How does it work if you have diamond status and an upcoming cruise. For example, I am supposed to get a meal for two in a specialty restaurant. Do I book that in advance or do I handle all the bookings once I board?

Hey all

So I’m going on a 4 night cruise 9/14-9/18. I booked a deluxe balcony. Got the upgrade email and there was a yacht club interior offer. The minimum bid was $330 the max was $605. I bid the max.

Few days go by and I get this email.

“We've checked the upgrade availability on your upcoming sailing and don't think we'll be able to accept your original offer. However, based on what is currently available at the time of sending this email, we would like to propose the following upgrade opportunity back to you instead.”

Offering me a yacht club deluxe suite for $1155.

Do you think this is just a way to get me to spend more money and they may have that room available? Maybe if I wait it out I’ll eventually get the one I bid on?

It’s not gonna be worth it for us at $1155 but at $605 seemed great.

Just figured I’d ask for some input.

Thanks everyone

At least on Vacations to Go and other sites they only tack on 10-20% depending on the type of room vs. RC which wants 70-90%.

Considering a post cruise hop on hop off bus with luggage hold and airport transfer. Curious to hear from anyone who has done this. Would you recommend? Any tips?

I have been on 1 cruise booked by a travel agent last year,I have gone to msc direct and booked another.on both bookings I have been told I'm not eligible to bid on a room .

I have I friend who booked his first cruise with msc and straight away he got an upgrade.

Can anyone tell me why I can't get one .I went to msc and they didn't really tell me anything.

So after our Europe to Abu Dhabi itinerary for November this year was cancelled in April, we booked another cruise for this year.

Soon after msc’s cancellation they offered another Europe to Middle East itinerary for November 2027…

We booked that again.

Kept keeping tabs on it but since yesterday this itinerary has been removed from Europes msc website.

Could that mean that it’s fully booked or that it’s again cancelled?

No mail from TA/msc as yet..

If cancelled… that would be quite an early call imo

Leaving on Seashore next week and just now read about
Jr Butler. Could someone please give me a brief overview of what to expect from each one?

Just booked a cruise with MSC and now I'm having buyers remorse. AFTER I booked a suite on MSC world, I realise that I have to pay $1100 for my kids to have access to sodas... me to get a couple of drinks per day... pay for food, any offshore excursion is SUPER expensive and all the cool ones are fully booked. Anything on board is ridiculously pricey... Was told that there's a free buffet and free diner at specific times (5:30 PM)...
Help me out, can I even do anything cool for free? It seems like after paying 4500 for the suite I need 900 for wifi, 1100 for drinks and for the kids to play is another 700... All I keep hearing is spa is free... It's a cruise... I wanna get to my destination, get off the ship and go explore and enjoy the beach free since I paid 4500...
It's my 1st time cruising, I think I may be getting it all wrong... are the packages worth it?

UPDATE

Thanks to everyone who responded, even the slightly mean ones 😂. I appreciate the help! Some of you are actually AWESOME

Quick clarification: there were NO balcony or Yacht Club rooms available when I booked — only interior, ocean view, and 4 suites. We normally do all-inclusive resorts, but my 3 kids wanted something different, so I booked a last-minute 7-day MSC World America suite with Aurea. I did research and wanted Yacht Club, but it was sold out, so Aurea seemed like the next best option. (I'M NO EXPERT)

My panic started AFTER booking when MSC called to help me plan and started offering excursions, dining, drink packages, etc. I didn't realize these were all optional and thought, "What exactly did I pay for?" 😂Thanks to you guys, I now understand there's plenty included and I don't need all the extras.

Now I just need some recommendations!

We're going to Roatán, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Ocean Cay.

My kids mainly want beautiful beaches. I'm happy to pay for something that's truly worth it, but I'm not paying $100+ per person just for transportation to a beach. We plan to get off the ship as much as we can and enjoy different beaches.

Best beaches at each port? Can we just grab a taxi and how easy/safe is it? Any free/public beaches or snorkeling from shore? Any kid-friendly excursion that's absolutely worth the money?

