MSC Splendida - first time cruise

Hi,

I am going on MSC Splendida on 18th of January 2015 and this is my first time cruise. Now I am intensively looking for all useful informations so I could spend great time on the ship, but it is little hard to learn everything from lot of text on from internet so I would need (again) your help. I asked before some question but they were general and now I have few specific ones:

1) I already asked this question (more heir http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=44889796#post44889796 ): Where is best to park my car in Genoa? I would like that parking is close to boarding area. I am not sure how much time I will have from arriving to Genoa to time of boarding. But I would like if it is possible to park my car and take keys with me.

2)I booked cruise yesterday and lady from agency told me that I will receive on my e-mail all I need to board the ship, including tickets, instructions, etc... She also told me that they sometimes send those things relatively late (few days before day of cruise). Is this normal way of getting those things?

I don't like it very much because I will be on ski holiday before cruise and I would have to find somewhere to print those things. But if it is standard procedure it is OK then.

2a) If I want to book drinking packages or other additional thing, MSC always asks for booking number, which I don't have at the moment. Can I buy those thing later or even on the ship or it must be done before?

3) I am going with my wife on this cruise and we are going alone. We are probably going on few excursions and will probably take official MSC excursions because as this is our first cruise and we don't want to be late back on ship or to take wrong private ones. I know that those official excursions are overpriced but do people at all goes on those excursions?

Do I have to book them earlier or on ship day before?

Maybe we will find some company on board and then go together but that is at the moment unlikely and I would like to have some backup plan.

4)At Gala night (or whatever it is called) what is minimum acceptable dress code. We are at our late 20 (29 and 28), and I just don't feel like wearing suit on my vacation and packing it to take it with me. Same goes for my wife.

I am ok with semi-formal look but that would be top.

I have some more questions but would leave them for later because I already wrote long post and nobody likes long posts to read.

P.S.

Please don't kill me if I am asking things that are answered million times before, but I just can't find all this in all kind of texts on internet.

My up and coming cruise will be my first with MSC, so I can't help a lot, but I've attached a link you find find useful for the parking.

https://www.parkvia.com/book/select/select_v3.aspx?bid=c08a11b3-ae14-425b-b584-5f3bb12df144&iid=38819038

I can also say we're 10 days out and we still don't have tickets etc.

I'm sure others will be along in a while with the answers to your other questions, they're a really helpful bunch. :)

2)I booked cruise yesterday and lady from agency told me that I will receive on my e-mail all I need to board the ship, including tickets, instructions, etc... She also told me that they sometimes send those things relatively late (few days before day of cruise). Is this normal way of getting those things?

I have never booked MSC via an agency so I cannot be sure but my understanding from others' comments here was that the email went to the agent and they either printed it out for you or forwarded it to you. I have usually booked 'guarantee' cabins so my e-tickets have been some of the last to be emailed pending cabin allocation and this has been around 10-14 before departure.

Had you booked directly with MSC, it might have been posssible to register on their website and click a link to have them emailed to you. I say 'might' because it does not work for many people. With an agent, it won't.

2a) If I want to book drinking packages or other additional thing, MSC always asks for booking number, which I don't have at the moment. Can I buy those thing later or even on the ship or it must be done before?

Ask your agent for your MSC booking number then go to the MSC website, click on "Onboard Services" then "Book your onboard services". All the drinks packages, excursions and other extras available for your cruise will be there. By pre-booking you will save 15% on all drinks packages compared to buying on board. These are still paid for in the usual way at the end of the cruise.

3) I am going with my wife on this cruise and we are going alone. We are probably going on few excursions and will probably take official MSC excursions because as this is our first cruise and we don't want to be late back on ship or to take wrong private ones. I know that those official excursions are overpriced but do people at all goes on those excursions?

Do I have to book them earlier or on ship day before?

Again these are available to pre-book as above but with no discount for doing so. They are over-priced and there are private alternatives. Some of us just prefer to wander on our own two feet - especially if it is a port that is new to us. Second hand guidebooks can be a wise investment to give you a better grounding in what to see and do in a particular place than is available onboard from those trying to sell tours. Advance preparation is the key!

4)At Gala night (or whatever it is called) what is minimum acceptable dress code. We are at our late 20 (29 and 28), and I just don't feel like wearing suit on my vacation and packing it to take it with me. Same goes for my wife.

I am ok with semi-formal look but that would be top.

Dress on MSC varies hugely. There will be formal nights but in my experience only a minority dress in black tie. A smaller minority of men don't wear at least jackets.

