Why am I being charged for Free at Sea Gratuities

[PTC DAWG]

9 hours ago, MikeBTN said:

 

Such a ridiculous take.  Your Aurea experience also came with a beverage package and was some $500 more per person than the Bella experience.  There’s no such thing as “free”.

It was $700 more than the Fantastica on the 4-27 sailing I am on...MSC Seaside, Agree, bogus take. 

 

 

[PTC DAWG]

6 hours ago, mianmike said:

 

Yes there is a "free" version on MSC.  I booked a Bella cabin on the Seaside and received the "drinks on us" package and wifi.  No gratuities.   Hopefully MSC stays honest and doesn't adopt the NCL version of "free."  

And MSC cruisers are already upset at the changes. I am booked with the Easy Package you reference..they say it has been scaled back substantially from previous drink packages.  

 

The same cruise I am on could have been booked without drinks and WiFi for less...so really nothing is free.  Total price is what matters.  

 

Was last on Escape, I’m curious how the Seaside will compare.  I already see myself upgrading the drink package to get the variety I am used to. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

5 hours ago, newmexicoNita said:

BTW so all of you who keep comparing MSC with NCL: remember also they are the new kids on the block trying to break into the American market. They offer prices that the older guys do not, trying to encourage more Americans to sail them. As years go by they too will raise prices and change some of their policies if they can build up a loyal customer base. 

to be honest, MSC cruises I looked up were priced at the same or higher level than NCL, Princess and RCI cruises sailing at the same time out of the same ports.

[Tapi]

5 hours ago, newmexicoNita said:

BTW so all of you who keep comparing MSC with NCL: remember also they are the new kids on the block trying to break into the American market. They offer prices that the older guys do not, trying to encourage more Americans to sail them. As years go by they too will raise prices and change some of their policies if they can build up a loyal customer base.

They are indeed the new kid on the block on this side of the Atlantic, but in Europe, they are a well established cruise line. Yet, we were able to get a killer rate to sail in the Mediterranean, with all the perks listed above, at a fraction of what the American cruise lines charge over there. The most comparable type of accommodations and itinerary that we could find to our Aurea Duplex Suite was a Crown Loft Suite on Royal. For our family of 4, Royal wanted $16K. On MSC, we paid $4K. That made the decision very easy.

 

I’m still waiting for MSC to raise prices. Every time I price out a cruise on them, they are even cheaper than Carnival. When they just had the older and smaller Poesia in the US, people said “MSC will raise prices when they build up a loyal customer base”. When they brought the Divina, people said the same thing. When they brought the Seaside, they said the same. Now they are bringing the Meraviglia and will have 3 ships based in the US. They are also launching their private island next year. Let’s see if this time prices do go up. 

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

to be honest, MSC cruises I looked up were priced at the same or higher level than NCL, Princess and RCI cruises sailing at the same time out of the same ports.

 

Can you give an example? I know that the MSC site is a bit wonky and it will sometimes default to showing the higher "brochure" rate instead of the actual "promo" rate.

 

1 hour ago, Tapi said:

I’m still waiting for MSC to raise prices.

 

MSC has raised prices but so has everyone else. It's difficult to compare MSC "experiences" with other lines except for MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

19 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Can you give an example? I know that the MSC site is a bit wonky and it will sometimes default to showing the higher "brochure" rate instead of the actual "promo" rate.

yeap, I only look up Thanksgiving and Spring break (2nd week of April) cruises out of FL ports.

[whitshel]

Here's a deal for you guys, Celebrity Equinox 7 night  western Caribbean cruise April 20th 2019, $899pp balcony includes 2 perks, lets say drink package and $300 and no extra fees.  $2075 total, out the door 🙂 Thats a pretty smoke n deal on any cruise line.

 

I know you can find deals on any cruise line, but I dont think you'd ever find that on NCL when they are adding $00 to $400 to your cruise fare.

