ellamalta

Okay. Thank you. They told us we will be charged 20 dollars.

Also, where do you leave the adult's wristbands? In the cabin?

Can you please let me know what these wristbands are LUGI? We will be travelling with kids in September. Thanks.

Is there a water play area with slides for young kids (6 years old)? How old do you have to be to go on the big slides?

Since neo classica is quite smaller than the other ships, do you feel the ship movements more, compared to other ships (we have been on MSC Poesia)?

Thank you both for your reply. We will try to be there around 12. Our hotel is right across the road from where the shuttle bus leaves so we might just see what other people are doing. I am hoping that we will get priority boarding since we will be travelling with a pushchair!

We are embarking on the Preziosa on a Sunday from Civitavecchia. On the ticket it says check in starts at 2pm. Sounds a bit late considering that the ship sails at 5pm. Would like to know if they actually start it before. Thanks in advance.

Does anyone know what time check in starts in Civitavecchia for embarkation on the Preziosa?

Which is the nicest...... Il Gattopardo or Otto e Mezzo?

Didn't think this was so funny........... We disembark in Civitavecchia and I'm sure I have read about people who paid to stay a few hours more. We do not need to keep the cabin, just stay on the ship, because what can you do in an airport with 2 small kids and a couple of large luggage in tow?:)

We are cruising on MSC Preziosa and have a late return flight. Would we be allowed to stay on the ship until around 2 or 3pm? If yes, how much would they normally charge and what happens to the luggage?

I have a template wgich I downloaded from cruisetrails thrread wihich has been deleted. On it he had copies of cabin blueprints drawn to the same scale, and by enlarging and printing the blueprint of the cabin of interest and a known cabin, which is a documented size ( such as a standard balcony cabin), the dimensions can be measured and the area calculated for the cabin of interest.

 

I don't know of a website where the information is avalable.

No wonder I couldn't find it here. Would you be able to post the template here please or send it to me by email please?

If I remember cruisetrails information correctly these cabins 9086 and 9074 are indeed the smallest, and not bigger than the other ones you mention, of the inside at 13 sq m (140sq ft) which go up in size to 16 sq m (172 sq ft).

These measurements do not include the "H" class inside cabins which are 24 sq m (260sq ft)

 

Measurements are given on the MSC web site.

 

I should imagine there is a lot of noise from the workings of the lifts. but I have no actyal experience of this type of cabin myself.

 

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

Thanks for your answer. Can you please guide me where I can find the size of these cabin. On the website I just found 13sqm to 16sqm for an inside, and 24sqm for an inside for people with reduced mobility. How will I know if a cabin is 13 or 16sq m?

Same cabins on Divina. Can anyone who has been in these cabins on Divina help please?

Anyone has experience re the cabins right next to the lifts 9086 and 9074. I am afraid they are noisy, but they look bigger than other cabins. How are they compared to 9056 and 8260? In my eyes 8260 looks smaller. Which cabin would you choose out of these four? Thanks in advance

If you have already paid if full you are probably out of luck. But if before final payment, you can at least ask for the new price; if they say no, cancel and rebook. Just calculate the penalties first.

Have only just paid a deposit. Final payment is not due before another 7 months! But how would I know if prices have gone down or not? It seems that a lot of cabins that were not available a month ago have now become available!

I booked through an online US travel agent. Do I get a reduction in price if prices go down? If yes, how will I know about it? I am asking this because today I found the same cruise costing US300 less per person from a German website.

Do you know what MSC office/country your agent book through? We contacted our local MSC office here in Scandinavia last time we had problems with getting the points and it was sorted out in a few hours, via Naples :D

Our agent books through Italy. I wrote an email to 2 different Italian addresses but had no luck. Let's hope he does! Please tell me about your Preziosa experience. Cant wait to cruise on it next year!

Thank you all for your help. Unfortunately neither MSC Uk nor MSC USA could help. They guided me to contact my agent. Let's see if I get the points after all!:mad:

I think this is the link you want:

https://www.facebook.com/MSC.Cruises.USA?rf=103131079727796

 

I just did a search on Facebook for MSC Cruises. Bob

That's right. Thanks so much Bob..... let's see if they reply!

Try sending a private message on MSC Cruises USA Facebook page. You will get a response usually the same day.

Can you please give me the link to their facebook page. I have tried to look for it, but cant find the USA one. Thanks

I am a loyal MSC customer. I love their ships but I have to admit their pre and post cruise customer service stinks! I cruised on MSC in July and no points were credited to my account. I only noted this after booking a future cruise. I was supposed to be silver but I still appear classic when I log on their website. I have emailed MSC UK, Italy and USA, but have had no positive answer. I only received a reply from the UK and they said that they cant do anything about it since they weren't the ones booking my previous cruise. Who can I write to? I am hoping I get a reply from MSC here cause they do answer these threads sometimes.

Perfect, thank you, that sounds like my sort of town.

 

Absolutely adore calling at Valetta. That harbour is just so beautiful. Also love the public lift which saves my legs from that step gradient, and only 1€!

