Questions from a MSC Firsttimer

[wantocruisemore]

We will be on the Divinia this Spring sailing from Venice and are very excited about the itinerary. We have cruised before but this will be our first time on MSC.

 

I have tried searching but seem to come up with contradictory results, it would appear the answer depends on ship, time of day, cabin etc.

 

So, here it goes,

 

1. Is there a charge for Room Service for a Balcony or Inside Cabin on the Divina sailings from Venice? If so, what is it? Does the charge apply to all times of the day or is Breakfast free? Is it possible to order gluten-free items from Room Service? In looking back over previous posts one time it says it's free, another not, another that it's not free for Europe. And what beverages?

 

2. What is the check-in procedure at Venice? When a member of the group is mentally disabled is there a way to get priority check-in?

 

3. Does a balcony room have a fridge suitable for insulin?

 

4. Is there a specific email where you can send questions about accommodations for disabled passengers and get back answers in writing?

 

5. What do I have to do to get confirmation of my booking in writing? I have called 2 times since booking (asked for it at booking as well) and every time they have promised to send it by email, but it has not arrived. We verified they have the correct address. I am one of these that likes to have stuff in writing so I know exactly what is what.

 

6. If a passenger requires a gluten-free diet is there anything else you need to do besides telling them at booking (but since I can't get my confirmation I have no idea if it was recorded).

 

7. Where do I need to send the request that my family have a table just to ourselves? It's not that we are not sociable, but my DD who is disabled does not do that great with strangers at the dinner table.

 

8. Exactly what beverages and where (ie. dining room, room service, for which meals, elsewhere) are free? We are considering the Allegrissimo package but since only 2 will drink alcohol and the other 2 just water and occassional coffee I'm trying to decide what to do.

 

9. I'm assuming lunch the first day of embarkation is just the buffet like other lines. How do I go about finding out which food items are gluten-free?

 

I'm sure I will think of other questions and I am hope the MSC person who posts will come on, but also for any who have done the Divinia European sailings please chime in.

[hennypenny69]

Hi, we have chatted on another thread - I will try to answer some of your questions based on our experience.

 

So, here it goes,

 

1. Is there a charge for Room Service for a Balcony or Inside Cabin on the Divina sailings from Venice? If so, what is it? Does the charge apply to all times of the day or is Breakfast free? Is it possible to order gluten-free items from Room Service? In looking back over previous posts one time it says it's free, another not, another that it's not free for Europe. And what beverages?

We did not use room service as didn't want to risk getting food that wasn't gluten free - also we wanted to eat more than was on offer - the main restaurants served good breakfast and knew after one day that my son was disabled and gluten free.

 

 

2. What is the check-in procedure at Venice? When a member of the group is mentally disabled is there a way to get priority check-in?

I told the MSC people at embarkation that my son was disabled and did not cope with queues and they made sure he was in the first group.

3. Does a balcony room have a fridge suitable for insulin?

 

4. Is there a specific email where you can send questions about accommodations for disabled passengers and get back answers in writing?

For 3 and 4 - if you register on the MSC website then go onto my account there is a contact number (on the UK site it is a London Number) - I rang them during the week (at the weekend most of the departments are shut) and asked questions, then asked for email addresses and emailed requesting responses. There are fridges - not sure if they are cold enough but there must be provision for insulin storage somewhere on the ship. (Try ringing 0844 561 1955 - British special needs admin number. I found it under Why MSC, Special Needs section www.MSCcruises.co.uk)

5. What do I have to do to get confirmation of my booking in writing? I have called 2 times since booking (asked for it at booking as well) and every time they have promised to send it by email, but it has not arrived. We verified they have the correct address. I am one of these that likes to have stuff in writing so I know exactly what is what.

I spoke to the accounts dept and got an email address - then requested via email.

6. If a passenger requires a gluten-free diet is there anything else you need to do besides telling them at booking (but since I can't get my confirmation I have no idea if it was recorded).

Once you are on the ship go to see the restaurant manager (a time is allocated for people who wish to changed their sitting) and tell him/her. Don't worry about the gluten free diet - there is a specialist waiter in the main restaurants (don't know about the buffet - son can't cope with buffets!), on one occasion we went to the restaurant that wasn't our allocated one and said "gluten free - pointing to our son" a waiter and gf menu appeared like magic!

7. Where do I need to send the request that my family have a table just to ourselves? It's not that we are not sociable, but my DD who is disabled does not do that great with strangers at the dinner table.

I think if you go to the restaurant manager as above and tell him/her there will not be a problem.

8. Exactly what beverages and where (ie. dining room, room service, for which meals, elsewhere) are free? We are considering the Allegrissimo package but since only 2 will drink alcohol and the other 2 just water and occassional coffee I'm trying to decide what to do.