Edited March 6, 2019 by whitshel

[DaCruiseBug]

10 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Can you give an example? I know that the MSC site is a bit wonky and it will sometimes default to showing the higher "brochure" rate instead of the actual "promo" rate.

 

 

MSC has raised prices but so has everyone else. It's difficult to compare MSC "experiences" with other lines except for MSC Yacht Club vs NCL Haven. 

+1 on the example for a cruise on MSC more expensive than on NCL.

 

Also, as far as the YC vs Haven goes...you can get a YC room for about 1/2 as much as the cheapest Haven room on NCL. You can easily score a YC Deluxe suite for around $4k total.

[DaCruiseBug]

12 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

to be honest, MSC cruises I looked up were priced at the same or higher level than NCL, Princess and RCI cruises sailing at the same time out of the same ports.

 

MSC Seaside Bella Balcony with free drinks on us starts out at around $1,300 all-inclusive. About $1,600 total if you want to upgrade your beverage package to the next tier.

 

Find me a NCL, RCL, or any other 7 day cruise that offers a Balcony cabin with a drink package for that price.

[newmexicoNita]

7 hours ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

MSC Seaside Bella Balcony with free drinks on us starts out at around $1,300 all-inclusive. About $1,600 total if you want to upgrade your beverage package to the next tier.

 

Find me a NCL, RCL, or any other 7 day cruise that offers a Balcony cabin with a drink package for that price.

We are sailing in Oct on the Breakaway out of Miami: balcony including UDP and UBP plus $50 per port off excursions for $1200 per person. Of course that is before taxes, etc. With taxes, gratuities on drinks, etc it is about $3200 for the two of us. Are you saying the $1600 is for one of two traveling? if it is per person it isn't much different from other mass marketed lines, if it is per cabin I would have to wonder what is wrong? 

[bkrickles1]

18 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

We are sailing in Oct on the Breakaway out of Miami: balcony including UDP and UBP plus $50 per port off excursions for $1200 per person. Of course that is before taxes, etc. With taxes, gratuities on drinks, etc it is about $3200 for the two of us. Are you saying the $1600 is for one of two traveling? if it is per person it isn't much different from other mass marketed lines, if it is per cabin I would have to wonder what is wrong? 

I agree. I've been pricing the MSC Seaside for Jan. 2020 and while you can work out an interesting deal, it doesn't beat what I've already booked on the Encore for 1/19/2020.

I have 3 in a balcony on the 14th deck with all 6 perks, including airfare, and my price with all taxes and fees (gratuities for sdp & ubp) comes to approx. $1200 per person.

I've priced out almost every cruise out of Florida for that weekend and nothing beats this deal.

[DaCruiseBug]

1 hour ago, newmexicoNita said:

We are sailing in Oct on the Breakaway out of Miami: balcony including UDP and UBP plus $50 per port off excursions for $1200 per person. Of course that is before taxes, etc. With taxes, gratuities on drinks, etc it is about $3200 for the two of us. Are you saying the $1600 is for one of two traveling? if it is per person it isn't much different from other mass marketed lines, if it is per cabin I would have to wonder what is wrong? 

 

$1,600 out the door for an entire cabin including the charge to upgrade your beverage package.

[DaCruiseBug]

29 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I agree. I've been pricing the MSC Seaside for Jan. 2020 and while you can work out an interesting deal, it doesn't beat what I've already booked on the Encore for 1/19/2020.

I have 3 in a balcony on the 14th deck with all 6 perks, including airfare, and my price with all taxes and fees (gratuities for sdp & ubp) comes to approx. $1200 per person.

I've priced out almost every cruise out of Florida for that weekend and nothing beats this deal.

A Balcony room on the Seaside on 1/18/20 is $2,288 out the door for the entire cabin. You can actually get that down to $2,000 if you do the status match with MSC (5% discount) and use the promo code they have on their website currently (10% off). With that you get the drinks on us package...if you want to upgrade drink package it’s about $120 per person.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

9 hours ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

MSC Seaside Bella Balcony with free drinks on us starts out at around $1,300 all-inclusive. About $1,600 total if you want to upgrade your beverage package to the next tier.

