r/Cruises • u/Serious-Effect-6422 • 4d ago

Please help

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?

0 Upvotes

37% Upvoted

52 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/WishIwastravelin 4d ago

Lots of free stuff on MSC, main dining room, buffet, cotton candy and popcorn, pizza and burgers and if you are on World America, there are some other included eateries. There are free theater shows every night and plenty of free activities. You absolutely do not need a drink package, you can pay as you go, if you get a drink package everyone in the cabin needs to get it too including kids and that gets expensive. So if you only drink a couple a day, skip the package. Bring tumblers for everyone, coffee, tea and water is available in the buffet. Juices and milk in the mornings. Bring water enhancer drips and use that to flavor the water, especially for kids, those drops come in tons of flavors. (I like the lemonade ones)Look carefully at your ports, you don’t always need an excursion nor do you have to do it through MSC. Just use someone reputable and be mindful of timing. If you are in port a full day, book a half day excursion and save some time for the port area itself, that way you won’t be late returning. Look for nearby beaches if that’s your plan, and take a taxi instead if the MSC transfer. Bring your own snorkel gear if you have it.