Order Allegrissimo during the cruise?

[explorator]

In case you did not book the Allegrissimo drinks package before or at embarkation, can you order it later during the cruise? How late? Can you decide after, say, three days you want the Allegrissimo? (I understand you'd still have to pay for the full week!)

 

What happens then to purchases made onboard before the package was ordered, of items that would have been included in the package? Will you pay for those on top of the package (since you bought them before), or will they be "converted into" the package (as you have to pay for the entire cruise for the Allegrissimo)?

 

 

The reason for asking is that we are soon leaving for our very first cruise, and find it very hard to estimate how much time will be spent onboard and how much you might drink. Also there's a question if the cocktails are any good (which is often not the case for All Inclusive resorts...). After 2-3 days I'd expect to have that figured out, and might then want the Allegrissimo.

[WhiteWineInTheSun]

As a charter, we had a voucher program (50 drink vouchers for a set amount). However, we did not know this until a month before sailing and were back and forth on which was the best package.

 

My husband and I are both the type to do a cost analysis, and if you use the Divina price for the Allegrissimo classic prior to boarding, it came down to the break even being 7 drinks per person per day to be worth it. If we decided after boarding, it'd be 8.5 drinks per day to be worthwhile, thanks to that 15% service charge.

 

We ended up with 75 vouchers (we were afraid that 50 wouldn't be enough, so we split a second set with someone else) for 5 nights. 7.5 drinks each per day. Came home with ONE voucher, and that was to have a memento. ;)

 

If I had it to do over, I would get more gelatos and charge the coffee drinks to the room-they cost less than the price of those vouchers. (Husband had 4 total, and 2 sodas).

 

No complaints at all with the drinks. We tried a variety, going with the drink of the day, some classic mixed drinks, some tropical, and once we found a bartender who noticed in the sports bar that we saw the bottle of Southern Comfort on the shelf, then later saw us in the Martini lounge and said 'hey mon, I've got your Southern Comfort'.

 

For the rest of the time, when we were at his bar, he and the servers got us our favorite drink. They did not skimp on the alcohol. In fact, we're talking about how we want to handle the vouchers for our charter next year.

 

Probably way more information than you wanted, but cheaper to book it ahead of time. You don't realize it, but 7 drinks a day isn't that hard to do (wine with dinner, for instance, then while relaxing).

 

Oh, we were off the ship in Cozumel for two afternoons, not the whole day for either, but I don't think it would have made that much of a difference in our consumption, as we tended towards water, tea, and juices at lunch, which are free.

 

Hope this helps.

[explorator]

As much as I appreciate the answer, I can't see that it answers my question whether it is possible to order the Allegrissimo package mid cruise?

[WhiteWineInTheSun]

Sorry.

 

You do pay more doing it mid-cruise, but I'm not sure if they will do that.

[Skipper Tim]

In case you did not book the Allegrissimo drinks package before or at embarkation, can you order it later during the cruise? How late? Can you decide after, say, three days you want the Allegrissimo? (I understand you'd still have to pay for the full week!)

 

What happens then to purchases made onboard before the package was ordered, of items that would have been included in the package? Will you pay for those on top of the package (since you bought them before), or will they be "converted into" the package (as you have to pay for the entire cruise for the Allegrissimo)?

 

 

The reason for asking is that we are soon leaving for our very first cruise, and find it very hard to estimate how much time will be spent onboard and how much you might drink. Also there's a question if the cocktails are any good (which is often not the case for All Inclusive resorts...). After 2-3 days I'd expect to have that figured out, and might then want the Allegrissimo.

 

Yes, you purchase Allegrissimo part-way through. It is charged per night on all remaining nights. In my experience they continue to advertise Allegrissimo at all bars throughout the cruise. Just ask the bar or waiting staff for it, they can give drinks on the package straight away but to obtain drinks or other items elsewhere, you need to visit reception after an hour or so to allow time for it to be loaded on the computer and for your cruise card to be changed (the code 421 or 431 is added to its face).

 

Items charged before you take out the package are charged individually.

 

The upshot of this is you could go a few nights abstaining and paying-as-you-go then purchase Allegrissimo for the remaining nights. Yes, 15% is added to the nightly charge because you are not pre-booking but if you don't want Allegrissimo throughout the cruise, it is a way of saving overall.

 

I hope this answers your questions!

Edited May 25, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[explorator]

Hmm. The MSC web says "The package is valid for every day of the cruise and cannot be purchased on a daily basis. ... The price of the package applies to each day of the cruise except for the day of disembarkation.", but maybe that is only for pre-booked packages (without the 15%)???

