Free coffee & water

[cruiselover19811981]

A couple of questions:

1. Is the free coffee decent? 

2. Is plain tap water free by the glass in the main dining room or do we have to pay for it?

[aprilF]

Coffee is better than some lines, worse than others and ultimately subjective.

 

Your nationality and where you are cruising will dictate free water availability in the dining room.

[SirWolf]

We like the coffee on MSC ships. The coffee is strong and ‘European tasting’ , if this makes sense , compared to the ‘1 coffee bean on 1 gallon of hot water’ American coffee.

Coffee taste is highly subjective and not everybody likes strong coffee but European coffee has full body and is delicious.

In Italy you need to order an ‘American Coffee’

or you will get an Espresso, which is the traditional Italian coffee.

[Até]

A glass of tap water is notoriously difficult to get on MSC European sailings, hence most North American and UK bookings now include bottled water at lunch and dinner in the MDR.   MSC also has many EU sailings offering the All In package promotion which includes the Easy drink package.

[ready2cruzagain]

Not sure where you are sailing to but if going to the Caribbean then I can answer.  Coffee on the Seaside and the Divina was better than any cruise line we have ever been on.  Not bitter like other cruise lines (NCL, Carnival, Princess and Celebrity). 

 

In the Caribbean you can get all the tap water you want, just ask for a glass of ice water. 

[cruiselover19811981]

We sail the meditteranean and are Canadians.  

[daisy-mae]

We were on a Mediterranean cruise on the Divina last fall. We were served both sparkling and still water in bottles (no extra charge), and I believe it was because we were in the Fantastica category.  Coffee was available self-serve in the Lido at breakfast and lunch. Coffee was also served at dinner but it seemed to take a long time and the servers often brought cups that had already been filled instead of pouring the coffee at the table.

[perakcruiser]

12 hours ago, daisy-mae said:

and I believe it was because we were in the Fantastica category.

Has nothing to do with Bella or Fantastica, you got it because you are from Canada or US. 

[Markanddonna]

On 1/6/2020 at 8:25 PM, perakcruiser said:

Has nothing to do with Bella or Fantastica, you got it because you are from Canada or US. 

True, I was a Bella and we received a choice of still or sparkling water each evening at no extra cost. This was in the Med.

[Kmkub]

45 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

True, I was a Bella and we received a choice of still or sparkling water each evening at no extra cost. This was in the Med.

The waiters ask what your nationality is before offering water?

[Até]

I assume just like any other of MSC's drinks packages the water/coffee package is marked on your cruise card.

[Markanddonna]

Yes, the waiters know that you receive free coffee and bottles of water. They can probably assume by your English, but it is on your card. You will have the same wait staff each night in the MDR.

[Havering Bob]

I actually just called about this day before yesterday, as we are cruising in the Mediterranean in April.  I was told that there is free coffee and mineral water in the mdr.  Tap water is available in the buffet and the agent advised that I take a refillable water bottle, like she does.

Edited January 12, 2020 by Havering Bob
Typo

[heatherb1958]

On 1/8/2020 at 2:25 PM, Kmkub said:

The waiters ask what your nationality is before offering water?

The waiters have a manifest of their guests at their tables , no need to ask nationality .

[heatherb1958]

3 hours ago, Havering Bob said:

I actually just called about this day before yesterday, as we are cruising in the Mediterranean in April.  I was told that there is free coffee and mineral water in the mdr.  Tap water is available in the buffet and the agent advised that I take a refillable water bottle, like she does.

When we have not had a purchased drinks package which includes bottled water  but the free hot drinks and bottled water in MDR we take the unfinished water bottles with us back to the cabin.  There is no limit , your waiter will be more than obliging to supply you.

 

We just recently got off a UK cruise line, Marella , which had the best guest personal supply system we have ever come across .  Each cabin has a glass carafe , on each cabin deck there is a filtered water station, you just fill up and store in your cabin fridge , no charge , no single use plastic.  In the MDR water was supplied as per our usual experience with RCI , jugs of water. 

Edited January 12, 2020 by heatherb1958

[perakcruiser]

11 hours ago, heatherb1958 said:

Each cabin has a glass carafe , on each cabin deck there is a filtered water station, you just fill up and store in your cabin fridge , no charge , no single use plastic.

The German cruise lines have this also. But MSC probably will never follow this example. Meanwhile I am used to the one filtered water station at the buffet. As long as they don´t close this I am happy :)

[WaywardBlue]

Thank you for this discussion...it's a question I did not know enough to have.

I'm happy to hear about the strong coffee
 

Would getting a glass of ice water from a bar be problematic?

