Enough “Premium” drinks actually on offer?

[Eglesbrech]

I have been reading some negative feedback in other places about the lack of “premium” drinks. The discussion is around many past offerings disappearing from the menus.

 

According to the reports a number of the more expensive cocktails have gone from menus and the wine choices all favour the plus package $€£limits. There are (allegedly) so few above the plus limit people are questioning if premium is worth while now.

 

Anyone who has sailed recently have any thoughts on this? We always have premium and have been able to drink decent champagne by the glass and have the choice of some pretty good wines. Has anything changed?

 

 

 

[showingdiva]

50 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I have been reading some negative feedback in other places about the lack of “premium” drinks. The discussion is around many past offerings disappearing from the menus.

 

According to the reports a number of the more expensive cocktails have gone from menus and the wine choices all favour the plus package $€£limits. There are (allegedly) so few above the plus limit people are questioning if premium is worth while now.

 

Anyone who has sailed recently have any thoughts on this? We always have premium and have been able to drink decent champagne by the glass and have the choice of some pretty good wines. Has anything changed?

 

 

 

 

Friends are just back from their first MSC cruise on Virtuosa to the fjords.   They had the premium extra package, and by their own admission had a fair amount of champagne and merlot.  They thought what was available in the package was far superior to anything they have had on other cruise lines in terms of both variety and quality.   When MSC discovered they were celebrating their 40th anniversary, a complimentary bottle of Moet appeared in their cabin.

 

 

[NewWestwardbound]

I will be following this thread with interest. 

[mnpurple]

This is from Euribia in March. I have other drink menus if you'd like.

 

[Eglesbrech]

According to what I’m reading (with the caveat that it could be completely wrong) the drinks menus we have all seen in the past for Virtuosa are no longer on offer. 

 

People are contacting their TAs to complain because those onboard for the last short cruise and those who embarked today are saying the choice is dreadful. They are at reception complaining about it day 1 as they feel premium is no longer worth the additional cost as the “premium” element has gone.

 

This is all second hand information from FB and could be utter rubbish but there are so many comments that I thought I’d ask on here.

[DamianG]

We are looking forward to our first MSC cruise in July. My wife's intrepretation of all the comments on social media is that limitations were only placed on the shorter cruises (up to five nights) and that they were intended to help reduce waiting times. There are also suggestions that it was only the Easy Plus Package that was affected?

[Eglesbrech]

58 minutes ago, DamianG said:

We are looking forward to our first MSC cruise in July. My wife's intrepretation of all the comments on social media is that limitations were only placed on the shorter cruises (up to five nights) and that they were intended to help reduce waiting times. There are also suggestions that it was only the Easy Plus Package that was affected?

People have posted menus which applied to everyone even if they had paid for a Premium package. They are also reporting that they could not make any requests for anything off this very minimal bar menu.

 

Many have made formal complaints while onboard (someone has posted an acknowledgment of this). It is being reported that all of the premium cocktails, most of the mocktails and the better wines were taken off, so they paid a lot extra to get very basic drinks.

 

If they are reducing the choice of drinks on shorter cruises then they apparently didn’t tell the paying passengers. Some on the current 5 day cruise are reporting that some of the normal menus are back in a couple of the bars but that seems to be a result of numerous complaints. This is all second hand information however.

Im onboard before you so will report back. 

 

[NewWestwardbound]

15 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Im onboard before you so will report back. 

Thanks - we are on board in the autumn so also interested. 

[showingdiva]

I'm confused now.

 

Is the issue that some of the previously included drinks are now not available on some packages?   Or is that that some branded drinks are now not available at all?    

 

As I said, my friends disembarked two weeks ago, had a premium extra package included and drank champagne, decent wine, most of the cocktail list etc without any difficulty.   Sorry, I'm making it sound like they have a drink problem .. they don't !!!!!

 

I'm on board Virtuosa soon, although have bought a non-alcoholic package as teetotal.   I've had a quick look on the MSC UK page.   The Easy, Easy Plus and Premium Extra package are still available and appear unchanged.   As do the Alcohol-free and Minors packages.  All state currently up to 2025.

 

There have been a lot of problems with drinks and service on most of the short cruises since Virtuosa arrived back in the UK this summer.   

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, showingdiva said:

I'm confused now.

 

Is the issue that some of the previously included drinks are now not available on some packages?   Or is that that some branded drinks are now not available at all?    