The suggested dress code for the evening appears on the daily programme delivered under your cabin door during the night. If you don't want to dress up on formal nights and don't want to feel underdressed, there is always the buffet. However it is a shame to miss the first and last gala nights. There is also likely to be an 'Italian' night too.

I only wear suits on holiday! The queston for me, when usually travelling hand-luggage only, is one suit or two! To me it is the easiest thing to pack and wear and saves thinking about difficult choices. It can be dressed down with a T-shirt or polo shirt and dressed up with a formal shirt and tie or bow-tie and pocket square - but that is just me.

Minimal dress? It depends how uncomfortable you want to feel! If you are extremely casual on formal nights you may receve some disapproving looks but, as I say, on MSC the dress is very varied. MSC official policy is no shorts ever in the evenings but, like most MSC policies, even this is not enforced. The dress codes are only "suggested" and not policy. So really it is quite open. Do what makes you feel most comfortable.

I have some more questions but would leave them for later because I already wrote long post and nobody likes long posts to read.

 

P.S.

Please don't kill me if I am asking things that are answered million times before, but I just can't find all this in all kind of texts on internet.

Fire away. You will probably get plenty of differing opinions here.

Everyone enjoys their first cruise. I am sure you will have a great time.

Lots of people do go on the MSC excursions and they can be booked on board the day before. I travel with my son and we don't always know what we feel like doing until the day before.

I mix and match having a wander around somewhere new on my own with a few excursions. As English speaker and in the minority I have missed out on a planned excursion due to not enough other English people choosing that excursion, but we were given choice to go with another language group (without English translation) or different trip with an english group.

I once didn't get the email with tickets from my agency, but MSC just printed them out for me when we arrived at embarkation.

We don't have formal clothes to match what some people wear on gala night, but try to wear shirt rather than t-shirt and trousers rather than shorts and haven't felt uncomfortable.

Thank you all for answers. I will not qoute your answers because it will be huge post so I will answer and ask in genreal again.

Link that Babyeddiedog posted is great and I see that there are three parkings but not sure which is best choose and which is nearest to ship.

Now those excursions. I don't know how things are in reality in those ports but I just don't think that it will be safe for someone who never cruised before (not familiar with all procedures, timings etc) to go alone far away from ship.

OK it is cheaper but is it safer? I can manage self excursions but I am little affraid will I be able to return in time...

I am maybe wrong about this, so would like to heir more about your first time and excursions.

Also is it possible to get some sort of plans heir on forum with other who will be cruising at same ship and date, and maybe arrange something for those excursions.

Now, drinking. I just can't figure out do I need those or not. I am beer drinker and my wife don't drink alcohol at all. I drink beer but in normal quantities but I can't decide right now will I drink 2 or 6 or 16 (lol) a day....

 

Link that Babyeddiedog posted is great and I see that there are three parkings but not sure which is best choose and which is nearest to ship.

 

 

Now, drinking. I just can't figure out do I need those or not. I am beer drinker and my wife don't drink alcohol at all. I drink beer but in normal quantities but I can't decide right now will I drink 2 or 6 or 16 (lol) a day....

Re. the parking. They're all with 1km so I'd choose the car park that was easiest to get too from whichever way your coming in from, i.e. the one at the end of the A7, or the S545 (although it look like that one is not available). Autosiloport needs you to leave your keys, and the official MSC Park, Garage Ponte dei Mille Genoa doesn't say about the keys so I would think you'd need to check with them.

Have a look at the Allegrissimo package. It includes alcoholic drinks but it also includes juices, non alcoholic cocktails and good coffee, not the horrible instant kind :) It works out good value as long as you have 5 drinks a day. I've booked mine!

Happy planning ;)

Last year we did our first cruise. MSC didn't have many excursions for people in wheelchairs so we decided to do things on our own.

We found maps of the cities online or in several city's Hop on hop off buses or just walked into the cities and enjoyed just walking around them. just make sure you will be back on the ship an hour before departure.

We do your intentinarie next year and found HOHO's in Palermo, Genoa, Barcelona which lets you see a lot of the city and you can hop on and off where ever you like, so we decided to do that.

In marseille there is free shuttle to the city centre and you can explore Marseille on your own or take the petit train (€6 pp).

Ive been trying to find up to date information on the free shuttle in Marseille , What days does it run? what times? and where from?

Thank you all for helping me (and other). I am starting to get picture in my head much clear now about lot of things, but I still have questions :)

1)Right now I am trying to organize our excursions but I am not sure how it looks in reality when ship docks to port. So could someone explain what is exact situation and procedure after docking?

