Cruise Card Kiosks??

Are these something new on all MSC ships? I've never seen them before. Are they like an ATM or are they just a way to pay your onboard bill?

Someone mentioned them in a review on an earlier thread recently (can't remember which one).

Someone mentioned them in a review on an earlier thread recently (can't remember which one).

The woman who took this picture is currently sailing on MSC Opera,,and someone posted saying they have seen the kiosk onboard MSC Divina. They must have been recently installed because I have never seen them before.

The woman who took this picture is currently sailing on MSC Opera,,and someone posted saying they have seen the kiosk onboard MSC Divina. They must have been recently installed because I have never seen them before.

Nor I .............. I've just looked back through the forum to see if I can find the reference - no luck, so far. It was only mentioned in passing. The poster didn't seem to find them unusual. IIRC, it was just them saying something like "We checked in, then used the machine to authorise our cards - there were a few around" or something similar. I remember thinking "I must check them out on my next trip".

The passenger onboard MSC Opera suggested using the machine while in port because of better wi-fi signal,,,apparently the machines are hit and miss while at sea.

It looks an awful lot like the cruise card activation kiosks on Costa, which I personally find a pain in the derrière. Theirs are used to register a credit card to your cruise card. To me it is an additional faff to attend to once you get onboard Nd usually means standing in a queue to do so. I much preferred MSC's "one stop" approach to embarkation where you get your cruise card, photo done, credit card registered etc. I hope this is not the same thing, however it could be. They're now copying Costa with your card for loyalty programme to be available onboard.

I guess we will see them on the Divina in a few months.

Are these something new on all MSC ships? I've never seen them before. Are they like an ATM or are they just a way to pay your onboard bill?

 

They were on the Preziosa at the start of this month on our cruise. They are they to add a way to pay for your onboard account and to link other accounts to it. You have to use them within the first 24 hours of boarding to link up a credit card or debit card. They can be a pain to be fair. We got blocked out of ours one night when trying to purchase drinks on our allegrissimo so had to use it to put more credit on the account. Then you use them to pay off your remanding bill before you leave if you're using a debit card.

They were on the Preziosa at the start of this month on our cruise. They are they to add a way to pay for your onboard account and to link other accounts to it. You have to use them within the first 24 hours of boarding to link up a credit card or debit card. They can be a pain to be fair. We got blocked out of ours one night when trying to purchase drinks on our allegrissimo so had to use it to put more credit on the account. Then you use them to pay off your remanding bill before you leave if you're using a debit card.

Thanks for reporting back. Sounds a bit like the Costa process and a bit of a pain compared to the old way when you handed over your card at embarkation and that was it. Done in a few minutes as part of check in procedure.

Thanks for reporting back. Sounds a bit like the Costa process and a bit of a pain compared to the old way when you handed over your card at embarkation and that was it. Done in a few minutes as part of check in procedure.

It was really simple if you used a credit card but if you choose to use a debit card/cash then it was a little bit of a pain.

It was really simple if you used a credit card but if you choose to use a debit card/cash then it was a little bit of a pain.

You've just answered a question I had about this :) Glad to hear that credit cards are easy as that's what I use to pay my account.

I'm in YC on my upcoming so I won't have an opportunity to use it. I was going to check it out while onboard as I'll be back on Divina a few weeks later in 'steerage' and will probably get to use it then! Your info has been very helpful!