainment etc. and anything we really need to know.

 

Tim.

 

Also because there is more than one ship in the MSC fleet! :p

 

This place has more Divina than Big Brother......

[sidari]

Tim ... We did see the ship in Malaga and it was looking really good, hope it looks that way come March.

[Skier52]

As subject, Many of us here would love to hear.

 

We have a record-breaking MSC roll-call for the repositioning cruise back from Gran Canaria to Venice in March, yes even more read and posted to than any Diva roll call!

 

Any reports from aboard the Armonia would be much appreciated.

 

You know, we want to know all the usual things like dinner sitting times, drinks prices, best staff, entertainment etc. and anything we really need to know.

 

Tim.

 

ARMONIA

 

 

They are flogging off cabins at knock down prices

 

£449 for fly/cruise with a free upgrade from inside to BALCONY SUITE, so the cruises must be virtually empty as there are only 132 Suites out of 783 cabins, and they are upgrading insides to suites for free.

 

From an email i got last week

 

Canary Islands fly cruise. See the online version.

 

 

Call Reservations

0844 561 1955

Mon-Fri 09:30-18:00

Sat 09:00-17:30 | Sun 10:00-16:00

 

 

Join MSC Armonia for one of the most exciting and relaxing cruises of your life. Visiting pristine beaches and ports of call rich with fascniating history and culture, are just a few things you can expect when on board.

 

If you need a 'pick me up' during the winter months plus sun, sea and relaxation, a cruise with MSC will be perect for you.

 

Our Fly Cruises offer direct flights from London to Tenerife with regional flights available on request.

 

7 Night Fly Cruise from only £449pp

with FREE Upgrade to Balcony Suite

Call us on 0844 561 1955 or click below.

 

Take me there!

 

Departures: 06 Dec 2013; 03 - 17 - 31 Jan; 14 & 28 Feb; 14 Mar 2014 (CRUISING THE CANARIES)

 

Inside Cabin from £449pp

with FREE Upgrade to Balcony Suite

Above rates are based on 06 December 2013 departure.

 

 

Departures: 13 Dec 2013; 10 & 24 Jan; 07 & 21 Feb; 07 Mar 2014 (CANARIES AND N. AFRICAN COAST)

 

Inside Cabin from £449pp

with FREE Upgrade to Balcony Suite

 

Above rates are based on 13 December 2013 departure.

 

 

 

w w w . m s c c r u i s e s . c o . u k

Terms and Conditions

 

Offer valid for new bookings made from 21 November 2013 only. Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, subject to availability and capacity controlled. Prices based on 06 and 13 Dec 2013. Prices are based are on lead the lowest category cabin available and on low season departures. Children under 18 cruise free when sharing a cabin with two full fare paying adults paying only for the port dues and applicable flight costs. Flights are subject to confirmation by MSC Cruises. MSC Club members need to provide their membership numbers at the time of booking to receive appl icable discount. All additional add-ons (drinks packages etc) will be at current selling prices and payable by all passengers under the same booking reference. Offer excludes flights and transfers (unless otherwise stipulated), shore excursions, drinks packages, travel insurance and any other items of a personal nature.

 

For full terms and conditions, please visit www.msccruises.co.uk MSC Cruises Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 02974020

Queens House, 55/56 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LJ

MSC Cruises respects your privacy

Edited November 25, 2013 by Skier52

[steph7021]

I'd love to know anything about the Armonia too!!

[Skipper Tim]

They are flogging off cabins at knock down prices

 

£449 for fly/cruise with a free upgrade from inside to BALCONY SUITE, so the cruises must be virtually empty as there are only 132 Suites out of 783 cabins, and they are upgrading insides to suites for free.

 

From an email i got last week

 

 

Many thanks for that. Several things spring to mind.

 

1) Low demand is hardly surprising given the switch to a new cruising ground at short notice (after the cancellation of the Red Sea itineraries);

 

2) it is now possible to leave and join at Tenerife where there are many time more flights than Las Palmas;

 

3) our repo from Las Palmas to Venice has gone from the UK MSC website altogether (though it appears at high prices on others);

 

4) I am booked inside guarantee - my belief that I would be upgraded to outside has strengthened;

 

5) I am signed up to receive emails from MSC under (at least) three different email accounts and still did not receive this email! When I have already shown my interest in the Armonia by being booked on it, what are the UK marketing department playing at???