As some of you sugested HO HO buses in palermo and barcelona now looks really interested but I guess that after you exit ship you have to first find/walk to station etc... while on official excursions bus is waiting for you and returning you back to ship?

If we decide to go alone, beside preparations of what to see and how, what would be good time frame to be back on ship before departure. Are there any specific procedures that you have to do before you return to ship which could take some time?

I know that this will be much more obvious to me when I see it in real but right now I must ask all kind of those maybe stupid questions.

2) What do you suggest us to wear on this cruise and what temperatures to expect on ship and on shore. I think that only Rome could be suitable for some real winter outfit. I guess that on other destinations and on (inside) ship it will be like spring temperatures and probably windy. Is it correct or I am missing something.

After docking you can be off the ship within the hour at most ports.

We made sure to be back 1 1/2 hours before departure, just to be on the safe side.

In barcelona you van go for a few euros from the ship to the entrance of the harbour, there is a hoho stop, on the website below you will find all the routes and timetables. You can hop on at evry stop no need to go to specific stop.

Hop on hop barcelona

http://www.city-sightseeing.com/tours/spain/barcelona.htm

Palermo hass also a stop at the top of dock where the ship is:

http://www.palermo.city-sightseeing.it/eng/#

At both sites there is a map provided.

When you come back first you go through customs and then on the ship the scan your board card and your bags thats it.

There is really no info on the marseille shuttle the ship doesn't mention it , it was just on the left side of our ship.

At the time we where at Marseille there where 4 ships and at every ship there where busses.(this was is september)

Ive been trying to find up to date information on the free shuttle in Marseille , What days does it run? what times? and where from?

I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere on here, possibly the 'Ports of Call' section on Marseille, that the free port bus ran regularly throughout the day Thursday to Sunday and it was available from the port gate.

I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere on here, possibly the 'Ports of Call' section on Marseille, that the free port bus ran regularly throughout the day Thursday to Sunday and it was available from the port gate.

I knew I'd seen it somewhere...here's a link to the shuttle info.

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1861134&highlight=marseille

Thank you all for helping me (and other). I am starting to get picture in my head much clear now about lot of things, but I still have questions :)

 

1)Right now I am trying to organize our excursions but I am not sure how it looks in reality when ship docks to port. So could someone explain what is exact situation and procedure after docking?

As some of you sugested HO HO buses in palermo and barcelona now looks really interested but I guess that after you exit ship you have to first find/walk to station etc... while on official excursions bus is waiting for you and returning you back to ship?

 

If we decide to go alone, beside preparations of what to see and how, what would be good time frame to be back on ship before departure. Are there any specific procedures that you have to do before you return to ship which could take some time?

 

I know that this will be much more obvious to me when I see it in real but right now I must ask all kind of those maybe stupid questions.

 

 

2) What do you suggest us to wear on this cruise and what temperatures to expect on ship and on shore. I think that only Rome could be suitable for some real winter outfit. I guess that on other destinations and on (inside) ship it will be like spring temperatures and probably windy. Is it correct or I am missing something.

1. Doing ports on your own is quite easy if you research in advance and know what you want to do and how to do it. The Ports of call section on here is very useful. Also google tourist info for your ports and check trip advisor. You walk off the ship within an hour of docking. You may be off a bit earlier than that. You have to pass past security so they scan your cruise card (so they know you are not onboard. Same coming back, except they also scan hand luggage). You must be back onboard half an hour before the sailing time. Obviously if you are getting trains, buses or taxis, factor in a little extra time in case you hit a delay. In some ports if you are within walking distance of the ship, ten you don't need to build in so much extra time before heading back.

With MDC excursions, you will be asked to meet at a certain time onboard and in a certain place. They will give you a sticker to wear with a number on it. That is the number for your bus and the number that will be on the paddle your guide will carry. You are led off the ship to your bus. They are normally parked a very short distance away from the ship. They drop you back off at the ship at the end of the tour.

An alternative in some ports is to use MSC's shuttle service. It is more expensive than public transport (unless there is a group of you, in which case taxis can be cheaper). They only operate them when the port is not right in the town. They operate Ll day long and you can come and go as you please. Some new cruisers, especially those unfamiliar with the countries being visited prefer these.

Please bear in mind if you decide to book MDC excursions that they occasionally get cancelled at the last minute because not enough English speakers book to meet the minimum number. Other times they will combine with another language tour if the guide is multilingual. It lays to have a plan B in case that happens.

