MSC Yacht Club VS Regent Seven Seas Cruises?

Has anybody done both? How does the Yacht Club compare to RSSC? I have read the comparisons between the YC and the Haven and the YC seems to be the better deal and better experience.

Regent is supposed to be luxury but the YC reviews and videos makes it seems that the real luxury is in the YC for a lot less money.

Looking forward to any responses!

Has anybody done both? How does the Yacht Club compare to RSSC? I have read the comparisons between the YC and the Haven and the YC seems to be the better deal and better experience.

 

Regent is supposed to be luxury but the YC reviews and videos makes it seems that the real luxury is in the YC for a lot less money.

 

Looking forward to any responses!

As am I - now this is a comparison worth hearing, I reckon!

Never sailed RSSC - nor am I ever likely to with their prices :eek: Just back a couple of weeks now from Yacht Club on Meraviglia where the experience was second to none! However, I would imagine that food offerings on RSSC would be a step up from YC. But that would be more of a negative for me as high-falutin' food would be wasted on me.

We've done one MSC on Divina. We've done 5 on Regent. While MSC has a nice product it's like comparing apples and oranges. We are looking at trying Seaside for next year. Like the last poster said. Can't always do Regent at those prices and we found Divina to be a good substitute.

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We wonder if the OP has priced-out the cost of Regent vs MSC :). Totally different product.

Hank

We have sailed on both MSC YC and Regent.

Night and day... Regent is a small ship luxury experience... the entire ship is a "Yacht Club" :cool:

Regent is a totally all-inclusive cruise....you will not spend a nickel onboard.

(You will spend all your nickels in advance with the $$$ cruise fare :-) )

MSC is an active, entertaining experience... Regent is a low key, easy-going luxury experience... (somewhat overrated, but still a great product)

Beamafar, Thank you for your input! I have watched several videos on the YC and they are all impressive! I agree about fancy food, a good burger and a beer makes a great lunch for me.

I&J Cruisers, Interesting to read your post. I am curious if you or your TA had trouble booking on MSC due to known website issues? Seaside does sound like the best way to try YC especially since it has its restaurant near the YC. Regent is rather rich for most of us but does seem very appealing too.

Hitner, I agree that they are totally different products but I thought the same thing about the Haven and the YC and it seems that the YC competes fairly well with the Haven for a better price point. Would be interested if you had tried Regent or Crystal to compare yet?

Computerworks, I especially appreciated your response as having done both and can speak to what all-inclusive really means. I did check and I am not at a gateway city so it would be an extra $250 per person for "free" air but that doesn't seem to bad from St. Louis. The Concierge with overnight sounded nice but rather more expensive compared to booking an extra night yourself. Then I read about deviations etc and it starts to sound silly to worry about a few hundred on a cruise that costs thousands. The question for you is will your next cruises be mostly YC or Regent? :-)

 

Computerworks,... The question for you is will your next cruises be mostly YC or Regent? :-)

We had a cruise booked on the Regent Explorer, their newest ship... but cancelled. That ship is a bit of a flop, and friends were underwhelmed and overcharged. I truly have enjoyed Regent in the past.. but you have to match it with the right itinerary.

...plus, tip toe around the ship after 10pm...so as not to wake anyone. :cool:

The food is fantasic, the REAL all-inclusivity is exhilarating...the "free" excursions are lame and limited.

"Laid-back" is not an understatement...

Next up for us is Meraviglia... then Seaside YC next Spring. We do have an Oceania cruise also booked for next year... "Regent-lite"... :)

Computerworks, thanks for the additional info. I have been reading the Regent board also and had read about the Explorer and the whistling noise from the balcony doors, bad layout in theater as far as sight lines, uncomfortable lower cabins. I also learned to stay away from the rear of the Navigator due to bad vibration that affects even some common gathering areas in the rear etc.

I truly enjoyed the video reviews by Singapore Guitar of his family's MSC Yacht Club experience. It was hours of time well spent enjoying the cruise that he took and the special handing that they received as Yacht Club members. Watching Singapore Guitar's videos made me want to have that kind of experience.

Here is the first video from Singapore Guitar as he starts his MSC Yacht Club experience. Be warned he has several more hours worth of video of the Yacht Club that are extremely addicting!

Computerworks, thanks for the additional info. I have been reading the Regent board also and had read about the Explorer and the whistling noise from the balcony doors, bad layout in theater as far as sight lines, uncomfortable lower cabins. I also learned to stay away from the rear of the Navigator due to bad vibration that affects even some common gathering areas in the rear etc.

The new Explorer has a similar (unfixable) design flaw with respect to unusual vibration. They will have to live with that.

With respect to "ship-within-a-ship" luxury areas on mid-market lines... MSC (right now) does it better than anybody.

The butler staff on MSC is one of the best trained groups that I have encountered on ANY line. The area dedicated to the Yacht Club, and the associated services make it a truly great experience.

I read that the MSC butlers receive training from The International Butler Academy in the Netherlands http://www.butlerschool.com/ I figure that they must only send a few that then train others onboard the ship. But maybe most of them go to Holland for the training but somehow I doubt it.

The butler school web page is pretty cool and makes you appreciate the role of a butler and the appropriate training to do the job in a discrete and professional manner.

But like you, I rather enjoy their services than be providing them. As you had mentioned, the butlers on MSC YC get good reviews in general from what I read here on Cruise Critic.

The following is how I described the Yacht Club on another comparison thread:

You will not get anything near the value offered by MSC for a similar experience! Not only do you get a separate haven to include concierge, dedicated restaurant and lounge, private pool and sundeck with bar and buffet, butler service, priority boarding with escort, priority tender off the ship, mini-bar, room service, free access to the thermal area of the spa, etc. You also get the premium drinks package included for use around the rest of the ship!

The following is how I described the Yacht Club on another comparison thread:

now, to contrast with Regent... Imagine the entire ship having the same or better amenities as the YC area.

:cool:

now, to contrast with Regent... Imagine the entire ship having the same or better amenities as the YC area.

:cool:

I should hope so, too, at the prices they charge!! I don't expect diamonds at cubic zirconia prices. In the case of Yacht Club, it comes very close to a luxury experience without the astronomical price tag.

I should hope so, too, at the prices they charge!! I don't expect diamonds at cubic zirconia prices. In the case of Yacht Club, it comes very close to a luxury experience without the astronomical price tag.

...for now. ;)

...for now. ;)

Oh ............. how true! :rolleyes:

I've noticed a very sizeable increase in Yacht Club prices recently. The introduction of the ship-wide all-inclusive drinks package has no doubt been factored into it.

A YC balcony cabin on the new Bellissima two years out is 35% dearer for the same week than what we were quoted for our recent Meraviglia cruise two years ago. Add to that (or substract, I suppose) we got a 20% discount for being Black Card holders at the time. The discount now is only 5%.

Sadly, we are also tracking big YC fare jumps on cruises we have been watching for 2018 and 2019... one has almost doubled over the last 6 months.

I fear loss-leader days are numbered for the YC...