Refreshment advice needed

[tayl]

I'm a seasoned cruiser,however,am new to the European style. Hence,I'm confused and require some advice around how best to purchase various drink packages.

I was very surprised to learn, that except for breakfeast, there is a charge for coffee. Water also needs to be purchased?! I'm travelling with someone,who, due to a health condition, needs access to water all the time. I could have this wrong, but I believe one can purchase a water package, consisting of 14 bottles only!

Is it difficult to get a glass of ice water at meals? Or must this be purchased as well? We'll need a lot more than 14 bottles for eleven days. I also understand that one can not purchase a soda card for unlimited drinks. I don't want to end up paying a small fortune to stay quenched. What are the packages we should be looking at?

Is it possible to purchase these packages prior to the sailing? I'm assuming that anything purchased before embarkation, would be in U.S. dollars. Once on board, I imagine everything would be in Euros (we sail out of Venice).

I'm trying to figure how to get the best bang for my buck.

Any suggestions?

[tayl]

Does anyone have experience on this? Hoping for a reply.

[sbtw13]

I don't think you can get icewater other than at breakfast.

you could look at package 709- which is unlimited bottled water and fountain drinks in the restaurants for $12 a day. We had a similar package on our med sailing (except ours was 704 which includes wine and beer as well.) They will give you bottles of water as you walk out of meals, and also cans of soda (just ask your waiter near the end of your meal for another drink- and don't open them.)

We took water with us from meals- and then if I finished the bottle I refilled it in our cabin sink. I never lacked for hydration.

They also have package 414- which is all inclusive non-alcoholic, and you can get drinks from any bar 24 hrs a day- for $28 a day. That seems awfully steep to me-

http://www.msccruisesgetforms.com/ there is the link to the drink package.

[AmoMondo]

I'm a seasoned cruiser,however,am new to the European style. Hence,I'm confused and require some advice around how best to purchase various drink packages.

I was very surprised to learn, that except for breakfeast, there is a charge for coffee. Water also needs to be purchased?! I'm travelling with someone,who, due to a health condition, needs access to water all the time. I could have this wrong, but I believe one can purchase a water package, consisting of 14 bottles only!

Is it difficult to get a glass of ice water at meals? Or must this be purchased as well? We'll need a lot more than 14 bottles for eleven days. I also understand that one can not purchase a soda card for unlimited drinks. I don't want to end up paying a small fortune to stay quenched. What are the packages we should be looking at?

Is it possible to purchase these packages prior to the sailing? I'm assuming that anything purchased before embarkation, would be in U.S. dollars. Once on board, I imagine everything would be in Euros (we sail out of Venice).

I'm trying to figure how to get the best bang for my buck.

Any suggestions?

 

Hi Denise

It is quite difficult getting them to bring you iced water but if you do manage it, they won't charge you. Yes you can buy water packages of 14 (75cl) bottles. On my last cruise they were 20 Euros onboard. I don't know what the price would be if you bought in pre cruise as I'm from the UK. There is no limit on how many packages you buy. You can get them at any bar. They will give you a book of 14 vouchers. You can use these at any bar or in the restaurants in exchange for a bottle (you can choose either still called naturale or sparkling - frizzante). As soon as one book is finished, just get another. They are also not specific to one passenger - you can share a book.

 

I'm a bit confused about you saying there isn't an unlimited soda card. I usually have the option to buy this before I sail (but you can't get it onboard). Everyone in the cabin has to buy it though. It also used to be that you could only use it at meal times in restaurants or the buffet. Alternatively there are packages you can get onboard. last Novemeber it was 14 soft drinks or fruit juices for 28 euros. Again this is a voucher system. Like the water vouchers there is no restriction on where/when they can be redeemed.They don't have soda fountains like you may have encountered on other lines - they will give you a can of whatever it is you want.

 

They do have a few water dispensers around the ship but not many and not usually in the MDR

 

I believe that there is a section on MSC's US site where you can download a form to see details of all the pre cruise packages and book them.

 

Hope this helps

[tayl]

Thank you both,for your helpful information.:)