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drsel

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Posts posted by drsel

    Costa vs. MSC

    in Costa Cruises

    Posted · Edited by drsel

    On 4/30/2023 at 1:37 AM, Skipper Tim said:

     MSC are far from perfect but Costa makes MSC look great. 

    Skipper Tim, this is the Costa forum, so most of the people reading your review are huge fans of Costa.

    Costa has very low fares for transatlantic cruises, but I honesty feel that MSC is better value.

    If anyone wants something better than MSC, then they will have to pay much more for a Celebrity or Princess cruise

    Costa vs. MSC

    in Costa Cruises

    Posted · Edited by drsel

    On 4/30/2023 at 1:37 AM, Skipper Tim said:

     MSC's food is at least two stars up from Costa's. On the 16 days on a Costa ship I have had the worst food in my life since being an impoverished student, getting on for 40 years ago. 

    the ingredients are incredibly cheap and very rarely is anything pleasant to eat. MSC's menu descriptions in English were totally unreliable but the food was always good quality and there were everyday standbys to suit even US tastes in case nothing appealed (steak etc.). 

     

    MSC's entertainment was more varied and engaging. Looking through Costa's daily programme, practically everything listed is a sales pitch: 'tour of the spa', 'tour of the speciality restaurant', all the paid activities etc.. MSC always had some of these mixed with genuinely free and interesting activities and talks. 

     

    The cabin 'attendant'/steward on MSC was relatively smartly-dressed and visited twice per day to service and prepare the cabin. On Costa you get one visit from someone in a grey overall with a little name plate on the wall saying if there is anything you need, "call reception"! 

     

    At risk of being a snob, I must say that many people on my Costa cruise behaved as if they had never been in a lift (elevator) before, did not know how to use cutlery, could not follow the gentle dress code, arrive on time to dinner, keep their talking volume down or generally follow the basic norms of a civilised society. How these peasants could afford the fare, I do not know. 

     

    If I ever cruise with Costa again, it will be  certainly not for pleasure. As my mother put it succinctly, "If that had been my first cruise, I would never cruise again". 

     

    MSC are far from perfect but Costa makes MSC look great. 

    Oh my gosh, It's shocking to read all this! I didn't expect Costa to have gone down so much. It wasn't so bad before.

    Thankfully, I have not booked any more Costa cruises and I do not plan to do so unless something drastic changes.

    Costa vs. MSC

    in Costa Cruises

    Posted · Edited by drsel

    4 hours ago, greg2014 said:

    I was travelling with Costa in South America twice (before COVID) and on both cruises pizza was available in buffet free of charge - when on European cruises of Costa not.

    . Buffet opening times were much longer, menu also was a little bit different.

    During my last cruise from Santos on first European stop (as I remember it was Tenerrife) almost all Brazilian crew have been replaced with "typical" for Costa cruises - from Asia countries. 

    Now we know that Costa serves free pizzas in the buffet only on the trans Atlantic cruises and cruises around South America, whereas MSC serves free pizza in the buffet on ALL their cruises. 

     

    Both MSC and Costa choose room stewards, waiters and kitchen staff from Indonesia, Philippines and India because they can pay them much less and still their TAX FREE income in foreign exchange would be upto 1000% more than what they would have received for the exact same work and exact same hours in their own home countries.

    Also the minimal income they receive in their home countries is fully taxable whereas income received in foreign exchange is completely TAX FREE .

     

    At least bartenders on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean have told me that they average around 4000 US dollars per month TAX FREE, which is 1000% more than what bar tenders in their home countries earn

    Costa vs. MSC

    in Costa Cruises

    Posted · Edited by drsel

    16 hours ago, Skipper Tim said:

    Any questions please fire away. We are aboard for another 15 days, heading up the Brazilian coast, crossing the equator and Atlantic and ending in Barcelona. It should be a comprehensive taste of Costa!

    Wow you are going to have a fabulous time!

    I agree with At7seas that filling water at the buffet should be done by using the glasses, for the sake of hygiene.

    This is the same on MSC and other ships.

     

    Please ask your rooms steward if they make/ provide towel animals (and how many) on such a long cruise.

    We have never received towel animals on any of our MSC and Costa cruises.

     

    At Barcelona you must buy the 5 day unlimited Barcelona Go City  pass which includes all the attractions and is excellent value for money

    Costa vs. MSC

    in Costa Cruises

    Posted

    6 hours ago, Skipper Tim said:

    UK & EU consumer law states that all fees & charges must be made clear at the time of booking - but not necessarily included. Still, it is a cultural thing as to whether you consider compulsory extra charges sharp practice or not. In those markets where customers are outraged at compulsory extra charges, they are included, just as the Italian lines include table water for US customers and probably the making of towel animals too 🙂 

    No towel animals or art auctions on ANY Costa or MSC cruise. These are exclusively on American lines--RC, Carnival, Norwegian, etc

    ON THE SPOT shared taxis/minivans at these ports ?

    in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

    Posted

    Dear experts & experienced cruisers,

    My wife & I are doing the Norwegian Fjords & Baltic ports for the 1st time ever.

