Aurea Experience

I was just about to book the MSC Fantasía Aurea balcony cabin Med cruise - mainly for the Allegrissimo drinks package and Spa access.

This is what it says about the Aurea:

"FOOD & DRINKS BENEFITS

· Premium 20-hours-a-day buffet (gourmet menu for every moment of the day)

· Wide variety of special restaurants serving Mediterranean and international dishes

· Unlimited drinks included (Allegrissimo! Package)"

But, when you download the small print it says:

"› Unlimited mealtime drinks included (Cheers! Package)"

Does anyone have experience of the Aurea? Will we get the Allegrissimo or the Cheers? Thanks for any help

Quote:

I was just about to book the MSC Fantasía Aurea balcony cabin Med cruise - mainly for the Allegrissimo drinks package and Spa access.

This is what it says about the Aurea:

"FOOD & DRINKS BENEFITS

· Premium 20-hours-a-day buffet (gourmet menu for every moment of the day)

· Wide variety of special restaurants serving Mediterranean and international dishes

· Unlimited drinks included (Allegrissimo! Package)"

But, when you download the small print it says:

"› Unlimited mealtime drinks included (Cheers! Package)"

Does anyone have experience of the Aurea? Will we get the Allegrissimo or the Cheers? Thanks for any help

I had the Aurea experience on Sinfonia last December and had the Allegrissimo package, so you should definitely get the same.

I also have 2 back to back cruises boked on Orchestra and both of those are Aurea and come with the Alegrssimo package. as stated on my booking invoice

Pete

Is booking the Aurea with the Allegrissimo package worth the money, sailing from the Caribbean to Genoa, where they charge more per day for the drinks package. . I have booked fantastica balcony, but to upgrade, it would cost me over £600. I'm assuming cost is including single supp.

Carol

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I'm working in Euro.

The Aurea will cost 3,163euro

Fantastica is 2,363euro plus 704euro for the Allegrissimo = 3067euro

So, for 96euro we both get the Spa access, a massage, My Time dining etc :)

Although, I do prefer the location of the Fantastica cabins :rolleyes:

I've just done another dummy booking, and the Aurea is an £1650 extra between fantastica and Aurea for a single person. So I think I'll stick to my fantastica balcony.

Carol

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Is booking the Aurea with the Allegrissimo package worth the money, sailing from the Caribbean to Genoa, where they charge more per day for the drinks package. . I have booked fantastica balcony, but to upgrade, it would cost me over £600. I'm assuming cost is including single supp.

Carol

 

 

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Hi Carol

Allegrissimo is definitely worth it. You don't have to be a heavy drinker to make it pay for you. It excludes fresh squeezed juices and top end brands but includes a lot. I'll get at least a couple of bottles (big ones) per day and yes I could go to the buffet and get it by a small glass for free but not so convenient especexially as I prefer to eat in the MDR rather than the buffet. Tea in the buffet is fine but the free coffee not to my taste, the espresso and cappucino etc that you get from any bar is great and included, so I'll have a few of those too. Add a soft drink or a non alcholic cocktail and I've used just over half the daily cost of the package.

Add a glass of wine at lunch, aMojito or G&T pre dinner and some wine at dinner and yiu are well over the daily cost and that is before I may decide to have a nightcap of a wee Baileys!

However, do us solos, getting Allegrissimo by upgrading to Aurea is not worth it. Aurea carries a 100% solo supplement whereas we've only paid 30% for booking either Bella or Fantastica. So upgrading at £600 costs far more than buying it separately.

Not sure what they are charging just now (used to be £20 or €23 per day) but even if more expensive this year will certainly be less than £600.

MSC are quoting 26euro per adult and 13euro per child per day for our 11 day cruise in the Med Feb 2016. Well worth the money :)

Thanks to both for info. Sailing from Barbados to Europe, they are going to charge £28 or 38 euro per day, which is £390 for 2 weeks. Even though the first stop is Gran Canaria. When we booked, TA said £22 per day, but since reading info, they say, sailing from Caribbean costs more for drinks.

Carol

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Thanks for the input Skier52.

How does the MyTime Dining (or whatever it is called!) work? If it like in the MDR at breakfast and lunchtime - just turn up and be seated with other couples, who might be halfway through the meal? Or??? Thanks

Less than two weeks to my Aurea back to back on Orchestra.

The small print on my tickets emailed definately says Allegrissimo package.

FOOD & WINE BENEFITS

Premium 20−hours−a−day buffet (gourmet menu for every moment of the day)•

Wide variety of special restaurants serving Mediterranean and international dishes• Unlimited drinks included (Allegrissimo! Package)•

Thanks for the input Skier52.

 

How does the MyTime Dining (or whatever it is called!) work? If it like in the MDR at breakfast and lunchtime - just turn up and be seated with other couples, who might be halfway through the meal? Or??? Thanks

At check-in we were met by the Aurea Dining supremo, (called Christian) he explained that you can select a time slot and a table size, most of the tables were 2 or 4( they used tables for 4 for two guests as well, (without adding extra dining companions to the table).

We opted for 20:00hrs and a table for two. We kept this arrangement throughout the cruise, we could have changed our arrangements by contacting Christian. We could have had a different time every day had we wanted. They also kept us in the same small part of the Aurea area so that we had the same waiters every day, although we did move tables within their station.

The Aurea guests had a dedicated area of the smaller MDR as their dining room

 

Thanks to both for info. Sailing from Barbados to Europe, they are going to charge £28 or 38 euro per day, which is £390 for 2 weeks. Even though the first stop is Gran Canaria. When we booked, TA said £22 per day, but since reading info, they say, sailing from Caribbean costs more for drinks.

Carol

I'm doing that cruise and the difference between a Fantastica Balcony (£616) and an Aurea Balcony (£856) was £240 which is £17pppn. The AI Allegrissimo would be £22pppn so it was cheaper to go Aurea and get all the extras as well

Thanks to both for info. Sailing from Barbados to Europe, they are going to charge £28 or 38 euro per day, which is £390 for 2 weeks. Even though the first stop is Gran Canaria. When we booked, TA said £22 per day, but since reading info, they say, sailing from Caribbean costs more for drinks.

Carol

 

 

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Yes they have different pricing structures for different regions. Partly due to different rates of consumption with different nationalities making up the passenger base. I can certainly understand them wanting to charge more on a repo with lots of sea days and us onboard all day long, than your typical port intensive port intinerRy where almost everyone is ashore for most of the day.

I'll book the Allegrissimo nearer the time but will check the onboard price as depending on currency rates it may be better to buy onboard and pay the 15% service charge compared to the cost in GBP.

Wow, when I do booking without flights, it's £600+ for inside and over £800 for balcony. I think I need to move areas when booking. It's £1700+ with London flights.

Carol

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I will definitely buy the drinks package. I just worked out in dollars per day, and it will be a bargain, like you say, so many sea days drinking.

Carol

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Sorry to change subject, but I wondered if I could ask a question. Do they have tea & coffee making facilities in cabins? I've only been on a ship visit in Southampton, but can't remember whether there was or not.

Carol

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Sorry to change subject, but I wondered if I could ask a question. Do they have tea & coffee making facilities in cabins? I've only been on a ship visit in Southampton, but can't remember whether there was or not.

Carol

 

 

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No they don't. BTW, I've just started a roll call for our cruise, so we can discuss various things about it.

Brilliant. I'll join it. Thanks

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Thanks to all for your help.

Booking today :D