morpheusofthesea

DW likes to walk about and is often recognized by staff as being a repeater. She just took a jaunt through the Top 19 Aurea section of the sun deck and spoke with their pool attendant exchanging cordialities. It appears he has the same problem with interlopers sneaking in with their room beach towels which is a giveaway, an obvious clue that they do not belong.

Cynic. Not for our better looks and personalities ?

When it comes to checking for interlopers the entire staff are Milquetoasts ("Milquetoast definition: a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, especially one who is easily dominated or intimidated.") Except when in comes to guarding the pergolas of the RS and OS suites. DW just saw our pool attendant ask a couple squatters to vacate an owners suite pergola. This is another reason I tip these guys on a daily basis to towel and prepare our pergola and guard it from poachers.

Many staff that have contracts ending are not looking forward to their vacations. The number one reason is no income. One will seek temporary employment at their hometown KFC until they receive word of a position opening. Another got word that it would be 6 months and asked for a sooner deployment opportunity and was accommodated at 5 months instead with this 6 month contract on Seascape. Some will hold out for only a position in the Americas.

Some have reported complimentary second and thirds of even these items. I am guessing that if one does not take advantage of every amenity offered on a daily basis, like some used to OVERLOAD and CLEAN OUT the mini fridge of the miniatures every day and pack them away in suitcases with towels and robes, then exceptions are made. Thanks for your interest.

The Yacht Club Restaurant has become more lenient, more accommodating under the auspices of YC Director Mustafa and Maitre D' Ercan. We were supposed to set our clocks ahead one hour but there was hardly anyone present in the restaurant for breakfast at 7:30 am, so to those that forgot the restaurant will be open later this morning. Also since there are many more Europeans on this cruise in the YC that it is being kept open longer, but not advertised, because they like to dine later in the evenings. One will not find these types of accommodations on Regent.

Here are the terms and conditions in writing for MSC's booking department. "The Future Cruises Program (also hereinafter referred to as “FCP”) is available exclusively to guests while sailing on a MSC Cruise. As we value our relationships with our travel partners, your Future Cruise booking will be attributed to the travel partner associated with your current cruise booking, or to the MSC Cruises Contact Centre if the current booking was made directly through MSC Cruises. The confirmation of the booking and the onboard accommodation is subject to availability at the time of the booking. The Future Cruise Program applies only to bookings 3 nights or longer and requires the payment of an initial deposit to be paid on board according to the applicable Booking Terms and Conditions. Please note that the present FCP terms and conditions apply to new Future Cruise Bookings made on or after March 1st, 2023. Unless otherwise specifically indicated or modified herein, the MSC Booking Terms and Conditions apply in full. In case of conflict between the general MSC Booking Terms and Conditions and this document, the specific provisions of the latter shall prevail: www.msccruisesusa.com/-/media/US/Documents/booking-terms-and-conditions-231208 SHIPBOARD CREDIT The Future Cruise Program offers up to €/$/£ 200 Shipboard Credit per stateroom. The amount you are eligible for will be determined by the stateroom category for that booking as well as the length of the voyage and ship’s currency, according to destination, and it will be applied to your future cruise you reserve while onboard. Please note that all single occupancy guests paying less than the double of the amount of the cruise fare will be eligible for half of the shipboard credit. FUTURE CRUISE BOOKING FLEXIBILITY* For all bookings whose balance have not been paid yet, you will be allowed to move a cruise date within the term of 1 year from the departure date of the cruise package originally chosen, subject to the following conditions: • if the fare of the new cruise package is higher than the original one, then the price difference shall be paid by the passenger; • if the fare of the new cruise package is lower than the original one, the new fare shall apply. • the shipboard credit received as part of your Future Cruise Booking will be adjusted to reflect the stateroom category and length of the new cruise package. If the expected date of departure of the new cruise package falls within 30 days of departure, the shipboard credit received as part of your Future Cruise Booking may not be granted; • in the event that the booking of the new cruise package requires a higher deposit requirement, guests will be required to pay the difference. • offers, promotions or discounts applied to the original cruise package may not be applicable. * Please note that this flexibility program does not apply to “Bella” Experience BEST PRICE GUARANTEE* The Best Price Guarantee benefit is available exclusively for bookings made through the Future Cruise Program and it gives you the advantage of having a better price applicable up to 90 days before your sail date. The “Best Price Guarantee” may be used only once per booking. In order for a price match option to be applied the following requirements must be met: • the price must be on publicly advertised fares by MSC Cruises available to the general public to the exclusion of group rates, charters or other Travel Agent promotions not offered by MSC Cruises based on retail pricing only. • The lower fare must be bookable in the same market where the original booking was made. • Evidence of the price must be submitted to MSC Cruises and must be available for booking at the time of the request. • The price may be matched in the form of a upgrade or Shipboard Credit. • Pricing claims that cannot be independently verified by MSC Cruises shall not be accepted. * Please note that the Best Price Guarantee benefit does not apply to “Bella” Experience DEPOSIT & FURTHER PAYMENTS The balance of the full deposit must be paid 90 days before your sail date. Payments on your Future Cruise Booking beyond the deposit required on board shall be due in accordance with the MSC Cruises payment schedule applicable in your country of residence and/or the same country of the original booking belong. Visit your Future Cruise Team onboard and/or visit the MSC Cruises website in your country of residence for more details and full terms and conditions. DOUBLE MSC VOYAGERS CLUB POINTS All MSC Voyagers Club members who book a cruise on board will double their MSC Voyagers Club points on that cruise. According to the MSC Voyagers Club Terms and Conditions, points will be awarded at the end of the cruise they book on board and will only be earned on "experiences" purchased. The Company reserves the right to apply restrictions on certain promotions. Onboard and pre-cruise charges are excluded.

