Problems booking Seaside in category SE3 - Aurea Grand Suite

[funat55]

Funat ... If the front of Seaview is built exactly the same as Seaside then the cabin is likely to be the same as the one on Seaside.

 

That is why we are trying to document all our inquiries. My sister told the rep that I am frequently on Cruise Critic which is where I learned about the discrepancy between the one bedrooms and the two bedrooms. They acknowledged that they were aware of the problem and knew that a lot of people were upset but emphasized that although the two ships are in the same class, they will not be identical. So we shall see. I can make the one bedroom work but that will mean throwing my adult daughter on the sofa because I am claiming the bed.

[Two Wheels Only]

My gut instincts tell me that Seaview and Seaside will have the same Grand Suite "problem".

 

If I was looking at a Grand Suite, I'd book a known 2br for Seaview.

[sidari]

Funat ... The rep likely knows less than you do as you have been following information here, at best they are guessing.

 

I agree with T.W.O on the issue.

[funat55]

Funat ... The rep likely knows less than you do as you have been following information here, at best they are guessing.

 

I agree with T.W.O on the issue.

 

My gut also tells me that the representation that I am getting a two bedroom can't be trusted. However, the more times they tell me I have a two bedroom, the stronger my argument is to say, " hey, you told me 7 times I was getting a two bedroom now its a one bedroom so I want to be compensated." It would be like booking and paying for a balcony and getting an ocean view. Plus with only one bathroom, it will probably be a shower and not a tub. I really like my tub lol.

[Skier52]

Funat ... The rep likely knows less than you do as you have been following information here, at best they are guessing.

 

I agree with T.W.O on the issue.

I've merged 2 screen shots of the deck plans for SEASIDE and made them the same scale so the relative sizes of the forward GSs can be seen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It might help a bit

 

 

Pete

[sidari]

Funat ... you may have it by phone 20 times but unless you have it in writing and signed by MSC then in reality you have nothing other than hearsay.

 

MSC have failed customers on this point of the GS because there will be lots of people who have booked them for various cruises over the next two years and may not find out that they don`t have what they booked closer to or at final payment time.

 

Putting out Generic room descriptions knowing that a certain grade of cabin may not all be the same is wrong.

[sidari]

Funat ... I have copied this from Cruise Deck Plans for you, the info will have come from MSC at some point, the info is the same for both Seaside and Seaview.

 

- The center GS suites have more square footage in both cabin and balcony, but vary in size.

- NOTE: CORNER GRAND SUITES ARE 1 BEDROOM.

More Size Info: Forward Grand Suites located in the middle are longer with a second bath with toilet and shower and a second bedroom with two twins that can be joined as double. There will also be a glass enclosed porch on the deck to protect against wind while ship is moving forward. These suites vary in size but average reported size is 398 square feet with 200 square foot balcony area. Cabins 11001 and 14001 are the smallest. Cabins 10001 and 13001 are largest and sleep 5.

[Two Wheels Only]

MSC have failed customers on this point of the GS because there will be lots of people who have booked them for various cruises over the next two years and may not find out that they don`t have what they booked closer to or at final payment time.

Some people (who don't frequent CC or similar) won't know until they walk into the stateroom....then they will head to Guest Services and....I don't even want to think about it. :o

 

At this point, there should have been a statement from MSC to the people who booked (who won't be getting what they expected).

[Tall-Cruiser]

Funat ... I have copied this from Cruise Deck Plans for you, the info will have come from MSC at some point, the info is the same for both Seaside and Seaview.

 

- The center GS suites have more square footage in both cabin and balcony, but vary in size.

- NOTE: CORNER GRAND SUITES ARE 1 BEDROOM.

More Size Info: Forward Grand Suites located in the middle are longer with a second bath with toilet and shower and a second bedroom with two twins that can be joined as double. There will also be a glass enclosed porch on the deck to protect against wind while ship is moving forward. These suites vary in size but average reported size is 398 square feet with 200 square foot balcony area. Cabins 11001 and 14001 are the smallest. Cabins 10001 and 13001 are largest and sleep 5.

 

 

Sidari - I know you are stating the facts just as presented. However it is interesting though when looking at the deck plans that it would seems that 11001 and 14001 are the largest while 10001 and 13001 look to be the smallest. Is this an illusion, are you seeing the same thing? At the same time, I do realize that the deck plans we have been seeing especially for the GS cabins could be completely wrong.

