Morgsmom

Yes, DH has been able to watch NFL football on MSC ships while in the Caribbean. If it's a BIG game (like "the Big Game") they will show on the big screen.

11 minutes ago, ChattTenn said:

We like MSC enough to cruise with them but not too happy on some of their ways of doing things such 3 MDR seatings and $5 charge for another entree etc.

Just curious, how is this different than many other lines who have fixed dining times?  You can always upgrade to Aurea or Yacht Club if you want to dine at will.  As far as the $5 charge, it's new.  And it's really to discourage the massive amount of waste.

It REALLY depends on the Dining Room Mgr/Maitre D'.  I've seen gents turned away for wearing shorts, and others sporting ball caps in the dining room at dinner 🤢

On 8/12/2023 at 11:20 AM, south-carolinagirl said:

Are there beach lounge chairs on Lighthouse Beach on Ocean Cay? Not just the bean bag chairs and Adirondack chairs, actual loungers with umbrella stands for rented umbrellas.

No beach chairs however the umbrellas on Lighthouse Beach are free and first come, first served

There are many reports of the Dysons not working properly or short-circuiting due to amp issues.  Wouldn't risk it personally.  

98% of the time the Starboard Cabins "face" the island.  

20 hours ago, ISABELLA said:

I was considering our first MSC - YC cruise. We only want balcony suite. Can MSC change our Balcony suite to an inside?

chances are .0000001%

26 minutes ago, MaisonRose said:

Well: my long term (11 yrs) agent managed to change our friends cabin back to the original 11191 and now we are 12133 on different decks.

 

I’m Diamond, this is their second cruise ever. So obviously this is totally arbitrary. We would be best on the same deck, right?

Yes.  You’d be better on same deck. 

20 hours ago, MaisonRose said:

MSC ORCHESTRA NOV 9 from Marseille.

i just received my new invoice and in checking details my cabin #  11191 has been changed to cabin #12133.

our travel companions have been moved                 from cabin #11189                                                 #12134

 

 

The only good thing is that there is a hallway / passthrough right outside your cabin to go across the deck to their cabin

To note, smoking of weed is NOT allowed ANYWHERE on the ship.  To many (me! me!) it's gross.  You wan't to F* yourself up without messing up the air that other people have to breathe, then go for it.  Shove that $..t up your nose, swallow a gummy, whatever,  but the minute you put your weed smoke in the air it's now my problem.  I'm expected to inhale that air so that you can get an (illegal at sea and violation of MSC rules) buzz on. Gee thanks.

In addition, smoking (cigarettes or doobies) in a cabin in a violation of the no open flame rule as well as jacking up the cabin for the next person.

I have found it to be a BIG issue in the YC and agree that nothing is being done about it. 

Oh, man... we are going on our first NCL cruise (and on the Joy) in a few weeks.  Now I'm leery. Actually I have been since I found out that I can't get a bottle of water or espresso with our beverage package...  To note, the Veuve issue on NCL is not a supply issue - the menu was re-written to exclude Veuve.  It's not like it's listed and they say it's out.

As far as Rudolf on the Mera - sorry, but I've cruised with him twice and had exactly the opposite experience.  He actually challenged me to a blind tasting once when I refused to drink from a $3 bottle of Mondavi that he produced.  

53 minutes ago, xcell said:

Connecting rooms are not that bad.  I had one with our friends (we still kept the door shut) and parents (open) and had no issues.  It's only a door when used, a wall when closed...

I actually find connecting rooms creepy.  I know, I know, it's irrational but 🤷‍♀️

11 hours ago, arboreal said:

Hi everyone!  It's been 10 years or so since I last cruised with MSC, and I remember there being a binder of shore excursions that were offered exclusively to yacht club, that could be accessed thrrough the concierge. 

Exclusive YC experiences/excursions are a thing of the past... their ship has sailed 🙂

13 hours ago, Ron777 said:

Is there any way I can obtain a complete invoice from my last cruise, less than one week ago?  I either accidentally discarded or otherwise lost the invoice they gave me.  There seems to be somewhat of a discrepancy between my bank statement and what MSC invoiced.    Thanks.

Likely not possible, unfortunately.

Thank you for the review.  I'm not sure that I'd downgrade a cruise line for lack of availability of Chicken Tenders.  In addition, if it rains on Ocean Cay OF COURSE people are going to flock back to the ship.  That's no one's fault and I'm sure two gangways were open but it's just more people than can be processed in a few minutes.  

Ask to see the menus (both YC and MDR) for the NEXT DAY and place your order accordingly.  In addition set a time that you will be coming to dinner.  So if you see Dish X on the MDR menu (tomorrow's menu) that you want, ask for it and let them know you will be dining at 7:00 for example.  That way they can plan for it and hold it for you.  

