MSC Lirica- December 21,2007

[treats7985]

Any takers? My husband and I and our 2 toddlers will be on this cruise. Our toddlers will be 2 and 3. Are the any others crusing with toddlers?

[Roxxy]

I am also registered for this cruise...first cruise ever. Could not resist the 'kids free'! Although my kids are 15 & 16 so not much in common with your toddlers.

Can't wait.:rolleyes:

[PQ]

Hello!

We are a group of 11, 7 adults and 4 children, Rudy, 12, Ana 4, Diego 3 and Sebastian 3.

We are all excited to be going! This will be my second time on the Lyrica, but the other adults (who are the children's parents) are first time cruisers... As I've talked this up let's hope it's a wonderful cruise and holiday. I hope there are some pre-teens for Rudy to be with!

PQ

[Jay500001]

We are considering this cruise, also because of the kids free promotion. Glad to hear of others with kids. We have three daughters - 10, 6, and 3.

 

Sailing on Disney Magic on Saturday, 09/15/07 to Eastern Caribbean. This will be our 6th Disney cruise. We did one Carnival cruise on an older ship, and weren't impressed - we may have been spoiled by Disney!

 

If we do make the decision to sail Lirica on 12/21, I'll update.

[carolinagirl07]

This will be our first cruise. Our children will be 18 (son) and 11 (daughter) when we sail. Any packing/sea sickness/dinner menu tips will be greatly appreciated.

[Roxxy]

HI Carolinagirl!

 

This is our first cruise too - can't wait. I haven't told the kids yet - it's a Christmas present - they are going to love it!!!

 

Have you booked any excusions yet?

[carolinagirl07]

We booked the Dolphin Encounters while in the Bahamas. Otherwise, just planning to find a nice beach at each port and go the economy route. (LOL) How about you?

 

:confused: If your kids are like mine, they will be lost without computers and cell phones. What are you planning to do about this?

[Roxxy]

We booked the Dolphin Encounters while in the Bahamas. Otherwise, just planning to find a nice beach at each port and go the economy route. (LOL) How about you?

 

:confused: If your kids are like mine, they will be lost without computers and cell phones. What are you planning to do about this?

 

I have booked a tour with Godfrey for the St.Thomas port - Plan to spend the day at the Wyndham Resort while in Bahamas. I couldn't find much to do in San Juan seeing that we are docking after 5:00 - suppose we will just walk around the town.

My kids are like yours with regards to the cell phones - they will be staying home (the cell phones of course) - some family time spent at Christmas will be nice.

 

Speaking of Christmas - are you planning on bringing any gifts for your family to open while there?

[PQ]

Hello,

I'm happy to see that we finally have some activity here!

I made our final payment today, and changed to a guarantee ocean view... a surprise for my husband as he has been travelling for business alot and really needs this vacation!

It's great to see that we have some ages (childrens) in common.

We will be going to a beach in St Thomas for most of the day, either Magens or Coki followed up by some shopping.

In San Juan we will walk to Columbus square and visit the shops and perhaps have a drink in the cafe's.

What does your tour go or do? What isth cost of a day pass at the Wyndham.. (if you don't mind me asking!) We have no plans for here yet...

Thanks!

[Roxxy]

The Godfrey tour is $25/pp and includes transportation to and from shopping for 3 hours (beginning at 9 am) and then a tour of the historical sites for a couple of hours - including a stop at the highest peak mountain in St.Thomas which is supposed to have the most georgous views of the Island. Then they will drop you off at one of 3 beaches for 2-3 hours and return you to the ship for 4:00. Google the tour name and it will go into more detail.

 

The Windham pass is $15/pp and I think only includes your beach towels. Transportation to get there is $1/pp.

[carolinagirl07]

Speaking of Christmas - are you planning on bringing any gifts for your family to open while there?

