Diamond Plus tries turning Black on MSC

They match your status, but, not your benefits. You get some nice benefits, but, it's not like being Diamond Plus on Royal. You do get 5% off, but, before all this status matching started, Black Members (equal to Diamond) got 20% off.

 

 

 

 

I've sailed Divina out of FL a few times and I have always taken my boarding photo as my free photo since it shows the Ship, dates, ports, etc. As a single, I don't stop to pose for many pictures, but, always get that freebie. :hearteyes:

We are D+ and whilst I agree the benefits are different we were quite impressed with the extra discount. We cancelled a GS on Liberty and booked the YC RS with Butler, CK equivalent, drinks etc for less before we even got the extra 5%.

Out of all the cruises we have booked, it's the one we are most looking forward to.

it is true, you need to go to the main Voyager's party, to get your Captain's picture taken, then next night pick it up. The Top Tier Party, is where you get the Chocolate Ships. They were much more liberal (Divina) with the Black Dining for Two Certificates; allowing us to order anything we wanted, at the Galaxy. Boy, I loved the Galaxy, outstanding food, view and service! In fact, I ate there three times, and nearly a fourth.

it is true, you need to go to the main Voyager's party, to get your Captain's picture taken, then next night pick it up. The Top Tier Party, is where you get the Chocolate Ships.

Interesting, because as I said, I always get my choice of photos. I've never attended any parties, so, they delivered my chocolate ship to my room. :hearteyes:

Today at 11:30 was the Black tier welcome back party. Very nice, gentle live classical music, bubbles, red and white wine and Aperol. Nice selection of canapés. A lot of officers.

For the record, no one took my photo!!!

Entertainment: unfortunately I have not been to shows because they are at 7:15 and 9:00p. As we have 8:30 dining we are meant to go to the 7:15 show but that, in my mind, is too early ..... and also interrupts pre dinner drinks 🥂.

The entertainment has tended to be classical. Last night was a 55 minute adaptation of La Traviata which I would have loved to have seen ( but just not at 7;15!). Given the demographics on board I’m really surprised the shows aren’t later. One for the feedback form.

Random comments:

No towel animals

No omelette chef at breakfast

Bar service round the pool is non existent

MSC branded fleece €24.90 and you get 20% Black discount bringing it down to €19.92. That’s cheap!

€1pp is added to your account as a donation to UNICEF

Your TV shows all your transactions but no the total

Sometimes you have to sign for your drinks ( even with the package) and sometimes you don’t. The total is always €0.00 and there is no space to leave any additional tip; which I do not think is actually expected anyway

Re smoking, it is allowed on one side of the pool deck ( strangely just past the ice cream counter), and one side of the casino. The El Dorado Bar has open stairs down to the casino so sometimes it can smell a bit in there which is why , apart from today, we have not been in there.

Just pulling into Gibraltar.... we’re meant to arrive at 3pm according to booking details, today’s planner says 4pm.....now 4:20 and not there yet but getting close! I hope the private tour organised by someone on the RC is waiting for us. Apparently a Celebrity ship is in our space!!

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And now the drinks package which must be the best value I have ever seen! Included coffee and ice cream too! I’ll just include a few pages do you get the idea. Anything without an asterisk is included......

 

 

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I am curious if these drink package rates increase for the US port sailings.

How does the 5% discount work -- the price on the website is it with the 5% or does it get taken off later?

although im no where near as an experienced cruiser as the OP (2 times on RC, once on msc) i went on the divina last year from miami to the caribbean, enjoyed it and certainly would go on again.

pluses for me was how cheap the drinks package was, i loved how the buffet was open till 2am for late night food after the nightclub (instead of just pizza and dodgy beef sandwiches on the allure), sail away parties from every port seemed more 'party' (think we had one 'sort of' sail away party from FL on allure) and the ship was really 'bling' everywhere with a posh MDR and some really nice sets of stairs for nice photos (instead of stood infront of some dodgy canvas on the allure).

i look forward to you updates!

try the purple rain drink! i lived on them for a week!!

We got a lovely towel animal and a handwritten note from the steward on the last night.

This may be as a LOT of the people we talked to (mainly Brits) took their tips off, and we didn't.

Friends are booked on Msc and got this option;

 

All Inclusive Beverage PackagesMealtime Restaurant Drink Package (704) – At lunch and dinner unlimited table wine (choice of 2 white wines, 2 red wines, 1 rosé wine), draft beer, softdrinks, mineral water. Non-alcoholic for kids. Only available for all passengers in the cabin.

