Booking MSC Splendida - Brazil from the UK?

Hi,

I've had my eye on the South American itineraries for the past few winters. This coming winter, the Splendida operates my favourite itinerary (mainly Brazil, vs sailing north from Buenos Aires). However, the ship seems to disappear for winter on the UK booking site, and as far as I'm aware, MSC do not allow booking with overseas agents. Has anyone had experience with this, where MSC do not market the cruise to your home market?

Thanks,

David

Hi,

 

I've had my eye on the South American itineraries for the past few winters. This coming winter, the Splendida operates my favourite itinerary (mainly Brazil, vs sailing north from Buenos Aires). However, the ship seems to disappear for winter on the UK booking site, and as far as I'm aware, MSC do not allow booking with overseas agents. Has anyone had experience with this, where MSC do not market the cruise to your home market?

 

Thanks,

David

It Happens all the time.

They seem to allocate some cruises to one region for a time then move them to another region, it even happens from country to country eg cruise will be available in Germany but not in the UK and vice cersa

Yes it is years since I've seen the Brazilian sailings available via the Uk site. Think they market only to South Americans.

Surely we are not 'banned' and there would still be a way to book it?

Surely we are not 'banned' and there would still be a way to book it?

Probably using a Ts from another country.

It is not that we are banned, more like they don't bother marketing it and making it available to book here because they don't think it will be popular enough to bother.

It will have a very high percentage of Brazilians onboard and everything geared for them. I'm not saying that is a bad ,thing. Some people are uncomfortable being in a small minority culturally others love it.

Thanks, I'd love to try it (can't be any more Brazilian than visiting Brazil!)

You could always try RCCL who have Rhapsody of the seas going on this cruise

I did the opposite direction on Splendour OTS in April 2012 in a Grand Suite with some nice perks.

Guest make up:-

1579 Brazialians/Portugese; 48 spanish speaking; 56 other nationalities (38 English speaking).

I found it fantastic watching the Brazialians having fun (non-stop dancing all their waking hours) which started when they got up around midday (so peaceful mornings for us on the pool deck) until the early hours 02:00 -03:00

16-Night Across the Atlantic & Equator Cruise

from Barcelona, Spain

 

Rhapsody Of The Seas

 

ADD TO CRUISE COMPARISON

 

2015 DEPARTURE DATES:

 

• NOV 19
  

Ports of Call:

 

Barcelona, Spain; Cádiz, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Funchal (Madeira), Portugal; Recife, Brazil; Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil

pete

LINK TO MY REVIEW OF THAT CRUISE

http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=274&t=3636

IT IS ON THE UK WEB SITE !!!!!!!

UK MSC web site at 08:57 24 April 2015

THis link may do it

http://www.msccruises.co.uk/uk_en/Cruise-Departures/Find-Your-Cruise.aspx?Ship=SP&Flt=n&DateF=201510&DateT=201512&ddl=n&p=2&

Pete

Thanks Peter, great blog! We were on the Splendour a few weeks after you on a trip from Venice. Loved the ship. Rhapsody is possible, altho we had been looking at the 7 night round-trip, not the transatlantic. I slightly prefer the Splendida's itinerary as all the ports are Brazilian (and further north, so warmer!) but I'll keep a close eye on the Rhapsody pricing. Ironically, it looks like we may book the Rhapsody ex Civitavecchia this summer!

Thanks,

David

You may find that MSC bans its agents from selling outside their respective geographical region. You may still find one to oblige and also supply their own address to satisfy MSC's booking system. I had success with a U.S. agent doing the latter.

Alterantively use something like Tunnelbear to appear to be in another country and book on the local MSC web site. Any address in the right country would work, they won't be posting anything to you. You may also need a local tax or insurance number, these are easy enough to find too.

I made a recent booking on the Brazilian Pullmantur site which permits overseas bookings although 11 zeros were required in the insurance number field. Pullmantur could be another possibility for you - they operate several ex-RCI and Celebrity ships for the Brazillian market in our Winter though they are older and smaller than anything MSC has.

Finally, I would like to plug the repo cruise on the CDF Zenith. I managed to bag one of the Royal Suites for around £600 (sole occupancy) on the Pullmatur Brazil site which are currently listed for sale in France at over 3,400 Euros pp. Details in the roll call below. I am not sure how the French and Braziians will mix - should be fun regardless! Flights at both ends are doable with Avios (from Tesco poits - also see below).

I'm having no luck finding a deal on this :mad: Cruise only, for an inside cabin is still around £800pp, even on Brazilian sites!

I'm having no luck finding a deal on this :mad: Cruise only, for an inside cabin is still around £800pp, even on Brazilian sites!

Could be because MSC are very popular in Brazil (they've been operating several ships there for years) and don't need to discount to sell cruises. Bit like the Med in July and Ug when bargains are hard to find.

Are you travelling alone? Then that would be a reasonable price as Brazil haven't ever (as far as I can recall) done some of the deals that the UK has in the last on solo supplements. Ironically, I wouldn't be surprised if you could get the repo back cheaper.

Nah there is two of us. I can see why MSC and Costa send so many ships versus the Caribbean with that price differential. I guess I've been spoilt by good deals in the past [emoji4]