New to MSC - how does it all work?

[samshltn]

Hi, I'm booked on the Magnifica next month, sailing from Southampton. Until now I've only ever been on NCL.

 

I have the 'fantastica' package.

 

My questions are:

On embarkation, I've read that they don't do the check-in at the terminal, they do it on the ship. How does that work?

I've read that the key cards are in the cabins waiting for you... so how do you get into the cabin?

If the key-cards are in the cabins... do the pax not board until the cabins are ready?

Are there long lines for the machines where you register your payment card to your account?

 

TIA.

 

Sam.

[Beamafar]

I haven't boarded in Southampton, so I can't answer your first question. However, I wouldn't be too concerned, you just follow whatever procedure will be in place. There are plenty of crew directing people through the process.

 

2. The cabin door is left ajar and the cruisecards are (usually) on the bed, along with the daily program. The cards aren't always left in the cabin, either. I've been on a couple of cruises when we were directed to a specific lounge onboard to collect the cards there.

 

3. Embarkation does begin before the cabins are ready. You may have to wait around the ship before an announcement is made to inform you at the time the cabins become available.

 

4. There are never long lines for registering credit cards - there are several kiosks around the ship, mainly in the atrium areas - and you have 24 hours to register anyway so there's no great pressure to do it immediately on boarding. However, it's best to do it as early as possible so that you don't forget to do it (l've done that on occasion and have had my cruisecard refused when ordering a drink).

[samshltn]

Thank you for your answers, Bea.

 

If we don't have our keycards yet, or haven't registered a credit card yet, how would we get a drink? Let's say we wanted wine with our lunch, but haven't managed to get to the 'kiosk' yet, (or haven't even gotten the cruisecard yet!).. how would we get a drink?

[Beamafar]

Thank you for your answers, Bea.

 

If we don't have our keycards yet, or haven't registered a credit card yet, how would we get a drink? Let's say we wanted wine with our lunch, but haven't managed to get to the 'kiosk' yet, (or haven't even gotten the cruisecard yet!).. how would we get a drink?

 

You can order a drink, no problem. You just let the server know your cabin number, you sign the receipt and the charge will be registered to your onboard account (if you have a drinks package, the receipt will show a zero charge). Believe me, they won't let you disembark the ship if you owe them money, so they allow you to charge items to your account at embarkation even if you haven't a credit card registered.

 

I forgot to say that a lot of people head to the buffet while waiting for the cabins to become available.

[samshltn]

Thanks Bea. I don't eat in buffets if I can avoid it. NCL always has an à la carte/Table d'hôte option available for lunch on boarding day. I presume MSC, being European, has the same?

[Beamafar]

Thanks Bea. I don't eat in buffets if I can avoid it. NCL always has an à la carte/Table d'hôte option available for lunch on boarding day. I presume MSC, being European, has the same?

 

Usually on MSC, people embarking are directed to the buffet. We've been stopped from entering the MDR for lunch on a number of occasions, but, being Black Card holders, I always make a plea to the m'D and explain that we're always allowed to have lunch in the MDR on other ships.

 

Having said that, we were on Magnifica and Orchestra last year and the MDR was open to those embarking on those occasions. So, YMMV.

[samshltn]

We've been stopped from entering the MDR for lunch on a number of occasions...

 

That's worrying... If it was open, what reason did they give for not letting you in?!

[Beamafar]

That's worrying... If it was open, what reason did they give for not letting you in?!

 

You're just told that if you're embarking that day that you have to go to the buffet. It may have something to do with fewer servers being assigned to the MDR on that day, whereas they were set up to allow embarking passengers have lunch in the MDR on Magnifica and Orchestra last year. Funnily enough, we were refused access on Magnifica in 2016 but the m'D graciously acceded to our request to lunch there.

[kicia]

Any idea if the dining room is open for lunch on the Seaside on embarkation day? We're boarding on Saturday and would like that option.

[samshltn]

You're just told that if you're embarking that day that you have to go to the buffet..

 

I 'have' to go to the buffet?!

 

After eleven NCL cruises, I can see MSC is going to take some getting used to!

[Beamafar]

I 'have' to go to the buffet?!

 

After eleven NCL cruises, I can see MSC is going to take some getting used to!

 

As I've said, the MDR just may be open for embarking passengers on your cruise.

[Beamafar]

Any idea if the dining room is open for lunch on the Seaside on embarkation day? We're boarding on Saturday and would like that option.

 

You just might be better off posting this question on a Seaside specific thread for those who only read Seaside threads.

[samshltn]

As I've said, the MDR just may be open for embarking passengers on your cruise.

 

It's exciting to try a new line and see what it's like - I can't wait. Thanks for all your help.

