purchasing drink package in advance?

[jaapstam]

When are you going?

i'm on her next week so can give you an answer on 13th oct if you can wait that long

 

Tightly too late. I'm on my way to Marseilles on October 13th where I board the Splendida on the 14th. :-)

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[jaapstam]

I seem to remember that a can of Pepsi etc is somewhere around the 2euro to 2,5 euro plus the 15% gratuity. A cappuccino was 2,50 ish too and water about 1,50

 

On the same cruise as Pete so I'm sure one of us will remember :)

 

Also with the package you can have alcohol free cocktails too.

 

One thing to bear in mind is that there are no free juices etc available in the buffet during the day, just tea, coffee and water if I remember correctly

 

Thank you very much 1fifthavenue.

I must admit, the package gets more and more interesting ;-)

 

Have a great cruise!

[1fifthavenue]

Thank you :-) hope you have a fabulous time too.

 

Also the standard allegrissimo includes ice cream by the cone or cup (I think Bea already mentioned this) but the ice cream really is so nice!!

 

Other thing to think about is that MSC do not serve drinks with your meal (other than breakfast) and in my opinion the coffee served at breakfast is not so nice - the coffee you pay for is Lavazza so is very nice

[Caravan 37]

We've had the Alegrissimo previously on Med and UAE cruises but the wine offerings weren't to my liking. We're on the Divina in Dec and notice that the wines offered in the More for Less package which is included with our Aurea experience are by price (i.e. Wine by the glass up to $7.50). this includes, if recent menus still hold, decent wines like Woodbridge Chardonnay! Hopefully this is still the case?

 

 

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[mjonis]

Good summary! :-)

 

What I don't like is that all people of a cabin need to book the same package (although I can imagine the reasons behind).

 

I do not drink any alcohol at all so all of these packages are not really worth much for me. If the person I am travelling with wants to use it, I need to book it as well although not making much use of it...

 

I think in your case, perhaps purchasing the 12 or 18 coupons/vouchers would work better for you.

 

We're not big drinkers either, so I ran the numbers and it'll be cheaper to buy 4 books (2 sets for each of us) vs. the drink package. Plus we'll drink the cheap stuff. 2 high-potency drinks for me and I'm passed out. LOL

[jaapstam]

I think in your case, perhaps purchasing the 12 or 18 coupons/vouchers would work better for you.

 

We're not big drinkers either, so I ran the numbers and it'll be cheaper to buy 4 books (2 sets for each of us) vs. the drink package. Plus we'll drink the cheap stuff. 2 high-potency drinks for me and I'm passed out. LOL

 

Thank you for your recommendations mjonis! It's hard to decide for me. On the one hand I like just walking up into bars and restaurants and simply order as I am having an all inclusive-package, on the other hand I don't want to pay for too much I do not really need.

 

To be decided...

[Skier52]

Thank you for your recommendations mjonis! It's hard to decide for me. On the one hand I like just walking up into bars and restaurants and simply order as I am having an all inclusive-package, on the other hand I don't want to pay for too much I do not really need.

 

To be decided...

 

The trouble with vouchers is they can easily be mislaid and you won't get a refund. You also have to remember to take them with you when you change clothes.

 

the All inclusive is on your cruise card so can't be lost

 

You will not make a loss on the cheaper package, it doesn't take much to reach the magic €22 + (15% to give €26)

 

You will want drinks with lunch, dinner (soft or alcoholic) and after dinner (coffee/tea) as well as water to take ashore and with your meals. Cocktails (non alcoholic) for the night time entertainment and don't forget the delicious ice-cream (in a cone or tub) also in some of the smoothies / shakes., And the odd in between drink as well.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Skier52

[graphicguy]

Someone asked earlier about pre-paying for the internet packages. I can say that MSC would not honor any discounts (even though I showed them where MSC offered a pre-pay internet discount) for the internet packages.

 

I've been going around and around with them on this for two weeks, as I sail the week after next. They would not honor any pre-pay internet discounts they publish.

 

As you can tell, it does irritate me.

[electro]

The premium package is €44 which is terrific value as per the following:

 

 

 

If you wait to purchase onboard you will incur a 15% service charge. It depends on how much you have to pay in $ which will be the more beneficial to you.

 

The packages to prepay in US$ are 31 and 53 respectively, pp/pd.

[wwwfla]

If you have the Aurea package can you upgrade to Premium? How much is Premium in US dollars otherwise?

Thank you!

[nimiq]

Or you can pre purchase 18 drink vouchers for $84 including grats. Works out to be only $4.67 per drink. Pretty good deal to me.

 

 

We bought that coupon book last time and it work perfectly for us that we are not big drinkers. We also had great staff as when we wanted premium stuff we gave 2 coupons and it work. I'm looking into booking an other cruise on the Divina for November 2017 for the price and the perks that comes with it as well. They are offering now in the fantastica rate 12 drink coupons each so with the 12 plus the 18 that we would purchase this cruise line is wining me more and more.

 

Sea ya

 

Eric

 

 

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[Beamafar]

The packages to prepay in US$ are 31 and 53 respectively, pp/pd.

 

Not according to the US website:

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Already-Booked/Cruise-Upgrade/All-Inclusive-Packages.aspx

[champagne123]

From "cruise with Gambee's" review. I know this is The Divina, but at least you get a general idea of how much the drinks are, both hot/cold, non alcoholic....everything!

http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/msc-cruises-divina-drink-lists/

Edited October 1, 2016 by champagne123
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[Beamafar]

If you have the Aurea package can you upgrade to Premium? How much is Premium in US dollars otherwise?

