Allegrissimo package

Taking a 21 day MSC cruise in November. Basic cost paid for in sterling (GBP). I can add a pre-sailing drinks package in sterling (£22) as before and avoid the 15% service. However if I can pay in Euro the cost would be €26. If that was possible that would be a £150 saving for both of us given current exchange rates. The €/£ equivalents have never been updated by MSC.

My booking ref on the Italian site recognises a UK booking and refers me, so I cannot add the package on the Italian site.

Does anyone know how I can pre-book the package in Euro ? By phone to Italy ? Has anyone ever tried it ?

Thanks for any help

willygilly

Taking a 21 day MSC cruise in November. Basic cost paid for in sterling (GBP). I can add a pre-sailing drinks package in sterling (£22) as before and avoid the 15% service. However if I can pay in Euro the cost would be €26. If that was possible that would be a £150 saving for both of us given current exchange rates. The €/£ equivalents have never been updated by MSC.

My booking ref on the Italian site recognises a UK booking and refers me, so I cannot add the package on the Italian site.

 

Does anyone know how I can pre-book the package in Euro ? By phone to Italy ? Has anyone ever tried it ?

 

Thanks for any help

 

willygilly

No, not any more. They used to allow pre book & prepay in the currency of your invoice or pre book as an onboard service and pay onboard in the currency of the cruise but they've now stopped the prebooking as an onboard service. The only way to pay in euros would be to buy onboard, but the 15% service charge would negate any saving on the stronger pound to euro rate.

Thanks AmoMondo.

Paying the onboard 15% would still be a marginal saving on the GBP price. However it assumes current exchange rates will still prevail in November. Always a dangerous game !

We will just have to try very hard to justify the apparent sterling discrimination !

Cheers!

No idea, i am just off the Fantasia, Al-inc was €209 but my final bill tab was over €800 so you are quids in either way!

Try Msccruises.ie

Try Msccruises.ie

It probably won't accept their booking number as it will have the country they booked in embedded in it. There's no way around it.

I know if Sterling was my currency, I'd be exchanging it for Euros and booking and paying for my drinks package onboard!! It's a no-brainer with rates as they are at present.

Thanks Nomad10. I was quite optimistic when I realised same language/different currency possibilities. However Irish MSC rumbled my Ref no. So I'm back to paying up sterling premium !

Beamafar...Onboard payment will have 15% added and although a marginal saving on the pre-paid £22 pppd cost, is still not the great value €26 pppd pre-paid cost at current exchange rates.

I think I'll be paying up and working a bit harder to maximise value !

Thanks Nomad10. I was quite optimistic when I realised same language/different currency possibilities. However Irish MSC rumbled my Ref no. So I'm back to paying up sterling premium !

 

Beamafar...Onboard payment will have 15% added and although a marginal saving on the pre-paid £22 pppd cost, is still not the great value €26 pppd pre-paid cost at current exchange rates.

 

I think I'll be paying up and working a bit harder to maximise value !

Now, that's a plan I wholly recommend :D

I was in a similar situation on a repo from Brazil. Onboard currency was US$ - the Euro dropped like a stone at the time. I ended up paying the same when pre-booked as I would have had I pre-paid my TA in Euros before the cruise. Had the currency not tanked I would have saved a great deal, altogether! C'est la vie! Believe me, I maxed out that drinks package :eek: The only consolation was the points I got for onboard spend. You get the points now even if you prepay - which saves the 15% SC charged if you book onboard.