Another Drink Package Question

[Bobbiegentry]

This will be our first MSC cruise.

Sailing from Durban to Italy in April/May 2023. 

Neither of us drink alcohol so we are looking for a soft drink package. On other lines there is a per day charge for a soft drink package. 

For our sailing, the only thing I can find on the MSC webpage is this:

 

I'm not at all sure what this is saying. Is $19 a per day charge for the cabin?, per day charge per person?. 

Are they selling just the one package of 10 canned sodas for the entire 23 day sailing?

 

Really confused!!!

 

[emmas gran]

I think you may want the Alcohol free package which gives you coffees soft drinks and alcohol free cocktails, suggest you check it out on the website.

[emmas gran]

At the moment it’s $25 US plus 15% per person per day according to another thread down the page 

[dexddd]

Welcome to CC.

[Bobbiegentry]

1 hour ago, emmas gran said:

 suggest you check it out on the website.

Exactly what I did and where the information (re-pasted below) I copied and pasted in my original post came from. This is from the "Beverages" tab on my reservation. 

 

[emmas gran]

On the Uk website

Onboard

Dining & drinks 

 

Drink packages

Non Alcohol is one of the packages

[RudiRatlos]

The package is called "Alcohol-free package"

@Bobbiegentry are you looking at your reservation just with the booking number or are logged in with a MSC account? Sometimes the latter gives you more options.

If booked through a TA, ask your TA to add the alcohol-free package to your cruise. 15% service charge do not apply when pre-booking the package.

 

ALCOHOL-FREE PACKAGE

Includes:

• A wide choice of alcohol-free cocktails
• Soft drinks
• Energy drinks
• Mineral water
• Flavored water
• Fruit juices
• Coffee drinks (latte, espresso, cappuccino, etc.)
• Hot chocolate and hot teas
• Soft-serve ice cream

The Alcohol-free package can be enjoyed in our bars, self-service buffet, casual and main restaurants, Ocean Cay and other exclusive destinations. 

Does not apply to our signature venues including Venchi 1878 establishments, Lavazza Coffee Shop and Jean Philippe Chocolate, Coffee, Crepes & Gelato.

[reallyme]

11 hours ago, Bobbiegentry said:

This will be our first MSC cruise.

Sailing from Durban to Italy in April/May 2023. 

Neither of us drink alcohol so we are looking for a soft drink package. On other lines there is a per day charge for a soft drink package. 

For our sailing, the only thing I can find on the MSC webpage is this:

 

I'm not at all sure what this is saying. Is $19 a per day charge for the cabin?, per day charge per person?. 

Are they selling just the one package of 10 canned sodas for the entire 23 day sailing?

 

Really confused!!!

 

I don't understand the confusion, it clearly says "per state room $19", so why are you asking if it is per person or per cabin?  It also tells you it is for 10 items.  So,it is for 10 items total to be used by anyone in the cabi.

[Bobbiegentry]

6 hours ago, RudiRatlos said:

The package is called "Alcohol-free package"

@Bobbiegentry are you looking at your reservation just with the booking number or are logged in with a MSC account? Sometimes the latter gives you more options.

If booked through a TA, ask your TA to add the alcohol-free package to your cruise. 15% service charge do not apply when pre-booking the package.

 

ALCOHOL-FREE PACKAGE

Includes:

• A wide choice of alcohol-free cocktails
• Soft drinks
• Energy drinks
• Mineral water
• Flavored water
• Fruit juices
• Coffee drinks (latte, espresso, cappuccino, etc.)
• Hot chocolate and hot teas
• Soft-serve ice cream

The Alcohol-free package can be enjoyed in our bars, self-service buffet, casual and main restaurants, Ocean Cay and other exclusive destinations. 

Does not apply to our signature venues including Venchi 1878 establishments, Lavazza Coffee Shop and Jean Philippe Chocolate, Coffee, Crepes & Gelato.

Thanks but the "Alcohol-free package" is of no interest to us. We are looking ONLY for soft drinks and have no interest in all of the other offerings included in this package.

 

Hence the question about the "Soft Drink and Ice Cream" Package. 

[Bobbiegentry]

34 minutes ago, reallyme said:

I don't understand the confusion, it clearly says "per state room $19", so why are you asking if it is per person or per cabin?  It also tells you it is for 10 items.  So,it is for 10 items total to be used by anyone in the cabi.

Clearly you are a lot smarter than I am so I'll dive a bit deeper into the source of my confusion. 

 

Included in my original post is the question: Are they selling just the one package of 10 canned sodas for the entire 23 day sailing?

Please advise if the stated "$19 per cabin" is a daily charge that can be purchased for each day of the cruise or for some lesser number of days.

OR

Is this beverage selection something that can be purchased only ONCE during the entire cruise?

 

Our sailing is 10 days. Can we spend $190 and buy this package for all 10 days? Can we spend $95 and buy this package for only 5 days? 

