Kelownabccan

Sidari.....thanks...started to notice the same thing with Princess and Hal.....some of the "perks" we had enjoyed seem to be slowly going away or clawed back....we used to plan some cruises depending on the upgrades....etc.....we would get but no more.....not worth the hassle....

Now....it is strictly itinerary and price......just do the ones we really want to do...and the ports we want to see......this MSC on is in the Baltic so one of our last big areas to see...other than Japan and some of the Asia ports....but who wants to go over to Asia anymore.....not us....seem to have lost that urge....

This one with MSC is half the cost of the others on HAL, Princess and Norwegian.....with the savings Judy and I sure can buy lots of drinks, do tours and other things and still save some $$$$....a win win....who cares about perks when you save so much $$$

17 hours ago, sidari said:

Friends sailed recently and have silly points numbers now over 50k so have been Black/Diamond for a long time, there were  a number of items that they did not get as part of the Benefits so like Aurea even that is being watered down currently.

Nice to know....lol.......when we status match will only have enough for Gold it looks like.....our old points went away when not cruising with MSC since our Divina one and others way back 7 years ago.....MSC is not easy ones to do from the West coast of Canada.....too bad as always had a good time....

14 hours ago, sidari said:

Ken ... Here is a video of 11090 on Starboard side second back from your (port side) cabin.

 

 

Nice.....like the bubbly and fruit and strawberries.....lol.....someone spent big bucks to impress...haha

Cabin been assigned.....any thoughts.....11085.....deck 11.....it seems forward to me...I think where the ship side cuts back out......B1 category which is what we used to have but a really nice one aft deck 10 on the other ship.....oh well.....boy the ship looks beautiful....reminds me of old town Las Vegas with the led roof....lol......still have to June to decide to pay so tons of time to mull things over......can not get over the port times.....like Oslo....arrive at 1pm leave at 7 pm.....and some others are like that.....hardly any time to get off and have a whole day to look at the sites.......Oslo....by time get off ship....2pm.....back at 6pm.....just 5 hrs to do stuff.....

Now looked at the new 14 day plan.....changed and some of the places are not there or very reduced times.....looks like the ship is tooooooo big to go to places the smaller one went.....will think about it...and see if we still want to go.....BUT.....the price we had locked in for a balcony cabin has gone way up by over $1000.....so a great deal.....but sometimes money is not the object of our trips....lol.....Ken

Tried to log in....a no go......no info there.....the MSC computers must be working overtime to update things.....lol........will let you know in a few days if anything shows about about a cabin and tours....

7 hours ago, sidari said:

Hi Ken ... The Aft decks go from 9 to 14, be aware that the categories have changed since November 15th, BR3 are on Decks 13 and 14, BR2 are on Decks 11 and 12, BR1 Decks 9 and 10. The other Aft cabins are Premium suite Aurea and Studio Balconies.

Prices increase the higher you go.

It will be interesting to see if they give you a like for like on Virtuosa.

thanks for the info.....will try and log into my account and see if any more about cabin there.....not sure if I really like the change.....over 6000 passengers....wow......can not even imagine the chaos getting off and on....MSC never was good at that.......AND.......with all this covid stuff.....what port or city would want that many people getting off and wandering about.....think of all the problems.....we are both triple vacc over here but still?????....lots of things happening and I never have been a fan of getting shots for the rest of my life....Ken

This is to inform you that MSC Magnifica will be replaced by the brand new MSC Virtuosa for your upcoming cruise itinerary in Northern Europe.

great to know....hope in September the same applies

30 minutes ago, sidari said:

Hi Ken ... Hope you guys are well, for now certainly in Europe EC Countries you have to pay for tours, but by next year hopefully things will change and by the time of your cruise you may be able to do your own thing.

Hello again....see you are lurking on the site.....remember well the first Divina cruise to Florida way back in 2013....wow a long time ago.....we sure had a good time on it.....still have fond memories of the ship and this cruise to the Baltics is still one of our bucket list ones.....keep healthy....Ken in snowy Kelowna

All guests 2 years and older must show proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result taken no more than 3 days before boarding. 

This is in some print that I saw.....we are doing a 14 day one and then staying on ship for a 3 day one......ending in Rotterdam.....what is their plan for people like us.....do they do one on the ship or do you have to get off.....run around Southhampton to find a testing place and then get back on the ship.....??....thoughts....perhaps this will change before Sept for the one we are booked on.....

