More questions from an MSC newbie

[ellie1145]

As this is our first time with MSC we seem to have a lot of questions. Would be most grateful for your input please.

 

Are there any ‘Formal’ nights?

 

Do people dress up? 
 

Our ship leaves at 8.00 pm. From Southampton. What time will check in start?

 

We are Diamond members on the Loyalty Match scheme which says we will have priority boarding. What time will that likely be?

 

Are they very strict about boarding times?

 

Many thanks! 

[shipgeeks]

When we last sailed on MSC there were two formal nights each week.   People did dress up, for the most part.

[carlmm]

Yes, people do dress up, open to some interpretation.

 

Pre Covid diamond priority meant you just show up at your pleasure and are directed to the priority check in. 

On the  cruises I have done during covid, there was no priority boarding.

[Stockjock]

Yes, people dress up on "Gala Nights".  Maybe not quite as much as some other cruise lines I've been on, but dressed up nonetheless.

[claireruth]

2 hours ago, carlmm said:

Yes, people do dress up, open to some interpretation.

 

Pre Covid diamond priority meant you just show up at your pleasure and are directed to the priority check in. 

On the  cruises I have done during covid, there was no priority boarding.

 

We have two cabins booked with my husband and one kid listed in one room and myself and our other kid in the second room.  My husband did a status match and is Diamond on MSC.  Can all four of us use the priority check in benefit?

[Bobbiegentry]

Following…..

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

Are there any ‘Formal’ nights? Do people dress up? 

 

We were on the 15 nighter at the start of October. Think there were three formal and one white night. I'd suggest a reasonable amount of people dressed up fully, but MSC's wording was "choose your level of elegant", so it seemed to me a bigger proportion were at smart shirt level. 

 

Our ship leaves at 8.00 pm. From Southampton. What time will check in start?

 

Our first time on MSC but check-in time was from 10am-11am, so pretty much as soon as stragglers had got off. 

 

We are Diamond members on the Loyalty Match scheme which says we will have priority boarding. What time will that likely be?

 

Impossible to know the answer to that, but I must say the boarding was very swift. Probably 15-20 minutes tops for us, and would have been quicker but for one customer causing bother at the security area lol

 

Are they very strict about boarding times?

 

Seemingly not. One chap was saying he'd have to wait in the car park for an hour, and another chirped up to suggest he just went in, as he himself had got in a couple of hours earlier on a cruise earlier in the year. 

[LifeonMars]

On 10/20/2022 at 6:27 PM, ellie1145 said:

As this is our first time with MSC we seem to have a lot of questions. Would be most grateful for your input please.

 

Are there any ‘Formal’ nights?

 

Do people dress up? 
 

Our ship leaves at 8.00 pm. From Southampton. What time will check in start?

 

We are Diamond members on the Loyalty Match scheme which says we will have priority boarding. What time will that likely be?

 

Are they very strict about boarding times?

 

Many thanks! 

There are formal nights where Suits or Black tie is worn by passengers,

usually one on a seven nighter and two for a fortnight. I would imagine however that when travelling in Yacht Club then many more would be in Black tie.

 

Also a White night each week were some passengers dress wearing  something white

 

Your Boarding time is shown on your embarkation form and when you log into your MSC website on your cruises.

 

It has been known at Southampton that many passengers will ignore their boarding times and queues have formed from outside the terminal Building and into the rear of the car park across the road. Not good when raining as no shelter.

 

However when this happens and you are in Yacht Club / Aurea experience or are a Diamond member you have priority boarding there is usually port/MSC  staff on hand to assist you with your priority boarding.

 

Boarding with MSC can be very swift when the ship arrives in port on time , I have known it to start  from 11am.

 

As with other Cruise lines, I am sure that if there is a problem on boarding and explain to the staff that your husband is the Diamond member you are  one family then all would be allowed through the  priority boarding line. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ellie1145]

23 hours ago, LifeonMars said:

There are formal nights where Suits or Black tie is worn by passengers,

usually one on a seven nighter and two for a fortnight. I would imagine however that when travelling in Yacht Club then many more would be in Black tie.

 

Also a White night each week were some passengers dress wearing  something white

 

Your Boarding time is shown on your embarkation form and when you log into your MSC website on your cruises.

 

It has been known at Southampton that many passengers will ignore their boarding times and queues have formed from outside the terminal Building and into the rear of the car park across the road. Not good when raining as no shelter.

 

However when this happens and you are in Yacht Club / Aurea experience or are a Diamond member you have priority boarding there is usually port/MSC  staff on hand to assist you with your priority boarding.

 

Boarding with MSC can be very swift when the ship arrives in port on time , I have known it to start  from 11am.

 

As with other Cruise lines, I am sure that if there is a problem on boarding and explain to the staff that your husband is the Diamond member you are  one family then all would be allowed through the  priority boarding line. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all so much for all that information. That is really helpful! 👍🏻
 

Both DH and I are Diamond Members (through the Status Match scheme) but we are travelling with my sister and husband. She is disabled so will there be any assistance for her as she will not be able to stand around for hours?  They are not Diamond unfortunately but we are travelling as a family.

Edited October 23, 2022 by ellie1145

[Bogof1]

Thanks for the info. We too are new to MSC and travel next week. I. Very confused with the wording of testing for covid for embarking. One line says you have to have a certificate to say covid free then the next says if fully vaccinated LFT not needed??? Anyone been since the beginning of oct who can say what it is from Southampton. Thanks,

[mousefan73]

24 minutes ago, Bogof1 said:

Thanks for the info. We too are new to MSC and travel next week. I. Very confused with the wording of testing for covid for embarking. One line says you have to have a certificate to say covid free then the next says if fully vaccinated LFT not needed??? Anyone been since the beginning of oct who can say what it is from Southampton. Thanks,

I called them this week and asked.. She said if we are fully vaxxed just bring documentation with and we dont need a test.

 

 

One more newbie question from me:

We are Disney cruisers and love their drinkn station. Where soda machines, coffee and tea are avail bascially all day. Most cruisers bring their own Tevis or re-usable cups..

 

I know on MSC soda is not free, but are there water, coffee and hot water ( tea) stations available to fill up my own cup with? I like a big cup of coffee to carry around and tea at times. thnx!

 

[shipgeeks]

2 hours ago, mousefan73 said:

 

 

I know on MSC soda is not free, but are there water, coffee and hot water ( tea) stations available to fill up my own cup with? I like a big cup of coffee to carry around and tea at times. thnx!

 

Yes, in the buffet, all of the above.  If you want to use your own cup, though, please fill one of the ship cups/glasses, then pour into your cup.

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

8 hours ago, Bogof1 said:

Thanks for the info. We too are new to MSC and travel next week. I. Very confused with the wording of testing for covid for embarking. One line says you have to have a certificate to say covid free then the next says if fully vaccinated LFT not needed??? Anyone been since the beginning of oct who can say what it is from Southampton. Thanks,

We went on 1st October, the first day the rules changed. As we'd already purchased some LFT tests, we did them anyway and downloaded the certificates. However, the guy booking us on wasn't interested in seeing them - though we did ofc show our NHS certs to prove our two jabs and boosters.