KittyCruz

On 5/22/2022 at 2:01 PM, ScratchTheRat said:

Hello all!

 

First time on MSC next week and I saw there are two shows that you need to pay for.

 

They say you get a signature drink but we're on the premium drinks package so do we still pay for the show?

 

Are there free shows as well? Only on for 3 nights and want to make the most of it.

We were on the Meraviglia pre Covid- the shows in the carousel where Cirque du Soliel - and very good, the drinks were mass made pick up as you go to your seat and not very good, but part of the "package" 

We found that the early show time was the best in regards to seating - we had second row for our Cirque show for a mere $18/pp, the later seating we had not great seats in the back where they did the dinner and show.

The shows were worth the extra cost and we decided if we ever get back to this ship or one with the carousel theater we plan to do again but get drinks to bring in rather than take the ones offered.

On 1/24/2023 at 6:20 PM, Two Wheels Only said:

 

There are plenty of great non-Yacht Club reviews out there.

 

MSC being "different" is often the cause of the bad reviews. There are legitimate complaints and there are "...my favorite cruise line does things differently so I'll never sail MSC again..." complaints. It's important to separate the two.

Right before Covid, we did MSC non yacht club and really enjoyed it - we had booked an aurea suite and enjoyed the perks that came with it (thermal spa access, room service)

The big qualm I saw in reviews that we read when researching were people (US) were not used to a more european line, but we didn't mind.  Foodwise there were always good options and we had fun on the ship.

while I can get the tuxedo on the cat, I could not get him to applaud you know cats....

Enjoying reading this thread and seeing all of your tips/tricks.

This will be our second MSC cruise and first in the YC so I'm taking notes (don't cruise till November)

Glad  we are not the only folks that go for a 'Bailey's Service'

Love that we can request an afternoon snack/beverage in our cabin as well as hot tea at night. One of my favorite things about cruising is just relaxing on the balcony listening to the ocean

***

I do have question, can anyone tell me if they have Chai Tea available?  (this is my husbands go to beverage and I'm trying to see if they have it or if we can somehow sneak it on so that its there)

We sailed on the Meraviglia pre covid and had the premium drinks - i got really used to Veuve Cliquoet but I suppose I could become a Moet girl.

On 1/9/2023 at 7:12 PM, Cumbria1kaz said:

I wouldn’t pay attention to the negative reviews. We went on the maiden voyage from Rome and had an absolutely amazing time. It was our first in YC and just wow! The ship is beautiful, the staff are fantastic and we met some wonderful people who we will stay in touch with. I’ve just booked Bellissima today so I hope she compares favourably to Seascape. Honestly just go and have a fabulous time. 

This is wonderful to hear! 

We're booked for November 22 , second time with MSC and our first time in YC

If you all have any tips or insights would love to hear

On 4/13/2022 at 5:54 AM, miataman19 said:

Here is my ballpark for a 7 day sailing. Again, as stated in earlier posts, it depends on how much you utilize the services of each individual. I'll bring an extra $200 - $300 for these tips.

Butler - $40

Assistant Butler - $20

Sommelier - $50 -$75 (I utilize him alot..lol)

Maitre d' - $25 (If he does something special for you)

Concierge - $25 (If you utilize he or she. If you don't utilize them, no tip)

Server, DR +Top Sail (if you get the same one's throughout the cruise) $20 each

DR Hostess - $20 (you see her everyday)

Favorite Bartender in Top Sail - $20

Top Sail Musician - $20

 

I know I'm forgetting someone.

 

Also thank you for posting!  We've not done YC before and I was looking for a ballpark idea so we can be prepared. 

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

The advantages of Diamond are not that great. We would rather be first timers, silver? in the YC than Diamond outside the YC in any category. However you all may still be too young to be spoiled so early in life. Take it slow and easy. Work your ways up to the best life has to offer. Too much of the best in life at an early age can damage your pysche later on. Do not recommend doing the Yacht Club too early in ones life, especially grandparents bringing their grandchildren. Unless these grandparents set aside a nice inheritance for them.

