Premium Plus drink package

[tcrutchf]

Has anybody else had trouble using the premium plus drink package with the mini bar! I was charged for everything and it was a huge battle to get the charges reversed. Guest services told me the food wasn’t included because it was a drink package. I pushed the issue and got it refunded. When I got back to the cabin and looked it up, the description for the package clearly states ‘food and drinks in the mini bar and room service’. I asked about the room service and was told it was only drinks from room service. I want to order room service and eat smoke more pringles but I feel like it is going to be another issue! I hate being ‘that person’ and complain but I should be able to get what I paid for! I haven’t even tried the room service!

[Beamafar]

I can only assume that, due to the pandemic, a lot of crew are new to MSC and not familiar with things.  This is in no way to excuse their lack of knowledge of operations but, unfortunately, they may not have been trained well enough to know the inclusions in the various packages.

 

We’ve had the Prem+ package for all our sailings that it’s been in existence and never had a problem.  I’d planned to upgrade on our next sailing and hope that our experience will differ from yours.

 

It’s frustrating when you have to inform the crew of what you’re entitled to when they should know better than the passengers of what’s included.  Funny thing is, they’re the ones selling the packages/upgrades at embarkation so should know what’s included. 
 

I’ll take a screenshot of what’s included for our upgrade to Prem+ just in case we encounter a similar situation. 

[DFWGUYZ]

YC guests need to upgrade to Premium Plus now? Thank you for the reply. 

[Beamafar]

Yes, YC gets the equivalent of Premium at present.  

[alyssamma]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Yes, YC gets the equivalent of Premium at present.  

But YC still gets minibar, right?

[zekekelso]

If I were promised free Pringle’s and was charged, I’d be *pissed.* OK, not really, but I’d be motivated to get clarification of what I can get for free, then abuse the hell out of it. 

[Beamafar]

5 hours ago, alyssamma said:

But YC still gets minibar, right?

Yes. That’s a specific YC perk not related to the inclusive drinks package.  
 

I don’t know why MSC dropped the asterisks from the menus which denoted which items were included in the different packages.  You could tell at a glance which drinks you were covered for depending on the number of asterisks next to them (or absence of same).

[CGTNORMANDIE]

I think the problem here might have been that the OP was not in the YC.  Obviously his room stewards were not familiar with Premium Plus.  OP mentions going to Guest Services.  If this were YC it would have been a nonissue.  

[uktog]

9 hours ago, alyssamma said:

But YC still gets minibar, right?

Last week in YC we got free soft drink and beer top up plus one 70cl bottle of spirits for the cruise.  You couldn’t have 2 half bottles and we don’t drink the same spirits so we had to make a choice. Snacks would have been charged (the first ones were free). We did not upgrade our package as we were happy with the YC choice. 

[Beamafar]

Someone posted on another thread that the minibar set-up was the same as it had always been with 3 mini bottles of spirits plus snacks and were topped up at no charge throughout the cruise.  Seems MSC is operating different policies on different ships.

[sidari]

10 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Someone posted on another thread that the minibar set-up was the same as it had always been with 3 mini bottles of spirits plus snacks and were topped up at no charge throughout the cruise.  Seems MSC is operating different policies on different ships.

Bea ... That has been the case for some time now, as you will be aware they began this watering down of YC with Bellissima. There as usual appears to be no coherent policy fleet wide. 

[Beamafar]

13 hours ago, DFWGUYZ said:

YC guests need to upgrade to Premium Plus now? Thank you for the reply. 

PremiumPlus will no longer be available from the Winter season on and it seems that YC guests will be entitled to enjoy the new top package, PremiumExtra, as Aurea will include the next level down package.  (It’s highly doubtful that YC would only get the same as Aurea).

 

The top package will no longer include the minibar.

 

Hopefully the references to YC in this thread haven’t confused the issue around the PremPlus package, as it isn’t germane to the subject, although I understand the reason for your question within this thread and am in no way implying that it would be the reason for the confusion.  

[alyssamma]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

Last week in YC we got free soft drink and beer top up plus one 70cl bottle of spirits for the cruise.  You couldn’t have 2 half bottles and we don’t drink the same spirits so we had to make a choice. Snacks would have been charged (the first ones were free). We did not upgrade our package as we were happy with the YC choice. 

Was this a European sailing? I'm guessing yes and I think US and Europe YC differs. I don't think US charges you for refills...

[alyssamma]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

PremiumPlus will no longer be available from the Winter season on and it seems that YC guests will be entitled to enjoy the new top package, PremiumExtra, as Aurea will include the next level down package.  (It’s highly doubtful that YC would only get the same as Aurea).

 

The top package will no longer include the minibar.

 

Hopefully the references to YC in this thread haven’t confused the issue around the PremPlus package, as it isn’t germane to the subject, although I understand the reason for your question within this thread and am in no way implying that it would be the reason for the confusion.  

LOL, MSC seems to have *by far* the most confusing drink package(s) of any cruise line...

[Beamafar]

Just now, alyssamma said:

Was this a European sailing? I'm guessing yes and I think US and Europe YC differs. I don't think US charges you for refills...

