long cruise ahoy! Any top tips??

[1fifthavenue]

Less than two weeks to go until our 19 night cruise on MSC Fantasia.

 

We're seasoned MSC cruisers so know what to expect in terms of onboard experience, and have a Fantastica balcony, first mid-ships and second aft for our back to back cruises.

 

Any tips for this long cruise? There will be quite a few sea days so needless to say we have pre-paid for the premium allegrissimo!

Tim xo)

[Beamafar]

Best tip I can give is: Enjoy! 😁 Hope you have a wonderful cruise, Tim.

 

Bytheway, the nuts in the mini-bar were dark chocolate and not milk chocolate covered like usual and IMHO not as nice.

 

Hope the ship has been stocked up since we were on it - our cabin steward had to raid mini-bars from other cabin stocks to supply us with whisky and a certain bartender (who will remain nameless and locationless) used to hide our favourite tipple as it was unavailable elsewhere. Even our waiter went to great lengths to have my preferred Cicogna available by begging bottles from other venues on the basis that I'd only upgraded to premium for it.

 

Another tip: Be nice to the crew - it pays dividends (though I'm sure you always are and hope you reap the rewards 😉).

 

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[Skier52]

Less than two weeks to go until our 19 night cruise on MSC Fantasia.

 

We're seasoned MSC cruisers so know what to expect in terms of onboard experience, and have a Fantastica balcony, first mid-ships and second aft for our back to back cruises.

 

Any tips for this long cruise? There will be quite a few sea days so needless to say we have pre-paid for the premium allegrissimo!

Tim xo)

 

Best tip I can give is: Enjoy! 😁 Hope you have a wonderful cruise, Tim.

 

Bytheway, the nuts in the mini-bar were dark chocolate and not milk chocolate covered like usual and IMHO not as nice.

 

Hope the ship has been stocked up since we were on it - our cabin steward had to raid mini-bars from other cabin stocks to supply us with whisky and a certain bartender (who will remain nameless and locationless) used to hide our favourite tipple as it was unavailable elsewhere. Even our waiter went to great lengths to have my preferred Cicogna available by begging bottles from other venues on the basis that I'd only upgraded to premium for it.

 

Another tip: Be nice to the crew - it pays dividends (though I'm sure you always are and hope you reap the rewards 😉).

 

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1) I second that

 

 

2) use the power of your voyagers cub card especially if you have a black card

 

 

people I try to get to know are

the guest relations manager

the food and beverages manager

the head waiter for your section of your MDR

 

Here are some quotes from my review if my 28 cruise last year

(A).................."Because our flight was delayed we found there was a long queue on the dockside and up the gangway and on into the ship.

There is no terminal building at Bridgetown so the queue was standing in quite a hot sunny area. As an MSC Black card holder I am entitled to priority embarkation, it is also a perk of the “Aurea” experience and there was no facility available.

Not to be deprived of my benefits I spoke to an MSC security officer and showed him my black card. He said he didn’t know of the benefit, so I got the table of benefit entitlements out of my information folder and proved it to him. He immediately radioed the guest relations manager, and in less than 1 minute a nice lady appeared from another gangway.

I called my wife who was dutifully queueing (she hates making a fuss and being different to others) and we were taken into the ship by the alternative gangway and led straight to the front of the queue at reception. The queue was the typical convoluted snake type rope system which had about 100 people in it and then tailed off out of the area and off out to the dockside, probably 250 – 300 people all told.

The guest relations manager, his assistant, the head waiter of the Aurea dining area and the nice lady all made sure everything was correct and spent at least five minutes with us. They spotted a mistake on our cruise card, no code for the drinks package, and had it corrected as well as operating the strange activation machine that links your credit card to the cruise card. The service we were given by all four of them was brilliant and I overheard quite a few people in the queue asking how we got that level of service. We also were asked by people who had spoken to my wife in the queue why we were taken away by a member of the crew."

 

 

(B)..............."As part of the drinks package we were entitled to dessert wine, which I like, so on the first night I had a very nice Sauterne. When I asked for it on the next night I was told it was out of stock and would I like the alternate choice an Italian wine. This was equally palatable so I asked for it on the following night and was told this too was now out of stock.

