Bar drink price increase and Classic Beverage Package

[FGJones]

I was waiting until my ship starts to sail on the route I booked next month to pick a drink plan so I could ask questions but now I'm worried the cost of the deluxe plan is going to go up if I don't act fast.  Part of my hesitation was that it appears that champagne by the glass was eliminated from the plan and other items on the comparison chart don't appear to apply to my trip (it says crepes are included but I do not see a crepe place on Armonia, it says gelato is included but they announced that gelato will be available at no cost to everyone, etc.) 

[FGJones]

2 minutes ago, JoFromEdinburgh said:

Now I'm really confused!  We sail on Monday, so I'm not sure what to do now.

 

Whatever you choose, please let us know how it works out.

[JoFromEdinburgh]

Will do!

[Janedoe2012]

I thought something was up yesterday when I called MSC and upgraded from Drinks are Us to the Classic Plan for my 10 day Divina cruise later this month.  At first I was quoted the $126 and then after he entered it in the system the rep apologized and said "I quoted you the 7 day price and you are sailing 10.  It's $18 a day so $180. "  Looks like they are moving that model vs charging the same regardless of length of cruise.  

 

[sidari]

Just managed to get into part of our Xmas Divina booking which does not include the cruise details! went to the drink packages and they have been changed from what was there before. I checked the hard copy of the March 18 to April 19 brochure and low and behold the online details are now as the brochure and is showing the available packages. Photos taken from our online booking, how can the Deluxe not have Ice cream and Chocolate but the Classic does! Champagne also removed from the Deluxe package. Looks to be yet another MSC Cluster.

 

[jess_2012#1]

We upgraded to the deluxe yesterday for $112 (USD) for two of us for 7 days.  Excited to have the deluxe and all the benefits but pretty upset about the changes and unsure of how it would have affected our classic package.  16 days until we sail!!! 

[schiff1997]

I have a couple of months to see how this all plays out.  It will be interesting to read exactly how this change is going to affect our Classic Package and to find out what exactly I can get for it with regards to frozen drinks, beers etc.

[sidari]

Notice that it also now says the package is not available on the day of disembarkation! this has changed since our Seaside April cruise.

[JAGR]

10 minutes ago, sidari said:

Just managed to get into part of our Xmas Divina booking which does not include the cruise details! went to the drink packages and they have been changed from what was there before. I checked the hard copy of the March 18 to April 19 brochure and low and behold the online details are now as the brochure and is showing the available packages. Photos taken from our online booking, how can the Deluxe not have Ice cream and Chocolate but the Classic does! Champagne also removed from the Deluxe package. Looks to be yet another MSC Cluster.

 

I agree with you that it is very poorly written, David.  However, I came away with a slightly different interpretation.  The Deluxe says wine by the glass is free (an I am thinking that this would extend to sparkling wines and the low-end champagnes.  It does point out that you get 30% off of wines and champagne on the wine list, but since it is free by the glass, they probably meant to say 30% off bottles, like they mention in the Classic brochure.  I think they mention the hot chocolate and take-away cups/cones to demonstrate the limitation on things like shakes or gelato.  Again, it is poorly written, but I would think that Deluxe would get you all Classic benefits, and then add in the premium liquors, etc.  Good to see no mention of price limitations or frozen drink limitations on either scheme. 

 

 

[Até]

I've got upcoming cruises with the Classic package.  I'm just hoping MSC are getting the new ship menu prices rolled out first, then will go back and change the dollar amounts on the package descriptions to match.  I can see that would be the smarter way of doing it - as evidently it couldn't be done at he same time.  Imagine they increase the on line drink package limit prices first, everyone would be printing that and demanding high dollar drinks off the older menus.  If the current sailing's people with the Classic package had only a choice of a 7oz or 14oz Heineken I think we'd have heard more about it by now. 

 

A corresponding drink package coverage limit increase would also make the Divina Eataly Marketplace menu drink prices make more sense.

Edited November 8, 2018 by Até

[sidari]

JAGR ... The Deluxe used to say Champagne by the Glass upto x $.

Latest response.

I have forwarded your request to our Head Office to get the better description of what is included and what is not as we are in the transit of changing the drinks package 

As we receive any further information on this we shall contact you with all the details
 

Edited November 8, 2018 by sidari

[slei15]

49 minutes ago, sidari said:

Notice that it also now says the package is not available on the day of disembarkation! this has changed since our Seaside April cruise.

I think that is just another poor wording...It is really saying the price applied to all days but disembarkation, meaning a 7 night cruise will be charged for 7 days of drink package.  The embark and debark days each count as a half day, so you are not charged for 8 days on an 8 day/7 night cruise. You can still use the package that last morning for your coffee, etc.

[slei15]

I just reached out to the customer service e-mail and received back the same chart that has been out there for a while.  They are unaware of changes at this point, but I was told by them that only the retail chocolate items are excluded from the deluxe package. The beverages are still supposed to be included, but it would not be surprising if the ship was doing something different.

2018 Drink Package Comparison Guide with Drinks On Us - Caribbean Only.pdf

[Lagigi56]

I would imagine that if cruise and classic drink package are payed in full, they can’t really ask more money can they ? Our cruise is January 10th 2019, very interested to read more on this subject.

