UPDATE – August 2022 from cruiser Sebastien
Current info on the Aurea experience can be found HERE.
MSC Aurea has been majorly changed, it has been downgraded immensely.
No more drink package, no more free massage, and the priority boarding has lost it’s value since the new boarding procedures became active (everybody has a specific time to be allowed to board the ship – you cannot come early and Aurea members are not prioritised in this system)
I booked in June Aurea and our boarding time was just 1 hour before departure 17h…we learned on the ship, new people who just had inside Bella cabins and who boarded at 11am … (6 hours before us)
On board they told us we didn’t get a free massage , and to get the discount of 40% we had to book a massage BEFORE entering the ship at listing prices… (who are actually 400% times more expensive then a massage in a beautysalon)
On top of that , when you are on the ship, it is not uncommon to find 30 or 40% discounts on spa massages every 2 or 3 days in the next day activities paper (applicable for all passengers, not only for aurea)
As for the better cabins it also doesn’t matter anymore because since june you can book those better cabins separately , it’ called premium cabins. If you choose deluxe cabins you risk having a lifesavingsboat in front of your cabin or a side panel…so don’t choose deluxe cabins, not even as aurea…so Deluxe cabins are the cheapest worst placed cabins (why did they call it deluxe???)
Pillow menu also doesn’t exist anymore, there are only two pillows to choose from, and actually anybody can request them (not only for Aurea)
To recapulate:
Aurea does not guarantee priority boarding anymore, it does not include drinking packages anymore , no more free massage, no insurance of having a obstruction free cabin (lifesavingsboat or windpanels)
The only thing left in aurea is:
1) My choice dinner (but actually you can request that on the boat even if you are not aurea and you don’t want to sit with other people)
2) access to the solarium deck (but you can also purchase day passes…and remember it is adults only, dont purchase aurea if you have -18y children)
3) access to the thermal spa (but with covid restrictions most is still closed until 2023) and you can still purchase this access on board…children not allowed
Don’t waist your money on Aurea anymore
ps: Drinking packages now also are a bit changed: If you take the default alcohol package “easy” you get significly downgraded. you are not allowed to drink bottled drinks anymore like juices or sodas. You are not allowed to have coffees or ice scream anymore. Strangly enough if you get the cheaper NON-alcohol package you get it all back…we upgraded on the boat from non alcohol package to easy package and were not allowed to drink coffee or canned juices anymore because we upgraded…if we wanted it back, we would be required to upgrade to the premium packages…also with easy you are not allowed to drink in the speciality restaurants??? wow MSC made being on a vacations very very difficult (all these exceptions and rules)
Booking with MSC cruises was different than booking with other cruise lines. Guests customize their cruise experience by selecting from several experiences. The experience based pricing structure allows guests to personalize their cruise based on their unique needs and wants. We purchased the MSC Aurea Experience during our recent sailing on the MSC Magnifica. Since we weren’t entirely sure what to expect with the experience, we’ve created this article to help you understand what’s included and to help you determine if it’s worth the cost.
As I mentioned in my MSC Cruise Travel Secrets article, each experience provides different benefits and also dictates which staterooms are available for booking.
- The “Bella” Experience is perfect for budget savvy travelers.
- The “Fantastica” Experience offers more ideally located staterooms, free room service, and the Fantastica Drink Package.
- The “Aurea” Experience offers premium balcony stateroom or suite, free UNLIMITED drinks & more. Read more on the Aurea experience coming soon.
- The MSC Yacht Club offers all-inclusive amenities and is the top tier experience for cruisers.
- The “Wellness” Experience is a new service dedicated to health and fitness.
MSC Aurea Experience
Preference of staterooms was one of the greatest concerns of the package for my family. Guests will have the opportunity to choose amongst the best staterooms available.