Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

MSC Club Points

missminnie

By missminnie,
in MSC Cruises

 Share

Recommended Posts

missminnie

missminnie

Posted
Posted

Hi All

 

We're doing our first MSC cruise this coming December so apologies for what is probably a very simple question to you experienced MSC cruisers.

 

I understand you earn points for each night you sail and also for each $€200 you spend onboard. Does this include things you purchase pre-cruise on their site such as excursions or drinks packages or only what is spent onboard (not including the casino)? If it's only onboard we'll wait and purchase most things once on ship.

 

Many Thanks

 

Laura

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AnnMR

AnnMR

Posted
Posted

I think if you preorder you get benefits in terms of the service tax not being added to the drinks packages and it will still count as 'onboard' for points as long as you don't actually pay in advance, but settle up at the end of the cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
missminnie

missminnie

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I think if you preorder you get benefits in terms of the service tax not being added to the drinks packages and it will still count as 'onboard' for points as long as you don't actually pay in advance, but settle up at the end of the cruise.

 

Can you really preorder but not pay until the end of the cruise? That's great. We're used to Celebrity/RCI and anything you add to your cruise planner before you sail you pay for at the time of ordering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Skier52

Skier52

Posted
Posted
Can you really preorder but not pay until the end of the cruise? That's great. We're used to Celebrity/RCI and anything you add to your cruise planner before you sail you pay for at the time of ordering.

It is perfectly easy to PRE-ORDER and NOT PRE-PAY online using your MSC booking number and going in via the "On Board Services" tab on the home page of the MSC web site.

 

Not sure if you can do it by phone, I suspect they will ask you to prepay if you use that method.

 

 

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Janet&Carl

Janet&Carl

Posted
Posted
It is perfectly easy to PRE-ORDER and NOT PRE-PAY online using your MSC booking number and going in via the "On Board Services" tab on the home page of the MSC web site.

 

Not sure if you can do it by phone, I suspect they will ask you to prepay if you use that method.

 

 

Pete

 

Yes, you are right Pete, I book by phone because I can never get the web site to work for me and I need the reassurance that my order is taken ;)

 

I have always had my MSC booking confirmation updated with a new amount added and a date to pay the additional amount. This is then sent to me by email.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AmoMondo

AmoMondo

Posted
Posted

The Mack is to book an onboard service using the website. As Pete says you're book but don't pre pay and the points get added for this. If you do it any other way, including using your TA, they add it to your invoice and you pay for it prior to sailing and lose the points.

 

Also worth. Enticing that they often have a wider range of excursions available onboard than they do online.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Skipper Tim

Skipper Tim

Posted
Posted (edited)

1) Pre-order drinks packages etc. to save 15% (nominally 'service charge' but it really is just a 15% discount that happens to be the same amount as the service charge) compared to booking at the terminal or onboard.

 

2) Don't pre-pay so that the expenditure counts as onboard spend for MSC Club points.

 

3) Vitally important - print out the confirmation and take it with you!!!! There are countless tales of MSC's systems losing bookings between the web and the ship. A printed confirmation should be enough to prove that you are right and their notorious IT system is wrong.

 

The onboard expenditure that counts for points includes the daily automated 'hotel charge' (a.k.a. 'gratuity'). Keep a record of the total on your account as it may be worth rounding up to the next 200 with a purchase at the onboard shops etc.. You never know when one point may make all the difference to a future cruise.

Edited by Skipper Tim
Link to comment
Share on other sites
missminnie

missminnie

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you everyone - that's all very helpful indeed and some good points to make note of.

 

I'll prebook the drinks packages (when they are available as at the moment it's only showing Allegrissimo Child & Premium Child or some Cheers packages but would need the Adult Allegrissimo or Premium) and take a print once ordered.

 

Thank you for the tip re excursions - I'll be sure to wait until we're onboard and then pick up one or 2. It's mainly for Rome as just want to be able to get into Rome and do our own thing as done a few tours previously.

 

I'll also check our expenditure throughout the cruise as like you say that 1 point can make all the difference sometimes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FLAMOM24

FLAMOM24

Posted
Posted
1) Pre-order drinks packages etc. to save 15% (nominally 'service charge' but it really is just a 15% discount that happens to be the same amount as the service charge) compared to booking at the terminal or onboard.

 

2) Don't pre-pay so that the expenditure counts as onboard spend for MSC Club points.

 

3) Vitally important - print out the confirmation and take it with you!!!! There are countless tales of MSC's systems losing bookings between the web and the ship. A printed confirmation should be enough to prove that you are right and their notorious IT system is wrong.

 

The onboard expenditure that counts for points includes the daily automated 'hotel charge' (a.k.a. 'gratuity'). Keep a record of the total on your account as it may be worth rounding up to the next 200 with a purchase at the onboard shops etc.. You never know when one point may make all the difference to a future cruise.

 

Wow! Even the hotel charge counts towards points??? I didn't realize this. :( Oh well, good to know and have this information for the future. Do you know if everything on your statement counts towards points (internet use, purchases in the shops, etc) or are some thing excluded?

 

TIA :)

Michelle

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mikesa1721

Mikesa1721

Posted
Posted
Wow! Even the hotel charge counts towards points??? I didn't realize this. :( Oh well, good to know and have this information for the future. Do you know if everything on your statement counts towards points (internet use, purchases in the shops, etc) or are some thing excluded?

 

TIA :)

Michelle

 

Michelle,,,basically everything you purchase onboard counts towards your reward points,,,,unfortunately your losses at the roulette table will not!!!!:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FLAMOM24

FLAMOM24

Posted
Posted
Michelle,,,basically everything you purchase onboard counts towards your reward points,,,,unfortunately your losses at the roulette table will not!!!!:D

 

LOL! Ouch, Mike...that hurt. You have no faith in my roulette skills:p

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FLAMOM24

FLAMOM24

Posted
Posted (edited)
Mike, or anyone else who books from the USA, can you tell me if it's possible to pre-book but not pre-pay from the US website? All I'm finding are pre-pay options that require a credit card number to complete. Thanks!

 

Others may have more info, but I have a couple of packages pre-booked for our upcoming cruise and it will be charged to my on board account (I didn't pre-pay). I have noticed, however, that the things I can book ahead of time are limited.

Michelle

Edited by FLAMOM24
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mikesa1721

Mikesa1721

Posted
Posted (edited)
Mike, or anyone else who books from the USA, can you tell me if it's possible to pre-book but not pre-pay from the US website? All I'm finding are pre-pay options that require a credit card number to complete. Thanks!

 

Yes Pluto,,,You can "reserve" or "pre-book" drink packages,shore excursions, spa treatments,,,etc. but just as FLAMOM stated,,they are limited,,especially the spa treatments. To reserve items to your booking, first go the MSCCRUISESUSA.com website. Next, select "ON BOARD SERVICES" from the top menu bar. From the drop down menu, next select "BOOK YOUR PACKAGES & EXCURSIONS". Finally enter your booking information into the appropriate fields and then you will be able to select from the different options which are available for your sailing. Be sure to select the "CHECKOUT" button after you are finished making your reservations and also it is very important to print and bring a copy of your reservations onboard with you.:)

Edited by Mikesa1721
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...