OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POOP DECK SEASCAPE JUNE 2023

[20165]

morpheusofthesea, 

Did you get a final invoice yesterday before you got off the ship? We usually get a final bill breakdown the last night or disembarkation day and we didnt get anything on any of our 3 cabins. And the charges on AMEX are all over the place.  Looks like they were randomly charging items throughout the week.  Some individually, some lumped together.  Did you experience the same?

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Did you book another cruise while onboard?  What perks do you get?  Double loyalty points, I believe. What about OBC?

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

 I’d say they certainly got a good deal!  What’s more disconcerting to me is that the concierge knew what they paid at all. Absolutely none of their business! JMO

They know everything. They play dumb all the time. We went to lunch in the YC restaurant and had heard from another YC couple that the chicken nuggets on the 'always' childrens' menu were good. So I ordered the chicken nuggets. They were good, not processed chicken, white meat chunks, bite size (so DW wasn't tempted to cut them smaller for me). Anyway we decide to check out our pergola on the One Pool deck immediately after finishing this lunch. There were no interlopers situated there so before going to the cabin to change into bathing attire I walked over just to peruse the buffet when the normally bread/water girl who was stationed for lunch at the One Pool Deck buffet asked me how were the chicken nuggets? I said to her "How do you know what I had ?" She smiled and said. "I know everything !"  If a bread girl knows everything than they all know everything, except removing interlopers. That they all play dumb to.

[GPPhilly]

2 hours ago, 20165 said:

morpheusofthesea, 

Did you get a final invoice yesterday before you got off the ship? We usually get a final bill breakdown the last night or disembarkation day and we didnt get anything on any of our 3 cabins. And the charges on AMEX are all over the place.  Looks like they were randomly charging items throughout the week.  Some individually, some lumped together.  Did you experience the same?

Are they actual charges or just pending charges?  I have always had an issue with MSC where they do a preauth on many charges that are pending and then at the end they do a charge for the entire bill.  This would be an issue if you have a card with a low limit as it does a double charge with the actual charge and the pending charges until the pending drop off.  

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, 20165 said:

morpheusofthesea, 

Did you get a final invoice yesterday before you got off the ship? We usually get a final bill breakdown the last night or disembarkation day and we didnt get anything on any of our 3 cabins. And the charges on AMEX are all over the place.  Looks like they were randomly charging items throughout the week.  Some individually, some lumped together.  Did you experience the same?

I was debating whether or not to use the same font and bold typing to reply, but there is one very sensitive poster , hamrag, that will get a conniption over it. The last time I was actually censured by CC for saying when I do it it is 'shouting', but when he does it he calls it 'highlighting'.

 Anyway to answer your question. I went to the concierge desk to get this final bill, which was already prepared in an envelope. It had everything correct. $98 pp hotel service charge (which goes into the general fund to help the cruise line pay all its staff). Venchi chocolates , about a kilo which I consumed by the end of the cruise. The biggest box of Venchi assortment ($99 retail) but purchased at the 20% sale which I was glad to see reflected on our bill as $79 (since the kiosk did not give us a receipt POS. ( The box of chocolates are for my doctor as I have a blood test this week and it reduces his admonishments). So all in all there was no charge out of place. This morning we both got our emails from MSC asking how was our time onboard.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Did you book another cruise while onboard?  What perks do you get?  Double loyalty points, I believe. What about OBC?

We always try, up to $200 each (we get $200 each for the RS/OS) plus the regular $50 OBC Voyagers Club, But we already booked 5 the last time on board through 2025. They have yet to open the 4 months we are ALL waiting for.

[20165]

11 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I was debating whether or not to use the same font and bold typing to reply, but there is one very sensitive poster , hamrag, that will get a conniption over it. The last time I was actually censured by CC for saying when I do it it is 'shouting', but when he does it he calls it 'highlighting'.

 Anyway to answer your question. I went to the concierge desk to get this final bill, which was already prepared in an envelope. It had everything correct. $98 pp hotel service charge (which goes into the general fund to help the cruise line pay all its staff). Venchi chocolates , about a kilo which I consumed by the end of the cruise. The biggest box of Venchi assortment ($99 retail) but purchased at the 20% sale which I was glad to see reflected on our bill as $79 (since the kiosk did not give us a receipt POS. ( The box of chocolates are for my doctor as I have a blood test this week and it reduces his admonishments). So all in all there was no charge out of place. This morning we both got our emails from MSC asking how was our time onboard.

