welwyngirl

30 minutes ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

Thank you for the information and link.

 

I am sure that many cruise lines will cancel more future cruises.

I hope so.  We are in a Catch-22 situation at the moment.  We have a trip booked leaving late August , one week on a river cruise up the Yangtze River in China and another week on Spectrum OTS.  TA insists they will go ahead and expects final payment!  We are both well over 70, from the UK, all travel, unless absolutely essential, is prohibited.  If we cancel we lose our hefty deposit and if we pay in full it will probably take us months of wrangling to get a refund.  We did a HAL cruise in March which was curtailed.  They have been very fair and, although we still await our refund and FCC details, we're hopeful we will get it fairly soon.

On 4/13/2020 at 3:51 PM, jimdalva said:

In 1 year we will have forgotten all about this.

I doubt everyone will.  Especially if they have lost someone to this disease.

We are leaving on Saturday for a trip to Australia and then to Auckland,, NZ to board a cruise ship for a 34 day cruise round the South Pacific islands, up to the Hawaiian islands and finishing in San Diego.  We booked early this year for a river cruise in China and followed by an ocean cruise in Japan at the end of the August,  I called the TA and they said they had not received any notice that this would be cancelled.  I think by that time the virus may have run its course, but I'm an optimist.  Very little could stop us from travelling.

Thanks for all the responses.  Good to know we won't be deprived of our favourite drinks!

2 hours ago, Tom O. said:

Thanks for all the responses.  Good to know we won't be deprived of our favourite drinks.

Here is a link to the Bar Menu, courtesy of Roger Jett. But it is a year old, and may not be accurate anymore. 

It doesn't list cocktails by name, but instead lists them by the main alcoholic ingredient. So, since the main alcoholic ingredient of a cosmopolitan is vodka, you choose which vodka you want off the list, and that is the price of any cocktail made with it. At least I think that is how the menu works.

I think you will be able to keep the price of your drinks below the $11 threshold, as long as you don't choose an expensive brand of vodka.

Here is the link: Bar Menu

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

 

The bar menu link above is from three weeks ago 12/21/19.  Each bar will have an added list of special drinks for that specific bar.  Current reports here on CC indicate that you can request any drink that the bartender knows how to make.  Ask for the price beforehand.

We have pre-booked a basic drinks package and I notice this includes drinks up to $9.  Interested to know what the prices are.  Thinking our favourite cocktail,  Cosmopolitans, may be more than this.  Does anyone have a recent menu please?

Thanks in advance.

Lesley

3 minutes ago, Glenndale said:

I think it would be hard to find an Azamara cruiser who doesn’t know EofH,

I sometimes think he lives on board and goes home for a break 😂

😂

Following on, too.  We are Azamara fans and have met some lovely people onboard.  We agree, though, that the prices are becoming very high.  We've also done around 40 cruises and have recently done other cruise lines but they don't compare to Azamara, so really enjoying your posts and we will look into booking with Saga!  We're in the home counties, too, in Hertfordshire and like the idea of the transportation down to Dover.  We're in our 70s but like a drink and a good time.  I'm sure you if you've been on Azamara you know our good friend 'excited of harpenden' and many others. 

Do hope you have a great time on your cruise and maybe we'll meet up sometime, somewhere.

Thanks again.

Thanks for all the info.  I'm a 'dress-up' person on cruises.  I usually only take dresses for evening wear as find it much easier than having to match tops and bottoms!  This will be only our 2nd cruise on MSC (originally booked for the Havana stopover!), but we've done well over 40. Pleased to know there are some 'elegant' nights so it's a few nice cocktail dresses and a few less formal.

Lesley

Thanks Beamafar.  That's very useful.

Hi  we're sailing next Monday on Armonia on the NON Cuban cruise!  I'm sure this  has been posted dozens of times but can't scroll through all the posts. Will any kind soul advise if there are any formal nights on the cruise or theme nights and what the themes are?

Many thanks in advance

Lesley.

Hi  we're sailing next Monday on Armonia on the NON Cuban cruise!  I'm sure this  has been posted dozens of times but can't scroll through all the posts. Will any kind soul advise if there are any formal nights on the cruise or theme nights and what the themes are?

Many thanks in advance

Lesley.

Forgot to mention it happened on just our second day and this was March of this year.

