texangal39

Got an email today that my purchased excursion, the Ceclo Electric Pedalo, was canceled due to operational concerns. I thought this was going to be kind of cool because it was very different looking. We have been assured a full refund, but I’m feeling a little bummed about the cancellation; it seemed like a real good time. Anyone else get cancelled from this excursion? Anyone been on one of these neat looking contraptions and have a story to tell that might explain these concerns? Anyone have a fun story about these contraptions?

On 3/9/2023 at 2:38 PM, Homosassa said:

I am not sure.

 

I have read on this forum that it doesn't matter if a card was entered during on line check in and that it still needed to be done at the kiosk on board.

 

In any case, make sure your card  knows that the hold for credit will come from a European bank. (French, I believe).

 

As far as your question about the muster drill time, the drill will be held sometime  around 4 PM.

 

Guests that arrive late will have a muster drill either after sail away or early the next day.

I am trying to figure that out too. I just completed my online check in for my cruise in a few weeks and it asked for my credit card and I got a message back saying my card was registered for onboard use and that if I wanted to change it to go to Guest Services on the ship.

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Unfortunately it is only in English.

Hence the, “…and when asked to move they do not speak English all of a sudden.” 😂🤣

50 minutes ago, GPPhilly said:

I disagree with this statement.  While they are quite pricey, we very much enjoy the cabanas.  We need the shade and it provides better shade then the umbrellas.  We enjoyed eating our lunch in the cabana.  

I agree that this is based upon individual preferences. I prefer more shade than the umbrellas can provide as a woman of a certain maturity🥵 I also noticed they are now selling the use of an umbrella for my cruise 😳

46 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

 

 

I wouldn't want my name on the cabana but there is a sign that shows that the cabana is reserved.

 

I've seen the sign for cabanas that were in the Yacht Club area as well as and outside of the Yacht Club area. 

Well, there goes my theory that maybe people were unaware and taking up cabanas that weren’t theirs because of a lack of signage 🤣

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I believe you have to choose ahead of time the number you want, so your personal butler can prepare it before you get off the ship. There are 14. 1-6 are beach side of Ocean House, #6 being closest to OH and #1 furthest but with best unobstructed view of the surf. #7 is on the Oceanview side closest to OH and #14 the furthest but closer to the NON YC beach which many prefer. There are like 35? other cabanas. The problem one might encounter outside the Yacht Club area cabanas are that the reserved cabanas do not give one exclusive use of the area surrounding these cabanas. Many times other cruisers take up residence in your cabana thinking it is first come first serve and when asked to move do not speak English (all of a sudden). When forced to move out they take up residence just a few feet away and turn up the boom box for your listening pleasure. Things are not always like the picture in the brochures.

P.S. The boom box would not be tolerated on the YC section.

Thanks for the tips. I went ahead and booked the cabana for my upcoming sailing. Looking forward to it. Hope I don’t have to evict anyone but it’s a good thing I’m not shy or afraid to be firm but polite. Plus I have serious RBF which is helpful in confrontational situations. It would be nice if MSC added chalkboard name plates to the front/side of the cabana so that it is clear they are reserved for someone. This would make it easy to identify your cabana and most people wouldn’t park themselves in a reserved cabana with a sign containing someone’s name.

2 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Msc usually does nothing unless you are 17 and under.

I have been on two in the last 7 weeks and have seen nothing 

Thanks for the info. We are ready to go and can’t wait to check the ship out! We will definitely include this ask/need in our survey response after our cruise, but I will also see if I can mention it while on the ship to the crew.

On 2/12/2024 at 12:14 AM, Two Wheels Only said:

 

I prefer Bimini Beach (left side of the map image) to the lagoon. On one trip, I swam across the lagoon and back and I was exhausted....seriously out of shape and a bit dehydrated. ☹️

 

At certain times, there is a bit of seaweed in the lagoon so that's another reason why I prefer Bimini. 

 

A Yacht Club guest can easily travel to either location so it's probably best to explore and see which is better for them. There are still beaches on the island that I have never set foot on. I plan to explore more on my next trip. 

Since I will be Aurea on my next sailing we are considering a cabana because it will be Spring Break and more than likely very crowded as I believe our sailing is nearly sold out. Are the regular cabanas assigned or is it first come?

Adding my question to this thread and appreciate any responses….

