Nunagoras

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.

This, exactly! Permit me just to add for the OP: If you want effectively to tip extra on MSC, please do it in a very discreet way so that their supervisors don't notice it...

This, exactly. Let them to deal with the details, even if quietly on the move. They'll do the magic even if you don't see them a single time. This is what I enjoy once on a 5* tourism venue. Quiet reserved professionalism for a personalized experience. On 4* ones, like on MSC's "steerage" I expect the same reserved professionalism, but I expect a standardized product equal for everyone. Nice, but not over the top personal.

Yes; they'll close all pools at the same time for safety reasons. In some sailings they may permit the inside pool and the YC one a bit longer, but not that much. Times are usually published on the daily newspaper, but as per my experience; weather permitting; pool opening times use to range between 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning to 20:00 or 20:30 in the afternoon, except for cruises in Brasil where times were somewhat more liberal...

It is indeed USD 19 per package, not per day. It's prepaid on the holder's hand. Considering your sailing ends in Europe, I believe that it will be a Pepsi product with pretty much all the usual Pepsi/7Up and other possible Pepsi product variations, but if on the previous season they were on a Coke zone you might have a mix between Coke and Pepsi products.

You made my day, congrats and have a nice day!...

With due respect; dear CC member: The more I read your statements, the more I'm convinced you're a marketing personnel in service of another cruise line or of some specific TA with problems with MSC... Because some of your posts are simply beyond hateful on the company to be seen as valuable points. Excuse me if I'm being too hard, but this is what I feel on them. I enjoy coming here all days to discuss the cruising's "order of the day". Sadly some members come here to hijack the forum with personal musings that have nothing to do with the Cruising's "order of the day". As simple as that. And you're far from the unique one, or the worst, for that matter. On your favor; I must say that MSC's land and IT services effectively need a redo. But that has nothing to do with your potential "extreme" problem. Their problems are very well documented here; and are pretty much "standard" on the whole mainstream (European 4* class) tourism industry; not an MSC's exclusive. All of them need to grow at that front. MSC perhaps more than others. Alas; related to your query: Have you ever heard of what travel insurance means? And by travel insurance I'm not talking about that travel insurance item you already need to pay pretty much everywhere you go from your service provider; I'm talking about independent, specialty and reliable travel insurance from an authorized service provider on that field where you live. At least the next time make us a favor, for us and for yourself: Purchase reliable travel insurance. They'll reimburse you at the contracted terms and they'll keep your queries and deal with them with MSC's (or actually anyone else's) legal department. It's their duty. It is for that they're here. No need to have a specific attorney paid from you asking a giant company for some pennies. The biggie travel insurance company will do it as a day to day basis service. Their "checks and balances" are just a matter of fact and they're there for a reason. Expensive? Yeah! Some 10% of your travel expense, at least here where I live, but it saved me from at least 2 situations. One health related, the other a group land trip I purchased and the provider canceled it altogether with no refund as promised. Finally: Let us to have this forum to discuss the cruising's "order of the day", please. Posts like this are the culprit of the current CC's relative decline. People aren't interested on those people's ordeals. Of course if you don't like MSC's product: Move on. That's ok on me, as well as I moved on from said "ugly" provider I mentioned above. But I would never to use the social media to discuss its details. There are proper places. Have a nice day and nice sailings! Hope to see you elsewhere on the high seas!... Life is a 2 days experience. One day to eat and sleep, to other to be had as happily as it can be!... Lots of options on the market that may satisfy you!...

Wonderful review, congrats!!!... I must admit their land side operations department needs a complete redo. Those first time impressions sometimes mark a consumer for life. MSC is as you pointed up a nice product, so why don't they just handle their land side issues in a better way!... The shows are visual and repetitive, so nice, but nothing to really write home about, but considering those so many nationalities aboard what else would to be their options at same price tag? Permit me just a question: Were you offered to do the safety drill whenever you wanted or did they mandated you to do so on a specific time on boarding day? Have a nice day!

MSC used to serve fresh smoothies on their Spa bars. Maybe they may or may not to have some of them at Venchi gelato place as well. Sadly they've been out of any drinks packages for quite a while from now.

Nobody knows about the Europa which is being currently built. as per the renderings available the Aurea areas will to be nice on that ship and that alone may justify the price, but only reality will tell, not the renderings. I believe it being the usual summer southern med itineraries for Genoa, Barcelona, Marseilles, etc? If yes, bear in mind that you'll have a quite port intensive cruise with just a day at sea. That said: Aurea used to give you a superb value for your buck, with the whole inclusions. Now with very few extra amenities at the same rates (if not above) than what they used to have, I seriously doubt Aurea would mean anything for me. Only you can evaluate. Stay tuned for the special promotions. Sometimes there arrives some ones that will give you more for your buck, especially if you're flexible on your schedule.

