Procedure when doing back to back cruises

[Misty1937]

Could someone please inform me how they handle it when we do back to back cruises. We disembark from Musica at 8am and depart on Opera the same day with embarkation by 4pm. The logical thing in my opinion would be for them to transfer our luggage direct to Opera, is this what they do or do we need to claim it and then go through the procedure of embarking all over again. I realise we can do the express check-in for both cruises before we leave home. We have enough time in port to do something constructive but it is not my idea of fun to be burdened with our luggage while we do it. If necessary is there a SECURE place to leave our cases as I have no wish to have them tampered with or worse still stolen. I have done a search to try and find the answers but it is coming up with a blank, maybe I am using the wrong wording and if so please enlighten me.

I would appreciate any help in this matter and feel sure one of you amazing members will have the answer for me, thanks in anticipation.:)

[Misty1937]

Please hasn't anyone done a back to back cruise with MSC who can enlighten me:confused::confused:. Asked my TA who contacted MSC but couldn't get a straight answer, all maybe's and possibilities:rolleyes::rolleyes:. It seemed a pretty straightfoward question to me, oh well hopefully I will find out before we sail:(.

Misty

[owl61]

Yours is not a typical back to back cruise. That term generally refers to 2 cruises on the same ship. You are changing ships. Your frustration at the inability to get a firm answer is understandable. I would continue to bug my TA as most lines will not communicate directly with the passenger if he has a TA.

I would hazard a guess that you will not be able to rely on ground staff to remove your bags from the Musica and place it on the Opera. You will probably have to collect your bags when you disembark and hopefully will be able to leave them with the Opera ground staff without having to check in. See the sights and come back later to check in when the check in desks open.

[Misty1937]

Thanks Owl61, I think we will need to take our luggage thru customs when we come off Musica but surely MSC would help accommodate us by storing it securely for us until check in time. One suggestion by our TA was that we could take it to the railway station and store it there but that means lugging it each way which I understand is not a short distance. What ever happened to good old customer service?????????

[Thecat123]

We are doing a back to back early September but ours is a bit different. We are doing a seven night on Musica from Venice arriving back at Venice at 8.00 then MSC are giving us a free transfer to Genoa to do another seven night cruise on Fantasia which departs at 17.00 the same day. I would think that everything would be arranged by them. This is probually not much help to you though.

Anybody else joining us?

[AmoMondo]

Misty, I'm assuming your 2 cruises are both from Venice? If so, then don't worry if MSC have not opened up the luggage drop for passengers embarking ath the time you disembark from your first cruise as there is a left luggage facility near the exit to the baggage hall of the terminal (or at least there was 3 years ago)

[Misty1937]

We are doing a back to back early September but ours is a bit different. We are doing a seven night on Musica from Venice arriving back at Venice at 8.00 then MSC are giving us a free transfer to Genoa to do another seven night cruise on Fantasia which departs at 17.00 the same day. I would think that everything would be arranged by them. This is probually not much help to you though.

Anybody else joining us?

Thanks Thecat123 for your input. Yes, I agree with you and thought that MSC would have made arrangements, glad anyway that they have for you. Sorry you are not on our 27th Sept cruise on Musica but have a wonderful time anyway. You live in a beautiful country, we enjoyed a tour of both islands a few years ago.

Cheers, Misty

[Misty1937]

Once again thanks AmoMondo for your comments. Yes both cruises are Venice return, it is so frustrating to have to seek advise from here when one would imagine the TA or MSC would have the answers. It would be great if they still have the left luggage bay, I presume it is a secure area.

Say HI to Edinburgh for me, I really loved your city, especially Jenners store with the ornate balconies. I was rather frustrated as they were just setting up for the Tattoo so we were unable to attend. I watch it every year on the TV and have attended quite a few in Melbourne so you can imagine my disappointment.

Again thanks, Misty

[Thecat123]

Thanks Thecat123 for your input. Yes, I agree with you and thought that MSC would have made arrangements, glad anyway that they have for you. Sorry you are not on our 27th Sept cruise on Musica but have a wonderful time anyway. You live in a beautiful country, we enjoyed a tour of both islands a few years ago.