I have a young adult (20) who will be sailing with me on MSC for the first time. Typically we are on Royal and NCL and there are meet-ups and activities for ages 18-22. We are wondering if MSC does this? We are crossing our fingers, but also aren’t going to be crushed if not. There’s plenty to do regardless and meeting people isn’t hard. We’re just wondering…

1 hour ago, qkd0314 said:

I have an infinite balcony as well and want to know!

From what I’ve heard most dislike this category of cabins because the A/C is sucked out and turns off when you open the window. I will probably like it because I love everything about vacationing because it’s better than being at home working! I also like the thought of expanding my cabin a bit and having a window that opens. But, if nothing else I prefer my bed by the balcony; a must for me!

On 2/28/2024 at 5:43 PM, mscdivina2016 said:

Currently on Seascape.

 

Only YC has designated bag drop.

Cannot comment on checkin but our friends who are Diamond and get priority boarding were checked in quick but had to wait an hour for their group to be called.

We were on in less than 15 for YC.

 

Cannot comment on restaurant

 

App works once on board 

 

 

Thank you for the f/u and info! It’s pretty much as I expected. Hope the cruise is going great! Wishing you a fabulous time!

Great blog! Thanks for all of the detail. I am learning so much about board games (you mention many I’ve never heard of) and I’m now creating a list of some that I want to purchase before we set sail. We usually travel with Regular playing cards, UNO, Travel sized Yahtzee and Othello, Cards Against Humanity, Tell me without telling me, and Travel sized Checkers. So, I’m sure my folks will be excited to try some new games.

I’m posting because even though I’ve only made it to page 7, it’s a very good blog and it’s nice to see someone else’s viewpoint of the Davina. I was on her in July of 2022 and thoroughly enjoyed the size of the ship. It was easy to figure out where everything was and also large enough that it didn’t feel crowded even though it was fully booked. There were lots of Australians, Spaniards, and other Europeans onboard and very few Americans during our sailing as well which was great in our opinion. We enjoy meeting people from all over the world because we invariably make new friends that we connect with when traveling and also reciprocate if/when they are in Texas.

Like you, we ate at the Black Crab often, but during our cruise we experienced decently paced service with good food most of the time. But, I cracked up laughing when you said “who knew there was a second entrance to the Butcher’s Cut” because the exact same thing happened to us when we went to make our reservation for dinner and we lucked up on the second entrance on our way somewhere else and no one was in line so it was a quick stop to take care of that. We did have a fabulous meal that night; seafood tower, lamb chops, steak, and they plied me with more wine than I should have had! Overall a great time on the Davina and I will sail her again for sure!

So, thanks so much for the interesting read and for taking the time to write it up and share your pics.

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I believe that on the Seascape, Skyline is a separate MDR just for Aurea passengers.

Thanks for responding! I’m on page 6 of your blog and enjoying the work you put into it.

The check-in at the MIA port with Aurea experience is a big question for me. I’ve decided to expect a general check-in and luggage drop as if we are in Bella or Fantastica so that I’m not waiting for some special check-in that is actually minimal in MSC’s eyes 😁

Read this whole thread and many others and I have a couple of questions about our upcoming sailing on the Seascape:

1. The website, the app, and our confirmation all say Aurea has priority check-in and boarding. I’m leaving from Miami and all of the threads I’ve read only mention YC. Our bag tags don’t say Aurea. Are they going by the color on the bag tag? Is there a designated Aurea check-in and boarding area? I’m wondering how this will go and if anyone can provide their experience.

2. Do we have to book our dinner time each day or can we just show up?

3. I’ve read many threads that say Aurea has a different MDR but I’ve checked the MSC site, our confirmation, and the app and this isn’t mentioned. Has this been disconfirmed?

4. I tried booking shows on the app, but wasn’t able to. There’s a small lock showing on each day so I suppose that means I can only book it on the ship. Is this correct?

5. Does the chat feature in the app show after boarding?

Any help you all can give with my questions would be greatly appreciated!!

Have a great day!😀

I called in and booked what I needed over the phone this morning. Much faster and they sent me an updated itinerary that reflected the newly added items I purchased. So, if you still aren’t seeing it, give them a call. I didn’t even have to hold for assistance, they picked up right away. Good luck!

