Beamafar

Hi CT. Apparently MSC has introduced a new policy in the last couple of days whereby, if you purchase a drink outside of your package, you only pay the difference plus service charge. A) Have you come across this on Virtuosa (there are reports on the forum from people on both Seascape and World Europa that they’ve encountered this)? B) Do you know what the service charge is onboard? I read recently that it has increased from 15 to 18% on US sailings, but remains the same elsewhere. However, a poster on WE mentioned 18 cent on a €1 extra charge for a drink but wasn’t sure, exactly.

I certainly will!

Thank you. I thought as much, both that there was a second venue and that the Broadway show was probably in the main one. Wanted to make sure so I can keep an eye out for it. 👍

I’ll be just as irritated 😤 if we experience similar next week. We paid almost $1000 to upgrade to PE.

Wow - sounds like there’s a serious lack of communication on the subject. Drinks package prices have increased, recently, as had drinks prices. But the price limit should also have increased (as has always been the case before now).

Usually Oberon is available on US sailings and Cicogna on most others. That’s been my experience, anyway.

Which venue was the Broadway show in, the main theatre?

First of all, apologies for posting on your thread without first wishing you well on your cruise. The wine list is one of the first things I check, whether in YC or steerage. There are a couple of wines that are my go-to and are only available on the top drinks package or in YC - Oberon and Cicogna. When having white, that Woodbridge Chardonnay is the only potable one for me.

I won’t be of much use to you on the subject of POCs, P. We’re not very adventurous when it comes to exploring and rarely do excursions. I may not have internet for much of the cruise to do a live report, except when in EU ports, but, if there’s anything you want to know about the ship, I’ll try to respond to before your cruise. It’s the only one of the 4 Musica-class ships we haven’t been on. We loved the other 3 - Magnifica twice, Poesia and Orchestra once.

Hi Cap’n. Despite there being a wine menu, they try to limit the offerings to 2 reds and 2 whites, just like in the MDRs. I’ve had problems over the years trying to get my preferred wine. On our 28 night on Splendida, I used to pick up a couple of glasses on the way to dinner every evening as they wouldn’t serve the one I wanted. (Was told that they may offer it sometime during the cruise). Anyway, the sommelier approached me one evening and asked why I was bringing wine to the YC restaurant. When I explained that it’s the one I drink (even when in steerage, where I’d have the top package) he told me I could have any wine on the menu any night! However, they continued with the 2 of each for other guests.

Look forward to confirming/experiencing this next week. 👍😁

Hi SC. We’re embarking WE next Monday (though not in YC) taking her to Europe over 16 nights. To the OP - hope you have a wonderful cruise. Looking forward to reading more.

I’ve just read the following on trintran’s report from World Europa: We were told in advance that if you spent over 13 Euros on any one drink you would be charged the full price of the drink…not the difference between the two. We learned that starting with this cruise, you now pay only the difference.

Protests in France, probably the reason.

That’s terrific, P. What’s your embarkation date? Ours is Oct 15th.

No one will know the dining times until the ship begins her Med itinerary. Perhaps someone on the cruise/s before yours will post their experience (though there’s less than 2 weeks before your sailing for this). There’s a chance that there may be actually 3 seatings per evening (there can be on the newer ships, especially when they are at capacity). If the time you’ve been allocated doesn’t suit (you’ll only discover this at embarkation) there is the facility to see the m’D at a designated time in one of the MDRs, when you can request a change. It won’t happen for the first evening, but they do their best to accommodate guests. Once you have your set time, there is no flexibility around it. If you find, later on in the cruise, that the time is not suitable, you can seek out the m’D and request a change. But you can’t just change for a particular day. Logistics don’t allow for that (unless you have an Aurea or YC booking, of course. In either of those cases you get Anytime dining). Sorry, I can’t answer on the internet subject.

That’s disappointing to hear. We used one on a 28 night sailing in YC once (and, while on that cruise, we received a 50% future cruise discount voucher as a result of missing a couple of POCs which we used for a 23 night YC cruise 😁).

Will have to see if they use the same ones on our sailing. I don’t ever remember having a similar problem before.

Thought MSC had got carried away lol. Seriously, though, I’d wondered if you’d pre-ordered them as part of a welcome package. Lovely touch. 👍❤️ Loving all the photos. Worst part of European cruises is the drill on every embarkation day. 🥴

Love the flowers, CT. 🤗

Hi CT. Sounds like you’re enjoying steerage. We, too, have done inside cabins, sometimes, in YC and find we spend much more time out and about the ship, which is a real plus. The only thing I miss is natural light in the morning, which a step out to TSL sorts. 😁

On the website, under Aurea, and the Relaxation and Wellness link, it clearly states that Aurea bookings get 40% off prepaid spa packages. When I add one, there is no sign of the cost being discounted. I’ve done the same pre-order process on a non-Aurea booking and am getting the same price. When I rang MSC to see how to have the discount applied the rep insisted that the discount had been applied. No matter how much I tried to explain that the price is the same for both bookings, she just kept repeating the same thing. 🙄

It’s a long time since we’ve received it on embarkation day, Ivi. The cruise was almost over one time before we received it. Choc ships usually delivered with it. Maybe depends on embarkation port. 🤔

If it falls within your budget, you really do have to try it. It really is a whole different experience. For us, whether in YC or steerage, once we step onboard an MSC ship, we immediately feel ‘at home’. I say that after sailing X (both times in suites), NCL, Azamara and Carnival. MSC has a vibe of its own. So, hoping, CT, that you enjoy it as much ‘downstairs’ as you did in YC. Will have to wait for a couple of days til you’re online again for updates. Hope you have more positive than negative news to share.

🤩. We were onboard Preziosa for St Patrick’s Day from Brazil. The only place they decorated was the casino, with lots of signs wishing everyone “The luck of the Irish”. 🙄😁