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Wellness Experience - MSC discontinuing experience?


JPMoore
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Hi all,

 

Just noticed online in 'Compare MSC Experiences' that the Wellness Experience has an asterisk stating that '* THE WELLNESS EXPERIENCE WILL BE AVAILABLE UNTIL WINTER 2019'.

 

Do we think this means that MSC will no longer be offering this experience? If I'm honest I wouldn't blame them as I've never heard of anyone booking it!

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Well, it's funny you mention this, because I had an odd experience with the booking I made this weekend.

Booked a Seaside Fantastica suite, and my TA indicated this (obviously) included Fantastica experience. Got my paperwork and it says I have a Fantastica Suite with a Wellness Experience!?!?

Price we paid was in-line with Fantastica, not Wellness, which was going for $800 more than what we paid. TA called MSC today to see what was happening, and they told him I'd have to choose which experience I want between the two.

I might start a new thread to see if anyone else has had this happen, but now I'm wondering if they threw the Wellness exp. on because no one was getting it? Not sure which I'll take, but might stick with Wellness so we can have My Choice Dining and the healthy eating options, which we'd definitely enjoy (we still get mealtime drinks, although that's not as good as the 12 vouchers).

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Well, it's funny you mention this, because I had an odd experience with the booking I made this weekend.

Booked a Seaside Fantastica suite, and my TA indicated this (obviously) included Fantastica experience. Got my paperwork and it says I have a Fantastica Suite with a Wellness Experience!?!?

Price we paid was in-line with Fantastica, not Wellness, which was going for $800 more than what we paid. TA called MSC today to see what was happening, and they told him I'd have to choose which experience I want between the two.

I might start a new thread to see if anyone else has had this happen, but now I'm wondering if they threw the Wellness exp. on because no one was getting it? Not sure which I'll take, but might stick with Wellness so we can have My Choice Dining and the healthy eating options, which we'd definitely enjoy (we still get mealtime drinks, although that's not as good as the 12 vouchers).

 

I booked a Bella balcony guarantee on the Seaside and received my cabin assignment today (I've been checking almost daily) and have been assigned to a Wellness balcony on deck 13 per the deck plans. MSC's website still indicates I'm Bella on my booking but yet my booking now is giving me a link to click on to complete their Wellness Experience questionnaire 7 days prior to sailing. So, I have no idea what "Experience" I have.

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I booked a Bella balcony guarantee on the Seaside and received my cabin assignment today (I've been checking almost daily) and have been assigned to a Wellness balcony on deck 13 per the deck plans. MSC's website still indicates I'm Bella on my booking but yet my booking now is giving me a link to click on to complete their Wellness Experience questionnaire 7 days prior to sailing. So, I have no idea what "Experience" I have.

 

Generally speaking, you keep the 'Experience' you originally booked; just the cabin category is upgraded. However, as with everything MSC related, this may be more a rule of thumb in this instance.

 

This is the first post that I've read that actually mentions being upgraded to a Wellness cabin. (That's not to say that there hasn't been any - I just haven't come across any). I've often thought that there must be a lot of it happening as I really don't believe there would be as much demand for the 'Experience' as there is supply.

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I booked a Bella balcony guarantee on the Seaside and received my cabin assignment today (I've been checking almost daily) and have been assigned to a Wellness balcony on deck 13 per the deck plans. MSC's website still indicates I'm Bella on my booking but yet my booking now is giving me a link to click on to complete their Wellness Experience questionnaire 7 days prior to sailing. So, I have no idea what "Experience" I have.

 

My cousin booked a Fantastica Oceanview but was upgraded to bella Balcony. Bella Balcony cabin locations are not as desirable as say, Fantastica Balcony. He did keep the Fantastica experience, just as Bea stated. In your case, you get a better balcony location but will get the Bella experience instead of Wellness.

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My cousin booked a Fantastica Oceanview but was upgraded to bella Balcony. Bella Balcony cabin locations are not as desirable as say, Fantastica Balcony. He did keep the Fantastica experience, just as Bea stated. In your case, you get a better balcony location but will get the Bella experience instead of Wellness.

 

So then why was she given the Wellness questionnaire? That would indicate she's getting the Wellness experience.

And why, if I booked a Fantastica suite/experience, does my reservation say Wellness experience? I've also received the questionnaire.

I realize these are questions that may not have an answer...but I'm stumped.

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I booked a Wellness Grand Suite for my Seaside cruise next November. I am not a gym rat, and I chose this cabin because I needed the extra space but doesn't want to spend the extra money on an Aurea GS (no one in my family drinks expect my wife). My guess is MSC will eventually convert the 2 Wellness GS into Aurea GS so they can make more money.

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Well, it seems to be all but confirmed that the Wellness stateroom category will be replaced by Aurea. MSC have added 'new deck plans valid from Summer 2019' on the individual ship's profiles, with all the former Wellness cabins re-categorised as Aurea. Interestingly, the Wellness interiors will become Fantastica - I'd thought that maybe interiors with Aurea experience would be added.

