Increases in fares, hotel charge, Allegrissimo - it is cheaper to buy a yacht

[Skipper Tim]

Honestly for the price of two-three cruises at current rates, you can buy a second hand yacht - which I have just done.

 

Sailing around the Greek Islands is always going to be heavily compromised on a large ship. I now have my own go-anywhere vessel. I will miss the Allegrissimo and the service. Hopefully some of the past company will join me at some point.

 

I will happily return to MSC when prices become 'real'. In the meantime, I am forced by economy to sail a private yacht around the Greek Islands.

[sidari]

Are you for hire ? i mean the Yacht of course lol .... :D

[Skipper Tim]

Are you for hire ? i mean the Yacht of course lol .... :D

 

I was advised years ago by an ex-policeman to become a 'male escort'. On current form, I should have taken his advice:).

 

She is very small, an ex-flotilla Jaguar 27. She is more like a dingy with accommodation and the perfect antidote to all those mega cruise ships.

 

Suddenly I am looking forward to a good cruise season!

[AmoMondo]

Enjoy Tim!

 

I'm confident you'll be able to overcome the lack of Allegrissimo

By sourcing cheap booze on land somewhere.

[Willow1686]

I have to say I'm impressed by the lateral thinking; since MSC declined to take my money as a solo paying 100% surcharge I have spent quite a lot of money with other companies.

 

My San Diego to Southampton with Fred was great, and I've got two Voyages to Antiquity cruises lined up for July and August; admittedly VTA isn't cheap but it's good value when you add up all the things which are included in the price. I had an excellent time with them last summer, and expect to repeat the experience. Had MSC condescended to allow me in the Yacht Club I might well have spent my money with them.

 

The Aegean Odyssey only carries 350 passengers, though that's still rather larger than your family sized yacht; I'm sure you will solve the booze problem with equally lateral thinking...

[AmoMondo]

Hi Willow,

Nice to see you here again. Nope you are now fully recovered from that run in with the kettle earlier this year?

 

I've no more cruises booked with MSC. I've been slithering for the last few years about a return trip to Oz and when MSC started refusing to take solo passengers at all earlier this year, I went ahead and booked the land trip. They now seem to have somewhat relaxed their draconian attitude towards us, albeit now at 50% supplement until next Autumn when they hike it back up to the pre recession 100%. I'm not saying never again, but not rushing into anything. Will keep an eye out on pricing for repos next year in case they change their minds and reduce prices or run short term offers.

 

I've not heard of voyages of antiquity before. May do a bit research on them. Failing that there isa always Costa again. Their UAE prices are still quite high but some of their repos don't look bad and have a lower supplement than MSC.

Edited June 27, 2014 by AmoMondo

[Willow1686]

It's nice to see you, too! The contretemps with the kettle seems to be going well, but it takes a lot of time to get back to the status quo; alcohol is obviously far less dangerous!

 

I have a new passion; Eurostar and the TGV to Switzerland is an amazingly civilised way of travelling, and if you book early it's also reasonably priced. I was somewhat startled that you hop on in Paris and hop off in Basel and nobody asks even to see your passport, much less put you through security. I can't imagine wanting to fly to Switzerland when I can go by high speed train, and I really want to visit Basel again; it's beautiful.

 

As I recall you do a fair bit of business travel; are you condemned to the joys of airports everywhere?

[Willow1686]

I'm sure you are right in never saying never but MSC has put a lot of effort into a marketing strategy which was heavy on US style family fun without apparently pausing to consider whether it was going to alienate a chunk of their pre existing passenger demographics. It doesn't seem to be working very well, which is probably why they are trying to edge back a bit, but this sort of game is more about trying to save face than it is in sensibly considering how to get their ducks in a row.

 

Costa simply hadn't occurred to me but I see that the Fascinosa will be in Venice when I board the Aegean Odyssey, so I will at least see the outside. There is going to be a very large gap between us at maximum 349 passengers (I'm travelling solo in a double cabin), the Silver Spirit which has about 700 and the Fascinosa with almost 4,000.

 

I'm happy to pay the difference in price between VTA and the huge ships because we get a private evening tour of St Marks, and St Mark's with a maximum of 349 passengers in it is going to be a lot more enjoyable than St Mark's with 5000 people in it. For me that's important, but it all depends on personal likes and dislikes in the end :)

[SunReader]

Hello,

 

We are sailing on the Divina in August. We were looking at MSC for next summer, but I checked the pricing for a solo, and it comes up no rooms available. I was able to book a balcony cabin this year.