 

It would be good if they had more cruise embarking in Malta. I'd love to join there and have the chance for a pre or post cruise stay to see more of the Island as I only really know Valetta.

Hello Amomondo,

Just wanted to let you know that we have cruises embarking from Valletta every year but the problem is that you wouldn't be able to book them online. We have to book from a local travel agent, and the prices are normally nearly double the price they can be found online, but at least we do not have to take a flight, and we can board the ship with as much luggage as we want. Its very easy for people with young kids like us. This year we had MSC Lirica, Costa Favolosa and Costa Neo Riviera, and CDF Zenith. The only ship that can be booked online is Mein Schiff. We also had a visit from NCL Jade this year, and some people embarked and other disembarked here. Should you need any other info to help you book a holiday in Malta, let me know.

Thank you so much for this review. I'm seriously considering MSC for our next cruise because of the itinerary and price point. Some of the CC reviews are downright scary. lol But from your review the food was more than edible; and since you ate at the buffet several times, I guess the reports that the people acted crazy in there were exaggerated too.:)

 

What about embarkation? Was it orderly?

 

The other line that has the itinerary I want is Costa. I'm thinking MSC is better than Costa. Have you ever tried Costa?

Hello,

Yes we cruised Costa last year. We prefer MSC ships because they are so stylish compared to Costa! The food in the MDR is better on MSC as well, and the buffet is better on MSC on large ships, not on the Lirica class though, though yes, it was more than edible (especially the pizza and burgers)! The buffets are more well organised on MSC ships, whereas you have to wait in a long line on Costa since there is only one queue to everything. No, I have never seen people acting crazy in any buffet!

We checked in on the ship itself in the Reception and it was very orderly, since there were about 70 of us embarking in Malta.

I would suggest one of the MSC Fantasia class ships. They are the best.

My Divina cruise next year calls at la Spezia and like you I like to DIY so good to hear there is a free shuttle. What is there to do in town or do most folk head out to Cinque Terre?

Hello Amomondo,

So good to hear from you, and an honour to give tips to a professional like you! Yes, most people do go to Cinque Terre, but being our first time in La Spezia, we wanted to walk around town. And from what we saw, we might stay there as well when we next visit! It is such a pretty town and so chic! There are two pedestrianized streets, lined with shops, Via Del Prione and Corso Cavour, and there is a food market in Piazza Cavour as well. We passed a full 2 hours walking these two streets and looking at the shops, and only left because we had to collect the kids from the Kids Club which closes at 1pm.

Enjoy....... I am so hoping MSC Divina or Preziosa alter their schedule a bit and call in Malta so we can try one of them next year!

We are going on the Lirica from Marseille on 3rd August, we were on the splendida last August so will lower my expectations, am really concerned about the size of the rooms as we have an outside for a family of 4 so think it may be a bit of a squash !

 

Are there any excursions you can recommend?

 

Thanks

 

T

Hi,

Yes please do lower your expectations. The common areas of the ship are beautiful and stylish except for the hideous reception area which was supposed to be an atrium! Apart from that, there wont be such a good choice in the buffet as there was on Splendida.

We were also a family of 4 in an outside fantastica cabin. My 6 and 3 year old sons used the pull down beds. The cabin is small for an outside, ie compared to an outside on Splendida, so I think it must be the same size of an inside on Splendida. It felt just a bit bigger than an inside on the Costa Favolosa. Anyway, we never felt claustrophobic. The window is big and the views are amazing....... obviously, nothing will beat the view of the Grand Harbour in Malta (our tiny island). The view in Trapani Harbour was quite nice as well, since the ship docks in the centre of the city.

We did not take any excursion cause we prefer 'do it yourself'. The only tips I can give you are these:

We saved Eur 50 in Marseilles by not taking the ship's expensive shuttle, we just walked on the green line and took the free shuttle organised by the port. Do not bother walking in the Le Panier District in Marseilles because it all looks very run down and is totally quiet on a Sunday with all shops closed. Go straight to the Old Harbour area which is very pretty.

We saved another Eur 50 in Palma by taking the public bus. Buses run very frequent and only cost Eur1.50 per person one way. If you are doing any shopping save it for Palma as it is a shopper's heaven and quite cheap.

If you like markets, there is a market in Trapani, just keep walking to the right when you disembark the ship. They sell all sort of things and food.

The other ports do not require a shuttle apart from La Spezia which is also run by the port and is free of charge.

If you need to ask anything else, let me know.

I'm sure you will enjoy it if you cruise with an open mind!

There it is....... you just might have saved me writing a full review!

Thank you - I'm really looking forward to it. It'll be our first MSC cruise without my (elderly) parents so we're anticipating having a great time free from having to look after them.

Phew, know exactly what you mean. We cruise with our 2 young boys (3 and 6 now) and obviously have to look after them all the time, except for the few hours they spend at the mini club. We also look forward to a cruise when we can sit back and relax!