MSC New Experiences Packages

[Elmartellama]

We were on the MSC Fantasia this June and our room was only cleaned once a day. The first day I thought it was a mistake, but then I realized it was just that way. For us is actually better since we keep everything clean and this way they dont enter the room so often. The bad thing is you sometimes have wet towels if you take a shower after they have made the room. Somedays though they changed the towels i think ? some other days they just left the daily guide from under the door.

 

It was not that bad, but not nice if you travel with messy children I suppose.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Elmartellama

[AmoMondo]

Spot on with the "pessimo" class Tim.

 

Ken, beware, the experiences may eventually make their way stateside eventually!

 

The Bella concept really is a rip off. Slightly more expensive than what it was pre experience with loads of service and benefits cut out. Wouldn't be so bad if it was a reduced price.

 

Mind you Costa did a similar scheme a few years back when they brought in their classic and premiums cabin pricing category. Classic is very like MSC's Bella with no room service, no choosing restaurant or dining time etc.

[Skipper Tim]

Chocolates on the pillows at night have also disappeared from some cruiselines.

It goes on and on but people will continue to sail because it is still a bargain compared to land vacations.

As I have gotten older, the type of cabin I want has changed. I have moved from port holes to mini suites but on MSC....only the yacht club will do :O)

so, I will always have those perks of the past !

 

I miss the chocolates. Mind you I probably still have them all unfit for eating in a drawer somewhere.

 

At current rates, I feel MSC is nothing like a bargain nor even worth considering.

 

Five star, all-inclusive hotels can be had for less. And that is comparing a 13 sq m windowless cabin on MSC to a 30 sq m hotel room with a balcony. A top designer hotel of the World can be had for the same as just the 'daily hotel charge' B&B. Then it is also cheaper...., to buy a yacht.

[Kelownabccan]

Wonder if that was the case for most of the Europeans when you and I sailed over to Miami...we had great service....twice a day, robes, free room service, pillow/towel animals, bathroom done twice a day, turn down....and the list goes on......wine glasses and fresh ice cubes each day......I always thought this was regular service.....this is what we usually expect on the main stream cruise lines.....free ice water and coffee at dinner...lol....a biggie for some.....Hey...you are a European aren't you or do the British sort of exclude themselves....just kidding....Ken

 

 

 

UOTE=sidari;43339381]Hi Ken ... MSC are already using two different charges for the Divina in Miami! Room Service is Free for North Americans while everyone else has to pay for it!

 

The powers that be in Naples and the USA reasoning behind it is that people in Europe already pay for it so will have no issue paying for it in the Caribbean ... :eek: the same goes with the spa Free while in Miami but pay for it in Europe.

 

Cunard also have class seperation on their ships and have done for years.

[AmoMondo]

Ken, yes what you experienced was what we were used to as regular service. We get the "benefit" of the experiences from this winter onwards in the UK. Some other European countries have had it already. Not sure when the first country got this new pricing policy. Can't see that many will be happy with it and will confuse new cruisers or new to MSC

[sidari]

Ken ... They made some changes prior to leaving Venice and as you know they changed from Euro to $ as the onboard currency, they also removed many of the wines that are available on the European cruises.

 

As Marie pointed out the sailing was pre the new Experiences so room service remained the same until the ship reached Miami where as you will recall they were to make numerous other changes that were highlighted by Andre.

 

As for me, well I was born in England and so regard myself as English just in the same was as some of my Scottish friends regard themselves as Scottish and never European and some not British.

[AmoMondo]

I'm Scottish, British and European and very much hope to remain so after a certain referendum in a couple of months

Edited July 10, 2014 by AmoMondo

[Kelownabccan]

Reminds me of the whole thing over here in Canada....."Quebec"....wanted to be it's own country....thank god that whole idea is finally put to bed....and we are all Canadians now...lol.....Ken

 

 

 

I'm Scottish, British and European and very much hope to remain so after a certain referendum in a couple of months

[Skipper Tim]

I'm Scottish, British and European and very much hope to remain so after a certain referendum in a couple of months

 

Amo, at last we disagree on something! I very much hope that Scotland votes for independance. I am weary of the London-based UK Government governing for the good of London and the South East of England first. I would actually like an independant and re-unified Yorkshire. Failing that, if Scotland becomes independant, I will be one of the first of many Northern English applying to immigrate North of the border.