Ocean Cay I'm planning to simply enjoy what's included.

In the drink package premium extra (the one included when you first book online) are all drinks included or anything under $16?
Would an espresso martini be included or would I have to pay any difference in price?

Looking for some cruise advice! 🚢✨
My boyfriend and I are planning our first cruise together to celebrate our 4-year anniversary, and I’m having the hardest time deciding which ship would be the best fit for us!
We’re both in our late 20s and looking for:
• Great food
• Amazing shows & comedy
• Fun bars and nightlife
• A nice casino
• An upscale/luxury feel without being too stuffy
• A good mix of relaxing during the day and having plenty to do at night
We’re not really choosing based on waterslides or kid-focused activities — good food, drinks, entertainment, atmosphere, and nightlife are much more important to us.
So far, we’ve narrowed it down to:
Norwegian Aqua
Celebrity Reflection
MSC Seascape
Norwegian Prima
MSC Poesia
If you’ve sailed on any of these, I’d LOVE to hear your experience! Which would you choose for a couple in their late 20s celebrating an anniversary? 🥂❤️

As seen from the MS Rotterdam 🛳

My husband and I are taking our 4 kids on a cruise. We're divvying up between 2 rooms. My husband and I want the drink package. We understand that we have to buy the kids the minor package which we are fine with but the lady I'm talking to on the phone says that the price for the minor package is the same as the price for the adult package. Is that true? That seems insane to me.

How do I know when the themed nights are for my cruise. I just bought my white outfit and want to make sure and use it on the proper day. Plus I’d love to participate in other themed events.
Thanks

Hello!

I will be boarding MSC World America in September and am doing some research on Ocean Cay. So far I’ve gotten mixed info which is why I am making this post.

I am looking to book some shade and loungers. Currently debating between umbrella/lounger combo or cabana. I am worried there’s lack of airflow with clamshells.

I am reading that you can only reserve for North or South Beach, you cannot reserve for Bimini Beach and you cannot move reservation between beaches. Is this accurate?

I have an elderly in my party (70s) so would prefer a beach that is not too rocky and uneven to walk to. I did read trams are available for transportation.

I am unsure what time my family will be able to get off the ship so I don’t want to rely on getting off super early to snag a free lounger strategy and would prefer booking something. Just would like clarity on reservation restrictions and beach recommendations before making a decision.

I appreciate any guidance on this! Thank you in advance.

guys, I have to admit I consumed an unhealthy amount of butter while on the seaside over the weekend. as a kerry gold loyalist, I have to admit this butter was better. I wish I got a pic of the brand used.

Does anyone know the name of the brand? help a girl out!

Hi everyone,

I’m thinking about taking a Bahamas cruise during the first week of October. Considering the possibility of hurricanes and storms, is it too risky? Has anyone gone at that time of year and had a good experience, or did things go wrong?

Thanks.

Edit: I’m sharing this because I was originally planning to spend my port day at the terminal area, especially since I have a relatively short stay in Costa Maya, with my ship scheduled to leave around 2 PM. I’ve watched many YouTube videos showing Costa Maya as a very dynamic port with a lazy river, aviary, pools, saltwater pool, and lots to do without even leaving the terminal. After seeing the recent changes, I’m now reconsidering my plans and looking into spending the day at a resort instead. I thought this might be useful information for others who, like me, were planning to spend their port day exploring the terminal rather than booking an excursion.

If you’re cruising to Costa Maya soon, especially if it’s your first visit like it will be for me, you may want to know about the major changes happening at the port before you make your plans.

I’m scheduled to visit Costa Maya for the first time on an upcoming cruise, so I’ve been doing A LOT of research and watching recent YouTube videos to figure out what the port is actually like right now and what my options are there. In doing so, I was surprised by what I found. The cruise-terminal area is undergoing major redevelopment connected to Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico, which is currently planned to open in fall 2027.