Not good enough, so I went to reception, waved my Black card and asked if I could meet the Food and Beverages manager (FAB as he is known). The meeting took place the next day and I politely asked if he was aware that the two dessert wines for the AI package were out of stock. He immediately phoned his stockman and was told there was none available, so he then said to get a bottle from the premium AI package list and send it to the MDR for exclusive use at our table. This lasted well into the third week by which time they had replenished the other choices.

 

That’s what I call good service and possibly the power of asking politely, not complaining as such, and having a Black card."

 

 

© ........... Aurea experience:- "This is the premium service level and the top level on Musica and Lirica class ships, only exceeded by the Yacht Club on the Fantastica class ships. The other levels are Bella (No frills service); Fantastica (what I consider standard service levels); and from next year a Wellness (for fitness fanatics).

 

The Aurea extra benefits include:-

All Inclusive drinks package

My Choice Dining

Priority Boarding

Spa package, including a complementary Bali massage

Access to a reserved sundeck

 

We were due to have one massage per person in the cabin per cruise, i.e. two each in total. However due do some administrative errors we actual received four each.

These errors also affected the benefits we received as a Black card holders.

The major error was that my wife was booked on two 14 night B2B cruises whilst I was booked on two 7 night cruises.

This became evident when I asked to have cruise cards that covered the entire 28 days instead of having two separate cruise cards for each 14 nights. I was stunned when reception told me my wife was booked on for 28 nights but I was only booked on for 14 nights. I was then asked if I had a ticket for the second 14 nights and having said yes was asked if I could produce it.

I duly fetched said ticket from my cabin and showed it to the reception manager. After a quick look at his computer and checking with sales at HQ he profusely apologised for the computer system error. As a result I received benefits for both the Aurea and Black card as if I had booked three B2B cruises and in the case of the massages as if I had booked four 7 night cruises B2B.

Still I’m not complaining about these MSC booking errors."

 

Pete

 

link to the whole reviee

 

http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=270&t=11371

[Capricruiser]

Bravo Pete! I always like to hear good news from a Black card holder who actually cruised his way up to it!

[riclop]

Enjoy it.

[1fifthavenue]

I'm not really one for pulling rank because of loyalty status, and have never found the need to as always had great service. It's always good to make a good impression with the crew and they quickly learn your likes and dislikes... if the worst came to the worst then there's always a truly genuine friend we met on a previous cruise who could sort anything

[Skier52]

I'm not really one for pulling rank because of loyalty status, and have never found the need to as always had great service. It's always good to make a good impression with the crew and they quickly learn your likes and dislikes... if the worst came to the worst then there's always a truly genuine friend we met on a previous cruise who could sort anything

The real genuine Black card ( an actual Black Card) is well respected by the crew.,

I didn't really wave it about but simply produced it when required. They did pull out all the stops for me and gave better than great service.

 

I think your thinking on good impressions is the best way and like you we have 2 genuine friends on Splendida at the moment, We met them on the 28 day cruise on Orchestra. They are the deputy guest relations manager and his wife.

[1fifthavenue]

I can imagine that would be helpful to know them onboard Splendida, Pete.

 

It does make me wonder now the old Black Card is 'obsolete' what it's relevance would be to newer crew members who have joined the line since the re-hash of the voyagers club and isn't really relevant to the cruise you're on?

 

I'm of the understanding there is a VIP board in the crew area, in common with many lines and land based hotels, which is separate to the Voyagers Club. In my experience of cruising I'd sooner have no contact with the guest relations manager whatsoever, having had a great experience all the way through?

[Beamafar]

I agree, Pete. We were approached in the buffet by the ship's maitreD on Magnifica last year who'd remembered us from a few months beforehand on the Divina - even though we hadn't had any contact with him then. He asked to see our cruisecards which I figured he was checking our seating. I explained that we'd already sought a 2-top but didn't hold out much hope. He told us to leave it with him. Sure enough we got a terrific one. He was especially pleased that we were both Black cardholders. At the Black card event the hotel director made a point of talking to us as the m'D had made him aware that we were onboard and to ensure he met us.

 

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[andyjbrum]

I agree, Pete. We were approached in the buffet by the ship's maitreD on Magnifica last year who'd remembered us from a few months beforehand on the Divina - even though we hadn't had any contact with him then. He asked to see our cruisecards which I figured he was checking our seating. I explained that we'd already sought a 2-top but didn't hold out much hope. He told us to leave it with him. Sure enough we got a terrific one. He was especially pleased that we were both Black cardholders. At the Black card event the hotel director made a point of talking to us as the m'D had made him aware that we were onboard and to ensure he met us.

