Drinks package queries

[allatsea97531]

We are sailing on MSC Virtuosa in September, our first ever cruise. We both have the best drinks package included, I will be on Southern Comforts, my wife on diet cokes, if I order a double southern comfort plus mixer and a diet coke, will they serve this without question, or insist only single spirit measures allowed? 

 

Also, considering we have paid for packages, how strictly do they enforce the rule you aren’t meant to take soft drinks on in your luggage? Logically, if we take on soft drinks to start  off we will be reducing the amount they have to serve us onboard, thus saving them money or does everyone just have to accept you cannot take soft drinks on to the ship? Thanks

[showingdiva]

Yes, you can have your Southern Comfort and coke and your wife a Diet Coke, but you will need both cruise cards to order them.   Ordering two soft drinks on one card is generally accepted.   Doubles, I don't know (I'm teetotal).

 

As for bringing soft drink on board.   In this case, cruising out of the UK.   MSC make it very clear in their T&Cs that bringing any form of drink on board is prohibited.   Their argument is that if you have a drink package, why would you want or need to attempt to bring any on board?   The other issue is that would you want to risk it in your suitcase, especially if it ends up being loaded at the bottom of a huge cage onto the ship.    Taking it on as hand luggage is much more noticeable.  The more you attempt to take on board, the more attention you're going to draw to yourself.  You can have two cans of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Fanta or Sprite on each card from any venue, round the clock.

 

Your worst case scenario - they confiscate what you're trying to bring on board, you get the walk of shame to reception to be notified and they give you it back at the end of the cruise.   If that's the risk you want to take ......

Edited May 5 by showingdiva

[cublet]

Hello,

 

The standard 'pour' is well over a land-based double so no need to ask for one.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[rrraydon]

2 minutes ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

The standard 'pour' is well over a land-based double so no need to ask for one.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

You ain't kiddin'... I love it! 🤣 MSC bartenders are the best!

[Beamafar]

Never had a problem getting doubles.  In fact, some of the barmen seem to be only capable of pouring doubles. 🙈😆

[Scottdalfonso]

5 hours ago, rrraydon said:

You ain't kiddin'... I love it! 🤣 MSC bartenders are the best!

Wow, this sounds like the exact opposite of what everyone says about Royal! The pours over there are EXACT or even short!  

[jaxdog315]

Yes, I attest to everything mentioned above.  I sailed on the Meraviglia in January we had a dedicated server, Jose, in the cigar lounge and many people ordered doubles and were not disappointed.  I ordered double Johnnie Walker Red on the rocks with a coke zero on the side.  Once you find a favorite bartender stick with him/her tip them and you will be well cared for the entire cruise!

[jaxdog315]

Also, there is no daily alcoholic drink limit on MSC like there is on other lines

[1kaper]

18 hours ago, showingdiva said:

Yes, you can have your Southern Comfort and coke and your wife a Diet Coke, but you will need both cruise cards to order them.   Ordering two soft drinks on one card is generally accepted.   Doubles, I don't know (I'm teetotal).

 

We have had no trouble on a number of MSC Cruises ordering several drinks on one card.  I was with a group of about 8 and the server would often just take one card to ring them in. 

On a cruise with my husband we frequently got each other drinks without the other card.

 

[allatsea97531]

Thanks everyone! We weren’t certain all food and drink outlets would be open upon boarding and I have diabetes type 2, always craving soft drinks!

[notley-cruise]

6 hours ago, jaxdog315 said:

Also, there is no daily alcoholic drink limit on MSC like there is on other lines

 

We can attest to that !  On a recent MSC cruise somehow our cruise card was used to ring up fifty drinks on the first night in the casino.  We informed guest services the first four were ours, and not the rest, but they weren't bothered at all.  By the end of a seven day cruise we had 350 drinks on our all-inclusive account for no charge...

Edited May 6 by notley-cruise

[dasi11]

42 minutes ago, notley-cruise said:

 

We can attest to that !  On a recent MSC cruise somehow our cruise card was used to ring up fifty drinks on the first night in the casino.  We informed guest services the first four were ours, and not the rest, but they weren't bothered at all.  By the end of a seven day cruise we had 350 drinks on our all-inclusive account for no charge...

That is crazy!  MSC was not concerned with who was charging on your card?

[lukeca]

This has been my experience as well. They are pretty relaxed on MSC with the bar service. Quite a bit different than say Carnival where they are very strict on the 5 minute rule and no doubles and all that.

[notley-cruise]

The way MSC works is the waiter takes your cruise card, goes to the bar, orders the drink, the bartender makes the drink, then swipes their cashier card, enters the drinks order, then swipes your cruise card, then the waiter returns to you with your drink and cruise card.

I guess if the bartender forgets to signout that transaction, then all their future orders continue to go onto the signed in cruise account !

 

On the flip side, as a family group we had two cabins and a suite, only two of us had a drinks package, none of the waiters had an issue with us ordering a round of drinks for the table.