Non-standard questions of a Newbie

[yellow-submarine]

Hi all,

Planning our first cruise for our 20th anniversary (MSC Seaside, South Caribbean from Guadalupe or Martinique). Read many articles, forum posts and watched videos but there are some questions non of these could answer or they are MSC/destination specific. I am hoping that this wonderful community can help with some of these:

 

• We were thinking to take a the 14 day cruise for 13 day only. Is it possible to book it like that? Or pay for full trip but join the cruise a day later?
• As I understood the activity schedule is distributed in paper format the day before . Does it mean that you can book on-board activities only a day in advance? If so what time is the earliest you can book them?
• Do you have to pre-book the basketball court?
• We love to release some stress by playing with football table. Are these free or coin operated? If coin operated, do we need Euro or something?
• Is there a check-out process or payments are automatic and you can leave the boat at any time?
• I imagine that boarding takes long in end-terminals like Miami but how long does it take at a stop like Guadalupe or Martinique?
• MSC Seaside's documentary video on YouTube suggests that they take in account flight delays. Do they really do this? If so, what sort of delay they accommodate? I mean Guadalupe or Martinique does not have many flights so I imagine there would be many other cruise passengers on those flights.
  
  Any help would be highly appreciated and hopefully will be helpful for others reading the post for their research. 

[Nunagoras]

8 minutes ago, yellow-submarine said:

Hi all,

Planning our first cruise for our 20th anniversary (MSC Seaside, South Caribbean from Guadalupe or Martinique). Read many articles, forum posts and watched videos but there are some questions non of these could answer or they are MSC/destination specific. I am hoping that this wonderful community can help with some of these: - Welcome aboard; we're here to help as far as we can!

 

• We were thinking to take a the 14 day cruise for 13 day only. Is it possible to book it like that? Or pay for full trip but join the cruise a day later? - Here in Europe, MSC uses to permit embarkation or debarkation pretty much from any port. Sometimes your ship feels like if it was a ferry... I believe they can't do that on the US sailings though, perhaps due to US specifics legal issues and due to the other ports reasons. You may ask them or from your TA if they have that option, though.
• As I understood the activity schedule is distributed in paper format the day before . Does it mean that you can book on-board activities only a day in advance? If so what time is the earliest you can book them? - Apart the daily theater shows and the activities part of the "fun pass" there is no other bookable activities aboard. Maybe a possible wine tasting thing or a make your cocktail demonstration, but generally all other things are free or first come, first served. The theater shows can be booked on the app, on your in-room TV or on the appropriate touch screens for all week.
• Do you have to pre-book the basketball court? - On MSC, at embarkation day, you'll need to go to find the sports area manager, they'll ask you some questions to assess you're fit for sport purposes, you sign a waiver with them, they put a sticker on your cruise card, and then you may, either way to book any programmed activities with them or use the place with your group if free during opening hours. There might to be a charge for a long time "private" use.
• We love to release some stress by playing with football table. Are these free or coin operated? If coin operated, do we need Euro or something? - No hand money aboard MSC cruises. Those tables used to be free of charge for small time slots. They may have a small nominal charge or part of some "fun pass" though, I'm not sure.
• Is there a check-out process or payments are automatic and you can leave the boat at any time? - If you use your credit card the process is mostly automatic. Don't forget to sign you "final" bill delivered to your cabin at debarking dawn. If both you decide and they accept hand money accounting, then you need to go guest services at debarkation dawn to close your account. No purchases permitted after that instance though. Me thinks that due to EU regulations they no more accept hand money accounting. I said this just in case they already have different procedures on the US.
• I imagine that boarding takes long in end-terminals like Miami but how long does it take at a stop like Guadalupe or Martinique? - It would be a quick process, but understandably subject to such a rigid time slot allowance.
• MSC Seaside's documentary video on YouTube suggests that they take in account flight delays. Do they really do this? If so, what sort of delay they accommodate? I mean Guadalupe or Martinique does not have many flights so I imagine there would be many other cruise passengers on those flights. - If ever they accept those arrangements, they'll await only if you purchase your air with them. Either way: To have good reliable travel insurance is always recommended.
  
  Any help would be highly appreciated and hopefully will be helpful for others reading the post for their research. - Have a nice day!...

 

[yellow-submarine]

Thank you Nunagoras. It is super helpful.

Point1: Do you mean if you miss the cruise you can't fly to the next port to board it? 

Point6: Roughly how long the check-in/boarding takes in Guadalupe or Martinique? (For calculating timing of flight).

[Essiesmom]

Since your cruise is totally Caribbean, no US ports, and likely boards at more than one port, getting on a day late, or leaving a day early should not be a problem.  But you would still have to clear it with MSC.  EM