We had allegrissimo package - there is a gluten free bar list - ice creams and non alcoholic drinks.

9. I'm assuming lunch the first day of embarkation is just the buffet like other lines. How do I go about finding out which food items are gluten-free?

We haven't been on the Divina but on our first day on embarkation we went to the main restaurant and were served gf food. I imagine the Divina will be same.

I'm sure I will think of other questions and I am hope the MSC person who posts will come on, but also for any who have done the Divinia European sailings please chime in.

Please don't worry about your daughter - I'm sure she will be well looked after - I printed the sheets from the National Autistic Society - I am happy to email these to you - in Italian and showed people as required. The Italians are great with gf food and our son eats a greater variety of food on the ships than he does at home!!

[wantocruisemore]

hennypenny - that would be wonderful if you could mail the extra Autistic info! My email is theresa@chadalefarms.com.

 

My DD loves cruises and has done extremely well in the past, but everytime I had my act together and knew what to do when. I also had printed out copies of email correspondence with the cruise line where they promised they would accommodate just in case I ran into a problem.

 

The breakfast room service thing is sort of a balcony wake-up tradition. If I can't get the gl pastries, then I could just get her a piece of fruit and milk. We usually do that to get going and then go down to the restaurant for the full breakfast.

 

Do you happen to remember if the hot chocolate was gluten-free? That's something she really loves. And great to know about the GF ice cream. She will love that!

 

And good to know the main restaurant will be open on embarkation day. We will plan on that. That will be a first for us since normally we have to use the buffet the first day. DD is funny about buffets, but did well on the Navigator last summer. Plus there the Head Chef came out and went around with us which made it seem special for her.

 

I will find out again if there is an email I can send a table request. She is ok in the MDR so long as she has a table along the perimeter. The noise in the center bothers her and there's just too much going on.

[hennypenny69]

I have emailed you!

[Skier52]

We will be on the Divinia this Spring sailing from Venice and are very excited about the itinerary. We have cruised before but this will be our first time on MSC.

 

I have tried searching but seem to come up with contradictory results, it would appear the answer depends on ship, time of day, cabin etc.

 

So, here it goes,

 

1. Is there a charge for Room Service for a Balcony or Inside Cabin on the Divina sailings from Venice? If so, what is it? Does the charge apply to all times of the day or is Breakfast free? Is it possible to order gluten-free items from Room Service? In looking back over previous posts one time it says it's free, another not, another that it's not free for Europe. And what beverages?

 

2. What is the check-in procedure at Venice? When a member of the group is mentally disabled is there a way to get priority check-in?

 

3. Does a balcony room have a fridge suitable for insulin?

 

4. Is there a specific email where you can send questions about accommodations for disabled passengers and get back answers in writing?

 

5. What do I have to do to get confirmation of my booking in writing? I have called 2 times since booking (asked for it at booking as well) and every time they have promised to send it by email, but it has not arrived. We verified they have the correct address. I am one of these that likes to have stuff in writing so I know exactly what is what.

 

6. If a passenger requires a gluten-free diet is there anything else you need to do besides telling them at booking (but since I can't get my confirmation I have no idea if it was recorded).

 

7. Where do I need to send the request that my family have a table just to ourselves? It's not that we are not sociable, but my DD who is disabled does not do that great with strangers at the dinner table.

 

8. Exactly what beverages and where (ie. dining room, room service, for which meals, elsewhere) are free? We are considering the Allegrissimo package but since only 2 will drink alcohol and the other 2 just water and occassional coffee I'm trying to decide what to do.

 

9. I'm assuming lunch the first day of embarkation is just the buffet like other lines. How do I go about finding out which food items are gluten-free?

 

I'm sure I will think of other questions and I am hope the MSC person who posts will come on, but also for any who have done the Divinia European sailings please chime in.

Here is the info I have for a few of your questions

 

Question 1

room service is free between 06:00 and 10:00

Here is the room service breakfast menu

 

 

 

 

Question 7

you should have been asked by your TA what table size you would prefer at the time of booking, sizes available are usually 2,4,6,8 and occasionally 10.

If you are not happy about your arrangements when you finnally get on the boat you join the queue to see the Maitre D' and make your request to him. but long before that phone MSC's office and ask them to take consideration of your special circumstances.

 

At the moment I can't definatively answer any of your other questions as they relate to a specific need of which i have no experience.

BTW i've added to the drinks choices , on the other thread ,which may resolve your problem with the allegrissimo package. You may not have found that yet.

 

 

 

Pete

[wantocruisemore]

Thanks Pete for the menu!

 

And I made the reservations directly with MSC, so no TA. They did not ask me the table size, just whether early or late sitting.