MSC Meraviglia-Norwegian Fjords- Hellesylt/Geiranger

[CruiseIreland]

On 1/6/2019 at 10:11 PM, Beamafar said:

Cheers, Ken.  Sounds like you have it all sorted.  We haven't as much planned and we're heading this day 2 weeks!  🙄

Not exactly. Re-did the maths and cancelled the US TA booking(full refund due) and re-booked with MSC direct. Got the Fantastica balcony plus Premium drinks for buttons difference with US TA. Teaches me to check all options on the website in future!! Ken

[Beamafar]

At least you'll get your deposit refunded.  🙂

 

Well, I now have a private excursion booked for Cozumel; an MSC one for Montego Bay, Jamaica (as long as the itinerary remains the same ... it was changed to Ocho Rios on one of the sailings - but I think that was due to bad weather).  Then we have the 2 included Havana excursions, plus I've booked tickets for the Tropicana show for the evening.  The only port we've no plans for (and may stay onboard) is Grand Cayman.

 

I also have our steaks ordered from Aer Lingus - for both the outward and homeward flights, so I think I'm sorted!  DH's case is packed and I have a mountain of my stuff on the spare bed waiting to be (severely) culled!  

[yoavstahl]

On 1/6/2019 at 12:32 AM, CruiseIreland said:

I have booked a cruise on Meraviglia for next August, visiting the Norwegian Fjords. I suspect that the 1st port stop, described as Hellesylt/Geiranger is actually just dropping ship tour passengers off at Hellesylt and continuing on then to Geiranger for the day.

Can anyone confirm this or otherwise? 

Ken

Hi
I think it is different per date.
I have booked myself a tour in Geiranger and the tour company sent me an email that they have adjusted my travel time because of the ship schedule.
See here for more details - 
http://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls

[yoavstahl]

For example on 14th of August arrival to Hellesylt/Geiranger the schedule is reverse (according to the site above) first Geiranger and then Hellesylt

[CruiseIreland]

13 hours ago, yoavstahl said:

Hi
I think it is different per date.
I have booked myself a tour in Geiranger and the tour company sent me an email that they have adjusted my travel time because of the ship schedule.
See here for more details - 
http://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls

Thanks, that's curious. I think I'm ok for the 27th August. Ken

[CruiseIreland]

On 1/13/2019 at 5:08 PM, Beamafar said:

At least you'll get your deposit refunded.  🙂

 

Well, I now have a private excursion booked for Cozumel; an MSC one for Montego Bay, Jamaica (as long as the itinerary remains the same ... it was changed to Ocho Rios on one of the sailings - but I think that was due to bad weather).  Then we have the 2 included Havana excursions, plus I've booked tickets for the Tropicana show for the evening.  The only port we've no plans for (and may stay onboard) is Grand Cayman.

 

I also have our steaks ordered from Aer Lingus - for both the outward and homeward flights, so I think I'm sorted!  DH's case is packed and I have a mountain of my stuff on the spare bed waiting to be (severely) culled!  

Bea - How did your cruise go? How was Cuba? What about the other Caribbean ports? Ken

Edited February 1, 2019 by CruiseIreland

[Beamafar]

5 minutes ago, CruiseIreland said:

Bea - How did your cruise go? How was Cuba? What about the other Caribbean ports? Ken

 

Hi Ken ... It was one of our very best!  I'm planning to share our experiences (I just have to get 'round to starting the thread - something I tend to have a problem doing.  Once I get going, it's not so bad).

 

Bit disappointed in Havana ... it was like a recently bombed-out city and people weren't quite as friendly as I'd been led to believe.  Not bad, just not on our famous Irish level LOL  Dave (Sidari) told me that we were very lucky to leave when we did last Sunday as a tornado hit immediately after and has caused devastation!  😱  The wind had been whipping up just before we left, but the weather had been bad most of the week, so we didn't think too much about it at the time, other than we were expecting another rough night at sea (we'd had a particularly bad one earlier on;  for only the second time ever, I couldn't face dinner on that occasion).

 

We missed Jamaica due to the weather;  that was a bit disappointing for me as it's the only country DH has been to that I haven't.  I loved Cozumel;  Grand Cayman is just jewellery stores and banks, basically, so we only went onshore for a walkabout.  We'd been 18 years before and visited Hell and the turtle farm so there really wasn't anything else for us to do, here.  We're not beach people.  🙄

[CruiseIreland]

Shame about the weather, Bea! And Havana! Jamaica has a poor reputation so we're probably just going to go to Margaritaville . We're off next week to board Seaside! Looking forward to your trip report. Ken

[Beamafar]

So sorry, Ken .... it had totally slipped my mind how close your trip was to ours.  I'm so excited for your surprise "reveal".  I really hope it goes well.