Yeah! Agree with you, certainly! But your list also shows some of the other aspects that may to make the case for a special cruise to be worth even without your reference to those math. And I could also give others, especially on newer ships: A dedicated front line view lounge and restaurant (with better, more sophisticated menu); dedicated top music entertainment at said areas; dedicated pool grill area; afternoon tea event (if available); special access to the Spa (I presume at request); premium pizza delivery (at request when available); and so on. As I say: It's a different hotel experience, simply one that is becoming overpriced... Because don't forget: You remain at the very same ship with the exact same crowds from the beginning to the end of your cruise, one or the other way forward... Have a nice day!...

Regularly it is the browse only; but bear in mind that if you were under a special promotion, they'd to honor that. I have seen some of those kind quite recently for Fantastica and above "last minute" bookings with top beverage and top internet packages added to the count. Really all inclusive.

Many thanks to the nice description, even though as the others have lovely corrected some of the details of the experience. Excuse me, but I wouldn't directly to relate the price difference from an regular cabin to an YC only based on set price plus drinks package and Internet packages. Actually you're paying for different hotel experiences in the same ship! I'm a non drinker myself and interested to disconnect once onboard, but if I'm celebrating such a mark of life, I'd gladly to chose an YC cabin for said cruise with no doubt!... Only one can determine when or whether it is worth or not. For a special occasion; yes it's worth for me! Price wise, YC for me, and for the most part on a regular holiday scheduling is becoming too overpriced, but that is me. Even those wonderful off-season YIN deals are being less prevalent as times go. I believe the experience to be worth some 20-25% above a regular Fantastica level balcony. Pretty much everyone gets a nice drinks package from where I live nowadays on your basic fare, so I will leave that as that... And balcony Fantastica to balcony YC is nearly double if not triple the price, depending on sailing! Of course I wouldn't to downgrade from a balcony to YC just to have the extra perks... Even Aurea as it is now is even more overpriced for what it gives. It gives really little bit more than Fantastica, but their prices should have been YC ones!... Aurea for me is a definite no go! To each its own. For me YC will remain a dream, perhaps to be taken on a special occasion. Yeah, I may be able to do so, if prices don't raise to the moon, but it would be a once in a lifetime. Such a Fantastica balcony suffixes for me most of the times at a price that I feel gives value to the actual product. Have a nice day!...

In a nutshell: There is the global internet, and then there is the ship's intranet. On the global internet the app will give you only what it is intended to show you globally. The exact moment you connect and log in to the ship's intranet, the app will give you full access to its full details. Back in the day I went on Allure once in Europe, I booked my shows beforehand, just to discover some of them were changed, in part due to sad weather in Embarkation day and previsions to same weather on the following day. All of us had to go to the kiosks to change reservations. Now they're doing on site reservations only, and that is the best they can do. At least they'll to know what the exact weather prospects maybe for the week to adapt their schedules. It's a positive new features, despite the naysayers.

For certain reason; maybe because I'm speaking from Portugal which is usually among the last markets to receive some news, only today I've got right to explore Explora's full website. To say the least: The more I watch it, the more I'm convinced Explora will be a far superior product to the YC. Miles away. I can't understand why we continue discussing it as if they were the same thing on different ships!... Is there anything that is escaping me? Maybe. Just can''t see what!...

No: It's called different market target for both ships. Entry level Explore may cost you roughly baseline YC1 prices, but from there on, it will surely to be more expensive. And even those will only have those fares for first time goers for sure... Some Portuguese TA blogs I'm forbidden to link here in CC are currently showing cabin renderings for Explora I. WOW. Simply WOW!... The lower category ones will to be some clear notches above YC, at a competitive fare, at least for the first time goers. Simple, while luxurious at the same time. So, now the upper the category the more sophisticated they'll become! The Owners Residence seems unique, both in arts (some interesting painting in the wall and many other design objects spread out on the suite) and technology. What called immediately my attention was a massive "cinema wall" on the living room!... Surely cabins like that won't cost you what an YC cost, even if a Royal Suite!... People need to understand that YC is great, but it remains part of a mass market ship. Explora will be far superior! At the beginning I started to understand them as such an Italian Viking. I'm now more on the likes of those wondering whether they'll end up on being such an Italian Regent!...

