Mark_T

I wouldn't worry, there is a catch in the T&C's .... "Diamond & Gold MSC Status Match clients are excluded from this offer."

Here you go: https://profcruise.com/celebrity-bar-menus-2023/#world This site was mentioned earlier, but the link above makes it even easier to find... It is a franchise operation and they are strictly limited to the menu above, or shots of anything they routinely carry. They are obliged not to make other drinks at this bar. It was our favorite bar when we were last on Eclipse in January this year.

Not something you see very often and bound to be a very limited number so if it appeals I would book it as you can always cancel if it drops in price in the future to a sufficient degree that you are willing to roll the dice as it may not reappear once you cancel... Do read the terms carefully to make sure it actually covers all the restaurants you are interested it and to see if there are any catches...

Our longest delay was over 30 hours late getting back from a Baltic cruise due to weather, at that point you realize you can't plan for everything... I hope all works out OK for all of those impacted by today's weather.

Likely to depend on where they are and what is cheap at the time, this is why they do not mention a brand.

There have been times when the price for a solo traveler is more than the price for two in a cabin, this takes account of the missing revenue from onboard spend. Not just on MSC but on many other lines as well. It then becomes tempting for solo travelers to make a 'ghost' booking for a 2nd guest with no intention of that guest ever tuning up. This is why the option to add and additional charge was added to the T&Cs.

Having lived and worked in Texas for a good few years, and traveled a lot to both east and west coast, I'd have to agree that you can certainly find authentic cuisine, but certainly not without some research as there has been a lot of modification to suit local tastes, pizza being the most obvious example... The UK is not so different either, many items on the Indian menus here would be unfamiliar in India, and the same is true for Chinese food as well.

Very true, and in the same way that I would never expect to get great curries in the USA, I wouldn't order fried pickles outside the USA 🙂 ... and by extension I would never assume that an Italian line is going to appreciate the subtleties when they are receiving requests for things that are not in their normal range. On the other-hand I would trust the curries served onboard to be authentic as those preparing them are often very familiar with the proper preparation and serving of these dishes, just don't expect them to be the same as you might find in the USA.. It really is just things that are largely not prepared outside of the USA, or those not typically prepared in the same manner as the USA that have a higher risk factor attached to them...

Who doesn't enjoy visiting a spectacular new building? It may only be for a few mins (especially as DaKahuna is in YC) but it would still be great to see the finished structure.

If that proves to be the case, it shouldn't be too hard to get ketchup, horseradish and even Worcestershire sauce in Le Muse, so a little mixing and problem solved. Can also try a chat with the Maître d', probably not the first time it has been requested....

You can't have them stocked and replenished, but you can opt for a bottle of wine in place of the bottle of spirits. We did that as you are only ever a few steps away from the lounge bar, or a butler willing to get drinks for you.

Here is another update video, short but you can see the progress, although still a lot to do...

No, they have a lot to do to get the ship ready for sea, and a narrow window to do it all in, but I also don't think it will be a problem. There is a reasonable amount of latitude exactly when you need to go down, so if you just want to watch the actual launch you are probably fine. Odds are you will have completed it before the launch anyway.

Not our experience on Divina in June this year, it was comfortably above Luminae, but we'll see how it is when next onboard in February.

Divina is currently doing mostly short cruises around the Med. which appeal to the mostly non-English speaking guests in those countries. Not exclusively of course, but your chances of seeing someone post about those cruises on this site is a lot lower than those doing the Caribbean cruises out of the US ports. She will head for Miami at the end of the month so you may see more reviews once we get further into December.

My understanding is that they do not allow the pizza to be consumed in the lounge, which seems reasonable to me, but it is OK on the pool deck.

That would have been a Marie Rose sauce which is a typical way to serve it in Europe. The version including horseradish is only 'usual' in America. Just one of the more European elements of the cuisine that has not been altered yet.

Anything you pre-purchase cannot use OBC, once onboard you can then use your OBC. We have a lot of OBC on our Feb. cruise (MSC promotion at the time we booked) so we have only booked excursions before boarding, anything else we will get once we are onboard.

No, it is not. This was a package available on Divina earlier this year... There are also various packages that can be pre-purchased before boarding.

Similarly, if you book onboard it doesn't seem to show up either...

Probably just sold out, she is based in Hamburg so joining in Southampton probably had fairly limited inventory as most guests will not be leaving until 2 days later when she reaches Hamburg again....

They can also be 'loading the bases' to cover late cancellations and no-shows...

Perhaps we need to add 'Mimosa Blossoms' to the list of preventative measures? 🙂 Glad you are OK though, and hope the others feel better soon.

You are safe,if you have a successful bid for an upgrade to Aurea or YC you get the full experience, not just the cabin. Enjoy the YC, it will be difficult to go back... 🙂

No harm in asking for a gesture, might get lucky... ...but it is an ask not a right.