Looking for a Far East MSC Cruise? Then this might interest you!

It’s for sale on MSC websites the first Far East cruise open to the international market. A 9-days trip around Japan on board MSC Splendida from the port of Yokohama, near Tokyo. Initially presented at the Italian Embassy in Tokyo as a cruise dedicated to Japanese customers, it is now the first sign of openness to the international market.

MSC Splendida will arrive in Japan in May 2018, will return to UAE in November and back to China at the end of March 2019 with a 29-days cruise between Oman, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam e Hong Kong. The ship will join MSC Lirica, in the area since 2016 thanks to an agreement between MSC and Caissa Touristic Group. Agreements that are set to be renewed, keeping the ship in the Chinese cruise market for an additional two years, through early 2020, according to a source familiar with the matter.

MSC Splendida’s Japan Cruise will depart on 6 May 2018 and will call in Yokohama, Fushiki, Kanazawa, Maizuru, Kagoshima and Kochi in Japan, Busan in South Korea.

I'm booked on the 29 day cruise :)

Fabulous itinerary, and I'm really looking forward to it :D

Do you mean the repositioning from Dubai to Yokohama? If so, then me too! ;p

I'm booked on the 29 day cruise :)

 

Fabulous itinerary, and I'm really looking forward to it :D

Us too Darcy, great that the ship ports overnight on most stops. Just started a roll call if your interested

Denise

Do you mean the repositioning from Dubai to Yokohama? If so, then me too! ;p

Mine isn't until 2019......... Dubai to Shanghai :)

My retirement gift to myself :D

Mine isn't until 2019......... Dubai to Shanghai :)

 

My retirement gift to myself :D

Ours is a 60th birthday present for DH. His birthday is not for a couple of months after, but we had a 30% discount voucher which was only valid up to March next year, so we decided to use it for this trip and splurge on the Yacht Club. :cool:

Ours is a 60th birthday present for DH. His birthday is not for a couple of months after, but we had a 30% discount voucher which was only valid up to March next year, so we decided to use it for this trip and splurge on the Yacht Club. :cool:

You'll love the YC [emoji5]

I have only done one MSC cruise - Fantasia in January this year, from Dubai. I had the most wonderful time. The butlers are just amazing [emoji5]

I had cruised many times before, but exclusively with another line. I was tempted by MSC, so booked the Dubai trip...........but must admit I nearly cancelled several times due to their appalling website!!! The experience on the ship is vastly different and I am now a convert and have 4 cruises booked - off on Preziosa next month [emoji4]

The website is still woeful though..........can't access my bookings today [emoji53]

Why oh why can't they get it fixed??

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Yeah ........... we've done the YC on 4 ships, now, including Meraviglia in June (our 16th MSC cruise!).

We have 2 upcoming cruises on Musica class ships this year - no YC on those! However, we've been on Magnifica before and loved it. We're looking forward to boarding her again in 6 weeks time. Then we have Orchestra for December booked - always wanted to do a Christmas cruise. We were on Fantasia when they were decorating her for Christmas in 2014 and it looked wonderful.

Will you be in Yacht Club for your cruise to Shanghai? Splendida is going into dry dock just before she heads off in December to Dubai. Apparently she's being "spruced up" for her Summer season in China. I'm dying to see what changes they're making to her - we've sailed her 3 times before - once in YC.

"MSC Splendida will undergo significant drydock enhancement in late 2017, ahead of the China deployment, to further improve and customize it for the market."

As to the website; they seem to be updating the info on drinks packages as they're making changes to them. But they're making a hames of it. I checked the wording on one of the packages as I was going to copy and paste it to one of my posts when I discovered it was wrong!! Under the Classic (basic) package it was stating that Premium mineral water and Premium coffees were included! Under the Deluxe (premium) it omits the word 'premium' for mineral water and coffees.

"ALL-INCLUSIVE CLASSIC DRINK PACKAGE ADULT Drink all you want, where you want, in total freedom and with a light heart! Unlimited spirits (Premium brands are excluded), liqueurs and cordials, wide range of cocktails, a selection of wines by the glass, draught and bottled beer, energy drinks, coolers, canned sodas, fruit juices, Premium mineral water, Premium coffees and coffee-based drinks, hot chocolate delights and takeaway ice cream in a cone or cup. The drinks included in the package can be consumed in all bars, self-service buffet, restaurants, and speciality restaurants."

"ALL-INCLUSIVE DELUXE DRINK PACKAGE ADULT Drink all you want, where you want, in total freedom and with a light heart! Unlimited spirits (Premium brands are included), liqueur, aperitifs, classic and Premium cocktails, wide selection of wines by the glass, draught and bottled beer, non-alcoholic cocktails, soft drinks, juices, mineral water, energy drinks, espresso and cappuccino, drinks from the theme bar menus, minibar, and drinks and food from room service menu."

