missminnie Posted March 27, 2015 #1 Share Posted March 27, 2015 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 More sharing options...
AnnMR Posted March 27, 2015 #2 Share Posted March 27, 2015 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 More sharing options...
missminnie Posted March 27, 2015 Author #3 Share Posted March 27, 2015 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 More sharing options...
Skier52 Posted March 27, 2015 #4 Share Posted March 27, 2015 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 More sharing options...
Janet&Carl Posted March 28, 2015 #5 Share Posted March 28, 2015 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 More sharing options...
AmoMondo Posted March 28, 2015 #6 Share Posted March 28, 2015 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 More sharing options...
Skipper Tim Posted March 28, 2015 #7 Share Posted March 28, 2015 (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 March 28, 2015 by Skipper Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missminnie Posted March 28, 2015 Author #8 Share Posted March 28, 2015 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 More sharing options...
FLAMOM24 Posted March 29, 2015 #9 Share Posted March 29, 2015 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 More sharing options...
Mikesa1721 Posted March 29, 2015 #10 Share Posted March 29, 2015 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 More sharing options...
FLAMOM24 Posted March 29, 2015 #11 Share Posted March 29, 2015 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 More sharing options...
Mikesa1721 Posted March 29, 2015 #12 Share Posted March 29, 2015 LOL! Ouch, Mike...that hurt. You have no faith in my roulette skills:p Haaaa!!!!! If you win big,,you're buying the drinks!!!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLAMOM24 Posted March 29, 2015 #13 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Haaaa!!!!! If you win big,,you're buying the drinks!!!:D That seems fair (since I have a drink package and so do you :p ) Was your cousin (?) able to book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikesa1721 Posted March 29, 2015 #14 Share Posted March 29, 2015 That seems fair (since I have a drink package and so do you :p ) Was your cousin (?) able to book? Nope, I'll have to tell you that story onboard!!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pluto_fan Posted March 29, 2015 #15 Share Posted March 29, 2015 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLAMOM24 Posted March 29, 2015 #16 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (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 March 29, 2015 by FLAMOM24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikesa1721 Posted March 29, 2015 #17 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (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 March 29, 2015 by Mikesa1721 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pluto_fan Posted March 29, 2015 #18 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Great, thank you both! I appreciate the step-by-step instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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