 

 

[Nikita4]

This package  not per day , it is a package for 10 softdrinks or softice! So you can pay more than one of this! Look at the post from reallyme!

[Nunagoras]

Hi! Welcome aboard!

 

Let me to try to explain it for you:

 

There are 2 types of beverage packages:

 

The unlimited ones, "post paid", personal and non-transferable: On those packages the cruise line will give the ones who sign for it the right to consume whatever else included at that package during all the trip, at a certain set price plus gratuity. If you purchase online before the cruise you'll save the 15% gratuity. MSC has no soda only unlimited packages on their portfolio at the moment. Only the full non alcoholic one.

 

The limited ones, "prepaid", transferable (for technical purposes cruise lines may to make the transfer only possible within same stateroom cards): On those packages the cruise line will give the holder a certain limited set of drinks during all the trip for a set price plus gratuity. You may purchase as many packages as you want. MSC used to have those packages, in the form of a small paper block, to purchase only onboard. Sources are saying that they've gone with them from 2019 onward. Nice they're reinstating them once sometimes they're of a great value for certain limited items! Bear in mind though that if your ship has a dedicated 3rd party ice cream location, packages won't be good on them. This one you showed seems to be the package good for you, considering that a single soda might to be on the ~$2.75 with gratuity, you can have a saving here, and you seem not interested on the other inclusions. Make your account and purchase what you need.

 

Hope to have helped a bit. Any doubt: Feel free to ask!...

 

And have a nice day!...

Edited July 13, 2022 by Nunagoras

[Bobbiegentry]

3 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

Hi! Welcome aboard!

 

Let me to try to explain it for you:

 

There are 2 types of beverage packages:

 

The unlimited ones, "post paid", personal and non-transferable: On those packages the cruise line will give the ones who sign for it the right to consume whatever else included at that package during all the trip, at a certain set price plus gratuity. If you purchase online before the cruise you'll save the 15% gratuity. MSC has no soda only unlimited packages on their portfolio at the moment. Only the full non alcoholic one.

 

The limited ones, "prepaid", transferable (for technical purposes cruise lines may to make the transfer only possible within same stateroom cards): On those packages the cruise line will give the holder a certain limited set of drinks during all the trip for a set price plus gratuity. You may purchase as many packages as you want. MSC used to have those packages, in the form of a small paper block, to purchase only onboard. Sources are saying that they've gone with them from 2019 onward. Nice they're reinstating them once sometimes they're of a great value for certain limited items! Bear in mind though that if your ship has a dedicated 3rd party ice cream location, packages won't be good on them. This one you showed seems to be the package good for you, considering that a single soda might to be on the ~$2.75 with gratuity, you can have a saving here, and you seem not interested on the other inclusions. Make your account and purchase what you need.

 

Hope to have helped a bit. Any doubt: Feel free to ask!...

 

And have a nice day!...

Thank you @Nunagorasfor your helpful and concise response. You've eliminated my uncertainty with your laser focused answer. 

 

The key thing you have addressed that others have missed completely is my concern over the ability to purchase multiple packages.... "You may purchase as many packages as you want."  Exactly what I an hoping to be able to do. 

 

Much appreciated!!

 

A related question, if I may. Does MSC allow passengers to bring aboard soft drinks in containers? We often purchase 12 pack cans of specialty Coke or Pepsi products (those specialty drinks that none of the cruise lines ever stock) and bring them aboard with us. As I said in my very first post, we are new to MSC and having never cruised with them, are not aware of various MSC specific rules.  

[wcook]

MSC’s official rule is you aren’t allowed to bring any beverages on board. No water, soda, beer, absinthe, nothing. There’s probably an exception for baby formula.
 

 

[Nunagoras]

12 hours ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Thank you @Nunagorasfor your helpful and concise response. You've eliminated my uncertainty with your laser focused answer. 

 

The key thing you have addressed that others have missed completely is my concern over the ability to purchase multiple packages.... "You may purchase as many packages as you want."  Exactly what I an hoping to be able to do. 

 

Much appreciated!!

 

A related question, if I may. Does MSC allow passengers to bring aboard soft drinks in containers? We often purchase 12 pack cans of specialty Coke or Pepsi products (those specialty drinks that none of the cruise lines ever stock) and bring them aboard with us. As I said in my very first post, we are new to MSC and having never cruised with them, are not aware of various MSC specific rules.  

Officially you can't as someone has stated. Though, they'll to "close their eyes" on an European sailing, if you purchase those items on the "duty free" shops located after security control inside the port, granted that those items have the ports authorities seal or any other proof of have been purchased there... It might not compensate, once prices at those shops tend to be just slightly lower than onboard on the order of few cents for items like sodas, maybe, they may to have products the ship doesn't sell. MSC in Europe is a Pepsi product. Maybe, you want the "true thing"? That will pretty much to be possible!...

 

Any other doubt, feel free to ask. I was also a newbie once back in the day with same doubts as you have now!!!... 🙂

 

Have a nice day!...

Edited July 14, 2022 by Nunagoras