 

As I said, my friends disembarked two weeks ago, had a premium extra package included and drank champagne, decent wine, most of the cocktail list etc without any difficulty.   Sorry, I'm making it sound like they have a drink problem .. they don't !!!!!

 

I'm on board Virtuosa soon, although have bought a non-alcoholic package as teetotal.   I've had a quick look on the MSC UK page.   The Easy, Easy Plus and Premium Extra package are still available and appear unchanged.   As do the Alcohol-free and Minors packages.  All state currently up to 2025.

 

There have been a lot of problems with drinks and service on most of the short cruises since Virtuosa arrived back in the UK this summer.   

Not just some, they apparently removed all of the higher price cocktails so most of the ones which would require the premium package between £9 and £14 vanished. People have actually posted photos of the menus which were on offer and they are very, very basic.

 

Yes they were saying that some branded drinks were not available either, particularly liquors were in short supply as was speciality hot chocolate.

 

We’re your friends on a longer cruise? If so it may indicate that this was a just “short cruise” issue.

 

Yes the packages are still on the cruise personaliser and the website unchanged. That’s why people are so unhappy as they didn’t get what they paid for, allegedly.

[showingdiva]

10 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Not just some, they apparently removed all of the higher price cocktails so most of the ones which would require the premium package between £9 and £14 vanished. People have actually posted photos of the menus which were on offer and they are very, very basic.

 

Yes they were saying that some branded drinks were not available either, particularly liquors were in short supply as was speciality hot chocolate.

 

We’re your friends on a longer cruise? If so it may indicate that this was a just “short cruise” issue.

 

Yes the packages are still on the cruise personaliser and the website unchanged. That’s why people are so unhappy as they didn’t get what they paid for, allegedly.

 

Okay, my brain's in gear now.    My friends were on the first of two 7 night fjord cruises which returned nearly three weeks ago.   It followed on from a series of short cruises, including one over the May bank holiday weekend, which was apparently a bit of a nightmare for all concerned, including the crew.

 

During the cruise, their dinner waiter did mention some red wines were running short towards the end of the week, but the cocktails were all available, and everything non-alcoholic was in supply.   Their included cocktail with Arkymea was apparently "nice and strong!"

 

Virtuosa had to restock from absolute scratch following her empty repositioning voyage around Africa, which then recommenced with a 12 night followed by those short cruises.

Edited May 29 by showingdiva

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, showingdiva said:

 

Okay, my brain's in gear now.    My friends were on the first of two 7 night fjord cruises which returned nearly three weeks ago.   It followed on from a series of short cruises, including one over the May bank holiday weekend, which was apparently a bit of a nightmare for all concerned, including the crew.

 

During the cruise, their dinner waiter did mention some red wines were running short towards the end of the cruise, but the cocktails were all available, and everything non-alcoholic was in supply.   Their included cocktail with Arkymea was apparently "nice and strong!"

 

Virtuosa had to restock from absolute scratch following her empty repositioning voyage around Africa, which then recommenced with a 12 night followed by those short cruises.

That might explain a lot of the issues being reported.

 

Hopefully it is all sorted out before I get onboard 😀.

[showingdiva]

7 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

That might explain a lot of the issues being reported.

 

Hopefully it is all sorted out before I get onboard 😀.

 

Me too!

 

As long as there's daiquiri zero, ACE juice and panna cotta, I consider everything else a third world problem.

Edited May 29 by showingdiva

[Eglesbrech]

2 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

 

Me too!

 

As long as there daiquiri zero, ACE juice and panna cotta, I consider everything else a third world problem.

It was the missing mocktails that were annoying me. I do drink alchol but tend to enjoy mocktails through the day, feels more like you are on holiday that musta juice of fizzy drink.

[showingdiva]

13 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

It was the missing mocktails that were annoying me. I do drink alchol but tend to enjoy mocktails through the day, feels more like you are on holiday that musta juice of fizzy drink.

 

I've just done a Faceache search of the "shortened" mocktail list.   The only two that seem to be missing are the Dirty Banana and the grapefruit / rose syrup one I cannot remember the name of, which is actually the mocktail for the carousel shows, so that one may now be restricted there.   Everything else is present (I've drank my way down that list a lot!).

