Nunagoras

Maybe it is from summer onward. MSC is trying to adjust to the American market, even though retaining some of its Italian flavor. And they seem to be also following the informal trend among the whole worldwide society. Maybe: This will be what mainstream cruising will be like in the next years to come...

While the Divina is not an old ship by any means, it is old enough to be sort of out of the current trend MSC is targeting their product in. Never been on the Divina myself. I just went on the Fantasia which is one of her older sister ships, actually the one from which class she belongs. Divina is a classy ship. No real bells & whistles. You'll find a nice range of bars and lounges all with their own proper vibe. Clientele used to be quite diverse with lots of European and other international clientele. Maybe, they have more US natives now from US ports?... Either way: I believe MSC to be more relaxed than the likes of Carnival, NCL or even such an RCI Oasis class ship... But far from a "dead" ship at 10. At least here in Europe most bars will be open till mid night. Some till 1 o'clock in the morning. Casino and disco use to stay open late in the night.

Depending on your desired sailing region; yes, less ships! Caribbean from an US port: MSC 3 ships currently. Now compare with their competitors!... Obviously they win in the Mediterranean, but that might to be another subject! And yes, they're growing, but they'll need a few years till they match any of their competitors globally. Again: MSC is in the process to turn from #4 to #3 cruise line in the world, and that's it.

Ha, ha!... Actually MSC may have same or even some less options that their competitors (less ships, different destinations), but the wording is sort of strange for many, giving such the sensation or far more!... Let me to just try again to get that wording in place by explaining their experience levels and such: Bella - Base line guaranteed cabin in a no frills business level (like a low cost European airline ticket). Fantastica - Similar to other companies mainstream ticket, sometimes with a drinks package added. Aurea - Yeah, that "zombie" category that is like a Junior or "part" suite of sorts product... YC - A ship within the ship concept that gives you some exclusivity. And I could go on. All things considered it's not that different from the competitors. Their drinks packages are also less valuable now than what they used to be... That said; you made my day, sir!... Huh!... Have a nice day too!...

How I understand you!... When I worked, I volunteered of to serve as such a "cruise consultant" to the people on our large office building; and it is amazing the level of some queries they put us. People don't prepare their future time in due time. Then, when someone asked me to help them, I used to give them some 2 or 3 options for them to consider. Once I listened to such an answer like this: "book it if it were for you and I'll just to follow whatever else it is!"... Oh, really?... The problem is that there are options and you should know what your options are and act accordingly... I'm not the other individuals!... It is rare to see an occasion where you don't have options, actually the one that comes to mind are those Cunard Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossings, but then, those are a niche market of themselves!... As I use to say: We must be patient... And yeah!... That specialty cruise you mentioned is not for me, but interesting there are so different interests that can drive cruising!... And all can be good!...

Interesting, thought provoking post, thanks the OP and all the contributors; some of them with very interesting equally thought provoking nick names as well!... CC exists for a reason: To help everyone to share their experiences and learn a little bit more about other experiences. I came to MSC from such a Portuguese "specialty" TA that has long ago partnered with them for cruising purposes, giving us the opportunity to cruise in a small 20-30 individuals small charter groups with a tour leader. If it wasn't from that, perhaps I would never come near an MSC ship, even less inside one!... Now here I am, 7 cruises with them plus one more on RCI and a few more river cruises on smaller European companies, extremely happy to share my experiences alongside my knowledge from that experience and my former job as a financial market analyst of some sort! I agree that, from quite a while, some CC posts have become somewhat in between the repetitive and the monotonous, but on the other hand I understand that both the pandemic and the war in Europe are changing our world definitely for a very different thing than what it used to be. I note the difference day after day. Problem: Most people sort of refuse to note that difference, or simply they react to it, instead of proactively act on it... No surprise those posts... People are tired. People just need a time to rest and recover... A time to hope, to listen... Maybe, a time to see the seas go by... This is for what we're here in CC!... I enjoy coming here to discuss the "order of the day" on cruising subjects. Sadly; people don't have proper time for nothing at all. They don't compromise anymore... And then; they don't do their personal "homework" before booking... Let's to go with said nice promo I got from an advert. Wow, the cabin of a once in a lifetime... Oh, well, they "upgraded" me!... Upgraded? Or downgraded? Things may become far complex, but again: Few will read our "pro tips" here!... By the way. If only I can help a single CC member from time to time I go bed extremely happy!... Cruising is my favorite hobby, that sadly I'm not currently able for many reasons to fulfill as far as I'd like to do. Maybe my next cruise will be in 2023... If life permits me... But at least let us to have those lovely conversations here in CC, even if some posts do feel odd or inappropriate, repetitive or monotonous!... At least they permit us, or at least they permit me to dream on my next cruise!... And eventually they help someone completing their homework as well!... Because yeah; people need to know what they're compromising to understand what the experience is about and what they can really expect out of it!... Have a nice day!...

it doesn't include a drinks package anymore, just a discount at booking time. Either way; in some markets you can have a built in drinks package on selected sailings that might to be worth to take a look at...

