SUPER CRUISE 2009 F.A.Q.
Includes special notations addressing MSC onboard policies and information!
**Much of the information floating around concerning "odd" policies is related to MSC's European
Cruise product. Things are much different in the Caribbean. We have attempted to clarify many of the concerns we've heard from our Super Cruisers. Take a few moments to read over these Frequently Asked Questions and our answers. Please question Cruises Etc for clarification on anything that is of concern to you. We will do our best to keep you up-to-date with current policies. You may email Joanne at:
joanne@supercruise.net
Please print a copy of these FAQ's to keep for handy reference.
What does my Super Cruise Fare Include?Your cruise fare includes shipboard
accommodations, ocean transportation, meals*, non-alcoholic beverages*, onboard entertainment and associated fees applicable at the time of booking. Not included are items that are of
personal nature including: gratuities, shore excursions, airfare, telephone calls, spa treatments, salon services, photographs, laundry services. * There is a surcharge
for meals at the reservations-only Shanghai Chinese Restaurant; the A-La-Carte menu at the Four Seasons Restaurant and for specialty coffees at the ship's coffee bar; soda pop is not included
complimentary - a Soft Drink-Beverage Card is available for purchase directly onboard which provides unlimited fountain dispensed soft drinks. The Pizzeria is complimentary as is the
Cafeteria, a buffet style restaurant. (confusion occurred over whether there is a charge for pizza -- on European sailings, there is a nominal charge for pizza; but
not in the Caribbean) Self service beverage counters are available for coffee, tea, non-carbonated beverages, etc. When should I book my reservation?
We are actively accepting reservations now! As long as we have cabins available, we will continue to sell them. Past Super Cruises have sold out as early as summertime. We
encourage you to book as soon as you know that you plan to sail with us. Certain cabin categories (suites and balconies especially) tend to sell out quickly. As we assign cabin
numbers in the order in which you book, preferred locations are assigned to those who book early. What if I have to Cancel my Reservations?
CHARGES APPLY FOR ALL CANCELLATIONS RECEIVED AFTER DEPOSIT IS MADE.
After Deposit - June 1 = $25 per person June 1 -
September 1, 2008 = $100 per person September 2 - October 31, 2008 = $200 per person November 1 - December 30, 2008 = 50% of your cabin
total. Cancellations made December 31st and beyond = No Refund , unless cancelling guest(s) can provide a replacement traveler or if the cabin is
re-sold. If this occurs, a refund minus a name change fee fee will be provided. Cruises Etc regrets that we cannot be responsible to provide substitutions or re-sell cabins,
although we will do our best to assist. Travel insurance is highly recommended. A leaflet is included with your original confirmation and you may also enroll
directly on our site; please see link on our homepage. What identification do I need for travel? Effective June 1, 2008, U.S. citizens require a valid
Passport for sea travel. Non U.S. Citizens must carry a passport from their country of citizenship plus any necessary visas. Lack of correct identification can result in denied boarding
with no refunds! **** the U.S. State Department has modified the effective date for mandatory passports several times. Should they change it again, this information may be
amended. For up to date information, please refer to www.travel.state.gov Will Cruises Etc book my airline flights?We have opted NOT to offer MSC's air options. In cases where we find cruise-line
air higher than that which can be secured by our travelers by booking their own flights, we choose not to recommend the cruise line air. We have arrangements with two travel
colleagues who will be reserving group air from Cleveland (our most popular air gateway) and who will provide assistance in making reservations from your choice of air city. Please
see "GETTING TO FT LAUDERDALE
for flight options. For those who truly want to have the cruise line book their flights, we can arrange this. Please note the following: Cruise lines request their flights directly from the airlines who are participating in their air contracts. They are given air allocations based on what the airlines decide. We tell you this so that you are prepared that you most likely will not get nonstop flights. Air flights are booked on "day of sailing and day of return" (Jan 31 - Feb 7) If specific airlines, schedules, non-stops, etc., are important to you, we recommend not using cruise line air but to consider making individual flight arrangements or working with our travel partners. (as an example, Cleveland flights including taxes are over $500 with MSC's current contracts)
Do you offer a Pre-Cruise Hotel option?