 

[Mr Sea Gull]

Got off Virtuosa on Monday morning after a 2 night cruise, luckily we were in Yacht club and the drinks were still reduced but more available than the rest of the ship. Very disappointed as only options for wine were Chardonnay, pinot grigio, merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon or Rose. As a wine drinker these are not premium package choices just generic cheap wines. Only beers were Heineken products but mostly Heineken especially on draft. Having been on several MSC cruises and on again soon I was very disillusioned. My next cruise is longer and not yacht club, I asked TA to speak to MSC who say apparently it will be better on longer cruises but from what I have seen menu wise on the current 5 nighter there are only a few additions to what was on offer for the 2 night.

So who knows!

[Eglesbrech]

3 minutes ago, Mr Sea Gull said:

Got off Virtuosa on Monday morning after a 2 night cruise, luckily we were in Yacht club and the drinks were still reduced but more available than the rest of the ship. Very disappointed as only options for wine were Chardonnay, pinot grigio, merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon or Rose. As a wine drinker these are not premium package choices just generic cheap wines. Only beers were Heineken products but mostly Heineken especially on draft. Having been on several MSC cruises and on again soon I was very disillusioned. My next cruise is longer and not yacht club, I asked TA to speak to MSC who say apparently it will be better on longer cruises but from what I have seen menu wise on the current 5 nighter there are only a few additions to what was on offer for the 2 night.

So who knows!

That chimes exactly with the reports I have been reading online.
 

Did you make a complaint while onboard and what was the response?

 

I really won’t be happy if that’s the total wine selection. As you say, hardly “premium”.

[Mr Sea Gull]

We didn't complain because it was only 2 days. Bar staff in  Masters of the seas said it was just the 2 day cruise menu but now seeing that the 5 day is very similar I'm not so sure. L'atelier had the worst choice only offered Red, white or Heineken.

[Eglesbrech]

9 minutes ago, Mr Sea Gull said:

We didn't complain because it was only 2 days. Bar staff in  Masters of the seas said it was just the 2 day cruise menu but now seeing that the 5 day is very similar I'm not so sure. L'atelier had the worst choice only offered Red, white or Heineken.

That’s not on.

 

If this is not fixed by the time I embark I will certainly be complaining.

Edited May 29 by Eglesbrech

[Mr Sea Gull]

56 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

That’s not on.

 

If this is not fixed by the time I embark I will certainly be complaining.

If it's the same when I'm back on again soon I will most definitely be complaining. Nothing about the current drinks on offer could be remotely called premium and doesn't compare to what the website quotes.

[Eglesbrech]

6 minutes ago, Mr Sea Gull said:

If it's the same when I'm back on again soon I will most definitely be complaining. Nothing about the current drinks on offer could be remotely called premium and doesn't compare to what the website quotes.

I have taken snapshots of what the website is quoting currently re “premium cocktails and wines”.

 

Not the way I want to have to prepare for a holiday but needs must.

[Mr Sea Gull]

58 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I have taken snapshots of what the website is quoting currently re “premium cocktails and wines”.

 

Not the way I want to have to prepare for a holiday but needs must.

Me too

[notley-cruise]

8 hours ago, showingdiva said:

Virtuosa had to restock from absolute scratch following her empty repositioning voyage around Africa.

Surely they've had a month or more based in Southampton to restock ? 

Is this another Brexit dividend ? MSC can't get decent booze supplies in UK !

[NewWestwardbound]

4 hours ago, Mr Sea Gull said:

Got off Virtuosa on Monday morning after a 2 night cruise, luckily we were in Yacht club and the drinks were still reduced but more available than the rest of the ship. Very disappointed as only options for wine were Chardonnay, pinot grigio, merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon or Rose. As a wine drinker these are not premium package choices just generic cheap wines. Only beers were Heineken products but mostly Heineken especially on draft. Having been on several MSC cruises and on again soon I was very disillusioned. My next cruise is longer and not yacht club, I asked TA to speak to MSC who say apparently it will be better on longer cruises but from what I have seen menu wise on the current 5 nighter there are only a few additions to what was on offer for the 2 night.

So who knows!

Do you have photos of the 2 night drink menus?

[showingdiva]

8 hours ago, notley-cruise said:

Surely they've had a month or more based in Southampton to restock ? 

Is this another Brexit dividend ? MSC can't get decent booze supplies in UK !

 

My point was that she arrived in Southampton with a very skeleton crew, re-stocked and immediately went back south on a 12 night Canaries.   Followed by a series of short cruises, including the bank holiday one.   I work with cruise ships.   Re-stocking / replenishing / taking on stores isn't as simple as it sounds.