Our consensus of last nights entertainment in Le Cabaret Rouge was mediocre at its best. The same repeat songs and acts. We left for the raffle of $150 extra OBC which was held in the Atrium by the Captain and the Future Cruise Consultant for all those that booked a future cruise. This raffle was fairly well attended as there were 4 decks of guests at the railings which indicated many of us on board took advantage of booking future cruises. I forwarded our future cruise info to our travel agent to confirm all the discounts were applied and she needed confirmation of the one year from date to move this cruise and not just 90 days as the main MSC booking department had NO notice of this booking on board policy. They said to her their policy is only still 90 days. This is just another example of MSC's one hand not knowing what the other hand is doing. This just highlights the importance of having a travel agent fight it out for you and 'get everything in writing'. After the raffle we decided to see if our seats were still available back at Le Cabaret Rouge for the continuous entertainment ....and they were just as we left them,,,unoccupied. P.S. This repeating of mediocre entertainment on board makes it really hard to justify a B2B cruise. Another reason we just book one week at a time.

We heard a similar story from MSC’s Captain Massa at a Cruise Critic meet and greet on the Seaside some years ago.That Captain Achille Lauro’s flagship of the same name that was attacked, instituted the toughest security so that it would never happen again hiring Israeli Mossad trained personnel. When MSC acquired Captain Lauro’s company the Apontes kept the security in place to this day.

You are toooo nice. "With age comes wisdom. In my case age came alone." to paraphrase Oscar Wilde

This is the "stuff that dreams are made of."

Here is some more rumor and gossip. Explora Journeys is actively recruiting here on board, directly contacting individuals with offers. Waiters being offered $2000 more, butlers appears offering less (maybe because they do so little on Explora for the Residences compared to what our butlers do for us in Yacht Clubs).

Yes, one might think this. But we mostly tend to overlook this as a temporary anomaly when in actuality it is common place and is not hurting their race to the top of the cruise industry. YC still rules.

I think this was a genius move on MSC's part to hire these giants that can take the place of a 'boatload' of 'Keystone cops'.

Funny you mention security officers. We have seen two such gentlemen walking the ship that are 7 feet tall hulks. Just looking at these imposing gentlemen is enough to make a drunk think twice about foolishness.