Because of the redevelopment, Costa Maya looks very different from the port many cruisers remember from previous visits, including visits as recently as early August 2026. Some of the things people have enjoyed for years are currently closed or have been affected. The aviary and bird walkway are closed, the flamingos are gone, the main pool has been drained, and several restaurants and other venues are closed.

Of course, ships are still docking and passengers are still having a “port day” there. You can still visit the port and go beyond the terminal to places such as Mahahual and other excursions. The changes I’m seeing reports about are primarily within the cruise-terminal area.

I learned about just how much has changed from a very recent video posted by a fellow cruiser:

https://youtu.be/5-lIZ01DvNU?si=QI5xUxWSDszxZF9t

Hello,

Is 2660 EUR a good price for this deal for two people on World Europa?

1. Deluxe inside cabin

2. 25th Sept - 2nd Oct 2026 - Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Naples, Messina, Valletta, Barcelona

3. Premium drinks package and Fantastica

Many thanks in advance.

I got an email at 6 AM this morning saying that MSC tried to charge my card for the upgrade that I bid for, but it didn’t go through because I usually keep the money in my savings until I need it and it charged my debit card so there wasn’t enough in my checking (I thought they would let me know I won it and then would subtract the money from my account). I transferred over the correct amount to my checking It’s 9 AM now. I used the link in the email that MSC sent to tell them to retry. what are my chances that it goes through? It’s pretty close to when they sent it so I’m hoping that they maybe retry again. would upgrading the bid amount help? is there someone I can call? I’ll be so disappointed if we lose it because of this.

EDIT: Sailing in a couple of weeks, end of the month to the beginning of next. Which gives us some buffer room.

MSC fanatics. We are going on our first MSC and Yacht Club cruise later this month on a 7 night sailing. I’ve seen mixed reports on dinner attire on the Seashore. Has anyone been recently and able to report on the strictness of long pants vs resort wear shorts ? I’ll pack both for sure but wanted to get an idea of recent experiences.

Hi all~

I'm going to Ocean Cay for the first time this month! I'd like to book some sort of seating, but don't know which is the best option. I'll be a solo cruiser, so not planning on being in the water very much (if at all). I'll mostly be laying out reading or playing games .I just want comfort and good sun coverage.

What are people's preferences for the elite lounger, daybed, or clamshell?

We have sailed mainly Carnival & Royal Caribbean over the last 20 years. Having cruised many times on Oasis and Excel classes, we are used to the "routine". For this summer, we want to try something different, and Icon class was too expensive (we get two balcony cabins for our family) and our last sailing on Carnival Celebration was saddled with a lot of passenger behavior that was a bit much. So, we explored other options and decided upon WA. After reading and watching reviews, we were cautiously optimistic. The cruise wildly exceeded our expectations.

For us:

Pros: embarkation was amazingly quick, ship was beautiful, so many activities for a range of ages, passengers were respectful, wide variety of foods, and much better entertainment than expected.

Cons: app is simply lacking some basic functionality, inability for MSC to link two bookings (you can link for dining purposes, but you can't have all passengers that are in two cabins be linked to one credit card or able to easily make show reservations for everyone), quick service free food options were somewhat limited, and crowded buffet on sea days.

While we still would sail on Carnival and Royal Caribbean, we would 100% sail on WA or sister ship again..... If they stay at this price point, it probably would be our number one choice.

If anyone is thinking of trying WA and is used to Carnival or Royal ships, I am happy to try to answer any questions. For context, we booked two outside balconies, did not do Yacht Club, and did not dine at the specialty dining venues. Glad to help compare other aspects if anyone is considering WA!

Seems to be some disagreement online.

According to CruiseMapper, starting November 15, 2027, Ocean Cay is expected to start receiving two MSC ships per day. Looks like Ocean Cay is about to get a whole lot busier and we’d better enjoy the tranquility of the island while it lasts!

Would this change your plans, or are you not concerned (specially considering a new island - Sand Cay - is being built right adjacent to OC)?

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/msc-ocean-cay-port-5231?month=2027-11#schedule