This change was introduced when Bellissima first sailed (in the Med). 

[alyssamma]

Just now, Beamafar said:

This change was introduced when Bellissima first sailed (in the Med). 

But to be clear, only Europe, right? I remember some confusion pre-covid about this applying to US sailings, but myself and others didn't experience this.

[uktog]

6 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Was this a European sailing? I'm guessing yes and I think US and Europe YC differs. I don't think US charges you for refills...

It was Europe. I have to say I found it all so confusing it now seems the Voyager Club is also different rules too. I wish they would give you a printed fact sheet in your room as other lines do. We could have made more of our trip and avoided issues if we had had that. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by uktog

[jules815]

4 hours ago, alyssamma said:

LOL, MSC seems to have *by far* the most confusing drink package(s) of any cruise line...

You've got that right!

I've been following anything drink package related closely.  We'll be on Mera in YC in October and have quite a bit of credit/obc to blow and were planning on upgrading to Premium Plus package. Mainly because the last time we sailed with MSC in 2019, Hendricks was only available thru PP, and my husband loves a Hendrick's G&T.

Someone posted the most recent menu from the Top Sail lounge on Mera, and it doesn't even look like they have Hendricks as an option anymore, regardless of package.

 

 

[no1talks]

On 8/8/2021 at 3:00 PM, jules815 said:

You've got that right!

I've been following anything drink package related closely.  We'll be on Mera in YC in October and have quite a bit of credit/obc to blow and were planning on upgrading to Premium Plus package. Mainly because the last time we sailed with MSC in 2019, Hendricks was only available thru PP, and my husband loves a Hendrick's G&T.

Someone posted the most recent menu from the Top Sail lounge on Mera, and it doesn't even look like they have Hendricks as an option anymore, regardless of package.

 

 

That gin is confirmed as present on Mera, at least outside YC. Twangster posted a drink menu picture that shows it at $14.00 a pour.

I guess you could ask for a bottle to be kept for you in YC, since your drink upgrade would cover it.
 

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by no1talks

[jy_cruisefan]

Hello.

We are contemplating taking an MSC cruise for the first time this coming January on the Seashore from Miami. We are trying to get a handle on the Drink packages to determine if we should upgrade to the PREMIUM EXTRA PACKAGE. The promotion we are looking at includes the EASY PLUS PACKAGE which includes drinks up tp $9. Can I assume that most cocktails, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass will cost more than $9. If this is the case, can you just pay the difference per drink, or do you pay the full amount?
Thank you.

[alyssamma]

11 minutes ago, jy_cruisefan said:

Hello.

We are contemplating taking an MSC cruise for the first time this coming January on the Seashore from Miami. We are trying to get a handle on the Drink packages to determine if we should upgrade to the PREMIUM EXTRA PACKAGE. The promotion we are looking at includes the EASY PLUS PACKAGE which includes drinks up tp $9. Can I assume that most cocktails, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass will cost more than $9. If this is the case, can you just pay the difference per drink, or do you pay the full amount?
Thank you.

You can look here and see what EasyPlus covers...it's actually a pretty good amount of stuff. Make sure you look at the winter chart.

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/on-board/dining-drinks/drink-comparison-chart

 

[jy_cruisefan]

5 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

You can look here and see what EasyPlus covers...it's actually a pretty good amount of stuff. Make sure you look at the winter chart.

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/on-board/dining-drinks/drink-comparison-chart

 

Perfect. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you 🙂

[jy_cruisefan]

7 minutes ago, jy_cruisefan said:

Perfect. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you 🙂

BTW I could not find this chart on the Canadian MSC website (Msccruises.ca), so i'll make sure I check the USA site as well. 

Thanks again

[alyssamma]

34 minutes ago, jy_cruisefan said:

BTW I could not find this chart on the Canadian MSC website (Msccruises.ca), so i'll make sure I check the USA site as well. 

Thanks again

Really? Why would you possibly expect MSC to have the same info on all of their sites?

 

<sarcasm in case you can't tell...>

 

It's maddening when talking to people on CC because every country's site has different info and you get to it in a different way...it's crazy. I'm sure it's on the .ca site but buried in some place you wouldn't think to look...

[Tagsalong]

On 8/8/2021 at 4:00 PM, jules815 said:

You've got that right!

I've been following anything drink package related closely.  We'll be on Mera in YC in October and have quite a bit of credit/obc to blow and were planning on upgrading to Premium Plus package.  .

 

 

Do you plan to upgrade pre-cruise or on-board?

 

On Royal Caribbean ships you can use the OBC for pre-boarding packages.  But I don't know if the OBC that I have on the MSC Divina in September will be used if I buy the drink package now or will they charge my credit card the full price, and I will still have to find a way to use up my OBC.  I have prepaid gratuities so it won't be going towards that payment.

 

Right now the drink package price pre-boarding is the same as on-board price (based on Twangsters Meraviglia review) so I'm planning on waiting till I get on the ship.

Edited August 17, 2021 by Tagsalong