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Bar drink price increase and Classic Beverage Package

schiff1997

By schiff1997,
in MSC Cruises

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cruisecrazy82

cruisecrazy82

Posted
Posted

MSC has conflicting information (shocker) on their website, some of their info says the Premium Package is drinks up to $12 (https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Assets/All_Inclusive_Drink_Package_Comparison_Guide_update11192018.pdf) and then other information says the same package has a limit of only $10 per drink (https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Assets/MSC-18-095 Drinks On Us flyer_new_update11152018_2.pdf).    

 

Both of these are from the USA website.  So which is it in the Caribbean $10 or $12 per drink for the Premium package?  I have seen ppl reporting up to $10 which is not accurate according to some of MSC's info.   

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Epos Man

Epos Man

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Posted

 

Great news for people who booked before 12th for the cruise but not the drinks package. 

 

Looks like UK only but not sure

 

Posted on Facebook by Tim

 

++++++BREAKING NEWS++++++++

Hi all I've had some fabulous news from MSC UK senior management just now regarding the drinks package changes.

From tomorrow, if you booked your cruise prior to 11th November 2018 and hadn't booked a drinks package, MSC will allow you to book the 'old' packages such as classic, books of vouchers, all inclusive restaurants and bars.

You'll be able to do this until December 5th. If you do not do this by December 5th then if you would like a drinks package your options will be in line with the new products Easy, Premium and Premium Plus.

If you booked after 12th November then the drinks packages available to you will be the new choices; you will not be able to book any of the old ones.

You'll be able to add the packages through the usual channels, such as your travel agent, the MSC website cruise personaliser and MSC's contact centre. 

The easiest way to do this is to do it on your MSC account at www.msccruises.co.uk

 

 

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ziggyuk "Live from...." Rare

ziggyuk

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, ikea logistics said:

 

Great news for people who booked before 12th for the cruise but not the drinks package. 

 

Looks like UK only but not sure

 

Posted on Facebook by Tim

 

++++++BREAKING NEWS++++++++

Hi all I've had some fabulous news from MSC UK senior management just now regarding the drinks package changes.

From tomorrow, if you booked your cruise prior to 11th November 2018 and hadn't booked a drinks package, MSC will allow you to book the 'old' packages such as classic, books of vouchers, all inclusive restaurants and bars.

You'll be able to do this until December 5th. If you do not do this by December 5th then if you would like a drinks package your options will be in line with the new products Easy, Premium and Premium Plus.

If you booked after 12th November then the drinks packages available to you will be the new choices; you will not be able to book any of the old ones.

You'll be able to add the packages through the usual channels, such as your travel agent, the MSC website cruise personaliser and MSC's contact centre. 

The easiest way to do this is to do it on your MSC account at www.msccruises.co.uk

 

 

 

Good news indeed, this is exactly what they should have done, simply given a deadline for sure huge changes.

 

 

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1fifthavenue

1fifthavenue

Posted
Posted

Hi all

 

I've just posted this in my Facebook group MSC Cruises UK Passenger Forum:

 

 

++++++BREAKING NEWS++++++++

Hi all I've had some fabulous news from MSC UK senior management just now regarding the drinks package changes.

From tomorrow, if you booked your cruise prior to 11th November 2018 and hadn't booked a drinks package, MSC will allow you to book the 'old' packages such as classic, books of vouchers, all inclusive restaurants and bars. The packages available will be the ones that were available at the time when you booked for your applicable sailing date and region.

You'll be able to do this until December 5th. If you do not do this by December 5th then if you would like a drinks package your options will be in line with the new products Easy, Premium and Premium Plus.

If you booked after 12th November then the drinks packages available to you will be the new choices; you will not be able to book any of the old ones.

You'll be able to add the packages through the usual channels, such as your travel agent, the MSC website cruise personaliser and MSC's contact centre.

The easiest way to do this is to do it on your MSC account

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Até

Até

Posted
Posted
52 minutes ago, cruisecrazy82 said:

MSC has conflicting information (shocker) on their website, some of their info says the Premium Package is drinks up to $12 and then other information says the same package has a limit of only $10 per drink.

Another MSC oops... good catch.  All other info I've seen says $12.  They rushed out that FAQ in about a day. Premium is out there at a $12 limit in too many places for them to backtrack, right...?

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4121deere

4121deere

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Até said:

Another MSC oops... good catch.  All other info I've seen says $12.  They rushed out that FAQ in about a day. Premium is out there at a $12 limit in too many places for them to backtrack, right...?

 

Pretty sure the old Deluxe had/has a $13 US limit.  I have deluxe so that's what I should be using.  I hope.