[Até]

18 minutes ago, Lagigi56 said:

I would imagine that if cruise and classic drink package are payed in full, they can’t really ask more money can they ? Our cruise is January 10th 2019, very interested to read more on this subject.

It's not that they are asking for more money from those who have already purchased a package, it's a question of what the packages now includes.  The comparison chart slei15 posted above shows a dollar limit in each beverage category.  MSC can, and evidently did, change the beverage prices on the ship(s) so that now many drinks might no longer be included - especially for those with the Classic package.  That is a little trick I have experienced twice with NCL, but hopefully MSC won't play that game and they will increase the package limits to match the new menu prices.

Edited November 8, 2018 by Até

[sidari]

MSC have employed senior people from NCL and Royal so don't be surprised at anything that is happening at the minute. The last reply I had was that the guy I am corresponding with had emailed the head office to ask for a full breakdown of what is included and that they are changing the packages.

What gets me is if you book say a Bella balcony and later decide to change to an Aurea balcony MSC revert to the original booking date for the price for the Aurea cabin, surely passengers are entitled to have the package prevailing at the time they make their booking and not one later changed by MSC.

[Até]

25 minutes ago, sidari said:

MSC have employed senior people from NCL and Royal so don't be surprised at anything that is happening at the minute. ... surely passengers are entitled to have the package prevailing at the time they make their booking and not one later changed by MSC.

On NCL both times I got the same Ultimate Beverage Package that I booked with, they get you with the on ship pricing/availability.  With the first round of changes NCL trimmed the wines available by glass list from 40 down to 12.  The second round they changed many drink prices to over the $15 limit.  At least with NCL you only paid the difference, plus 18% at the time.  Currently NCL's beverage package is a joke compared to MSC's.  Crap like that is why I left NCL, so I'm counting on MSC to do this right.

[jess_2012#1]

1 hour ago, Até said:

It's not that they are asking for more money from those who have already purchased a package, it's a question of what the packages now includes.  The comparison chart slei15 posted above shows a dollar limit in each beverage category.  MSC can, and evidently did, change the beverage prices on the ship(s) so that now many drinks might no longer be included - especially for those with the Classic package.  That is a little trick I have experienced twice with NCL, but hopefully MSC won't play that game and they will increase the package limits to match the new menu prices.

We sail on the 24th and didn't want to take the risk of them changing (or not) the allowed cocktail price for the classic and just went with deluxe.  Don't need that stress on holidays. 

[1fifthavenue]

I think this should answer the question: https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Assets/All-Inclusive%20Drink%20Package%20Comparison%20Guide%20-%20Caribbean%20Only.pdf

 

[sidari]

Ate ... A number of years ago MSC removed some of the top shelf drinks out of the Deluxe package, so they are not new to doing this. Just read a post on Facebook where someone from a group on a booked cruise next year has been told that there drink package is being changed, another poster seems to think they may be limited to a certain number of drinks per day!

[1fifthavenue]

1 minute ago, sidari said:

Ate ... A number of years ago MSC removed some of the top shelf drinks out of the Deluxe package, so they are not new to doing this. Just read a post on Facebook where someone from a group on a booked cruise next year has been told that there drink package is being changed, another poster seems to think they may be limited to a certain number of drinks per day!

I hope not! Will be re-considering our plans if they do this - with the same old itineraries cruising looks less attractive

[sidari]

1F ... That shows Champagne by the glass at 13 dollars, someone posted this week on cc that it is now 14 dollars, that list may be an old one.

[ready2cruzagain]

20 minutes ago, 1fifthavenue said:

I think this should answer the question: https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Assets/All-Inclusive%20Drink%20Package%20Comparison%20Guide%20-%20Caribbean%20Only.pdf

  

That list does no good, I purchased the Classic and it was suppose to be bottled beer up to $5.50 which was most beers.  With the new bar menu, there are no beers under $6.25 so now I don't get bottled beer? Also, when I purchased was suppose to be cocktails up to $8 but now there are no cocktails less than $8.50.  So, the old link you are showing is useless now.

[Janedoe2012]

I think everyone needs to wait and see what MSC officially posts instead of worrying about worse case scenerios. My bet is they will increase the max $ of drink allowed in the package. ie more revenue from non-package customers buying a drink.

If  it's the worst case scenerio (limit of drinks per day, less selection) just means I will be rethinking which cruise line I go with in 2019.  One of the reasons I sailed MSC in the past was because the bev packages  costs/selection were reasonable.  The 18 bev coupon book was ideal last year as my cabin mate didn't drink.  Now we both have to buy the package since the coupon books are gone.

[quickrate]

9 hours ago, ready2cruzagain said:

 

Thank you for the information. We head out in 11 days on the Divina and we have upgraded to the Classic package.  We disembark when you are getting on the ship on Dec. 20th.  I will try to post on the boards here how it goes when in port one day.  Would be nice if they changed the terms & conditions on their website to reflect the change.

I am going to be joining you on the Divina Dec.9th and also upgraded to the classic drink package as well as others in the group of people we are sailing with. Please let us know! As you did, I upgraded to include drinks that weren't on the drinks promotion

Pat