 

If it would be possible (on a Mediterranean cruise) to get Allegrissimo after a couple of days, and only pay for the remaining days, that indeed would fit us perfectly!

[AmoMondo]

Hmm. The MSC web says "The package is valid for every day of the cruise and cannot be purchased on a daily basis. ... The price of the package applies to each day of the cruise except for the day of disembarkation.", but maybe that is only for pre-booked packages (without the 15%)???

 

If it would be possible (on a Mediterranean cruise) to get Allegrissimo after a couple of days, and only pay for the remaining days, that indeed would fit us perfectly!

 

You mention in your first post that you're also concerned that the cocktails may not be very good (based on those in AI resorts) well that is definitely not the case on MSC. They are the very same cocktails whether you're paying as you go on a drink by drink basis charged to your account or on Allegrissimo. Only items marked with a red asterisk are excluded. It is hard for even moderate drinkers not to get their money's worth on the European package. Remember it also includes the fresh juices from the vitamin bar, coffees and ice cream. I usually have got half of it taken care of before lunch getting juice, coffee and water to take ashore and that is before I have anything alcholic.

 

The package can't be bought for a single day. It is intended to be bought for the entire cruise. Tim is correct though, they do continue to promote it during the cruise other than just on the first day. You can't cancel it after you've bought it though. Remember buying it onboard will cost 15% more.

[Skipper Tim]

Hmm. The MSC web says "The package is valid for every day of the cruise and cannot be purchased on a daily basis. ... The price of the package applies to each day of the cruise except for the day of disembarkation.", but maybe that is only for pre-booked packages (without the 15%)???

 

If it would be possible (on a Mediterranean cruise) to get Allegrissimo after a couple of days, and only pay for the remaining days, that indeed would fit us perfectly!

 

As ever, MSC wording is somewhat opaque.

 

1) When Allegrissimo is purchased on board, it must be purchased for the remainder of the cruise.

2) If there is a credit card registered to settle you onboard, you can continue benefiting from the package until the moment you disembark on your final day. If you choose to settle in cash, your onboard account will closed during your final night and you will not be able to use the package, or onboard account, on your final day.

3) MSC describes cruise durations as x nights and (x+1) days, e.g. 7 nights/8 days or 12 nights/13 days etc.. So, according to MSC, Allegrissimo is priced so much per day, except not the last, ie. it is a nightly charge!

 

Multiple the daily cost, e.g. €23, by the number of nights remaining and add 15% service charge to obtain the cost of purchasing Allegrissimo part-way through a cruise.

[Skipper Tim]

The package can't be bought for a single day. It is intended to be bought for the entire cruise.

 

Aha - the exception is a one night cruise! I have Allegrissimo booked for my one night cruise departing tomorrow.

[AmoMondo]

Aha - the exception is a one night cruise! I have Allegrissimo booked for my one night cruise departing tomorrow.

 

Indeed you're correct Tim! Enjoy your little sojourn on the Opera. If you see cRlos who used to be the best bartender and is now an officer in charge of all the bars, say hi from me!

[Red Sligo]

Just 2 things to add re the package:

- Fresh orange juice is not now available on the basic package

- You cant use the package on the day you leave the ship

 

Apart from the above, it's great value for money, only downside is if your other half is not a mad drinker-there's only so much coffee and ice cream you can have.

[explorator]

On the cruise now. Info sheet says packages can be purchased on board "no later than the second day of the cruise". Haven't confirmed this with the staff yet, as we're doing pretty good anyway. (Cocktails are much larger than anticipated. I'd say at least 300 ml, possibly 400 ml)

[Skipper Tim]

Just 2 things to add re the package:

- Fresh orange juice is not now available on the basic package

- You cant use the package on the day you leave the ship

 

Apart from the above, it's great value for money, only downside is if your other half is not a mad drinker-there's only so much coffee and ice cream you can have.

 

Fresh orange is included on Allegrissimo but only from one bar on the pool deck. At other venues it is extra - before it was not available elsewhere!

 

I had my money's worth on the MSC Opera just yesterday, on my day of disembarkation, all covered by Allegrissimo. Nothing has changed there. I have not yet had an MSC cruise without taking full advantage of Allegrissimo on the day of disembarkation.

 

Specifically, on the 27th May 2014, yesterday as I write this and my day of disembarkation from the MSC Opera, I had:

 

1 x caffe Marocchino (€2.50)

1 x caffe Macchiato (€1.40)

1 x Cranberry Juice (€2.50)

1 x 20 CL Heineken (€2.90)

1 x 50 CL still water (€1.55)

1 x 40 CL Heineken (€4.90)

 

Total €15.75 charged as zero.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Skipper Tim