Just saw this in fine print for our booked MSC cruise in September....check yours out...may be different as the cruise we have is to the Baltic for two weeks......but if true may cancel and do always want to take a ship tour.......like to do our own thing.... Ken in snowy Kelowna

You must either purchase insurance through MSC Cruises or present documentation at the pier with sufficient coverage purchased from another provider or you will be denied boarding. MSC requires guests to be on an MSC purchased excursion to disembark in port.

Is this true????.....we have booked a 14 day cruise out of Southhampton on Sept 10th to the Baltic.....just read this in the fine print......is this just one of those inclusions that they do not follow or is real....do not always want to take a cruise ship tour....like to do our own thing......if this is correct and probably will not change before Sept may have to consider changing the cruise to another mainstream one that lets us do our own thing......also so MSC wants  virus coverage but we have that in Canada with our health plan now.....But....it seems you have to supply proof you have it.....lots of paperwork...lol.....Ken

Thanks for the news.....we were thinking of one but not now until the dust or Omicron clear up now...what crap when a few days ago we thought things were getting better......

Hawaii cruises remain on hold too.

As we’ve mentioned previously, the state is not prepared to welcome the return of cruise ships to Hawaii ports for the time being. They could return early in 2022, although that is not certain. The Safe Travels program has never been adapted to cruise passengers, as will be required before ships can return.

But I see they are still available for booking????

So in your case upgrading from Bella to Fantastica would just mean two (for the second you usually have to fight with the photo desk 🙄) very expensive photos. Thanks Perakcruiser.....

Most of what I figured....a waste of another $200......I can take my own pics....lol.....when and where I want.....Going to leave the res as is and send in the status match stuff as we are quite high on HAL and Princess......and get some ship credit I guess..will check that stuff out

Funny how MSC lets your credits die after a year or two....makes it hard for people like us on the West coast of NA to use MSC very much.....a long 7 hr trek on a plane to Florida for a quick cruise...so easy to go to LAX in two....

All rather confusing....for a west coast cruiser...lol.......anyways....it seems there is a toss up if the free covid test is given before the ship docks and we fly home via Calgary or Vancouver to Kelowna.....plane leaves 1ish....so lots of time to the SAN airport which you can see from the ship....and if the test they give does let us back into Canada....will have to see which one the govt wants currently...and the one that HAL gives???.but that all can change....maybe....really do not think many Canadians or non USA people on these 7 day trips to Mexico...so talking about testing thousands is not really the case....still dreaming about one in November ......hope hope

Checked the Princess blog....they seem to be giving a free covid rapid test as you get off the ship for Canadians...makes it easy to fly back home.....HAL???....no testing?????.....if not I prob will look at Princess for our first "kick at the cruiser cat"

Thanks, Muffin......will do more research into this as none of our "cruiser" friends have tried anything....I am the guinea pig....lol....

Good info about Princess and the testing.....we are thinking of a cruise out of LA towards the end of Nov. and wondered how that would work as we wanted to fly back to Kelowna the same day.....leaving at about 1pm....I wonder if lots of time or there will be a qlitch in the works....???......also flying down....we usually fly down the day ahead and need a test to go into the states....I wonder if Kelowna airport does that the same day as your plane.....as you need a covid test to get on the ship in two days before.....leaves things really tight.....and a worry....any thoughts.....Ken

Sort of the question I would like to know......we are planning a cruise out of SAN late Nov and wonder how it is all going to work......we need a test to fly to the USA....I guess get in Kelowna somewhere a day or two before we leave....then fly....then prob need another hotel night in SAN before the cruise....so the 72 hr thing is very close or past......a worry......then same as you....it is hard to fly right home off the cruise the same day unless you get a test on the ship???....does HAL do that...have not read much about it.....makes things so hard to go away for a 7 day cruise.....any thoughts or tips welcome.....Ken

This COVID-19 no-cost-to-you program is available to eligible individuals for $0 out of pocket when billed to a health plan or the government”

A laugh for us Canadians.....what a joke.....no HAL cruises for us it looks like....

The covid thing is so confusing in the UK one min we can go somewhere the next we can't and our government changes its mind quicker than I can change a pair of shoes! 

Love it......starting to get the same here.....and now they are talking about a super Delta that will overcome the vacs.....this is going on and on and on.....perhaps our days of cruising with thousands of people crammed on a ship is ending.....and here we can not even cross the border into the states by car.....