WOW have the prices increased!!

[All-ready2cruise]

41 minutes ago, EllieinNJ said:

We just booked MCsC Fantasia in April to continue in Europe another week after our Epic Epic transatlantic.   I'm a little nervous about liking it because it is an older ship and probably 95% Europeans.  But we did get a great price for an aft balcony.

I've cruised on MSC Divina, a Fantasia class ship.  The ship was beautiful and staff and fellow pax were wonderful.  We had a great time.  

Just go in with idea that it be a new and different experience and you'll have a wonderful time too.  

 

Enjoy your cruises. 

[kayjaypea42]

48 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

I've cruised on MSC Divina, a Fantasia class ship.  The ship was beautiful and staff and fellow pax were wonderful.  We had a great time.  

Just go in with idea that it be a new and different experience and you'll have a wonderful time too.  

 

Enjoy your cruises. 

 

I went on Divina too when she was brand new.  Never again.  Sure, the ship was pretty but I had a terrible experience.  The food was so bad some people in my party actually got sick from it.  The bartenders totally ignored me while I was sitting at the bar waiting my turn to be served.  New people would come up, they'd get served immediately.  And when I finally got noticed, not only were the bartenders so far from friendly it wasn't funny, but the drinks were like water.  Plus, it sincerely felt like a floating nursing home on that ship.  Everywhere I went, far more than any other cruise I've been on, were people in scooters or walkers.  I couldn't wait to get off that ship.  

Edited July 20, 2021 by kayjaypea42

[Sinbadssailors]

Divina was my first MSC ship, and I enjoyed it very much. Yes, some things are quite different, but that's not always a bad thing. I'm now diamond with MSC

 

My Epic cruise (when it was new) is a large part of why I haven't sailed NCL since 2009. It was my last NCL cruise- and I'm platinum.

 

So obviously YMMV lol

[pbenjamin]

Pricing is all over the map and differs drastically by ship and itinerary. 

 

We had originally booked a 7 day cruise on the Gem from Boston to Quebéc City for October of this year.  The cost for two for an S4 Two Bedroom Suite, including the gratuities on the beverage and meal plans, was $8349. 

 

When that cruise was cancelled we booked a 7 day Mexican Riviera, roundtrip from San Diego on the Jewel for January 2022.  The cost for two for an S4 Two Bedroom Suite, including the gratuities on the beverage and meal plans, was $6849, after the cancelled cruise discount.

 

At that point we found the same itinerary out of Los Angeles on the Bliss on the same date.  The Bliss does not have non-Haven suites so we looked at an H6 Two Bedroom Suite in the Haven.  The cost for two, including the gratuities on the beverage and meal plans, would have been $13,196, before the cancelled cruise discount.  No thank you.

 

At this point you are thinking this is apples and oranges, Haven vs. Not, but consider this next one.

 

After the Jewel cruise was cancelled we ended up booking a 7 day Western Caribbean on the  Escape, also in January 2022, out of Port Canaveral.  The cost for two for an H6 two Bedroom Suite in the Haven including the gratuities on the beverage and meal plans, was $8216, after the cancelled cruise discount.

 

I think that the bottom line is to shop around.   The week before the cruise on the Escape, a 7 day Eastern Caribbean costs about $3000 more.

[osterbound]

On 7/15/2021 at 1:06 PM, RumRunner2021 said:

I'm booked through May 2024.  Have been for many months.  That's a whole lot more than 18 months.

Sorry .I should say, not to the destinations Im looking at. We are trying to do Alaska and it been off the calendar.

[sverigecruiser]

45 minutes ago, Sinbadssailors said:

Divina was my first MSC ship, and I enjoyed it very much. Yes, some things are quite different, but that's not always a bad thing. I'm now diamond with MSC

 

My Epic cruise (when it was new) is a large part of why I haven't sailed NCL since 2009. It was my last NCL cruise- and I'm platinum.

 

So obviously YMMV lol

 

I have been on both and prefer the Epic. NCLs biggest problem is the price for the Haven. MSCs Yacht Club is much better value for money.

 

Divina was okay but I prefer MSCs newer ships.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, osterbound said:

Sorry .I should say, not to the destinations Im looking at. We are trying to do Alaska and it been off the calendar.

I have an NCL Alaska cruise booked in 2023.

[sfaaa]

9 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

We have cruise friends that did MSC and were seriously disappointed.

No such thing as paying 2 star price and  expect 4-5 star quality cruise or cruise line would go bankrupt. You just need to go with realistic expectations and enjoy. 

[4774Papa]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I have an NCL Alaska cruise booked in 2023.

NCL does Glacier Bay and it is fantastic.

Also, if your cruise ends in Alaska consider going to Denali, it is great.

[ChiefMateJRK]

6 minutes ago, 4774Papa said:

NCL does Glacier Bay and it is fantastic.

Also, if your cruise ends in Alaska consider going to Denali, it is great.

Thanks.  We've done this cruise before.  IIRC, this one is a 9 day round trip from Seattle.

[bkrickles1]

I'm ok with the pricing on the cruise I booked.

I booked the 1/15/22 sailing of the Joy out of Miami on 6/16/21.

I've since adjusted the price downwards 3 times with the help of my pcc. Saved $325.

I'm now paying just under $3000 total for my family of 3 with all the perks, including airfare from NY.

Granted, we have just an oceanview cabin this time, but it's cabin 10700 which is the giant ov cabin in the front of the ship. I'm very excited for this cabin as it also has the much larger bathroom with a double sink and tub with the shower in addition to 2 full closets that my wife and daughter are sure to fill up.

$1000 pp for this sailing with everything included is a great deal in my book and hopefully everything works out and we actually sail. Lol.

[osterbound]

On 7/20/2021 at 2:10 PM, 4774Papa said:

NCL does Glacier Bay and it is fantastic.

Also, if your cruise ends in Alaska consider going to Denali, it is great.

We were thinking about that one. We have done the Joy once and it  was beautiful but with no SPA we will pass. 

[MichiganBound]

I generally travel solo and prefer to book standard balcony rooms...so I look for deals in that category.  I have nothing booked for 2021 but I look frequently at what prices are doing.  I have been seeing great deals for the following NCL cruises for this year:

 

* Some Sept/Oct Alaska cruises on Encore.

*  Some August Caribbean cruises on Gem.

*  Lots of the Aug/Sept/Oct Med cruises on Epic.  Very cheap!

*  The Epic transatlantic from Rome to NYC is a fairly good deal also.

 

Once again, I look at balcony stateroom prices for a solo traveller.

[Cb2534]

Great pricing on the Epic fall 2021 Rome and Barcelona sailings.  We are booked on the later September sailing on the Epic out of Rome (2021).  Price on our sail away balcony has dropped twice now - as of today $699.   I've added thermal spa passes for $139 each and will purchase the specialty dining (2 nights) closer to sailing.  We are in a large balcony but it is one of the dreaded "hull" cabins on deck 11.  Oh well - I knew I was taking a chance when I booked the sail away.   I'm keeping my fingers crossed this covid Delta variant doesn't blow everything up for us.  We have 10 additional days in Italy   Guides, excursions and hotels in Italy are cheaper right now when compared to prices in April 2020 when we had a transatlantic with extended stay booked that was all canceled.      I did have to shop around for airfare - that's pretty crazy these days.    NCL airfare wasn't an option - not enough flexibility on arrival and departure dates.