Jumping ship to MCS due to price

[urc12]

My family and I have enjoyed many Royal cruises but the pricing for this summer is forcing us to jump ship and give the MSC Divina a try. We booked a suite (11010) which is 421 Sq feet with a 130sq ft. balcony. Our price includes alcohol packages for my wife and I as well as a spa treatment as well as a bunch of other suite perks. The Divina looks to be a gorgeous ship. We are paying $4228 for the 4 of us for the week. The total deposit was $200

 

By comparison, the GS on the Freedom out of Port Canaveral the same week would be $11966. The suites are roughly the same size and the itineraries are similar. Drink package and spa treatment extra. I could book and inside quad on the Freedom for $4349.

 

I have loved all my Royal cruises, but I am going to try something else until their pricing comes back to earth

Edited December 18, 2015 by urc12
Spelling

[urc12]

WOOPS. Should have said MSC. Couldn't edit the title.

[JuliaNicker]

I am sure that you will enjoy MSC, and enjoy the different clientele.

have a blast :)

Edited December 18, 2015 by JuliaNicker

[urc12]

I am sure that you will enjoy MSC, and enjoy the different clientele.

have a blast :)

 

Please help me understand. What do you mean by the different clientele? I understand that it is much more of an American clientele on the Divina. Even if it has more of a European flavor, does that create an issue?

[George C]

MSC and Costa have a much larger percentage of Europeans on there cruise, one of the things I loved was they also had a pasta course as part of the dinner, only negative was they made announcements in 5 different languages. Really loved the food on both lines and I would said either again. Have a great cruise

[I&J Cruisers]

We tried MSC last year. The Davina is a beautiful ship. We did the yacht club. Some things were great some we didn't care for. We probably will not sail MSC again because there is absolutely no shady outside area on the entire ship to relax in and that is a deal breaker for us.

 

 

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[MisterFidgetpants]

I have a thread going now about matching my RCI diamond status to MSC.

 

Within 2 days they gave me black card (highest tier) status and also applied a members 5% discount to my booking. If you haven't matched your status yet, and some report long waits and issues, what I suggest (and was told to me by MSC to do) is to create a Voyagers club number with MSC. THEN submit your match information. This supposedly makes the process much faster.

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Voyagers-Club.aspx

 

I'm looking forward to it. Whatever someone did or didn't like I won't dwell on before going. I know it will be different somewhat, that is what I look forward to.

 

Want to trade an inside with a baby for your YC? :)

[urc12]

Thanks for the insight Mister FP. I'll start working on getting the status match. As for trading "up" for an inside with a baby, I'll have to pass. Been there, done that, loved it but happy to be past the baby stage. We did just get off he Grandeur where we had all 4 of us in a Panoramic view room and that worked very well.

[MisterFidgetpants]

Thanks for the insight Mister FP. I'll start working on getting the status match. As for trading "up" for an inside with a baby, I'll have to pass. Been there, done that, loved it but happy to be past the baby stage. We did just get off he Grandeur where we had all 4 of us in a Panoramic view room and that worked very well.

 

And just call them up for the 5% off your base fare. They sent me a new invoice immediately showing the discount. Makes a good impression.

[RFerrington]

what I suggest (and was told to me by MSC to do) is to create a Voyagers club number with MSC. THEN submit your match information.

 

I tried the link but they are asking for a booking number to join the VC. Do you have to be booked in order to join ?

[monctonguy]

When will Royal wake up and realize they are overpriced and under-incentived compared to other cruise lines.

 

Oh right..when more people jump ship to the other lines to enjoy the cheaper prices and better/included perks.

 

I have loved every Royal cruise so far, but of course I know I have paid about double what I could have paid elsewhere.....guess its cause of ppl like me they don't lower their prices and include perks..lol

Edited December 18, 2015 by monctonguy

[MisterFidgetpants]

I tried the link but they are asking for a booking number to join the VC. Do you have to be booked in order to join ?