 

Find me a NCL, RCL, or any other 7 day cruise that offers a Balcony cabin with a drink package for that price.

during spring break or Thanksgiving break?

If not, yeah, sure, we sailed for $258 pp for inside during non-peak seasons (7 night cruises), but now we are limited to  school breaks and cabins for 3, which makes it much more expensive.

 

There are 3 of us, and in about 20 days we are sailing for $1,600 total (plus gratuities) on the Allure (inside cabin) for a week during spring break. Not inclusive of anything, but I think I scored a fantastic deal - $1,600 for 3 ppl during a spring break on the Allure.

 

There are 3 of us on Regal (Thanksgiving) in a balcony cabin for $2,400 total (plus free grats and $300 OBC).

Edited March 6, 2019 by Itchy&Scratchy

[bkrickles1]

I just priced it too and the $2288 is for a Bella Balcony cabin but that doesn't include drink package, specialty dining package, shore excursion perk, internet perk or airfare. 

It's not a better deal than what I'm getting on the Encore.

I live in the US if that makes a difference.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

31 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

A Balcony room on the Seaside on 1/18/20 is $2,288 out the door for the entire cabin. You can actually get that down to $2,000 if you do the status match with MSC (5% discount) and use the promo code they have on their website currently (10% off). With that you get the drinks on us package...if you want to upgrade drink package it’s about $120 per person.

Just priced a balcony for 3 of us on Seaside for Thanksgiving out of Miami - Bella experience, $ 2,397.00 before gratuities. Even if I manage to get 10% off with the special, it's not going to make up for $600 worth of perks we are getting on Regal Princess at the same time (3 for free). And the overall price is the same.

[DaCruiseBug]

28 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

during spring break or Thanksgiving break?

If not, yeah, sure, we sailed for $258 pp for inside during non-peak seasons (7 night cruises), but now we are limited to  school breaks and cabins for 3, which makes it much more expensive.

 

There are 3 of us, and in about 20 days we are sailing for $1,600 total (plus gratuities) on the Allure (inside cabin) for a week during spring break. Not inclusive of anything, but I think I scored a fantastic deal - $1,600 for 3 ppl during a spring break on the Allure.

 

There are 3 of us on Regal (Thanksgiving) in a balcony cabin for $2,400 total (plus free grats and $300 OBC).

Thanksgiving is $2,537 out the door for a balcony cabin. That’s before you take 10% + 5% off.

[bkrickles1]

42 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

A Balcony room on the Seaside on 1/18/20 is $2,288 out the door for the entire cabin. You can actually get that down to $2,000 if you do the status match with MSC (5% discount) and use the promo code they have on their website currently (10% off). With that you get the drinks on us package...if you want to upgrade drink package it’s about $120 per person.

I just priced it too and the $2288 is for a Bella Balcony cabin but that doesn't include drink package, specialty dining package, shore excursion perk, internet perk or airfare. 

It's not a better deal than what I'm getting on the Encore.

I live in the US if that makes a difference.

 

sorry for duplicate post

[DaCruiseBug]

29 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I just priced it too and the $2288 is for a Bella Balcony cabin but that doesn't include drink package, specialty dining package, shore excursion perk, internet perk or airfare. 

It's not a better deal than what I'm getting on the Encore.

I live in the US if that makes a difference.

Bella Balcony does include a beverage package. It’s the drinks on us package. If you want to upgrade your beverage package it’s only $126 per person for the whole week. Your excursion credit on NCL is worthless...they jack up the prices of excursions and give you $50 per cabin when you can book them on your own for way less. As far as the rest...you’re $1,500 below your Encore cost so...you can easily buy airfare (you choose not NCL) and all the specialty dining you want.

