Eglesbrech

I’m curious about this as well. We have been invited to upgrade on some cruises but not on others. Seems to be no rhyme or reason to it.

@SewKate5 Mark T is correct, you can go any time you like but 10am has been about the earliest in my experience. If you like the Grills you should love the YC. Some prefer the food on Cunard but I have always enjoyed what is offered on MSC as well. Within reason you can make special food requests as well. All the extras included in YC make it more attractive pound for pound and the extra escort services provided by your butler eg if you are going on a tour you go down from Top Sail not the theatre etc. The contents of the mini bar is included in your price and the butler will change them if for example you prefer diet drinks or more fizzy water, different mixers etc. I don’t know if it applies to a weekend short cruise but we are usually also offered a full bottle for in the cabin from a relatively decent choice of vodka, gin etc (the whisky is however quite basic). You should be offered your choice of daily newspapers as well and there are evening surprises but I won’t spoil it by telling you. YC also has a lovely outdoor space where you can enjoy the sun or a light meal or afternoon tea (there is also white glove tea in top sail). There is a small pool, jacuzzi etc up there. YC is a lot more laid back than Cunard so expect a range of outfits on formal night for example but no one looks at you twice whether you choose to wear a tux/ ballgown or your best jeans and top.

We usually show up at the YC tent (look out for a blue gazebo outside the terminal building) about 10am. As described above you are escorted to the YC check in area for a drink and the paperwork. A butler then takes you up to the Top Sail lounge for another drink about 10.30am. There is a nice little snack area there on some ships on others you can request a snack plate. You can then either wait there to be escorted to your suite by your butler once it is ready or leave and go exploring. The concierge desk will help you set up your payment account and can assist with any bookings you wish to make. You don’t need to book slots for the main theatre shows if in YC, there is a separate area reserved for you. Your butler can escort you down to bypass the queues in the evening if that’s something you want (we never bother but the facility is there). Your YC card can also override the lifts to give you priority but the lifts are efficient so again we don’t tend to use this perk as it affects other guests. You will eat in the YC restaurant which is very good, particularly the Italian choices. You also get a choice of included wines by the glass and staff are happy to recommend an appropriate pairing if you want that. The coffee is also very nice as you would expect from an Italian vessel. On the last morning you also get priority to disembark when you want to. A butler will escort you down and you get priority to exit. @SewKate5You will enjoy the YC, they take very good care of passengers there.

The below the salt comment caught my attention. Salt was an expensive commodity and a cellar was ceremonially placed on the long table. Those at the top of the table had flavoured food, fine white matchett bread etc.. Those below the salt had less fine food and were of a lower social station. There were also sumptuary laws which dictated which colours of cloth certain people could wear. Some colours of fabric were reserved for the “higher” classes.

It also covers radio and podcasts which are brilliant for partially sighted and blind.

Well we went to see Hamilton and it is a brilliant show which I can highly recommend if you haven’t seen it yet. I love musicals and travel to Edinburgh to see any first runs that come up here. Show tickets are becoming so expensive now though. Add to that the cost of everything in Edinburgh, as a small town yokel I can’t believe how much they charge there for anything and everything. I feel the same in Southampton as well though. I’m used to the £10 meal and £4.20 pint of Stella! It’s been sunny again today so we enjoyed a long walk and did a bit of gardening.

I agree that the professional vloggers are usually very considerate however I have seen myself and family members (fleetingly) on several of these u tube videos. Particularly just after the pandemic when there were fewer passengers on ships. They do talk into camera but they also film in public areas and people are in the background. Not everyone will be happy about that. In the U.K. as you will know parents / guardians / grandparents are not allowed to film or photograph school shows or awards etc. Roll to the summer holidays and the same children are caught on camera by any random with a phone. You are correct, the lines may make rules in future but as to whether they are followed then dress code / towels on sunbeds/ embarkation times/ hand washing etc etc suggest not.

They were staying in the Yacht Club at the time which is a fairly small area of the ship. Consequently it would be difficult for someone staying in that “ship within the ship” to completely avoid being caught on camera as it is such a very small community of people (around 200). Add to that the fact that from time to time there are passengers who are fairly well known who travel in the Yacht Club with their families and will probably not want their children seen on camera. We had a very famous sportsman on our last voyage for example and no one bothered him. He and his family had a normal family holiday away from autograph hunters and fans. As other bloggers have discretely filmed in the YC in the past I wonder if on this particular occasion someone wanted to protect their privacy so filming was stopped? Who knows. Travel Blog Jamie was on our most recent Aurora cruise filming. It was interesting to see his take on our cruise. I enjoy watching some of these blogs for information and the professional bloggers are usually very careful and not “in your face” . It’s the selfie seekers who annoy me more and those who film or photograph every single bite they eat in the dining room (which is why we now avoid sharing tables whenever possible).

YC is a lovely experience, I’m sure you will enjoy it. Because of the amazing YC public areas we hardly spend any time in our cabin so nab a YC inside when we can, not always possible as they go fast. Just for information the insides are small and little short on space for storage so we usually take some magnets for extra hanging space and lightweight collapsible boxes to store things like shoes. There is a useful space under the two chairs that takes a 10 by 10 by 10 box which you hide all sorts of bits and bobs in (if the sizing is the same on your ship, we have only been on Virtuosa and Euribea). Packing cubes are handy as well for the high top shelf. As others have said, you will get hooked on the YC.

We have been busy booking tickets for shows. We are travelling down to Edinburgh to see Hamilton. The Pitlochry Festival theatre for Foot Loose and Sense and Sensibility. Dougie Maclean in Perth (my favourite singer by far). Ben Elton for comedy If anyone is heading north there are lots of really great shows available.

It’s a minor heatwave here. We sat out and enjoyed the sun and some cheese & wine. Just come in from the garden and the house is hot from the solar gain. Most unusual for here but hot, hot, hot!

Personally we prefer the Spey and Avon restaurants to the bigger and busier main dining room (though it is absolutely fine too). They are higher up the ship so a little more ships motion but smaller, quieter and usually with a decent sea view from the tables. Any wine you bring onboard will need to be handed in, it will be returned to you at the end of the cruise. Some of the merchants in Oporto will deliver straight to your home. There is another section of cc for ports of calls, you may get some advice there.

Welcome to cruise critic. You are off to the Azures then and the meteor shower. How lovely. Balmoral is an older ship but has very elegant public areas. We love the crows nest and the lovely outside areas. If you haven’t thought about it already have a look at the speciality restaurants which are very good value if booked in advance. The afternoon tea is also very pleasant. Fred offer some interesting activities and very good guest speakers, usually experts in what you are going to see. We enjoy the cookery demos showcasing local foods. The martini events are also fun. If you have any questions the folks on here are all friendly and have a wealth of knowledge, someone will usually be able to help you. @jeanlyon is just back from the Azures so may have some suggestions.

I drove down to visit family at the weekend and made a detour via Limekilns to see Braemar one last time. You could see she was on the move as her position had changed. Another nice old ship gone. We had some great cruises on her.

I like that one but we could get creative with other events such as: - The early morning towel on the sunbed race - How high can you pile the plate with food in the buffet before it topples or the ever favourite - how many more people can squeeze into the already full lift Endless possibilities.😀