 

In my case I submitted my Status match information.

 

Then booked a cruise.

 

I asked how long it would take to see it and the agent said I should go in and make a new voyagers number and then she can find everything and put it together. In that case I had the black tier and discount issued within 48 hours. So maybe you do have to have a booking # in that case.

 

Perhaps if you don't have a cruise booked the only way is to ask for a status match and then they create a number for you? I am not sure, sorry. If you call their phone number they have an option just for the Voyagers club and they got everything squared away for me.

[Royal2464]

Sounds like a great deal. Hard to justify the great difference in price between the two lines. Have a great cruise!

[sfaaa]

I also booked my first MSC cruise based on price point which is even cheaper than budget leader Carnival on a similar route. With such good deals offered by MSC, it's a no-brainer.

[sugcarol]

My friend and I cruise every year and after our Feb 2016 cruise on Liberty we are moving on to other cruise lines. 2017 cruise is booked on HAL. We are Diamond and always went to RCCL to get the balcony discount, but their prices have gone so high, the balcony discount doesn't balance out the price for the cruise. I'm sure RCCL will miss us:rolleyes:

[KsucAts]

I appreciated the op's post. I like to hear about the other cruise choices people are making and why. This is a cruise message board. Maybe you were looking for a culinary board.

 

I agree as well. I am one who is new to Royal. We just left Disney and are trying a new line for several reasons. Price increases is a big part of it, but the change to their alcohol policy was the end of it. Being able to carry on alcohol was a big reason for me to justify some of the price difference. Now, I can buy the drink package with Royal and still come out quite a bit cheaper than Disney. My guess is we will be happy and stick with Royal, but who knows. We probably won't cruise again for 2 years no matter what. Looking at doing an all-inclusive for the next year.

[lv2bcruzin]

I will say that there are huge price fluctuations (in general) between the day the sailing is released and the day it sails. If you use a certain site that tracks prices of sailings throughout their life cycle you will almost always see the prices are at the lowest right at that beginning. Then for the next 18 months they go up and down (sometimes up and up) with the occasional lower price thrown in the middle and at the end. Initial release prices have been historically lower than at any other times.

 

Yes, RCI prices have continued to go up in general, but it's all about timing. My GS on the Oasis in April is now $3,700 more than when I booked. My JS on the Liberty in Dec '16 is $1,000+ more than when I booked and the same goes for my JS on the Navigator in April '17. But, I booked all three cruises near the time they were released. Could've gotten them even cheaper had I booked during the first few days of their release.

 

The point is, you can still find very reasonable and competitive pricing on RCI, but you have to know when to book (or at least in theory know when to look). It's no different than any other consumer purchase. Do you research and learn the system. This is not to say you still can't find something better or cheaper occasionally (like any other purchase), but you can still get good pricing and value with RCI.

Edited December 18, 2015 by lv2bcruzin

[Jeff&Mel]

I did the opposite... well sort of :)

 

My first 2 cruises were with Costa which is another Italian cruise line but according to my TA and others who have cruised both Costa and MSC- Costa is a step above MSC.

 

What I LOVED about Costa- The ships were so beautiful! and Dining was a wonderful experience. Seven course meals every night. Just FABULOUS!

 

The things that I did not like was that all announcements are made in at least 5 languages with English always being last. Now I do not care that English is last- however, I could never understand the English announcement because the other cruisers heard there announcement and then would instantly begin talking loudly so the rest of the announcement could not be heard. The customer service was pretty bad. And the last thing and the reason why I decided to try another line was because the cigarette smoke was SO unbearable!

 

So even though Royal was almost twice as much I decided to book a cruise and see if it was any better.

 

Then I took a cruise on Royal Caribbean. WOW. I couldn't believe it! The difference in the cigarette smoke alone is worth paying double.

 

I am just telling you my experience. You may have a totally different experience. Everyone has different priorities :)

 

In my opinion the main dining room and the ship décor was much better on Costa- Royal wins on everything else :)

 

I am not sure where you are cruising from... it will more than likely be a different experience if you are cruising from Europe...

