When do excursions and pricing appear?

[mef_57]

I have my first MSC cruise in April.  Previously, I was able to get some pricing and options through Google searches.  But I have no excursions listed on my account on MSC and couldn't find any via Google.  It is just over 180 to sailing, so may be too soon.  Some on the roll call are discussion independent tours that I may consider, but want to be able to compare the 2. If I had an idea when they post excursions, I'll just mark my calendar and move on to something else until then.  Thanks.

[lakelivin2]

I'm in the same boat (ship) so to speak.  We are going on the MSC Meraviglia in April and there aren't any excursions, spa etc. on the already booked my MSC account.  When I asked the agent on the phone when they will be listed, she said I would have to book everything onboard (I don't think she's right).  She tried to tell me that everything 'must already be booked' and only aurea guests can book spa items.  I told her I didn't think that was right, but, I was dealing with the Canadian site so maybe they aren't as well informed/trained?  I'm just going to wait a couple of months to see if the site populates.

[new.b.cruiser]

I'm wondering the same thing. We will be on the Armonia this February and there is no option for me to view / reserve excursions... 

[tnt10]

Hope this helps, I'm booked on a TA next September, (2010).  I'm able to book excursions at maybe half of the ports on the itinerary.  I'm also able to book spa appts and specialty packages.  Hope this helps!  Oh, I'm also booked in the Yacht Club.

Happy Cruising!

[touesns]

1 hour ago, new.b.cruiser said:

I'm wondering the same thing. We will be on the Armonia this February and there is no option for me to view / reserve excursions... 

Per my call to the MSC office, Canadian customers have to book excursions onboard.  We are not able to prebook excursions prior to cruising.  I am on-board on the 21st and there is still no option for excursions.

[new.b.cruiser]

1 hour ago, touesns said:

Per my call to the MSC office, Canadian customers have to book excursions onboard.  We are not able to prebook excursions prior to cruising.  I am on-board on the 21st and there is still no option for excursions.

Thanks for the info. It's too bad that that's their policy... 

[dexddd]

We've had a March Mera booking for long time and have had listings for a long time.

[mef_57]

Thanks for all the feedback and experiences. 

No pre booking?  I guess I'll be having a chat with my TA about what she knows about it.  I only want to book 2 and the spa package.  Of course, as they need to be paid for at time of booking, the sensible side of me says to wait until after cruise paid for date in January....but I would like to see pricing for budget or alternatives. 

First time on MSC and it does try the patience.  But for a solo traveler, the pricing...and also the itineraries are making me think I have to work on the patience thing.

Thanks again and good luck on your excursion plans.

[mef_57]

On 10/17/2019 at 6:40 PM, new.b.cruiser said:

I'm wondering the same thing. We will be on the Armonia this February and there is no option for me to view / reserve excursions... 

 

On 10/17/2019 at 8:42 PM, touesns said:

Per my call to the MSC office, Canadian customers have to book excursions onboard.  We are not able to prebook excursions prior to cruising.  I am on-board on the 21st and there is still no option for excursions.

So I asked my TA to check so she called. She said they can't be bought before final payment but they are a 20% discount bought ahead.  Maybe they aren't even visible until then, or it could just be the problems they are having on the MSC Canada website at the moment.

I am guessing you February sailors haven't paid final yet? Would you be willing to come back after payment to let us know if it changes?

Thanks.

[Zephyr173]

I have a TA in a couple of weeks, that was booked through MSC USA, before the Canadian office opened. It did take a while for excursions to show up.  I booked in September 2018, and it does seem the excursions appeared around the time I paid in full. Could be a coincidence.

 

Hope this helps.

[new.b.cruiser]

49 minutes ago, mef_57 said:

 

So I asked my TA to check so she called. She said they can't be bought before final payment but they are a 20% discount bought ahead.  Maybe they aren't even visible until then, or it could just be the problems they are having on the MSC Canada website at the moment.

I am guessing you February sailors haven't paid final yet? Would you be willing to come back after payment to let us know if it changes?

Thanks.

That could be it! My final payment is early November  I will come back and let you know.

[SirWolf]

1 hour ago, mef_57 said:

 

So I asked my TA to check so she called. She said they can't be bought before final payment but they are a 20% discount bought ahead.  Maybe they aren't even visible until then, or it could just be the problems they are having on the MSC Canada website at the moment.

We book on MSC USA website and the excursions show up to different times depending on itinerary. Excursions on Med cruises are usually available very early , 6-9 months ahead of cruise. Excursions on Baltic Sea cruises were available 5 months ahead of cruise. Excursions on Grand Voyage (March 2020) are created as I type this answer... some ports of calls are showing up, some don’t. 