 

In England, since leaving my home town of Huddersfield aged 18, I have lived in Birmingham, York, Cambridge, Durham, Loughborough and Reading. Then I have also spent many years living in Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey and collectively over another year on holiday in other European countries. I find it very odd whenever I see the term 'European' as if Europeans have anything remotely in common.

 

From my experience, the diversity of the UK is immense, the diversity of Europe is incomprehensible - cultures, religions, languages, cuisines, mannerisms, histories, wealth levels, politics, music (we even disagree on how many notes there should be in an octave) etc, etc. etc. We don't see eye-to-eye on anything. We have spent all of history until very recently at war when the soldiers were motivated by our differences. Even now, we are fighting each other through peaceful means. The only thing Europeans have in common is that we all vaguely evolved from Africans over 65 million years or so. Even then, some of us are more evolved than others.

 

I wish no one to use the word 'European' as a generalisation. It should be used to mean 'incomprehensible diversity'.

 

Which is why I am surprised that MSC have introduced 'experience' packages in place of their former bespoke approach, as if any of the 'experiences' would suit more than a tiny minority of us. We are all different. Let us pick and choose as we like.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[Skipper Tim]

I'm Scottish, British and European and very much hope to remain so after a certain referendum in a couple of months

 

P.S. My brother's partner is Scottish but he is not allowed to vote as he lives in England. Are the English living in Scotland allowed a vote?

[AmoMondo]

P.S. My brother's partner is Scottish but he is not allowed to vote as he lives in England. Are the English living in Scotland allowed a vote?

 

Yes.JK Rowling is English and will be voting No. Another woman who is from the US is a campaigner for Better Together. Believe you have to be on the voter roll in a Scottish constituency to be eligible.

[Kelownabccan]

Diva....back to NA next fall....Ken

 

18 nights departing October 24, 2015 on

MSC Cruises' MSC Divina

 

 

Brochure Inside $3,319

Inside $1,659

 

Brochure Oceanview $3,819

Oceanview $1,909

 

 

Brochure Balcony $4,279

Balcony $2,139

 

 

Brochure Suite $5,039

Suite $2,519

Teacher Rate $2,492

 

ITINERARY

 

DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART

Sat Oct 24 Genoa, Italy 5:00pm

Sun Oct 25 Barcelona, Spain 1:00pm 7:00pm

Mon Oct 26 At Sea

Tue Oct 27 Malaga, Spain 8:00am 5:00pm

Wed Oct 28 At Sea

Thu Oct 29 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 8:00am 6:00pm

Fri Oct 30 At Sea

Sat Oct 31 At Sea

Sun Nov 1 At Sea

Mon Nov 2 At Sea

Tue Nov 3 At Sea

Wed Nov 4 Barbados 8:00am 5:00pm

Thu Nov 5 Martinique 8:00am 5:00pm

Fri Nov 6 St. Maarten 9:00am 6:00pm

Sat Nov 7 Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands 6:00am 6:00pm

Sun Nov 8 San Juan, Puerto Rico 8:00am

Mon Nov 9 San Juan, Puerto Rico 2:00am

Tue Nov 10 At Sea

Wed Nov 11 Miami, FL 7:00am

[sidari]

Hi Ken .... Well no surprise that the cruise in October is not available on the MSC UK website in fact the month of October is missing totally! the April one is still not available to book either.

[Kiwiaus]

I have received a reply from MSC Australia re what is included in my cruise booking. Please note in bold below re the nightly turn down service. It seems their new brochures are out of date already!. Also I was not aware that 24 hour cabin service was included in my original booking (B2 balcony) so that is a bonus. That is as long as cabin service means room service?????????

