drsel

All reading all these very interesting and informative comments about how HAL is so much inferior to Celebrity, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean (regarding production shows, entertainment and activities), I wonder how they manage to fill their cabins.

Last minute price drops???

On 7/22/2021 at 5:20 PM, SRF said:

In some countries, paying in US dollars will get a MUCH better exchange rate than any exchange system.  One place I was, paying in USD, you paid 1/3 to 1/5 the amount you would pay if you had changed to local currency at the official rate.  Granted, these are not typically countries you will cruise to.

Which are these countries where you pay only one third or one fifth in US dollars compared to the local currency?

On 10/19/2021 at 2:46 AM, greatestvalue said:

There are currently 3 offers in Amex- 

Celebrity 

Oceania 

Carnival/Princess/Holland America etc 

 

Received them on both Amex Platinum, and Blue Cards both personal and business cards 

 

Hope that helps

Is there any offer on the Amex Rewards card?

On 7/13/2021 at 6:02 PM, spa_bob said:

We decided to stick with what we have. I did the "math". With the fare we had, we come out ahead. Not worth the aggravation of rebooking at a higher fare. Thanks for all the responses to my query. 

How does one find these bargain "snap" fares on HAL?

Are these last minute bookings to fill the last few remaining cabins?

Or last minute cancelled cabins?

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/best-credit-cards-for-cruises/amp/

Now even US $100 per person per night is too much.

MSC  has gone below US $40 per person per night, including all port fees and taxes, excluding gratuities.

eg. MSC Virtuosa, London to Lisbon on 1st May 2022 is only US $113 per person for 3 nights in an inside cabin including all port fees and taxes, excluding gratuities.

Mind you MSC Virtuosa is a beautiful new ship!

On 10/28/2021 at 12:05 AM, Irishcanuck said:

I see the uk website was updated today. Though on the uk website it states under caribbean cruises for non us residents mixed vaccines ate not accepted. Yet on the USA website it states mixed vaccines are accepted.

 

 

For 2022 Cruises, all WHO approved vaccines are accepted.

But second shot of vaccination or booster dose should be less than 9 months before The Cruise.

How can the other cruise lines compete with a HUGE 50% healthcare discount? 

MSC can put the competition out of business

Do dermatologists, dentists, opthalmologists, orthopedic surgeons working in their own private clinics qualify for the healthcare discount?

I found my answer--the date is shown as first day, then month, and then year. 

What is the “Membership Validity Date” and when does it expire?
MSC Voyagers Club points and status do not expire as long as you have at least a minimum of one cruise completed in three years. 
If the last cruise disembarkation date is over 3 years ago (36 months) or no cruise has been taken in 3 years since the registration date, membership to the MSC Voyagers Club 
Programme expires.
For example: if the last disembarkation date is 30.01.2015 and no cruises are taken up to 30.01.2018, the membership will expire.

On 2/12/2022 at 11:05 PM, phissy said:

Since MSC is a European company, I assume they use that for dates, ie, day, month, year. November 6 does correspond with your November sailing plus the one year extension.

For your Bellissima cruise, I would email MSC voyagers Club with info.

What about $50 onboard credit per person given to club members earlier?

Earlier MSC had a 5+5% discount +$50 pp OBC (US$ 100 per cabin OBC) for members.

Has MSC removed the US $50 pp OBC for Voyagers club members when they started this 5+15% discount?

For another cruise, the All-in price after 5+15=19.75% discount is also more than what I paid,

Although the cruise only price after 19.75% discount is less.

But another problem is that the $100+200 OBC which we received for accepting a FCC will not get transferred to the new booking with 5+15=19.25% discount.

So its best not to do anything (in my case)

On 2/11/2022 at 5:28 AM, phissy said:

Go to MSC site. Click in Cruise Deals at top. Then click on %. Scroll down to Voyagers club and click on orange tab.
you will have to enter Voyagers Club number .
I have entered mine so many times, I have it memorized now.

Click on 5+15% departures.

Refine search to Caribbean ( for example) month and port.

search then shows ships and dates of 5+15% discounted cruises.

So I found my booked cruise with a 5+15% discount.

After adding my Voyagers Club no, the price reduces by 5+15 = 19.25%,  but even after 19.25% discount, it is STILL MUCH MORE than what I paid (with only 5% discount). 

Also, I paid only $150 pp for the All-in (Easy Plus & WiFi) add ons. Now it is $242 pp after 19.25% discount.

I shall check other cruises also to see if the same applies

On 2/11/2022 at 4:27 AM, hamrag said:

I believe that response to be in error! This is direct from the website:

 

We've taken our best deal for MSC Voyagers Club members and made it even better! 

 

Book any cruise from the Voyages Selection and you'll get a massive 5%+15% DISCOUNT!

 

Any other communications I see about various discounts or offers usually make reference to the promotion being for new bookings only. This doesn't, so I agree with Sids response to you, a couple of posts prior.

