Drink packages with group

I am traveling with extended family members and our reservations are grouped together. There are two sets of couples that wish to purchase the drink packages. Is there a way to ungroup reservations so everyone doesn’t have to buy the drink packages?

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If you are truly booked into a group, then no. Can't be done. If you are booked in individual reservations, then yes, you can unattach your "travel with" with whomever booked your cruise. However, if you do that, they will not be assigned at your table for dining.

That being said, depending on who you get onboard, you might get someone to ignore the rules and do it anyway. It's not unheard of.

Bret

We travel with family members who had their own reservation numbers. We had the reservations linked for dining purposes but we were not booked as a group. (The linking was also important when we needed to change our assigned debarkation group to match those our people traveling together in the same vehicle. Guest Services pulled up cabins and verified we were linked before changing the debarkation assignment.)

Because some wanted to buy the drink packages while others did not, a call was made to MSC. As long as we were not a "group", it made no difference if our reservations were linked as long as we were in different cabins. If we shared a cabin, then all in the cabin would need to buy the drink package.

At dinner, we sat at the same table and the various drink packages (or no drink package) did not make a difference.

Our last MSC cruise was April 2017. You might wish to check directly with MSC if the policy has changed.

At dinner, we sat at the same table and the various drink packages (or no drink package) did not make a difference.

Looks like Homosassa got lucky. Here is their current and previous policy for the Classic and Deluxe All-Inclusive Packages:

*Book before you depart to get the best possible deal. The package is valid for every day of the cruise and cannot be purchased on a daily basis. It must be booked by all guests occupying the same stateroom, or just traveling together and wishing to eat at the same table, including minors - between 3 and 17 years of age (i.e. who have not yet reached their 18th birthday) or between 3 and 20 years of age (i.e. who have not yet reached their 21st birthday for the Caribbean departures), who must book the Child version of the package. The package is not mandatory for Infants under 3 years old (i.e. who have not yet reached their 3rd birthday). The price of the package applies to each day of the cruise except the day of disembarkation. The package is for personal use only and valid for one order at a time. The ID card is non-transferable. Abusing the terms of the all-inclusive package may cause the service to be withdrawn and the remaining days not to be refunded.

As I have mentioned before, it all depends on who you talk to at MSC and how familiar they are with the rules. ;)

Bret

Looks like Homosassa got lucky. Here is their current and previous policy for the Classic and Deluxe All-Inclusive Packages:

 

 

 

*Book before you depart to get the best possible deal. The package is valid for every day of the cruise and cannot be purchased on a daily basis. It must be booked by all guests occupying the same stateroom, or just traveling together and wishing to eat at the same table, including minors - between 3 and 17 years of age (i.e. who have not yet reached their 18th birthday) or between 3 and 20 years of age (i.e. who have not yet reached their 21st birthday for the Caribbean departures), who must book the Child version of the package. The package is not mandatory for Infants under 3 years old (i.e. who have not yet reached their 3rd birthday). The price of the package applies to each day of the cruise except the day of disembarkation. The package is for personal use only and valid for one order at a time. The ID card is non-transferable. Abusing the terms of the all-inclusive package may cause the service to be withdrawn and the remaining days not to be refunded.

 

 

 

As I have mentioned before, it all depends on who you talk to at MSC and how familiar they are with the rules. ;)

 

 

 

Bret

 

Thank you all! Hopefully our lovely booking agent will assist, but I won’t count on it. Appreciate the insight and experience.

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Then I guess I "got lucky" twice in a row (we only checked for the first cruise, not the second one), as did my daughter and her group this summer (not a "group" booking, but linked reservations).

The policy stated above was the policy that was current in 2016 during the first cruise and I stated MSC's response at the time (the agent pulled up both our reservation numbers before responding). We checked because my daughter and her cabin mate wanted one of the all inclusive packages, we did not, just a coupon book.

We booked the drink packages on line before boarding the ship both times, as did my daughter and her travel companions (three times of "getting lucky").

Try buying them on line. I bet you will also be "lucky." Keep in mind that for large tables that the maitre'd assigns passengers that are not linked (open or traditional), there will be people that have packages and those that do not. It doesn't cause a problem.