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Até

Até

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, sidari said:

USA MSC Black Friday deals are being offered with the D.o.U package.

A bit off topic but the Black Friday deal is a bit of a bust.  Same deals with $100 OBC for balcony+ if you are willing to go non-refundable deposit?  For a glimpse of the Cyber Monday deal look at the URL when you click on Black Friday.

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Cruise-Deals/Top-Deals/Cyber-Monday-Cruise-Deals.aspx

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rencamcruise

rencamcruise

Posted
Posted

1fifthavenue...that is great news. Can you provide a name or more info? I will try again to US agents with this info. 

 

This is MORE NORMAL biz practice but no feedback like this to date for US answers. 

 

Would love to use your info and see if they can extend to ALL passengers. 

 

Thanks for sharing and anything else you can provide would be amazing. Will poat after our calls! 

 

 

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1620rock

1620rock

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was on Divina last week and had upgraded to Deluxe package prior to sailing and was very confused when the menus and drink prices were very different from what had been posted. I had a hard time getting the Deluxe wines by the glass and had to insist I did not want the Drinks on Us wines. I had mainly purchased Deluxe to have a better wine selection and that was a disappointment. They were very few wines by the glass that were for Deluxe package only and they were often not available.  Unless you drink spirits or craft cocktails or want the minibar and room service I would stick to the Classic package. We did get breakfast room service with no charge with Deluxe even though we were Bella and also got wine and coffee drinks from room service with no charge and made good use of the minibar. We never ordered lunch or dinner from room service but were told that was included with the Deluxe there was a $7.95 service charge for some dinner items.

 

I was only able to get the listed Champagne by the glass twice after the great staff at the Silver Lounge called around to all the bars to find some.  After letting the Black Crab manager (I think) know the problem I was having a getting a glass of champagne she did arrange for me to have Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge each night but the bar staff could only offer the Prosecco or Asti that were included with Drinks on Us. I also had a difficult time getting the Oberon Cabernet in the bars so the Black Crab manager had a bottle for me at dinner each night except by the final 2 nights they were out of that as well.  

 

The bar managers and staff blamed the lack of wine stock on the recent return of the Divina to the US but would not offer a substitute champagne by the glass in the bars. They were also out of the Jadot Pinot Noir and offered a substitute but I don't recall what that was.   It was also hard to find the Conundrum in the bars. I appreciated the Mumms at dinner but think it should had been offered at all the bars. I bet the Yacht Club had something more than Prosecco or Asti by the glass ; )

 

I have attached the Wines by the Glass Menu and the posted descripion of the Classic and Deluxe packages they were selling on board. Now that I am back from the cruise and reading the boards it seems like everything is changing again. The packages being sold had a higher price limit for Classic and I believe they honored that limit for people who had already purchased the package.  I was never told that something wasn't on the Deluxe package only that they were out of it.

 

Sorry that I don't have a photo of the other standard drinks menus. I do have the Mixology menu and most of these drinks were above the Classic limit but included with Deluxe and were very good if made correctly by the bartender.  I started going to La Luna for a cocktail before dinner than rather fight to get a decent glass a wine at the other bars and enjoyed the Smoked cocktails until the smoker broke. 

 

I hope this will help others have some idea what to expect on the Divina or other MSC US sailings as far as wines. I would advise that you insist you do not want the Drinks on Us wines and you will get the better wines. If you don't insist you will get  the Mirassou and Asti.  We really enjoyed the cruise but did find the drink package frustrating.  Management needs to step it up and let bar staff offer a substitutes as needed.

 

1257163189_divinanov8winesbyglass.thumb.jpg.f93054fbf475eab8c203072ad7df58d6.jpg673797853_divinanov8drinkpackages.thumb.jpg.41bf6e7c7ea700927ea1e11f7c9407f2.jpg

 

98873152_mixologycraftcocktails.thumb.jpg.786865f7e2b9e665c087eaea2801c0a1.jpg36289956_mixologymojitos.thumb.jpg.5e3ff7cc8bb779cc036cff7f2024e092.jpg737566571_mixologysmokedcocktails.thumb.jpg.60474b90f8a519d4b9f221172c3aacd2.jpg

Edited by 1620rock
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rencamcruise

rencamcruise

Posted
Posted

1620rock thanks so much for posting!!! 

 

So my husband and I are really just wine drinkers...every omce in a while a fr9zen drink or a night cap will be nice. 

