1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Welcome to Miami...

Discussion in 'Non Vegas Trip Reports' started by Hoofy7, Feb 12, 2019.

  1. ACMike

    ACMike Silver
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    495
    Likes Received:
    2,338
    Great report! Cruise looks nice.
     
    Hoofy7 likes this.
  2. ACMike

    ACMike Silver
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    495
    Likes Received:
    2,338
    Great report! Cruise looks nice.
     
    Hoofy7 likes this.
  3. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 Chairman
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    5,662
    Likes Received:
    12,528
    Player's Clubs:
    Grazie Gold
    TR Platinum
    I have tons more pictures to post once we get home today. We drove from Miami to PA before stopping to sleep a few hours. Think it was around 2:30 am. Be home in less than 4 hours now. My daughter took a bunch of photos on her phone for me as her camera is better, but she can’t send them to me until we get home and have WiFi. If anyone wants a newer ship and doesn’t mind buying specialty dining package, you really can’t go wrong. Room was perfect for us and for $3800 for a vacation for 4, you can’t beat it. I loved how the MSC Seaside had views of ocean from majority of ship. Super foggy in PA right now. [​IMG] Really enjoyed the Cruise Critic with Captain De Palma and top officers. Really well done.
     
    tringlomane and TexasLady like this.
  4. Goldenknight

    Goldenknight Palladium

    Messages:
    3,963
    Likes Received:
    10,926
    That does seem like a really good value for that room and 7 nights. Our youngest loves sitting in our bathroom tub for hours on end playing, can't imagine his reaction to a tub on a balcony on a cruise ship.
     
    IM ALL IN and Hoofy7 like this.
  5. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 Chairman
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    5,662
    Likes Received:
    12,528
    Player's Clubs:
    Grazie Gold
    TR Platinum
    Still waiting on my daughter to send me the photos. Then I can wrap this up and not drag it on for a week. Looking to book a 15 day Hawaii, Mediterranean, or South Pacific cruise on Princess right now. For 2020 though.
     
  6. pphold

    pphold Palladium
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    3,175
    Likes Received:
    5,404
    Player's Clubs:
    CET Diamond
    Mlife Platinum
    Cosmopolitan Silver
    Great report Hoofy. Nice Buffalo hit. Looks like a great time. Waiting on the other pics
     
    Texas Steph and Hoofy7 like this.
  7. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 Chairman
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    5,662
    Likes Received:
    12,528
    Player's Clubs:
    Grazie Gold
    TR Platinum
    So am I! My daughter is holding them hostage on her damn phone! Lol
     
    TexasLady likes this.
  8. SamIAm

    SamIAm Gold
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    725
    Likes Received:
    2,779
    Awesome trip report. And that win!!! Something you'll remember for evah! :) Thanks for taking us along.
     
    Hoofy7 likes this.
  9. jmacaz

    jmacaz Gold
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    574
    Likes Received:
    900
    Player's Clubs:
    TR Plat'
    MLife Gold
    What a great cruise and congrats on the Buffalo win!!
     
    Hoofy7 likes this.
  10. slotmanjack

    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    580
    Likes Received:
    1,150
    Awesome report, and that Buffalo hit is incredible congrats!
     
    Hoofy7 likes this.
  11. TexasLady

    TexasLady Silver
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    353
    Likes Received:
    1,193
    Great Win!!!!! I have been on the fence about trying MSC. We usually cruise NCL. I heard a lot of good things with MSC and that they will match my status with NCL. These pics and great TR maybe the push I needed to book MSC.
     
    Hoofy7 likes this.
  12. Sameer Apte

    Sameer Apte Bronze
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    21
    @Hoofy7 enjoyed your trip report, especially the casino wins!

    Me and family were on the same cruise in YC, I did not have internet so didn't see this until later. We also did the Roy's 3 dinner package with pan asian, sushi and teppanyaki.

    I have a few questions re. MSC Casino, I still haven't played there:
    • Did they give you free cruise or % off coupon (and cruise cash) in the end?
    • Could you figure out how they allot points?
    • Did you play Video Poker at all, if yes how was the experience?
    Thanks!
     