 

We won't be bringing any gifts. Our original plans were to drive to Ft. Lauderdale to board the ship but I recently agreed to purchase airline tickets instead. That and the cruise itself are the only gifts we are planning on giving.

 

The whole reason for going on the cruise over Christmas was to get away from buying stuff just for the sake of buying. We do that every year and by March nobody can name 3 things they received. LOL. We always say that "next year" will be different but...we do it again! But THIS YEAR we are going to stick to it. Luckily, my children were in total agreement that the cruise would be our Christmas (Geez, I hope they don't wake up Christmas morning and think I was kidding!).

 

I'm excited about spending time by ourselves (not going from one extended family event to another) and really celebrating differently than we have in the past. It's going to be great! Like you, I can't wait!!

[mom of teenagers]

My husband and I are going on this cruise with our 16 year old son, and 15 year old daughter (it is their first cruise).

 

Does anyone know if there is a beverage card for the kids on the ship?

[carolinagirl07]

Not sure if there is a soda card available but I read that you can purchase sodas and bottled water at the ports and bring them onto the ship.

[sea-explorer]

My husband and I are going on this cruise with our 16 year old son, and 15 year old daughter (it is their first cruise).

 

Does anyone know if there is a beverage card for the kids on the ship?

 

We sailed on the Lirica last August.

 

There are at least 3 different soft drinks packages for the kids...soft drinks, a mix of soft drinks & non alcoholic cocktails..these were akin to milk shakes to us, & a vitamin package..high in fruit & vitamin content, (we didn't try this last one so I'm not sure).

 

You buy them (in any of the bars..or from your drinks steward in the dining room) in the form of a little booklet akin to raffle tickets, & you can exchange a ticket for a drink in any of the bars, in the dining room etc, anywhere. You save a little money by buying the packages..which are also available for water, wine, beer, etc. They will all be shown on the menu in any of the bars, or just ask the bar stewards.

 

Your son & daughter will also be given a cruise card, just the same as yours, & they can use it to make purchases of drinks, ice-creams etc on the ship in the same way as you do. (Don't worry, they won't serve them with alcohol!!)

 

Hope this helps.

[carolinagirl07]

Great. That was very helpful. Do you add money to the cruise card at the beginning or settle up at the end?

[sea-explorer]

We just registered a credit card upon embarkation. It is the easiest I think. One card was fine for them to issue 4 of us with cruise cards.

 

The final bill was sent to our cabin the night before disembarkation in case there were any discrepencies etc...there weren't....& that was it, funds taken from the card.

 

If you haven't got a card/don't want to register one, then you need to leave a cash deposit for them to issue cruise cards to you. You can top them up as you go along if you need to.

 

Another option, although I didn't check this ...I'm just guessing...is that you could register a credit card, and then pay cash if you prefer on the final night to settle your bill. You'll need to ask about this when onboard.

 

The first 2 options are definately available though.

[carolinagirl07]

Thanks Sparky. I think the credit card will work well. Since you have been so helpful I'll ask you another question. ;) How many things will be purchased with cash? I'm assuming that credit cards will be accepted for everything onboard, including pictures, but what about at the ports?

[sea-explorer]

Yes, everything on board just goes on the card...apart from the Casino I think..I don't know about that as I always keep well away...I always want to see something for my money.:)

 

Ports are fine for cards too in general. All the ports we visited with 'souvenir shops' at the dock took cards.

 

Obviously, as you would at home, cash would be needed for the little things, loo visits, a bottle of water, etc plus I would think cash for any taxis you would like to take, small shops, markets etc.

 

Some small denominations, even change if you can get it could be handy. (Chasing around for a loo for my youngest was fun when we only had large denominaton bills.;) )

[treats7985]

I think we will do the city tour in San Juan, and coffee shops also. I am thinking about a bus tour for St.Thomas, and DR. And we will probably hang around the ship for the Bahamas portion. We have a time share at Island Seas in Freeport, but can't use it this time. I want the kids to enjoy themselves a little bit, but not over do it. We will hire a sitter a couple of nights also. Afterall my birthday is on the 26 of December, and I want to kick my heels up for a hour or so.