2. It could be quite chilly in most ports at that time of year. Google the daily average temperatures for January for the ports you're visiting to get an idea. IFAD certainly take clothes that can be layered. Like tshirts if you get a mild day and fleeces to add on top as well as a warm coat. Can't see it being warm enough to be out on the open decks without a jacket or warm clothes. One of the pools has a dome over it, so you'll still be able to use that regardless of the weather outside. Indoors and in your a in the ship I seated, so you don't need to wear a coat inside. It is really just like being in a big hotel. You can adjust the temperature in your cabin if you find it too cold or too not.

Enjoy your cruise!

Hi I still am not sure as to when the free shuttle runs

This forum really need "Thank you" button, but anyway thank you all for your posts ;)

Is there anywhere to find prices of drinks that are effective at the moment for MSC SPLENDIDA? I can find some older menus but I am not sure are those prices relevant. Or at least some orientation prices...

Also do we pay all water and coffee or there are some for free?

Where can be found price for massage packages? On MSC web site, I can find list of packages but not prices for them. I am not planing to do it every day, but one day (maybe that one on sea) my wife and I could try some relaxing massage.

I see that some blogs and posts suggest that daily budget should be around 100USD, so I am planing to make it 90-100€, per person, so is it realistic or should be increased.

I am not saying that we will spend 100€ a day, every day, but I will allocate that amount of money. All that we don't spend is just bonuses. This is excluding excursions fees and spending on excursions, but just on board spending. We are not interested in buying all kind of stuff that are for sell, but we would like to take full advantage of this cruise and try something that will probably will not like to try (pay) on my regular holiday.

Your daily. Us get depends on how much you drink and if you use shore excursions. If you are doing shore excursions through MSC that will put a huge dent in that budget. If you don't and are not big drinkers or go to the Casino, it may be too much.

You don't need to find a bar list for the Splendida any ship in Europe will do, they all have the same prices.

Spa treatments at full price start around €100 some a lot more expensive. Not sure where they have a link to th onboard proces or even if they do. They will have some specials offered onboard, so if you just want a single massage, probably best to watch the Daily Programme for reductions.

One more question:

Are those hop on hop off buses practical in case of rain? Do they have roof? I am planing excursion in Barcelona to do with those buses but I am worried will that be good idea if it is rainy day?

the top deck is open i think, i don't know for sure.

I always sit downstairs because i am in a wheelchair.

One more question:

 

Are those hop on hop off buses practical in case of rain? Do they have roof? I am planing excursion in Barcelona to do with those buses but I am worried will that be good idea if it is rainy day?

They're open top, so not much good when raining or really cold, but you do get a better view from the top deck.

Lower deck is fine though unless it is really bad weather. We were near the front on one in York when it was torrential rain and the stairs turned into a mini waterfall!

Tnx

Now, again about this Allegrisimo...

I see that there are Allegrissimo and Allegrisimo classic. I would go for Allegrisimo classic because it includes beer in bottle but when I look at screen shots of ship bar menu I see that beers in bottles are marked with red "*", meaning they are not included in allegrissimo.

I am bear drinker and would like to try as many as possible types of beer so if those beers (or at least most of them) are included in "classic" variation of allegrissimo I would take it.

Hi,

I just recived my boarding instructions on mail and I see that it says that I have cabin with balcony on dock piero dela francesca or something like that... So now is it mistake or what? They didnt say anything about upgrade or something in those papers

Also, I tryed to book allegrisimo via web, I can log in with my booking number but when I click "book" on something it just returns me to first page and now I am not sure if I booked it or not? Where I should see what I booked?

Also is there some kind of confirmations before you book allegrisimo or excursion? I ask this because I maybe clicked twice on one package and would not like to get two packages of something I don't want and just because web page is broken and can't show me what I booked.

When i log in windows looks like this one in attachment

Hehe seems that nobody likes my stupid questions but I have one more (real stupid):

Do I have to print those boarding documents in colour or black and white. I am sure it is not important but who knows..:confused::)

Hehe seems that nobody likes my stupid questions but I have one more (real stupid):

 

Do I have to print those boarding documents in colour or black and white. I am sure it is not important but who knows..:confused::)

Hi. You can print them in black & white, no problem. Actually, I think you could even bring your phone and show them the email, but I couldn't guarantee that. As to drinks, I don't believe you can buy the Allegrissimo Classic package on Mediterranean itineraries. The Allegrissimo only includes draft beer, Heineken on the Preziosa last September. For bottled beers, you need the 'premium' package, which is quite expensive, in my opinion. You can buy the package on board but you will pay the additional 15% gratuity. Bon Voyage. Ken