2nd MSC cruise - should I expect upsell when boarding?

[amurray88]

We sailed MSC 2 years ago. One big shock was that as we were boarding we were pulled (not literally) into a lounge by restaurant manager who tried to upsell speciality restaurants. We declined and said we just want to start our holiday. He asked us to wait one minute and disappeared...the beverage manager then came over and talked us through the drinks options (we already had drinks package) and he tried to upsell again saying that for most people the normal drinks package isn't enough. I started getting annoyed and he then brought over the spa manager.

 

Please tell me this isn't normal? It felt so bizarre.

[Eglesbrech]

No, nothing I have ever seen or experienced.

 

I’d say you were lucky if they were offering to book the specialities as when we were on a few weeks ago there was a long queue once onboard to do so. They are very popular, we have eaten at them all but pre pay before boarding as it is significantly better value.

 

They do have big banners and desks to sell restaurants, spa, drinks packages etc along the Galleria on the first day but no one will harass you.

[JamieLogical]

Nothing at all like that on any of my MSC sailings. The most I can say is that the first day they did have a table set up outside the entrance to the buffet with someone selling dining packages, but a quick "we're all set" and we received no further harassment.

 

Also, I have only ever sailed MSC with the Easy Plus package and I don't remember a single person ever offering me an upgrade, much less pressuring me to buy the upgrade.

Edited June 27 by JamieLogical

[Essiesmom]

There are crew members walking around with laminated brochures, maybe for drink and specialty packages but I was never approached. EM

[MonsterJoe]

They got ya! 90% of the sell is getting you to stop! 🙂

Like EM, I've had the laminated brochure people on every cruise so far - not nearly as bad as some of the ports (!!).

I just tell them 'No thanks, I've already bought that' as I'm walking by.  I don't really find it to be a bother.

 

[showingdiva]

Currently on Virtuosa.  Never experienced that on any cruise on her, nor on Euribia last year.

Edited June 27 by showingdiva

[Eglesbrech]

30 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

Currently on Virtuosa.  Never experienced that on any cruise on her, nor on Euribia last year.

Enjoy your cruise.

[TheBeardedCruiser]

I was never approached on my cruise last month- Meraviglia out of NYC.

[showingdiva]

1 hour ago, Eglesbrech said:

Enjoy your cruise.

Last day tomorrow unfortunately. Been great, if a little too hot at times for this pale Scot - but have managed to compensate by making my way up and down the mocktail list numerous times 😊

[TheBeardedCruiser]

On 6/27/2024 at 6:27 PM, showingdiva said:

Last day tomorrow unfortunately. Been great, if a little too hot at times for this pale Scot - but have managed to compensate by making my way up and down the mocktail list numerous times 😊

No rush to answer-- What are your favorite mocktails? Any unusual ones? As someone that doesn't drink alcohol, I too made my way up and down the mocktail list numerous times on my last MSC cruise.

 

My favorite mocktail was a frozen Toblerone, but I only found one bartender that would make it without alcohol 

[showingdiva]

13 hours ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

No rush to answer-- What are your favorite mocktails? Any unusual ones? As someone that doesn't drink alcohol, I too made my way up and down the mocktail list numerous times on my last MSC cruise.

 

My favorite mocktail was a frozen Toblerone, but I only found one bartender that would make it without alcohol 

 

My favourite is the daiquiri zero, with the dirty banana in close second (although I'm starting to see that more as a breakfast milkshake  🤣).  I had a Toblerone way back, but as you say, it's not so easy to get a bartender to make one without alcohol.   I do like the pink grapefruit one that appears as the non-alcoholic offering at the carousel shows (but can't recall its name).

[amurray88]

Thank you 👌 seems we maybe caught them trying to sell due to Covid. Even at dinner time, 2 chefs/restaurant managers walked round with raw meat on a plate trying to sell it to us at dinner every night (even if we had our main already served).

[showingdiva]

1 minute ago, amurray88 said:

Thank you 👌 seems we maybe caught them trying to sell due to Covid. Even at dinner time, 2 chefs/restaurant managers walked round with raw meat on a plate trying to sell it to us at dinner every night (even if we had our main already served).

 

As a pescatarian, I would be annoyed if anyone tried to do that, cruise ship or otherwise.

 

I'm just home from Virtuosa, and without going looking for the other thread about drink packages ... juice is available 24/7 in the Marketplace, but only grapefruit, pineapple and ACE (which I love).   You have to ask / pay for orange or apple.

[amurray88]

19 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

 

As a pescatarian, I would be annoyed if anyone tried to do that, cruise ship or otherwise.

 

I'm just home from Virtuosa, and without going looking for the other thread about drink packages ... juice is available 24/7 in the Marketplace, but only grapefruit, pineapple and ACE (which I love).   You have to ask / pay for orange or apple.

Even as a meat lover it annoyed me. If I'm at dinner, I'm at dinner. I shouldn't be upsold (perhaps you could excuse your waiter saying "would you like this or that") but certainly not platters of raw meat put infront of you.

[showingdiva]

32 minutes ago, amurray88 said:

Even as a meat lover it annoyed me. If I'm at dinner, I'm at dinner. I shouldn't be upsold (perhaps you could excuse your waiter saying "would you like this or that") but certainly not platters of raw meat put infront of you.

 

Never had any problems this past week.   Lovely waiters, cabin steward etc.  Ate in Minuetto (MDR), Marketplace, Hola! and Masters of the Sea.   Saw Ajedrez in the Carousel Lounge.   The ship was at full capacity.

 

No-one leapt out to sell anything.   Yes, the photographers do try to encourage a photo stop but are not in the least offended if you say no thanks.

[Fissues]

Never had anyone try to upsell me on anything ever.