Best things to purchase BEFORE boarding

[ashank1m]

If you are going to Spa you can get a whole week for about $120 and not avail on ship, it is $40? per day on the ship.  If you are using Ship excursion, it is 20% cheaper online vs at the desk.  Photo package is 30% cheaper online than ship, if your DW is still collecting them. Got kids and getting on Seaside, get a game pass for $100 and get extra, I forgot, but you get more online than on the ship by $20, good for F1, Zipline, bowling, 5D game/show, and doesn't work on 4 pieces of arcade game and money eating machine.  I pack light yet, I have not used up all my clothing on any of 7 days cruises, so no Laundry for me.  Also, I skip on Wifi until I get to the port to use T-mobile data plan for free.

[ashank1m]

One more, if you enjoyed YC but no cabin is avail, you can call Customer service and ask to upgrade you cabin to YC amenity.  You will stay in reg cabin but will get a access to YC.  They do this to handful of customers.  Also, able to purchase YC daily pass. (dont see why, as YC's greatest benefit is priority boarding with VIP lounge, Port/Tender service, and disembark with butler helping with bags.)

[blordos]

I usually prebooked SPA package that that allow access during the whole cruise. It's cheaper and you don't have to pay the 15% gratuities. Also no internet package as all ports have free Wifi now. Just save up all the photo's and unload them on a port wifi.

 

Maybe I would include a Tasting Dinner experiences for 3 or 4 special dinner restaurants.

Edited August 25, 2019 by blordos

[Fogfog]

On 8/24/2019 at 11:18 PM, ashank1m said:

One more, if you enjoyed YC but no cabin is avail, you can call Customer service and ask to upgrade you cabin to YC amenity.  You will stay in reg cabin but will get a access to YC.  They do this to handful of customers.  Also, able to purchase YC daily pass. (dont see why, as YC's greatest benefit is priority boarding with VIP lounge, Port/Tender service, and disembark with butler helping with bags.)

This actually shocks me... that people who aren't paying the premium for YC are allowed to use the YC pool etc...

We've booked B2B in YC and its very expensive compared to a regular room 

Is this common to have non-YC pax using YC? 

[ashank1m]

13 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

This actually shocks me... that people who aren't paying the premium for YC are allowed to use the YC pool etc...

We've booked B2B in YC and its very expensive compared to a regular room 

Is this common to have non-YC pax using YC? 

This upgrade isn't free, I think it was $150-180 per person a day, when you add up the number, price was similar to YC pricing.  This isn't something being advertised, but my butler told me.  I was looking at Meraviglia and YC was fully booked.

[Fogfog]

11 minutes ago, ashank1m said:

This upgrade isn't free, I think it was $150-180 per person a day, when you add up the number, price was similar to YC pricing.  This isn't something being advertised, but my butler told me.  I was looking at Meraviglia and YC was fully booked.

Got it

Wouldn't this make YC pool area etc more crowded to have "day-trips" 

Did it include meals in YC? Bev? Spa etc?

[ashank1m]

13 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

Got it

Wouldn't this make YC pool area etc more crowded to have "day-trips" 

Did it include meals in YC? Bev? Spa etc?

Not sure but access to YC means you can get meals and Bev.  Spa prory not.

[newistcruiseaddict]

On 8/20/2019 at 7:36 AM, Beamafar said:

 

Moot point now that they're included in the cruise fare, CF.  On a 7 nighter, the DSC was good for 100 points (almost;  another €10 onboard spend and you were there - though extra spend wasn't required when on a US-based cruise as you reached the requisite $150, what with the DSC being $12.50 as opposed to €10).

Gratuities are included in the cruise fare?

[emmas gran]

2 hours ago, newistcruiseaddict said:

Gratuities are included in the cruise fare?

 

Yes in the UK they are now added to the booking --there are various posts on this.

It is called a "Daily Service Charge" not Gratuity

[Zephyr173]

8 hours ago, newistcruiseaddict said:

Gratuities are included in the cruise fare?

As Emma’s Gran points out, the inclusion of DSC in the cruise fare is a UK thing recently put in place.

 

On you upcoming sailing (can’t wait either), a daily charge will be added to you cruise account the charge will be 10€ pppd.  You can find this information on this page of MSC USA’s web site, under the heading “service charge”. The charge is indicated in the first chart, first line, at the column on the right.

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Manage-Your-Booking/General-Information.aspx

 

As you will read on the same page, MSC does not recommend tipping any more that what is charged to your account.  However, that is a whole topic that stirs passions in this forum, so I will not touch this topic with a 10-foot pole. 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Zephyr173

[deliver42]

Thank you, Zephyr173 for not going into the pros and cons of additional tipping.The last thing we need is another no win argument over it.