MSC Newbie Questions

[80sGal]

Thinking about adding an MSC booking side to side with our RC for June next summer on Seashore.  Everything I've found says Aurea pkg offers a discounted drink package at time of booking, but I only get options for massage or Trio dining add-ons online during my mock booking.  Has that feature on drinks been removed?   

 

Next, I like the cabin choices for a Fantastica balcony better than the suite Aurea options .... It seems like only poorly situated Aurea balconies are available on the itinerary we're looking at.   So its either Fantastica with a regular balcony or 1500 more for an Aurea suite.  Hard to justify that .... Can anyone comment on the differences (other than the obvious size) and convince me?    We've already got 2 RC S2S so my budget can't withstand the YC ....  It sounds great but  I'm more interested in extending my vacation and port shops than having a Butler anyway.  Any help with the other options, or info about Seashore entertainment, etc. and the booking question on drink options is appreciated!  

[johnnylincoln]

We've never found the Aurea discounted drinks package price either...it may be something that either your TA or MSC would be able to add over the phone rather than online. 

 

We have sailed both Aurea and Fantastica with MSC. Cabin placement seems to be hit and miss, some of the Aurea locations suck and some of the Fantastica locations should be more expensive! 

 

My advice would be to book based on location or based on your need for Anytime Dining, the private sundeck access and having a Spa facilities pass which are the main draws to the Aurea package. 

 

If you aren't going to use them, or think they are worth 1500 more to you then I think you'd be better off with a Fantastica Balcony. 

[alohayall]

You can always give it a try - join us “normal” people and book Fantastica.  It’s not so bad on the dark side 🙂

 

They did modify the Aurea experience this last year - taking away some of the perks. I think drinks might have been one of those perks.

 

Are they offering a rate for your intended sailing that has a drinks + internet included price?  If you compare pricing, it might be less expensive than adding a drinks package to your cruise.

 

Of course, after two weeks on Royal with a drinks package, you might enjoy reduced consumption and pay as you go.  If you get a rate with $200 OBC, that can cover a couple of drinks every day.

Here are drink package options for my upcoming October cruise on Seashore out of Miami:

 

I used the balcony for price of an ocean view promotion.  It came with onboard credit which is sufficient to cover my Coca Cola and bottled water needs for the week. 

[wcook]

7 hours ago, alohayall said:

You can always give it a try - join us “normal” people and book Fantastica.

No no no. Us normal folks sail Bella. The pampered and entitled said Fantastica 🙂

 

Confession time: I’ve booked Fantastica for my next cruise. I’m (cue music) Movin’ on Up. To the port side. To a deluxe apartm… er, to a inside cabin on the 10th deck. Yeah I’m movin’ on up

[Nunagoras]

Oh, guys!... What else? Bella/Fantastica/Aurea experiences are now so equal one another that I con't really justify why they retained them instead of the more normal Inside/outside/balcony categories we usually find out elsewhere on the cruise industry!...

 

That said; for the OP: Only you can decide if at this price difference it is worth or not. IMHO; considering that the added value is not that great on Aurea now than what it was before the changes; it can't justify such an as big or even bigger price difference than the ones they had before the changes! Aurea is now somewhat overpriced for the real product benefit.

 

And again: As someone has noted before me: MSC is making some promos, either way direct or with the help of their partner TA's that makes your travel basically all inclusive. In most sailings here where I live, the best or the unique way is to go, at least with Easy Plus drinks package as part of your deal for Fantastica/Aurea cabins and Easy for Bella ones. If you search carefully you'll to find them elsewhere.

[JT1962]

4 hours ago, wcook said:

 

Confession time: I’ve booked Fantastica for my next cruise. I’m (cue music) Movin’ on Up. To the port side. To a deluxe apartm… er, to a inside cabin on the 10th deck. Yeah I’m movin’ on up

I booked a Bella cabin for my October cruise and was assigned a Fantastica Cabin on Deck 10. I will see if I get any offers to bid on an upgrade, but will probably stick with what they assigned unless it’s a great deal.

[perakcruiser]

8 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

Oh, guys!... What else? Bella/Fantastica/Aurea experiences are now so equal one another that I con't really justify why they retained them instead of the more normal Inside/outside/balcony categories we usually find out elsewhere on the cruise industry!...