 

I look forward to getting on board and finding out what I've paid for!

[Beamafar]

It's exciting to try a new line and see what it's like - I can't wait. Thanks for all your help.

 

I look forward to getting on board and finding out what I've paid for!

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise. From what I've read on here, it's a completely different experience to NCL. After 18 MSC cruises, I'd love to try something different, but MSC prices can't be beat and I have 4 more booked over the next 19 months, so it'll be some time before I get to do it! :rolleyes:

[samshltn]

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

Thank you. Me too! I'm fairly open-minded and adaptable (and I'm hoping a Black card goes some way towards smoothing things over, like it does on NCL!).

 

I've got five cruises booked in the next year (two next month!), of which one is MSC. We decided to try them because it seemed cheap*, and they offered me direct-entry at Black level. So... we'll have to see how they measure up!

 

(* However, on balance, it may not be as cheap as it looks. We paid:

NCL: Two-nighter to Hamburg: GBP179pp in an aft balcony mini-suite including drinks.

MSC: Two-nighter from Hamburg: GBP112pp in an inside cabin, NOT including drinks.

 

We drink... so think the NCL cruise may work out to be the cheaper one haha!)

[Beamafar]

We drink... so think the NCL cruise may work out to be the cheaper one haha!)

 

You may be right, there! :D

[samshltn]

I've just read about '...evening wear for the Gala Dinners that feature on every MSC cruise...'

 

Surely they're not suggesting that a cruise ship passenger would wear full white tie evening dress to the MDR ... Also, these 'gala dinners'... they wouldn't be on a two-night hop from Hamburg to Southampton, would they?!

[Beamafar]

No, though some do wear tuxes ...... and, maybe, no. It'll depend on if the 2 nighter is a segment/leg of a longer cruise; the Gala night could possibly then fall on one of the nights that you're onboard.

 

It's only a suggested dress code, anyway! This outlines what's suggested and what's not acceptable:

 

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[samshltn]

No ...... and no. It's only a suggested dress code, anyway! ...

(n.b. I think you edited your post after I quoted you? I apologise if I've misquoted you... )

 

You are a FANTASTIC resource... I wish MSC's staff and website were as useful as you.

 

So it's only a 'suggested' dress code. I presume smart jeans and a polo would pass, just the same as on NCL. I have to dress smartish for work, the last thing I want is to have to dress up at the weekend as well!!

 

Thank you SO MUCH for all your help.

Edited February 26, 2018 by samshltn
courtesy

[Beamafar]

Sorry .......... I was editing my post for a bit more clarity when you responded, so you may need to re-read it.

 

You're very welcome, bytheway! :)

 

ETA And, yes, polo shirt and jeans would be fine - even on Gala night!

[SirWolf]

I wish MSC's staff and website were as useful as you.

Some useful information regarding how to dress can be found on the website of MSC USA:

scroll down to "New To Cruising?"

click on "More information"

click on "FAQ"

click on "What should I pack?"

I did not post the link since you can explore other interesting topics while surfing the website.

[samshltn]

Some useful information regarding how to dress can be found on the website...

 

Thanks for that, but that was actually the page that I quoted in post 17 on this thread. ("I've just read about '...evening wear for the Gala Dinners that feature on every MSC cruise...' ").

 

That paragraph raised more questions than it provided answers, to be honest. I don't really want to pack the whole 'range' of garments they suggest ("...from casual wear for relaxing aboard to evening wear for the Gala Dinners...") for a two night sailing to get home from Hamburg, so I was wondering what is the minimum I can get away with.

 

There are very many 'suggestions' for what we might like to wear but, but the only hard-and-fast rule I've seen for MSC is 'No shorts in restaurants for dinner'. I think that, since I'll only be dining in the MDR, an absolute maximum of jeans and a polo will be fine.

 

Thanks again to everyone for all your insights.

[Shelledpea]

 

There are very many 'suggestions' for what we might like to wear but, but the only hard-and-fast rule I've seen for MSC is 'No shorts in restaurants for dinner'. I think that, since I'll only be dining in the MDR, an absolute maximum of jeans and a polo will be fine.

 

Thanks again to everyone for all your insights.

 

I would say you'll be absolutely fine, our dining companions on last MSC Preziosa cruise were disembarking the morning after a Gala evening and didn't fancy the struggle of packing evening wear late at night so were both dressed in jeans with casual shirts. I have a tendency to wear the same kind of light summer dress whether it's casual, formal etc and nothing has ever been said.

[samshltn]

I would say you'll be absolutely fine....

 

Thank you for your reassurance. I would normally wear smart jeans or chinos and a polo for an MDR on NCL. I'm sure others will choose to dress more smartly, or less smartly, and I respect their choices.