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Any experienced cruisers on here?



Garage_Doors

Originally the Swankers
Jun 28, 2008
11,789
Brighton
As a newbie I need some advice on drinks packages, the cruise line were travelling with's (MSC) web site ain't to clear on how they work or what the are?

They obviously offer the unlimited booze ones and non alcohol soft drinks ones, but i want soft drinks, teas/coffees ice cream etc.

do they normally cover hot drinks?
 


skipper734

Registered ruffian
Aug 9, 2008
9,189
Curdridge
Never been on an MSC Cruise, I presume they are like P&O, Cunard etc. In which case tea, coffee is included in cabin or close by, fruit juice included at breakfast. All other drinks are to be paid for soft or alcoholic. The drinks packages if offered are generally for alcoholics. I once worked out you need to drink about 10 pints of beer a day everyday to break even, to give you some idea.
More important to the price of the cruise is the tipping policy, investigate it, it will be on the cruise spec. somewhere. You have not been charged for this valuable information. :cool:
 


TheJasperCo

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2012
4,590
Exeter
Snigger, he said "cruising".

Teehee :lolol:

Edit: sorry, I've never been on a cruise before, but I hear they're great if you want to see new places and meet new people. Go in a large group for an even better experience.
 




Seagull on the wing

New member
Sep 22, 2010
7,458
Hailsham
As a newbie I need some advice on drinks packages, the cruise line were travelling with's (MSC) web site ain't to clear on how they work or what the are?

They obviously offer the unlimited booze ones and non alcohol soft drinks ones, but i want soft drinks, teas/coffees ice cream etc.

do they normally cover hot drinks?
There is an experienced Criuser moored in the Thames by the name of H.M.S.Belfast....don't think they sell ice creams though...well they did'nt during my service on her...
 




Garage_Doors

Originally the Swankers
Jun 28, 2008
11,789
Brighton
Never been on an MSC Cruise, I presume they are like P&O, Cunard etc. In which case tea, coffee is included in cabin or close by, fruit juice included at breakfast. All other drinks are to be paid for soft or alcoholic. The drinks packages if offered are generally for alcoholics. I once worked out you need to drink about 10 pints of beer a day everyday to break even, to give you some idea.
More important to the price of the cruise is the tipping policy, investigate it, it will be on the cruise spec. somewhere. You have not been charged for this valuable information. :cool:

Thanks for that, did look at the tipping bit, it states no tipping is required but you are charged $7 per person per day as a service charge.
 




skipper734

Registered ruffian
Aug 9, 2008
9,189
Curdridge
Thanks for that, did look at the tipping bit, it states no tipping is required but you are charged $7 per person per day as a service charge.

A bit more than P&O. In December they were £3.65 a day each.
 




Muzzy

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2011
4,786
Lewes
I know people that use MSC all the time including providing group cruises and tours. If you are interested or would like their info then pm me and I'll pass on the number for you?
They have a trip going from Marseilles in September for a 7 night cruise around the Med.

ps... Watch out carefully for which drinks package you go for, especially alcohol ones as the cheaper options tend to only give you the crap named drinks and not the decent stuff.
Going by your question that won't affect you, but others may be reading with interest.
 
Last edited:


Gazwag

5 millionth post poster
Mar 4, 2004
30,093
Bexhill-on-Sea
Look at the cruise critic website/forum which will give you all of the information you will ever need.

When we last went we even downloaded the drinks menu before we went so we knew which were part of the AI package.
 


Spun Cuppa

Thanks Greens :(
That's a shame. When I saw the thread title, I thought it was an opportunity to regale the board with hilarious anecdotes of burning up other 'cruisers' in my trusty Mk2 Gotina, with my saucy seat-cover Shaz holding on to her bucket-seat for dear life :ohmy: Ho hum...
 




Cheshire Cat

The most curious thing..
I thought the title was a euphemism so opened this thread with high hopes - sadly disappointed.
 




Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,919
at home
Only been on. A ship visit on MSC and had a good time, and the people we encountered seemed to enjoy it.

When you book, try to get some on board credit...this should pay for your drinks without having to buy a package.

Some people take the piss by having one drinks package, but then abuse the system by ordering one drink and then going to another bar and ordering another one etc etc....the cruise companies get wise very quickly and they will take it away.

It depends on how much you want to pay, but the more upmarket lines like Azamara, Oceania, Regent, Seabourn etc all have free drinks packages and flights. These cruises start at £2000 a week in August for a basic cabin...up to around £5000 a week per person. But this is very much the top end.

Personally I wouldn't do Cunard as we have done a few ship visits and most people we encountered live in the days of empire and you wouldn't want to spend much time in their company. We really like Celebrity, Royal Caribbean! Holland America and Azamara, and have done most cruise companies, but it is very much a " you get what you pay for".

Smudge on here is an officer on the NCL line and they are decent ships. He can give you more information if you pm him
 








BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I looked on here for general tips because my wife wants to go on a caribbean cruise, but I spoke to my nephew who was employed on a cruise liner for many years, and he suggested that the best and cheapest way to do it is to fly to Florida with set dates for outbound and return. Book into a hotel for 3 days and go to Fort Lauderdale to buy a cruise to where and for how long you wish then knowing the return date book into the same or another hotel for another 3 or whatever number of days when you return from the cruise, before flying home.
 


Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,919
at home
I looked on here for general tips because my wife wants to go on a caribbean cruise, but I spoke to my nephew who was employed on a cruise liner for many years, and he suggested that the best and cheapest way to do it is to fly to Florida with set dates for outbound and return. Book into a hotel for 3 days and go to Fort Lauderdale to buy a cruise to where and for how long you wish then knowing the return date book into the same or another hotel for another 3 or whatever number of days when you return from the cruise, before flying home.

I would agree, however if you are limited to school holidays, you are hamstrung by trying to find flights! Believe me we have tried many times. That is why we go to Cruise Critic/ Cruise.co.uk/ Thomas Cook about 8 months before we go.

Not doing the Caribbean this year, we have booked a week in Rhodes, the week before Easter!
 




timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,833
Sussex
I would agree, however if you are limited to school holidays, you are hamstrung by trying to find flights! Believe me we have tried many times. That is why we go to Cruise Critic/ Cruise.co.uk/ Thomas Cook about 8 months before we go.

Not doing the Caribbean this year, we have booked a week in Rhodes, the week before Easter!

Granny - we've been a number of times with Princess and love it. Have you used Princess and if so how does it compare to the others? agree with you about filghts and school holidays. Airlines hike up the prices for flights that link up with cruise departures so it's best to do the whole package rather than try and go it alone , unless of course you know what you are doing.
We've booked direct and thru Bolsover who were very good

cheers
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Thanks for that granny we are both retired so dates are no problem. His point was that the prices paid in the UK are way over the top of eg vacations.com which lists all cruises going out of Florida amongst others. I signed up and receive regular e mails, which sometimes becomes a nuisance but not generally a problem.
 



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