This exactly, because they generally have access to better educational skills from the basis they can pass them to the next generation. While there are the odd ones on every market level, certainly they'll be less intrusive at the upper levels, at least on the subjects we're discussing here. RCCL and DCL are far different products for far different individuals, so, those comparisons aren't really exact. Maybe X with DCL as I stated. Nothing against RCCL obviously, actually Allure is on my favorite cruises to date, but, I understand the product I'm purchasing in. Have a nice day!...

...Oh, and prices command for the clientele, right? RCCL is for pretty much everyone. DCL is a premium line selling at a premium fare, so, generally an upper level individuals going there. Maybe, DCL is at X level, or even above?... Regarding specialty dinning lunch dress code, as far as you don't come in pool attire you'll be served. I saw lots of folks on Central Park venues on Allure in Europe just dressed like a tourist is nowadays. Shorts and a polo shirt or so. No worries out there.

Yeah... To an extent... Problem is that OP purchased a product and was offered another different product. It doesn't matter on whether it is better or worse product. It is different. So, let them to solve the issue the better way possible at this time frame. That said: Better to read carefully what some promos are. "Get a ocean view for the price of an inside" means in cruising's world, what here in CC is known by a guaranteed room plus one category if there are rooms on said category. That said, I believe they have just given you what you paid out. If you want to go outside of the promos, you can make a definite call on that cabin, but you must explicitly state that on your booking.

I went to St. Pete by 2013 or 2014 alike when Russia was trying "hard" to give a good impression on the westerners. Things were all on the beginning at that time. I know some individuals with a far better experience about Russia later on the time, but that was for Moscow... At that time I came less than convinced from what I experienced. The shore ex provided by the ship felt like truly fabricated to "impress"... But then. Near the port I watched such an Orthodox church near where there was a group of kids running barefoot. The bus accelerated its speed and the guide started such an interesting story pretending he was against the local government, to distract us from watching on the windows... I was quite tired after the day and simply was contemplating the scenery out of the bus. Clearly the Russia I was on was NOT the Russia where most of the locals live... I don't want to make this thread more political and let us to move to real cruising which is for what we are here for... But I need to 1000% support what @ziggyuk has stated. No more, no less, either!...

Yeah: If Heineken draft beer satisfies you, and you plan to have some 2-4 per day, plus those "little nothings" that go like coffee, bottled water, etc., then the Easy package my be worth for you. If not, make some accounting: The difference can be huge from one package to the other, unless you have Easy Plus as part of an AI promo. I don't believe that 1-2 EUR/USD difference from Heineken to the other beers to fully justify a package, but only you can assess that. Do you want a pro tip? If you really want to add the package, purchase it as soon as you're able to do so on the app and save proof of that. They'll honor that on you. Otherwise, my prediction is that prices will sadly to be... On the rise...

Politics apart... Russia is over for decades, whatever else happens there on the short, mid or long term. That said: Been there done that. The main attractions are wonderful... But the society leaves lots and lots to be desired, and the general experience made me to think I was somewhat on a fake, fabricated place for the enjoyment of the tourists, surrounded by what felt like such a huge global jail. TBHH: I felt like all the experience was beforehand planned so that we couldn't have access to the real locals living there... And as @Heartgrove says their customs and immigration officials also leave so much to be desired. Not that they were severely bad with us, but...

That's it. An overbooked restaurant and a underused one on a limited structure like a ship paves the way for reputational risk on the company's part. They'll to avoid it as far as they can. The X model seems a good compromise on both classical and modern style cruise views.

That's it. If it wasn't for both the covid, that ugly war on Ukraine, and that possible even uglier war on Taiwan, and I'd bet that by 2030 pretty much every mainstream vessel to enter service would be on the 200k+ Gross Tonnes size, so that would be something on the RCI's Icon/Oasis class size and above. With current industry's state of the art I believe we will watch a refrain from said size to something on the 150-175k GT for the most part on the future fewer new builds... But, even those are among the biggest ones on the industry now, it's say Freedom or Quantum class to say the least!... At those sizes one must to make choices, and one of those will to be to have such a standardized experience, nice enough, but nothing really to write home about at the end of the day... Yeah, one can blame Wall Street, but I wouldn't to buy that blame. At least cruising is now affordable at the point that, without pandemics or near be wars I could happily to cruise once a year or even more. If we only had those luxury 900 pax vessels I'd only be able to go once on a 5 years or once on 10... I prefer to go yearly!...