Thanks and didnt mean to use a bold font.  It wouldnt let me change it.  Guess when i copied your name it made it bold for some reason... 

Well, we got nothing in the way of a final statement on any of the cabins and when we tried to leave, they said my sons cabin had a balance of $106 even through it was also on our credit card.  No explanation as to what it was but we just paid and get the heck off the ship.  There are a total of 22 charges on my AMEX all processed, not pending. Ranging from $4 to $454.   I denied all but 1 this morning given the amount looks like the shore excursions we purchased.  Guess MSC will have to explain to AMEX what all those charges are for...  Even the lady at AMEX i was talking to said this was crazy and she had never seen anything like this before.  She wanted to turn it over to their fraud department, but i told her that some are valid, i just have no idea which ones and it looks like they may have bundled some of the charges.  Example, we didnt spend $454 at one time anywhere on the ship.  Crazy

Edited June 19, 2023 by 20165
spelling

[morpheusofthesea]

20 minutes ago, GPPhilly said:

This would be an issue if you have a card with a low limit as it does a double charge with the actual charge and the pending charges until the pending drop off.

This is a very good point. DW waits a couple of days before registering her high limit credit card used only for cruise lines (she gets 3% cash back on all ship charges).

  We were at sea at around 4pm when the announcement came on the public address system, piped into our cabin. Usually we have to open the cabin door to hear all the announcements.So we immediately thought Uh Oh an emergency? NO. It was a request for everyone to register their credit cards or be held on the ship until accounts were settled. And get this....It was in 8 languages, not even muster was 8 languages.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

15 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We always try, up to $200 each (we get $200 each for the RS/OS) plus the regular $50 OBC Voyagers Club, But we already booked 5 the last time on board through 2025. They have yet to open the 4 months we are ALL waiting for.

Would you happen to know how much OBC we would get for booking a deluxe suite? Does everyone get $50 for being in their VC or only the top tier?  Is that Diamond?  Do you also get double loyalty points? 

Edited June 19, 2023 by NCteacherlovescruising

[Two Wheels Only]

37 minutes ago, GPPhilly said:

Are they actual charges or just pending charges?  I have always had an issue with MSC where they do a preauth on many charges that are pending and then at the end they do a charge for the entire bill.  This would be an issue if you have a card with a low limit as it does a double charge with the actual charge and the pending charges until the pending drop off.  

 

The same happens with us and some other forum members. There are many weird pending amounts that don't correlate to actual charges but in the end, the correct amount is processed. I use a card that has a zero balance so in the end, I know that my total matches what is actually charged to the card.

[morpheusofthesea]

36 minutes ago, 20165 said:

Thanks and didnt mean to use a bold font.  It wouldnt let me change it.  Guess when i copied your name it made it bold for some reason... 

Well, we got nothing in the way of a final statement on any of the cabins and when we tried to leave, they said my sons cabin had a balance of $106 even through it was also on our credit card.  No explanation as to what it was but we just paid and get the heck off the ship.  There are a total of 22 charges on my AMEX all processed, not pending. Ranging from $4 to $454.   I denied all but 1 this morning given the amount looks like the shore excursions we purchased.  Guess MSC will have to explain to AMEX what all those charges are for...  Even the lady at AMEX i was talking to said this was crazy and she had never seen anything like this before.  She wanted to turn it over to their fraud department, but i told her that some are valid, i just have no idea which ones and it looks like they may have bundled some of the charges.  Example, we didnt spend $454 at one time anywhere on the ship.  Crazy

Here is another lesson we learned on our Spring Break cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. Do Not believe what you are told on board. We booked the top Pinnacle Suite to compare with MSC Royal/ Owners Suite. We had our travel agent verify that we had bottled water complimentary with this suite. We have a confirmed email. Then I further inquired  (thanks to another poster on the CC Hal site) that they say that the mini bar in the Pinnacle Suite is also complimentary. Any guest in all the suites can pick up bottles/cans of water in their suite dedicated Neptune Lounge complimentary. But just in case I questioned the concierges and the room steward about the mini bar water. All said that in the Pinnacle suite the mini bar is stocked complimentary. We get our final bill and their are mini bar charges, no time for the concierge to adjust the bill. Got home and their was even more mini bar charges. We did not need anything from the mini bar as there was plenty of complimentary water from elsewhere.Just yesterday we finally got confirmation that the dispute was resolved in our favor.