We book ahead to save the 20% discount and to secure spots. Excursions have definitely nothing to do with the date if final payment. We have booked excursions far ahead of final payment and some after final payment.

[mef_57]

23 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

We book on MSC USA website and the excursions show up to different times depending on itinerary. Excursions on Med cruises are usually available very early , 6-9 months ahead of cruise. Excursions on Baltic Sea cruises were available 5 months ahead of cruise. Excursions on Grand Voyage (March 2020) are created as I type this answer... some ports of calls are showing up, some don’t. 

We book ahead to save the 20% discount and to secure spots. Excursions have definitely nothing to do with the date if final payment. We have booked excursions far ahead of final payment and some after final payment.

That's one of the many challenges of MSC, isn't it? Different websites, different customer service experiences, even. I appreciate your comment that they show up on the  US site, because my original booking was there and I was sure I saw them, but then got transferred to the Cndn site, where there is nothing. So, maybe it is just a website problem.

I don't mind waiting until payment date, but I will be pushing then, for sure.

[lakelivin2]

1 hour ago, mef_57 said:

That's one of the many challenges of MSC, isn't it? Different websites, different customer service experiences, even. I appreciate your comment that they show up on the  US site, because my original booking was there and I was sure I saw them, but then got transferred to the Cndn site, where there is nothing. So, maybe it is just a website problem.

I don't mind waiting until payment date, but I will be pushing then, for sure.

There were some excursions on the Canadian website a couple of weeks ago, and now they've disappeared.  I'll be watching for their return, and hopefully, find they've added other options.  Like you, I don't mind waiting til payment date.  

[monza]

we're booked and paid in full for December 8th sailing, and no excursions!

first time cruising with msc and there are numerous things they cannot seem to get right or consistent. I hope they will allow us disadvantaged Canadians an appreciable on board discount. I wonder if we will miss out on some popular and or limited capacity ones that would sell out in advance?

 

[new.b.cruiser]

On 10/19/2019 at 3:26 PM, mef_57 said:

 

So I asked my TA to check so she called. She said they can't be bought before final payment but they are a 20% discount bought ahead.  Maybe they aren't even visible until then, or it could just be the problems they are having on the MSC Canada website at the moment.

I am guessing you February sailors haven't paid final yet? Would you be willing to come back after payment to let us know if it changes?

Thanks.

I can confirm it has nothing to do with final payment. I still have no access to excursions. I think it's because I booked on the Canadian site...

[mef_57]

9 hours ago, new.b.cruiser said:

I can confirm it has nothing to do with final payment. I still have no access to excursions. I think it's because I booked on the Canadian site...

On a different thread, a TA in Canada mentioned that when they opened the Canadian site, MSC didn't realize they needed a different license to sell excursions...I guess because they are hiring 3rd parties....but that they hoped to have it resolved by end of year. I assume thst news wasn't broadly known, and could still be speculation. It is a mess, which seems to be typical MSC fashion. I hope it resolves before your trip.

On the other hand, I can at least shop onboard pre cruise services now.

[new.b.cruiser]

4 hours ago, mef_57 said:

On a different thread, a TA in Canada mentioned that when they opened the Canadian site, MSC didn't realize they needed a different license to sell excursions...I guess because they are hiring 3rd parties....but that they hoped to have it resolved by end of year. I assume thst news wasn't broadly known, and could still be speculation. It is a mess, which seems to be typical MSC fashion. I hope it resolves before your trip.

On the other hand, I can at least shop onboard pre cruise services now.

Oh that makes sense, thanks for that info. Ya, I'm not surprised by this either, MSC doesn't have the best reputation for customer service and cohesive information from  their offices. I have access to pre cruise services too, thankfully!

[monza]

We sail Dec 8th and I don't expect MSC to do anything to fix their Canadian Customer service issue before we sail. The only recourse for Canadian's they offer is to say; Canadian eh, no pre-booking excursions, must book when on-board, must pay 20% more, will likely not get the most popular excursions that sell out pre-cruise.

 

The least they could do is at least be genuine and honest that they messed up and as I suggested earlier, maybe make it up by an offer to Canadians towards a reduced on board excursion booking fee,  maybe 20% to be fair.  If that would be too difficult to manage and sort, maybe a small OBC to be spent on excursions. Would be a nice gesture for messing up the Canadian clients access to pre-booking excursions?? Not holding my breath. In the meantime still going to make it the most of it and looking at private excursion alternatives.

 

Not really complaining as stuff happens, but it would be nice if MSC just dealt with it rather than dismissing it.