SouthernMainer Posted May 9 #1 Share Posted May 9 About to book my first MSC cruise. What other costs will pop up beyond the cruise cost, tax and port charges? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Best Cat Mom Posted May 10 #2 Share Posted May 10 Depends on your passport country and booking site. Please share. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selion Posted May 10 #3 Share Posted May 10 Looks like you are in the US. Onboard gratuities, if you don't prepay it before the cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernMainer Posted May 10 Author #4 Share Posted May 10 1 hour ago, Best Cat Mom said: Depends on your passport country and booking site. Please share. Can you talk about this more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Best Cat Mom Posted May 10 #5 Share Posted May 10 You may have to pay resort fees/gratuities if they were not included in your original fare, which depends on which website you used for your reservation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notley-cruise Posted May 10 #6 Share Posted May 10 5 hours ago, SouthernMainer said: Can you talk about this more? Beyond the USA, gratuities, taxes and fees tend to be baked into the cruise price. UK the cruise price includes everything except drinks package and charity donation. And we get the Premium Plus drinks package at 60% off by default, which covers bar gratuities therein. Whilst in Europe the gratuities are listed separately and can be prepaid, and they get offered Easy Plus drinks package by default. MSC are quite clear that cash tipping isn't required, and they would prefer you name outstanding employees in the feedback survey. (The employees get rewards and promotions from that ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare alserrod Posted May 10 #7 Share Posted May 10 35 minutes ago, notley-cruise said: Beyond the USA, gratuities, taxes and fees tend to be baked into the cruise price. UK the cruise price includes everything except drinks package and charity donation. And we get the Premium Plus drinks package at 60% off by default, which covers bar gratuities therein. Whilst in Europe the gratuities are listed separately and can be prepaid, and they get offered Easy Plus drinks package by default. MSC are quite clear that cash tipping isn't required, and they would prefer you name outstanding employees in the feedback survey. (The employees get rewards and promotions from that ) Correct, for Europe, in the budget they include, by default - cruise price - ports fees - gratuities - Easy pack for drinks It is enough to check the four concepts are included. After, in the cruise, consider (or not) - amusement (arcades, fun pass) - drinks not included in your pack (you will pay difference and gratuities, not the full price) - speciality restaurants - casino - shops - photos - ... that can increase your budget or remain as it is 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actuarian Posted May 12 #8 Share Posted May 12 On 5/10/2024 at 4:03 AM, notley-cruise said: MSC are quite clear that cash tipping isn't required, and they would prefer you name outstanding employees in the feedback survey. (The employees get rewards and promotions from that ) Is this also true in the Yacht Club? Do the butlers usually receive cash tips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_T Posted May 12 #9 Share Posted May 12 (edited) 16 minutes ago, actuarian said: Is this also true in the Yacht Club? Do the butlers usually receive cash tips? Yes, and Yes. I defy most people to stay in YC and not feel a strong desire to leave an additional tip for your Butler and his assistant. Edited May 12 by Mark_T 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sollyman Posted May 12 #10 Share Posted May 12 Well Mark_ T we did! Virtuosa last October from Southampton to the Med. Our first MSC Experience, we were disappointed Celebrity Retreat customers trying something different. Overall I would rate the cruise "OK". The food in YC was nowhere near what we were led to believe and the service was laughable at times. The "sommeliere" left the ship in, i think, Cadiz and was not replaced for the rest of the cruise. Long story i wont go into where for the first 2 nights he insisted we could only choose from 2 red wines. Eventually, he ended up giving us all 14 nights menus and saying you can pick from any of these. This was only after asking him if he wanted me to walk downstairs to get the wine i wanted from the YC Bar. The butler was fine but did absolutely nothing above what was expected of him. Same goes for the assistant. The room was kept clean and usually made up while we were at breakfast. Other than that we asked for and received nothing over what would be deemed expected. We were escorted the first night to the theatre and shown to the reserved area. After that we were happy to make our own way there. In ports we were escorted off the ship by whichever butler was free at the the time. As it happens i dont think was ever "ours". At a few ports this definitely bypassed queues. Unfortunately YC passengers had no priority getting back onboard. After a couple of days the YC bar ran out of Fevertree tonic and i ended up bringing a bottle each night from the mini bar in our room. We never drank in the room but these bottles were replaced each day although mysteriously it took a week to restock the YC bar, so i took my own each night. We had one room service delivery. A pizza for lunch one day. Probably the best thing we ate on the ship. It was delivered by somebody who i had never seen in YC who left quickly without looking for a tip. Incidently, despite hearing otherwise the pizzas in the buffet were awful. On the final night as we left the YC restaurant we "bumped into" our assistant and a friend who were clearly only there touting for additional tips. We were escorted off the ship on the last day by our own butler. I thanked him and shook his hand. Maybe it is just me but what if anything deserved additional gratuities. I would not say never again but we have not been drawn back. Happy to elaborate if anybody is interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JamieLogical Posted May 12 #11 Share Posted May 12 If you book through the US, the daily service charge/hotel fee/gratuities are $14.50/person/day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_T Posted May 12 #12 Share Posted May 12 1 hour ago, sollyman said: Well Mark_ T we did! ... I did say 'most' ... 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sollyman Posted May 12 #13 Share Posted May 12 I did notice that Mark. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceans.calling Posted May 13 #14 Share Posted May 13 We not only extra tip butlers but also concierge, waiters, maitre'd, sommelier, jr butlers and any lounge butlers that serve us. I rather give my money to the hard working staff than to the casino. Just my opinion. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sverigecruiser Posted May 13 #15 Share Posted May 13 7 hours ago, sollyman said: Unfortunately YC passengers had no priority getting back onboard. Where and when was that? We have only been on three MSC cruises so far, two from Barcelona and one from Miami, but we got priority getting back onboard. (Always cut the line at security and most of the time a dedicated door for YC to enter the ship.) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sverigecruiser Posted May 13 #16 Share Posted May 13 11 hours ago, sollyman said: The butler was fine but did absolutely nothing above what was expected of him. Same goes for the assistant. The room was kept clean and usually made up while we were at breakfast. Other than that we asked for and received nothing over what would be deemed expected. I think that is exactly what the butler shall do! He/She shall do what is expected of them. If you ask for nothing, they shall do nothing extra. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DaKahuna Posted May 31 #17 Share Posted May 31 On 5/12/2024 at 4:15 PM, Mark_T said: I defy most people to stay in YC and not feel a strong desire to leave an additional tip for your Butler and his assistant. As we discussed on the Divina, our Butler did not receive a tip from us. Other than making a reservation for Butcher's Cut and escorting us there, we hardly ever saw him. He told us he had made the reservation requested for Galax only for us to show up and find that Galaxy was not open at the time we asked him to make our reservation. He never said a word to us. Our assistant butler was wonderful and earned the tip we gave him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_T Posted May 31 #18 Share Posted May 31 1 hour ago, DaKahuna said: As we discussed on the Divina, our Butler did not receive a tip from us. Understood, there are always going to be exceptions, and if for whatever reason there was nothing 'over and above' about the service then I fully agree, nothing extra was due. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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