Cheers, Misty

 

Misty I haven't got to Melbourne yet but wifey has been a few times to see the horse show, I gotta stay home and look after the cat. We have done several trips to Surfaces and the last time we went to Sydney as well just before the US President arrived. I think we are stopping at Melbourne on the way back from Dubai for an hour or so

We will wave to you on the way back hehe

[Thecat123]

Misty I meant Surfers not Surfaces. As you are leaving Venice with both cruises I was wondering where each cruise was going?

[AmoMondo]

Once again thanks AmoMondo for your comments. Yes both cruises are Venice return, it is so frustrating to have to seek advise from here when one would imagine the TA or MSC would have the answers. It would be great if they still have the left luggage bay, I presume it is a secure area.

Say HI to Edinburgh for me, I really loved your city, especially Jenners store with the ornate balconies. I was rather frustrated as they were just setting up for the Tattoo so we were unable to attend. I watch it every year on the TV and have attended quite a few in Melbourne so you can imagine my disappointment.

Again thanks, Misty

 

Hi Misty

yes it is a secure luggage facility. When I last used it, it was 1 euro per case. I know what you mean. MSC really need to improve their admin especially pre cruise as it drives me nuts trying to get information.

 

jenners has alweays been a favourite of mine too. Unfortunately it is no longer independent, it was bought out by the House of Fraser chain and it is not as special and unique as it was before. At least it is still there though.

[Misty1937]

Hi Thecat123

Sounds a familiar story re your cat, we have to take seperate hols too so one can stay home with our cat. She is 18 yrs old now and we have been dreading the worst for a couple of years but she just seems to keep on keeping on.

Both our cruises start/end in Venice. The 1st is 7 nights to the Greek Islands, the same as yours I guess. The next is 11 nights Venice, Kotor (Montenegro), Athens, Yalta & Odessa (Black Sea, Ukraine) Istanbul (Turkey), Katakolon (Olympia, Greece) and Dubrovnik (Croatia). Which cruise are you doing on Fantasia?.

We are stopping over in Dubai too on the way home, staying at the Marco Polo hotel. I will look out for your wave out the window as you fly over Melb and return it. Have a great cruise.

Cheers, Misty

[Misty1937]

Hi Misty

yes it is a secure luggage facility. When I last used it, it was 1 euro per case. I know what you mean. MSC really need to improve their admin especially pre cruise as it drives me nuts trying to get information.

 

jenners has alweays been a favourite of mine too. Unfortunately it is no longer independent, it was bought out by the House of Fraser chain and it is not as special and unique as it was before. At least it is still there though.

I am so relieved there is a safe lock up, should allow us an extra day in Venice now. What a shame about Jenners, it really upsets me when these big chains take over as I prefer to shop in small independent shops where I feel a person not a number.

Again thanks for your help AmoMondo.

Cheers Misty

[Thecat123]

Both our cruises start/end in Venice. The 1st is 7 nights to the Greek Islands, the same as yours I guess. The next is 11 nights Venice, Kotor (Montenegro), Athens, Yalta & Odessa (Black Sea, Ukraine) Istanbul (Turkey), Katakolon (Olympia, Greece) and Dubrovnik (Croatia). Which cruise are you doing on Fantasia?.

Cheers, Misty

 

Misty you are going further than us. We are looking at this as a teaser

http://www.msccruises.com.au/media/PDF/Flyers/NZD%20Grand%20Mediterranean%20Feb%2009%20LOW%20RES.pdf

as we have never been to the Med before. Maybe we will go back sometime and spend more time in certain areas. At least your flying time is a bit quicker than ours I think about 23 hours Auckland to Venice. It will be interesting to see how your cruise goes compared to ours. We have been reading all the good and bad comments about MSC and we are going with a very open mind. We travelled Holland America to Alaska last August and this Feb we did LA to Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal but we don't seem to compare different shipping lines with each other as each has its different style. We are easy to please I think. Apparently Emirates is now sending us through Sydney up and back instead of Melbourne on the return flight.

Hope you have a good cruise

[Misty1937]

Misty you are going further than us. We are looking at this as a teaser

http://www.msccruises.com.au/media/PDF/Flyers/NZD%20Grand%20Mediterranean%20Feb%2009%20LOW%20RES.pdf

as we have never been to the Med before. Maybe we will go back sometime and spend more time in certain areas. At least your flying time is a bit quicker than ours I think about 23 hours Auckland to Venice. It will be interesting to see how your cruise goes compared to ours. We have been reading all the good and bad comments about MSC and we are going with a very open mind. We travelled Holland America to Alaska last August and this Feb we did LA to Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal but we don't seem to compare different shipping lines with each other as each has its different style. We are easy to please I think. Apparently Emirates is now sending us through Sydney up and back instead of Melbourne on the return flight.