With the exception of Carnival we have been trying the different lines out to see which one we like the best, since our first MSC was on the Meraviglia right as covid began to get serious we actually felt like we didn't get to full on experience everything (our ship was the first to be denied port during the start of the pandemic so we basically sailed around Cuba with a one port stop in Cozumel)  We also really felt MSC did a good job in how they handled it all. 

We're still a few years off from retirement but thankfully we are in a position to be able to splurge every once in a while.

1 hour ago, phissy said:

I had the same thought.

Regular YC guests will not receive even close to what Morpheus has posted.

(The amenities shown are not due to Booking Royal Suite.)

VIP classified YC guests seem to receive  3-4 times what is normal for YC experience. My concern is when someone books YC, after reading these very informative posts, expecting the same. 
They will be disappointed when they receive 1+1 in suite.

Thanks All for the additional input and considerations!    I am enjoying reading Morpheus' post since there is not a lot out about this ship and its current inhabitants. 

So far I have on my radar to be pleasantly surprised by the amenities/treatments but to feel entitled to the special VIP YC perks.

and 

Be prepared to have usurpers who might try and come between me and a YC seafood buffet banished back to the cheap seats. 

4 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Both. We only requested 'still', large and small glass bottles.  Stocked refrigerator and found a leather box containing small can of Pringles, Toberone and glassware. Don't know anymore the 'amenities', they change from week to week. Embarrassed to ask, really..."

Thank you!  I am afraid that I'm the DW that makes her husband walk everywhere as well.

We are not huge drinkers, but I when cruising I like to have dinner wine and my husband has a cocktail and the idea of having water bottles 24/7 is really the best.   last time we sailed was right at the start of the pandemic and we had an aurea suite with the unlimited drinks so we ended up packing the mini bar bottles and gave them to the kids (all grown) in their stockings. 

I'm really excited for the yc treatment and chocolates on our pillows or general area- thanks again and happy sailings

On 12/27/2022 at 1:55 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

Found this interesting. When we walked into are cabin just before lunch embarkation day we found these 7 bottles of different types of liquor. Did not have to ask. Someone remembered we have  a TA that will drink anything.

We have just booked our second MSC cruise (and first Yacht Club experience) on the seascape for next November.  And I was wondering about the mini bar in our suite- we've read and heard a few different tales.   

Do they:

provide mini bottles/snacks and refill at no charge

let you have your first drink/snack at no charge, then after charge?

or

provide a large bottle of spirit of your choice and mixer and just leave you alone?

As for non alcoholic options - did the butler keep the room stocked with sparkling or still water?  

Thanks in advance for any answers and loving reading your posts!

On 8/1/2022 at 6:46 AM, DragonOfTheSeas said:

There is staff at the door 24 hours a day I’ve walked down there a couple times just to check to make sure before I posted that it was available. Actually last night when I walked down there they were crewmembers who were arriving with their luggage and they checked them in. So you should be good whatever time 

 

 

i’m so sorry you have such a stressful beginning to your cruise

happy to report we made it on board!!!  

FYI there is absolutely no wait or queue to board at 2:00 am

 😹

Help Needed!!

If anyone is on board and can get us in touch with someone at RC or on board, the second hand of our Lufthansa flight was cancelled and we spent all day and part of the evening in line in Frankfort, the best they could do was get us in Stockholm

tonight at 0100 1 August 1st.

we have only been able to get throught to call centers and they say you can get on board but will need to carry your own luggages or they don't know.

we are currently in Switzerland (not planned at all) waiting for our 9pm flight.

Cross posting on muster roll

Any help is appreciated 

we are heading out Friday as well, little bit of a layover in Frankfort but we're taking stock in the fact the ship will stay in port in Stockholm for the extra day.

Safe Travels to everyone!

On 7/1/2022 at 2:05 PM, DragonOfTheSeas said:

Following along.  We do the 10-day cruise on July 31.

Same!!!

As Austinites we are loving the Texan perspective

I heard back from a person with Visby's Medieval week - below are the questions/answers.

I also provided them with a link to our cruise critic group in case they were adventurous and wanted to post directly. 