[bkrickles1]

4 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

Bella Balcony does include a beverage package. It’s the drinks on us package. If you want to upgrade your beverage package it’s only $126 per person for the whole week. Your excursion credit on NCL is worthless...they jack up the prices of excursions and give you $50 per cabin when you can book them on your own for way less. As far as the rest...you’re $1,500 below your Encore cost so...you can easily buy airfare (you choose not NCL) and all the specialty dining you want.

it doesn't include a drink package. Again, I'm in the US so maybe that's a difference.

I'd love to see how I'm wrong here.

[DaCruiseBug]

4 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

it doesn't include a drink package. Again, I'm in the US so maybe that's a difference.

I'd love to see how I'm wrong here.

 

Again, yes it does!!!!! It’s not rocket science. Free drink package and WiFi.

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, DaCruiseBug said:

A Balcony room on the Seaside on 1/18/20 is $2,288 out the door for the entire cabin. You can actually get that down to $2,000 if you do the status match with MSC (5% discount) and use the promo code they have on their website currently (10% off). With that you get the drinks on us package...if you want to upgrade drink package it’s about $120 per person.

It is called a Easy drink package now...I have it on my 4-27-29 cruise, fairly limited, can be upgraded for $27 pp per day. 

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Manage-Your-Booking/All-Inclusive-Packages.aspx

Edited March 6, 2019 by PTC DAWG

[bkrickles1]

23 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

Again, yes it does!!!!! It’s not rocket science. Free drink package and WiFi.

I happen to be a rocket scientist so that's a little insulting.

Anyway, you are wrong.

1st of all the all in deal includes the easy drink package, not the drinks on us package and an upgrade from that to the premium is way more than $126 pp. In addition, the ubp on NCL is way better for me than the easy package on MSC.

2nd, when you click on this deal for the Seaside for 1/18/20, you are brought to a different price structure...... A higher price...

So, when you price a bella balcony on the Seaside for 1/18/20 with the all in deal, you don't get $2288. You get $2608.

Now, that is a pretty good price, but not as good as you're portraying to everyone on here.

If I add some specialty dining and my airfare, it will exceed my price for the Encore.

And yes, the shore excursion credit is BS but it's there if I want it.

Check it out my friend.

 

Edited March 6, 2019 by bkrickles1

[DaCruiseBug]

37 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I happen to be a rocket scientist so that's a little insulting.

Anyway, you are wrong.

1st of all the all in deal includes the easy drink package, not the drinks on us package and an upgrade from that to the premium is way more than $126 pp. In addition, the ubp on NCL is way better for me than the easy package on MSC.

2nd, when you click on this deal for the Seaside for 1/18/20, you are brought to a different price structure...... A higher price...

So, when you price a bella balcony on the Seaside for 1/18/20 with the all in deal, you don't get $2288. You get $2608.

Now, that is a pretty good price, but not as good as you're portraying to everyone on here.

If I add some specialty dining and my airfare, it will exceed my price for the Encore.

And yes, the shore excursion credit is BS but it's there if I want it.

Check it out my friend.

 

Drinks on us is the old name for the easy package, no difference. Yes, upgrade is $180 instead of $120. Small difference.

 

As far as cruise fare...just pulled it up again and it’s $2,288 out the door. But that’s also before the 10% + 5% discounts. With those discounts I comes out to just under $2,100. If you want to upgrade drink packages that’s $180 per person so you’re at $2,640 for balcony with upgraded drink package and WiFi. The difference is yours is $1,000 more with airfare and a dining package (only for 2 people).

Edited March 6, 2019 by DaCruiseBug

[three acts]

Okay..maybe I'm a little dense but I need some clarification...I'm going on  the Escape in the Fall with a very large group..actually taking the place of someone that had to cancel..so they had already signed up for the free drinks and gratiuties package.

Is the service charge on the gratuities pkg based on how much you drink...cause I'm not much of a drinker..even at 20% I would not rack up a $300+ bill in a week?

Thanks in advance for the answer...I haven't cruised in over 5 yrs and all this is new to me😁