Edited June 19, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

25 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Would you happen to know how much OBC we would get for booking a deluxe suite? Does everyone get $50 for being in their VC or only the top tier?  Is that Diamond?  Do you also get double loyalty points? 

I believe it is the same $200 pp and the $50 pp is for booking 9 months in advance?  Do not feel loyalty program really rewards the most deserving guests.

Edited June 19, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[NCteacherlovescruising]

7 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I believe it is the same $200 pp and the $50 pp is for booking 9 months in advance?  Do not feel loyalty program really rewards the most deserving guests.

So for my husband and I we would get $500 in OBC if we book another deluxe suite onboard?  My TA is trying to get us to book now but we are waiting to get these benefits!  Her commission is the same, correct?

Edited June 19, 2023 by NCteacherlovescruising

[morpheusofthesea]

1 minute ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

So for my husband and I we would get $500 in OBC if we book another deluxe suite onboard?

Yes

[NCteacherlovescruising]

1 minute ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Yes

Thank you!  We get on Sunday. We’ll wait. Do you know what days someone is in the YC to do this?

[morpheusofthesea]

19 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Thank you!  We get on Sunday. We’ll wait. Do you know what days someone is in the YC to do this?

Do what ?  The FCC has a table and chairs in the Top Sail Lounge with a schedule. usually for 1 hour or 2 during dinner.

Edited June 19, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

14 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

So for my husband and I we would get $500 in OBC if we book another deluxe suite onboard?  My TA is trying to get us to book now but we are waiting to get these benefits!  Her commission is the same, correct?

Your TA commission is the same. The FCC (future cruise consultant) should ask you for your travel agents name to automatically turn your booking over to them. Many on this board have posted that their TA have also given their clients up to 10% additional OBC.

[20165]

36 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is another lesson we learned on our Spring Break cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. Do Not believe what you are told on board. We booked the top Pinnacle Suite to compare with MSC Royal/ Owners Suite. We had our travel agent verify that we had bottled water complimentary with this suite. We have a confirmed email. Then I further inquired  (thanks to another poster on the CC Hal site) that they say that the mini bar in the Pinnacle Suite is also complimentary. Any guest in all the suites can pick up bottles/cans of water in their suite dedicated Neptune Lounge complimentary. But just in case I questioned the concierges and the room steward about the mini bar water. All said that in the Pinnacle suite the mini bar is stocked complimentary. We get our final bill and their are mini bar charges, no time for the concierge to adjust the bill. Got home and their was even more mini bar charges. We did not need anything from the mini bar as there was plenty of complimentary water from elsewhere.Just yesterday we finally got confirmation that the dispute was resolved in our favor.

Oh we have definitely gotten errors in the past. Has anyone reading this thread sailed MSC not in the YC and if so, did you get a statement at the end of the cruise?  If we just had 1 cabin and we didnt get one we would just think oversite, but none of our 3 cabins got one which leads me to believe maybe they dont provide a final bill at the end of the cruise?

[NCteacherlovescruising]

59 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Do what ?  The FCC has a table and chairs in the Top Sail Lounge with a schedule. usually for 1 hour or 2 during dinner.

Oh. I had read somewhere that they only set up a couple days a week in the YC.  Good to know!

 

51 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Your TA commission is the same. The FCC (future cruise consultant) should ask you for your travel agents name to automatically turn your booking over to them. Many on this board have posted that their TA have also given their clients up to 10% additional OBC.

Also good to know!

[jules815]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is another lesson we learned on our Spring Break cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. Do Not believe what you are told on board. We booked the top Pinnacle Suite to compare with MSC Royal/ Owners Suite. We had our travel agent verify that we had bottled water complimentary with this suite. We have a confirmed email. Then I further inquired  (thanks to another poster on the CC Hal site) that they say that the mini bar in the Pinnacle Suite is also complimentary. Any guest in all the suites can pick up bottles/cans of water in their suite dedicated Neptune Lounge complimentary. But just in case I questioned the concierges and the room steward about the mini bar water. All said that in the Pinnacle suite the mini bar is stocked complimentary. We get our final bill and their are mini bar charges, no time for the concierge to adjust the bill. Got home and their was even more mini bar charges. We did not need anything from the mini bar as there was plenty of complimentary water from elsewhere.Just yesterday we finally got confirmation that the dispute was resolved in our favor.

