Do MSC not want solo travellers?

[AmoMondo]

Good to hear :)

 

I have only ever cruised Princess, and the MSC booking set up appears to be vastly different! I have some questions as a result -

 

When I finally got the booking done, I had to phone again to get the booking number and ask for an email confirmation - is that not normally sent routinely?

 

How do I pay the balance? It seems there is no option online for this. Some instructions would have been helpful :rolleyes:

 

How would I request the bed being set up as queen?

 

The ship looks stunning, and the Yacht Club a great experience

 

....but I just feel a bit short on details right now! :)

 

You pay by phone usually. They are not great at sending reminders, although I did come home to an email this month reminding me final payment was due that day - fortunately I'd remembered and phoned up to pay that morning. They most definitely could make it so plea for sure.

 

Can't remember if the bed configuration is a question I normally have to answer when booking - I don't think so. I've sailed a lot solo,with them and the beds have always been configured to a queen - they maybe just assume that is what a solo would want. One time when I was sailing with a friend, had to ask the cabin steward to flip the configuration to two twins - didn't take him long to sort it out.

[BermudaBound2014]

I'm traveling solo this trip and wasn't asked bed confirmation. Come to think if it. I traveled with DH In August (another line) and wasn't asked then either. I think many of the lines have gone away from asking bed preference prior to embarkation. Switching from queen to twins (visa-versa) takes only 5 minutes or so and my cabin stewards have never had a problem switching. In fact, on one solo trip years ago they forgot to set up like a queen and I actually preferred it, as they room lacked shelf space and the extra bed provided lots of open storage.

 

I agree that details are a bit sketchy, but I've found this MSC forum exceptionally helpful in terms of filling in the blanks :).

 

Happy sailing!

[joybaby]

Good to hear :)

 

I have only ever cruised Princess, and the MSC booking set up appears to be vastly different! I have some questions as a result -

 

When I finally got the booking done, I had to phone again to get the booking number and ask for an email confirmation - is that not normally sent routinely?

 

How do I pay the balance? It seems there is no option online for this. Some instructions would have been helpful :rolleyes:

 

How would I request the bed being set up as queen?

 

The ship looks stunning, and the Yacht Club a great experience

 

....but I just feel a bit short on details right now! :)

 

Call and pay by phone on the date or prior to final payment. I am on a sailing in April and I was happy I marked my calendar as they did not send a reminder. In the past I have booked with MSC and the agent told me they will not automatically bill the client as other lines often do. The most recent agent said nothing, I was up to me.

You will have a fabulous time. Don't be discouraged.

Their communication needs huge improvement though.

Joyce

[Darcy15]

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply :)

 

What about luggage tags - are these sent out, as I can't see anything online?

 

Is there a 'boarding pass' of some sort?

 

The ships are stunning and the prices great.......but I think the dreadful lack of detail might well be putting prospective clients off :rolleyes:

[travelberlin]

For those who were able to book solo, how much was the solo supplement?

[deliver42]

After full payment, go to on line check in. At the end of your checkin, about 30 days before your cruise, you can print out the boarding pass and luggage tags.If you can't, just call, and they will e mail them to you.

[Bra_BE2014]

Hi all

 

 

 

I am a solo traveller, and was wanting to try MSC

 

 

 

....specifically Preziosa in 2017, yacht club. The ship looks stunning!

 

 

 

Well, after 3 days of trying to book this on the website I've given up :(

 

 

 

I get as far as picking the cabin, click on 'complete booking' and it is straight back to the home page!

 

 

 

Is this a website issue, or does MSC not welcome solo bookings?

 

 

 

Any insights? :)

 

 

I'm booked solo on Msc Maraviglia, can't wait [emoji41]

[Tee & Chilli]

Has anyone seen the single supplement rate below 200%?

[Nikita4]

I ve made yesterday a solo booking for the Yacht Club on the Fantasia in 2017, the price was a bit lees than 200%. My travel agent was made the booking and i'm from Europe.

[AmoMondo]

Has anyone seen the single supplement rate below 200%?

 

Never paid as much as that, unless you calculate things differ try in the US from Europe. We quote the extra charged on the per person price based on 2. So if a cruise costs £1000 for 2 sharing a cabin, the pp price would be £500 and a 200% supplement would mean a solo would be charged £1500 (200% of £500= £1000 added on to the pp price of £500)

 

The standard over here is 80% on an inside or outside and 100% on balconies and suites.

 

Have had 0-30% on most repositioning cruises. Think it was 100% on the one I'm taking next week but I don't remember exactly.

 

Have occasionally had 0% on some non repos too but they are pretty rare now and often they heavily restrict solo bookings per sailing or exclude some cabin categories like YC

[ulster-cruiser]

Having a similar problem. Anyone tried including a 'dummy' second person and the second person just doesn't turn up?Think this would work?

