Book Drinks packages and trips in advance? Same Price?

[noxis]

Hey all, for the first time I am actually planning in advance. Is it the same price to book in advance compared to when we get on board for both drinks packages and excursions?

 

Also when trying to book excursions in advance the website prices go up when actually about to add them to the Cart? Seems a bit cheeky.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

MSC Splendida - 25th May from Genoa.

Edited May 18, 2014 by noxis

[Aussiegrlfl]

Thanks to a review I just read I added our drink packages in advance.......however unlike most lines you don't pay until you get onboard...you just book them in advance........a nice touch because the Premium package cost was $399 a person for the week by ordering in advance and the gentlemen in the review said it was $500 if you purchased it onboard due to taxes etc..........haven't tried to book an excursion yet because the only one I was interested said "sold out".......which I hope changes closer to the sail date.............hope this helps a bit

[Wookiee]

If booking drinks package onboard you'll be charged the 15% gratuity. Booking in advance avoids this charge.

[Skipper Tim]

Hey all, for the first time I am actually planning in advance. Is it the same price to book in advance compared to when we get on board for both drinks packages and excursions?

 

Also when trying to book excursions in advance the website prices go up when actually about to add them to the Cart? Seems a bit cheeky.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

MSC Splendida - 25th May from Genoa.

 

This is a surprisingly complex issue.

 

Firstly, the choice of things you can book in advance via the MSC website is different to the one of things available to buy aboard. Many of the things available to pre-book are by virtue of the pre-booking, e.g. 'cabin treatments' for your embarkation. Other differences just appear random. It is not the same choice!

 

Secondly, if you are pre-booking in a currency different to the onboard currency, the prices, after taking into account the exchange rates, will be different, sometimes significantly. On drinks, the 15% service charge is included by pre-booking but that does not necessarily make it cheaper than buying the same package onboard and paying the 15% on top! There is a good chance that pre-booking will work out cheaper however and in the absence of other information to the contrary is always the one to go for.

 

Thirdly, there are two different ways of pre-booking: pre-pay and post-way. With pre-pay, you pay either with the balance of the cruise fare or at the time of adding extras if the balance has already been paid. This is in your booking currency. If you post-pay, the costs are added to your onboard account and paid when you settle at the end of the cruise. This is in the onboard currency. Neither attract the 15% service charge and both are available via different routes through the MSC website. However, only the post-pay expenditure counts towards your MSC Club points (200 whatever currency it is onboard = 1 MSC Club point).

 

Finally, the choices and prices vary by itinerary, time of year, ship, onboard currency and onboard special offers. You need to find out what is available for your particular cruise to pre-book and pre-pay vs. what is available to pre-book and post pay, do the currency conversion to compare like choices and make a choice. If you have any pricing information from onboard the ship on the same itinerary from someone abaord etc., add that into the mix too.

 

In short, you should never lose much money by pre-booking and will usually save some. If you can, compare both pre-booking options, pre-pay and post-pay, via the MSC website, converting currency if applicable. Post-pay is preferable for counting towards MSC Club points. If Pre-pay is cheaper than post-pay, decide if the MSC Club points are worth the extra to you.

 

That is about as short a correct explanation as exists!

Edited May 18, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[tigger89]

Hi we are booked for the Divina in Oct and booking excursions just now it has been a total pain. The stuff we wanted to do was saying sold out online but when you phone it's available because we booked it on the phone we have to pay it with the balance of the cruise where as if it was booked on line we would paid on board and got points for it.

 

Judith

[noxis]

Wow great response guys, much appreciated.

 

I am doing everything in Euros so the price change on the excursions isn't down to that. Just to be clear, I am search for available trips by using my booking number, that gives me a price in Euros, when I then go to add it to cart the prices all go up.

[jkgourmet]

Wow great response guys, much appreciated.

 

I am doing everything in Euros so the price change on the excursions isn't down to that. Just to be clear, I am search for available trips by using my booking number, that gives me a price in Euros, when I then go to add it to cart the prices all go up.

 

Thst sounds like a glitch. I'd call MSC before booking.

[Mikesa1721]

Just something else to add to this thread. If you are pre-booking any packages which include wine, champagne, food items, you must let guest services or if you are in the Yacht Club, your concierge, know when you would like those items delivered to your stateroom once on board. If you call MSC to pre-book, they will enter the day and time for you. In my opinion, you should be able to select the day and time when you pre-book on-line, this would make the process a little easier I think. Also, if you would like to purchase something for a stateroom other than your own, you must wait till those who are occupying that stateroom are checked in before you can purchase those items. We wanted to buy a Romance package for our cousins who were celebrating their anniversary this past weekend and wanted to have the champagne in their stateroom before they were on board, but were told they must be checked in before we could do so,,,this kind of deflated the surprise factor so we took them to LeMuse instead.