The world is changing and it will even change far more on the next years to come. If only the general first world remains as safe as it is today; I'd be content enough... As well as if only the mainstream cruise industry can adapt itself to those new days, I'd to be even happier!... "Current MDR food is ugly!" This is the common mantra, mainstream industry wise these days, pretty much on every CC mainstream (and even a few above the mainstream lines) boards for quite a while from now. Post Covid crew shortages and occupancy discrepancies sailing to sailing take also a good part on what is affecting the general mainstream cruise experience. On top of that: Specialty dinning can only to handle a tiny 10-15% of all cruisers alike, unless the business model relies mostly on specialties like on NCL and pretty much everyone gets at least some specialty dinning experience on their basic fare. So, what? Just a tiny menu with a general offer which is the same everyday plus the specials of the day will be the norm for most of us, and that could pave the way for a nicer meal experience, industry wise, less crew needed, less food waste... NCL is doing it? MSC has been doing it since the post covid restart. Possibly even Carnival... One just need to go on their CC boards to notice it. Even the current RCI menus I'm watching these days on the live reviews seem shorter than they've been back in the day. At least they're far shorter than what I had on lady Allure when she first came to Europe some 6 years ago!... Conclusion: One or the other way; the next years mainstream cruise will mean some less, and perhaps more simple choices, unless you're a suite guest or you're on those fortunate 10% or so willing to pay extra to a few more options. Sadly? Yes, but, at the current state of the art of the whole industry this is far better than nothing!... And it can pave the way for a relatively more stable quality experience.

Probably, unless there is no option than to retain said couple on their original table. I don't know how things are being managed now, but a few years ago, after purchasing the package onboard you should go guest services to obtain a new cruise card, possibly with new table if available.

As per my experience in Europe they use to join people in tables according to their drinks packages selection, though I read that they're more relaxed in the US.

Surely. Pretty much all ships are based from one another. Either way they all come from same 4 or 5 shipyards in the world. There's no recreation of the wheel out there. What I was noticing is that commercially speaking MSC is now trying to be just a "white brand" RCI on their new builds, instead of going on its own distinctive direction. Obviously if the owners decide this way will be more lucrative, so be it... But I'd like to see MSC going more classical like they were on the Musica/Fantasia class of ships. Or at least, if only they were able to make a mid priced cruise company for those purposes on the likes of X or Princess with an Italian flavor...

That indicates that there is a large contingent of said languages aboard Allure on your sailing, at least large enough to host a specialty language event. Sometimes that may indicate that an affiliated with the ship independent group of said language is aboard with a guide wishing to add some more members to their shore excursions program. I was fortunate enough to find such an event of that sort there on Allure the first time she came here in Europe. A nice Brazilian group was aboard with their tour leader and they accepted me and my parents on their group shore excursions program. My previously purchased shore excursions with the ship were relocated to their already similar ones, I paid the difference when needed and all was fine.

I believe that is a safety measure in the side of the company to avoid abuses. Surely for the sake of some abusers, the ones who pay are one or the other way the vast majority of the honest costumers. TBHH: I understand those measures and tend to agree with them.

They'll have a beverage section on the buffet with hot and cold water, regular and decaffeinated coffee, sometimes some tea packets, some concentrated juices and milk at breakfast time. US and UK costumers will also receive a bottled water package valid at meal times on the MDR bundled on their basic fare.

As far as I know MSC only makes Voyagers Club (fidelity membership scheme that includes status match with other cruise lines), casino membership scheme, below 25 years old, ex military (US) and medical professionals discounts. They had effectively a senior discount scheme, I believe for the 60+ individuals far back in the day. You might have seen a video of that, but very old one, because as I remember they stopped that promo after my first cruise with them back in 2007. My parents enjoyed that on that cruise, but not anymore from the next cruises from 2009 onward!...

Yes; they're usually flexible enough to permit those arrangements. I suggest you come early on boarding day and solve it onboard, once the website and their land services are not that great to deal with (actually their website and land services are their weakest points, IMHO). Regarding the drinks packages; official statement is that in order to link a reservation for same dining table you all need to have same packages, though for quite a while from now; word is that they're being more flexible on that, especially with the Brits and the Americans alike... So; why not?...

Sadly; as with many other things MSC related; it might to be such a regional thing. MSC has long ago finished those prepaid drinks packages. It seems they're quietly returning them, especially on secondary or smaller markets or on the older ships. Either way; even if they reinstate those packages fleet wide, most of the times they used to be available only onboard at any bar.