Spring Break on MSC

[Markanddonna]

If there are any grandparents taking your children: I just found out that you need a certified copy of the birth certificate AND a notarized letter of permission from the parents. On the website  and advice from previous agents, they just said "copy."   also, no mention of a letter of permission. I am FURIOUS.
What if I had taken the website and previous agents at their word and we were denied boarding. I sincerely doubt I will ever book another MSC Cruise, and we are diamond members. They have been a nightmare this year. 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Markanddonna

[awatt]

We were on Meraviglia last week, were told 550 on board. But Maitre d' told us that mid March Spring break week there will be over 3000 on board. Might not be college kids, but there will be more people.

[morpheusofthesea]

10 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

If there are any grandparents taking your children: I just found out that you need a certified copy of the birth certificate AND a notarized letter of permission from the parents. On the website  and advice from previous agents, they just said "copy."   also, no mention of a letter of permission. I am FURIOUS.
What if I had taken the website and previous agents at their word and we were denied boarding. I sincerely doubt I will ever book another MSC Cruise, and we are diamond members. They have been a nightmare this year. 

 

 

Very interesting all the 'hoops' one must go through for the protection of minors ?

[dexddd]

11 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We were on the Seashore February 12 ,2022. Now I know it is 7 night vs your 4 night, but what the CD (cruise director) Gene mentioned in his intro to our evening theatre show was 'telling'? He must have been exaggerating when he announced to the audience that there were just over 1000 guests on our sailing, but that bookings report that spring break will be 6500 (kind of hard if maximum capacity of Seashore is 5632 guests). Speaking to a butler on Ocean Cay he repeated the jump in numbers for spring break, but then suggested that numbers will go back down after spring break. He followed up by stating that it really doesn't matter for service in the YC.

It may matter a bit for dining times.  We've sailed at full capacity and waiting for a table in YC can happen.

 

My bigger worry would be Ocean House.  We sailed last fall with under 1000 on ship, YC not full, but OH all tables full.  We were there four times on two ships.

[Markanddonna]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Very interesting all the 'hoops' one must go through for the protection of minors ?

I think it is just fine to request these documents, but I asked several times and was told I only needed "a copy of the birth certificate."

[morpheusofthesea]

8 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I think it is just fine to request these documents, but I asked several times and was told I only needed "a copy of the birth certificate."

You need a better travel agent, more experienced.

[Markanddonna]

Just now, morpheusofthesea said:

You need a better travel agent, more experienced.

We book ourselves. I wish I could find that golden travel agent.

[morpheusofthesea]

26 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

We book ourselves. I wish I could find that golden travel agent.

We understand. There are many travel agents and their independent agencies that will not deal with MSC for the same reasons you are complaining about. Our agent has been so frustrated with long wait times on the phone, longer wait times for FCC or refunds, getting conflicting information from different MSC representatives that she was going to give up on them. We told her to hang on. The product that MSC has in their Yacht Club cannot be beat by the competition. We have 8 more YC bookings and only one with their competitor that comes closest, for the rest of this year. The bottles of spirits that we find in our cabin, we bring home as gifts for our travel agent for the moments she has to call MSC.

[Woody14]

16 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 that bookings report that spring break will be 6500 (kind of hard if maximum capacity of Seashore is 5632 guests). 

The 5632 would be based on double occupancy so with all the families with kids sharing cabins it would not be unreasonable to have 6500 guests

[Markanddonna]

1 hour ago, Woody14 said:

The 5632 would be based on double occupancy so with all the families with kids sharing cabins it would not be unreasonable to have 6500 guests

So, if reduced passenger sailings are important, why would MSC allow increased numbers on spring break. I agree with you, but the flawed thinking is notable.

[Woody14]

$

[morpheusofthesea]

8 hours ago, dexddd said:

My bigger worry would be Ocean House.  We sailed last fall with under 1000 on ship, YC not full, but OH all tables full

Yes, I see what you mean. Here is a photo of the inside of Ocean House. Not many tables inside. The bar with no chairs at the present time across from the tables.The terrace outside for 'al fresco dining'. Palm trees between diners and the ocean. And finally, over flow tables for diners of Ocean House, under umbrellas. 

 P.S. A new kitchen next door to Ocean House.

Edited March 4, 2022 by morpheusofthesea
P.S.

[dexddd]

In the third picture in prior post, one trip we got stuck at the table by that door.  It was a hotbox.  No air circulation at all even with nearby fan.

[lifeasme123]

On 3/3/2022 at 7:42 PM, Markanddonna said:

If there are any grandparents taking your children: I just found out that you need a certified copy of the birth certificate AND a notarized letter of permission from the parents. On the website  and advice from previous agents, they just said "copy."   also, no mention of a letter of permission. I am FURIOUS.
What if I had taken the website and previous agents at their word and we were denied boarding. I sincerely doubt I will ever book another MSC Cruise, and we are diamond members. They have been a nightmare this year. 

 

 

Did you end up going on the cruise during spring break?  Was it crowded?

 

As for the notarized letter of permission, I get your frustration.  I would not say it would isolate it to just MSC.  Our friend was in the same situation and RCCL did not tell him either.  He's divorced and did not know that he needed a notarized letter from his ex.  He found out the week the cruise was set to sail.  I get why any cruise line or airline would want a letter from a non-guardian.

[TheSoccerCoach]

We were on Divina in April 2022 with a large group of greeks from UF and they were lovely! They dressed up every night. They had fun, but were not out of control. MSC is family focused and attracts a high level clientele.