eagletwo

We have been underwhelmed ordering full dining meals to our owners suite on Princess. Food was good, but you had to make sure you ordered everything you might need other than a knife and fork. Butter, salt and pepper, steak sauce, dressing for the salad and anything thing else that might be included in your dining room experience. We did this once after a long day in port. We have since gone to the MDR for most of our meals at night. 

We sail on our 4th MSC cruise in July. On our last cruise on the Meraviglia in 2022, we put in a bid for the Yacht Club from a Fantastica balcony to a Deluxe Suite. We were notified two days before sailing that our bid was accepted.  This time, we booked an interior cabin in the Yacht Club on MSC Seashore. When we received the offer to bid, the starting bid for a Deluxe Suite was $1105 per person. We passed on the bid. As of today, the Seashore has 6 Deluxe Suites and 4 Grand Deluxe Suites available. 29 days from departure. Will keep looking. 

6 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

For $6 a day more, I’ll leave my car right at the port, 1 level up in case of heavy rains. Definitely walkable

We have parked off site with no issues. Last cruise we parked at the port. Well worth the extra money, in our car by 8:30 am on the way home.

We were on our 9th Princess cruise last November on the Sky out of Ft. Lauderdale. She had just arrived from a transatlantic from England. Our mini-suite had a kettle. First time I had every seen one in the US market. Nice touch if you love tea.

Slow mail service happened to us in 2021, we did a side by side cruise, Regal Princess on Nov 24 and Enchanted Princess on Nov 30. Our Regal medallions showed up two weeks before we left for FLL. The Enchanted medallions did a USA tour with 4-5 different USPS centers from CA-TX-NY-GA-SC and after 3 weeks in the US, arrived at our home on November 27 while we were on the Regal. Our daughter overnighted the medallions to our hotel in FLL and they arrived on the 29th. When we tried to board the Enchanted on the 30th, the medallions did not work. After a few minutes at the check-in counter, they gave us a card and said to go to customer service on board about the medallions.  Folks at customer service took our medallions to the "back room" and came back about 10 minutes later and the medallions were working. Not sure what they did, but is was not a problem. There were a few folks at the desk area with the same issue.

One of best reviews I have read from a non Yacht Club experience. Thank you!

1 hour ago, Cruzinforpeace*** said:

I had plenty of room for trinkets in my cabin but I was an entertainer. I did live in the crew area, inside solo cabin below the water line but it was plenty big enough for me and some knick knacks.  I actually cherished some of the items I acquired on my contracts.  A fellow cast member crocheted me a bookmark that I still have to this day.  The most impactful gifts I received from passengers were good comments or personal notes. This was also very important for my job as well.  Good comments are a big thing you can gift any crew member in addition to cash (non entertainment staff).

I have to agree about the good comments on the staff. Please fill out the survey cards, email or however it comes to you. Take a photo of your favorite staff members name badge so you can give the right person the credit. Besides the cash tips, this could help get someone extra days off or even promoted.

It is interesting that this topic comes up almost weekly on Cruise Critic. I’ve never worked on a cruise ship because I could never work 10 hour days, 7 days a week with limited days off. I have held a good job working 40 hours per week for years, then on Friday afternoon, go pickup a limo and work until 2-4 am, get home at 5 am, sleep a couple of hours, go back out and do a couple of weddings until 1 am. 25 hours plus on a weekend.
 

I did this for 14 years to support our family and 2 new children. As a driver, my biggest disappointment was the client giving me tickets to the show, a nice meal or back stage passes to Prince, Billy Joel, Cher, Jimmy Buffet, ZZ Top, Elton John and the list goes on. I’ve driven most of the major stars. I can’t pay my bills or feed my family on free food at the venue and back stage passes. Cash, cash, cash. Remember that when you want to give your room steward a nice personal gift you brought from home that you think is so cute and perfect. Give them the cash you would have spent on your “special” gift. 

On our first cruise in 2005 on the Diamond Princess, Seattle inside passage, we packed enough clothes for a two month cruise. Tuxedo (we did a renewal of vows on board), suite, ties, shirts and slacks, sweaters,  jeans, enough underwear for a month, jackets, rain coats, 4 pairs of shoes. And this was just me. It was 95 degrees here in SC when we left the last week of July, 80 degrees in Seattle and the rest of our trip in Alaska was cold (low 40's) and rainy some days. We traveled with my parents, in-laws and our two teenagers. We took enough luggage to fill up the back of a full size pick-up truck. 😌

16 cruises later, we can pack one suite case each for the week, have nice day wear, swim wear, slacks and polo for me at night and wife wears nice summer dresses. I don't care what other people wear as it dose not make or break my cruise. Seen it all on Princess, Carnival and MSC so far.  49 days until our next cruise.

We were on the Sky Princess back in November of 2023. Kind of a last minute cruise and a lot of the excursions were booked. Once on board, we went to the excursion desk and were added to a wait list for the one we wanted. We were in the casino one evening and someone from the excursion desk found us with our Medallion and told us we could book the excursion. Nice!