 

Does MSC have a different policy in Europe where they do not allow a solo person to book a cruise?

 

It seems strange that they don't want solo/single people to travel with their families or couples.

 

Ellen

[Skipper Tim]

Does MSC have a different policy in Europe where they do not allow a solo person to book a cruise?

 

It seems strange that they don't want solo/single people to travel with their families or couples.

 

Ellen

 

 

I see two factors at play here.

 

Firstly, MSC rely heavily on the revenue generated through on board spend. This is demonstrated by the 'children go free' policy as children generate revenue as well and it is better to have three or four sources of on board revenue per cabin than two. Why they restrict this to children I don't know. Why not '3rd and 4th person go free'? Anyway to have only one person occupying a cabin flies in the face of this strategy and even a 100% supplement does not replace the onboard spend lost from another occupant. Therefore MSC often just won't accept solo bookings. (If they started charging solos double for their drinks, spa treatments etc., they would get a very bad press!)

 

Secondly, MSC are trying to break into new markets. Even after the massive expansion in capacity the Fantasia class has brought in recent years, with the ships currently on order that capacity is set to increase by another 40%. MSC need a lot of new customers! MSC appear to do this by dividing the World into different regions, setting sales targets in terms of either passenger numbers or cabins and devolving sales strategy (prices & promotions) to the office for that region. Hence we get crazy variations in prices for the same cabin on the same cruise between different booking regions. I believe MSC centrally set the number of cabins available for solo-occupancy, if any, for each cruise but, if they are available, the supplement is set locally consistent with each region's sales strategy.

 

The golden age for solos on repositioning cruises for UK, and subsequently English-speaking MSC customers came to an end with the arrival of Giles Hawke. He obviously is pursuing a different sales strategy and one that is distinctly solo-unfriendly :(. MSC are aggressively pursuing the U.S. market so it may be that there are better deals for solos there than in the U.K. - if so let us know!

 

I believe there will still be zero-supplement cabins for sole occupancy available but these are likely to be on under-sold cruises at very short notice, i.e. in the 'consolidation' period when the regional offices release their own quotas in to the global sales pool, and on the principle that even one revenue-generating body per cabin is better than none. This makes travel planning for solos especially challenging. It becomes 'travel forecasting' where cancellable arrangements are made in anticipation of reasonably-priced solo cabins becoming available. To maximise your chances, pick a cruise that you think nobody, not even yourself, would want to go on :).

Edited June 28, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[sidari]

The first cruise line to actually have a New build with say half or a full deck of solo occupancy cabins will be on to a winner, maybe even adding Solo cabins at re fit time as Cunard have just done on the Queen Elizabeth despite only adding nine cabins.

[SunReader]

Skipper Tim,

 

Thank you for the information. We booked back in February and I paid an 80 percent supplement.

 

My friend with kids got a great deal and that is why they wanted to look at it for next year. Unfortunately, they can only travel school vacation time.

 

Royal Caribbean introduced the 100 percent supplement last year.

 

Ellen

[Willow1686]

Sidari

 

NCL have moved in that direction with studio cabins for solos; they are grouped together with some facilities specific to them.

 

They are a long way from the Haven, however; I ceased taking MSC seriously when they decided that they wouldn't sell a Yacht Class cabin to a solo at any price. As far as I can tell, most of the Yacht Class cabins were never intended be for families travelling with children, which is unsurprising given the difficulty of sustaining the 'luxury yacht' ambience if you're knee deep in ankle biters...

[AmoMondo]

It's nice to see you, too! The contretemps with the kettle seems to be going well, but it takes a lot of time to get back to the status quo; alcohol is obviously far less dangerous!

 

I have a new passion; Eurostar and the TGV to Switzerland is an amazingly civilised way of travelling, and if you book early it's also reasonably priced. I was somewhat startled that you hop on in Paris and hop off in Basel and nobody asks even to see your passport, much less put you through security. I can't imagine wanting to fly to Switzerland when I can go by high speed train, and I really want to visit Basel again; it's beautiful.

 

As I recall you do a fair bit of business travel; are you condemned to the joys of airports everywhere?

Not too much business travel thankfully.maybe 10 trips to London every year and a few to Brighton, Bristol and occasionally Birmingham. I've got a team in India, so an annual trip there as well.