OK, I found the differences between Bella and Fantastica are BIGGER now as you cannot select your cabin anymore with Bella. And a lot of cabins for more than 2 are only available with Fantastica. Apart from that the Fantastica advantage comes with the Voyager points. If you are close to reach Black and can make it with Fantastica then it is worth to pay the extra $$$. Which probably is the case with my next cruise. 

[Nunagoras]

4 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

OK, I found the differences between Bella and Fantastica are BIGGER now as you cannot select your cabin anymore with Bella. And a lot of cabins for more than 2 are only available with Fantastica. Apart from that the Fantastica advantage comes with the Voyager points. If you are close to reach Black and can make it with Fantastica then it is worth to pay the extra $$$. Which probably is the case with my next cruise. 

I didn't know you can't to chose your cabin anymore with Bella (maybe this might to be a temporary measure covid restrictions related). I did know you can't to chose your dining time with Bella, I know pretty much all the 2+ passenger cabins are Fantastica cabins, and I know that from where I live, pretty much all the single room cabins are Bella cabins. As far as I'm understanding, Bella has remained in the structure just to sell the leftovers for either way, first comers or last minute bookings with no extra demands, like such a "no frills cruise". Either way the price difference seems to be reasonable. Here where I live they're quoting such an average of some EUR 80-100 per person per cruise difference between Bella and Fantastica, sometimes even less. Again: No need for the "confusing" differentiation. Oh: And Fantastica and above cabins will in many cases to have an Easy Plus drinks package built in the deal from where I live... They can to make all the cabins to the same class and give special promos if demand is low at a certain point. So now; Aurea is another thing. They should have retained such a more expensive product for the ones that want flexibility and all inclusiveness. Understand ships are short-staffed right now. Understand not all want a full body massage at sea. Understand they need to be more profitable at this point to cope with the pandemic and the European war losses. But a slightly premium product like that should to be a real slightly premium product. Not just a fake one. If they want to retain that product they'll need to rethink it, to hold those ones that want some extra features, but are out of the YC price tag. Either way: Even though a tad overpriced I'd more likely to pay the difference between a Fantastica balcony and an YC inside than such the difference frrom Fantastica to Aurea even if with a larger cabin with better furniture these days. The real added value on Aurea is not there anymore, JIMHO.

[alohayall]

15 hours ago, wcook said:

No no no. Us normal folks sail Bella. The pampered and entitled said Fantastica 🙂

 

Confession time: I’ve booked Fantastica for my next cruise. I’m (cue music) Movin’ on Up. To the port side. To a deluxe apartm… er, to a inside cabin on the 10th deck. Yeah I’m movin’ on up

I thought Fantastica was a stretch when I put it, too!  But I left what I had typed, thinking most posters here are in YC. 
 

I had an inside cabin on Seashore Deck 14  - lots of floor space.  Just checked - it was Bella.  Maybe that’s why my request for Early dining wasn’t granted.

 

And the cabin categories change was about mid-November? and took away ability to pick your cabin for Bella.  
 

I am moving on up, too - to a Fantastica Balcony for a connecting room to my sister. We can’t believe we can each have our own cabin for such a good price!

[perakcruiser]

On 7/9/2022 at 7:10 PM, Nunagoras said:

I didn't know you can't to chose your cabin anymore with Bella (maybe this might to be a temporary measure covid restrictions related).

No, this is to make Fantastica more attractive and will stay. But still Bella sells out so fast, especially Inside cabins, not so much Balcony where the people are more interested to select their cabins as many experienced restricted views with Bella. 

On 7/9/2022 at 7:10 PM, Nunagoras said:

I did know you can't to chose your dining time with Bella

This I also have not heard before, I think still can. Just Fantastica has "Priority" with dinner time wishes.

On 7/9/2022 at 7:10 PM, Nunagoras said:

Oh: And Fantastica and above cabins will in many cases to have an Easy Plus drinks package built in the deal from where I live...

Heard about it, especially US. But that was never so in European main markets. 

 

Had to book Fantastica a couple of time before, because Bella was sold out and/or 3 pax in cabin. The only advantages for us were the free photo and the extra Voyager points. Now things are a little bit different, I totally dislike the idea of getting a cabin front ship in the lowest deck, to avoid this risk I am willing to pay the (not too big) price difference. 

 

Aurea is too confusing for me, I don´t want to think too much about it. If I would spend this amount, I would spend even more to go YC.