Drinks packages significant change - less value :(

[Preziosa]

Do someone know How much it cost to upgrade From Drink are on Us to the new Easy drink package...

[FGJones]

It doesn't solve the larger issues, but the easy package says it includes "select spirits" and "non-alcoholic cocktails."  so would you be able to get a shot of a "select spirit" and add it to your non-alcoholic cocktail? 

[Preziosa]

There have been a Price for upgrading from Drink are on Us to classic and premium package, but I Can t find the Price upgrading to Easy. Is it the same as Classic.

If I upgrade I Don t have to pay 15 % every time I order a drink.

[Até]

My only hope left is that DOU will possibly end and the Easy package will be it's replacement.  That would make Classic basically become Premium and Deluxe become Premium Plus.  That makes the most logical sense value to value.  If that is the case I really don't expect to see an upgrade from DOU to Easy as they will be so similar drink wise.  We are all waiting for clarification.

[adelaidefc]

3 hours ago, cathep said:

 

I'm looking at cancelling the cruise and not just the package.  This would be at least a $600 change for us since we'll upgrade the package and still buy gelato and shakes to keep the kids happy.  I'm looking back at Celebrity now.  The appeal of MSC was the value.  That sounds like it's gone, so we might be gone.  

 

I'm with you. I thought I was over-reacting but judging by the reaction here I'm not the only one pretty disappointed. This was/is my first cruise and even before this happened I was utterly confused by those who told me cruising is a good value way to travel. On a per night basis I could travel Europe for almost 3-4 weeks for the price of a one week cruise there in May (including transfers/food/accom etc).

 

It's actually the absence of gelato and shakes that really irks me too. I'm travelling with an under 18 and part of the fun of the package was to be able to enjoy those at leisure. Instead they'd bumped the price and removed the value. 

I'm probably going to try playing hardball with the call centre to try to get the old package (consumer protection rules are quite strong downunder, sometimes just the threat of involving them does the trick!). Otherwise...I may take the hit of changed flights and cancellation fees.  

[lovetoholiday]

should be customerservice@msccruises.co.uk

 

without the 's' not services.  Just don't expect too much help!

[lovetoholiday]

Sorry was replying to the post with the email address, don't know why it didn't include the quote!

[Wagster]

Hi, new cruiser about to depart on the holiday today, although board the MSC mini cruise on 16th.

We are absolutely disgusted the drinks policy has changed. We were screwed over by Ryanair with their baggage changes and now days before departure get screwed over by MSC. Are MSC trying to become the Ryanair of cruiselines? To be avoided at all costs it seems. Untrustworthy.
At the moment MSC will have to really impress us onboard to take this bad taste from our mouths. Not a happy cruiser.

[sidari]

Wagster ... Do you have a drink package already booked ? If so you will get that package, If not then you are at the mercy of the price increases per drink.

[Wagster]

Mini cruise so couldn't pre-book the drinks package.

[CruisingFox27]

43 minutes ago, sidari said:

Wagster ... Do you have a drink package already booked ? If so you will get that package, If not then you are at the mercy of the price increases per drink.

 

Which to be fair is only like going to any bar or restaurant and discovering there has been an increase on prices of individual items.

 

Although there is obviously more impact if people were booked and intending to purchase drink packages once embarked.

[Wagster]

2 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

 

Which to be fair is only like going to any bar or restaurant and discovering there has been an increase on prices of individual items.

 

Although there is obviously more impact if people were booked and intending to purchase drink packages once embarked.

Not really. It's like booking a wedding venue and being assured the champagne will cost £20 a bottle and turning up on the big day and the bubbly is suddenly £30 a bottle.

I'm not just walking into a bar at random. Or onto a cruise ship at random. I have spent time selecting the cruise and part of the selection was based on the availability of a certain drinks package. I entered a contract with the cruise company and they have unilaterally altered the terms of service.

I know they will have covered themselves legally so won't be in breach of contract but they have still effectively broken the agreement I made with them.

MSC cannot be trusted.

[ready2cruzagain]

17 minutes ago, Wagster said:

Not really. It's like booking a wedding venue and being assured the champagne will cost £20 a bottle and turning up on the big day and the bubbly is suddenly £30 a bottle.

I'm not just walking into a bar at random. Or onto a cruise ship at random. I have spent time selecting the cruise and part of the selection was based on the availability of a certain drinks package. I entered a contract with the cruise company and they have unilaterally altered the terms of service.

I know they will have covered themselves legally so won't be in breach of contract but they have still effectively broken the agreement I made with them.

MSC cannot be trusted.

 

It is not just MSC that does things like this, I have seen Carnival, NCL, Princess and Celebrity all do about the same thing;. Carnival went from $50 max price a drink to $20 max price a drink and did not bother to inform anyone.