[All-ready2cruise]

Ok, so we're in 2017 now and I, after having cruised with my late husband on the Divina, NYE cruise, am unable to book a cruise as a single. What do I need to do in order to cruise with MSC again. I'd love to do another cruise on Divina since we loved our cruise. I'm very sad that I can't repeat our last cruise.

[edspec]

Booked Seaside for week before Easter 2018, and was able to choose a solo cabin for 75% double price for my son, all online. So easy! Maybe this option is new.

[Darcy15]

As this thread has been resurrected, thought I'd add my own update as the OP :)

 

After booking Preziosa for September, I saw a really good deal for a Dubai cruise on Fantasia..........so I actually did my first MSC this past January, and it was absolutely fantastic! :D

 

The Yacht Club is just fabulous, and the service amazing .........the butlers are just a delight :)

 

So, now I have Preziosa to look forward to in September as well as Divina in January 2018 and the brand new Seaview in October 2018. All booked solo.

 

The website has been revamped, but it is still..........quirky :rolleyes:

 

Once you get past the booking process though, the shipboard experience is hugely different.

 

I am an MSC convert :)

[BermudaBound2014]

Ok, so we're in 2017 now and I, after having cruised with my late husband on the Divina, NYE cruise, am unable to book a cruise as a single. What do I need to do in order to cruise with MSC again. I'd love to do another cruise on Divina since we loved our cruise. I'm very sad that I can't repeat our last cruise.

 

 

I just wanted to say that I am sorry for your loss. I was also widowed but at a very young age (27). I learned to enjoy solo travel very much and although I am partnered now, I still insist on one solo trip per year- and often choose to cruise. Sending healing energy for your journey.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SMSACE6]

Ok, so we're in 2017 now and I, after having cruised with my late husband on the Divina, NYE cruise, am unable to book a cruise as a single. What do I need to do in order to cruise with MSC again. I'd love to do another cruise on Divina since we loved our cruise. I'm very sad that I can't repeat our last cruise.

 

I am very sorry for your loss. I cruise most always solo now. When I out grew Carnival after 8 cruises, I was looking for something different, but also something that I can afford, and am very bound to a budget. I had heard that MSC did not always like to book solos, so I called them to inquire about a cruise for next year. I was able to book the new Seaside as a solo. It is at 200pc rate but still in my range of affordable. So maybe they are changing their policy, or maybe it depends on how many cabins available. Im not sure, but I would definitely call up and ask them. Hope you are able to book the cruise that you wish.

[All-ready2cruise]

Thank you BB and SMS for your thoughtfulness.

 

I guess it's too early to think that far ahead anyway but I was hoping I could book something online for 2018. I did travel solo for work for a few years so I'm not afraid of the journey itself, although I am a bit concerned what others on solo forums are saying.

 

I do think it's nice if you can find others of like mind to at least book the same cruise and have company when you want and privacy when you don't. My DH was the social butterfly and I just sat on his wing for the ride.

 

Thanks again, (moving forward and peddling as fast as I can...DH's saying)

 

Our wedding song and saying "we're here for a good time, not a long time" "by Trooper" - so true

[Beamafar]

Connie .............. so sorry to hear your sad news. I hope you do get to do another cruise on Divina and take a walk, or should I say sail, down memory lane.

[All-ready2cruise]

Thanks Bea.. I hope so too. :)

[Bra_BE2014]

Thank you BB and SMS for your thoughtfulness.

 

 

 

I guess it's too early to think that far ahead anyway but I was hoping I could book something online for 2018. I did travel solo for work for a few years so I'm not afraid of the journey itself, although I am a bit concerned what others on solo forums are saying.

 

 

 

 

 

There are ways to cheat the system [emoji4]

I booked an YC inside in 2015 on the Msc Meraviglia for 2 as they were not taking solo bookings.

 

After a few months I called MSC and they updated my booking to solo, no problem. They did charge me a fee of €75 for changing but as I got an excellent early bird deal it was still worth it.

 

Cheers,

Priscila

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[All-ready2cruise]

Thanks Priscilla, I may have to try that. ;)

[Barcelona17]

With regard to solo bookings from the US it is very simple. There is no sense or logic to it. I have been thru this with several bookings...and sometimes you get the "fully booked" message for a solo reservation and sometimes you don't. I played around with it recently and it seems to be ship specific. Last week I couldn't book any solo on Seaview but I could book any itinerary on Preziosa solo, and in fact did. I have a booking in May on the Seaside solo and when I went in to look at current pricing, I couldn't get anything solo, but could get double pricing. I was recently looking at sailing out of Venice on the Poesia. I watched it for several weeks and when I finally decided to jump in and reserve...guess what. It wouldn't let me book solo. All of this was done online. I decided to call MSC about the Venice cruise and the agent was very nice but explained she could not pull any solo bookings up. This week you may be able to book solo on Poesia. There surely is some logic behind it, but I can't figure it out.

 

Confused in Florida

[Tee & Chilli]

Msc told my mom that only a set number of cabins are held for solo. Some sailings will allow solo and some will display the fully booked message. In this case, you can enter 2 people and make a reservation. Very odd website