1 hour ago, Stockjock said:

I have not done YC.  Did a Aurea Grand Suite over this past NYE and really liked it a lot.  It was much cheaper than YC.  The promo I booked included drinks and wi-fi, and we booked 3 specialty restaurants for $100 each ($200 total).  We also got a 4th (out of 7 nights) specialty restaurant for being diamond members. 

In our case, our cabin was a lot bigger and nicer than many YC cabins, and because we ate in the specialty restaurants 4 out of 7 nights, we ate very well.  We timed it so that 2 of the 3 remaining dinners in Les Dunes (Aurea restaurant) were on Gala Nights, with somewhat better menus.

This worked out great for us and we saved thousands over booking YC.  Plus, I don't want a butler escorting us around, but that's just me.

That said, I know that many rave over YC, so in my mind, it boils down to personal preference.

Sounds like you had a great time and your choice was worth it and you captured an awesome deal. I agree with you about Aurea being an excellent value for what you pay. The cabins appear to be very nice with an elevated experience and it’s not much more to add a dining package. I just did that today for my upcoming sailing and it was only $110 each; indeed a steal.

I am excited about the Aurea experience and the YC as well and know that what you said is exactly why I booked them both; Aurea for the cabin I wanted and YC for the pampering experience. I considered trying a 4-night cruise to try out YC but decided to just dive right in and go for a full experience on a longer sailing for this fall.

On 2/26/2024 at 1:46 AM, perakcruiser said:

In my opinion it is pretty simple, you book Aurea because of the cabin (as Aurea is the only option to get one of the best cabins on the ship) and you book YC because of the experience. And you book the best cabins in YC to combine the two things 🙂

 

@texangal39 Congratulations, especially for the World Europa cruise. I hope you start in Naples, but anyway, do yourself a favor and some detailed research about the destinations to make this a really great experience. 

 

Thank you and I think you’ve summed up Aurea and YC perfectly!

Thanks so much for the tip/reminder to research! I plan to start my research on our stops soon. Some stops I’ve already spent considerable time in because I try to split my fly&stays and cruises for balance, but it’s a new adventure for me every single time to find the things I missed and also add new things to see to the list.

Happy cruising!

For those who are curious, I booked ….

3 cruises because I couldn’t decide 🤩

1. Seascape - Caribbean Cruise - Aurea Premium Suite with Whirlpool. This allows me to try the Aurea experience and the cabin I coveted and get it out of my system. We will be onboard in a few weeks!!

2. World Europa - Med. Cruise - Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. This coming fall.

3. Seashore - Caribbean Cruise - Winter 2025 - Yacht Club Deluxe Grande Suite 

We will be on Royal on the Icon of the Seas in a Jr. Suite for Thanksgiving this year. So, I still need to book Thanksgiving 2025; looking at NCL right now. It’s been a while since I was on them. I had something booked for February, but I canceled due to a family emergency.

THANKS SO MUCH for the pics and advice everyone!!

The website is very very glitchy so sometimes things don’t show up correctly or at all. Just call MSC, if you booked direct, and have them add it to your booking.

WORD OF CAUTION: Check your itinerary after you do any arrangements over the phone with them because errors are a big problem.

51 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Since you are going to try taking one step forward....

Don't know exactly but here is a post from another social media poster. "They accepted our offer and put us in the YC Deluxe balcony! So for the price of ONE YC person my wife and I are getting in (total cost $2600, the "rack rate" for that room is $5300)! Happy birthday to me!" Under title "Bidding upgrade to Yacht Club." This was 2 weeks before the sailing. During our disembarkation, we were escorted to the gangway by our butler. In the elevator he told us that the Yacht Club was almost sold out on the next cruise. There were 2 cabins available and one was the Royal Suite. So it appears everyone that bid got upgraded to the YC with only 2 left on embarkation day. So perhaps it is not too wise to nibble too early on those upgrade emails until 2 weeks before the sailing date ?

" Will be cruising on the World Europa from Barcelona on 27th of this month. First time in YC. Won a bid from a Bella interior cabin to a YC interior but have ended up with a deluxe cabin suite! Paying around $1300 per person in total, such great value." (another poster)

   On another sailing, chit chatting with the head concierge and head butler we were privy to find out that on a previous sailing a couple were able to bid on the Royal Suite and got it for a total $5000 ( less than a YC deluxe). Now that is hitting the lottery ! 

Great advice! I’ve never been tapped by the upgrade fairy but I can only hope I do get an offer acceptance and this strategy may prove successful. Thanks a million!