 

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/en-gb/Assets/pr_deckplan_19S.pdf

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I booked a Wellness Grand Suite for my Seaside cruise next November. I am not a gym rat, and I chose this cabin because I needed the extra space but doesn't want to spend the extra money on an Aurea GS (no one in my family drinks expect my wife). My guess is MSC will eventually convert the 2 Wellness GS into Aurea GS so they can make more money.

 

Yes, the Wellness experience must be a bust. Like I said, we booked a Fantastica suite with matching experience. I can't figure out why we were then just given a Wellness experience, but I guess I'll take it. I like the healthy eating options and MY CHOICE dining. I don't like not getting my 12 drink vouchers. Oh, and although I like to go to the gym, I sure as heck won't be going for any dr. check-up onboard. I do that when needed at home, and I can think of better ways to spend a cruise than in a dr.'s office having blood drawn.

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Yes, the Wellness experience must be a bust. Like I said, we booked a Fantastica suite with matching experience. I can't figure out why we were then just given a Wellness experience, but I guess I'll take it. I like the healthy eating options and MY CHOICE dining. I don't like not getting my 12 drink vouchers. Oh, and although I like to go to the gym, I sure as heck won't be going for any dr. check-up onboard. I do that when needed at home, and I can think of better ways to spend a cruise than in a dr.'s office having blood drawn.

 

Imagine if it were a fasting blood test! :eek:

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Well, it seems to be all but confirmed that the Wellness stateroom category will be replaced by Aurea. MSC have added 'new deck plans valid from Summer 2019' on the individual ship's profiles, with all the former Wellness cabins re-categorised as Aurea. Interestingly, the Wellness interiors will become Fantastica - I'd thought that maybe interiors with Aurea experience would be added.

 

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/en-gb/Assets/pr_deckplan_19S.pdf

 

I imagine that the price point for an inside Aurea 'Experience' would put people off booking.

 

It's such a shame that they introduced the Wellness 'Experience' to begin with. I have a link to technical sheets that give a lot of info about the ships as well as including the deck plans. All you have to do to get the particular ship's info, if the one that loads is not the one you want, is to change the ship's name in the URL. Unfortunately, the Wellness cabins are indicated:

 

http://www.mscpressarea.com/media/corporate-informationitems/attachments/msc-meraviglia-technical-sheet.pdf

 

It would be great if they upgraded this without breaking the link. I doubt it, though!

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To be fair, I like having a Techonogym in my cabin, but MSC went a little too far. If you take advantage of every Wellness related activity, you would get 1 gym class per day, at least 2 fitness themed shore excursions, and at least 2 health check-ups (one by the trainer and the second by the ship's doctor) over a 7 day cruise. That to me is more like a rehab than a relaxing cruise.

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Well, it's funny you mention this, because I had an odd experience with the booking I made this weekend.

Booked a Seaside Fantastica suite, and my TA indicated this (obviously) included Fantastica experience. Got my paperwork and it says I have a Fantastica Suite with a Wellness Experience!?!?

Price we paid was in-line with Fantastica, not Wellness, which was going for $800 more than what we paid. TA called MSC today to see what was happening, and they told him I'd have to choose which experience I want between the two.

I might start a new thread to see if anyone else has had this happen, but now I'm wondering if they threw the Wellness exp. on because no one was getting it? Not sure which I'll take, but might stick with Wellness so we can have My Choice Dining and the healthy eating options, which we'd definitely enjoy (we still get mealtime drinks, although that's not as good as the 12 vouchers).

FYI, Fantastica Suites do NOT include the mealtime drink package, at least not as part of the Seaside deal they've had forever. Balcony does. It's almost like someone thought that suites had free drinks included so they didn't need to give you the drink package.

 

I booked a Fantastica Suite and I'm fine with the 12 drinks per person. The mealtime package would be pretty useless for us.

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I booked a Bella balcony guarantee on the Seaside and received my cabin assignment today (I've been checking almost daily) and have been assigned to a Wellness balcony on deck 13 per the deck plans. MSC's website still indicates I'm Bella on my booking but yet my booking now is giving me a link to click on to complete their Wellness Experience questionnaire 7 days prior to sailing. So, I have no idea what "Experience" I have.

Same thing happened to us on the infamous Hurricane Irma cruise. Booked Bella inside-upgraded to wellness balcony deck 13, recieved the wellness firm, but were only entitled to the bella benifits.

We had a fantastic time!!

Safe sailing

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FYI, Fantastica Suites do NOT include the mealtime drink package, at least not as part of the Seaside deal they've had forever. Balcony does. It's almost like someone thought that suites had free drinks included so they didn't need to give you the drink package.

