Luvtoeat

Will be cruising late this November and all the better hotels with park and cruise deals seem to be pushing $400.00 or more after adding in taxes. Just wondering if anyone is aware of any hotels a little less expensive. Was also considering maybe staying around Daytona Beach the night before cruise and then parking at the port for convenience.

I just went on to MSC website and put in my booking number and only minimal information is shown about the cruise. I don't want to be surprised that somehow these items disappeared between my booking directly with MSC and transferring to a travel agent I have often used in the past. Cruise does not leave until this November and was booked with the Fantastica experience.

When we were young and first started to cruise, in the 1970's we never even thought about travel insurance but in the last 10-15 years it's the first thing we get after the cruise deposit.  To cover pre-existing conditions you must get the policy usually 10-21 days after the deposit. I always look at insure my trip and squaremouth since they have the biggest selection depending on the coverage amounts you are looking for. I always choose high medical and evacuation coverages since you never know what can happen. If not looking to cover pre-existing conditions I think you can get a policy up to day of final payment. 

6 hours ago, retird said:

I just spoke to BCC.   0 wait time to be connected.   Rep said the emails with no offer code that have been sent out today was a technical error and the hope to have it fixed

by end of today so corrected one can be sent out.   I also enquired whether free veranda offers were a thing of the past.  He said free veranda offers still exist, and will be sent whenever they are released to BCC, depends on cabin vacancies and time of year

I had the same exact experience today as to the no offer code and asking about free verandas. Not sure how many free veranda offers will be coming with summer on the way and ships filling up but they sure were a big surprise when opening those emails.

We have been on about 40 cruises and on Carnival at least 10 times and never had a bad cruise. Our last 4-5 cruises have been on Celebrity and for sure it's more upscale and also had great cruises especially if getting a free BCC balcony. We have also been on some cruise lines that are long out of business and best forgotten. Our next cruise will be first time on MSC and that should give us an interesting comparison with any of the lines we have been on. 

I got this offer a week ago but still waiting for the free balcony offers that have come in the past but with the warm weather coming not sure if they are a thing of the past.

On Celebrity they have people that will take you from outside the terminal to your cabin by wheelchair. Does MSC provide the same service?

10 hours ago, fluffybunny22 said:

My TA said the customer has to do it. They can't. You need to sign the form so I understand why.

My TA absolutely handled the request to MSC. I requested my TA to process the transfer and it was done.. Apparently my TA has plenty of experience as to how to get it processed as they give a price reduction based on cruise cost.

If you have a TA let them handle it. My TA had it transferred within a week.

Last year I priced a cruise on the Celebrity website and did not like the price. I called celebrity and must have gotten the right person as she came up with a price that was $800-$1000 less then the website amount and her price included the drinks, tips and wi-fi. You just need to be lucky as to who you speak to. I then transferred the booking to a TA for an additional discount.

Was on the Equinox in Sept. and tested positive on day 5 of a 9 day cruise. Did not wear our masks  but the entire crew did. Was on the Reflection in Dec. of a 7 day and wore masks at all times except when eating. I also wore rubber gloves in the buffet when touching the utensils. Luckily we did not catch anything because after getting sick in Sept. did not want to go through it again. We had all our shots and boosters but still caught it. Have a cruise booked in Nov. on MSC and hopefully will be able to also stay safe. 

Does anyone have a room service breakfast menu? Just trying to see what items have no charge and how extensive is the selection. We will be on the Seashore 

with the Fantastica experience. This our first MSC cruise and my wife usually orders room service breakfast and I normally go to the buffet on most of our cruises.

Our last 4 cruises were on Celebrity so this should be an interesting comparison.

I also took early dining and I believe they have 3 dining times 5:15, 6:15 and 7:15. You will not know which you have until you board. this a one big negative about MSC. We usually eat around 7:00 so if we get the 7:15 slot that would be great. If we get the earlier times will go to the dining room and try to get it changed..

I contacted the travel agent I have sometimes used in the past to see how much price reduction they will give if I transfer booking to them.  I got their amount and requested they contacted MSC to transfer the booking. They advised it takes MSC between 2-4 weeks to do the transfer. Sounds like MSC likes to take their time to make the transfer.

3 hours ago, CliveJ said:

Usually on MSC, if you get to the restaurant 'enquiries' pretty soon after getting on board, they can tell you exactly what you've got...& more importantly what options there may be for change.

7:00, for European cruises which is what I know, is rather 'betwixt & between'...may need some small(?) compromise here !

Our cruise is in November and will be in the Caribbean so hope we can change our dining time if we need to. But no sense thinking about it until we see what has actually been assigned.

We will be on the Seashore later this year and have early dining. This is our first time on MSC and I understand they will give you a dining time. What are the chances of changing it once you know what has been selected. We can go to the dining room and try to get something closer to what we prefer. 

Just wondering how much luck people have had in trying to get the dining time changed. We usually eat around 7:00 and don't want a dining time of 5:30. We have the Fantastica experience and know we can't initially choose our time.

We did choose Seashore for later this year. Both ships make the same exact stops. 

The one thing I do not like is the dining time setup. We have always chosen anytime dining 

when it was available and now we have early dining and will not know until we board exactly what time they have given us .If we are given to early a time I hope we can change it to a time closer to when we normally eat diner which is around 7:00.

Looking to book our first MSC cruise and trying to decide between Seaside or Seashore. Looking at a BR1 balcony stateroom. Never thought I would be looking at MSC but the reviews have gotten much better and the current promo looks like a pretty good deal. 

We have been on around 40 cruises, the last 4 on Celebrity so I'm not expecting a Celebrity experience but a cruise is what you make it. We have been on some cruise lines that are long out of business but gave us some fond memories.

I did not realize that they actually disappear into the ceiling. I was picturing them as hanging down from the ceiling but that did not make any sense. Now I know that if we take a cabin with either setup it will still look like a regular cabin for 2 people.

Thanks to all who provided the pictures.

Thanks for the video of the sofa that opens to bunk beds. We will only be 2 in the cabin and the sofa that opens makes it look just like a regular room. . Would have liked to have seen how the bunk beds are pulled down from the ceiling and and what they look like before being pulled down. I just can't picture them hanging down from the ceiling. 

The MSC rep I spoke to had no idea which setup would be in the cabin.

We will be on the Seaside on deck 10 if that helps to figure out which setup will be there.

Has anyone been in a cabin that had bunk beds or a sofa that coverts for 3rd and 4th passengers.

If cabin has bunk beds does it take the place of the sofa? I'm trying to picture what the setup looks like but can't imagine how much room it would take up since these cabins are not overly large to start with.. Would greatly appreciate any comments.

9 hours ago, Luvtoeat said:

 

Thanks for all the great info. From the picture I wonder how safe it is to stand in the tub and try to shower on a moving ship. Also, trying to just climb into the tub could be a problem.

Thanks for the great pictures. Where exactly in the cabin do you loose interior space?

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

Yes, the cabin interior is smaller because the tub takes more space in the bathroom than the shower.  The cabin is still roomy.  This is 14148 on Seaside:

 

 

 

 

 

This is 14118, no tub

 

EM

46 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

On Divina, those cabins have a big chair.  On Seaside they had a loveseat instead of a full couch. They only book two into those cabins.  EM

We are looking at the Seaside for booking. Previous poster indicated cabins with tubs are smaller. Did you find this to be the case?