Eglesbrech

No you should not be disappointed. Yacht Club and the Retreat are both very good but imho yacht Club has the slight edge on both price and product. I have only been in the Retreat on ships where it was retro fitted so you were all over the ship to get the lounge, the outdoor space, Luminae etc. I have also only been on MSC where the YC was truly a ship within a ship with everything close to hand. Celebrity provide preferential embarcation / disembarcation. YC provides this at each and every port avoiding queues. You also have preferential lift call but I find this unnecessary. Celebrity provide a reserved theatre seat for some shows. YC has an area reserved for every event in the theatre. Both have separate restaurants with enhanced menus and great service. Both provide nice suites. For me the Celebrity suites definitely have the edge as they are more plush, provide better room service options (you won’t get full meal service other than breakfast) and a bath (I haven’t been in a duplex so I don’t know if it has one but standard YC suites don’t). My experience of Celebrity is also better balcony re size furniture, foot stools etc. The Celebrity toiletries are also much nicer and more extensive. Like Celebrity YC also offer a complimentary mini bar and elegant little treats every evening. On Celebrity the “treat” was a kind bar or Pringles, unless that has changed. The Top Sail lounge is more spacious than the Retreat Lounge with amazing views over the front of the ship and offers a bar, snacks, afternoon tea and some entertainment in the evenings. I found the Retreat Lounge too small for the number of guests. The outside deck is within the YC area and offers a comfortable space to relax and a buffet which offers more than the outdoor menu on Celebrity. Just a personal point but I prefer the speciality restaurants on Celebrity but use them much less when in the Retreat. As I say I would happily book either. Enjoy your cruise.

Enjoy your cruise.

I have just noticed the new fly cruises from Fred for 2025. They are offering charter flights from London and Manchester. They are offering some interesting trips.

We were on Virtuosa at the beginning of June and the story from most folks we spoke to was that the chances of changing was slim to none. The ship was busy and no one wanted 5.30 or 9.30. Now these people may not be particularly representative of the reality, perhaps just those who were annoyed enough to mention it to everyone they spoke with (lots of whinging people on that particular cruise). People who have managed to get what they want are less likely to mention it. A lot of it will be down to how full the ship is, demographics and nationalities as preferences are different.

No, nothing I have ever seen or experienced. I’d say you were lucky if they were offering to book the specialities as when we were on a few weeks ago there was a long queue once onboard to do so. They are very popular, we have eaten at them all but pre pay before boarding as it is significantly better value. They do have big banners and desks to sell restaurants, spa, drinks packages etc along the Galleria on the first day but no one will harass you.

A really interesting comparison. Thank you for taking the time to post it.

Yes and it stank to the high heavens! Be aware if you book a show in the Carousel lounge you have to get through this nasty smell get there. I don’t know what’s worse, the smell of the smoke or the air freshener they use to try to cover it,

We stayed in Bowness in Windemere on the way back from Southampton last year and had a lovely time. Had the “alternative” afternoon tea at then Wild Boar which was great. Instead of sandwiches you get a selection of mini main hot dishes then cakes and scones. Also tea choice and a drink with it, their mini house beer selection was great.. We also booked lunch at the Old Stamp House in Ambleside and while it was pricy it was worth every penny. In the town centre we loved T hole in T wall pub. It on one of the back streets and serves good pints and local food. It’s a traditional local pub but get there early as it fills up. The Beatrix Potter museum is in the middle of town, there are lots of nice boat trips, a boat museum and if you want to go a little further the Quaker Tapestry Museum in Kendall is well worth worth a visit. The headquarters of Lakeland is there with their flag ship shop, worth a visit as well. Lots to see and do, car parking very expensive.

Most games are on in the Masters of the Sea Pub.”Big matches” are on the large pool screen.

Pick your times and it will be fine. Pick the popular times and yes, chaotic.

You can get beds outside and seats at the bar if you time it correctly.

They do both glass and plastic bottles. Have not seen cans.

Safe home to you too.

For us it has depended on the bar we are in. Service has really been great in the Champagne and Art bar. Always had to queue at the Masters of the Sea and Sky Lounge. Virtuosa lounge and infinity fairly quick. The time of day also has an impact. On balance better than on some other cruise lines.

Your cruise could be completely different. I think the bad weather has affected how many people are indoors, rather than spread across the whole ship or sitting out on balcony’s.

I think you are correct re expectations. Some on here are happy to tell anyone listening that they only paid £699 for a Bella inside and got upgraded to a balcony. Those who paid the much higher standard price could well have higher expectations.

