cparker01

I packed pool noodles in my suitcase. That's what my kids used on occasion.

Thank you Pete! The map really helps. I didn't realize how close to the port it is to the Grand Savoia. You really did get a good deal, my quoted price is 277 euros ( family of 4) a night. We are staying in the yatch club so really want a nice hotel to end our trip. We'll be staying two nights after the cruise.

Can't decide on which hotel to stay at after our cruise in June 2019. First time in Genoa would love to here opinions of those who've stayed at either location! Thanks

Most of the flights leaving when we get off leave so early, I felt like we would have a hard time making it to the airport on time. So we are staying 2 extra nights.

I keep thinking I'd like to change cabins too. Does anyone know if msc cancels the booking and start over with currant pricing? Or can you keep the 

original pricing but switch staterooms within the same category? We got such a great deal 1-1/2 yrs ago, I wouldn't want to mess that up over switching cabins.

1 hour ago, adelaidefc said:

I booked for a May sailing from Barcelona given that the website wasn't working. 

I kind of regret it. I took what seemed like a great cabin mid-ship on level 14, then realised it was right near the lifts and directly under all the tables and chairs scraping on the floor in the buffet on level 15. It also may have a slightly obstructed view from the balcony with some struts to support an overhang. 

 

Oh well, the advantages of the high floor might outweigh the disadvantages, and not much I can do about it now! Looking forward to it, this board has been a great resource for a newbie like me, appreciate everyone's posts. 

Hope for the best! We stayed on deck 15 on seaside right under the pool deck and never heard a thing. I do understand so many elements to think about, hopefully the weather will be good and we'll all be out and about wondering the ship. 

I was able to look at new bookings for our week up until a couple of days ago. I'm always looking for new staterooms in the yacht club to open up.

1 hour ago, electro said:

There are 12 of us booked on the Bellissima for April 7th out of Genoa.

I hope it is just a website glitch!

Lois

Sounds like a fun time with such a large group. Are you staying in Genoa before or after? We will stay two nights after the cruise. I have still not figured what hotel we should book. 

Just checked on msc USA and same ! No sailings showing up for Bellissima. I feel like this happened when we booked Seaside last year. I wonder if it's a sales tactic?

We are booked for May 26 out of Genoa. Looking for anyone who is booked or with any new info regarding this new ship.

What week are you sailing on Bellissima? We sail out of Genoa May 26th, My  kids are 11 and 9.

When sailing seaside last May we got our cruise cards at check-in before we boarded the ship. We didn't set our account up for about 3 days. It was super easy. We also boarded at 11:00. I first used the app and booked all the shows right away. Then went to eat lunch at the buffet. After lunch went straight to the spa and booked massages, we were aurea as well. I was able to give my massage to my husband with no big deal. After that our room was ready so we checked it out, luggage arrived later. Headed to the pool, kids wore suits under cloths and we started our trip!

Not sure how Bellissima will be but hopefully we'll start seeing some reviews once the ship starts to sail. Can not wait, so excited!!!

We had an 11:30 flight out and made it in time. What happened to us was a little frustrating! We decided to walk off with our luggage instead of leaving it out side of the room, did have to wait in a long line but not a real big deal. However so many people doing the same thing and most people like us had multiple bags, they made us use the elevator. There was quite a long line and we watched all those walk by us down the escalator to pick up there luggage and leave the ship.

The other recommendation is once you are out on the street don't use the msc shuttle bus to the airport!!! We did and they made us wait over 30 mns till we actually left the terminal. They were waiting to fill the large bus up, every time I asked when we were leaving they would say right now, but NOT! I'm not a complainer unless I'm worried about missing my flight.

We had a great time on seaside, would not of done much different except these two things I mentioned.

So leave your luggage outside your room and enjoy your breakfast then stroll off the ship and take a cab!

You first need to choose if you want to stay close to the port (Railway station Principe) or close to the town center (Railway station Brignole). Both have advantages and disadvantages.

 

As usual in Italy, not too much international hotel chains, so the prices are not cheap. We stayed a couple of times in places from 50 to 120 Euros, if you tell me your budget and preferred location I can recommend something.

We fly out of Genoa and will only be there for two nights. As of now I'm pretty sure we will go to the aquarium and hopefully to the maritime museum. I don't plan to use the train station, unless it is a way to get the airport. I do want to stay where there is activity and a variety of restaurants. We will be traveling with a 9 and 11 yr old so don't want to walk to far for their sake!

I stayed in the Grand Savoia in an Executive double cost on a deal (€199 = ~$220) for two for one night. in March

 

 

it is close to the old picturesque part of the city

 

the room was excellent , large and had access to the spa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

\where the hotel is

 

 

 

PETE

Thanks for the pics! Love the map that shows where the port is, thanks! Looks like Grand Savoia is very close to the port and train station. Is it near any shops and restaurants? Do you know how far it is from the aquarium and maritime museum? Basically walking distance, I have a 9 and 11 yr old in tow.

Just checked out of the Grand Hotel Savoia this morning. It was the prefect come down from the yacht club on the Divina.

I love this! That's exactly what I meant. " Perfect come down from the Yacht club"

Thank you! I actually have a reservation at the sister hotel next door. I'll pay at the hotel. I'm going to keep for now but still looking. This is for May and the Grand Hotel Savoia is around 550 USD for two nights. You got a great deal! I really want to stay there may switch. love the pictures of the rooms. We are staying in the YC on the ship and really don't want to get off and stay in anything less than. Not that I'm a princess it's just a trip in a lifetime and want to do it up!

