Just off Magnica

[Ann Halliday]

We just returned from our June 26 cruise from Venice. Magnifica was a beautiful ship. The food was great, people very friendly, excursions fabulous. I can't think of any negative. In fact, I really have trouble figuring out why people had negative reviews of this wonderful cruise line.

I would just like to say that the internet cafe was very expensive (which I knew before hand) but what they don't tell you is you only have 3 minutes to see if you can connect. After that they charge you 4 euros. So if you want to see if you can send an email do not wait longer than 3 minutes. You can go to the accounting desk and they can delete the charges. Also, if you want a drinks package from the MSC website, book it before you get on the ship. The same packages were not available once onboard.

Wine and beer are comparable to Canadian prices but the cocktails and other specialty drinks were expensive. A half litre of house wine was 8 euros. I will write an extensive review soon.

[freshnotfrozen]

thanks ann.look forward to your trip report.

[cruisecritic77]

Can you please tell me if it was cold at night on the ship? Since it will be so hot during the day (I am going in August), I was wondering if I need a jacket or just a sweater for the evenings. Is the indoor air conditioning very cold and/or does it get quite cool on the deck in the eveings that I will need a longer sleeve dress at night or jacket? I just wasn't sure how heavy a sweater or jacket to bring. Thank you, if you know.

[remi1au]

We just returned from our June 26 cruise from Venice. Magnifica was a beautiful ship. The food was great, people very friendly, excursions fabulous. I can't think of any negative. In fact, I really have trouble figuring out why people had negative reviews of this wonderful cruise line.

I would just like to say that the internet cafe was very expensive (which I knew before hand) but what they don't tell you is you only have 3 minutes to see if you can connect. After that they charge you 4 euros. So if you want to see if you can send an email do not wait longer than 3 minutes. You can go to the accounting desk and they can delete the charges. Also, if you want a drinks package from the MSC website, book it before you get on the ship. The same packages were not available once onboard.

Wine and beer are comparable to Canadian prices but the cocktails and other specialty drinks were expensive. A half litre of house wine was 8 euros. I will write an extensive review soon.

 

Hi Ann, we are travelling on The Poesia soon but I am assuming most things will be the same as The Magnifica. Can you tell me if the 907 (24/7 beer, wine, coffee and soft drink) package was available for purchase on board, and if so how much it was ?

Here in Australia if we pre purchase it is AU$41 per person per day, but I have been assured (in quite a snotty fashion) that it will be available on board for 26 Euro per person per day.

As 26 Euro is cheaper I am tempted to get it later but I don’t want to get caught out ! :o

 

Cheers

Andy.

[Cruise_baby]

Ann, I am from Canada as well, and I was wondering if the excursions were more expensive onboard or online...

[tuppence]

Hi Ann my brother and wife have just booked a cruise on Magnifica and I have told them what you said about her and they are delighted as they have cruised lots before but not on MSC. Just a question please from my brother do they have bacon and egg for breakfast!!! ( Not just continental ) Many thanks :) Linda

[Ann Halliday]

Hi everyone. I'll try to answer your questions -

1) The drinks package I wanted wasn't available on board. I'm sorry I can't

remember if the all-inclusive package was available for that price.

2) The excursions are the same on-line and on-board. They are more

expensive than if you book them through a private operator but they are

very good with great knowledgeable guides.

3) Bacon and eggs can be had at the buffet and in the dining room. I like

my bacon very crispy and I got it done to perfection. At the buffet I had

to pick out the crispy pieces. For room service you could only get a

continental breakfast - croissants, brioche, juice, coffee.

4) July was very warm at night and I didn't need any sweater/jacket at

night. You can control your own a/c in the cabin and I never found it too

cold in the public areas.

Hope that helps!

[Cityplace]

Hi Anne,

 

We're going to be sailing in a big group (>50 people) in August on Magnifica as well.

 

Where on the website did you book the packages?

 

Thanks!

[Ann Halliday]

Hi there - do you mean the drinks packages?

If so go to the website and click on "Form" at the top of the page with shore excursions etc. "Guest Forms" will come up so cick on that and you'll get a page that says "Special Services Packages Med. & N.E. They will list all the packages and you get a much better deal if there are many of you. Good luck.

If you wanted to know how to book shore excursions, click on "Ports". Find your port, e.g. Istanbul, and all the available tours will be described. You can download the form and book ahead of time or wait until you're on board. It's the same price.

Hope that helps.

[Cityplace]

Thank you! That's exactly what I was looking for.

 

So you were saying that these packages were not available once onboard?

 

I am interested in getting Package 412 for only one (or two) of the days.

 

Looking forward to it!

 

Thanks,

[Ann Halliday]

I was interested in getting package #704 (glass of wine with lunch, beer, soft drink and bottle of wine for dinner) and the closest I could get was 5 bottles of wine for 78 euros. They told me they were special web-packages and were not available once on the ship. I don't know if that applied to #704 or all of them. I just assumed you had to take the package for the 7 days; I don't know if you can do it for just l or 2 days. I do know that everyone in the cabin has to be on the same package. Because I didn't get a package before hand I just ordered a glass of wine with lunch, maybe a beer or wine by the pool and then a 1/2 carafe for dinner. That came to the 15 euros/day I had allocated. Being an Italian ship, the house wine was quite nice.