Cost of water

We drink very little alcohol - maybe one each a day.

We do enjoy water with our meals.

I understand that MSC charge for water at dinner.

Is this also true for lunch in the main dining room or buffet?

How much is the water and what size is the bottle? Can we buy one and share?

I am wondering whether we should go for the drinks package or the voucher book which I have seen mentioned.

Also, what is tea like on these Italian ships?!

 

 

 

Also, what is tea like on these Italian ships?!

Sorry cant remember exactly but I think a bottle of Peiligrino sparkling water was about 3 euro and yes you could share.

The Italians are renown for lots of good things, making tea is not one of them. I think they use Liptons or Twinnings. Best bet is to do like SWMBO and take your own tea bags.

Have a great cruise.

We drink very little alcohol - maybe one each a day.

 

We do enjoy water with our meals.

 

I understand that MSC charge for water at dinner. On European Cruises they Do

 

Is this also true for lunch in the main dining room or buffet? Yes although there is free tea/coffee and orange squash and tap water in the buffet. You have to purchase drinks in the MDR

 

How much is the water and what size is the bottle? Can we buy one and share? Cost last season €2.50 for a 1Lt bottle ( natural or sparkling) Yes you can share

 

I am wondering whether we should go for the drinks package or the voucher book which I have seen mentioned.

There is the 14 beers and 7 waters package

Allegro Adult - Beer&Water

 

 

14 draft beers 40cl

7 bottles of mineral water

Drinks included in this package can be consumed in the main restaurants, self-service buffet and bars.

 

€69 pp

the alternative is the whole Ai package which may not suit your needs

 

If you do have a package pre-order but DO NOT pre-pay as the cost will then appear on your account and so help towards earning points for on board spend in the MSC Club loyalty scheme

Thank you once again for your detailed reply.

I think we shall do our usual pay as we go.

They used to have a water only package. Not certain they still do as I've been going with the AI package lately. Check the list of packages when you get onboard as you get a few free bottles, if they still do it.

We had the wine and water coupons this year, but each night the folks on the table next to us, each brought a large glass (actually plastic cup) of water from the buffet and proceeded to pour it in to their respective water glasses. There was always ice on the table and they just kept topping it up from there. The water in the buffet is 24 hrs and is chilled with ice available.

We drink very little alcohol - maybe one each a day.

 

We do enjoy water with our meals.

 

I understand that MSC charge for water at dinner.

 

Is this also true for lunch in the main dining room or buffet?

 

How much is the water and what size is the bottle? Can we buy one and share?

 

I am wondering whether we should go for the drinks package or the voucher book which I have seen mentioned.

 

Also, what is tea like on these Italian ships?!

Cost of water (and other drinks) - Please see this post from my MSC DIVINA CONFIDENTIAL Review.

At the buffet its free!:eek:

We usually buy the water package in advance - 26 EUR for 14 bottles, which is more than enough for our family of four. We even take water from the ship with us on excursions.

The water issue really is a non-issue.

I'm assuming tap water is free? And it is only bottled water that you have to pay for?

We usually buy the water package in advance - 26 EUR for 14 bottles, which is more than enough for our family of four. We even take water from the ship with us on excursions.

 

 

 

The water issue really is a non-issue.

14 bottles of water for 4 people for a week is more than enough?! Surely you also had tap water from the buffet?

We used our water vouchers at dinner (which was fine) but we also filled up many cups of water at the buffet and dumped them in our water bottles several times a day. Water is free at the buffet.

It worked. But I disagree with water being a "non" issue. I've said it before and I'll continue to say it as pretty much my only MSC gripe....I can't understand the water control issue! If the tap water is safe then let me have it at dinner if I want it!

Here in the good ol western USA, I drink tap. And, anywhere it was safe in Europe; I also drank tap and requested it at restaurants and got it free of charge.

 

Here in the good ol western USA, I drink tap. And, anywhere it was safe in Europe; I also drank tap and requested it at restaurants and got it free of charge.

Historically, and I mean for over 2000 years, in the more southern countries of Europe; Spain, France, Italy and Greece the water was not particulaly safe to drink so those countries took to producing and consuming wine. using the antibacterial properties of alcohol and the fact you don't use water in the production of wine, just natural juice, to help produce a safe drink.

