Which Msc Ships First Visited At Ocean Cay
During the 2020 cruise season, four MSC ships had a full day at Ocean Cay in their itinerary. These select cruises ranged from 3 nights to 11 nights with most being part of a 7-night cruise. The MSC ships were MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seaside, MSC Divina, and MSC Armonia. Visiting ships spent all day docked at the pier from arrival to midnight.
Where Can I Purchase A Drinks Package
If you have not purchased a package with your cruise they can also be purchased at the promotion desks during the embarkation and also in bars and restaurants. Prices do fluctuate and you can purchase your package onboard up to two days in to your cruise. If you purchase onboard drinks will incur a service charge of 15%. If you purchase prior to cruising you normally get a cheaper deal.
Is Food Included With Msc Cruises
Hi, just wondering if food is included in their lowest fare and services . Thanks
what does their website say??
I would hope they include meals in the MDR & Buffet no matter what the price point
Yes, food is included in the Bella experience. Bella experience is the closest experience to normal cruise experience in most other mass market lines. Main dining room, buffet, casual eatery, entertainment, kids programming, etc all included. What’s not included is room service – you can order it, but there’s a charge. Drinks, specialty restaurants, spa, etc all extra charge, just like on most all lines.
The other experiences add different ootions into the charge. Ie Fantastica adds room service “free” and a few other things. Wellness adds a few different ones. And so on.
There’s a handy chart here that breaks down what each level offers:
And oars so you can help get the ship from one port to another.
Is food included in the MSC SINFONIAcruise im going on th 25/11/2017 now im worried as on the breakdown only shows ice cream package and drinks included
Food in the buffet and the main dining rooms will be included, but judging by some of the reviws I’ve seen, you may not be that impressed.
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A Basic Introduction To Msc Cruises
Before we take a closer look at why MSC Cruises might or might not be right for you, lets take a quick look at the history of the company. Founded in Italy in 1989 as a part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, MSC Cruises has since become the fourth largest cruise company in the world.
Until relatively recently, their primary target was European cruisers, with minor forays into the North American market.
It was the aforementioned MSC Seaside that really changed things where the companys efforts to penetrate the North American market were concerned. The ship which sails year-round out of Miami was specifically designed for North America, with the company heavily promoting Seaside to both American and Canadian cruisers.
Two ships currently homeport in Florida: the MSC Armonia, which is expected to sail year-round from Tampa beginning in November 2020, and the Miami-based MSC Seaside. Seasonally, the MSC Merivaglia and the MSC Divina also operate from Miami.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is the newest private cruise line island in the Bahamas
In addition to the ships which ply the waters of the Caribbean, MSC Cruises recently invested heavily in the construction and opening of their own private Bahamian island called Ocean Cay Marine Reserve.
The island, which differs from the private islands of other lines because of its focus on the environment, includes a dock for one ship, pristine beaches, and many activities for guests to enjoy.
Msc Cruises Free Drinks Package Offer
One very popular offer is the MSC ALL-IN drinks and Wi-Fi offer which is sometimes available on the MSC Cruises USA website. This offer includes free drinks, free Wi-Fi and free onboard credit.
Before you go ahead and book an all-inclusive deal, Id suggest working out how much it would cost to buy each part of the package separately to make sure that its actually good value. Consider whether you actually want the drinks and the wifi, or whether they just seem good because theyre packaged up in a deal.
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I Loved Indochine On The Msc Virutosa
I recently took a cruise on the MSC Virtuosa and tried a Vietnamese restaurant called Indochine. The portions were absolutely huge and I didnt manage to finish the meal. I actually left without having dessert!
To learn more about Indochine and my cruise on the MSC Virtuosa, check out my MSC Virtuosa review and daily diary here: MSC Virtuosa Cruise Review 2021
Why You Need To Change Your Opinion Of Msc Dining Options
Everyone loves a bit of cruise ship food. In fact, guests love it so much that for every week they cruise on average theyll gain at least a pound!
Many passengers travel with their stomachs leading the way so with that in mind, we decided to find out exactly what the food is like on an MSC cruise.
Does the Mediterranean cuisine impress? Are the speciality options as good youd hope? And what else can you feast upon on-board an MSC cruise? Well, read on to find out!
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Msc Cruises Reveals Dining Details For Msc Seashore
MSC Cruises announced more dining experience details about its upcoming MSC Seashore ship.
Debuting on July 31, MSC Seashore will feature 18 bars and loungesincluding 12 indoor and six outdoor venuesfive specialty restaurants and four main dining restaurants. The re-designed and overhauled eateries include the Marketplace Buffet, the MSC Yacht Club and more.
The ship will also introduce a new location for the Chefs Court, where guests will find the five specialty restaurants on Deck 8, including HOLA! Tacos & Cantina, Butcher’s Cut, Kaito Sushi Bar, Kaito Teppanyaki and Ocean Cay.