 

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I think you'll find the reason they always look at your card is the same as anyone, to ascertain what drinks you have, if its less than 431 then they will charge you, if its 421 then you can have everything,. i tend to think if you are good to the staff then it doesnt matter what level you are

[Beamafar]

I wasn't ordering a drink from the ship's maitreD (you know, the top man) and this guy doesn't just approach people willy-nilly! You've obviously missed the whole point of my post. With 15 MSC cruises under my belt (and 3 more booked for this year) I think I understand about why the crew check your card - I get it all the time as I always have 421 so am used to the reaction when ordering top-shelf items.

[free from work]

I think you'll find the reason they always look at your card is the same as anyone, to ascertain what drinks you have, if its less than 431 then they will charge you, if its 421 then you can have everything,. i tend to think if you are good to the staff then it doesnt matter what level you are

 

Hi.

 

We are fairly new to MSC so could you please explain the 431/421 codes for the drinks packages and where they can be found on the cards.

 

Jim

[Beamafar]

Hi.

 

We are fairly new to MSC so could you please explain the 431/421 codes for the drinks packages and where they can be found on the cards.

 

Jim

 

421 is the premium drinks package and 431 is the basic all-inclusive. The number is shown towards the bottom right on your cruisecard just above your dining room name.

 

Here's a link which explains the different packages. I won't go into their names as MSC is changing them soon.

 

http://www.msccruises.ie/en-ie/Already-Booked/Cruise-Upgrade/All-Inclusive-Packages.aspx

[1fifthavenue]

A week today and we'll be getting ready to catch the train to Manchester airport - it cant come quick enough with this horrible cold weather! I'll try and post a few updates onboard, but won't go in to the fantastic level of detail Peteukmcr did :)

 

Looking forward to the first strawberry daiquiri :)

[Beamafar]

Hope you have a fantastic trip, Tim. The repos tend to be the best - we travelled through the Suez Canal in October which was terrific. Find yourself a good vantage point at the bow - the small decks where the stairs are on the sides on decks 9-12 would probably be your best bet - certainly for outdoor viewing (if it's not too windy!) Otherwise, you're limited to the gym or maybe the relaxation room in the spa IINM?

 

Off topic - you're the thread starter so I'd rather pose this question here than hijack another thread you're on. I was searching through the forum about a particular ship and came across a post of yours about your experience on a Christmas cruise. You said

If you will be onboard for Christmas Eve, the evening meal is incredibly special, as is Christmas day lunch :) a much superior menu to usual

It's the first positive comment I've read about Christmas onboard. At some stage, can you elaborate? I've booked a Christmas cruise and would love to hear more.

[1fifthavenue]

No worries :) When we were onboard the other Christmas, the Christmas Eve menu was like a Gala menu on speed! Where lobster etc isn't usually an option, it was included in the menu in the MDR (not yacht club)

 

I cant really remember all the other choices other than a champagne risotto and langoustines, but there were some great options, the menu was curated by Carlo Cracco who presents MasterChef Italia

 

Christmas lunch was pretty similar, not quite as elaborate, but still very very good. There were 'whinging poms' who went to the buffet and were complaining later there was no turkey and sprouts!! In the MDR I'd had turkey with a chestnut stuffing as my main, and Andy had some sort of roast lamb. The appetizer was a shrimp carpaccio which was great - must have been good for me to remember this 15 months on hey?

 

The ship was also decked out beautifully with so many trees and garlands. In the atrium was a life size gingerbread house! There was a visit from santa for the children.

 

The food was back to normal for Christmas night, however there was a spectacular midnight buffet

[Beamafar]

Thanks, Tim.

 

We were on Fantasia a week before Christmas in 2014 when they were putting up the Christmas decorations. They were really beautiful - and traditional, which is what I liked most about them.

 

I've heard about complaints re no turkey & sprouts before - I don't care for turkey so that won't bother me. Roast lamb sounds great - it was on the second Gala night on Fantasia a couple of weeks ago and was absolutely delicious!

