Another Easy Package Thread

[SteelCruisin]

Ok, so as I am looking over the Easy drink package for the Caribbean, I notice that in one place the wording for the package is 

Unlimited consumption of selected drinks priced up to $6!

and in another the wording is

Unlimited consumption  of SELECTED drinks*

There is no mention of what the drink value is, just that it is from a selection of drinks, which are...

•  Draft Heineken & bottled Miller Lite  (Caribbean only) •  Dedicated selection of house wines by the glass • Selected spirits, cocktails and aperitifs • Non-alcoholic cocktails • Soft drinks and fruit juices by the glass • Bottled mineral water • Energy drinks •  Classic hot drinks (espresso, cappuccino,  latte, hot tea...) • Coffee and hot chocolate specialties

Now where am I going with this? There are some coffee drinks that are below the $6 price point but not listed in the drinks included...are they included as well? I guess the confusion is , is it any drink up to $6 or is it any drink listed on the included list ?

I know this has been beat to death but I needed something to do during my lunch break today....Happy Sails!

[Beamafar]

I understand the point you're making, though.  It's the same with the Premium drinks package inclusions.  Drinks up to $12 are (supposedly) included, yet most drinks on the Connoisseurs' Selection list are <$12 but are only covered by the Prem+ package:

 

[SteelCruisin]

Thanks for chiming in Beam, thought I was going crazy....I am not a big drinker, and would love to find out that some of the coffee specialties under $6 are included.... if not , no worries but still knowledge is power!

[Beamafar]

I agree.  I remember that it was the same situation for speciality coffees with the old drinks packages.  Although they were cheaper than some of the alcoholic drinks that were included in the basic drinks package, they were still only included in the Deluxe package.  Very frustrating!

[CruisingFox27]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

I agree.  I remember that it was the same situation for speciality coffees with the old drinks packages.  Although they were cheaper than some of the alcoholic drinks that were included in the basic drinks package, they were still only included in the Deluxe package.  Very frustrating!

Had a very interesting debate with a waitress on our last cruise over this as I tried to order an iced coffee, which she insisted wasn't included as we didn't have Deluxe. Full array of all cocktails but no iced caramel coffee! 

 

On another Easy package note, a poster on another forum claims they were advised by MSC UK one of them could upgrade to Premium onboard but the other wouldn't be required to, they could remain in Easy. Now this seemed unlikely to me but I couldn't dispute her information. Any other reports of this? 

[Beamafar]

I don't put much store in what they say in the UK office.  I often know far more than some of them do!  🙄  When I read something like that on here I just think "Yeah ... well best of luck with that onboard"!  How often do we read complaints on here about the misinformation people have been given by MSC reps?!

[CruisingFox27]

10 hours ago, Beamafar said:

I don't put much store in what they say in the UK office.  I always know far more than some of them do!  🙄  When I read something like that on here I just think "Yeah ... well best of luck with that onboard"!  How often do we read complaints on here about the misinformation people have been given by MSC reps?!

 

Amended for you Bea 😀

 

I didn't respond but thought, good luck with that....

[Beamafar]

When I emailed MSC to upgrade our package for our Meraviglia trip, I was originally quoted the difference in cost between Easy and Prem+.  Fortunately I knew that it should it have been between Premium and Prem+ and so I queried it and got the 'correct' cost in response, while being told that there wasn't a specific package included for YC (despite calculating the upgrade cost from the Premium package price point  🙄).  Why MSC can't just get their act together and state definitively that Premium is included for YC (just as 'Easy' is included for Aurea) is beyond me!  ☹️

[CruisingFox27]

It's beyond them too! Although in YC you do get room service, the mini bar, which Premium doesn't or the premium/featured cocktails, which were included on our last YC sailing.

[deliver42]

It seems to me that MSC now is trying to confuse its passengers so nobody knows what they are getting until they're on the ship. It didn't start out that way, but, in my opinion, they are getting complacent in the American market that they say is important to them. The first cruise we were on we kjnew exactly what we had, and had no problem. Our second cruise we had a problem with drinks and had to get it straightened out at guest services. I don't see MSC in our future right now until they get real.

[sidari]

MSC and those in their useless ideas department who think up the stupid changes should have listened to the common sense approach I posted last year on a few of the drink package threads, Premium plus for YC, Premium for Aurea and Easy for Fantastica with vouchers or Easy for Bella.

Not hard to work out or understand and customers know what they are getting, but no MSC withdraw previous confusing number of packages in order to still confuse people with even less packages. 

time for a clear out MSC of the Lunatics in charge of the drink package Asylum.

