During check-in you will be asked to provide all of the necessary travel documentation.  If you do not have all of the proper travel documentation, you will be denied access to the ship.  For information regarding documentation needed, please consult your cruise ticket documentation or the “Documents Required” section of the FAQ’s portion of this web site. 

For your convenience, we provide a cashless system on our ship’s that allow you to sign for all of your onboard purchases (with the exception of the casino).  At check-in, you will be asked to provide a credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) or cash deposit for onboard purchases.  Please note that on Caribbean, eastbound Transatlantic, South America and South Africa cruises onboard prices are in US dollar.  On all other sailings, onboard prices are in Euro. 

To make sure you can use any electrical equipment such as an electric shaver, please note that the MSC Melody, MSC Rhapsody, MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera and MSC Musica offer 110/220V current in the staterooms (twin flat USA Standard pins are required and are available on board). 

Guests with pre- or post-cruise hotel packages might want to bring converters and/or adapters for their extended stay.

A  Wi-Fi card is available fleet wide with exception of MSC Rhapsody and enables wireless Internet connection in certain areas of the ship displaying the sign "MSC Hot Spot Wi-Fi Area". Wi-Fi connection is available in most common areas of the ships.

All you need is a prepaid MSC Wi-Fi card that will enable your laptop to access the service.
Configuration and Activation: Your MSC Wi-Fi card is already active and ready for use. All you have to do is reach the designated areas and open your browser. The system automatically connects you to the MSC Wi-Fi portal. Insert your Username and Password (provided on paper).  Remember, you can buy the card from the Information Office. Prices vary from USD21 for 30 minutes, to USD42 for 1 hour and USD65 for 120 minutes.

Conditions: The service is made possible by means of a shared bandwidth satellite connection. For this reason, the service may be slower during peak usage times. Any unused credit cannot be refunded, and the card will be automatically cancelled at the end of the cruise.

Caribbean/Bermuda/Canada & New England Cruises

For security and immigration purposes, each guest is responsible for bringing all required travel documents.  

U.S. citizens sailings that begin and end in Fort Lauderdale are required to present proof of citizenship such as a passport or an original birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID.   A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by Department of State, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.   All guests over the age of 16 sailing on the November 20, 2009 or December 10, 2009 or sailing back-to-back itineraries (combining sailings) on one of these voyages must present a valid passport.   

Guests of all ages on cruises beginning or ending in Quebec or New York are required to present a valid passport whether boarding in New York or Quebec. 

You may be required to present a passport when you dock at a foreign port, depending on the islands or countries that your ship is visiting.  MSC Cruises also strongly encourages its guests to visit the Department of Homeland Security website (www.dhs.gov) and the United States Department of State website (www.travel.state.gov) for the most up-to-date traveler information including passport and visa requirements as well as immunization requirements, travel advisories and safety recommendations.

PLEASE NOTE: MSC Cruises is not responsible for advising guests of required travel documents or of travel advisories. Guests who fail to have the required documents for vessel security and immigration will be denied boarding and such guests shall not be entitled to any refund nor shall MSC Cruises have any further liability to such guests.

International and Transatlantic Cruises

For security and immigration purposes, each guest is responsible for bringing all required travel documents. U.S. citizens traveling abroad are responsible for bringing all required travel documents for boarding the ship in the country in which they will embark including a valid passport and any visas required for their cruise itinerary.  Alien residents and non-U.S. citizens should consult with their local consulates for proper identification requirements.

All guests are responsible for securing the necessary visas and immunizations.

Please be advised that passports for U.S. citizens flying to the following countries to embark on their cruise must be valid for three months beyond the last day of their stay: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain. 

NOTE:  Debarkation in Libya by U.S. citizens is prohibited by the Libyan government.

MSC Cruises also strongly encourages its guests to visit the Department of Homeland Security website (www.dhs.gov) and the United States Department of State website

(www.travel.state.gov) for the most up-to-date traveler information including passport and visa requirements as well as immunization requirements, travel advisories and safety recommendations.

PLEASE NOTE: MSC Cruises is not responsible for advising guests of required travel documents or of travel advisories. Guests who fail to have the required documents for vessel security and immigration will be denied boarding and such guests shall not be entitled to any refund nor shall MSC Cruises have any further liability to such guests.

Starting July 13th, 2009, MSC Cruises will support an innovative UNICEF program to combat poverty and inequality by helping ensure disadvantaged children in Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo gain quality education.

Guests are also invited to “get on board for children” and make a difference by offering a small donation. This can be as little as €1 (or $1.50), which will be added to the bill at the end of the cruise. However this small donation, valid on all ships in the MSC Cruises fleet, is of course optional. Therefore, passengers may freely decide whether to increase, decrease or cancel it, communicating their decision to the Accounting Office before 22.00 of the last day of the cruise. This Office is at guests’ disposal for further information. For your convenience, should you give no indication to change the amount, the sum of € 1(or.$1.50)  will be automatically debited to your final account.

For more information please read the informational brochure left in every cabin or go to www.msc-unicef.org