MSC Dining Structure and Drink Package Questions

[ChiGal1962]

I’m a frequent cruiser, but I’ve never sailed MSC. I have preliminarily booked a cruise on the Meraviglia this fall. I’m quite confused about the dining particulars and the drink packages.   

 

Here’s the situation. A friend and I are both booked on this cruise. Two separate cabins – she booked an inside cabin on the Bella experience, and I booked a balcony on Fantastica. She doesn’t really drink at all (maybe 2 glasses of wine a month), and let’s just say that I drink more than that - I have never regretted buying a drink package on a cruise. There also may be a 3^rd person (friend of my friend) also booking a room (or maybe sharing my friend’s room – not sure). Now to the questions:

 

• How do the dining assignments work? We each requested the early dining time, which I think was listed as between 5:45 and 7:30. Does that mean we’ll be assigned a time in that window, or can we go any time in that window? As we are both solo travelers, will we be assigned tables by ourselves, or assigned a table with a group of other solo travelers? When will we see those assignments? I’m assuming we can request a change once on board (we would definitely like to sit together) – how common is it that to be accommodated?
• I thought I read somewhere that with the Fantastica experience, I get some sort of priority choice of dinner sitting. Is that true, and if so, when will I be asked? Or is that already part of the early v. late thing. I really really really don’t want to eat dinner at 5:45!! I prefer eating later, but the late seating was listed as 9:30 – that’s a bit much.
• I believe the official policy is that if I have a drink package and she doesn’t, then they won’t let us dine together. First of all, that just seems very weird to me. Secondly, if they do assign solo travelers together randomly, I can’t imagine they enforce that, do they? If I have to pay as I go, that’s fine, but it’s just more of a hassle that I’d like to avoid.
• Are there separate dining rooms on the Meraviglia? If so, is there any material difference?
• Just for grins, how formal are formal nights?

 

Appreciate any and all insight. Thanks!

[JamieLogical]

2 hours ago, ChiGal1962 said:

I’m a frequent cruiser, but I’ve never sailed MSC. I have preliminarily booked a cruise on the Meraviglia this fall. I’m quite confused about the dining particulars and the drink packages.   

 

Here’s the situation. A friend and I are both booked on this cruise. Two separate cabins – she booked an inside cabin on the Bella experience, and I booked a balcony on Fantastica. She doesn’t really drink at all (maybe 2 glasses of wine a month), and let’s just say that I drink more than that - I have never regretted buying a drink package on a cruise. There also may be a 3^rd person (friend of my friend) also booking a room (or maybe sharing my friend’s room – not sure). Now to the questions:

 

• How do the dining assignments work? We each requested the early dining time, which I think was listed as between 5:45 and 7:30. Does that mean we’ll be assigned a time in that window, or can we go any time in that window? As we are both solo travelers, will we be assigned tables by ourselves, or assigned a table with a group of other solo travelers? When will we see those assignments? I’m assuming we can request a change once on board (we would definitely like to sit together) – how common is it that to be accommodated?
• I thought I read somewhere that with the Fantastica experience, I get some sort of priority choice of dinner sitting. Is that true, and if so, when will I be asked? Or is that already part of the early v. late thing. I really really really don’t want to eat dinner at 5:45!! I prefer eating later, but the late seating was listed as 9:30 – that’s a bit much.
• I believe the official policy is that if I have a drink package and she doesn’t, then they won’t let us dine together. First of all, that just seems very weird to me. Secondly, if they do assign solo travelers together randomly, I can’t imagine they enforce that, do they? If I have to pay as I go, that’s fine, but it’s just more of a hassle that I’d like to avoid.
• Are there separate dining rooms on the Meraviglia? If so, is there any material difference?
• Just for grins, how formal are formal nights?

 

Appreciate any and all insight. Thanks!

 

You should be able to link your reservations so you can be seated together. I believe there is an area to do that when you log into the MSC website and start the web check-in process. That being said, I was on a cruise in April with some other solo cruisers I had met on a previous cruise and our reservations were not linked, but we were able to get assigned to the same sharing table (with some other solo guests) together by going to the desk outside of the Panorama MDR.

 

There are four "public" MDRs on the Meraviglia. The dining time you selected upon booking is just a request... there are no guarantees you will get the dining time you prefer. Again, you may be able to change your dining assignment once onboard by going to the desk outside of Panorama.

 

Formal nights aren't super formal. You will see a wide array of dress on formal nights. Some people do get very dressed up. Others stick to shorts and polo shorts. The only people I ever saw being turned away from MDRs on any nights were men in tank tops and/or open-toed shoes. Apparently, they are fine with women's bare toes and arms.

[Mark_T]

7 hours ago, ChiGal1962 said:

How do the dining assignments work? We each requested the early dining time, which I think was listed as between 5:45 and 7:30. Does that mean we’ll be assigned a time in that window, or can we go any time in that window?

With a 5:45 start time they will expect you to be seated before 6pm, it is a fixed dinning time not a range. You would need to be on a higher 'experience' level to get 'anytime' dining.