16.50 € per day/

person

Premium All Inclusive Classic Drink Package (431) – 24 hours unlimited consumption in all restaurants, buffet-restaurants and at all bars of: wine (glasses up to USD 7,50), mineral water, draft beer and bottled beer up to USD 5,00, softdrinks, juices, hotdrinks, spirits and cocktails from the barcard up to USD 8,00, ice cream "to go" at the bars. Alcohol-free for children. Only bookable for all cruisers in the cabin.26.00 € per day/

person

Deluxe All Inclusive Package (421) – 24 hours unlimited consumption in all restaurants/buffet restaurants and bars as well as drinks from the minibar and mineral water in the cabin; all offers in ice cream café, chocolate bar and confectionery as well as food offers in cabin service. Non-alcoholic for kids. Only available for all passengers in the cabin together.50.00 € per day/

personBeverage Packages

Coffee Package (435) – 15 coffee drinks (e.g. espresso, caffè latte, non-alcoholic coffee specialities, iced coffee drinks)26.00 €Water Package (514) – 14 bottles of mineral water (1 liter each)27.00 €

Soft Drinks Package (Allegro) (512) – 14 soft drinks or juices34.00 €

Beer Package "Taste The World" (436) – 14 bottles/cans of beer59.00 €

Wine Package (Allegro) (520) – 4 selected bottles of wine in the main restaurant: 1 x white, 2 x red, 1 x rosé + 7 bottles of mineral water69.00 €

Wine Package "Classic" (423) – 6 bottles of selected wine (e.g. Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Merlot, Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon), 1 bottle of sparkling wine + 7 bottles of mineral water (1 liter each). Voucher valid in the main restaurant.119.00 €

 

Think if I took the mealtime option I would eat very slow

I'm confused about all the comments about how cheap the drink package is. It looks like the one that is compatible to RCCL is 50 euros a day.

The 26 euro package includes spirits and cocktails up to $8 from the barcard. What is the barcard? Can I get an umbrella drink by the pool?

I'm confused about all the comments about how cheap the drink package is. It looks like the one that is compatible to RCCL is 50 euros a day.

 

 

 

The 26 euro package includes spirits and cocktails up to $8 from the barcard. What is the barcard? Can I get an umbrella drink by the pool?

Look back at my earlier post when I put up the drinks menu......anything without an asterisk!!!!!! My friend is currently drinking a pins colada with huge slice of pineapple [emoji531]

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Just about to sail from Gibraltar so I’ll quickly post the food pics and I’ll post the comments about it in 2 days when we get to Barcelona.....

So this is the Galaxy specialty restaurant...

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This is the menu included when you buy the 2-meal deal or when you use your free Black dining meal ( which covers 2 people)

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You may have spotted that we had rack of lamb instead of cod...well, that was an argument..... more on Tuesday!!!

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No omelette chef at breakfast

On Divina, they make omelettes out by the pool, next to the Nutella crepe stand, check there! They didn't advertise it on Divina, you had to stumble upon it.

Honest thoughts: what lets this ship down is the service! So very different to RCI where staff step aside to let you through with a smile; yesterday in a corridor obstructed with the cleaning trolley a crew member shoved past me!

Dinner last night in Galaxy was an ordeal..... if you remember we had booked the 2-meal deal for £24pp. At Galaxy this means you get the set Venus Menu ( which costs €30). We went to find the restaurant ( which isn’t really a restaurant, but some tables which are laid in the evening,) to make our booking and to see the actual menu which is not on line beforehand. I don’t like fish so I asked for an alternative main course.

Computer says no .... surely I cannot be the only person not to eat fish.... can I swap the main course with the lamb option from the cheaper €21 set menu?

Computer says no.

No empowerment of the staff to do anything . I had to speak to Guest Relations. So off we went. I explained what I wanted, he typed this all into the booking notes and all was sorted. Not.

The following night when we arrived we were told that we were having the €21 menu.... no, I said, I am having just the lamb from the €21 menu, no other changes. No they say ; you are both having the €21 menu.....and so it went on.

The restaurant ( which is actually next door to the kids sports area so you get kids wandering through, or getting their sodas from the bar which sort of detracts from any ambience....) has a full ALC menu too so, I mean, how difficult would if be to say....yes we can cook this for you.

Another phone call to GR to ask if I could have the flipping lamb.....yes I could. By now I needed a drink!!!

Great, I say, I’ll have the lamb and can it be well done please.

No he says .... it is served medium.....

When the lamb came it was so heavily coated with the mustard crust that it was pretty inedible...... so no, not a good experience in our books!

We are back to the Eataly to use our Black Complimentary meal!

In future I wouldn’t bother with the meal package!

Given that there are only 2 specialty restaurants on board there is no hard sell, most people probably don’t know of their existence and they certainly are not full. I do struggle to actually call them a specialty restaurant ...... Wonderland it ain’t!

Meanwhile back in Eataly last night ......can I not have fish on my pasta..... no problem, we will add mozzarella; can I have my beef well done...... certainly! Delicious. A superb meal. Great service.

Eataly menu and stark decor

Random thought:

You have to put your room key into the slot to get lighting for the room. The plug sockets still work for charging your phone etc with out this.