Thank you!

 

I'll be able to give a definitive answer to that question after next week.

 

I'm booked in an Aurea suite and could not pre-book the upgrade when I asked. MSC gave me €50 OBC as a goodwill gesture but it won't cover the extra €129.60 for service charge alone that I'll have to pay as a result. It's a 24 night cruise.

 

I'm expecting/hoping that I'll be able to do it once onboard. You pay the difference - in my case €18 pppd - plus the 15% SC. I'll be very surprised if they turn that down - - and disappointed as we always have premium when not in Yacht Club.

[Sandi07054]

Hello.

I called MSC and they told me you pay the 15% whether you prepay or do it on board.

Doesn't sound by the comments here that is correct

[Beamafar]

Hello.

I called MSC and they told me you pay the 15% whether you prepay or do it on board.

Doesn't sound by the comments here that is correct

 

I've always avoided the 15% by pre-booking our drinks packages (we can't prepay in Ireland). The charge is added to our onboard account and shows up on the first day.

[electro]

Not according to the US website:

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Already-Booked/Cruise-Upgrade/All-Inclusive-Packages.aspx

 

If you scroll down on the page in that link you will see the prices for the Med cruises are $31 and $53.

 

When I did the conversion it seems to be in line with what i would pay on the ship in Euros with the 15% gratuity.

 

Lois

[Beamafar]

If you scroll down on the page in that link you will see the prices for the Med cruises are $31 and $53.

 

When I did the conversion it seems to be in line with what i would pay on the ship in Euros with the 15% gratuity.

 

Lois

 

You're correct, Lois. It's more expensive when the currency onboard is USD. The OP was about a Divina cruise so the discussion originally was about the More-for-less drinks package which is $45 pppd.

Edited October 1, 2016 by Beamafar

[howaboutit]

Just read all the posts. Last time on Magnifica I had the drinks with meals in the restaurants included with the booking. I then bought a couple of coupons packs for around the ship drinks.

 

Going on Poesia 23rd October 7 day Med cruise. Has anyone got some up to date prices for basic beverages... G&T, red & white wine with dinner, basic beers, espresso, cappuccino, bottle still and sparkling water?

 

Just trying to decide either coupons or the basic drinks package (allegrissmo).

Does the coupons cover coffees as well or do they offer a coffee coupon just for coffees?

 

Thanks in advance John

[1fifthavenue]

Just read all the posts. Last time on Magnifica I had the drinks with meals in the restaurants included with the booking. I then bought a couple of coupons packs for around the ship drinks.

 

Going on Poesia 23rd October 7 day Med cruise. Has anyone got some up to date prices for basic beverages... G&T, red & white wine with dinner, basic beers, espresso, cappuccino, bottle still and sparkling water?

 

Just trying to decide either coupons or the basic drinks package (allegrissmo).

Does the coupons cover coffees as well or do they offer a coffee coupon just for coffees?

 

Thanks in advance John

 

Hi John, there is the option to purchase a package of vouchers just for coffees called 'coffee cuddle' but in my opinion it's better value to go for the Allegrissimo package.

 

From memory a G&T is around 6euro, a beer about 3,5eurp and coffees around the 2euro mark - I think a glass of wine was 4,5euro, so as you can see it wouldn't take much to be better off having the Allegrissimo? A bottle of water or can of pop was 1,80

[Beamafar]

Hi John, there is the option to purchase a package of vouchers just for coffees called 'coffee cuddle' but in my opinion it's better value to go for the Allegrissimo package.

 

From memory a G&T is around 6euro, a beer about 3,5eurp and coffees around the 2euro mark - I think a glass of wine was 4,5euro, so as you can see it wouldn't take much to be better off having the Allegrissimo? A bottle of water or can of pop was 1,80

 

Don't forget that you've to add 15% service charge to these prices.

 

I agree with Tim, the Allegrissimo package is great value @ €26. " G&T, red & white wine with dinner, basic beers, espresso, cappuccino, bottle still and sparkling water?" One of each of those alone in a day would cost more being purchased individually. You have peace of mind, too, not having to worry what your daily spend is nor carrying and counting coupons and wondering which ones to get or what they cover.

[Aza1972]

Or you can pre purchase 18 drink vouchers for $84 including grats. Works out to be only $4.67 per drink. Pretty good deal to me.

 

Is this restricted to certain drinks which you can use the vouchers on ?

[suzyed]

I think in your case, perhaps purchasing the 12 or 18 coupons/vouchers would work better for you.

 

We're not big drinkers either, so I ran the numbers and it'll be cheaper to buy 4 books (2 sets for each of us) vs. the drink package. Plus we'll drink the cheap stuff. 2 high-potency drinks for me and I'm passed out. LOL

 

I repurchased the 18 drink vouchers for DH and I to share. I got a "coffee card" and I was thinking that if there's a separate wine package, maybe we will get one of those. Did I also notice a water package?

 

BTW, in the USA, do we pay in Euros or USD on the ship?

[nikkiw60]

It's dollars on the Divina

 

 

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[suzyed]

It's dollars on the Divina

 

 

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THANKS! I ended up finding that on the website! And yes, I found a "water package" too!