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Here is a video 360 degree walk about of the Yacht Club OnePool Deck. It has two jacuzzi's (I think that was a square jacuzzi at the front of the ship ?). Looking over the side of railings at the Aurea Top 19 sundeck the port side has the pergolas and the starboard side lounges and two jacuzzis. So if one were to book an inside YC cabin one has the use of these 4 jacuzzis.

Thanks so much for sharing the video. That really helped and definitely changed my mind! Just the thought of not having to share the pool area with the entire ship has me sold now, so I think I’m booking the YC Deluxe Suite and will cross my fingers for an upgrade offer to the Royal Suite. 

7 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Yes.

 

 

Yes.

 

There is a sundeck and bar on deck 19 that is for Aurea guests. 

Yacht Club guests can also use that area but very few YC guests do. 

There is also a Main Dining Room (Manhattan) that is just for Aurea guests. 

Thank you for the info. It’s nice that Aurea gets some things different from Fantástica onboard. It almost sounds like the Jr. Suite access on Royal. You have access to some special things but not everything the higher level suites get.

7 hours ago, wolft927 said:

I was actually researching the same thing! We have an inside YC on the Seascape for September of this year. We usually sail in the Haven on NCL but the price for the YC inside was so good we are giving them a try ($3200 all in). I am now looking at booking MSC on the Seashore in Feb 2025 and looked at several categories. Here are the prices

 

Standard Balcony Aurea level with my 10% discount is all in $2109 with the drink package and $100 OBC

Jr. Suite with my 10% discount all in was $2310 with drink package and $200 onboard credit. 

The Grand Suite Aurea (not YC) all in was $2919 with drink package and $200 on board credit

The MSC Deluxe YC suite ( no inside available) all in was $5334 with $200 OBC

 

Now, the question for you would be would you utilize the YC that often. Now my wife and I when sailing in the Haven love being there. We would trade off the Balcony for inside YC any day of the week. But since there is no Inside available am I willing to pay almost another $2500 to go from The Grand Suite Aurea to the YC? The answer would be no. We could basically book 2 Grand Suite Aurea for the price of 1 MSC deluxe YC suites. 

 

Again, Love the Haven and Sure we will love the YC as well in September, but one of the reasons we are trying the YC is because the inside YC suite is more then half the price cheaper than the cheapest Haven Suite. We are go with the flow people and have cruised all the major lines but our last 5 have been NCL Haven and 1 RCCL Symphony of the seas (standard balcony). Interesting to hear others thoughts. 

 

 

Yes, the Haven was really good pre-COVID. These days, it’s just ok and at times not so good because the service has dropped due to the staffing issues.

This will be my 2nd MSC sailing. Yacht Club and Aurea were sold out on my first sailing, so I’m trying again.
I agree that the difference from suite to suite can be either a deal & steal or a bank breaker, so good luck on your decision and booking!

6 hours ago, Happygcruiser said:

I once booked the Aurea with Whirlpool and got upgraded for FREE to the YC duplex suite... If you go to a "sunny" itinerary I would go with the Aurea to have a private jakuzzi.

YC amenities are really nice also of course and lovely.

Aurea guests have their own sundeck, reserved for them.

Thanks for replying. That’s why I am so torn right now. I generally soak these old bones in the hot tub almost every night when I cruise, so this cabin is just what I need at the price I need. I just wish I could get the Royal Suite as that would be everything I want, but … Cadillac taste with Chevy budget! 🤣

Hi everyone, I need a little help from the MSC veterans. I’m looking at the Seascape and trying to decide between the Premium Aurea with Whirlpool or the Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. I am really torn because the cabin seems amazing but the Yacht Club is calling to me and the Royal Suite with the whirlpool is out of my budget so I’d have to go with the YC Deluxe Suite. I hate to give up the whirlpool because the YC Deluxe Suite doesn’t interest me as much, but I equally want to be in YC. So, my questions are:

• Does being in YC completely trump the Aurea Experience and Aurea Premium Cabin with whirlpool?
• Aside from the cabin, spa access, drinks package, WiFi, anytime dining, and priority boarding, what else is designated for Aurea Experience cruisers?
• Are there any reserved areas onboard for those with the Aurea experience? If so, what are they?

Thanks for your responses and happy cruising!!

Sincerely,

Stuck like Chuck 🙃😀