1st time Cruise...done the right thing??

[bigalsail]

Hi..sorry if this ends up long!! We have booked a cruise for 2019, with MSC, Fantasia, 8 days Med. We live in Spain and are spending a few days in our favourite Palma hotel first before boarding. My main problem is, we had to book with MSC Spanish site so we could pay in Euros, and anyway we're resident here!! Unfortunately, and although we both speak Spanish, the Co. isn't being very helpful. I also joined the UK MSC site but of course, not booking through them we can only go so far!!

So here goes....

We have booked a balcony room, Bella experience and purchased a drinks package each. We understand we can eat in the main dining room or the buffet and anywhere else will be extra. Not a problem. The description of the balcony room says the double bed can be made into 2 singles....which is what we'd like. Also, it said we had a walk-in shower but, after paying the deposit, the confirmation invoice said we had a bath, and that's no good. My husband has slight mobile problems and hasn't showered over a bath for 10 years!! I emailed MSC Spain and they needed our Booking Ref., which I gave, and the reply was, "what was our cabin number"?? I'd have thought they would have known that...… They also asked me to repeat the request for making the double bed into 2 singles, which I did, with our cabin number.....and so far, no reply. What I did get today was an email from them offering 100euros off a new booking if we chose a basic inside cabin.

We are on deck 8...does anyone know if all balcony cabins have a walk-in shower on that deck??

Our ports of call aren't very exciting, but we are only on an 8 day cruise and want to enjoy the on-board cruise life more than get on and off, although we may explore Ibiza and Marseille ourselves. Has anyone done the Genoa trip when you are taken to Portofino. ??

That may be one we pre-book.

Also, electricals!! NO HAIRDRYER!! I cannot cope with my hair using one of those bathroom things attached to the wall, apart from which I like to sit and do my hair and make-up, not stand in front of a bathroom mirror. TEA!! Sorry but haha neither of us function without a cuppa within 5 minutes of waking up. Will these really be confiscated??...my travel kettle and travel hairdryer. So, how will the hubby cope without his electric shaver...which he uses twice a day, and, our electric toothbrush.

Is the Wifi really that bad?? I had hoped to take my slim-line laptop to share between us, as I take my photos with a camera then download them. Plus we use Messenger to chat to friends and family.

I know we have nearly 10 months to go, but, living in Spain we have a lot going on, visitors who come and go all year, our own trips to the UK, and various trips booked within Spain.

As for why we chose the cruise....well for 10 days in the height of the season our town has a fiesta which, is lovely but, it really is full-on 10 days of no sleep so you either stay and join in, as we have done for many years or, escape as we intend to again next year. We had a wonderful holiday near Palma this summer but out of the blue recently my husband suddenly declared that after many years of refusing to cruise, he had changed his mind!! So we needed a trip departing from Spain but on specific dates, hence the one we have booked. The flights, the hotel and the cruise are all booked, no turning back now, I would just like to feel a bit more relaxed and to be able to look forward to the adventure with so much going on before hand, and time does fly!! Thanks for the read:cool::cool::cool::cool:

[billslowsky]

Items that put out heat, like hair dryers and kettles - not much chance of getting those on. Electric razor and electric toothbrush shouldn't be a problem.

[mef_57]

You are covering a lot of stuff here, that most likely needs to be moved over to the MSC board - as those are regular cruisers that can answer better.

 

Here's the link: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80

 

 

To be honest, I would also break up this post..it is too long and too diverse.

Deal with the room question on its own. State your room number in the post on the MSC forum and someone may have specifics for you. There are websites with reviews and photos of some specific cabins someone may direct you to. Otherwise, it seems there are some 'accessible' balconies on board, and you may want to try again to get a move to that.

 

Deal with the electric items on their own.

Deal with the excursion on its own.

[Essiesmom]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. There will be a hairdryer in your cabin, located at the desk, not in the bathroom. Yes, there are some Bella balcony cabins on deck 8 & 9, plus some Fantastica on 9 that have a tub/shower. If you list your cabin number, I can tell you what they are. You can specify how you want your beds set up when you do your website checkin, but if they are not the way you want when you find your cabin, just tell your cabin steward and he will fix it. I do not know if MSC ships in Europe have kettles in the cabins. I do know that those that sail from the US do not (Have sailed twice on Divina). But the folks who can tell you that, and much more, live on the MSC forum here, under Cruise Lines A-O. Meet you over there! EM

[bigalsail]

Thanks for your useful help, I'll try and copy/paste this over to the MSC Forum. Confused with the hairdryer situation as the photo definitely shows one attached nearto the bathroom mirror. We're in cabin 8131.

[cb at sea]

Most lines allow hairdryers and other heated hair appliances. Women wouldn't cruise if they weren't allowed to do their hair! Things like kettles or hotplate or clothes irons are not allowed.

You can pre-order room service coffee...they'll bring an entire carafe at the time of your choosing. Some ships supply coffee makers...others don't. I don't know about your ship.

Take a look at the deck plans for your ship...you should be able to tell from the description if it's a bath/shower combo, or simply a shower.

[Essiesmom]

Thanks for your useful help, I'll try and copy/paste this over to the MSC Forum. Confused with the hairdryer situation as the photo definitely shows one attached nearto the bathroom mirror. We're in cabin 8131.

 

I have been through all of my pics of Divina, and every one I can find of Fantasia on cruisedeckplans.com, and the only thing I see on the wall in the bathroom is a phone near the toilet in the handicap cabins.

 

I finally found pictures of an oceanview cabin and they took a picture of the hsir dryer in the desk drawer. EM

Edited October 4, 2018 by Essiesmom

[h-sar]

I’ve never had a problem getting my hair dryer or hair straightener on. While all the lines I have been on have the hairdryer at the desk, they also seem to require you to hold onto the on button the entire time you are using the dryer. I find that a bit of an annoyance, so pack my own, which is also more powerful.

[eirbear]

Hi,

 

I am on this ship too but at a later date. From what I can tell it is only the suites that have a bath, the smaller rooms are a shower. From the MSC website the balcony room is;

 

• Balcony cabins surface approx. from 20 sq.m. to 40 sq.m.* with private balcony.
• Double bed that can be converted into two single beds (on request).
• Air conditioning, wardrobe, bathroom with shower, interactive TV, telephone, wireless internet access (for a fee), mini bar, safe.