Glad I didn't post erroneous info on here even if it was coming "straight from the horse's mouth" so to speak. Where does it leave you, if you can't quote the info from the website? :confused: No wonder there's such confusion about what's included and what's not.

Wow, the March 2019 route looks amazing, I wish work would let me take more then 3 weeks off at a time :loudcry:

Wow, the March 2019 route looks amazing, I wish work would let me take more then 3 weeks off at a time :loudcry:

That's why it's a retirement trip for me [emoji4]

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Wow, the March 2019 route looks amazing, I wish work would let me take more then 3 weeks off at a time :loudcry:

The March 2018 is even better, Priscila - it takes in Japan, which is why we chose it.

Just checked my booking.......and the 2019 itinerary has been changed. China ditched, and now cruise visits Okinawa and ends in Yokohama.

Now, I don't mind.....in fact I'm pleased to revisit Japan and not have the trauma of obtaining a Chinese visa.......but MSC might have told me about the changed itinerary!!! :o

I love their ships, but honestly their customer service truly stinks :(

A significant change of cruise destination surely merits letting people know?

I totally agree, Darcy. I keep a regular check on the itineraries (and on my cabin numbers) for that reason!

I would have preferred to go in March 2019, too, as there are a couple of other itineraries I wanted to do in 2018 which I'm passing on as we're splurging for YC to Yokohama next March. However, the 2 itineraries are a bit different - we're taking in Sri Lanka, Thailand and China whereas the 2019 doesn't include these and has India included and overnights in Singapore, which the 2018 one doesn't. Not a problem for us - we've been a few times already and not too bothered about even getting off. Singapore is not what it used to be!

I totally agree, Darcy. I keep a regular check on the itineraries (and on my cabin numbers) for that reason!

 

I would have preferred to go in March 2019, too, as there are a couple of other itineraries I wanted to do in 2018 which I'm passing on as we're splurging for YC to Yokohama next March. However, the 2 itineraries are a bit different - we're taking in Sri Lanka, Thailand and China whereas the 2019 doesn't include these and has India included and overnights in Singapore, which the 2018 one doesn't. Not a problem for us - we've been a few times already and not too bothered about even getting off. Singapore is not what it used to be!

I just don't understand the lack of communication about it :(

What would it take to email passengers? A change of country is a significant thing :o

I disembarked Preziosa yesterday.....and loved the ship, and the amazing service in the Yacht Club........but now I'm worried about going on a much longer cruise to distant destinations due to this poor communication :(

I was wondering when you sailed as you mentioned you'd be on Preziosa this month.

We booked our June sailing on Meraviglia in 2015. In January 2016 I received an email notifying me that Tunis had been cancelled on our sailing. I can't believe that they are not informing people about changes to the itineraries.

I don't blame you being worried - how can you make plans for POCs when the cruise company can simply make changes without notice? Especially itineraries like this one where it's most likely that you've chosen this cruise for the ports!

I'm very blessed to have travelled widely........ but I travel alone, and rely on things being organised or it gets very stressful :(

As I've said, I don't mind the changes........but I'm really upset that I wasn't told :o

Wow! What wonderful itineraries you all have booked. I hope to do that someday too. May I ask what is the flight air time to Dubai? Im in New York but would like to hear how you are getting there. Are you spending time there too? Enjoy!!

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Wow! What wonderful itineraries you all have booked. I hope to do that someday too. May I ask what is the flight air time to Dubai? Im in New York but would like to hear how you are getting there. Are you spending time there too? Enjoy!!

We fly from Dublin, Ireland direct to Dubai with Emirates. The flight took 8 hours 25 minutes when we went last February.

When we board Splendida next March, the ship is overnighting in Dubai and will be in port 'til the evening of the next day - that's more than enough time in Dubai for us. Seems to me the only things of interest are big, fancy, expensive hotels and mosques - not my idea of interesting sightseeing.

Some of the other ports of call on the itinerary look really interesting. We've been to Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong before (on either land or cruise trips) - Sri Lanka, Thailand, China and Japan are places I haven't been to, so looking forward to seeing them.

Sounds splendid! Enjoy Bea!

Sounds splendid! Enjoy Bea!

Thanks, JS - I'm really looking forward to it!

Thanks, JS - I'm really looking forward to it!

Only a crazy person wouldn't be! Enjoy!

Only a crazy person wouldn't be! Enjoy!

Well, we've 2 more to go before it, including a 9 night western Med on Magnifica from next Monday and an 11 night Greek Islands for Christmas on Orchestra, so we'll be busy enjoying them (I hope) beforehand.