[sidari]

T.W.O .... MSC did not write to some people when they changed the Xmas itinerary for Seaside! on the very first Divina TA to Miami we met an Australian family who did not know until almost Five days into the cruise that the stop at Nassau had been removed so they could take the ship into Miami a day early for a photo op ... :mad:

 

So I very much doubt they will contact them over this, they will likely leave it to their front desk staff to take the flak for it.

[funat55]

My sister is my travel agent and she wrote down the name of the supervisor that she talked to after waiting 20 minutes for them to get back to her. I'm not sure who they (MSC) checked with to confirm that my cabin was a two bedroom, but I am going to ask my sister to have them send her something in writing if they will do that. She emphasized again that they told her that the two ships would be similar but not identical so not to worry. That is the most frustrating part. I have done everything I know to inquire about the cabin and have mentioned the discussion that is going on here. I've said over and over, are you sure. I wanted someone to know that there is some serious doubt about the configuration of the cabin.

[sidari]

Funat ... You are right to question it and request it in writing if need be, one thing to remember is that the people working for MSC in the USA have less knowledge of the product than those in the UK office because of the short time they have been selling MSC cruises, when making our booking for Seaside in December 2015 they were trying to tell me the ship was being built in the USA! I knew different of course because I have a friend who is working on it as it is being built.

 

While I agree that there may well be changes to some things most of the Seaview will be like Seaside. As far as I can tell the current deck plans for both ships are the same on the UK website.

 

The Seaview is shown with two symbols, one for a Single Sofa bed and one for a Bunk bed.

 

I would guess that it will be two rooms/ 2 bathrooms.

Edited June 4, 2017 by sidari

[Spunky1968]

Just wanted to add some input to this convo..

 

1) MSC is very frustrating just because... like you, it seems that alot of the information is not accurate

 

2) I was booked originally for 13001 ... in which a MSC rep stated that was slated for (5)

 

3) I then look at the deckplans, call back and another MSC rep stated thats not true. There are others available, she gave me 11001 and 90001 . So I asked which cabin was bigger ( interior wise ) - she did some research, she looked at something on her computer saying she has the exact sq footage and told me that 11001 is indeed bigger . ( 527 Sq Ft )

 

4) she also advised that as the floors get lower, naturally the cabins will get bigger since the end of the cabins ( towards ) balcony area slopes towards front of the ship. Based on the deckplan, this seems to be the case ( kind of ... )

 

She seemed very confident in her suggestions, so much that she actually said - you should take 11001 vs 13001, it would have more space for your party of 5. But reading above, and reading something that I saw on cruisedeckplans.com ... it states

 

"Forward Grand Suites located in the middle are longer with a second bath with toilet and shower and a second bedroom with two twins that can be joined as double. There will also be a glass enclosed porch on the deck to protect against wind while ship is moving forward. These suites vary in size but average reported size is 398 square feet with 200 square foot balcony area. Cabins 11001 and 14001 are the smallest. Cabins 10001 and 13001 are largest and sleep 5."

 

Based on above, cabin 10001 and 13001 are the largest and sleep 5, I have to assume they are referencing the inside. ( unless someone plans to sleep on the balcony =)

 

 

Anyways, Im going to ask again and share.. but I agree, something just isnt right.

 

C

 

We booked 13002 for April 2018. Ours states sleeps 5 on our booking confirmation but my TA said only 2 grand suites sleeps 5. The middle ones are two bedrooms. Ours is a one bedroom. I too am curious about balcony. Whether it wraps around to the side.

[Spastica]

We are travelling as 2 families in 2018 booked the 9001 Grand Suite for 5 people. Since it's listed as a Grand Suite (colour code on the deck plan) and Grand Suites are described in their own literature as 2bdrm/2bthrm I don't see how they can reneg on this configuration, especially since our booking went through as 5 people.

[Spastica]

Reading about the differences in US / European site for MSC I just went and did a mock booking for another date for MSC Seaview same itinerary for 5 pax and got 9001 as an option and it confirmed 2bdrm / 2bath configuration.

 

Cross your fingers!

 

Now I would love to see confirmation of what the SE3 Aft suite configuration is! Because that's another room we have booked with our group. Nothing like being on totally opposite ends and different floors from each other!

[Tall-Cruiser]

Reading about the differences in US / European site for MSC I just went and did a mock booking for another date for MSC Seaview same itinerary for 5 pax and got 9001 as an option and it confirmed 2bdrm / 2bath configuration.

 

Cross your fingers!