 

These are double occupancy rates while sole occupancy is not available at any price not I am not tempted but thanks again.

 

Tim.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Skipper Tim

[Frode]

Hi, I was onboard MSC Armonia during the 8 nights repositioning from Venice to Las Palmas (Nov 1-9, 2013).

 

This was my very first repositioning cruise, and although it wasn't that long - it was a nice "test": I will absolutely do such a cruise again....and a longer one - gladly even with more days & nights at open sea :) We had some really nice, relaxing days onboad, with no stress and a lot of time to read, to eat, to use the gym, to relax in a sunbed at the pool-deck a s o :rolleyes:

 

The weather was mostly very nice - except from two nights and one day when we more or less experienced storm.

 

I heard from the guys at the check-in desk in Venice, right before we departed, that there were approx 970 passengers onboard. (The capacity, I believe, is a maximum of around 2 000 passengers.) Therefore, there were no crowding onboard at all.

 

Myself; i had a Suite; the only type of cabin which have a balcony onboard the MSC Armonia. The vessel has, as you surely know, only three different categories: Inside / Outside / Suites.

 

Many nationalities among the passengers were represented; though - most of them seemed to come from UK and Germany. There were not to many Italians :D

During such a repositioning cruise I found it much more easy and common to interact and speak to the fellow passengers than on a regular cruise. We were like a big family.

 

I got the information from many of the passengers that MSC had sold this cruise, in combination with air transport (i.e. Fly & Cruise), at very low and competitive prices. And more or less always with a cabin upgrade.

 

Very many passengers (at least those from UK and Germany) who had bought Fly & Cruise-packages, had even got an extra cruise week included in the deal.

I.e. when we arrived the last day during the repositioning to Las Palmas, they were going to continue onboard even during the first week of the regular cruise program round the Canaries.

 

Finally - even though the ship is built in 2001, I was actually quite surprised that the public areas onboard are very fresh and nice!

 

When it comes to the service onboard; the food in the MDR and at the buffet; the entertainment etc., there is a lot to be said... Something was good...and other things should need to be improved.

 

Let us wait for - and read - the reviews from this cruise that certainly will come from other passengers :rolleyes:

Edited November 27, 2013 by Frode

[steph7021]

Hi, I was onboard MSC Armonia during the 8 nights repositioning from Venice to Las Palmas (Nov 1-9, 2013).

 

This was my very first repositioning cruise, and although it wasn't that long - it was a nice "test": I will absolutely do such a cruise again....and a longer one - gladly even with more days & nights at open sea :) We had some really nice, relaxing days onboad, with no stress and a lot of time to read, to eat, to use the gym, to relax in a sunbed at the pool-deck a s o :rolleyes:

 

The weather was mostly very nice - except from two nights and one day when we more or less experienced storm.

 

I heard from the guys at the check-in desk in Venice, right before we departed, that there were approx 970 passengers onboard. (The capacity, I believe, is a maximum of around 2 000 passengers.) Therefore, there were no crowding onboard at all.

 

Myself; i had a Suite; the only type of cabin which have a balcony onboard the MSC Armonia. The vessel has, as you surely know, only three different categories: Inside / Outside / Suites.

 

Many nationalities among the passengers were represented; though - most of them seemed to come from UK and Germany. There were not to many Italians :D

During such a repositioning cruise I found it much more easy and common to interact and speak to the fellow passengers than on a regular cruise. We were like a big family.

 

I got the information from many of the passengers that MSC had sold this cruise, in combination with air transport (i.e. Fly & Cruise), at very low and competitive prices. And more or less always with a cabin upgrade.

 

Very many passengers (at least those from UK and Germany) who had bought Fly & Cruise-packages, had even got an extra cruise week included in the deal.

I.e. when we arrived the last day during the repositioning to Las Palmas, they were going to continue onboard even during the first week of the regular cruise program round the Canaries.

 

Finally - even though the ship is built in 2001, I was actually quite surprised that the public areas onboard are very fresh and nice!

