jcpc

I have also booked a cruise on MSC from NYC. Sailing in September. Booked a Yacht Club Deluxe Suite. I've seen MSC ships in previous ports of call and was always interested in trying one. The increase in Retreat pricing on Celebrity has made that decision for me. A comparable sailing on Celebrity in a Sky Suite priced out at $9090 (plus airfare to Fort Lauderdale and one night pre-hotel). My MSC cruise priced out at $5606 (leaving from Brooklyn NY which is a 2 hour drive for us). After sailing almost exclusively with Celebrity since 1990 it's time to see what MSC is all about.

Is there an elevator that goes to Deck 19 or must you use stairs?

Jim, I can confirm that Zenith matches to Diamond. I did the status match last week. Note that when you book an MSC cruise using your Voyager Number, you do get a discounted rate (as opposed to Celebrity who does not offer discounted rates for Zenith members). So definitely do that status match (some have reported that they had difficulty doing this via the MSC website but keep at it if it gives you trouble! I am lucky I guess because I had no trouble - and I did the status match for myself and my two cruise buddies) Janice

@ehallMy experience is that Retreat service on M-class ships (Summit is an M-Class ship) is outstanding. My experience is that Retreat service on E-class ships (I've sailed Edge several times and Beyond once) is DEFINITELY not personalized (sometimes actually borders on poor service). So I think you will get great service on Summit. My travel agent just returned from a 7-night cruise on MSC Meraviglia that departed from Port Canaveral. While she and her husband did take all meals in Yacht Club area they definitely ventured to all areas of the ship (especially at night, where they attended the production shows that they both felt were excellent). As I said she is a travel agent and she wanted to get a feel for the entire MSC experience. She did say that bar service in the general areas of the ship was definitely not stellar (her exact words) compared to bar service in Yacht Club venues. But she definitely did not run into the loud, boisterous, unruly passengers anywhere on the ship that seemed to be on Charla's sailing. I'm planning to try MSC Yacht Club sailing from NYC this fall (after sailing almost exclusively on Celebrity since the inception of Celebrity Cruise Line). Apologies to Charla for intervening on her thread.

Thank you so much for your posts. I enjoyed reading them very much. I love how your keen sense of humor came through on the posts. Enjoy your remaining time onboard and have a safe trip home.

We were on a 9 night cruise. The menu changed mid week from the “lobster menu” (which we had already done on a previous cruise) to this menu. We were excited for the new menu. I’m not sure how often they change the menu mid cruise anymore. Our Beyond cruise (10 nights) last October did not change the menu for LPC at all during the entire cruise. At the time we were told it’s all up to the chef as to whether the menu changes. Every time we’ve done LPC (3 times total) we were in a RS so they dinner was complimentary. I know I would not have done LPC three times if I had to pay extra for it.

I had that menu last year on Summit. The tomato tartlet was one of the best appetizers I’ve ever eaten while on a ship and the short ribs were excellent. I’ve had other menus at LPC and in my opinion this menu was better than the other 2 I’ve experienced.

Thanks for the heads up. She was on an MSC cruise last week (booked as a full paying passenger - not a travel agent rate) because she wanted to experience the product in order to determine if she wanted to start booking MSC. So she’s already had some experience booking her own cruise. I had read somewhere to make sure you use a TA who knows all the ins and outs of booking with MSC. Fingers crossed all goes well!

@GenerationXWell the 2 suite guests in your lounge this morning look just perfect to me.

Definitely do the status match. I signed myself and my two traveling companions up and we are now entitled to a Voyagers Club discount (not a huge discount but every little bit helps!). Since we are Zenith on Celebrity we were given Diamond status on MSC, which does come with a few perks. I know exactly what you mean regarding the website. While I had no problem whatsoever doing the status match for 3 of us, when I check pricing on the sailing that we are interested in (just so I have a ballpark figure of what we will have to pay for 2 Yacht Club balcony suites) I keep getting different pricing all throughout the day. I find it very hard to fathom that the pricing changes that frequently all the time. It's a difficult website for sure. I'll let my travel agent deal with all these pricing discrepancies on Monday....LOL

Charla, I find the Retreat experience on M-class and S-class ships far superior to the Retreat experience on E-class ships. Just like MSC larger ships Celebrity’s larger ships have way too many suites for personalized service. On my recent Beyond sailing the service and food quality in Luminae was definitely sub-par. The MDR for breakfast was 100 times better than Luminae for breakfast in terms of both food quality and service. I have heard that the booking process with MSC is cumbersome to put it mildly. But, while I do a lot of research and investigation regarding the ships, service, etc. I leave the cumbersome dealing with the cruise lines (whether it be Celebrity or MSC) to my very capable travel agent. From what I read Celebrity’s shoreside customer service is definitely no walk in the park! My travel agent sailed in Yacht Club on Meraviglia last week and she was very happy with everything. While she travels and cruises a lot, this was her first time on MSC. She and her husband were both impressed (and they are real “foodies”).