 

"Please see below list of what is included in your cruise fare for bookings who do not have the Experience Pricing as per our brochure terms and conditions

 

Accommodation in air conditioned cabins with en suite bathroom serviced twice daily

 

Daily program delivered to your cabin show casing shore excursions, special offers and events of the next day

 

Port and handling charges

 

All meals on board including breakfast, lunch and dinner in selected main restaurants or at the self-service buffet open 20 hours a day, afternoon tea, Captain’s cocktail party and Gala dinners

 

Water, tea and coffee provided in self-service buffet

 

Complimentary pool towels

 

24 hour cabin service

 

Complimentary use of selected on board facilities including mini golf, library, pools, whirlpools, sun beds (on board facilities can vary from ship to ship)

 

In relation to the new Experience Pricing we have received information that the nightly turn down service will be included in all grades"

Edited July 12, 2014 by Kiwiaus

[Beamafar]

All sailings for Divina between April 2015 - October 2015 are unavailable on the Ireland website. I'd been hoping to try her out while she's in the Med having been on the other 3 in the Fantasia class. I wonder how "Americanised" she'd feel in comparison to the others.

 

I'm sure she'll be marketed here - plenty of time yet. I won't even be considering anything until after my return from the Preziosa repo next April as I expect to be a Black clubcard holder by then and 20% discount enabled :D

 

I'll be watching for all the comments and reviews to see how others fare on her - especially those who can (genuinely!) compare it with experiences from other ships.

[sidari]

KiwiAus/Bea ... Take a look at post number 11 on the link below the Experiences are listed there.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=43370981&posted=1#post43370981

[Skipper Tim]

Also I was not aware that 24 hour cabin service was included in my original booking (B2 balcony) so that is a bonus. That is as long as cabin service means room service?????????

 

Wonderful! In seeking to clarify MSC adds yet more confusion. If the remark relates to room service, then yes it is included but you have to pay for anything you order, with the one exception of continental breakfast ordered the night before for delivery at regular breakfast times. I rather suspect they mean your cabin attendant will visit twice a day or if you have a burst pipe a technician will come and deal with it any time of day.

 

Still, the reply hints that room service will not be available 24 hrs, at any price, for the new Bella experience guests.

[AmoMondo]

Wonderful! In seeking to clarify MSC adds yet more confusion. If the remark relates to room service, then yes it is included but you have to pay for anything you order, with the one exception of continental breakfast ordered the night before for delivery at regular breakfast times. I rather suspect they mean your cabin attendant will visit twice a day or if you have a burst pipe a technician will come and deal with it any time of day.

 

Still, the reply hints that room service will not be available 24 hrs, at any price, for the new Bella experience guests.

 

Yes it is just the delivery of room service that is free. You pay per item ordered except breakfast.

 

It certainly looks like you can't have room service at all at any time or price in Bella (same as Costa first tier).

 

I had not paid attention to the flexibility of changing bookings on Fantastica up until now. I've lost deposits 3 times in the past 9 years when I changed cruises. so for me, that experience + buying Allegrissimo probBly is closest to whT I want, just need them to discount some prices.

[Skipper Tim]

I think MSC missed out on a huge opportunity here to unify the MSC Club benefits with their 'experiences'. What better incentive would there be to build up MSC Club points, i.e. mostly more nights aboard, than to obtain benefits that one would otherwise have to pay for? It is an advert for the MSC Club, an incentive to be loyal and reduces the uncessary 4-dimensional complexity to something more manageable.

 

Pierfrancesco Vago, chair of MSC Cruises, is on record stating he wanted to create the "iPhone of the cruise industry". He was referring to new ship designs. Apple create easy-to-use, intuitive products - Occam's Razor. The current 4-D matrix of MSC pricing and services is just the opposite of that. By now, and they have been in business for many years more than Apple, they really should know better.