 

[SteelCruisin]

I think if they just said Easy = ALL drinks up to $6, Premium = All drinks up to $12, and Premium Plus = Run of the house.... by saying selected or using … after the listing of hot drinks, it confuses the consumer. I love MSC , but man if they don't make it hard to understand their programs.

[blanche42]

If ordering a drink above $6 are you charged just the difference in price, ex. $6 additional for cocktail or the full price $12 ?

[sidari]

Full price for any drink not included in a drink package.

[Beamafar]

... plus 15% service charge!

[dwade1901]

My understanding is ‘all’ drinks priced $6 or less are included. I believe the confusion comes from the old menus (from the time the packages were changed) had very little, if any alcoholic drinks at that price. I saw a post on another thread from @Beamafar which shows an up to date menu with a very small selection of gin, vodka, house wine and a few cocktails etc now at $6. All other drinks which were under that threshold (such as soft drinks etc)should be included.

Edited August 27, 2019 by dwade1901

[NCTribeFan]

I'm probably going to add the Easy package to my booking (just booked last Friday, sailing 9/16) on Armonia..  Here's the important stuff.

 

 

It does say ALL DRINKS in the first line.  So, to me, that means ALL drinks up to $6.  The "selected" applies to the cheapo wines and well liquor.

 

[CruisingFox27]

31 minutes ago, dwade1901 said:

My understanding is ‘all’ drinks priced $6 or less are included. I believe the confusion comes from the old menus (from the time the packages were changed) had very little, if any alcoholic drinks at that price. I saw a post on another thread from @Beamafar which shows an up to date menu with a very small selection of gin, vodka, house wine and a few cocktails etc now at $6. All other drinks which were under that threshold (such as soft drinks etc)should be included.

 

Apologies for the quality but these were the recent Easy alcohol menu's posted on another thread. The variety is dependent on the region sailed, i.e. € or $

 

[Mattnvick]

On 8/14/2019 at 6:31 PM, Beamafar said:

When I read something like that on here I just think "Yeah ... well best of luck with that onboard"!  

 

On a f/b group this came up a short while ago and someone said yes they went to a bar and just upgraded themself no questions asked about who else was in the cabin. Obviously you pay the 15%.  Maybe you just have to find thd right bar 😝.

 

Another member due to get on on Saturday upgraded just herself not her partner not sure if that was on line or through the call centre. Will try to find out and report back. Of course thay could be just another MSC glitch that actually went in someones favour.......might be the exception not the rule

Edited August 28, 2019 by Mattnvick

[Beamafar]

That's very interesting, Vicky.  DH mainly drinks Heineken, so even the most basic package is enough for him.  I have more refined tastes, however (😁) which necessitates a higher-end package.  It would be perfect for us to just upgrade me.

[Mattnvick]

6 hours ago, Beamafar said:

That's very interesting, Vicky.  DH mainly drinks Heineken, so even the most basic package is enough for him.  I have more refined tastes, however (😁) which necessitates a higher-end package.  It would be perfect for us to just upgrade me.

 

I totally get that Bea 😀 and if i can get any more information i will pass it on. 

 

Matt has messaged the lady who says she has done it but hasnt yet sailed. I would say it would be fairly unusual as it seems pretty industry standard if one upgrades in the cabin eveyone has to. 

 

However, Im sure there are probably a lot of instances where one passenger would be happy with Easy and one prefer premium or premium plus. Be nice if you could decided and upgrade based on what actually worked for you. 

 

I imagine the reason  apart from the obvious almighty $ its too open to abuse sadly.

[mom2tcdx2]

I hadn't realized until in the last week, that both passengers don't have to have the same drink package.  My parents for our sailing on Sept 15, my mother bought the premium package, and they sold my father the non-alcoholic package.  I didn't think they would do that, but they did.  Already paid for and already noted in their paperwork.  

[Wiggster]

Hi,

 

I have just got back today from a weeks cruise on the MSC Preziosa visiting France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

 

I saw a previous list for the Easy Package and was disappointed that Jim Beam and Long Island Iced Tea have been removed.

 

It especially annoying that most spirits are priced at 6.5 euros so are not included in the package and has as already been mentioned you have to pay full price not just the difference.

 

However as someone else has mentioned you can get a Virgin Cocktail and order a double spirit and just tip it in!

 

I enjoyed my drinks but would have enjoyed them more if Jim Beam had been included 😎

 

Anyway I attach the easy drink package list that is up to date as of today..

 

IMG_6067.HEIC

[CruisingFox27]

Wiggster the Easy menu which includes Jim Beam and long island iced tea is only applicable to US/Caribbean sailings, see post #18. The cost is also higher for Easy for those sailings too. 

[Wiggster]

Just in case you can’t see the attachment I’ve given it another go..
@CruisingFox27 Thanks for pointing out the anomaly.. [emoji851]


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