The solarium pool is salt water and no restrictions on children

The scones and clotted cream at tea in the buffet are very good.

There are very few trash cans.

There are very few telephones for when you want to call your room.

When you exit the lifts on deck 14 there is absolutely no signage at all that the buffet is there. When you look down the corridors on either side all you see are some doors to a bathroom. At the end of the corridor is an Inca style paining. That’s it! Most people looking very confused for the first few days!

I’m not sure that this ship is particularly accessible friendly. Most doors are heavy wooden ones, with no opening button to push. Even bathrooms with accessible toilets have a door to push open.

There is a far larger range of shops on board, with quite an impressive selection of goods, including large perfume shop, jewellery, shoes, handbags and fashion, as well as a chocolate shop and the logo item store. A lot of square feet dedicated to retail.

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Plus point: MDR open for lunch even on port days.

I used the sauna and steam room yesterday and can confirm that they definitely are “clothing optional”! [emoji79][emoji33][emoji15]

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I'm Diamond on RC but ive sailed 3 times with MSC and loved them ( havent applied for status match but must do )

Food i found better - price wise i found them cheaper

I've also cruised with NCL and again i found them very good.

For me its down to price / ports of call / nearest airports for cheap flights

2yrs ago i got an MSC cruise 7nts for £280pp - i see one at the minute for next year for the same price

Thank you so much for your review. I really enjoyed it.

So, final thoughts.

Suitcases out by 1am this morning, and disembarkation was taking place until 1030am.

We strolled off after breakfast around 9.30, located our cases and caught a cab to Genoa airport - fixed rate of €25 for the short journey.

I must admit I went with pretty low expectations, and I was very wary of the Bella experience, but now, having sampled it I 'get' it. You get what you book, and if you want more you either pay for it, or book a higher experience in the first place.

To book a higher experience just to get complimentary room service, or book a Bella experience and pay €3.50 per delivery - you do the math!

My huge concern was about the dining , but as we were given the later seating as I requested all was well. I'm not sure what experience you have to book to get MTD though.

Biggest complaints I had read before hand were about the food, - all our dishes were served hot, but yes, portions are small. When the menu says 'pork saltimbocca' that is what you get....no potato or vegetables. One night after 3 courses we were still hungry and went up stairs for pizza. Their pizza is great!!!

I think I have said enough about service -and lamb-gate ( having rechecked the €21 menu it says the lamb should be coated in pistachio so I feel that the smothering in mustard was done out of pure spite....). Childish and churlish.

The drinks package is the best value at sea. The ships are beautiful and spotless. Our cabin was far bigger than any o/view we have had on RCI. The bathroom was good.

So the $64,000 question - would I book with MSC again?

Yes, if the price was right, and they do some very interesting itineraries (Venice to Durban caught my eye....)

I'm actually going on Independence this weekend (home just long enough to do the laundry!) so it will be very interesting to see how it compares.

Thanks for reading.

LB.

I'm confused about all the comments about how cheap the drink package is. It looks like the one that is compatible to RCCL is 50 euros a day.

 

The 26 euro package includes spirits and cocktails up to $8 from the barcard. What is the barcard? Can I get an umbrella drink by the pool?

The barcard is the price list or drinks menu

The barcard is the price list or drinks menu

And whenever you order a drink you get a bowl of peanuts and crisps (potato chips) with it....when did you least get that on RCI!?

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And whenever you order a drink you get a bowl of peanuts and crisps (potato chips) with it....when did you least get that on RCI!?

 

 

 

 

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Hi there, good to hear you enjoyed MSC on the whole , even with the lamb fiasco

We thoroughly enjoyed our time on MSC Splendida.

I loved the fact there were no rubbish bins everywhere, no dumped glasses or plates left on the top like you get with RCI. The Splendida was absolutely spotless.

The food was great for us and we very quickly learned to ask for extra veggies with dinner.

The entertainment was very good too, sorry you missed that, Think Cirque du Soleil and we had a West side story shortened version.

My 60th next year and that Venice to Durban Trip is on my radar too, 😂.

Thanks for the review. Princess cruiser looking to try MSC for Mediterranean in 2020. Looks like YC on MSC is less than a standard balcony on Princess. Will need to send in for our status match soon.

And whenever you order a drink you get a bowl of peanuts and crisps (potato chips) with it....when did you least get that on RCI!?

 

 

 

 

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We booked family onto the maiden voyage of MSC Fantasia in a balcony cabin.

They loved the ship but hated the Italian crew and Italian pushy passengers on board and this is the reason we have never booked for ourselves.

We booked family onto the maiden voyage of MSC Fantasia in a balcony cabin.

They loved the ship but hated the Italian crew and Italian pushy passengers on board and this is the reason we have never booked for ourselves.

Italians have never mastered the concept of standing in a line.;)