Along with that part of the culture they incorporated the siesta, primarily because it was too hot to work either side of midday, and so the the drinking of water with meals is not part of the culture of the region. They drink wine with lunch and sleep it off in siesta time, then work late afternoon and early evening before a late evening meal with wine and sleep that off over night before going to work early in the morning.

So Culturally MSC didn't/don't see water with meals as an issue but more a chance to increase profit margins from other culture's needs

The USA has a limited history and developed safe water supplies as a matter of the nation growing

over the past 300 - 400 years

Hence the different culture to the southern European culture

Pete

14 bottles of water for 4 people for a week is more than enough?! Surely you also had tap water from the buffet?

 

We used our water vouchers at dinner (which was fine) but we also filled up many cups of water at the buffet and dumped them in our water bottles several times a day. Water is free at the buffet.

 

It worked. But I disagree with water being a "non" issue. I've said it before and I'll continue to say it as pretty much my only MSC gripe....I can't understand the water control issue! If the tap water is safe then let me have it at dinner if I want it!

 

Here in the good ol western USA, I drink tap. And, anywhere it was safe in Europe; I also drank tap and requested it at restaurants and got it free of charge.

Let me make sure I understand this...

MSC will not provide tap water at dinner if its requested?

Let me make sure I understand this...

 

MSC will not provide tap water at dinner if its requested?

Correct. At least not on European sailings. I think when I sailed the Orchestra in the Caribbean water was provided like on any other American line.

Historically, and I mean for over 2000 years, in the more southern countries of Europe; Spain, France, Italy and Greece the water was not particulaly safe to drink so those countries took to producing and consuming wine. using the antibacterial properties of alcohol and the fact you don't use water in the production of wine, just natural juice, to help produce a safe drink.

 

 

 

Along with that part of the culture they incorporated the siesta, primarily because it was too hot to work either side of midday, and so the the drinking of water with meals is not part of the culture of the region. They drink wine with lunch and sleep it off in siesta time, then work late afternoon and early evening before a late evening meal with wine and sleep that off over night before going to work early in the morning.

 

 

 

So Culturally MSC didn't/don't see water with meals as an issue but more a chance to increase profit margins from other culture's needs

 

 

 

The USA has a limited history and developed safe water supplies as a matter of the nation growing

 

over the past 300 - 400 years

 

 

 

Hence the different culture to the southern European culture

 

 

 

Pete

That is an interesting history...thank you! As much as I like wine I can't imagine drinking it as water...talk about a headache!!

Let me make sure I understand this...

MSC will not provide tap water at dinner if its requested?

Depends on the ship and where younare sailing. If it is a sailing out of the UK or US they serve free iced tap water at meals in the MDR.

If you are sailing in the Med, it will not be offered. The vast majority of passengers requesting water at dinner will be expecting bottled water, so they work with what the majority want and expect. If you insist you may well mange to get gap water. North American passengers booking a Med cruise via MSC USA get vouchers to exchange for bottles of water to get around the culture shock of jugs of water not being set on tables automatically.

14 bottles of water for 4 people for a week is more than enough?! Surely you also had tap water from the buffet?

 

We used our water vouchers at dinner (which was fine) but we also filled up many cups of water at the buffet and dumped them in our water bottles several times a day. Water is free at the buffet.

 

It worked. But I disagree with water being a "non" issue. I've said it before and I'll continue to say it as pretty much my only MSC gripe....I can't understand the water control issue! If the tap water is safe then let me have it at dinner if I want it!

 

Here in the good ol western USA, I drink tap. And, anywhere it was safe in Europe; I also drank tap and requested it at restaurants and got it free of charge.

Yes, we typically drink the tap water at the buffet. It doesn't taste great, but with ice and a few lemon slices, it's ok.

The latest trend here in Germany for restaurants is to put filtered and carbonated tap water on the menu and to charge for it. Just this weekend, I paid 4 EUR for a 1L carafe of tap water whereas a 0.75L bottle of San Pellegrino would have been 5.50 EUR.

Compared to that, I find the water prices on MSC super reasonable.

On our cruise out of Amsterdam Americans got a voucher for a large bottle of water for every day of the cruise.

We booked at an American site so we got the vouchers.

Our friends didn't get theirs so they went and asked. They didn't get a very good response from the desk but they were given them.

We used them in the dining room. We just filled our water bottles at the buffet during the day.