 

When it comes to the service onboard; the food in the MDR and at the buffet; the entertainment etc., there is a lot to be said... Something was good...and other things should need to be improved.

 

Let us wait for - and read - the reviews from this cruise that certainly will come from other passengers :rolleyes:

 

We have a suite on deck 12. Can you tell me more about your room and balcony?

[Skier52]

We have a suite on deck 12. Can you tell me more about your room and balcony?

Here is some info about a suite on deck 12 of SINFONIA, which are the same

 

The suite measures 28 feet x 8.5 feet (~240 sq ft) and the balcony 8.5 feet x 5 feet (~43 sq ft.). The Bath room is ~5.5 x 6 ft and has a bath with shower over it. outside the bathroom is a "corridor" ( ~ 8 Fft X 2.5 ft) which has 2 full height wardrobes with 5 or 6 shelves each about 14 inches square

There is also a walk in wardrobe about 5 ft x 3 ft (at its widest.) this houses a set of 6 drawers and a hanging rail. The main cabin has the bed(s), two bedside tables, a two seat settee, arm chair and coffee table. Finally there is a run of two cupboads and the mini fridge , on which the TV is placed and a dressing table (set across a corner) above which is a large mirror which opens to reveal a storgage area which houses the safe.

All in all the cabins are reasonably large with masses of storage space.

 

The balcony has two chairs and a footstool/coffee table and is just adequate as a balcony.

 

THe cabins on deck 12 are some of the quietest I've ever had on a cruise.

 

Finally at the forward end of the deck 12 corridor is a door which leads out onto a balcony which extends across the front of the ship and is good for viewing sail-outs and sail-ins. It's closed when cruising because of the wind.

 

THe blue print floorplan

 

 

THe main area of the cabin which shows the dressing table with the mirror , behind which is the safe, There should be a reasonable hairdryer there as well and the unit houses 2 x 240V EU sockets and 2 x 110V USA socket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walk in wardrobe

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "corridoor" with the two wardrobes with shelves inside

 

 

 

 

 

MORE pictures in my next post

 

 

Pete

Edited November 27, 2013 by Skier52

[Skier52]

THe bathroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The balcony

 

 

 

[steph7021]

Fantastic! Thank you!

 

I wondered about those 2 cabins all the way forward....are the balconies unusable while sailing. We almost booked one and thought better of it.

[Skier52]

Fantastic! Thank you!

 

I wondered about those 2 cabins all the way forward....are the balconies unusable while sailing. We almost booked one and thought better of it.

You got it in one, the wind generated by the forward motion of the ship would make it virtualy impossible to open the windows out on to the balcony, in addition they are not very private because people can stand next to your balony and see in

 

 

 

Pete

[Skipper Tim]

Hi, I was onboard MSC Armonia during the 8 nights repositioning from Venice to Las Palmas (Nov 1-9, 2013).

 

This was my very first repositioning cruise, and although it wasn't that long - it was a nice "test": I will absolutely do such a cruise again....and a longer one - gladly even with more days & nights at open sea :) We had some really nice, relaxing days onboad, with no stress and a lot of time to read, to eat, to use the gym, to relax in a sunbed at the pool-deck a s o :rolleyes:

 

The weather was mostly very nice - except from two nights and one day when we more or less experienced storm.

 

I heard from the guys at the check-in desk in Venice, right before we departed, that there were approx 970 passengers onboard. (The capacity, I believe, is a maximum of around 2 000 passengers.) Therefore, there were no crowding onboard at all.

 

You touch upon two of the reasons I prefer repositioning cruises to regular ones - consecutive sea days when the ship gets into a natural, relaxing rhythm; to the point where there is almost no time to go ashore when we eventually dock; and fewer guests on board meaning more space and better service. Then there are likely to be ports of call not on regular itineraries and I like visiting new places, the sense of adventure in making a genuine long-distance journey evocative of the old liners making a passage, and finally, they are such good value - lower daily rates than regular cruises and lower or zero solo occupancy supplement.

 

The closest I have done to a regular itinerary is a Transatlantic on the QE2, but that had all the above elements too. I may try one b2b with a repositioning one day, just to dip my toe in the water.