Best Cat Mom

Every day after returning to our cabin from breakfast in the restaurant, we'd stop by the cabin to pick up our paper. If the cabin was made up but there was no paper, we'd stop by the concierge desk to ask for it. They would usually then bring it to us in TSL within a few minutes. I know at least one time our paper was sitting right on the counter with our room number on it, as if they were waiting for our butler or junior butler to pick it up and drop it off in our cabin.

I wholeheartedly recommend using a travel agent. Not only will you have someone to advocate on your behalf for any concerns or changes, the high volume agencies will regularly save you 10 to 15% off MSC published fares.

If your spouse looks at the descriptions of each option, she'll see what ingredients the kitchen has available. I do a similar thing when I'm trying to figure out how I can adapt things to be gluten free for myself if I really want some of the ingredients. Keep in mind that some items come to the kitchen already prepared, but most are made right there. YC is so accommodating and your server can be your best friend when you're wanting to deviate from the menu.

I've seen on these boards that you can order something from the main restaurant to be served in the YC restaurant. I know as a gluten free person that on some ships my GF meals would come from the GF section of the main restaurant and not from YC -- if I ordered off the main restaurant GF menu. Instead, I would usually would order items off the YC menu that could be altered to be GF or were GF already. For you, I would say to order it as a "special preparation" in YC. Maybe they couldn't serve it to you until the next day, but you'd know it was made in the YC kitchen with the better YC ingredients.

When we were on Divina with Maurizio as Le Muse's manager (we had 2 sailings with him on Divina), he would special order lamb for me -- because I could not have the "regular" pistachio-crusted lamb as it was not gluten free -- from Butcher's Cut. Each time, our server made sure that we knew that Maurizio ordered extra and that he and our server would have the leftovers after service ended that night. Gotta order extra just in case, right? And wouldn't want it to go to waste, right? I think I had lamb 4 times on each of those sailings. 😉 Sorry, I digress. The special order lamb -- and filet a few times -- was always from Butcher's Cut according to our server. So if one is better than the other, I would guess it might be who picked it / ordered it from BC's inventory.

Wow! We were on the 4-night second leg of a B2B. There was 1 other couple also B2B. We reserved the pergola the morning of the second leg, before the new guests boarded and all was free. I wonder if that might have been why? Raj was the Head Concierge, Rizwan was the Head Butler and Maria Lucca was the YC Director. They knew us pretty well after the first week. Maybe that was a factor also? I know that the other B2B couple were doing several B2Bs, for quite a long time, more than a month, so they were very well known to the YC staff as well.

We're mildly interested in knowing how the casino program works so I'm trying to follow this thread pretty closely. Question: if the points listed are for the cruise you are currently sailing, where is USA sailings over 8 nights? We regularly sail 11-night Caribbean itineraries when we can and that isn't even on the list posted by @BirdTravels.

Correction -- We were on Seaside in September 2023 and there was no charge to reserve the pergolas. Sorry for the mistake. Guess I should look at my signature to make sure I'm not confusing itineraries.

Oops -- I was thinking about the transatlantic as that's when we were on 16. For this sailing, we were indeed on 15 and it was all one cruise so we spent the full 11 nights on 15. We had booked a starboard cabin for the lighthouse show on Ocean Cay, but that was before they announced that the island would be closed for our visit. 😞 Anyway, good to know that the alternate doors exist on both sides. We especially like to exit that way if we leave TSL whilst live music is performed. It doesn't feel as rude to the performer(s).

Thanks @DaKahuna! Since we were a deck above TSL, I was not sure.

We were on Seaside in April. The "extra" pergolas were reserveable for no charge. For our back to back, the concierge encouraged us to reserve for every day on the second part of our cruise. No charge at all.

Glad you liked the risotto too. We love having someone else prepare it -- what a time-intensive item to prepare at home! Great that you were able to enjoy service from Glenn and Ryan (Mauritius). We were so pleased with their partnership while on Divina for both our transatlantic last fall and then another sailing in the Caribbean earlier this year. I did not realize that Sukran was now on Divina -- he took great care of us on Seaside in September 2023. One of the best things about sailing YC is seeing those familiar faces pop up on future cruises. And I'm constantly amazed that they also remember us. Sometimes we might forget where we saw them, but the memory of their impeccable service remains. 🙂

I love a crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc with seafood. Moscato is too sweet for me. If she likes that, she should try a semi-sweet Gewürztraminer. It's has a similar sweetness and I like it to counteract a sour-type food, such as pork and sauerkraut. PS: Maybe we need a thread for YC food and wine pairings? 😉

Indeed! If you are with the same server team for each dinner, they'll probably be able to figure out your tastes after just one or two nights. We were extra careful when asking for a RED zinfandel too. Ask about different grapes -- I especially like a Malbec with red meat as a nice change from cabernet sauvignon.

Basically, you can use all of the spa where there is no regular charge -- meaning saunas, thermal rooms, whirlpools, etc. Treatments have a charge so no massages, facials, body scrubs, etc. are available to YC for free. As @DaKahuna alluded, Divina is a Fantasia-class ship with a small spa so having free access there has minimal perks. However, the Sea class ships have quite a few different rooms (both cold and hot) and a pretty large whirlpool-type pool with heated loungers. We've enjoyed the spa on Seaside and are looking forward to seeing how Seascape compares. Tell us what you think when you check it out. 🙂

Sent you an email just now with the info. Buon viaggio!

I knew that Simone (head concierge) went on holiday in May, though I was not sure when (head butler) Rudy's contract ended. I also saw that Glenn went home last week. While it's unfortunate that guests don't get to experience their excellent service right now, it's good for them to go home, see their families and recharge -- and hopefully come back fully refreshed and able to pamper us all another time. 🙂

Yes -- we always create our own, usually with tomato sauce, arugula, sausage and cheese. If you do create your own, don't forget to ask for tomato sauce and cheese because they won't necessarily assume you want both with your other toppings.

Exactly the same for us for all holidays, land-based or a cruise. We generally try to stay below $350 per person per night and MSC YC fits right in that price point. I'm amazed at how many land resorts are more than that -- and they don't have the added benefit of waking up in a new port each day and enjoying the sailing time overnight.

Though we don't require travel insurance (our American Express Platinum covers it), I recall seeing this mentioned several times on the Cruise Critic boards. Reading and researching are your friends! 🙂

And even better when they stop by TSL on the way back with a drink for us!

I upload the image of my spouse so they have to take a better one at the port. What you upload during check in can be anyone and they have no way of knowing. I always figured that was why they used to always take a new one at the port.

This is one of the things we miss from NCL Haven -- but it's not enough for us to give up YC. The restroom by the concierge desk is what BCD uses as his half bath. 😉

Our second week is the same as your first. We'll buy you a round in TSL. 🙂

Buon viaggio, caro Morph! We will be on Seascape in September. I'm hoping that you discover that Ercan and Anna are extending their contracts and will still be in charge of the TS restaurant then. They were a great team for us on Seaside last year. Ercan was especially kind to me and accommodating to my gluten allergy. For anyone who has a food allergy, knowing what and who to expect makes a world of difference. Safe travels on the road tomorrow. 🙂