 

As an example, this is direct from the website in relation to Healthcare Workers discount with a clear reference to it being applied only to new bookings:

 

Our special ‘thank you’ discounted cruise fares for healthcare professionals and their families will be available for all MSC Cruises’ sailings of any duration for all new bookings made till the 31st March 2022 on all cruises departing up to the end of 2022 (WORLD CRUISES excluded).

 

 

Not all doctors or Health Care workers are eligible for the MSC discount.

eg. orthopaedic surgeons, dentists, ophthalmologists and skin specialists working in their own private clinics are not eligible.

Only those Health Care workers and doctors directly involved with Covid patients or attached to hospitals are eligible

On 2/11/2022 at 5:28 AM, phissy said:

Go to MSC site. Click in Cruise Deals at top. Then click on %. Scroll down to Voyagers club and click on orange tab.
you will have to enter Voyagers Club number .
I have entered mine so many times, I have it memorized now.

Click on 5+15% departures.

Refine search to Caribbean ( for example) month and port.

search then shows ships and dates of 5+15% discounted cruises.

My voyagers club status is valid till 6-11-2022 on the US site.

Is that 6th of November or 11th of June?

I wish they would specify the month to avoid any confusion.

Our last cruise on MSC bellissima ended on 7 December 2019, but it's not reflecting in our past sailings and I cannot add the booking number. I keep getting an error. 

Calling MSC did not help. They said to ask the agent to add the booking to my past sailings.

The sailing just prior to that ended on 4th November 2018. This is seen in my past sailings.

2 hours ago, kernow said:

Thanks for the answers.

I just heard back from the TA and she said that she called MSC but they said no, so seems we are unlucky. 

Is there any shortcut way to check if the Cruise you have booked is in the 5 + 15% category?

On 9/25/2021 at 2:13 AM, Beamafar said:

Here’s what our booking indicates for EasyPlus, including the cost for a 7 night cruise when the onboard currency is USD:

 

On 9/25/2021 at 1:26 AM, Beamafar said:

Winter 2021 Drink Package Comparison.pdf 212.32 kB · 44 downloads

Thanks Beatrice, which are the best classic cocktails and frozen cocktails available in the easy plus package, in your opinion?

2 minutes ago, JessyCruises said:

Has anyone ordered Duty Free recently on the 1st leg of a B2B? Just wondering if you get it on the last night of the 1st cruise or the last night of the last cruise?  We are on Odyssey and switching cabins after 1st sailing if it matters.

 

thanks!

You will need to ask a neighbour or friend (who is disembarking) to buy it on your behalf and give it to you on the last night.

They may check and find out that you are on a back to back Cruise

I hope Australia will be open for international tourists and all Cruises from Jan 2023

On 3/12/2020 at 3:45 PM, Surfguyxxx said:

I love a good massage  but not on-board with ships pricing.  I know, the company is leased out, but I usually go in the ports and get one at 1/3 to 1/4 the price.

In Central Pattaya you can get a 1 hour traditional Thai massage or foot massage in a regular massage parlour for less than $6.

When our Cruise was docked at Laem Chabang, (near Bangkok and Pattaya) for two days, it was amusing to see Thai masseurs charging over $50 for the very same massage onboard.

They said it is like comparing a roadside food stall to a five star restaurant, (with the same cooks and waiters)

1 minute ago, bones774 said:

How can booking number be the same? Everytime you make a new cruise the number is changed?

If MSc cancels your Cruise for whatever reason including covid, then the booking number will remain the same if you shift the funds to a new Cruise of your choice

On 11/2/2021 at 4:16 AM, Beamafar said:

Dark.  A little smaller than expected.  Bigger ships used to mean bigger chocolate ships 

 

Lovely !

What about the chocolate coated strawberries and the bowl of fruit ?

have they been replaced with 4 macaroons?

48 minutes ago, bones774 said:

Hi All, Jus spent close to one hour trying to get one of my cruises rebooked to another cruise, as per Total Cruiseflex policy. I got nowhere. The CSR is telling me policy has changed at the same time I am looking at their current webpage and directing he CSR to do same. I will lose my money for current booking. Waiting for a super visor to get back to me, considering this is MSC i'm not hopeful. At this point i am waiting till close of business for return call then calling my CC for a chargeback. Taking snapshot of their currently posed Cruiseflex policy which has been the same for months. If this fouls up I'm writing off MSC and advising anyone else i speak with to do the same. Just wanted to transfer one cruise payment to another

Anyone else encounter same? an other suggestions? Thanks

Need to make sure that the MSC booking number remains the same with the new date and ship.

if not, then you will have to pay fresh money for the new booking and wait 2 months for a refund of the cancelled Cruise

On 10/25/2021 at 2:53 PM, sidari said:

For USA sailings MSC are now accepting Astra Zeneca and mixed jabs.

On 10/25/2021 at 6:04 PM, ulster-cruiser said:

MSC USA site has been updated last couple of days:

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/health-and-safety-measures/caribbean-cruises
 

Scroll down to FAQ and then vaccination guidelines.

What about Europe sailings?

Are both variants of AstraZeneca accepted or only Vaxzevria?