 

How people expect a cruise company to cater for a number of nationalities with differing customs around Christmas baffles me. One of my main reasons for choosing to go at this time is to get a break from the cooking, cleaning and all the other drama that goes with it. After years of running around after the family, tending to their wants and needs, it's time to sit back and have it all done for me. Another reason was a 30% discount voucher I got from the casino on Fantasia - that, plus the 5% Voyagers Club discount made it a great bargain with the Get More, Get All promotion to boot.

 

Back on topic:

 

Again, bon voyage!:)

[1fifthavenue]

To be honest, I loved Christmas onboard, and the itinerary was perfect as we got to Jerusalem and Bethlehem as well :)

 

If it weren't for the in laws and work commitments I'd be there every christmas in a heartbeat!

 

When people moan about now sprouts or pigs in blankets then I have to think they should have booked P&O or Thomsons

xoxo

[free from work]

421 is the premium drinks package and 431 is the basic all-inclusive. The number is shown towards the bottom right on your cruisecard just above your dining room name.

 

Here's a link which explains the different packages. I won't go into their names as MSC is changing them soon.

 

http://www.msccruises.ie/en-ie/Already-Booked/Cruise-Upgrade/All-Inclusive-Packages.aspx

 

Thanks for the information. We have the premium package on our next cruise so now we can check our cards when we collect them.

[Beamafar]

Thanks for the information. We have the premium package on our next cruise so now we can check our cards when we collect them.

 

Enjoy ............. the premium package includes your minibar and the large bottles of water on the counter-top in your cabin. It also includes the room service menu items - the fruit platter is particularly nice as the fruit is sliced and ready to eat! - plus the wonderful gelato/sundaes on the pool deck and in Piazza del Doge on deck 6 (on Divina. Same location, different names on other Fantasia class ships). The pastries/cakes and treats in that area are also included as is the gelato, with an enticing array of flavours. (Gelato is also included in the basic package but not the fancy sundaes).

[1fifthavenue]

As we have the premium and 5 days at sea on the trot I'm looking forward to ordering a few glasses of wine and a pizza one afternoon :p

[free from work]

Enjoy ............. the premium package includes your minibar and the large bottles of water on the counter-top in your cabin. It also includes the room service menu items - the fruit platter is particularly nice as the fruit is sliced and ready to eat! - plus the wonderful gelato/sundaes on the pool deck and in Piazza del Doge on deck 6 (on Divina. Same location, different names on other Fantasia class ships). The pastries/cakes and treats in that area are also included as is the gelato, with an enticing array of flavours. (Gelato is also included in the basic package but not the fancy sundaes).

 

That's more great information, thanks again. We are on the Seaside next February, it's the first time we have been on a ship so big. Really looking forward to it. Just one question about the mini bar, are there any nibbles, nuts etc included in the package?

[1fifthavenue]

That's more great information, thanks again. We are on the Seaside next February, it's the first time we have been on a ship so big. Really looking forward to it. Just one question about the mini bar, are there any nibbles, nuts etc included in the package?

 

On the current ships there are chocolate peanuts, pringles and I think something else, maybe plain nuts :cool:

[Beamafar]

That's more great information, thanks again. We are on the Seaside next February, it's the first time we have been on a ship so big. Really looking forward to it. Just one question about the mini bar, are there any nibbles, nuts etc included in the package?

 

Yes ................ there are 3 types of nuts in tins: regular, cocktail (a mix) and chocolate covered. There is also a small drum of Pringles. Your cabin steward can provide you with more if you need them - just ask. It's a pretty well stocked minibar usually with whisky, gin, vodka, 2 types of beer, water, soft drinks (coke/sprite/tonic) and juice. Let your steward know what your preferences are eg my DH drinks Heineken so always requests that brand when the minibar is being re-filled.

 

Bear in mind this is my experience from MSC ships generally. No-one knows if and what changes there'll be on the new builds.

 

Tim ................... is the pizza free to room service with the premium? It's not something we ever bothered with and assumed that it was charged as being separate to the room service menu.

[1fifthavenue]

Hi Bea, according to the UK website, food from room service menu is included with the premium :) The exclusions from it are

 

The following items are not included in this offer: cigars, cigarettes, bottles of wine, sparkling wine and champagne, souvenir glasses and drinks served in souvenir glasses, all food consumptions in the speciality restaurants.