We will offer a Pre Cruise option for January 29th (2 nights) and January 30th
(1 night) Please see "PRE CRUISE HOTEL" for information on reserving a pre-cruise hotel stay. Because our group is so large, we need to work with hotels that have the ability to take a good portion of our guests. This means that the hotel(s) we end up working with are generally of a 3-4 star rating. These types of hotels tend to have higher rates than the more budget-friendly smaller inns and motels. On the other hand, some people prefer a more luxurious accommodation and are happy to reserve deluxe hotels. Luxury and deluxe hotels are generally above and beyond what the average Super Cruiser wishes to spend on a hotel room; which is why we do not have this option. You are encouraged to either book your hotel package with Cruises Etc's group arrangements or to seek out lower cost hotels in the Ft Lauderdale area. Either way, it has become the recommended thing to do. Arriving a day or more early accomplishes two things: your vacation starts sooner! and you avoid potential flight delays.
When will I receive my cabin number and booking number?Cruises Etc finalizes cabin assignments in the fall. We anticipate having your
cabin number and booking number on your final payment invoice.
When will I receive my tickets and travel information?Cruises Etc
hosts our "Bon Voyage" party approximately three weeks before sailing. This is held locally in the Cleveland area. Passengers who live out of state or who cannot attend the party will
have their tickets mailed to them. Local cruisers unable to attend our party may arrange for pick up at our office. Included in your travel document packet are all necessary tickets
and information pertinent to the cruise as well as all Super Cruise program events; plus baggage tags.
How much luggage may I bring?Airline Luggage policies have undergone
recent changes. Major carriers have now restricted the free luggage allowance to one checked bag per person in addition to your permitted carry-on pieces. Additional bags may be
checked in for fees starting at $25 per bag. As long as your second bag does not exceed the weight limits, you should not be charged further. Cruise Etc recommends that our travelers
contact their selected airline directly for the latest up-to-date luggage policies. You may contact them via telephone or on their web-sites. Cruises Etc cannot be held responsible
for changing airline policies and procedures.
What features will my cabin have? Do I need to bring things like a hair dryer or iron?Your cabin has most of the comforts of home! Standard & Superior Balcony Cabins, Oceanview and Interior staterooms have two twin
beds that make up into a queen bed. Mini-bars with small refrigerators, flat-screen color television, safes and telephones are also in each cabin. The cabins have ample closet and drawer
space for your belongings. Bathrooms have showers, toilet, and sink. Suite bathrooms also have tubs. All cabins have hair dryers. Electric current is 110 and can
accommodate small appliances, but please note: if you bring a travel iron and leave it in plain view, your room steward may take it from you as irons in cabins are not allowed. Some
travelers like to bring portable steamers to freshen up travel-wrinkled garments. Since these are generally plastic and do not generate much heat, this is an item you may consider. Can I do Laundry onboard?Laundry services are available for nominal fees
What kind of clothes should I pack and what exactly does "formal" mean ?Daytime dress on a cruise ship is casual, such as resort wear, shorts, comfortable shoes, etc. For the pool decks, swimwear plus cover-ups are fine. Tennis
shoes or low heeled walking shoes are recommended for exploring ports of call. If you plan specific activities on shore that require special wardrobe items, please pack
accordingly (i.e. golf shoes, long pants for horseback riding, etc. ) There are generally two formal
evenings on board. Ladies may want to wear long gowns/dresses, cocktail dresses, pants suits, etc. Gentlemen may choose to wear tuxedos or dark suits. On other evenings, resort
wear is the norm. Shorts are not permitted in the main dining rooms for the dinner meal but are fine in the casual dining areas. ***** MSC previously posted a notation that shorts, casual attire, cut-offs, etc., are not permitted in public areas in the evenings. THIS APPLIES TO
THE RESTAURANTS! For the Dinner meal, this type of attire is not permitted. You may still wear casual clothing in the evenings in other areas of the
ship. This is typical of MOST cruise lines. Dress code for the main dining rooms always requests no shorts or sloppy clothing. This exact policy was on our
recent Super Cruise on Carnival and has been on all Super Cruises in recent memory.