Hope you have a good cruise

Your cruise looks really great too. We originally planned on the Greek Islands only but the 2 for 1 deal to the Black Sea won us over. Like you we are easy to please and take each cruise as we fine it. We did NCL to Alaska and Discovery to Antarctica and were more than happy with both. Can really recommend Antarctica, it was an amazing experience. What a shame I won't get to wave to you over Melb, we are actually flying with Emirates from Syd too as my girlfriend/travel mate lives in NSW and we alternate which city we leave from. I would be very interested to hear how your cruise went, please feel free to keep in touch via my email judithklein12@hotmail.com Our flight is 21 hrs so I know how you feel. Where do you live in NZ?, I guess the Sth Island is my favourite as the Hooker Valley and Hooker Glacier near Mt Cook were named in honour of my Great Grandfather.

Look forward to hearing from you again.

Cheers Judy

[Thecat123]

Misty our travel agent said we have to do this at Dubai http://www.arabian-adventures.com/ToursSafaris/Dubai/Safaris/Sundowner/Sundowner.Asp?nav=2&sub=1 Apparently there is one in Sydney as well which is meant to be good We live in Auckland and I have only landed at Mt. Cook briefly on the way to Queenstown. Never heard of Hooker Glacier or Hooker Valley but will check it out. How come they got named after your Great Grandfarther? Did he find them?

"Our flight is 21 hrs so I know how you feel" but Australians fly first class don't they? hehe

PS Our cat 14 years old and going to live in a pussy cat hotel while we are away

[Misty1937]

Misty our travel agent said we have to do this at Dubai http://www.arabian-adventures.com/ToursSafaris/Dubai/Safaris/Sundowner/Sundowner.Asp?nav=2&sub=1 Apparently there is one in Sydney as well which is meant to be good We live in Auckland and I have only landed at Mt. Cook briefly on the way to Queenstown. Never heard of Hooker Glacier or Hooker Valley but will check it out. How come they got named after your Great Grandfarther? Did he find them?

"Our flight is 21 hrs so I know how you feel" but Australians fly first class don't they? hehe

PS Our cat 14 years old and going to live in a pussy cat hotel while we are away

Thecat123 that dune dinner in Dubai looks just fantastic but we were advised it is an EXTREMELY rough and bumpy ride. We are both in our 70's and our TA said if we had ANY back or other problems definitely not to do it. Unfortunately we do have minor problems so have decided not to do it after speaking with a various number of prople who have done it. I only mention this to you in case you were not aware of the risk.

 

My GGF (Sir Joseph Hooker)was a noted botanist from England who sailed with James Ross on Erebus to Antarctica in 1842 making stops in NZ, Tahiti, Oz. The glacier and valley are at the base of Mt Cook and there is also a Mt Hooker nearer the west coast and they were named after him in recognition of his contribution to botany in NZ. How I wish I had known him, it would be wonderful if I could sit down and hear his adventures first hand. My main reason in going to Antarctica was to see and experience (in far more luxury of course) what he saw and I actually went ashore where he had collected mosses. I feel so priviliged and proud to be a descendant even though I take no credit for it. If you put his name in google there is plenty of info on him.

 

Like your comment about flying 1st class, definitely cattle class for us yuk. Hope your cat enjoys her holiday in the hotel ours is far too old now to do that. She is a very nervous and timid cat (always has been) and has a nervy turn if our doorbell rings which is strange as we have had her since she was a tiny kitten so she has never been ill treated. Oh well them's the breaks and she has been a very loyal pet who loves to have a chat with us, we swear she knows what we are saying sometimes (who says we are getting senile!!!!!!).

 

Say hi to Auckland for us, it is a beautiful city, cheers Judy

[Thecat123]

Never thought about Antartica until someone sent me a whole lot of pictures. They were amasing and I will find them and email them if you like

[Misty1937]

Thanks for the wonderful pics, I received them and will reply shortly. Of all my world travels Antarctica was the most unique and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone. My husband would not go with me as he said it would be too cold!!!!!!!, really we did not feel it any colder than our own winter although of course we were dressed for the occassion. Glad I did Alaska first though as it made that fade into insignificance,

Cheers, Judy