We sailed on the Divina in a YC suite back in 2021 from Port Canaveral. We did not like having to walk to the aft of the ship to dine. Food was ok for dinner. Arthur made the experience better.

After sailing on the Meraviglia, the layout on the Divina was confusing and the crew had no idea on how to give directions to many parts of the ship, especially to the store that offered toothpaste and items we forgot. I have to admit, we walked past the sundries store at least three times because the front of the store had liquor displayed in the front. Once you walked into the shop, there was a small area on the right with a display of toiletries and snacks. The pizza shop was never open for the 3 day cruise so if you wanted pizza, you went to the buffet or ordered from the YC menu. 
 

We are looking forward to our fourth MSC cruise in the YC on the Seashore in July. 

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Agreed!

 

We went to the Butcher's cut for our Diamond dinner and they did not have any of the "included" small filets. They would not give us the bigger filet in replacement. They said that they were offering a hanger steak as a replacement for the filet 😞 

That is sad. I would have asked for the bigger filet to be cut in half and served. Hanger steak is not a replacement for a filet. 

I met a couple in the YC that paid for an upgrade once on board, YIN to YC1 for $600 for a 7 day cruise. This was on the Meraviglia Oct of 2022. When we were on the Divina Sept 2021 for a 3 night cruise in an YC1 cabin, the YC was not full. We asked if there were any upgrades to a larger suite and the Concierge desk said we could upgrade to the Royal Suite for $1600. We passed.

Sad to hear about the filet. My wife has ordered the filet 3-4 times each cruise in the YC and she has loved it. Hope it will be ok on our upcoming Seashore cruise.

After three YC cruises and another one coming up in July on the Seashore, the only dish I can’t seem to like is their fish. Every main I have ordered has been overcooked and dry. I have politely sent the dish back each time and they bring me back the same dry fish. Will try again this cruise. 

When we were on the Sky Princess November 25th, 2023 from Port Everglades, our cabin had a kettle. Maybe because the ship had just arrived from a TA, the UK?

7 hours ago, Mark_T said:

If you want a preview, take look at this video, it shows the whole process of boarding in YC at Terminal C...

 

Don't let anyone take your luggage before you get to the white YC tents as they will get special tags applied there to ensure rapid delivery.

We made the mistake of giving our luggage to the regular porters at the Miami port on our first YC cruise on the Meraviglia.  The luggage showed up in the late afternoon. Lesson learned. YC is the only was to cruise on MSC.

On our last cruise on the Sky Princess, November 25th, we saw men wearing shorts in the MDR every night. Formal night was no different. Did it ruin our cruise? Nope, we just enjoyed our meal. 

We had Prime Rib on the last night on our Sky Princess cruise. It was good, but we should have asked for it medium. Tasted great. 

14 minutes ago, spunks said:

In over 60 Princess cruises I have NEVER had a cabin with tea/coffee making kettles.Perhaps the Suites do have them

 

I do have a question about the new policies. In the past we have always ordered coffee every morning from room service and there was never a charge( other than the nice tip we give to the delivery person). We have the plus package. Will we be charged every day for coffee delivery under the new policy?

We had a tea/coffee making kettle in our mini-suite on the Sky Princess November 25th. Maybe because the ship had just arrived from overseas? First one I have ever seen in North America.  As for the Plus Package, free room service delivery is included. We really enjoyed being able to order a drink with the Medallion app and have it delivered to the cabin at no charge. We always tipped the room service attendant. 

46 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

If someone is a casino player, they have other options than cruising to gamble.

Most people don't have the option to not fly somewhere.

 

With that said,  I'm not a smoker and would prefer smoke free too, but cruise lines know most gamblers smoke.

I agree, the cruise lines tried years ago and it cost them $$$$$. Most land restaurants don’t allow smoking anymore and they are still in business. 

49 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

How long beforehand?

Book on line in the app just like making dining reservations. 

5 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

If you, or anyone OB, gets a chance, would you please ask JP why PCL is still a smoking casino???

 

Health conscious companies have no smoking casinos for guests and employees.

 

Is it the money?  Because, many of us avoid the casino because of the stench and our health.

 

That is, if he didn’t leave already.

TIA

We were on the Sky last week. Smoke was awful in the casino all week. I believe cruise lines tried non smoking years ago and saw their casino traffic fall a great deal. $$$$ lost. They just need to do what the airlines did and stop all smoking. Airlines are packed. 

5 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

It would was very likely sold out more than two hours earlier.

I agree. We just like to board late and go to our cabin. The Sanctuary is nice, but we should be able to book beforehand. 

5 hours ago, awatt said:

@Host CJSKIDS was it difficult to get a Sanctuary reservation? Trying to decide if its worth it to leave very early for the portto attempt it. Am not  elitebut will be green lane..

We boarded the Sky at 1:30 pm on November 25th. Sanctuary was already booked for the week.