 

Love travel, don't mind flying (especiLly switch Emirates), hate airports with a passion! It is just all so tedious. I sometimes think a DHL parcel has a better experience than we do going from one queue to another.

 

You're fortunate to be in London and have Eurostar at your disposal. It is a bit of a hike for me. That said if I'm doing a trip to Central London for leisure the train is a more pleasant option than flying down and really takes about the same time when you factor in all the hanging around at airports and then the travel time into London. I take myself off to the restaurant car for a few hours for a G&T then a leisurely 3 course lunch washed down with some of the red stuff and before you know it, you are almost there. Your luggage can be what ever size or weight you want, you can have liquids where you want them and you don't have that anxious moment wondering if your case is going to show up on the baggage carousel.

[travelberlin]

I am not sure I understand. Is MSC not accepting solo bookings anymore or has it increased the single supplement?

Edited June 28, 2014 by travelberlin

[SunReader]

Hello,

 

If you put in 1 person on August 1, 2015, there are no rooms available. If you put in 2 or more, rooms are available. This was on the MSC USA website.

 

I will check in August when onboard the Divina to see if they allow solo cabins if others are booking too.

 

Ellen

[AmoMondo]

Hello,

 

We are sailing on the Divina in August. We were looking at MSC for next summer, but I checked the pricing for a solo, and it comes up no rooms available. I was able to book a balcony cabin this year.

 

Does MSC have a different policy in Europe where they do not allow a solo person to book a cruise?

 

It seems strange that they don't want solo/single people to travel with their families or couples.

 

Ellen

 

Hi Ellen

 

I just tried several mock bookings for the Med in August 2015 solo occupancy. None of the Fantasia class ships are available to book as a solo however the Musica and Lirica class ships are. August is the high season, so as Tim says they are looking to maximise onboard spend. Dare say they may condescend to sell us a cabin that hasn't sold as a late booking. Personally I like the smaller Musica class the best and the Lirica class often have more interesting itineraries. They have 100% though at that time of year.

[SunReader]

Thank you AmoMondo. I will check out those ships.

 

One friend is a teacher and another has kids in school so if I go with them on our annual vacation, we have to go in August.

 

Airfare would be very expensive at the last minute. They had some great last minute deals on the Divina in August.

 

Ellen

[moomoocow]

SunReader

 

Is it worth trying to book one adult one child (by borrowing a child from your group of travellers?)

 

They wouldn't have to stay with you (they could remain in the parents room) but you could check to see if it allows you to book one adult and one child - if they price the child free and you aren't classed as solo occupancy it could be an interesting and cost effective way round things....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[SunReader]

Hello moomoocow,

 

We checked that for this summer and you have to have two adults in a cabin for the children to be free.

 

We don't usually plan vacations this far ahead, but thought about booking while we are on the Divina.

 

Enjoy your vacation on the Divina. We will be on a week after you get off.

 

Ellen

Edited June 28, 2014 by SunReader
Spelling

[tigger89]

Sidari

 

NCL have moved in that direction with studio cabins for solos; they are grouped together with some facilities specific to them.

 

They are a long way from the Haven, however; I ceased taking MSC seriously when they decided that they wouldn't sell a Yacht Class cabin to a solo at any price. As far as I can tell, most of the Yacht Class cabins were never intended be for families travelling with children, which is unsurprising given the difficulty of sustaining the 'luxury yacht' ambience if you're knee deep in ankle biters...

 

Hi

We have booked the yc from Miami doing a b2b and have 2 cabins with solo cruisers for October. Don't know why it's different.

 

We were on NCL pride of America last year just after her dry dock and they were adding solo cabins.

 

Judith

[Willow1686]

Not too much business travel thankfully.maybe 10 trips to London every year and a few to Brighton, Bristol and occasionally Birmingham. I've got a team in India, so an annual trip there as well.

 

Love travel, don't mind flying (especiLly switch Emirates), hate airports with a passion! It is just all so tedious. I sometimes think a DHL parcel has a better experience than we do going from one queue to another.

 

You're fortunate to be in London and have Eurostar at your disposal. It is a bit of a hike for me. That said if I'm doing a trip to Central London for leisure the train is a more pleasant option than flying down and really takes about the same time when you factor in all the hanging around at airports and then the travel time into London. I take myself off to the restaurant car for a few hours for a G&T then a leisurely 3 course lunch washed down with some of the red stuff and before you know it, you are almost there. Your luggage can be what ever size or weight you want, you can have liquids where you want them and you don't have that anxious moment wondering if your case is going to show up on the baggage carousel.