Thanks for posting your thoughts on MSC, Charla. Your comments are making me look forward to a fall sailing from NYC on MSC. After sailing almost exclusively on Celebrity since they first started sailing (I think 3 or 4 Royal and Holland America cruises were sandwiched in between all my Celebrity cruises) I feel like I'm "cheating on" Celebrity.....LOL. But I also definitely feel it's time to make a change. The Retreat pricing on Celebrity is just way beyond what I want to pay and I do think their service has deteriorated (especially since after Covid). I am looking forward to your next post. .

My condolences to you and your son. May Mr. Chemmo RIP. You have many cherished memories.

I am so looking forward to your comparison, Charla. I vote for you posting the reviews in whatever manner makes the most sense to you. I'll find them and follow them no matter where they are posted. I am just now contemplating and investigating booking an MSC sailing out of NYC in the fall of this year. I am a LONG time Celebrity cruiser and always book Retreat but the Retreat pricing has skyrocketed and to be honest with you I think the quality and service on Celebrity has, in my opinion, nosedived. I am SERIOUSLY considering moving my cruising dollars to MSC. I have friends onboard MSC (Yacht Club) this week and I'm getting daily updates from them. Wishing you 2 wonderful sailings.

Thanks so much for this information.

Is there handicapped access to the Yacht Club Sundeck on Deck 19 on Meraviglia. From what I'm seeing from deck plans it appears that elevator access only goes as far as Deck 18. Thanks in advance for any input.

With Celebrity no suggestion is silly!

I'm not quite sure the policy, as written, clearly states this. Under the "Exceptions" paragraph there is no mention of "traveling with a cabin-mate who has a complimentary beverage package". Oh well.....time will tell.

What would happen in the case of a Zenith Captains Club Member (who gets complimentary premium beverage package as a Zenith perk) traveling in a cabin with non-Zenith Captains Club Member. The non-Zenith passenger always used to purchase a beverage package. Does this mean that the Zenith member ALSO needs to purchase a beverage package now (even though he/she already has a complimentary beverage package)?? Just crazy.

@QM2 CruiserThanks for posting the pictures. These pictures represent what I usually see while dining in Luminae (just not on Beyond). You take great photos.

Totally agree with your assessment of Luminae on Beyond. Both the food quality and the service was definitely sub-par on our October 26th sailing. And there is definitely no "personalized" service in Luminae on Beyond.....and no "teamwork" as I've seen in Luminae on M-Class ships. If your waiter was busy your dirty dishes would sit on your table for over 20 minutes until he had time to come pick them up -- nobody jumped in to help. I was extremely disappointed in Luminae on Beyond. Some examples of the quality: ice cold cappaccino after the meal, frozen "beehives" of butter (and could not get butter replaced with a "non-frozen" version, no silverware in place when entree was served, ordered soup - no soup spoon - had to literally flag down a head waiter to get a spoon (by that time soup was cold), entrees served lukewarm, asked for sour cream for baked potato and was told they had no sour cream!!!! etc. etc. It was pretty bad. I'll still with M-Class or S-Class Other than Luminae the Beyond is spectacular. Le Voyage was over the top great as was all other dining venues. But Luminae needs a new team and new management.

@PinkSandGirlKelly, I'm looking forward to reading your "Live From" review. I will also be on this sailing so it will be interesting to read if you and I have the same thoughts on Beyond. See you at the Slot Pull!!

While there are 3 different menus, this past week on Infinity they offered the same menu each night. We were told that it was up to the chef which menu or menus he wanted to offer.

I was also on this sailing. I, unfortunately, did not have a "cold" cabin. I was in a Sky Suite on Deck 9. I also have a thermometer on my travel clock and the first night my cabin was 79 degrees. Way too hot for comfort (in my opinion). They brought a fan into my suite but all that did was move the warm air around. I told the Retreat Concierge that if they could not adequately cool down my suite I would fly home from Key West on Sunday. (I wasn't nasty about it -- I was just stating a fact). They worked on my AC for 3 days and the coolest they ever got it was 70 degrees. It consistently stayed between 70 and 73 for the remainder of the week. My curtains had to be kept closed the entire week or else the room would heat up again. Was the cabin as cool as I wanted it? No. But it was livable. There were parts of the casino where it was extremely warm (in my opinion). I saw a group of people carrying around those little hand held fans. Aside from the AC issues I thought the cruise was great. Some of the nicest crew I've ever met. Some, however, were very inexperienced and it showed. But they more than made up for their inexperience with their friendliness and willingness to work. I would not hesitate to book a cruise on Infinity again. The Retreat Concierge did tell me that the AC technician was going from cabin to cabin. She said some cabins were frigid and others were hot. So......I do think the AC problem still does exist.