Day 10 Sea Day Miserable weather today so everyone has been indoors for much of the day. We watched the usual suspects on the aft camera laying out pool towels at 7am as the weather looked a bit better then. A few hours later they were out rescuing them. MSC have been lifting left towels and books etc on sunny days if they have been left unattended, which is good imo. We amused ourself indoors with some of the activities, lunch, a pint at the pub then the guest speaker. Today it was Eddie the Eagle and he was really engaging and amusing, one of the better celebrity guests we have seen on cruises. We have been lucky this week to have two interesting guests. Tonight was the second “elegant” night, some dressed for that, many did not. The show was ABBA music and very energetic and fun. The number of moaning, whinging people on here never ceases to amaze me. Is everything onboard perfect, absolutely not but much of it is fine. As I said earlier in the week a lot of the moans are about things which could be a avoided with a bit of research in advance, objective issues like dining times, noisy or obstructed cabins etc. More subjective issues are more difficult. Some people have not enjoyed the more European style food, for example one couple said on they could find nothing to eat and were having fish and chips at the pub regularly - well take the chance whilst onboard to expand your palate beyond chips! There is more than adequate choice but not if you idea of food is restricted to burger and chips / fish and chips/ pie and chips etc for every meal. Personally I do feel the ship is too full so at times there are no seats in bars and people are crowded in. The bad weather has not helped with this. As I said at the start of this thread I have never sailed on MSC other than in Yacht Club. After 10 days I probably would not book Aurea again. That’s not because there is anything at all wrong with it, we have had a good enough cruise with some pleasant food, some good entertainment and great service in the evenings in our dining room from lovely staff. The cabin is clean and has everything we need. Personally however I very much prefer the peace and quiet, more extensive food choices and the little extra touches of YC. Others might find it stuffy and prefer the buzz of the Galleria area, that’s why we are all different.

Day 9 Lisbon MSC are docked at the new port right in the heart of the city. It’s just a 10-15 minute walk to the main areas, squares, shops and restaurants. There were lots of TUK TUK tours available HOHO buses etc right at the dock if you want a private tour. That said you can walk to see most things. For example if you want the Santa Justa lift it’s not far but get there early as it gets busy. We stopped off for a traditional Ginja at the tiny “A Ginjinha bar”. This is a local morello cherry alcohol with fruit included. The bar is tiny and the glasses small (it’s sweet and strong) and usually served by someone who looks good for being 100 and drinks it every day. Another city we know well so we did the things we like, good coffee, pastel de nata, sheep cheese, port and of course shopping! Lisbon has some lovely shops. Back onboard they are filming for the Good Ship Murder in the Virtuosa Lounge. Interesting to watch for a few minutes. They film in the more public areas when most folks are off exploring ports. White night no night so the majority were in varying white outfits, it’s looks good when the lights are on. Pre dinner drinks arrive almost as we do, the staff on here have incredible memories and know what you prefer. They are also so friendly (and very tolerant given the mess some people make). We have a package and find that we personally would need it on here. In a day a couple of fresh coffees. Fresh squeezed orange. Some bottled water, a few soft drinks then a pre dinner drink, wine and post dinner nightcap doesn’t take long to add up. The wines by the glass are fine but they do become a bit repetitive after 10 days (you can buy bottles from an extensive list but we stick to by the glass as we have the premier package and don’t want to pay any more). The comedian tonight had gentle, clean humour for the early show which we enjoyed. There have not been many production shows on this particular cruise, mainly guest acts.

No. Nothing this time. We were on last year when they were filming and it was a little more prominent but I can’t say we have even noticed it (apart from me just being nosy). A non issue.

There is an “adults only” sign at the front door of the Sky lounge. I haven’t noticed any children but then we haven’t been there often so we haven’t noticed them being knocked back either.

I have only seen them being prepared in the Tropical bar on Virtuosa. They do freshly squeezed orange juice and selection of vegetable juices with additions like fresh ginger or berries and also yoghurt Lassi. They are very nice.

Day 8 at sea The weather today is not quite so good so many more people are indoors and so the ship feels more crowded than it has to date. We had breakfast in the restaurant which was served quickly and very pleasant. Lots of complaints about the buffet area which was apparently chaotic and crowded as many people had a longer lie in. We joined in a few of the activities to pass the morning, the quiz, paper plane flying etc. Went to see the Q&A with Shirley Ballas which was interesting. Full house for it and with only 900 plus seats not everyone got in (but they streamed it as well). They did this talk over the lunch hour which was I suspect was quite deliberate to split up the queues for lunch. Service at the bars is a bit on the slow side today as people are concentrated indoors. Thank goodness for the peace and quiet of a balcony, on days like this I appreciate the ability to collect a drink and repair to a quiet spot and read. We decided to go along to the Diamond party this afternoon, we have never bothered to go before. Same as every cruise line: drinks, nibbles, music and speeches. What did strike me however was how few people were there. Now I know that not everyone will choose to attend but still low numbers. Not bothering with the show tonight as it’s a rehash of two acts that have been on before. We enjoyed some music in the Sky Barr and very nice G&T with lovely fresh herbs instead (just the one as they are very strong). I have posted drinks menus on a separate thread to show current pricing in Pounds in case it’s of interest to anyone.

@Ryan82Yes we enjoyed Butchers Cut as well. Ill look out for the canapes, thanks

Day 7 Lanzarote I like Lanzarote, we have stayed here many times. It is a pretty, clean island with friendly locals. The ship berthed in the new port which is a 20 -25 minute gentle stroll from the centre of town. There are shops and stalls selling local goods in the port area, a much shorter walk for those less able. Taxis are available but limited and someone said about 7€ each way into town. We walked into town and did a bit of shopping and people watching on the harbour. Got lots of aloe vera products at a fraction of the price they cost at home. The cooling gel they sell here is amazing. If you have not been here before then take a trip and see the amazing Timanfaya national park, the Ceassar Manrique institute etc. Enjoyed the Michael Buble tribute act in the theatre then dinner. Dinner was not a good as usual but we never starve. This itinerary is good if you like to walk as all the ports are within easy walking distance of the towns and some of the attractions. When there are thousands of people onboard the ability to just walk off and find your own way to places is advantageous.