 

Yes, I am extremely fortunate; I'm 4 minutes from Moorgate and 3 stops to St Pancras International, where you have 30 minutes to check in. My daughter set up the Paris and Basel trip as our birthday celebration; hers is 1st June and mine is the 8th. She discovered as a small child that the Queen has 2 birthdays, and was so outraged that henceforth she decreed that her birthday would extend until mine, and thus a family tradition was born. We also celebrate all 12 days of Christmas, for similar reasons :)

 

Oddly enough, the trip to Basel was to see a musician we first met on a Fred Olsen Cape town to Southampton trip; we've become friends, and he's in a world tour of Mamma Mia, so it seemed a good place to take in his show, and let him guide us to the things really worth seeing and doing in Basel, which is how my daughter ended up swimming in the Rhine, and I got the best cocktail bar he could find, which means the best, because when it comes to finding cocktail bars he is galaxy class. :)

 

He was assistant musical director for 'Top Hat' in the West End for a couple of years, which was an amazingly good show, and we particularly enjoyed it when he was conducting because we like the front row where you can see the orchestra pit, and he likes to show off when he has friends who realise that the show depends on those musicians. The orchestra like that as well, so post theatre cocktails are friendly affairs.

 

I've got a bit side tracked; I think that your plan for G&T plus wine on the train shows exemplary judgement, and why would anyone want to take the stressful route when it's no faster than by air? Also, the TGV serves complimentary real food in its first class, with real cutlery, for not much more than the standard fare. Perhaps if we build more fast track railways we might import the crazy idea that travelling is actually a pleasure...

[Willow1686]

Hi

We have booked the yc from Miami doing a b2b and have 2 cabins with solo cruisers for October. Don't know why it's different.

 

We were on NCL pride of America last year just after her dry dock and they were adding solo cabins.

 

Judith

 

No; I'm baffled myself by MSC not applying the same rules to its cruises across the markets. I did try a lot of ways of booking but they simply would not let me book solo in YC no matter how much I offered.

 

My immediate response to that was excluding MSC repos; I found a last leg of a Fred Olsen world cruise which gave me a much better itinerary, full transit of the Panama Canal, lots more ports and a good outside cabin for the price MSC wanted for an inside cabin on a shorter repo with very few stops.

 

My subsequent response has been to book two Voyages to Antiquity this summer; Im not interested in pursuing a cruise line which, frankly, regards me as a nuisance. Of course, if you look at my thread on European cruises with MSC this summer you will see that they are doing huge discounts on a lot of cruises; their marketing strategy has imploded...

[Skipper Tim]

Willow and Amomondo,

 

You realise that, as none of us have an MSC cruise booked between us, we are now the opposite of 'lurkers' here. That is, we follow the threads, post on them but have no obvious reason for doing so. Most others' posts are for blatent and unashamed self-interest. Not all of us are that way motivated, thankfully.

 

I am sure my time with MSC is not over but it certainly looks like there will be a lull under the current pricing policy. Then, I loved my time with Cunard and for eight years have been on the lookout for a good deal with them but have not yet found one.

 

Amo, you may be heartened by the news that James and Jeffrey will be sailing with me on my new little 'yacht' to move her from Levkas to Stoupa - a journey that would take a less than a day on a ship, that we will hopefully do within two weeks. This will be the 'shake-out' voyage. I will have to do a live blog somewhere. I should be thinner at the end of it with laughing alone. I hope you will follow the blog.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[AmoMondo]

That is a blog that I would most definitely follow. Great to hear James and Jeffrey will be your crew or will they be passengers and you the crew? I really enjoyed heir company at dinner. Loved their sense of humour.

 

As for MSC, I will give them to the end of the year to see sense on their pricing on repos either the journey from the Antilles in Spring or the return back in the Autumn. It is rather ironic that previously the prices had been reasonable but a one way air France flight was in the region of £900 - more than the cruise at the old £45 per night less club discount. Now that Jane has made me aware I can get Corsair flights one way for around £400, it would be a goer except the cruise would now cost over £2k and to quote you, I can't tholl that! I will play the waiting game - I have 3 land trips planned including our birthday bash. If MSC persist, I'll go with Costa instead. They have something similar but without the 100% supplement. I prefer MSC and if the price were only slightly more I'd go with them. For hundreds more, absolutely not. I can make do quite well with Costa.

Edited June 30, 2014 by AmoMondo