[treats7985]

Heads up!!!!!!

Monitor your on board charges on your TV in your room. We cruised this summer without the kids on another cruiseline(loved it). We were charged for beverages at the casino. The charges were not ours. We had them research it,and it was removed from our card.We made purchases while on board and didn't have a problem paying for services and goods used. Sometimes they do not ask for your card(not best practice), they will ask for your cabin number. This is our first time on MSC. We are very excited. We were station in Germany for four years, and miss the foods of Europe.

[germanstudent]

Hallo everybody!

Does anyone know, if we would be provided with bathrobes on board Lirica?

[cruisingirl247]

This will be our first cruise. Our children will be 18 (son) and 11 (daughter) when we sail. Any packing/sea sickness/dinner menu tips will be greatly appreciated.

 

Hello well packing there are formal nights so just remember that big time the girls need some sort of fancy dress or dressy suit. the guys sorry to say need a suit or tux sorry guys. another thing is that we are also on the ship for new years and the ships that I've been on for new years make a big deal and you have to dress up and sometimes they in force that you stay dressed up for the whole night. your lucky you don't have an 18 year old daughter my mom always complains about me and my lovely packing (i pack a lot)...don't pack like everything you own, bring swim suits, nice cloths for dinner, and summer cloths for around the ship and ports.:). Sea sickness well i get it all the time and if you don't have something it can make your trip not so much fun. if you do start to feel it ask for a green apple, stay midship and i really hope your cabin isn't in the front or right in the aft. if you live in the states from what I've heard your patches aren't that awesome but you can try them. I no that mine help a lot but mine are from Canada so are ones don't give weird side effects like I've heard from some people I've meet on board other ships that have the American ones apparently they give you dry mouth so some people are fine on them but some are not at all. Bring some in case. We have something called gravel that we take as well you guys have some other stuff as your doctor they will know. Dinner it's good but it can be long so just remember that. Do you have late or main seating??? One thing to know is that they always have something like a steak on board to access and hamburgers i think I'm not sure about the hamburgers but i do know about the steak for sure. I'm really looking forward to this cruise!!!! It's my first on MSC and i'm hoping it's as good as the other lines i normally go on. I hope this has answered your questions :).

[thekidscometoo]

not sure if anyone knows this but there is a pre cruise package of drinks that can be purchased through the cruise line before you go. The rates are either as a number of bottles or on a per person per day dollar amount. an example is 10.50 per day per person unlimited carafs of wine to be used in all eating areas of the ship. The beer package is 14 bottles for 37.00 and soda can be bought by the can package or per person per day. There is an extensive list of pre cruise packages and you can access them by contacting the cruise line and paying for all before you go. This makes those heavy bar bills a little less likely. each cruise line offers there pre cruise packages but that tend to keep them less advertised and most of the seasoned cruisers know the ropes.Good luck to all. happy cruising!!!

[thekidscometoo]

not usually, there are robes supplied in each cabin for each passenger...

[ramidon]

Just started looking at this cruise today due to outstanding bargain prices!!! Couple questions:

 

Is there any type of spa at all onboard?

 

I see a previous poster say that this cruise will sail over New Year's....this one departs on 12/21 & returns 12/28...if I'm not mistaken...

 

What is the stop in Cayo Levantado? Dominican Republic? Is that like a "private island" sort of thing? That would be on xmas day, so a private set up would be best since everything will likely be closed; probably same thing in St. thomas the day before (xmas eve)...lots of early closings.

 

I am concerned about the small inside cabin that I am looking @ for our family of 4....the only quads left....can't be any worse than staying with the inlaws on a pull-out, right?

 

We have sailed on Costa before; I am thinking MSC might be similar? Anyone with comparisons?