 

Hopefully you'll have much better weather.  It's bound to be at least much warmer now that the polar vortex is receding.  I may get a start on the report this weekend but the rugby comes first!  😜  Great win for Wales tonight after a poor start.

[CruiseIreland]

J

19 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

So sorry, Ken .... it had totally slipped my mind how close your trip was to ours.  I'm so excited for your surprise "reveal".  I really hope it goes well.

 

Hopefully you'll have much better weather.  It's bound to be at least much warmer now that the polar vortex is receding.  I may get a start on the report this weekend but the rugby comes first!  😜  Great win for Wales tonight after a poor start.

Yeah, l thought France would nick it until the interception! I think the Anytime Dining will be a bigger hit than the hot tub to be honest! Looking forward to it now! I would love to read your port reports as l am not committee to anything in Cozumel or Grand Cayman. Ken

[Beamafar]

29 minutes ago, CruiseIreland said:

J

Yeah, l thought France would nick it until the interception! I think the Anytime Dining will be a bigger hit than the hot tub to be honest! Looking forward to it now! I would love to read your port reports as l am not committee to anything in Cozumel or Grand Cayman. Ken

 

Sorry ... I got logged out and couldn't submit this 'til now:

 

I'd best give you an idea, just in case I don't get to report the info before you go.

 

For Cozumel, we booked a taxi with ToursPlaza (https://www.toursplaza.com) and arranged to meet the driver at Senor Frog's.  It's very easy to find.  You most likely will dock at Punta Langosta pier which is downtown.  When you leave the ship, you have to take an elevator up to the second floor of the mall that's located at the pier, walk thru', then down to ground level - believe me, this is easy;  if we could find our way, you'll do it with your eyes closed!  I'm basing that on how amazing you are at navigating your way around other ports you've reported on.

 

Anyway, I was very impressed with the service.  We paid a deposit online through PayPal and paid the balance to the driver on completion.  We let them know when booking what we wanted to see.  Their website gives you some ideas.  We went to a local market, then to San Gervasio Mayan ruins;  we visited the western (?) side of the island which is a conservation area with no residences or electricity where we stopped at one of the bars on the beach for a drink.  I had a Marguerita that had me buzzing for the afternoon LOL.  We finished at a particular store, Los Cincos Soles that I wanted to visit.  It was a really nice place and was only about 6 blocks walk back to the ship.  It was meant to be a 3 hour tour but it took just about 4 hours and we were only charged for the 3 hours.

 

I'll give you a tip for getting the first tender across to Grand Cayman.  Go to the talk about shopping in Georgetown and sign up to do the "tour" of the Diamond stores.  For our cruise, anyone signed up got to go on the first tender across to the island (being Black Card, we didn't have to do this).   There's nothing to stop you heading off to do your own thing once you get across.  There are plenty of taxis and tour operators touting for business.  They are also incredibly friendly and respectful at the port.  We just enjoyed browsing in the shops in the port and were back onboard by about 10.30 or so that morning!

 

 

[CruiseIreland]

Thanks Bea. That's a great tip for Grand Cayman. In Cozumel, we may head for one of the pay as you go beach clubs.

 

[CruisingFox27]

The tour of the Diamond stores is going to be very popular now 

 

We did a beach club in Grand Cayman and had a fabulous day. 

[Beamafar]

19 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

The tour of the Diamond stores is going to be very popular now  

 

Yep ... I think the cat's out of the bag on that one, now LOL

 

ETA ... Hopefully the thread title will cause many to miss this little nugget!

Edited February 2, 2019 by Beamafar

[dami.b]

On 1/6/2019 at 12:32 AM, CruiseIreland said:

I have booked a cruise on Meraviglia for next August, visiting the Norwegian Fjords. I suspect that the 1st port stop, described as Hellesylt/Geiranger is actually just dropping ship tour passengers off at Hellesylt and continuing on then to Geiranger for the day.

Can anyone confirm this or otherwise? 

Ken

Hi Ken, we'll be cruising on the same ship, same itinerary. When I checked Cruisemapper, the Meraviglia is announced only in Hellesylt port, and not in Geiranger on August 14. On top of that, Geiranger has 3 ships scheduled for that date - MS Finnmarken (arrival/departure times not provided), AIDAperla (all day) and Sapphire Princess (afternoon), so now I also have serious doubts that we'll be taken by the ship to Geiranger. Is it possible that it will just cruise along the fjord and then go back to Hellesylt without actually stopping in Geiranger at all?

