Eastern Medit Route Armonia - few general questions

[rtsmith]

Hello all,

It's been two years since we cruised...this time going with extended family. I've read some of the reviews on this route and the Armonia too...not a lot of nice things to say it seems.

A few questions I had:

Is embarkation still such a nightmare in Venice w/MSC?

What do people drink on board if not alcohol? Can I bring a case of water onboard? Otherwise, I pay for every glass of liquid except for breakfast?

You can only book excursions after getting on the ship?

You have to book your meal sitting after you get onboard?

You have to pay for your pool towel?

Just wondering....

[wonder woman283]

RTSMITH;

We are going on the Poesia from Genoa on March 5th. I have never been on MSC so cant answer alot of your questions but I do know that we have already booked some excurisons through our TA. It was very easy and with our packet from MSC we received our vouchers for this excursion. We also have already booked our seating for supper through are TA as well. So these things I know you can book prior, maybe its cause we have a great TA.

[lawton54]

book tours in advance, just be sure to check your vouchers when they arrive to see that everything is as you expected. Just a note about seating, be aware that a pre-booked seating means almost nothing. We booked first seating - table for 2 about 7 months prior to sailing. When we arrived we had second seating, table for 4, not what we wanted or had arranged.

[sparky1664]

Hello all,

It's been two years since we cruised...this time going with extended family. I've read some of the reviews on this route and the Armonia too...not a lot of nice things to say it seems.

A few questions I had:

Is embarkation still such a nightmare in Venice w/MSC?

We embarked in Venice last August. We took the free port shuttle from Piazalle Roma at about 2.30pm. You need to drop of your luggage and walk round to the embarkation hall. (All lines do this in Venice, but MSC is usually nearer than RCI etc) We more or less walked straight on. There were no lines and we were onboard with our cruise cards in a matter of minutes. :)

What do people drink on board if not alcohol? Can I bring a case of water onboard? Otherwise, I pay for every glass of liquid except for breakfast?
Tea/ coffee etc is also available at lunch time. We brought on a pack of water, (& a couple of bottles of wine) quite openly, in one of the ports. (Katakolon) No problems.

You can only book excursions after getting on the ship?
This is generally how it is done but it should be possible to book in advance either through your TA or directly with MSC themselves. Once onboard it is quite easy to book the excursions via the in cabin TV.

You have to book your meal sitting after you get onboard?
You request your meal sitting at the time of booking. This however, can be changed if the seating, table allocation requested etc, is over-subscribed.


You have to pay for your pool towel?

Just wondering....

No, you don't have to pay for your pool towel. :)
You may be charged for it though if you lose it or decide you would like to keep it as a souvenir.

[AmoMondo]

Is embarkation still such a nightmare in Venice w/MSC?
sorry dont know as it's 3 years since i last joined a crusie at venice. I've found that when i've turned up early (i.e. before the published time) I've had a wait of an hour or more, when i turn up a bit after the published time, i get onboard in 10-30 minutes

What do people drink on board if not alcohol? Can I bring a case of water onboard? Otherwise, I pay for every glass of liquid except for breakfast?
water, soft drinks, teas, coffees, variety of virgin cocktails. yes you pay for drinks except at breakfast and aftnernoon tea. You can get soft drink packages to reduce costs. It's also safe to drink the tap water in the cabin. They introduced a policy late last year that you can not bring food or drink onboard. i don't know how strictly they enforce this rule or whether they check baggage

You can only book excursions after getting on the ship?

You have to book your meal sitting after you get onboard?
No, normally you indicate which seating you want when you book. Your TA should have asked you which one you wanted. You are also suppossed to specify whether you want a table for 2,4,6,or 8. They try to accomodate the preferences you have made but obviously cannot guarantee to give everyone exactly what they want. If you are allocated a seating or table that you don't like, you can speak to the Maitre D' onboard and ask for a change. he will try to do thid if he can but if the seating you want is already full, then you wont be able to change to that.

You have to pay for your pool towel?
No you only pay for pool or beach towels if you take them and don't return them. When you collect them, they take a note of your cabin number. When you return them, they mark against your cabin number that it has been returned. Make sure when you do return them, that there is a crew member to mark that you have done so - dont just dump them in the big bin for used towels. they also provide towels in the spa if you choose to use the sauna or steam room
Just wondering....

I've answered your questions above. let me know if you have any more. I've not been on the Armonia but she is pretty much the same as the opera and Lirica which i have sailed on

[rtsmith]

Thank you all for your replies! This will be our third Medit cruise, but the first one over here in 15 years...kids have done two Carib cruises, so it should be interesting how this compares to "the old days"....I feel like I forgot everything...I don't even remember what currency Greece and Croatia have...do you bring a lot of cash, traveler cheques and/or credit cards?

[AmoMondo]

Thank you all for your replies! This will be our third Medit cruise, but the first one over here in 15 years...kids have done two Carib cruises, so it should be interesting how this compares to "the old days"....I feel like I forgot everything...I don't even remember what currency Greece and Croatia have...do you bring a lot of cash, traveler cheques and/or credit cards?

Greece is the Euro and Croatia the Kuna. personally i dont do traveller's cheques - too much hassle and cost (exchange rate losses and commission when you convert back to your own currency). I use credit cards and take a reasonable amount of small denomination euros. i also get small amounts of the other crrencies. In Croatia in most of the toursit places, they'll accept euros but tend to give you change back in the local currency

[AmoMondo]

Sorry forgot to say - many credit card companies freeze your card when they say unusual patterns of behaviour and belive may they deem a different purchase in a different country evryday as supicious. So my advice is
1. let your credit card company know in advance that you will be using it in a variety of different European countries over just a week
2. take a back up card just in case

[rtsmith]

Ah, okay. I had figured I'd better let our cc companies know that. thanks again!