    It's a once in a lifetime experience for us, so we would like to plan it perfectly.

    We have always done shore excursions on our own, on a budget ( in ports in the Mediterranean, Asia, Middle East, Caribbean). We would like to know--

     

    A) Is it possible to get taxis and/or shared minivans for ON THE SPOT shared tours at these ports below ?

    If so, will they accept cash in Euros or credit card ?

     

    B) Which is the single BEST full day/ 4--8 hour tour at--

    1. Maloy

    2. Molde

    3. Trondheim

    4. Honningsvag (North Cape) from 12 noon till 12 midnight

    5. Tromso

    6. Alesund

    7. Olden

    8. Nordfjordeid

    9. Stavenger (Lysefjord)

    10. Gdynia (Gdansk-Danzig)

    11. Klaipeda

    12. Riga

    13. Stockholm

    14. Copenhagen

    15. Warnemunde

    16. Kiel

    Thanks in anticipation!

    Costa vs. MSC

    in Costa Cruises

    Posted

    2 hours ago, CupKayke said:

    I just saw your post and wanted to set the record straight.   I didn't want to encourage any Americans to ever book Costa (as we will never do so again)

    Thanks for your detailed analysis & comparison. I will heed your advice!

    • Like 1

    Norwegian Fjords

    in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

    Posted · Edited by drsel

    Dear experts & experienced cruisers,

    I apologize for not reading all 265 posts.

    My wife & I are doing the Norwegian Fjords & Baltic ports for the 1st time ever.

    It's a once in a lifetime experience for us, so we would like to plan it perfectly.

    We always do shore excursions on our own, on a budget ( in other ports in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Caribbean, etc). We would like to know--

     

    A) Is it possible to get taxis and/or shared minivans for ON THE SPOT shared tours with CASH or CARD payment at these ports below--

     

    B) Which is the single BEST full day/ 4--8 hour tour at--

    1. Maloy

    2. Molde

    3. Trondheim

    4. Honningsvag (North Cape) from 12 noon till 12 midnight

    5. Tromso

    6. Alesund

    7. Olden

    8. Nordfjordeid

    9. Stavenger (Lysefjord)

    10. Gdynia (Gdansk-Danzig)

    11. Klaipeda

    12. Riga

    13. Stockholm

    14. Copenhagen

    15. Warnemunde

    16. Kiel

    Thanks in anticipation!

     

    Drastic 50--65% reduction in port fees & taxes only

    in Ask a Cruise Question

    Posted · Edited by drsel

    On 1/15/2023 at 10:21 PM, njhorseman said:

    I suspect the travel agency was excluding the NCF (Non commissionable fare) from their base fare quote and including it in the taxes and fees, which travel agencies are permitted to do but cruise lines  are not. Obviously by doing so they can advertise a fare that is deceptively low.

     

    The bottom line is that all anyone should be looking at when comparing cruise fare quotes is...the bottom line...the total including all taxes and fees, not the fare excluding taxes and fees.

     

    On 1/16/2023 at 5:53 PM, ontheweb said:

    When I get a quote from our TA, he always gives the bottom line. When he sends an invoice by e-mail, then it is always broken out, but who really cares except for the bottom line? (LOL, I guess TAs do as they care what is or is not commissionable.)

    In my case, the port fees and taxes were genuinely high on the MSC website when I booked the cruise and now they have actually fallen 40 to 60% for 3 different MSc cruises.

    Very very surprising and unusual!

     

    The basic fare mentioned in the agent invoice was the same as that on the MSC website when I booked.

    So my agent did not make any adjustment for non commissionable fare and he never does.

     

    Both basic fare and taxes  on my agents invoice are always exactly the same as that on the MSC website.

    Drastic 50--65% reduction in port fees & taxes only

    in Ask a Cruise Question

    Posted · Edited by drsel

    2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

    I have noticed that on a cruise that I booked with a large internet travel company, their fees and taxes were quite high.  It wasn't until I booked directly with a cruise line that I realized that the internet travel company was padding the taxes and fees.  So while their advertised cruise fare was low, they made up for it with the padded taxes and fees. 

    Lesson learned.

    In my case the port fees and taxes were actually high on the MSC website when I booked, but are now much lower on the MSC website.

     So it is a genuine fall in Port fees and taxes.

    But the basic fare has also gone up, so the overall fare is higher

    Drastic 50--65% reduction in port fees & taxes only

    in Ask a Cruise Question

    Posted

    2 hours ago, sanger727 said:

    You can’t re-price the taxes/fees only. If they stay reduced up until your sailing - some cruise lines will automatically give you OBC for the difference; some won’t.

    Thanks, These are 3 MSC cruises to the Norwegian fjords and Baltics.

    Over all the total fare is much higher in two cruises, and only $12 lower in one cruise after the drastic fall in port fees and taxes.

    What should I do?

    Do you think that MSC will give us OBC for the difference or not?

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