 

Have a wonderful time on your cruise :)

[payankee]

I appreciate your post. I bought a balcony for 2. My price watch said the JS was available for a little more so we bumped up. Then 1 GS became available for a little more so I upped again. This is our first time with RCI. I will watch other lines and am glad that you provided this info. The only thing I am loyal to is my wallet unless I am given a very good reason to think otherwise.

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

I did the opposite... well sort of :)

 

My first 2 cruises were with Costa which is another Italian cruise line but according to my TA and others who have cruised both Costa and MSC- Costa is a step above MSC.

 

What I LOVED about Costa- The ships were so beautiful! and Dining was a wonderful experience. Seven course meals every night. Just FABULOUS!

 

The things that I did not like was that all announcements are made in at least 5 languages with English always being last. Now I do not care that English is last- however, I could never understand the English announcement because the other cruisers heard there announcement and then would instantly begin talking loudly so the rest of the announcement could not be heard. The customer service was pretty bad. And the last thing and the reason why I decided to try another line was because the cigarette smoke was SO unbearable!

 

So even though Royal was almost twice as much I decided to book a cruise and see if it was any better.

 

Then I took a cruise on Royal Caribbean. WOW. I couldn't believe it! The difference in the cigarette smoke alone is worth paying double.

 

I am just telling you my experience. You may have a totally different experience. Everyone has different priorities :)

 

In my opinion the main dining room and the ship décor was much better on Costa- Royal wins on everything else :)

 

I am not sure where you are cruising from... it will more than likely be a different experience if you are cruising from Europe...

 

Have a wonderful time on your cruise :)

 

You may want to try Celebrity next. They have next to no announcements , no smoking inside or on the balcony's, only in designated areas.

[Cruzin-K]

My family and I have enjoyed many Royal cruises but the pricing for this summer is forcing us to jump ship and give the MSC Divina a try. We booked a suite (11010) which is 421 Sq feet with a 130sq ft. balcony. Our price includes alcohol packages for my wife and I as well as a spa treatment as well as a bunch of other suite perks. The Divina looks to be a gorgeous ship. We are paying $4228 for the 4 of us for the week. The total deposit was $200

 

By comparison, the GS on the Freedom out of Port Canaveral the same week would be $11966. The suites are roughly the same size and the itineraries are similar. Drink package and spa treatment extra. I could book and inside quad on the Freedom for $4349.

 

I have loved all my Royal cruises, but I am going to try something else until their pricing comes back to earth

 

Wow! That certainly is a huge price difference. I might check them out and see how their solo pricing is. Might be worth a try in the future. thanks.

[John&LaLa]

My family and I have enjoyed many Royal cruises but the pricing for this summer is forcing us to jump ship and give the MSC Divina a try. We booked a suite (11010) which is 421 Sq feet with a 130sq ft. balcony. Our price includes alcohol packages for my wife and I as well as a spa treatment as well as a bunch of other suite perks. The Divina looks to be a gorgeous ship. We are paying $4228 for the 4 of us for the week. The total deposit was $200

 

By comparison, the GS on the Freedom out of Port Canaveral the same week would be $11966. The suites are roughly the same size and the itineraries are similar. Drink package and spa treatment extra. I could book and inside quad on the Freedom for $4349.

 

I have loved all my Royal cruises, but I am going to try something else until their pricing comes back to earth

 

What week are you going, that price for Freedom is insane

[ebonybee]

Thanks OP for this information. Just off Oasis with another cruise within days but seriously considering another cruise line.

[John&LaLa]

OP, you know what's really weird about that Freedom price. 4 people in one GS is about the same as 4 people in 2 GS's. Still high, but weird.

[Biker19]

I

Then I took a cruise on Royal Caribbean. WOW. I couldn't believe it! The difference in the cigarette smoke alone is worth paying double.

 

 

And they also try harder not to sink their ships.:p