What are the times for Dining?There are two sittings for meals that are
served in the ship's primary restaurants. Main Dining is approximately 6:00 pm and Late Dining is approximately 8:00 pm. Breakfast and Lunch in these restaurants varies based on
whether the ship is in port or at sea. Is Room Service included?Complimentary
room service is available for cabin delivery featuring a selection of sandwiches, salads, snacks, etc. Specialty menu items are available at an additional cost. Your stateroom has a servi-bar with beverages and snacks which will be billed to your cabin account upon consumption.
Are there singles onboard?Approximately 25% of the Super Cruise group will consist of single ladies and gentlemen of all ages. The balance of cruise passengers
(outside of our group) will also have a percentage of single travelers. The ship generally has several "singles" events so that unattached travelers can meet each other.
How old do I have to be to sail on the Super Cruise and what is the drinking age?MSC's policy is that passengers under age 21 must be accompanied by a companion or
family member who is at least 25 years or older in the same stateroom. The exceptions for 'minors' occupying their own cabin are: married couples under age 25 and minors
who are traveling with parents or guardians on the Super Cruise. You must be 21 years to purchase alcohol. Your cruise cards are coded with your birthdates so minors
attempting to purchase bar beverages will be denied. What beverages are included in my cruise fare?
As previously noted, non-alcoholic beverages are included:
coffee, tea, iced tea, juices, are available at meals and at self-service beverage stations. Soda/pop is not included complimentary but you may purchase a Soft Drink for Fountain beverages
(soda). Rate is approx $8 per person, per day May I bring my own liquor onboard?MSC's official policy is that guests may not bring their own liquor onboard.
Bottles of wine or champagne intended for special celebrations may be brought on and stored with the ship for a "corkage fee" These bottles will be served at dinner at your request.
(policy subject to change without notice) Note: we are asked the question every year concerning bringing your own beverages in your checked luggage. We must advise
you that if any beverages are detected by the cruise line, they may be confiscated. You may attempt bringing liquor at your own risk.
Can someone contact me while we're sailing and can I make phone calls from the ship? What about cell phones?Information will be included with your final travel documents has instructions for
reaching you at sea. You are able to use your cabin's telephone to make long distance calls. Please note: both of these options are quite costly and should only be used in cases
of emergency or if you don't mind the expense. We recommend using international calling cards on the islands or calling collect from a pay telephone. Depending on your cell phone
company and your calling plan, you may be able to use your cell phone on the ship and/or the islands. Many people lose a signal soon after we depart but again, depending on your cell
company, you may be able to make/receive calls. What about computers? Can I bring my laptop?
The ship has an Internet room available with different packages of
on-line minutes available. You may stay connected to family, friends, business, etc., back home should you need to. There is wireless internet available for laptop users
and you will be billed based on usage. WiFi service is also available in cabins; usage rates are equivalent to Internet room charges. This is, again, a typical service that most
cruise lines offer for a charge. Is there a Doctor on board?The ship has in Infirmary staffed with a doctor during normal daytime hours.
Medical emergencies should be brought to the attention of the Purser's Office any time, day or night. Customary fees are in effect for medical services. If you have travel insurance,
most medical fees are reimbursable through your travel insurance company upon your return from the cruise. Be certain to keep any/all paperwork, receipts, etc., for any medical treatment
you receive. If you purchased travel insurance, you should read over all the inclusions to determine what your benefit level covers and what is excluded. In many cases, your
personal
medical insurance DOES NOT cover you outside of the U.S.A. Medical care and emergency medical assistance can be very costly. A comprehensive insurance option is available thru TRAVEL INSURED INTERNATIONAL, Cruises Etc's preferred insurance provider. Easy enrollment is available thru the link on our home page. Travel Insurance is
never a bad idea! What shore excursions are available?A variety of shore excursions are available on our itinerary MSC allows you to
pre-book shore excursions on their site prior to sailing. You may still book tours onboard the ship at the Shore Excursion Desk. Cruises Etc plans to offer MSC shore excursions as a
convenience to our guest. Further information regarding this will be made available later in the season
What about bringing the kids? There are plenty of activities on board for children including a club
designed just for them! Children are welcome to participate in the Mini Club, which is available on board all cruises. The Mini Club Staff organizes activities, shows and games
(Arts & Crafts, Baby-Dance, Painting Courses, Treasure Hunts, Mini-Olympics). The children are divided into appropriate age groups. The Mini Club is open to children up to ten years of age.
