Drink packages

[CairnsDragon]

Does anyone know if MSC have Black Friday specials for drink packages, thank you.

[Até]

In the US and many countries MSC always has a special for drink the Easy Plus drink package.  Usually it's called All Inclusive or Drinks & WiFi  or something else.  In UK you can get the Premium package as an inclusive rate item. 

 

The various special occasion sale usually only adds some OBC.

 

Assume you are booking in Australia? 

Edited July 13 by Até

[CGinMTL]

If the price drops after you have booked. Can you cancel and rebook at the lower price ? I know this is possible on royal 

Please/ thank you

[JamieLogical]

43 minutes ago, CGinMTL said:

If the price drops after you have booked. Can you cancel and rebook at the lower price ? I know this is possible on royal 

Please/ thank you

 

Yes, as long as you are outside of final payment.

[Até]

3 hours ago, CGinMTL said:

If the price drops after you have booked. Can you cancel and rebook at the lower price ?

As long as it's not a Yacht Club booking, there you will lose your deposit. On regular cabins they will usually require another deposit while the first, cancelled deposit is refunded in a few weeks.  Rarely you can move the deposit.  You cannot do this after final payment and and watch that you are not in a penalty period.  See Terms & Conditions Section 12.

 

ETA:  Above is true your Canada bookings, many other countries lose their deposit. 

 

CAN_BTC master_20240530-ENG.pdf

Edited July 14 by Até

[Até]

On 7/12/2024 at 9:37 PM, CairnsDragon said:

Does anyone know if MSC have Black Friday specials for drink packages, thank you.

Also, people are reporting that MSC US has been making offers for discounted drinks packages after booking without the inclusive rates.  It may be available in other markets. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3014547-msc-40-drinks-sale/#comment-67643150

 

[Kalliamo]

MSC usually runs some great deals for Black Friday, including discounts on drink packages.

[CairnsDragon]

On 7/13/2024 at 12:23 PM, Até said:

In the US and many countries MSC always has a special for drink the Easy Plus drink package.  Usually it's called All Inclusive or Drinks & WiFi  or something else.  In UK you can get the Premium package as an inclusive rate item. 

 

The various special occasion sale usually only adds some OBC.

 

Assume you are booking in Australia? 

No have booked through a US site.

[JamieLogical]

49 minutes ago, Até said:

Also, people are reporting that MSC US has been making offers for discounted drinks packages after booking without the inclusive rates.  It may be available in other markets. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3014547-msc-40-drinks-sale/#comment-67643150

 

 

Yeah, but booking with drinks and wifi included is still almost ALWAYS way way cheaper than booking drinks (and/or wifi) separately in the US market. I just booked my parents on our January 10-day Meraviglia sailing and the rate with drinks and wifi was only $20 more per day per person, plus it included $250 of OBC. So if you factor that OBC in as cash, that works out to only $7.50 more per person per day for drinks and wifi. It' a no-brainer.

[Até]

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

Yeah, but booking with drinks and wifi included is still almost ALWAYS way way cheaper than booking drinks (and/or wifi) separately in the US market.

Agreed, an inclusive package rate is usually the easiest and most available drink package discount.  Most often working out to about $40 per day, but $20 per day pops up on certain itineraries.  Plus you are usually getting WiFi, and as you said, for the last couple months some OBC. 

 

The OP's Australian market doesn't get the same offers, currently they only have one called Last-Minute With Drinks that does include Easy Plus and WiFi.  It seems to add about  AU$70 ($40 US) per day.  Unfortunately it's quite limited to 61 "select" Mediterranean only sailings - out of the 145 available in this time frame.  So only for booking on a last minute sailing from now through Oct, 2024 being the furthest out.

[Até]

3 hours ago, CairnsDragon said:

No have booked through a US site.

Then you should have the choice to book the Drinks &WiFi Incuded rate.  Or you can take your chances and book the Cruise Only rate and hope they offer the drink package discount through an email or online in their website booking planner under add Drink Packages.  See the Cruise Critic thread I linked to in post #6.

[cwistyred]

Not all itineraries booked through US TA’s or through MSC directly offer the drink package at the time of booking. Neither of our two upcoming cruises had that as an option. We had to book cruise only.  Luckily I was checking online regarding the trip and saw we were eligible for the 40% off offer. It may not be as cheap as when you get it with your initial booking, but we were happy to get it.

[JamieLogical]

34 minutes ago, cwistyred said:

Not all itineraries booked through US TA’s or through MSC directly offer the drink package at the time of booking. Neither of our two upcoming cruises had that as an option. We had to book cruise only.  Luckily I was checking online regarding the trip and saw we were eligible for the 40% off offer. It may not be as cheap as when you get it with your initial booking, but we were happy to get it.

 

Then why book with a TA?

[cwistyred]

Neither a TA or MSC directly offered the packages. I booked through a TA this time as I had some issues before the last cruise when I booked directly. Not all itineraries come with that option.

[Até]

819 out of the 990 sailings currently listed on the US website offer Drinks and Wifi promotion.  So it can happen that you must book Cruise Only. 

[JamieLogical]

4 minutes ago, Até said:

819 out of the 990 sailings currently listed on the US website offer Drinks and Wifi promotion.  So it can happen that you must book Cruise Only. 

 

Interesting. I must be lucky in that I have never come across a cruise I was interested in that didn't have the inclusive option.

 

Edited July 15 by JamieLogical

[RandomUser123]

If you know you want the drink package then book the cruise package with easy plus and wifi for 1 device included. It will be so much cheaper than buying the drink package separately. For the majority of people easy plus is more than enough with what it covers.

[Até]

28 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

Interesting. I must be lucky in that I have never come across a cruise I was interested in that didn't have the inclusive option.

It's typically not offered on South American and South African round trips.   Sometimes when a Med or Northern European sailing is first listed MSC won't have it offered but a few months later it will be.   I'm surprised it's usually offered on the Mideast sailings.