My husband and I will be sailing for the first time with HAL next April on Nieuw Statendam. It's a 14 day transatlantic from FLL to Rotterdam. We'll be in a Neptune Suite and I just read yesterday that cocktails in the Neptune Lounge aren't even included, even if you have the high end drink package. (We do, it was part of the promotion we booked with.) This just seems so odd to me. We're so spoiled after sailing in YC.

Edited June 19, 2023 by jules815

[stp_mmh5]

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Thank you!  We get on Sunday. We’ll wait. Do you know what days someone is in the YC to do this?

On all of our previous YC cruises, the Future Cruise representative was in there every day, usually between 5 and 8, as well as additional time in the mornings on sea days. They will have a schedule posted on the table they tend to use and/or the bar. Also concierge will let you know when they're coming if you ask. If you miss them in the lounge because of meals/shows/etc, you can always visit their main desk near the center atrium or request them to come at a different time.

 

 Our past experience with booking additional cruises onboard were OBC ($200 for a YC and $50 for VC per person), and the VC discount. Deposits tend to be $199pp, although we have seen $99 deposits in the past.  At the end, the rep always verified that our email was right, as well as our agent's. Which in our case was one and the same. You'll get your booking confirmation email about 5 mins or so after your done, and then that night or the next day we always received a paper copy of the confirmation in the room in an envelope.

[stp_mmh5]

1 hour ago, 20165 said:

Oh we have definitely gotten errors in the past. Has anyone reading this thread sailed MSC not in the YC and if so, did you get a statement at the end of the cruise?  If we just had 1 cabin and we didnt get one we would just think oversite, but none of our 3 cabins got one which leads me to believe maybe they dont provide a final bill at the end of the cruise?

Our first cruise on MSC we did receive a end of cruise bill the night before debarkation. This was during a winter Mediterranean cruise back in 2017. 

 

As for the weird charges, I've noticed that MSC tends to group all the daily charges by person routed to a card, then some portion of that gets closed out at the end of the night. What's mildly annoying as the primary account on this trip, on the MSC for Me app I could see the total that my wife had charged on any particular day, but not the actual breakdown of the spending. She could not see the total we spent together on the cruise, only her daily breakdowns.

 

It's a very weird system, but the C in MSC means confusing policies. Ultimately the bill always balanced out correctly for us.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, jules815 said:

My husband and I will be sailing for the first time with HAL next April on Nieuw Statendam. It's a 14 day transatlantic from FLL to Rotterdam. We'll be in a Neptune Suite and I just read yesterday that cocktails in the Neptune Lounge aren't even included, even if you have the high end drink package. (We do, it was part of the promotion we booked with.) This just seems so odd to me. We're so spoiled after sailing in YC.

DW will not sail Hal again, she is that spoiled by Yacht Club.

Edited June 19, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[Mycykfamilytime]

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

They know everything. They play dumb all the time. We went to lunch in the YC restaurant and had heard from another YC couple that the chicken nuggets on the 'always' childrens' menu were good. So I ordered the chicken nuggets. They were good, not processed chicken, white meat chunks, bite size (so DW wasn't tempted to cut them smaller for me). Anyway we decide to check out our pergola on the One Pool deck immediately after finishing this lunch. There were no interlopers situated there so before going to the cabin to change into bathing attire I walked over just to peruse the buffet when the normally bread/water girl who was stationed for lunch at the One Pool Deck buffet asked me how were the chicken nuggets? I said to her "How do you know what I had ?" She smiled and said. "I know everything !"  If a bread girl knows everything than they all know everything, except removing interlopers. That they all play dumb to.

Do the YC staff live together and only have YC roommates etc or are the spread out throughout  the rest of the ship accommodations.  Just wondering how much discussion happens below deck.   

[Georgia_Peaches]

23 minutes ago, Mycykfamilytime said:

Just wondering how much discussion happens below deck.   

A lot more than discussion, I'm sure!