    Hoofy7 likes this.
  13. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 Chairman
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    5,662
    Likes Received:
    12,528
    Player's Clubs:
    Grazie Gold
    TR Platinum
    I can’t believe we were on same cruise and didn’t know it! Lol I booked this cruise last minute on Expedia, so honestly there was nothing the casino could have done about what I already paid. If I had booked through MSC directly I’m not sure that would have made a difference because I had no history on that line. They do however give 30% off future cruises with free play after you reach 1200 points. I honesty barely played. Only for a limited time on 3 separate days and I got the 1200 points super quickly. I had over 5000 points at the end and didn’t spend more than 5 hours in the casino all week. If you get 9,999 you get a completely free trip with free play. This would have been easily reached had I gambled more. The discount for reaching 1200 points was delivered to my cabin in an envelope before last day and had the paperwork for discount as well as a $500 free play offer. I’m not sure on the conversion ratio for points but it seemed to accumulate quickly. I wanted to book Yacht Club but it was sold out as we booked last minute. I didn’t have a bad experience with Aurea package though and this was the cheapest cruise I’ve ever been on. Again a few tips made all the difference. I’m sure you had really good service having a butler! Lol Wish we could have met up for dinner! Did you like specialty restaurants? I really enjoyed them and they made it fun for my kids. I’d definitely sail again and with the casino discount I got for barely playing AND winning it will be even cheaper than this last cruise. I’ll probably book Yacht club with the discount. Hope you had a great time too!
     
    Texas Steph likes this.
  14. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 Chairman
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    5,662
    Likes Received:
    12,528
    Player's Clubs:
    Grazie Gold
    TR Platinum
    Oh, I didn’t play video poker! I had planned on it, but after my first sea day win, I tried to stay out of the casino. Lol
     
    tringlomane likes this.
  15. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 Chairman
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    5,662
    Likes Received:
    12,528
    Player's Clubs:
    Grazie Gold
    TR Platinum

    If you go into like I did, knowing it’s going to be a little different than the American cruise lines we are use to, you will have a good experience. If you book the Seaside, I suggest booking Yacht Club or Aurea experience. Tip those in the service most important to you and you will have a great cruise. Vacation for that price is unheard of usually and we all had fun! Hope you have same experience!
     
    TexasLady and Texas Steph like this.
  16. Sameer Apte

    Sameer Apte Bronze
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    21
    @Hoofy7 thanks for your data points.

    This was my 2nd time in YC (Feb school vacation weeks in 2018 and 2019) and we have enjoyed it both times, to the point that I remain obsessed with YC for a few weeks after (like now and like what happens to me before after my cosmo trips!). We will be on Seaside again the week of Christmas. When I check future pricing on YC I see MSC raising the prices though.

    We enjoy following with the YC product:
    • competitively priced (at-least so far, approx 5K for Feb/Apr school vacations, 6K for christmas)
    • YC specific areas like restaurant, top sail lounge, grill + pool + hot tub
    • room service breakfast, lunch items, pizza
    • inclusion of drinks on all of the ship, venchi product (with exception of chocolate)
    • access to thermal spa
    • functional cabin for a family of 4 with large shower/bathroom/balcony
    • excellent room keeping twice a day
    • fully stocked fridge where everything is up for taking
    • quick embarkation/de-embarkation with butler
    I always buy $50 for 40 clothes laundry package, and Ray's 3 restaurant package and massages in advance. This trip, I decided to do no internet to prevent family members being on the phone while on the cruise ship and it worked! We had service once we were in the 3 ports we visited thanks to T-mobile. I like Ray's restaurants and 3 distinct menus (pan asian, sushi, teppanyaki), with the package bought in advance it's a screaming value. I was looking through your pictures to see if I could spot us in the background :) We had the same chef you had for teppanyaki but definitely on a different day. I would have loved to meet for dinner but did not envision a possibility of fellow vegas fanatic on the same cruise.
     
    Hoofy7 and Texas Steph like this.
  17. Sameer Apte

    Sameer Apte Bronze
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    21
    Absolutely I would recommend trying MSC in YC. Once you try it you would not want to cruise any other way. Me and my family are hooked to YC.
     
    TexasLady and Hoofy7 like this.
  18. bebe

    bebe Platinum
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    1,647
    Likes Received:
    8,224
    I completely missed this report as my face was stuck in a martini glass for days in Vegas! What a beauty hit Hoofy!! Congrats!!
    Looks like an amazing trip
    Lol@ your daughter holding a grudge from her roadside wash & dry and not giving up the pics
     
    tringlomane and Hoofy7 like this.
  19. Hoofy7

    Hoofy7 Chairman
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    5,662
    Likes Received:
    12,528
    Player's Clubs:
    Grazie Gold
    TR Platinum
  20. TexasLady

    TexasLady Silver
    Founding Fanatic

    Messages:
    353
    Likes Received:
    1,193
    Nice pics of the ship and your money :):)
     
    Texas Steph and Hoofy7 like this.
Loading...

Share This Page

  • About Us

    Vegas Fanatics was created from the vision of two Vegas enthusiasts to form a Vegas focused message board where we can feature what we believe are the most valued benefits of forum membership!


    Our mission is to connect Vegas lovers to relevant information such as trip reports, gambling information, reviews, and other experiences in a socially engaging way!


    © Chic Monkey Media, Inc. 2016-2018