 

I booked a Fantastica Suite and I'm fine with the 12 drinks per person. The mealtime package would be pretty useless for us.

 

Actually, MisterBill, our Fantastica Suite DOES include the mealtime drink package. My TA sent over all the paperwork when I asked him why if we booked a Fantastica suite with the Fantastica exp. did my online account indicate a Wellness exp and Mealtime drink package.

He sent over six pages of detailed paperwork from MSC, and it's right there in black and white. I really think someone goofed at MSC because my 14-yr-old daughter has both the non-alcoholic and alcoholic mealtime drink package listed under her name, too.

My TA called MSC and they told him, well she will have to decide if she wants the Fantastica or Wellness exp. But, yes, we definitely have the Mealtime drink package, which is also pretty useless to us.

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To be fair, I like having a Techonogym in my cabin, but MSC went a little too far. If you take advantage of every Wellness related activity, you would get 1 gym class per day, at least 2 fitness themed shore excursions, and at least 2 health check-ups (one by the trainer and the second by the ship's doctor) over a 7 day cruise. That to me is more like a rehab than a relaxing cruise.

 

With you on that! I eat healthy during a cruise (for the most part) and hit the gym a few times, but I'm not going for a darn check-up when I can be sunning by the pool! Not going to do a class a day either, esp on port days.

Also, I have yet to get anything about what these fitness shore excursions actually entail. Have you? I might be up for a beach bike ride, but I saw one labeled as a "triathlon " in some literature. No thanks. And, if it's adults only, it's useless to us as we are traveling with our teenage daughter.

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I really liked this program in theory. I think MSC was onto something, but they just didn't put enough into the program for it to 'catch'. I never found a price on wellness that made sense either. And personally, I was turned off of the thought of visiting a Dr on-board as I saw that as a possible high pressure sales pitch.

 

I still think that "healthy cruising" is an untapped market. So many of my uber work out friends are much more likely to take a cruise vacation with a healthy and highly active focus. I'd be very much interested in unlimited work out classes (especially if they ever did run the aqua bikes~ twice on MSC looked for those classes both times and they were never offered) and fitness related shore excursions.

 

HAL (or was that Princess) does (or did) the 5K Susan Coleman run for the cure on their ships and it was quite popular. Met several people and we then formed groups for more activities on the islands. Made for a fun way to connect with other like minded people.

 

Sorry to see this go, but it's only a matter of time before another cruise line picks up on the concept. No longer are cruises only for those that like to eat 24/7. Hell, midnight buffets have been gone for quite some time ;-)

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Actually, MisterBill, our Fantastica Suite DOES include the mealtime drink package. My TA sent over all the paperwork when I asked him why if we booked a Fantastica suite with the Fantastica exp. did my online account indicate a Wellness exp and Mealtime drink package.

Where do you see that? This is from the MSC confirmation I just received the other day when I made final payment:

 

 

INCL − EXP2USA−FANTASTICA: Superior cabin & benefits

− 01/27/18 0.00

INCL − ISUSTD−Surfer Cruise Plus − 01/27/18 0.00

INCL − SB150USD−Shipboard credit 150 usd − 01/27/18 0.00

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Where do you see that? This is from the MSC confirmation I just received the other day when I made final payment:

 

 

INCL − EXP2USA−FANTASTICA: Superior cabin & benefits

− 01/27/18 0.00

INCL − ISUSTD−Surfer Cruise Plus − 01/27/18 0.00

INCL − SB150USD−Shipboard credit 150 usd − 01/27/18 0.00

 

After the questions I had regarding my booking, my TA sent a 6-pg. doc from MSC with booking details. It is much more detailed than what you get from the cruiseline, pg. 1 is an overview of cruise, than a separate page for each of us who are sailing, then detailed pages on the Wellness exp.

At the top of the pages for each of us it says:

 

Price description: 2 for 1 Onboard CreditPlus Your experience: Wellness, powered by Technogym

Category: S2 − Suite

FANTASTICA

 

Underneath that there is a listing of our cabin fare plus taxes followed by:

 

INCL − 734PRW17−MEALTIME RESTAURANT DRINK

PACKAGE A. − 0.00

INCL − ISUPRO−Internet Promo − Surfer − 0.00

INCL − EXPWEL−Wellness, powered by Technogym −

0.00

 

So, we do have the Mealtime Drink Package with a Fantastica suite, and I know by looking at the Experience descriptions this isn't supposed to occur, but as you can see, it did. My 14 year old daughter actually has mealtime drink package A (alcoholic) and C (nonalcoholic) listed, so I guess she will be tipping back a few. (just kidding.)

I also see when looking at the descriptions that the Wellness exp. includes everything that comes with the Fantastica exp., so I would think I'd get the 12 drink vouchers. I'm not sure if anyone here knows if that's correct, I may have to make a new thread.

Either way, although I'm OK with all this, I"m just stumped.

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