Q. Can we purchase tickets at the gate/entrance or should these be purchased in advance?

A. Tickets can be purchased at our Visitors Center which will be located at Paviljongsplan ( 57.645018, 18.294575 to cut and paste into a map-application). You will also be able to get them beforehand, however the proper tickets isn't published yet. I'll try to get back to you with a link once they're up, if you'd like me to. 

Q. How does Medieval Week work, do we just purchase an entrance ticket and are free to walk around or are there additional costs for shows?

A. The entrance ticket will give you access to our main areas: The market places, the historical camps (during their opening hours) and some free shows. We're working on publishing the program in English, and you should be able to find the information there. However I don't know when it'll be published. I'll try to remember to get back to you on this.
There are also shows that areIs there something in particular you're more interested in? Music, jesters, fireshows? If you let me know what you're interested in, and when you'll be in Visby I could try to find some suggestions for you. 

Q. How far from the port is the entrance to Medieval Week, are there good signs for people that choose to walk or is there public transportation (if so what would someone take and how often does the transportation run?)
A.  We have shows and areas all over Visby. The coordinates to the visitors center (above) will also give you the location of our main market area. Its a 30 min walk from the terminal to the visitors center and market area, Signs are towards Visby, and if you follow the waterfront you'll be pretty unable to miss the areas! 
I'm not sure how well the public transport works, and what the cruise companies might provide. Unfortunately I think you'll get better answers from them than from me. 

Q. How big is Medieval Week?  Our research says there are events all throughout the island but  Do you all have a map of the festival in English?
A. There are events all over the island, but the main focus is Visby. There's a map at the bottom of https://medeltidsveckan.se/en/welcome/, but I just saw that the explanation has disappeared. I'll try to get the website updated asap.
And as for how big it is.. Well, you won't be able to miss somethings going on, that's for sure. We usually have around 40 000 unique visitors, most stay all week. I'm sorry I don't really know how to answer this one - you'll just have to experience it yourselves!

Q. Are masks required?
A. No masks required - come as you are. Everyone's welcome! There'll be some elven ears for sale in the visitors center if you'd like to blend in a little. I'm not sure if there'll be a place to hire an outfit for the day yet, let me get back to you on that!

Q. What sort of vendors (crafts, costumes and/or food) will be available, do the vendors take Swedish Kroner, Bank/Credit Cards or both?
A.  As for vendors: Food, sweets, jewelry, clothing, leatherwork, costumes, sewingsupplies including fabrics, soaps and creams, ironwork, hats.. Pretty much anything and everything one could ask for! I highly doubt there'll be vendors who don't accept creditcards, most probably prefer it. For some reason American express will sometimes refuse to work, and some vendors just don't accept AmEx for that reason. Swedish Krona is your safest bet for cash, though there might be some that'll happily accept euro. Please notice they'll be an exception to the rule and I can't guarantee anything. 

@Stuart Suss  if its not already on your itinerary, add the Occupation Museum in Riga

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but in Copenhagen you can purchase a card that provides you access to public transportation and entrance to many of attractions throughout the city. 

Since we are staying after this looks to be a good deal for getting around and entrance fees

Sharing the link below

https://copenhagencard.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw14uVBhBEEiwAaufYx9s4aoGLpyDHLr4xfN7Dx9klHvBV1h_UXdYx0tMRmCF-bu89PwW3vhoC-bYQAvD_BwE

3 hours ago, Hezu said:

That name didn't ring a bell for me outright, but after little googling I learned what she has done and apparently she designed some items for Arabia, which means that Iittala & Arabia Design Centre and its Design Museum Arabia might have some, but I cannot be absolutely sure about that. At least there is ceramic and glass items designed by many well-known Finnish designers.

@Hezu

My field of study was ceramics so I think Littala & Arabia Design Center looks like a good choice for us.

Kiitos 

15 minutes ago, Hezu said:

There is no true old town in Helsinki, at least in same sense as there is in Stockholm and Tallinn for example. There is city district called Vanhakaupunki (Old Town) on the west side of the mouth of river Vantaa where Helsinki was originally founded in 1550. In its current form, there is barely any signs of history from those early days of Helsinki. The city was later moved further south into the area where there is the current city centre, although for long Helsinki was tiny city and only started to grow in late 18th century and the majority of the buildings in central Helsinki date from 19th century or later.

