MSC Melody Drinks Package

My travel agent has offered me the following package for MSC Melody. I personally think its quite expensive, hope it doesn't cost much more to buy individually on board :mad:

- Soft drinks package at a total cost of £39.00 in total per person. This soft drinks package would entitle you to 14 soft drinks in cans and/or fruit juices.

- mineral water package at a total cost of £36.00 in total per person. This drinks package includes 14 bottles of mineral water 75cl / 100cl.

- unlimited drinks package with meals, inclusive of unlimited wine, mineral water, beer and soft drinks. The selection of wines include Cabernet Veneto, Trebbiano, Verduzzo Veneto Red, Montepulciano. We can offer the unlimited drinks package for a total cost of £324.00 based on 21 nights.

Please note, all quotes include a standard amendment fee.

What your TA is "offering" you sounds like the standard package deals available for all MSC ships. He's quoting prices in pounds so I can't compare, but the soft drinks and water packages you can easily buy once you're on board. They're both a booklet of coupons so there's no need to buy more than one booklet at a time. The water package for example is 20 euros for a booklet of 14 coupons for 14 one-litre bottles of mineral water, either still or sparkling. When you want a bottle, either at the restaurant or at any bar, you simply give the person a coupon. If you want two bottles, give two coupons, etc. As for wine, I prefer to select my own wine at the table, paying the waiter for it at the end of the meal, so I cannot comment on that package.

Hi Capricruiser

Thanks for your reply. As a Euro is worth about 87p, it means that my TA package would cost about twice as much as the tickets on board so I will definitely wait.

Hi leedspice

That seems a lot more expensive that what was available on my last cruise which was proced in Euros. I think our Brazil trips will be in US$ but I'm not certain. They've either hiked their prices up a lot (let's hope not for both our sakes) or the UK pre package is much more expensive than onboard.

I'd be wary of the unlimited package as it is only available in dining rooms at lunch and dinner. On port days you may still be ashore at lunch time. Also if you are like me, you may well want a drink pre or post dinner and that wouldn't be included. I prefer the voucher syatem as you can use them when you like.

Hi leedspice

 

That seems a lot more expensive that what was available on my last cruise which was proced in Euros. I think our Brazil trips will be in US$ but I'm not certain. They've either hiked their prices up a lot (let's hope not for both our sakes) or the UK pre package is much more expensive than onboard.

 

I'd be wary of the unlimited package as it is only available in dining rooms at lunch and dinner. On port days you may still be ashore at lunch time. Also if you are like me, you may well want a drink pre or post dinner and that wouldn't be included. I prefer the voucher syatem as you can use them when you like.

Just found out some more info....

Last year I asked the UK offices for proces in August before I cruised in October.

the info sheet I got had the soft drinks package at £21 for 2009 sailings and £29 for 2010. Onboard it was 28 euros. Water was £16 in 2009 and £26 for 2010 whilst onboard proce was 20Euros.

looks like they are increasing their proces for 2010, so fingers crossed they price in dollars.

On the positive side, I booked a spa package out of the 2009/10 annual brochure and the price was still the same, so at least those hadn't increased (yet!)

Thanks Amomondo, I agree I would not want the unlimited wine with meals package. Gills will let me have a package of 10 bottles of housewine for 89 which I suppose is not bad. Its an interesting point about whether our trips will be in $ or Euros, given we go to S.America before Europe. My bet is that it will be in Euros, but could be wrong! Hope you enjoy your Spa treats !

Thanks Amomondo, I agree I would not want the unlimited wine with meals package. Gills will let me have a package of 10 bottles of housewine for 89 which I suppose is not bad. Its an interesting point about whether our trips will be in $ or Euros, given we go to S.America before Europe. My bet is that it will be in Euros, but could be wrong! Hope you enjoy your Spa treats !

BTW - house wine was 3 euros per glass or 8 for half litre carafe on my last cruise. Bottles started from around 17 euros upwards on the wine list It does seem like a good price. May ask my TA (Ideal Cruising about that)

Hi All, tried to book the 10 bottle wine package but my TA had got it wrong. Its 7 bottles of wine and 7 bottles of water for 89 pounds, not quite as attractive!

Hi All, tried to book the 10 bottle wine package but my TA had got it wrong. Its 7 bottles of wine and 7 bottles of water for 89 pounds, not quite as attractive!

Indded it is not. It did seem a bargain! Still it works out roughly the same proce as buying the wine by the carafe but you get 7 boyttles of water too which would be about 15-16 euros., so still a bit of a saving