Just now, travelwide said:

 If they were this stupid to make such a statement I don't know what the chances are of them changing it. Perhaps if they get enough push back from travel agents and customers they will do something. My heart goes out to those who have hotels and airfare that will be impacted by this.

We're Brits so it's a long haul for us to go on an old ship just to cruise round ports we have been to many times before.  On our last cruise,  a 17 day TA Rio to Lisbon my DH had a stroke and we were debarked in Brazil and spent a week in hospital and a week waiting for flights home.  Seems we're jinxed!

1 minute ago, tymike said:

The US MSC website homepage has a link for Cuba Update that states future cruisers to Cuba will be given the option to cancel and cancellation policies will be suspended.  All $ paid will be transferred to new booking.  

 

So....no OBC, no  partial refund.  Only the 'opportunity' to change ship etc.

 

Very disappointed.  Will be my first and last experience with MSC.

And mine!  How can we change now?  Due to sail in 10 days.  Flights and accommodation booked in line with cruise.  Cannot change flights without losing loads of money.  We've got Hobson's choice, ie no choice and have to go along with whatever alternative itinerary they decide upon.  Bad show, MSC, bad show!  I knew this would be a different cruise experience to our preferred line, Azamara, but this really is not good.

You'd be hard pressed to 'hound' customer service.  They don't answer their phones.😐

4 hours ago, abbeytravelstheworld said:

You're right about that. Just got off the phone with them and talk about rude. She said "you won't be getting anything back. We can do whatever we want with the ports" I said that's a bit of a shame since other cruise lines are offering more and her reply was "we are not other cruise lines" Lovely! And no eta for new ports either

That's dreadful customer service!  No excuse for that. This will very likely be my last MSC cruise.

40 minutes ago, sidari said:

MSC like the other lines found out yesterday so how could they inform you beforehand ? As for their PR, I think you need to read what has been given to Opera passengers. This is not the choice of MSC who have been handed a poison chalice  but the US government.

I didn't mention anything about informing us beforehand!  I have received no notification from them today.  I'm due to sail in 11 days.  I fully realise why they have had to cancel but when problems arise it is a measure of any company's worth to inform customers of the situation even if it's just to say they are aware of the inconvenience etc etc and are working to resolve it.

26 minutes ago, harv2015 said:

MSC are bound to have known this before cruise actually commenced but only inform passengers now!  I'd be gutted. Have booked Armonia for May 2020. It's a UK booking so if we cancelled will lose deposit. Only booked as Cuba was on itinerary.

We're from the UK and re due to sail 17th June.  Absolutely gutted. No notification from MSC either.  I think they need to be very careful.  Their PR is not good at the moment with Opera having the accident in Venice!

4 hours ago, thecruisers6 said:

With a bit of luck Mr T will be otherwise occupied with having a go at China, Iran, North Korea & getting ready for his state visit to England 

Maybe he can sort out Brexit when he's over here!  😆

20 hours ago, Beamafar said:

I'm glad to hear it was helpful for you, Welwyngirl.  I hope that your DH is fully recovered and that you both enjoy your cruise on Armonia.  It'll be a far cry, however, from Azamara!

Yes, it is.  We booked this for the Havana stopover but that looks to be in jeopardy.  I live in hope!

Thanks Beamafar for such interesting and informative posts, especially the menus.  I'm vegetarian and it's good to know that I will not go hungry!  We have only done one other MSC cruise, although we've done loads on other ships, our favourite being Azamara.  We're looking forward to this one from MIA  on 17th June especially since our last cruise, on Azamara Pursuit in April was cut short as DH had a minor stroke. 

Happy sailings!

I hope there's some good vegetarian dishes!

I fear it would be totally wasted on us, after 50 years of marriage.

I'm vegetarian not vegan.  I think you may struggle a bit with the food on Explorer!  I recommend you contact one of the restaurant managers (there is one female who is very good) and explain your requirements.  It might help to provide a list of what you would like.  TBH I found the vegetarian food pretty awful.  I asked the chef and restaurant managers if they tasted the veggie food and none of them did!!  I complained daily which was a bore.  Don't like complaining but I do think the quality of the veggie food is way inferior to the normal meals.

I think the plane will be no problem, though!

Good Luck and enjoy your cruise.