Since I reside in Helsinki, I have only vague ideas on what sort of tours the cruise companies offer, but if you prefer to wander around by yourself rather than go with a tour group, it is quite viable choice to skip tours. There is quite extensive network of public transportation (see HSL website for more information) and nearly all people understand English, although some random persons stopped on a street might be slightly hesitant with their foreign language skills.

@hezu many thanks!  I want to see the Sibelius monument but other than that we really don't have an agenda (unless you know if there are any museums in Helsinki that might have work of  Kyllikki Salmenhaara) 

I appreciate the help

We're a couple from Texas, first time on RC and on this same cruise many thanks to @DragonOfTheSeas for starting this thread.

We're planning a day before in Stockholm and three days after in Copenhagen, have our flights/hotels booked .  Been researching ports like mad, be doing a few RC excursions and a few on own could use some help regarding:

I enjoy souvenirs and really excited at the prospect this trip provides in getting some hand crafted items from local artisans/craftspeople. 

Stockholm  - are taxis there good or should we plan to take bus or trains.  (were doing the vasa through RC but want to hit the ABBA museum and see some more specific sights around the city)

Aarhus - specifically getting to the Moesgaard Museum (is this a  bus, train or taxi ride? If bus or metro/train what route? Is it recommended to buy tickets in advance?

Visby- one if the reasons we booked thus cruise.  Has anyone attended medieval week, is there an entrance fee or do we need tickets in advance?  I'll be writing the Gotland tourist center in the next few days and will post what I find out.  

Helsinki - is a trip into old town the way to go,  are there any things to not miss or are we better off booking something?  If we venture on our own how readily is English spoken?   

Thank you in advance

We're on this cruise end of July so looking forward to hearing about your trip and learning as much as we can

On 3/2/2022 at 4:52 AM, ditmar2007 said:

Medieval - not renaissance 🙂 In Scandinavia viking period is aprox. 800-1100 and medieval is 1100-1550 (ends with the reformation). The medieval week covers both periods. 
 

If you can walk a couple of kilometers without problems, everything i Visby is walking distance. But there is a lot of uphill and downhill.

The medieval week spreads all over town. A bit outside of town you'll find the jousting and the market site - still within walking distance. It is really a great experience.

The town walls are remarkably intact, and during the medieval week there are no cars within the town walls. Also: leftover from the Hanseatic period you have a LOT of church ruins - some of them the size of cathedrals. I guess several rich merchants promised a god a church if the survived the storm.

I believe I clocked 26,000 steps the day I went there in September (not medieval week), but I did a lot of walking around the town - more than necessary to experience the medieval week.

Oh, and Visby is in Sweden so the currency is Swedish Kroner  (SEK). You may be able to use EUR, but probably not USD.

Thanks!  

My husband and I actually do Rus Viking when we go to TRF (Texas renaissance faire) so we're looking forward to getting to go to Sweden's medieval week- and seeing what authentic wares we can pick up to add to our collection. 

Visby looks like a great island with a lot roses and I suspect we'll put some steps in too

On 2/27/2022 at 10:51 AM, Goodtimes57 said:

 

US currency was used on board and even elsewhere as well. But for fun and the experience, we exchanged US currency for several other currencies at our bank before we left the US. We didn't port at Visby so I can't help you there. Our cruise started & ended in Amsterdam, then Skagen Denmark, Aahus, Denmark, Tallinn Estonia, St. Petersburg, Helsinki Finland, Stockholm Sweden, Rostock (Berlin) Germany, Copenhagen Denmark, and then returned to Amsterdam. 

 

I did a 'live' review on CC but can not find it now in the search format. so they may have dropped it. I'll keep looking though. If I recall, it was titled To Russia with Love, dated around 4-27-18. My handle then was Goodtime Cruizin .

Thanks! I will start trying to dig for your review

We booked our cruise, then later too advantage of the buy one get one half off sale-- they post them from time to time