[bearette]

We have a suite in Fantastica, we are from the US.  So we can get tap or bottled water at dinner? Mediterranean cruise. Also can someone give me an average drink price for coffee, rum and coke, and daiquiri?Thanks

Edited January 13, 2020 by bearette

[Kmkub]

On 1/12/2020 at 4:57 PM, heatherb1958 said:

The waiters have a manifest of their guests at their tables , no need to ask nationality .

I'm just shocked that some guests have to pay for water. That's insane. I'd pour mine into one of their  water glasses and ask for a refill. 

 

Charging for tap water is extremely petty.

[heatherb1958]

3 minutes ago, Kmkub said:

I'm just shocked that some guests have to pay for water. That's insane. I'd pour mine into one of their  water glasses and ask for a refill. 

 

Charging for tap water is extremely petty.

Many posts one here and on social media forums explain that it is a European thing,  not Brit , that  in restaurants it is not uncommon to purchase bottled water , still or sparkling with meals . 

 

From May 19  , at least I think that is when it was introduced , any bookings via Canada, USA and UK/Eire were given the “ Hot drinks and bottled water on us “ included in their bookings available in the MDR only . Water , tea and coffee is available for free in the buffet .

 

MSC do not charge for tap water In the MDR , they just don’t provide it but I suppose if you kicked up enough fuss they would.

[Kmkub]

33 minutes ago, heatherb1958 said:

Many posts one here and on social media forums explain that it is a European thing,  not Brit , that  in restaurants it is not uncommon to purchase bottled water , still or sparkling with meals . 

 

From May 19  , at least I think that is when it was introduced , any bookings via Canada, USA and UK/Eire were given the “ Hot drinks and bottled water on us “ included in their bookings available in the MDR only . Water , tea and coffee is available for free in the buffet .

 

MSC do not charge for tap water In the MDR , they just don’t provide it but I suppose if you kicked up enough fuss they would.

I see. That's a crazy wasteful policy. There is absolutely no need to create all the extra plastic garbage to accomplish what pitcher and some water glasses can do.

 

I always have water with dinner, but I may have to skip it during our cruise. I hate wasting plastic unless it's necessary; just a personal preference, not judging anyone else's choices.

 

[cublet]

Hello,

 

There is nothing more useless than out of date information, but I will give you this from my last MSC sailing in December 2008 anyway.

 

Tap water was not available in the MDR only (paid-for) bottled water. Any bottled water remaining at the end of the meal, if the bottle was not taken away by the passenger, was poured away and could not be kept for future dining.

 

Needless so say people were not happy and the CD called a meeting to try to justify the policy and all he could say was "this is the policy, write to the company if you do not like it". Little appears to have changed.

 

The chief reason mainland Europeans drink bottled water is because 'mains' water was unfit to drink. I say "was" because whilst mains water has improved, including the introduction of desalination plants, old habits die hard.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[Markanddonna]

On our Med MSC cruise in late Nov 2019, we were offered a free bottle of still or sparkling water at our evening meals.  It wasn't tap water. This is the policy for North Americans.

BTW, it isn't sanitary to put your formerly used water bottle under the water spout in the buffet. Don't share your germs. There are usually signs to tell you not to do that.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Markanddonna

[heatherb1958]

3 hours ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

There is nothing more useless than out of date information, but I will give you this from my last MSC sailing in December 2008 anyway.

 

Tap water was not available in the MDR only (paid-for) bottled water. Any bottled water remaining at the end of the meal, if the bottle was not taken away by the passenger, was poured away and could not be kept for future dining.

 

Needless so say people were not happy and the CD called a meeting to try to justify the policy and all he could say was "this is the policy, write to the company if you do not like it". Little appears to have changed.

 

The chief reason mainland Europeans drink bottled water is because 'mains' water was unfit to drink. I say "was" because whilst mains water has improved, including the introduction of desalination plants, old habits die hard.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

Good grief , who got your knickers in a twist?  😆. 
Sorry, I got the year wrong, it was 2018 ,  here is the link to the Eire website but it applies to US/ Canadians and Brits so long as you book in your own country.

 

https://www.msccruises.ie/en-ie/MSC/Water-Tea-Coffee-Guests.aspx

 

And this is how it shows on the website on your booking. 
Gratuities are now also included for all UK bookings .

 

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by heatherb1958

[aprilF]

On 1/15/2020 at 4:53 PM, Kmkub said:

I see. That's a crazy wasteful policy. There is absolutely no need to create all the extra plastic garbage to accomplish what pitcher and some water glasses can do.

 

I always have water with dinner, but I may have to skip it during our cruise. I hate wasting plastic unless it's necessary; just a personal preference, not judging anyone else's choices.

 

There's nothing to prevent you from bringing your own refillable water bottle to the MDR.  We often did simply because we were coming from another activity where we had it with us.  They will likely bring you a glass and ice if you would prefer to drink out of a glass.