 

Now I would love to see confirmation of what the SE3 Aft suite configuration is! Because that's another room we have booked with our group. Nothing like being on totally opposite ends and different floors from each other!

 

You should read post 1185 and a few other from this thread.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2225747&page=60

[Yzerof]

We are travelling as 2 families in 2018 booked the 9001 Grand Suite for 5 people. Since it's listed as a Grand Suite (colour code on the deck plan) and Grand Suites are described in their own literature as 2bdrm/2bthrm I don't see how they can reneg on this configuration, especially since our booking went through as 5 people.

 

We also booked suite 9001 on Seaside for a family of five. I still have fingers crossed that it is a two bedroom suite, but I'm pretty sure it will actually be a 1 bedroom suite, with pullout sofa and pullman bed for kids. From MSC grand suite description

• 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms: a queen bed in bedroom 1, two single beds in bedroom 2, and a pullman bed for up to 5 guests (suites 11001, 12001 and 14001)
  

So my guess is that those three rooms are two bedrooms and the other grand suites are one bedroom suite.

[mabones]

Per an MSC Rep, only the center Staterooms are 2 bed/2 bath.

[Spastica]

9001 is a centre stateroom.

[Até]

We are travelling as 2 families in 2018 booked the 9001 Grand Suite for 5 people. Since it's listed as a Grand Suite (colour code on the deck plan) and Grand Suites are described in their own literature as 2bdrm/2bthrm I don't see how they can reneg on this configuration, especially since our booking went through as 5 people.

 

 

You really need to re-check the website, the only three GS that are now two bedroom, like in the "typical" floor plan, are 11001, 12001 and 14001, all the other GS are one room. This information was changed a month or so ago. It looks like 9001 has two pullman beds and a sofa bed (plus the main bed) so will still sleep five but will be one bedroom/one bath.

 

 

Grand Suite

 

 

• Spacious suites that come with a balcony and a separate sitting area
  
• Each suite is equipped with Air conditioning, spacious wardrobes, interactive LCD TV, telephone, mini bar and safe
  
• Surface approximately 344 - 527 sq. ft., plus a balcony up to 226 sq. ft.
  
• 1 bedroom/1 bathroom - a queen bed,* a double sofa bed and a pullman bed to accomodate up to 5 guests (11 suites, Suites 14002 and 14003 accomodate only 2 guests)
  
• 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms - queen bed* in bedroom 1 and two single beds in bedroom 2 and a pullman bed for up to 5 guests (Suites 11001, 12001 and 14001)
  
• Wi-Fi connection available (for a fee)
  

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Discover-MSC/Cruise-Ships/MSC-Seaside/Staterooms-And-Suites.aspx

[mabones]

9001 is a centre stateroom.

Hopefully, this stateroom is still 2&2. We originally booked a GS and had to change to 2 aura balconies because the info was incorrect. We were told we would be compensated for the inconvenience. Still waiting.

[Two Wheels Only]

Someone needs to make a chart or list for each Grand Suite with bedroom(s), bathroom(s), and sleeping capacity listed/shown.

[stoneman56]

We are booked in suite 14001 corner GS end of next year. I have just found pictures of the outside or these suites and the corners have NO BALCONY.

Google images of the ship, just this month there is quite clear photos showing the front. There is steel covering the front with a porthole in it. It's not even a suite, it's an outside cabin.

I'll be phoning them tomorrow to cancel our 14 night cruise and be expecting my deposit back.

[Tall-Cruiser]

We are booked in suite 14001 corner GS end of next year. I have just found pictures of the outside or these suites and the corners have NO BALCONY.

Google images of the ship, just this month there is quite clear photos showing the front. There is steel covering the front with a porthole in it. It's not even a suite, it's an outside cabin.

I'll be phoning them tomorrow to cancel our 14 night cruise and be expecting my deposit back.

 

 

Cabin 14001 is a Center GS and not a corner GS. It does indeed have a forward facing balcony. Look at those same Google images again but focus on the center GS Also, find the renderings for the center GS Cabins. By the way, the corner GS cabins have a balcony (yes steel) as well as a forward facing Porthole.

 

I wouldn't be too quick to cancel because 14001 definitely has a balcony and these suites were probably priced pretty good when you booked.

[Até]

We are booked in suite 14001 corner GS...

 

Typo? 14001 is a center GS and is listed as a 2br/2bath. The corner GS have a side facing balcony of various sizes. Ship model pics by eroller show them as partially enclosed.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2225747&page=44