Before the pandemic they used to set your account 15 days after your cruise out of a French bank, so if you lived in the US you'd need to have a credit card with international permissions and pay the international fees. Don't know if they retain same practice on the US sailings or for the US market.

When I went on Allure the first time she came Europe for her first dry dock, some 6 or 7 years ago, they were using Seattle's Best coffee beans that weren't that great, IMHO. Maybe coffee trademarks would vary sailing by sailing... Illy, when available, is for any European standards far superior coffee than Starbucks, obviously, but it seems RCL is going a full Starbucks product. Let us to see what will they do so that Starbucks doesn't cannibalize Starbucks on the ships. Maybe certain drinks will be exclusive to the specialty kiosks while general ones will become available elsewhere?... There are some land Hotel and shopping mall food court venues here in Europe where this is becoming the norm. There is an exclusive provider that will give you general services elsewhere in the larger venue, while retaining its "best of the best" to their exclusive vending point, usually at a higher rate or outside the general offering. Nothing absolutely new. Just a trend being imported on the mainstream cruise industry!...

And as I use to say: To see if a package is of good use for you, consider that all of them include lots of those small non alcoholic items that at the end of the day will add to the count. In Europe nowadays that maybe: Sodas; bottled water; juices by the glass; non alcoholic cocktails; and specialty coffees, all priced on the EUR 3-6 range with gratuities. Say: 3 big bottles of water daily will add up, at least some EUR 9 to your account. One specialty coffee daily another nearly EUR 3, and I could go on!... Bear also in mind that packages on MSC aren't valid on some 3rd party vendors like Venchi or Jean Maury. Have a nice day!...

Sem dúvida! Seja bem vinda Sílvia!... (no doubts! Be welcome Sílvia!...) Wonderful to see other Portuguese members here in CC!... Yes, we enjoy our meals as a social event, at home with the cooking time as part of the fun involved on it!... Back in the day MSC used to give us at least part of that relaxing environment, with multiple course meals to happilly share! Not anymore. They become your typical 3 course meal cruise experience, by the most part, eventually giving you a bit more time than the others... While I enjoy Italian food, paradoxically pizza is not my cup of tea. Yeah, MSC one is good, but nothing we couldn't have better here everywhere else, really. I can't see where the hype is about!... Pastas are, of course, my cup of tea plus so many other things!... Going to a good rural area trattoria in Italy is always a joy!... MSC is getting less authentic with the times, but understandably they cater for a very international crowd... Their Venchi gelato offering is great (when available). Lavazza Blue? Don't remember having it, unless it was perhaps on the UAE cruise, but their coffee trademarks vary really by the sailing!... On my ones it was mostly Segafredo. On Brazil it was Santista, a Brazilian trademark. Their coffee uses to range from good to great, and pretty much every bar serves it!... Even the included buffet coffee is normally decent to good, to say the least. My observation on whether MSC desserts are far better than RCI is based on that on MSC they tend to be far less sugary than on RCI. So; while on MSC, consistently, sugar is the element that joins the other elements on a dessert dish, letting them to be the stars of the dish; on RCI, consistently, sugar is the star of the dessert while the other elements seem to be pretty much decorative. Obviously there will be the ones whom don't enjoy that difference. Have a nice day!...

Printing airline check-in tickets is a common Hotel service Europe wise these days. Most times free, sometimes at a small nominal charge (think on the EUR 1 to EUR 3 range). Don't know if MSC offers that service, I bet it is a yes. Either way they have there a small cyber cafe where they'll offer you internet time and possibly document printing at a charge. Considering you're a non EU resident, it is true that no matter your airline company you'll need a print copy of your ticket to show passport controls here.

Bella is now the "odd" experience. In summary: "Bella" is the MSC's short-name for "no frills guaranteed cabin". They may put you wherever they want, well, except for the YC for distance purposes because you'll most likely to be on the upper cabins leftover inventory. You'll have the same basic fare benefits because on Bella you really can't chose your cabin. It's up to them by design. So, why a 2 category upgraded cabin? Covid protocols that change by the day may answer that question. They need such a Bella section for confinements? There were leftovers from an upper area? Surely they'll use them and give you a cabin elsewhere.

Wonderful memories, thanks!... Quality is just perfect for the purpose, no worries!... 🙂 This is the perfect example of what should have been the true Italian distinctiveness I wish MSC have retained on their new builds while turning up their game on other things (buffet offerings come on my mind really, and a better cooperation between some ship departments, as well). Sadly in many things es just becoming only such plus one more, trying to please everyone... Ending up pleasing nobody else!...