We have taken the dining experience on MSC Seashore to the next level with carefully considered new options, both outdoors and in, that are fit for this spectacular flagship vessel, MSC Cruises Food & Beverage Vice President Jacques Van Staden said.
The goal of our talented in-house culinary team is to create something for every palate and preference, providing a diverse array of outstanding international culinary experiences, Van Staden continued. We are sure that the new dining concepts and incredible array of restaurants and bars will make for a truly memorable gastronomic experience for MSC Seashore guests.
Other returning favorites include Venchi 1878 Gelato and Venchi 1878 Chocolate and Coffee Bar, as well as the Champagne Bar, Shine Bar and Seashore Bar, all situated in the main social hub of the ship, the Atrium.
When Msc Provides You With Vouchers:
These are valid for the South African market and for packages that have limits on them, eg: 5 ice creams / mineral water.
For any non-alcoholic pre-booked packages, such as ice cream and coffee packages, the cabin steward will deliver the vouchers to your room on the first day of your cruise.
In the instance that you have purchased alcoholic packages, you will need to collect them from the front desk and sign for them.
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Booking An Msc Cruise From The Rest Of Europe
When booking an MSC cruise from Europe gratuities will be automatically added. Many promotions will include gratuities.
MSC often included gratuities when purchasing certain cabin grades. MSCs cabins are either Fantastica or Bella grade with Fantastica being the more expensive.
MSC will often run promotions where gratuities are automatically included with Fantastica cabins. If this is the case it can sometimes be cheaper to book a Fantastica cabin which includes gratuities than a Bella cabin which does not.
Msc Cruises Easy Plus Packagedrinks
The Easy Plus Package Includes all drinks priced up to 10 euros. The premium MSC package is an almost endless choice of drinks anytime you want. This package includes a wide range of cocktails, spirits, liqueurs, aperitifs, wines by the glass and beers including draught and bottled beers. Soft drinks included are sodas, fruit juices, bottled mineral water, energy drinks, classic and special coffee drinks, hot chocolate delights and organic tea. The offer is valid in all onboard bars as well as the self-service buffet and restaurants and also includes specialty restaurants
Cruise drink package prices have risen this year and can only be viewed when logged in to your cruise.
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Things To Know About Ocean Cay Msc Marine Reserve
Everything you need to know about the new Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises exclusive private island in the Bahamas.
If you dream of visiting the beautiful Bahamas, the cruise line has just made it even easier with the opening of their private island and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The emphasis is on providing guests with the opportunity to engage with marine life and nature in its natural state. Of course, this all comes with all the expected food, drinks, entertainment, watersports activities, tours and excursions that are part of any self-respecting 21st-century cruise!
The project began in March 2016 and was delayed by the destructive wave action of the category 5 Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. The island welcomed its first MSC guests on December 5, 2019. Four ships will include a day at Ocean Cay on its itineraries in 2020. The development cost £134 million .
Ocean Cay boasts beautiful landscaping and Bahamian pastel colors in all the buildings. It includes a welcome center, Bahamian style village, marina, lighthouse, wedding pavilion, sports area, and Ocean Cay Lagoon. Powder soft white sand and clear aquamarine water comes courtesy of Mother Nature in the Bahamas!
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Vegan Options In The Buffet
Despite the increased hygiene measures in 2021, MSC Cruises ships still have a buffet. Rather than everyone touching the same tongs, the food is behind perspex screens and is served onto small plates for you by crew members.
As there were fewer than 1,000 passengers on our cruise , there was a smaller buffet selection than usual. That said, I always managed to find plenty of vegan-friendly options.
Nothing is labelled with any dietary information in the Marketplace Buffet. Therefore its important to ask before you request anything.
Having the crew members ready and waiting to serve you each dish made this really easy. They mostly understood what vegan meant, although sometimes I had to explain that I couldnt eat meat, fish, milk or eggs.
Tip: Some things that look almost certain to be vegan-friendly arent, so always ask about every dish
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Review Of Msc Cruises Vegan Options In The Main Dining Room
All of the food that I ate in the main dining room was delicious. Everything was very fresh and healthy.
A few times I did get non-vegan food placed down in front of me by mistake, so I would advise anyone to always check before tucking in if youre unsure of anything.
The first time you visit the main dining room, be sure to ask your waiter if you can plan your meals for the next day to make sure that a starter and main can be adapted for you, particularly if youre not keen on salads and sorbets.
Msc Cruises Drinks Package Calculator
To help you work out whether the drinks package is worth it or not, Ive built a handy calculator tool.
The calculator will show how much your bar bill will be if you dont have a drinks package. You can then compare this to the price of the drinks package to decide whether its worth it or not.
Just pop your details in the form and youll receive an email with a link to the calculator
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Msc Easy Drink Package
Easy Drink Package Menu:
- Mixed drinks and non-alcoholic cocktails
- Soft drinks and fruit juices by the glass
- Bottled mineral water
- Classic hot drinks
Drinks can be consumed in all bars, the buffet, main dining rooms but NOT in speciality restaurants or the Starship Club.