 

It seems like one of the worst wine lists i have ever seen on a cruise ship...and an Italian/European ship raht has AMAZING cheaper wines so much better tha the US swill they seem to have selected which is so off! I assumed some awesome european wines would be on the list!!! Portugal has wines at $3 -$6 that compete with $20 US wines...Italy, $8 -$13 and you compare them to a wine of $20-40 here....

 

So confused what to do here...

 

Do they have BETTER options anywhere by the BOTTLE or is this it? 

 

This is when I wish I was a beer drinker...maybe I need to learn about the stronger stuff....no good answer...

 

So we are stuck with DOU but want to upgrade. Was told I cpuld upgrade to deluxe on ship. Now no longer...yet seems UK is getting option to upgrade until Dec 5. Email sent. Awaiting for US. 

 

What would you do now knowing what you know if you only really drink water and wine??? 

 

Appreciate this. 

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ziggyuk "Live from...." Rare

ziggyuk

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, rencamcruise said:

1620rock thanks so much for posting!!! 

 

So my husband and I are really just wine drinkers...every omce in a while a fr9zen drink or a night cap will be nice. 

 

It seems like one of the worst wine lists i have ever seen on a cruise ship...and an Italian/European ship raht has AMAZING cheaper wines so much better tha the US swill they seem to have selected which is so off! I assumed some awesome european wines would be on the list!!! Portugal has wines at $3 -$6 that compete with $20 US wines...Italy, $8 -$13 and you compare them to a wine of $20-40 here....

 

So confused what to do here...

 

Do they have BETTER options anywhere by the BOTTLE or is this it? 

 

This is when I wish I was a beer drinker...maybe I need to learn about the stronger stuff....no good answer...

 

So we are stuck with DOU but want to upgrade. Was told I cpuld upgrade to deluxe on ship. Now no longer...yet seems UK is getting option to upgrade until Dec 5. Email sent. Awaiting for US. 

 

What would you do now knowing what you know if you only really drink water and wine??? 

 

Appreciate this. 

 

Have a look at this post, a report of the upgrade process opening up again in the US, but do it ASAP, not on the ship.

 

 

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1620rock

1620rock

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, rencamcruise said:

1620rock thanks so much for posting!!! 

 

So my husband and I are really just wine drinkers...every omce in a while a fr9zen drink or a night cap will be nice. 

 

It seems like one of the worst wine lists i have ever seen on a cruise ship...and an Italian/European ship raht has AMAZING cheaper wines so much better tha the US swill they seem to have selected which is so off! I assumed some awesome european wines would be on the list!!! Portugal has wines at $3 -$6 that compete with $20 US wines...Italy, $8 -$13 and you compare them to a wine of $20-40 here....

 

So confused what to do here...

 

Do they have BETTER options anywhere by the BOTTLE or is this it? 

 

This is when I wish I was a beer drinker...maybe I need to learn about the stronger stuff....no good answer...

 

So we are stuck with DOU but want to upgrade. Was told I cpuld upgrade to deluxe on ship. Now no longer...yet seems UK is getting option to upgrade until Dec 5. Email sent. Awaiting for US. 

 

What would you do now knowing what you know if you only really drink water and wine??? 

 

Appreciate this. 

 

If you only drink water and wine maybe look into the wine packages if they offer them to the UK. My husband doesn't drink wine so I haven't ever purchased wine by the bottle on a cruise. I have taken multiple bottles on a cruise when the line allows that with a corkage fee  but I don't think MSC allows wine to be brought on board.

 

If we were going on the Divina tomorrow I would still get the Deluxe upgrade for the mini bar and room service and craft cocktails but I think it is a close call as DH drinks were all Classic.  

 

I wish I had taken more photos of the drink and wine menus but tried not to let my frustration with the drink package I had paid an additional $520 for ruin the cruise.   The prices for all the drinks have increased so depending how many a day you drink the packages are worth it and the DOU wines except the prosecco were awful.  If you do upgrade the drink package I suggest you find a bar and a bartender that you like and go there before/after dinner to get the wines you want without frustration and speak to dining staff to be sure they have the wine you want waiting for you. The food at dinner is not great so the wine helps you enjoy dinner for sure.

 

When I complained that the bars never had even the limited wines by the glass on the list I was told to try the Cantina del Baccio for additional options. They did have a larger list of wines by the bottle but by the glass I think was the same and it was not a bar that was convenient or inviting so never went there.  It is the bar outside Eataly and there was rarely anyone there and there is no entertainment. It is the location for wine tastings so maybe the sommelier there could help you choose some bottles and advise how that works on MSC.

 

We did enjoy our cruise and I am sure you will also. If you want to try the Smoked Cocktails I recommend the Silk Road and Blackberry Mist.

 

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