Children under three are only permitted when accompanied by an adult who must remain with the child at all times. **Please note that the activities vary by the number and ages
of the children onboard. What is the smoking policy? This is a direct quote from MSC:
"MSC Cruises has introduced throughout its fleet a "Clean Air" policy, which will allow both smokers and non-smokers
to enjoy their holidays on board in mutual respect. After the introduction of the 'Clean Air' policy, the trials of the extensive smoke-free zones have received general approval of
passengers. We have eliminated smoking in all areas where non-smokers and smokers would have shared the same spaces. We assigned a few rooms where smokers are welcome, but the
majority of indoor spaces are now non-smoking. On all MSC vessels, smoking is therefore only allowed indoors in the Cigar Rooms, the Casinos and in one dedicated lounge. Passengers can also smoke
outside, on one side of the sun deck, but no smoking is allowed in cabins or on balcony cabins. The rest of the ships is therefore totally smoke-free, for the benefit of
non-smokers. Thanks to the Clean Air Policy, MSC Cruises has therefore managed to satisfy both smokers and non-smokers by having a 90% smoke-free ship." ***Cruises Etc has received emails and messages concerning this "serious change" from Carnival to MSC regarding the Smoking
Policy. We must advise you that regulations are changing across the board on MANY of the cruise lines. MSC's policy is a little more rigid than Carnival; this
applies mainly to the cabins/balconies. Many non-smoking areas have easy access to outdoor areas where smoking is permitted. Even Carnival has seriously limited the areas where smokers are
free to light up. How is tipping handled?
Customarily extended at the end of the cruise, gratuities are now conveniently added to your cabin account.
Approximately $12 per guest per day will be added for gratuities to the following ship personnel: cabin steward, dining room waiter, assistant waiter and servers in the buffet
restaurants. If you want to give a gratuity to the maitre'd or any other staff member, you may certainly do this. A 15% gratuity is automatically added to any beverage purchased
at a bar or ordered through a waiter/waitress. If you want to personally tip those individuals listed, you may have your pre-arranged gratuity removed from your cabin account at the
Purser's Desk (before the last day!). What about check-in at the pier?There have been some concerns about the new time-line for boarding. Here is the
official policy that affects ALL CRUISE LINES: U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (Department of Homeland Security) has issued a new ruling that goes into effect on February 18, 2008 which mandates that all guests embarking on a cruise from a U.S. port be
checked-in and onboard their ship at least one hour prior to the ship's departure. To comply with this mandate and ensure that there is ample time for check-in, MSC Cruises requires that all
guests be checked in 90 minutes prior to the ship's scheduled departure. Guests arriving later than the 90 minutes check-in time may be denied boarding.
How does this effect YOU? You will be provided with your guest booking number well in advance of our
departure date. You should be prepared to REGISTER ON-LINE with MSC to be in compliance with check-in requirements. On the day of our departure, you should plan your arrival time at
the Port (Port Everglades) between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Our scheduled departure time is 5:00 p.m. This should provide ample time for our travelers. In rare cases
where arrival flights may be affected by delays, the ship will consider these on a case by case scenario. Cruises Etc is not authorized to make decisions concerning late arrivals.
