Explorer Formula

[Kiwiaus]

We are doing Eastern Med & Western Med cruises on MSC in Sep/Oct. Having looked at the Explorer formula packages for each cruise it looks like we could we could save about 20% compared to booking each excursion separately. Average cost is about Australian $60.00 for each of us (3 adults, 1 child). This sounds reasonable to me for the tours offered. Does any one else have experience booking explorer packages. Feedback would be appreciated.

[Kiwiaus]

OK Explorer packages must be really popular.:)

[Katgoesonholiday]

I've looked at some of the different MSC websites and the Australian one seems to be the only one that offers explorer formula packages so may simply be a case of no one else knowing anything about it to comment.

 

My husband and I are doing the Eastern Med in a month and have opted to do our shore excursions by ourselves. It works out a lot cheaper and we can tailor it to our own preferences. It all depends on how comfortable you are doing that. The explorer formula is certainly a good option for excursions if that is your preference.

[suuluu]

Hi

I'm in Aus and booked on 5/10 Fantasia Eastern med. I can't see any explorer packages... When I log in to the reservations on board section it just shows the excursions available by port. Does that mean they aren't available on my cruise or am I looking in the wrong spot?

[Katgoesonholiday]

 

[suuluu]

Yes thanks, I can see all that but when I then go to the link for reservations on board and login with my reservation details there are no Explorer packages for my cruise that I can see. Just the excursions by port and the other stuff like celebrations and spa etc.

[Katgoesonholiday]

It does say on the second page that I linked that the Explorer Package is available on selected departures. Maybe it isn't available for yours? Have you tried calling the provided phone number for more information?

[suuluu]

No haven't called as just read about this here today and out of hours. Yes might not be available on mine . Need to know what the OP is booked on I guess but it is similar time and place. Thanks for your help anyway.

[moomoocow]

Hi

 

Explorer packages are only available to pre-book on selected cruises.

 

They also might not have loaded the excursions into the website for viewing or booking.

 

For my July cruise we know excursions will be offered, we just don't know which.

 

It will also be to do with the language mix onboard. If only a handful of people speak your language they will not offer you a package of excursions in that language as they will need a decent amount of people to book to make it profitable.

 

Wait to nearer the time (late July/early August) and if no change then ring them.

[Kiwiaus]

Hi

I'm in Aus and booked on 5/10 Fantasia Eastern med. I can't see any explorer packages... When I log in to the reservations on board section it just shows the excursions available by port. Does that mean they aren't available on my cruise or am I looking in the wrong spot?

 

We are on the same cruise :). The Explorer formula cruises are in the MSC Brochure and are available in Australia and NZ. They can be booked directly with MSC Australia or NZ.

 

The 3 excursions included in the package are:

Corfu. Archilleion's Palace

Piraeus. Athens And Acropolis

Katakolon. Olympia and Shopping

 

The cost is A$202 $NZ246 an adult (14 plus) and A$150 $NZ183 a child. For a family of 3 adults and 1 child I calculated the saving was A$207 by getting the package instead of buying the tours individually. We still have not booked this yet....still thinking about it.

 

Also we pre booked the Allegrissimo drinks package directly with MSC Australia. We were surprised how the price for this was lower than we had seen advertised anywhere. Cost was A$92 a day total for the 4 of us (2adults and a 12 & 14 year old).

 

We have found MSC Australia very good to deal with and when we e-mail them they get back to us promptly.

Edited June 1, 2014 by Kiwiaus

[suuluu]

Thanks kiwiaus. As a first time cruiser I do find some of this very confusing and learn most from these boards. I'm interested in what you've said about the drinks booking. So currently I have the Allegrissimo in my shopping cart for 2 adults 2 kids (11 and 14) and it is 490 euro - exchange rate today $718 aud. I understand everything in my shopping cart will be charged to my final bill when we complete the cruise. Is that right? When you say you booked directly with MSC - did you call them and have you/will you then prepay in aud before you go?

[Kiwiaus]

Yes booked directly with MSC, the drinks package was then added to the cost of the cruise & will be paid when we made our final payment to them this month.

[Kiwiaus]

Thanks kiwiaus. As a first time cruiser I do find some of this very confusing and learn most from these boards. I'm interested in what you've said about the drinks booking. So currently I have the Allegrissimo in my shopping cart for 2 adults 2 kids (11 and 14) and it is 490 euro - exchange rate today $718 aud. I understand everything in my shopping cart will be charged to my final bill when we complete the cruise. Is that right? When you say you booked directly with MSC - did you call them and have you/will you then prepay in aud before you go?

 

Suuluu , our girls are excited there will be 2 other Aussie kids on the ship :). They want to know if you have boys or girls or 1 of each. Regarding the excursions we are a bit reluctant to book the explorer formula as we think we can do Olympia and Corfu by ourselves. We cruised on the Voyager Of The Seas out of Fremantle last year and got the cruise bug. Really the only port we think we definitely want to do an excursion is Athens. Pre booking the drinks package in $A gives us a bit of piece of mind that we do not have to worry about the exchange rate offered on the ship.

[suuluu]

Hi again. Yes very nice there will be another Aussie family at least! We are from Brisbane. My daughter is 14 and my son is 11, 12 in November. At this stage we plan to do the Bari excursion to the little houses as it will be our first port on our first cruise and the port time seems very short. Santorini is the big one and though it seems we will be first ship in port and only one other, the tender, cable car, buses and various locations to see have made me think the full day ship tour will be the least stressful though the bus tour thing does put us off in general. We think we may hire a car in Corfu and Olympia and maybe a taxi or driver in Athens. I'm still thinking and researching though....