RudiRatlos

The rep was clearly wrong, there is no discount applied in this case. But that is actually not in contradiction to the advertised aurea perks: it is stated as "40% on a dedicated prepaid spa package", not on any prepaid package. Information about this is very poor on the website. My experience from the last bookings (MSC germany booked through a german TA): the discounted packages (balinese massage and duo dining experience) have been automatically added to the booking by MSC. There was no choice of having another package discounted (of course the packages could be removed if one does not want it all - we asked the TA to remove the dining experience).

Don't know wether it's european, but it is not uncommon with websites asking for one's adress. It's just a way to make sure that city and zip code are matching.

No. Yes.

Maybe. I cannot remember of any kiosk on board that could handle cash money (but Meraviglia some years ago was the newest ship I have been on). msccruises.com seems not to know about this option: ON BOARD PAYMENT All on board purchases can be made with the personal cruise card, eliminating the need to carry cash or credit cards on board. After embarking and collecting the Cruise Card from your stateroom, You should activate it for onboard purchases by self-registering your credit/debit/prepaid card at one of the Cruise Card Activation Points. You can do this independently, at any time from embarkation until 11:00pm the following day, at any of the Cruise Card Activation Points located around the ship. These new devices let you register your card simply, rapidly and securely. Please note that you will be asked to enter the PIN number. Alternatively, you can leave cash deposit at the Reception – Guest Service. Settling Your Final Bill You can settle your final bill in any of the following three ways: By credit card The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Diners, JCB, Discover and American Express. If you choose to pay by credit card, your account will be closed automatically at the end of the cruise, so there is no need to go to the Reception – Guest Service. By debit or prepaid card You should make sure that your debit/prepaid card is enabled for use abroad. The following debit cards are accepted: Maestro, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, MasterCard debit Any amount debited to your card and not spent during your cruise will be reimbursed in cash at the Reception - Guest Service on the final morning before disembarkation. In cash Any amount deposited in cash and not spent during the cruise will be reimbursed in cash at the Reception - Guest Service on the final morning before disembarkation. Please note that personal cheques are not accepted. For cruises in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Antilles, Dubai, the Emirates and Oman, as well as MSC Grand Voyages departing from Europe, the onboard currency is the Euro (€). For cruises in the Caribbean, South America and South Africa, as well as MSC Grand Voyages going to Europe and to Australia, the onboard currency is the US Dollar ($).The onboard currency for MSC Virtuosa summer season cruises through October 2023 will be the British Pound (£).

Instead of registering a credit or debit card, a cash deposit can be made at guest service (reception). In that case, you also have to go to guest service for the settlement of the final bill before disembarking.

The fine print is clear: easy package is not accepted in specialty restaurants while easy plus and premium is (only MSC specialty restaurants, no "signature" venues like Hola! or Venchi.) But there is s chance that a specialty restaurant's waiter doesn't know about this (I remember having a discussion about this at Keito Sushi on Poesia).

I doubt that MSC's decision not to offer any food during this hours is based on health considerations. Actually I think it's just a matter of supply and demand as well as a result of different cultures: as it has been pointed out more than once, MSC is an italian cruiseline (though HQ is in Switzerland), and dining times are usually quite late in southern europe (8 pm is considered "early" dining there) - after finishing diner at 10 pm, you are not that hungry at midnight...

The "Daily" programs from several MSC ships have been posted in many threads here. The latest ones I have seen here from Seascape have late night snacks until 11:30 pm and pizza buffet until 1:00 am (both at the Marketplace buffet).

Yes.

That is exactly what I said.

That would be a downgrade. According to MSC specialty restaurants should still be included in Easy plus and Premium (this seems to be the new description as it has the new price limit €14 / $16, signature venues like Hola or Venchi have not been included before also): PREMIUM EXTRA PACKAGE Book now online your drink package at the lowest price compared to the onboard price! Includes all beverages priced up to €14 / $16!* Wide Selection of Premium and International cocktails Non-alcoholic cocktails and all non-alcoholic drinks Fresh fruit and protein cocktails Premium brand spirits, liqueurs and cordials Wide selection of fine wine by glass Champagne by glass Wide variety of draft and bottled beer Bottled Mineral Water Wide selection of classic and specialty hot drinks 25% discount on purchased of bottled wine and champagne Beverage gratuities included *The Premium Extra Package can be enjoyed in our bars, buffet, main restaurant and specialty restaurants as well as on private islands, but does not cover our signature venues.