This package offers great value for money and is ideal if youre on a budget and happy to stick with drinking draft Heineken, the same wines each day or to choose from a small list of cocktails.
Kaito Teppanyaki Restaurant And Sushi Bar
Due to my hatred of Sushi, Ive never tried out this one. However, I think this restaurant is about more than just-food.
If you have dinner here youll be treated to a food show, your food will be thrown up and sliced in mid-air. Its very fun to watch and quite a performance.
I personally prefer to watch it from outside the restaurant as they have big glass windows, but I imagine its a great experience if you like Sushi!
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Msc Premium Extra Drink Package
Premium Extra Drink Package Menu:
Includes all drinks priced up to $5 or 13
- Selection of draught, craft and bottled beers
- Entire selection of wines and champagne by the glass
- Extensive variety of frozen and classic cocktails
- Premium brand spirits
- Hot teas
- Soft-serve ice cream
This package is for children aged 3 to 17 on European cruises and aged 3 to 20 on North American and Caribbean cruises.
Drinks can be consumed in all bars , buffet, main dining room but NOT speciality restaurants.
How To Book Your Msc Cruise For Less
The price of your cruise will be different depending on who you book it with. Its always cheaper to use a travel agent with access discounted rates.
See the best MSC Cruises deals from all travel agents in one place.
Of course, not all travel agents are equal in terms of the service that they provide, and a great travel agent is worth their weight in gold.
I like to recommend this travel agent as she always goes above and beyond to provide a fantastic, personalised service for anyone I put her in touch with.
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How Much Does A Day At Oceancay Cost
A day at Ocean Cay is included in the price of your MSCcruise itinerary. The beach experience, some food, entertainment, live musicand regular activities are free. However, cruisers wanting to do some of themore unusual experiences and tours will have to book and pay for them on theirstateroom account.
Some beach chairs are provided but floating aqua mats,cabanas and floating rings can be rented for the day for a fee. You can alsorent kayaks, bicycles, pedalos, snorkelling equipment, stand-up paddleboardsand other beach equipment either by the hour or by the day.
The policy for drinks remains the same as onboard. Mostsodas, cocktails and alcoholic drinks can be paid for and charged to yourstateroom account. However, if you have pre-purchased a drinks package, thatwill be honored at bars and restaurants on Ocean Cay.
Do Msc Cruises Include Gratuities
Gratuities are included in MSC cruises booked from the UK. MSC do not encourage guests to tip any extra beyond the amount included in the cruise fare.
MSC Cruises do not include gratuities if booked from the USA. When booking from the US MSCs Gratuities cost $14 per person per day. If booking an MSC cruise from other European countries, gratuities are not usually included.
| Gratuity Cost MSC Cruises |
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How Do I Book Drink Packages For My Next Cruise
You can either ask your travel agent to add it to your booking or you can log into Manage My Booking on MSC Cruises and add it yourself.
You will be saving +- 15% by pre-booking your packages before your cruise.
We advise to book & pay for any onboard packages at least 5 days before your cruise departs, as this booking information is transferred to the ship 3 days before departure. Anything booked after that has a high risk of not showing onboard.
How Many Speciality Restaurants Are There On The Msc Grandiosa
There are 5 specialty restaurants on the MSC Grandiosa including:
- Kaito Sushi Bar People who like Japanese cuisine should dine in this stylish venue.
- Butchers Cut The restaurant serves both steak and seafood dishes.
- Ristorante Italiano This contemporary bistro has authentic Italian cuisine.
- LOlivo dOro Restaurant There is a menu of Mediterranean favorites.
- Kaito Teppanyaki Asian food is prepared on hot plates before you, by skilled chefs.
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Do Children Have To Pay A Gratuity With Msc
Children under 2 do not have to pay any gratuities when cruising with MSC. Children aged 2+ have to pay a gratuity at a reduced rate, this is usually 50% of the adult price but it does vary based on the location of the cruise.
This is based on the childs age on embarkation day so if they turned 2 mid-way through the cruise they dont have to pay gratuities.
Msc Bella Vs Fantastica Vs Aurea: Which To Choose
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When you book a cruise with MSC Cruises, as well as deciding all the usual things such as which is the best ship, which cabin type to go for and whether to buy the drinks package, youll have an extra decision to make
MSC Cruises offers three different experiences which are named Bella, Fantastica and Aurea. Each has different benefits and a different price, so you can decide whether you want a budget-friendly cruise, or to pay a little more for lots of added extras.
If youre trying to decide whether to go for the Bella experience, the Fantastica Experience or the Aurea experience for your next cruise, read on and Ill help you to make the right decision based on your preferences
Please note that MSC Cruises has changed whats included in the Bella, Fantastica and Aurea packages for 2022 onwards. Ive updated this guide with the latest info, but some of the info you may find from other sources may not be up to date.
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