MSC Cruises Replaces Tracy Arm Fjord with Endicott Arm for MSC Poesia’s 2026 Alaska Season, Ensuring a Safe and Stunning...
Source: Travel And Tour World
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Original Source: Travel And Tour World
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In a letter sent to passengers and travel partners, MSC Cruises revealed that they will be hiking gratuity rates on two popular types of cruises.
While they offered a way for booked guests to avoid paying the higher rate, there is a ticking clock attached to the deal.
In the letter, MSC said that the rate would impact guests booked on Caribbean and Alaskan sailings. They also said the new per person, per day rate would go into effect as of May 11, 2026.
As of that date, guests booked in standard staterooms will see the daily gratuity (or, as MSC calls it, “Hotel Service Charge”) rise from $16 to $17 per person per day.
Meanwhile, those booked into the Yacht Club — aka MSC’s ship-within-a-ship area — will pay a whopping $3 more per person, per day, with their price jumping from $20 to $23.
“The Hotel Service Charge helps us maintain the highest quality standards of service by supporting the dedicated crew members who work to enhance your onboard experience,” read the letter.
MSC did offer booked guests a chance to avoid paying the increased rate. “We are happy to honor the current Hotel Service Charge rate for guests who have already paid, as well as those who choose to prepay before the policy change [goes into effect] on May 11.”
There’s been no word as to why Caribbean and Alaska sailings were targeted in particular — aside, perhaps, from their popularity. It’s also unclear whether this change eventually will be implemented across the fleet’s other itineraries.
“We have a Yacht Club experience coming up,” said one MSC cruiser who reached out to our tip line. “And honestly, as if that wasn’t expensive enough already, now there’s another increase to contend with. When will it end?”
Similar stories are unfolding across many cruise lines. In February, Carnival Cruise Line announced they would be increasing their daily gratuities at the beginning of April. In that case, rates went from $17 to $18 per person per day for standard staterooms, and from $18 to $19 for suite guests.
This still falls well below the rates charged by Margaritaville at Sea, which in February hiked their rates to $22 per person, per day for standard rooms and $25 per person per day for suites.
Read Next: Details on MSC’s next private destination
MSC Cruises has announced a second private island destination in the Bahamas.
The new island, called Sandy Cay, will be located adjacent to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and is set to open in 2028.
Sandy Cay will be available exclusively to MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys guests. The island takes its name from its aragonite sand beaches, which MSC describes as among the purest in the world.
The company is positioning Sandy Cay as a more secluded, lower-key experience compared to Ocean Cay, with a focus on natural surroundings and a quieter atmosphere.
The announcement puts a name to what MSC had previously referred to internally as “Little Cay” in earlier communications about its Bahamas expansion plans.
While Sandy Cay is still three years out, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is getting a major upgrade closer to home.
MSC announced in January that the island will receive a range of new facilities due for completion in late 2027, along with a pier extension that will allow two ships to dock simultaneously.
New additions to Ocean Cay will include four additional dining venues, bringing the total to seven, a dedicated adults-only beach called Paradise Sands, an upgraded family beach area at Seakers Cove featuring a splash pad, ropes course and playground, additional cabanas, and a new marine conservation experience operated by the MSC Foundation.
Ocean Cay opened in late 2019 on a former industrial site and has become a regular stop on MSC’s Caribbean itineraries. The island currently features more than two miles of beachfront across eight beaches, seven bars, and a range of water activities.
The Sandy Cay announcement adds to a larger MSC expansion in the Bahamas.
Earlier this month, MSC also confirmed a deal with the Bahamas government for a new beach club at the Grand Lucayan Resort site in Grand Bahama, in addition to its previously announced $450 million investment to upgrade the Freeport cruise port facility.
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