Several drone videos of different ships on this YT channel - probably filmed standig at the coast, not on the ships.

I'm quite sure it has to be read this way: Regular drink package price will be increased and including the service charge. This will be the price to pay when purchasing a drink package on board, but for pre-bookings it will be discounted by up to 15%. Soon we will see...

I looked it up on both german and U.S. MSC website and to me it appears as you will still pay less when prebooking, they just name it "discount vs onboard prices" instead of adding a service charge only to onboard bookings. In the end both prices are increased by about 5% (according to the link you gave). This from msccruises.com (of course we will have to see, if "up to 15% discount" doesn't mean "far less than 15% in most cases"...): Are gratuities included in the drinks package cost? Yes. All MSC Cruises' pre-paid and post-paid drink packages include gratuities. Can I purchase a drink package before my cruise? Yes, all drink packages can be purchased before the cruise by benefiting of an up to 15% discount vs onboard prices.

Inflation everywhere... Drinks will be included up to higher price limits also - probably the drinks themselves will also become more expensive. Also the wording on service charge and pre-booking discounts has changed (seems to be more the wording than effective changes): Until now: same basic price if pre-booked or purchased on board, but with an additional 15% service charge added to the package price when purchased on board (service charge already included in pre-booked packages). From now on: service charge always included in the (significantly more expensive) package price, with "up to" 15% discount on pre-booked drink packages.

Direct train connection from Berlin (airport and central station) to Warnemünde is an IC (InterCity) train using the double-deck cars shown in the above linked video (for railway fans, which I am not: it's an IC2 Stadler-KISS train), luggage racks can be seen in the video. @KINGBOBOFTHENORTH actually there may be transportation offers that do not show up online, so calling MSC or the TA is a good advice.

One can select the persons to be registered on the same card, so all persons in your cabin can be registered on the same or on different cards. When registering a debit card, a deposit will be charged to the bank account. Third option, if one does not want to register any card, would be a cash deposit. With a debit card or cash deposit, the final bill has to be settled at reception (guest service) before disembarking.

This video I found gives an impression of the trains on this route. There is place for luggage near the doors (usually sufficient, as the majority of german rail passengers are commuters or day trippers with no big luggage).

There may be a transfer by bus that you can book with MSC (just ask MSC or your TA, it may not be bookable online). Besides that, going by train from Berlin to Warnemünde would be quite easy. There are direct trains that take 2,5 hrs from Berlin central station to Warnemünde. Announcements in german trains are usually in german and english. Warnemünde is the last stop of the line, so you will not miss it. The station is within short walking distance to the cruise terminal.

It is just Fantasia class.

For all drinks that are covered by a drink package, the service charge is included. This is also for the drinks included in YC. While most drinks are included in YC, there is also a top selection of drinks that are not - only to these a service charge of 15% is added (you sign the receipt and it will be deducted from your on-board account, no need to tip cash).

YC library on Preziosa was in the same place, stocked with books in several languages, in June 2022. (I do not remember exactly, but I think there was also a library outside the YC.)

YCers from really long ago may remember they had to pay for any drink outside YC. It used to be free drinks in the YC then, but no drink package to use "outside" at all.

In the end it is always the guest who is paying for any taxes (if a tax is due, but not shown seperately, the cruise line certainly included it in price calculation).

That's not too different from germany/EU: if something is mandatory to pay, it has to be clearly indicated from the very first sight. MSC, as many other cruiselines, used to have a non-mandatory service charge with german bookings some years ago (which had not to be advertised), but they changed to a mandatory one (maybe because too many guests considered it just a "tip" - the german sort of tip I explained above - and didn't pay?).