Full Board Cruise €299 web deal

cojie

Juat seen this on www.bundlebee.ie, its their main deal ATM, looks good but im not buyin one as i know nothing about cruises............hope this helps somebody out for a cheap holiday

Adults €299
Kids €150

CreepingDeath

I've only been on one cruise before and not with this crowd, but just for general info...

You'd have to fly to Barcelona, maybe pay for transfers from the airport.
It says there's €7 per day per person gratuities, so tips to the staff are mandatory.
It's an inside cabin, so no windows.

Typically, when you stop off at a port you have to pay extra for coach tours to various sites. Could be anything from €30-€70 per person, although you've always the option to just walk off the ship and arrange transport to view the destinations yourself.

It's still a cheap deal when you consider it's effectively a floating hotel, full board and transport to 4 or 5 different countries.

Also in the small print it says do not book your flights until your cruise reservation is confirmed... so depending on flight availability, you may have to spend a day or two in a hotel either side of arriving/departing.

Gone Drinking

Myself and the girlfriend paid just over a thousand euro each a few years back for the same cruise around the same time. If you can get cheap flights and transport to the ship, it seems like a great deal.

We saw the MSC Fantasia and it was much much bigger/more luxurious than our ship. I remember thinking "Christ, if we paid a grand each, I wonder what those lads are paying!"

Padraig Mor

Same deal is on Grabone, but only €115 for the child.

groom

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Same deal is on Grabone, but only €115 for the child.

http://www.graboneescapes.ie/cassidy-travel-1

How long would you typically get in each port?

sweetie

8% fatcheese back with grabone!

dory

Flights seem to be about €115 from Skyscanner.com. Pretty good deal!

Gone Drinking

groom wrote: »

http://www.graboneescapes.ie/cassidy-travel-1

How long would you typically get in each port?

From my experience of it, you usually dock at 6am and have to be back on the ship by 6pm.

Only

Yep, def a good deal - same cruise in same cabin is going for £499 sterling per person for first 2 people ...

munstergirl

www.cruiseholidays.ie had MSC Splendia cruise €499 17th june including flights advertised last monday. ( plus tips €7 per person per day, optional all inclusive drinks €23 per person per day. )

Don't know if sold out, they also had yesterday MSC Fantasia €268pp cruise only from barcelona 24th june.

V good deal for 7 day cruise.

Greenview

Anyone understand how the drinks packages work on these trips?

The local company are advertising a drinks package for €165 per person.
My guess is a pint or cocktail at least 7.50 x 4 = 30 x 6 nights= 180
add in water & wine and the package looks good.

Ideas/thOughts?
Thx

munstergirl

http://www.cruise.co.uk/cruise-guides/MSC-cruises-useful-info/


Some useful info about mcs, including bar menu with prices.

Also have a look on www.cruisecritic.com they have a MSC forum.


At least if you buy the package you don't have to worry about a huge bill at end of cruise. But you will be off the ship most days in port so will you drink your euros worth.

Don't know how the drink package works on MCS but read the small print. There is always small print. Like is it available 24/7 or are there rules. Worth asking travel agent.

Aggers

Its a pity the flights have become so expensive otherwise I would of went with this. Good deal though.

groom

Did anyone buy this? Could they give a review?
I was very keen for it but my wife was very pregnant at the time.

I see this one at the moment - http://www.graboneescapes.ie/cruisescapes-5
Looks to be the same itinerary as the previous one. It is €559pp but includes flights and transfers so could work out around the same. It could be a bit nippy in January though. Won't be lounging around on deck

Greenview

Hi Groom,
yes, I did it & thought it was fantastic, especially at the price of 399pps. I had to pay separately for flights & one night in Barcelona, so it's about the same as the current price of 559pps.
A sister ship to what we went on (Fantasia), but I believe they're very much the same. One change to the itinary is Rome (v our Naples)

If you're fairly active, you can do lots of the sightseeing yourselves, spending very little compared to the price of the organised excursions.

Also, do buy the all-inclusive drinks package (Allegrissimo) - while appearing initially expensive, it works out to be well worth it. Think bottle of wine at dinner, plus 3/4 drinks per person per evening, plus a few drinks during the day, plus water at mealtimes, ice creams during the day etc). http://www.msccruises.co.uk/uk_en/Images/ALLEGRISSIMO%20DRINKS%20PACKAGE_tcm13-48857.pdf

If you buy the Allegrissimo, then the only extra to pay the end of the week is Gratuity of €98 - €7pp per day.

PM if you want more details on our trip/ask questions etc.

maniac2003

The gratuit is only recommended to be paid. I refused to pay it as it does not go to the staff. They had no problems with it not been paid.

Bel2210

has anyone sailed the msc with young children? They have some great prices going at the moment for sailings and with the kids go free makes it very tempting. Some not so great reviews over on cruise critic has me hesitating but would love to hear from anyone who has sailed with them

maniac2003

travelled with MSC could not recommend it highly enough. Buy a drinks package though a lot of people get hit with high bills at the end with it.

etcetc

Bel2210 wrote: »

has anyone sailed the msc with young children? They have some great prices going at the moment for sailings and with the kids go free makes it very tempting. Some not so great reviews over on cruise critic has me hesitating but would love to hear from anyone who has sailed with them

Do you have a link for these deals?

Bel2210

http://www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/MSC/kids-sail-free.aspx

sorry not very good at posting links, but as far as i can tell kids always sail free with msc, i think they just have to pay the port taxes. Feel free to correct me if i am wrong anyone!

groom

The link I posted up previously quoted children at €379. That included flights and probably port charges & taxes. An infant is supposed to be €80

Oafley Jones

maniac2003 wrote: »

The gratuit is only recommended to be paid. I refused to pay it as it does not go to the staff. They had no problems with it not been paid.

So did you pay the gratuity directly to the staff?

vibe666

FYI this deal (both on bundlebee and grabone) is now expired as of 12pm today.

maniac2003

Oafley Jones wrote: »

So did you pay the gratuity directly to the staff?

I tipped the staff before i disembarked. The staff see none of this gratuit money it is widely known.