 

I think you will find there are actually 3 sittings for dinner but you can only indicate early or late when booking, and it sounds like you would prefer the middle sitting which is one of the two 'late' sittings.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Mark_T

[insidecabin]

We have been on busy cruises(Virtuosa) where there were 6 dining times, one restaurant had 3 sittings, the others 1 or 2.

 

It seems pre cruise the package rule does get used, once on the ship you can request to be put on same tables.

Might take another night at the table shuffling happens.

 

Loads of people do change requests.

[Mark_T]

.. .but to be clear for the OP, these are fixed sitting times, not the start of a period where you can turn up anytime you want, so once they are able to get themselves assigned to a table and a time, then that is the time they have to be there.

[ChiGal1962]

16 hours ago, Mark_T said:

With a 5:45 start time they will expect you to be seated before 6pm, it is a fixed dinning time not a range. You would need to be on a higher 'experience' level to get 'anytime' dining.

 

I think you will find there are actually 3 sittings for dinner but you can only indicate early or late when booking, and it sounds like you would prefer the middle sitting which is one of the two 'late' sittings.

Ok, that makes some more sense. They listed the early on as 5:45-7:30 (or close to that - I don't remember exactly) and the late one as 9:30 (no range). But you're saying that it's likely that there are three - 5:45, 7:45 (ish) and 9:30. I imagine that middle seating will be the most desired, but we'll try. And if not, well, it's early dinner, I guess (ugh). 

 

Thank you! 

[perakcruiser]

On 6/23/2023 at 7:56 AM, ChiGal1962 said:

• I thought I read somewhere that with the Fantastica experience, I get some sort of priority choice of dinner sitting. Is that true, and if so, when will I be asked? Or is that already part of the early v. late thing. I really really really don’t want to eat dinner at 5:45!! I prefer eating later, but the late seating was listed as 9:30 – that’s a bit much.
•  

You will never be asked. Just during the booking process, but that is the same with Bella. If you are not happy with your assigned time slot and have Fantastica you can tell MSC that you want to change to another slot and they should change it before the cruise. On board the Maitre D usually is not interested if one has Fantastica or Bella, if the ship is full capacity changing will be difficult. Talking about full capacity, that is when the Mera has three dinner slots. Less pax, only two slots. 

 

On 6/23/2023 at 7:56 AM, ChiGal1962 said:

I believe the official policy is that if I have a drink package and she doesn’t, then they won’t let us dine together. First of all, that just seems very weird to me.

The official policy from MSC on land (that does not mean it is enforced all the time) is that Bella and Fantastica bookings cannot be linked together and non drinks package cannot be linked with drink package. That sounds very weird to you? So who you think will swipe the cruise card when the waiter brings the bottle of water and the beginning of the dinner? You with the package or your friend without? 😉 And if you swipe your friend will then say to the waiter when he fills the glasses "Stop, stop, I am not qualified". Some of cause will not just take the water and also order a bottle of wine for the table.

 

So certainly MSC on land will want to avoid to lose the water money, which is - believe it or not - a very important part of their revenues. But on board the Maitre D often is not really interested if one has Fantastica, drinks package, so in the end you probably can sit together anyway. 

Edited June 24, 2023 by perakcruiser

[smokey01]

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

If you are not happy with your assigned time slot and have Fantastica you can tell MSC that you want to change to another slot and they should change it before the cruise.

We have booked Fantastica and our agent has said our dining time is 7:45. We are happy with this. The problem is it is not stated in print anywhere so I half suspect I will get to check in and see 9:30pm as our time slot on our card (as per my sister but she was Bella and was able to change to 8:15pm). I wish their app stated the time slot.

[perakcruiser]

4 hours ago, smokey01 said:

The problem is it is not stated in print anywhere 

Should be stated on page 3 of your booking confirmation. 

[smokey01]

43 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

Should be stated on page 3 of your booking confirmation. 

No it is not on our agents booking confirmation. 

[gizfish]

10 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

Should be stated on page 3 of your booking confirmation. 

We booked fantastica and could choose early or late, but will not know the specific time we end up getting until we get our key cards.  The docs say early but also say time will be assigned on board.  

Edited June 25, 2023 by gizfish

[insidecabin]

Even with full ships they can juggle.

 

Get all the change requests then sort out changes en mass.

 

We have noticed on Virtuosa (3 times MDR)that they sit a lot of Brits on the same time in the same section of the restaurants.

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 6/25/2023 at 2:45 AM, insidecabin said:

Even with full ships they can juggle.

 

Get all the change requests then sort out changes en mass.

 

We have noticed on Virtuosa (3 times MDR)that they sit a lot of Brits on the same time in the same section of the restaurants.

We are still trying to get our dining fixed. We are currently on Metaviglia. Have 4 cabins booked and linked by TA. Get to dining room last night and we had a 6 top and a 3 top. These are round tables so cant be pushed together. The 3 top is behind the other table so no way to converse with the other table. Last night not everybody showed up but they wouldn’t let the 3 people from the 3 top sit with us. 
 

said to check when we get to the dining room tonight to see if they found a resolution.  We will find out in 90 minutes.