If you try to do this MID-SERVICE (same day) expect either a "no" or a rather delayed service --- which will also impact every other table in the YC Dining room as someone will have to leave their station to try to do this.  

They are feeding 5000 people plus 1500 crew 3 x a day.    (4x a day for the cruisers....)

On 7/26/2023 at 3:46 AM, sverigecruiser said:

 

What we know is that they are old and have mobility issues.

 

They will defenitely be escorted EVERYWHERE if they need/want.

 

Problem to get a soda from the minibar? A butler will help them. NO

 

Need help to get from sofa to balcony? A butler will help them. NO Absolutely No. Butlers will not physically help someone from place to place.

 

Forgot the glasses when going to the lounge? A butler will get it for them.  WOW?  Really? You'd ask your butler to get your glasses? 

 

There are lots of things they can get help with, as you know.

 

 

Sorry but MOST of these things are just not true.  The butlers have 8-16 cabins. They CERTAINLY will not come to your room to get a coke out of the fridge.  Should they stand by and hand you a towel after your shower?  Come on now, @sverigecruiser this is just ridiculous.

There are espresso machines (not coffee machines) in the YC.  To my knowledge you cannot request in Aurea as the cabin stewards who service the room would not have access to the nespresso pods.  However you can have a pot of coffee brought to your room at any time.

9 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Ok, I knew it was a non-refundable deposit. I didn’t realize that wasn’t the case outside of the YC. We may just lose our deposit, rather than spend another 6,000+, when we’ve already exceeded our vacation budget for 2024. We thought we had a year from the date of the booked cruise to reschedule. Lesson learned. 

@NCteacherlovescruising  I remember you saying that you booked onboard.  When you did that you MAY have 1 year of flexibility because you booked YC while onboard the YC.  Check the terms of your specific booking since I believe it was made while sailing.  I *think* there's more flexibility from the literature I've seen/read. Good luck!

15 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

Personally, I would consider this to be one of those instances in which ‘another passengers behavior’ is negatively impacting my cruise experience as mentioned in the acceptance of carriage agreement we all must sign to sail. I will report and expect action by the crew.

I reported.  Their response was to ask if I (emphasis added) wanted to move cabins.  

On 7/25/2023 at 11:41 AM, amygutman said:

Really?

I don't remember that policy. Is it new?

That's a darned shame though having had many drinks spilled on me by over enthusiastic (or over-indulging) fellow theater-goes, I can understand why. Perhaps its a holdover from Covid. 

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. 

Warmest, Amy

No drinks in theater and in pools/hot tubs.  Policy has been in effect for a while now.

On 7/25/2023 at 8:55 AM, TravelandLeisure85 said:

Yeah, I still can’t believe people were openly smoking either. The thing is—it wasn’t just one person; we witnessed several! MSC needs to come up with some way to address this. 

Have witnessed this VERY OPENLY on MSC as of late.  Our balcony "neighbors" in the YC were openly smoking weed on the balcony and in their cabin.  The YC Director (and security) did NOTHING.  Not even a slap on the wrist.  🤢

On 7/23/2023 at 7:21 PM, def0715 said:

When I booked I was under the impression I could change the sail date. Didn’t realize I must pay the amount in full and can’t apply deposit to a cheaper cabin category. That’s on me, but the rep didn’t help. He didn’t make that clear to me before I pounced. 

@def0715Yes, you CAN change the sail date up to 90 days IN ADVANCE.  No, you do not have to be paid in full to do so.  Yes, on your new sail date you CAN downgrade to a cheaper cabin category and your $400'ish deposit will be credited.  

Sorry, first NCL.  On other cruise lines once you register a device the system knows it's IP address and you are "locked" (you can't switch on and off devices).  Is this the same for NCL?  Both DH and I will likely need to log in and do a wee bit of work during our cruise. The meager total minutes in current packge isn't going to cut it.   Do we need to purchase TWO unlimited plans or can we share ONE by toggling back and forth.  And, no, this is not comparable to trying to share a drink package - this is WiFi for which (as far as I am concerned) there is no incremental cost of goods to NCL.  It's just a money grab.

14 hours ago, EngrJones said:

They have a morgue?!  How many bodies are typically in there?  I would think that there would be just as much chance of somebody being dead in the next room due to "too much cruising" or it was just their time.

All ships have morgues.  And Jails, for that matter 🙂  The morgue would sail empty at the beginning of the cruise and then, who knows... However, a jail might already have a crew member in it (a guest would have been let off at home port)... Good times.