Why did Cruises Etc choose to work with new cruise line instead of staying with Carnival?This is a two-part answer. First we want to assure our Super Cruisers that we did not have a falling-out with Carnival (some cruisers have informed us that they heard this from the
"rumor mill"). Cruises Etc loves the Carnival Cruise product and feels we have had terrific Super Cruise experiences with Carnival. The main reason we are not with Carnival in 2009 is
that Carnival simply does not have a ship and itinerary that we felt we could successfully promote for Super Cruise 2009. Their newest ship will be doing South American cruises, the Freedom
and Liberty (our two most recent ships) are sailing identical itineraries to those we sailed in 2007 and 2008. The only other ships available were either too "old" without the
features and amenities we've become accustomed to; or the itineraries were too close to what we've recently done. In order to offer something "fresh" we chose to look elsewhere, which
brings us to the second part of the answer. MSC had approached us several years ago and made an offer to host the Super
Cruise. We were intrigued by what they offered and by their ships. We were admittedly reluctant back then to make a move with a new company. However, in the three years since
our initial talks, we have seen how MSC has grown and evolved in the industry. Granted, everyone experiences 'growing pains' and MSC is no exception. There had been some
inconsistencies with regard to the onboard experience, food, entertainment, etc. (you should have seen Carnival in the early days !!!) Now that MSC has been operating for nearly seven
years in the Caribbean, they have a more finely-tuned product that has been receiving the highest praises across our industry. MSC has built their company, especially its North
American office, with highly experienced personnel who have been in the cruise business for decades! We felt that this was the year to go in a different direction, try something new
and keep an open mind. We are very impressed with the new ORCHESTRA and everything we've seen and read about the
ship is phenomenal. We also hear from clients who have scanned the internet for information and have read reviews on various cruise travel sites. One thing we will caution about
reading consumer reviews: While we respect everyone's right to their own opinions, when someone is posting their opinions, that's how the review should be acknowledged. Not everyone
agrees on the same things. What you may like or dislike is going to be different than what we like or dislike. Even Kevin and Joanne don't always agree on the same things.
It doesn't make any of us wrong; it's just our opinion. Some reviews have contained information that has some of our Super Cruisers worried. We have copies of critiques
and postings forwarded to us which stated things like extra fees and surcharges for things we've never been charged for on other cruise lines. Nearly all of those issues
concerned European Cruises; not Caribbean sailings. MSC runs a considerably different product in Europe. And yes, there are fees for things on European cruises that are not
charged in the Caribbean. For example: pizza is free on Caribbean sailings; in Europe there is a surcharge; room service is complimentary in the Caribbean (with some
exceptions; i.e. specialty items -- just like many other cruise lines); you are not charged for coffee -- unless you order a special item from the coffee bar (just like
Carnival!) Please review our FAQ's for more specifics about these concerns. There may be
a stricter policy concerning smoking onboard, but this -- regrettably for our smoking clients -- has become the norm all over our country and -- ironically -- in Europe where peoples' attitude
towards smoking is far more laid back than here. In order to be in compliance with clean-air acts, you are going to see even more of the major cruise lines adopting a more strict
smoking policy. It was only a few short years ago that smoking was permitted in dining rooms, remember? Now, on no ship can you smoke in a contained area serving
food. An unfortunate incident of fire aboard a Princess Cruise ship led to a smoking ban on cabin balconies. Even on Carnival, smoking was discouraged in cabins; you had to ask
for an ashtray. There will be areas where you may smoke on the ORCHESTRA. We know that some of you will be less than pleased with the policy but hope that you will not let that stand in the way of enjoying your Super Cruise.
So, in a nutshell, Cruises Etc is excited and pleased to be offering "something
new." We're learning as we go along and will be doing a monthly email bulletin which will contain news and information about MSC and the ORCHESTA as we obtain
it. This summer, Joanne will be in Europe for vacation and will be the first Super Cruiser to sail on the ship. She has this to say: "I'm
excited, as always, at the thought of travel to Europe. But this trip is going to be special because I will be on the very ship that will be our home for the Super Cruise. I plan to
take loads of pictures and take plenty of notes. I want to assure my fellow Super Cruisers that I am not getting a free trip….. I will be sailing as a paying customer… so no
"favoritism" will be shown towards me. I will be experiencing the ship and MSC just like a regular passenger. I want to see things from the level of the consumer; not a
privileged travel agent. Hang in there 'til mid-July when I get back and keep checking our website for photos and my review of the ORCHESTRA!" The CREW at CRUISES ETCthanks you for taking the time to review these Q & A.
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