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.
The MSC Area experience has changed drastically over the years. Previously, the benefits far exceeded the cost, in my opinion. As the benefits have changed (been reduced), you need to do a little research to see what’s right for you.
Current info on the Aurea experience can be found HERE.
So, is the Aurea experience still worth it? Below is what is included with the Aurea experience as of July 2024. Depending on your preferences, the Aurea experience may still be for you. Take a look at what is included with the Aurea experience to see if you will use the benefits.
Personally, I enjoy the thermal area and like to visit while cruising. The rate is approximately $110 per adult if purchased onboard. The Aurea experience gets you into the thermal area for 1 hour, 1 time per day and reservations are required but you can likely walk in on less busy times such as port days and evenings. I always prefer to go when it will be less busy anyways as I feel it’s more relaxing.
If you are getting a drink package, the Prosecco won’t be an added benefit cost wise. I enjoy having a welcome bottle in my stateroom, but I don’t factor this into the monetary value of the experience since I typically sail with the drink package. Access to the Solarium is great for those of us who like to relax away from the crush of other sailors. My kids are now almost 18 and 21, so being able to get away from the little ones while on vacation is a huge benefit to us. Please note that the benefits no longer state that the solarium is adults only, but it’s always been adults only on our cruises.
Another great benefit is free 24-hour room service. I love to have coffee and a light breakfast on our balcony. Plus, the kids always want to eat again later in the evening when most dining has closed. Having free room service is a great benefit for my family. The one free cruise change option is also a great benefit. Many lines charge a fee to make a change to your cruise.
Additionally, having priority boarding is a fantastic benefit. We always arrive at our departure city at least one day in advance (this is highly recommended). Therefore, we usually need to be out of our hotel room by 11am. It’s great to be able to go straight from the hotel to the port and get onboard quickly to start our vacation.
MSC has also been offering promotions for drinks and wifi included. Look into these offers to see if it makes sense for your voyage.
- Access to thermal area (for adults only, upon reservation)
- Welcome Package (Prosecco + Chocolate)
- Dine any time you choose
- Free access to the Top Exclusive Solarium
- Discounted drink package option available at the time of booking*
- 10% discount on all spa treatments purchased on board
- Priority boarding & luggage drop off
- Opportunity to choose the stateroom and its location
- One free cruise change (Booking Terms and Conditions apply)
- Free continental breakfast in stateroom (free delivery)
- 24-hour room service (free delivery)*
Overall, I am disappointed with the changes made to the Aurea experience, but I still believe you can get value out of it depending on the cost during your cruise. What do you think?
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 a discounted drink package.
- The “Aurea” Experience offers access to the thermal area, access to the solarium, free room service and more.
- The MSC Yacht Club offers all-inclusive amenities and is the top tier experience for cruisers.
UPDATE – August 2022 from experience from cruiser Sebastien:
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 2022 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’s 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 significantly 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)
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.