[dami.b]

On 1/6/2019 at 12:32 AM, CruiseIreland said:

I have booked a cruise on Meraviglia for next August, visiting the Norwegian Fjords. I suspect that the 1st port stop, described as Hellesylt/Geiranger is actually just dropping ship tour passengers off at Hellesylt and continuing on then to Geiranger for the day.

Can anyone confirm this or otherwise? 

Ken

Hi Ken, I've started a Roll Call for this trip as I didn't seem to find one. You might want to join. Best, Dami

[CruiseIreland]

On 6/25/2019 at 10:36 AM, dami.b said:

Hi Ken, I've started a Roll Call for this trip as I didn't seem to find one. You might want to join. Best, Dami

Cheers! In Spain at the moment so will start worrying about this when I get home next week! Thanks Dami! Ken

[CruiseIreland]

On 7/1/2019 at 12:04 AM, CruiseIreland said:

Cheers! In Spain at the moment so will start worrying about this when I get home next week! Thanks Dami! Ken

Ah! I see you are embarking Aug 10th whereas we will embark Aug 25th! Perhaps you would be kind enough to post your views and findings between our two cruises? Bôn voyage! Ken

[BermudaBound2014]

On 6/21/2019 at 3:40 PM, dami.b said:

Hi Ken, we'll be cruising on the same ship, same itinerary. When I checked Cruisemapper, the Meraviglia is announced only in Hellesylt port, and not in Geiranger on August 14. On top of that, Geiranger has 3 ships scheduled for that date - MS Finnmarken (arrival/departure times not provided), AIDAperla (all day) and Sapphire Princess (afternoon), so now I also have serious doubts that we'll be taken by the ship to Geiranger. Is it possible that it will just cruise along the fjord and then go back to Hellesylt without actually stopping in Geiranger at all?

 

That would be unfortunate. Gieranger is a must see IMO. The cavet here is that there are LOTS of options from Hellesylt to Gieranger. If this is the case, I would highly recommend a smaller fjord ship. You could sail past 7 sisters this way. Gieranger was PACKED with two ships in port, I can't imagine it with three. It is a lovely port though, so if you do stop only in Hellesylt I recommend you consider a day trip to Gieranger. 

[brderyck]

Based on te information of the port of and my experience last year, the following. Last year we first made a stop at Hellesylt only to drop off people for pre-booked excursion, after this quick stop we cruised further to Geiranger and stayed there for the day. When I looking at the official port schedule (http://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls) the MSC Meraviglia will first stop in Geiranger from 7am to 2pm and will continu to Hellesylt to pick-up the people from the excursion started in Geiranger and ended in Hellesylt from 3.30pm to 5pm.

 

 

The stop at Hellesylt is not a real stop but only a short stop the unload en load people for excursion. 

Edited July 4, 2019 by brderyck

[dami.b]

3 hours ago, brderyck said:

Based on te information of the port of and my experience last year, the following. Last year we first made a stop at Hellesylt only to drop off people for pre-booked excursion, after this quick stop we cruised further to Geiranger and stayed there for the day. When I looking at the official port schedule (http://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls) the MSC Meraviglia will first stop in Geiranger from 7am to 2pm and will continu to Hellesylt to pick-up the people from the excursion started in Geiranger and ended in Hellesylt from 3.30pm to 5pm.

 

 

The stop at Hellesylt is not a real stop but only a short stop the unload en load people for excursion. 

Thanks, I've been trying to confirm the itinerary with MSC directly for the past two weeks and at first they said - the ship will ONLY be in Geiranger all day - when I sent them the exact same schedule from the port you've quoted above, all they've been able to answer so far is (I'm "Madam" by the way):

"On Tuesday, June 25, 2019, 08:51:33 PM GMT+2, reservations@croisieres-msc.fr <reservations@croisieres-msc.fr> wrote:

Dear Sir,

I need to confirm this.

I come back to you as soon as possible.

regards,

Service Réservation

MSC Croisières"

[dami.b]

13 hours ago, CruiseIreland said:

Ah! I see you are embarking Aug 10th whereas we will embark Aug 25th! Perhaps you would be kind enough to post your views and findings between our two cruises? Bôn voyage! Ken

With pleasure

[CruiseIreland]

Bumping this thread in case Dami b has an alert and might kindly update us on his experience. Ken

[Beamafar]

Another way to 'alert'  dami.b is this way, Ken ... @dami.b

 

Tomorrow week!  😃  You won't feel it, now, 'til you're onboard.  Hope you have a wonderful cruise!  😘

[dami.b]

2 hours ago, CruiseIreland said:

Bumping this thread in case Dami b has an alert and might kindly update us on his experience. Ken

Hi, just back from our Cruise. We had a blast. The port info cited above was the most relevant. MSC provided me wrong info by email twice!! Here’s snapshot of the daily schedule. Let me know if you need any other info.