We are looking for a nice hotel to stay in for 2 nights in Genoa. Any recommendations for a family with kids in a great location?

Panoramic elevators get very hot as the day goes on, all widows it's like an oven.

Thanks for the helpful information! We are booked on Bellissima out of Genoa May 26th....is that your same cruise?

Yes, that's when we leave! Glad to hear someone else on the cruise with us. Haven't looked for a rollcall yet maybe I should. Where are you from? We are from Georgia in the states.

YAY!! thank u so much!! With all the negative reviewers we were getting worried.....cant wait for Nov 3rd! We typically cruise on Celebrity....trying MSC for more fun/pools/slides and cant beat the cost compared to other lines!

 

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I agree price was great! I was nervous about all the negativity I was reading as well. Maybe if we had paid $10 to 20,000 for the four of us I would be a negative Nelly too. I think prices are relevant, it was a beautiful ship and a good time. We paid under 4000 for the four of us what a deal. Give me some sunshine, a Cold beer and a good slice of pizza and I'm a happy cruiser!

Ship was beautiful! I thought it was easy to navigate. Used the app a lot, although it took me a while to figure it out. Loved the wrist band that come with the experience. Booked shows immediately upon boarding. Boarding was so fast easy and never felt like I was corralled to the buffet among the masses like other ships we've been on. My kids never wanted to go to the kids center and I didn't push, I use to make them go periodically just to give us a little adult time at the spa. Guess that why I never went to the spa on seaside. Gave my husband my massage, I do wish I'd of checked out the thermal spa, oh well.

Pools were abundant! Loved the concept of retractable roof as it was pouring rain the day we arrived. Pools are deep as others state. We pack pool noodles and kids used them off and on. Kids loved the slides but never did the zip line, mostly closed for the winds. Like I said we were feeling the winds and rough water from the tropical storm that was hitting south Florida. Lucky only rained on day we left, sunny sky's from day1. Gelato was at all the bars near the pool area and sooo good. As far as food we never stepped into the main dinning room. Ate the buffet all meals. Boring near the end but it was all about the ease of eating with kids. The food was good. No complaints. Pizza was VERY good the kind I prefer and consistent. Omlets to order was my go to every morning. If you are a coffee drinker bring your own insulated cups, super handy. However we never needed our water bottle just go to the bar at night, or day, and they give you 1 liter bottles to take to your room as many as you want! Shows were good especially the Michael Jackson one. However by the 3rd show in you could tell the were all alike using the same people. Still worth going to, they are all around 30 mns. We also enjoyed the lounge on deck 7 at night some fun events go one each night and pretty much family friendly.

My only regret was booking a tour of the city in Peurto Rico. Terrible and so boring never saw anything except drugstores and dirty neighborhoods. I don't know if you will be stopping there or not but what I wish we had done was walk 10 mns to the old fort and hit old San Juan right beside it. Kids loved the fort, highlight of our trip. Didn't need to pay 200$ for a bus ride around the city that dropped us of at the fort when it was over. Sorry for that rant I was really mad at my choice! Live and learn! Last suggestion is go ahead and leave your bags outside your room we thought it would of been faster to walk off with our luggage, wrong. We watch all the people leave the boat to go get there luggage as the crew in the terminal made us get on an elevator vs escalator, long painful line. Also we made a mistake going to the airport by getting sucked by MSC to get on one of their shuttle buses. We sat there for over 30 mns while they slowly waited for others to pay and load up the bus. Should of taken a cab that left immediately for similar price.

All in all we had a great time!!! Already booked a cruise on the Msc Bellissima leaving out of Genoa, Italy, for may 2019... yay!

Just to let all who are concerned about children being booked in the yatch club, we are booked with kids on Bellissima May 26th 2019 out of Genoa. Mine don't usually splash but I do, and if you appear to be annoyed and permanently grumpy my husband will start splashing too! We just want everyone to have fun and if you are around us you will eventually start splashing as well!

Anyway just wanted to give everyone a heads up that week there will be children staying in the yatch club. This should give everyone plenty of time to plan accordingly.

We stayed in 15236 Seaside in May 26th and loved it!

Pros : Large room with lots of windows. Large bathroom with big shower. A good amount of storage. HUGE balcony with sweeping views! Being beside the panoramic elevator was a great perk. Took seconds to get up to the pool deck right above and running down to get coffee in the morning on deck 8 at the buffet was fast! We brought our yeti's with us and would head back to the room to wake up before heading back down for breakfast. However to get to the front of the ship was a little hike but got use to it and found the fastest route.

Cons : When the sofa bed was pulled out ( we have an 8 and 10 yr old in tow) it was super difficult to get out on the balcony. They really should and could have put bunk beds in, would of been so much better. The other thing that bugged me was being below the bridge of sigh the part of the balcony facing the rear of the ship was always gross and dirty from crew washing the deck above. That being said the large part of the balcony you walk out to from the sliding glass doors always seemed clean. That's were we our chairs stayed as it was the private part of the balcony. And those sweeping views out weighs the dirty part of the balcony. Plus no window washer obstruction.

As far as movement, yes there was quite a bit first half of our trip. I thought it was because we were running from a tropical storm that hit Miami the day before we embarked. It all of the sudden got very calm and no movement hardly at all.

Would stay in 15236 if no other reason for size, views and location!

Out of curiosity what is the difference between the Aurea drink package and the Deluxe package?

We booked May 26th!