[citizenfrank]

9 minutes ago, ready2cruzagain said:

 

It is not just MSC that does things like this, I have seen Carnival, NCL, Princess and Celebrity all do about the same thing;. Carnival went from $50 max price a drink to $20 max price a drink and did not bother to inform anyone.

It was $50 on my last sailing earlier this year, but in reality there is nothing priced like $50 other than in the bar at the steakhouse. CCL should abandon the stupid 15 drink maximum limit....that is industry tight! 

[hamrag]

32 minutes ago, Wagster said:

Not really. It's like booking a wedding venue and being assured the champagne will cost £20 a bottle and turning up on the big day and the bubbly is suddenly £30 a bottle.

I'm not just walking into a bar at random. Or onto a cruise ship at random. I have spent time selecting the cruise and part of the selection was based on the availability of a certain drinks package. I entered a contract with the cruise company and they have unilaterally altered the terms of service.

I know they will have covered themselves legally so won't be in breach of contract but they have still effectively broken the agreement I made with them.

MSC cannot be trusted.

 

You earlier posted 'Mini cruise so couldn't pre-book the drinks package'....so, clearly, you did not enter a contract with the cruise company for drinks, so how do you conclude they have unilaterally altered the terms of service?

[Wagster]

I'm not going to argue semantics with you. I paid for one thing and I am getting something else.

 

I paid for a cruise where I could add a drinks package for €26 but to get the equivalent it will now cost me €39. I know there's no paper contract that has been broken, but it's bad form on their part and I feel like they have acted in bad faith. Bait and switch.

[cruisecrazy82]

24 minutes ago, Wagster said:

I'm not going to argue semantics with you. I paid for one thing and I am getting something else.

 

I paid for a cruise where I could add a drinks package for €26 but to get the equivalent it will now cost me €39. I know there's no paper contract that has been broken, but it's bad form on their part and I feel like they have acted in bad faith. Bait and switch.

But in reality as annoying as this is you didn't actually pay for the drink package and have it changed after buying.  You didn't pay for the right to buy something later, that's not how it works.  I actually did purchase the package and sail in about 3 weeks and don't really know exactly what I am getting at this point, hoping what they told me holds true but at this point who really knows until you are on the ship.      

Edited November 13, 2018 by cruisecrazy82

[Wagster]

indeed. semantics. They're the ryanair of cruising and will be avoided from now on.

 

If the cruise was advertised with a drinks package for €39 rather than €26 I probably wouldn't have chosen this holiday. As it is, to have this charge added a day before I fly... Lets just say I'm not impressed.

[cruisecrazy82]

3 minutes ago, Wagster said:

indeed. semantics. They're the ryanair of cruising and will be avoided from now on.

 

If the cruise was advertised with a drinks package for €39 rather than €26 I probably wouldn't have chosen this holiday. As it is, to have this charge added a day before I fly... Lets just say I'm not impressed.

When do you sail?

[adelaidefc]

I emailed MSC stating they'd effectively undertaken a bait and switch sale under Australian consumer law with the zero notice change in product after sale. 

They emailed back saying they could apply the old All inclusive classic drinks package at the old price if I wanted, given I'd booked before the changes (even though I'd not yet bought the package I fully intended to). I said this would be fine as long as long as I could get in writing all the original inclusions would remain. 

 

Dumb first time cruise question and only somewhat related - how many drinks can I get at a time with the drinks package? A beer and a bottle of water? Two beers? Only one?

[CruisingFox27]

13 minutes ago, adelaidefc said:

Dumb first time cruise question and only somewhat related - how many drinks can I get at a time with the drinks package? A beer and a bottle of water? Two beers? Only one?

 

We have never had an issue ordering more than one drink, sitting as a couple we'd obviously order 2  but would also order 2 each, a coffee and water or a beer and water. I think it states one drink each but common sense is applied so you can get a beer and water etc. If you were ordering 4 cocktails each I suspect they'd take a different view.

[adelaidefc]

Jeez this company is like dealing with the worst of the low-cost airlines. As I mentioned above they said they'd apply the old All inclusive classic drinks package, which I said was fine as long as I get in writing the original inclusions will be honored on board. 

 

Instead I get a booking update email out of the blue with my invoice stating I now have the premium plus package applied at the full cost, which is 2.5x the cost original classic inclusive. 

Will have to call them tomorrow again for the 5th time just to work out what on earth they're doing. 

[sidari]

Left Hand / Right Hand !

[CruisingFox27]

14 minutes ago, sidari said:

Left Hand / Right Hand !

 

Although compared to today's Brexit goings on, this all looks quite competent  🙄

[sidari]

CF ...  The day is not yet finished.