Fans of MSC..please brag and tell me how it compares to

Celebrity

 

We have sailed several lines and tend to steer towards X because specialty restaurants and general service

Will be sailing a TA in an AQ --so have Blu

In the past we tend to sail Concierge 1 AFT deep balcony or the bump out

 

Celebrity has removed the unlimited dining for the specialty restaurants and we found the MDR on our last sailing quite a disappointment.

 

Active young to mids 50s, we enjoy travel, great dining, wine pairing etc and service. Have gotten some exemplary service on occasion on X, from a select few bartenders etc who learn our name and are on top of things when we arrive.

 

Given the price jumps with X..we are considering trying something else..

 

SO brag away..the good, bad and ugly of MSC vs Celebrity

 

TYIA

If you're considering Yacht Club, I think you'll find MSC is much nicer in every way than Celebrity in Aqua or Concierge. We've been in both on X, and my husband hates Blu, so we might not be a good comparison.

 

Never been in a suite on Celebrity, so cannot compare MSC to them. I know EDGE will have the "ship within a ship" concept, so perhaps it'll be like MSC's Yacht Club, but at a much higher price.

 

Read the reviews. Read the reviews for the Yacht Club and you'll see most people love it.

 

I don't know about adding the points onto the Black Card status. Since there's no level above Black (yet), I don't see how it matters.

Thanks so much

Very helpful

 

Happy Cruising :)

Celebrity

 

We have sailed several lines and tend to steer towards X because specialty restaurants and general service

Will be sailing a TA in an AQ --so have Blu

In the past we tend to sail Concierge 1 AFT deep balcony or the bump out

 

Celebrity has removed the unlimited dining for the specialty restaurants and we found the MDR on our last sailing quite a disappointment.

 

Active young to mids 50s, we enjoy travel, great dining, wine pairing etc and service. Have gotten some exemplary service on occasion on X, from a select few bartenders etc who learn our name and are on top of things when we arrive.

 

Given the price jumps with X..we are considering trying something else..

 

SO brag away..the good, bad and ugly of MSC vs Celebrity

 

TYIA

 

Two words...Yacht Club!! I agree with Mafig...and I am sure more YC accolades will follow. The cabins are not as spectacular but the price is right and the service and amenities blow X out of the water!

Haven't cruised with Celebrity so I can't compare but...

 

Great price for the Yacht Club.

 

Bottled water and minibar included in the YC.

 

Great food in the YC restaurant. (Just my opinion and as I said I can't compare to Celebrity.)

 

A "real" sommelier in the YC restaurant for wine pairings.

 

No need to use the card when ordering drinks within the YC since everyone there has the drinks included. (Unless really expensive brands are ordered.)

Just got off Seaside and sailed the Celebrity Equinox last year.

 

Without YC, you may find it more crowded and loud on MSC. With YC, you will be spoiled silly in the nice lounge and pool area. However, the food - while mostly good to very good, is not quite as varied or uniformly good as X. There was no sommelier in the YC restaurant this past week, and they had wines ready to pour that they recommended If you wanted something else, your waiter would work on bringing it to you - but I got the feeling it wasn’t an unlimited selection. We aren’t wine drinkers, so this did not bother us. Loved the YC. Keep in mind that MSC is a family cruise line. Our time in the YC was shared with many kids.

 

 

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Missthesea, Tell me more about sharing with the kids.

 

Were they well behaved? Did they take over the pool area?

 

We last went on MSC in the month of October and there were few children in the YC (the rest of the ship had plenty).

 

We're going this time in July. I know there'll be more, but hopefully everyone will be well behaved and respectful. That's all we ask.

Just got off Seaside and sailed the Celebrity Equinox last year.

 

Without YC, you may find it more crowded and loud on MSC. With YC, you will be spoiled silly in the nice lounge and pool area. However, the food - while mostly good to very good, is not quite as varied or uniformly good as X. There was no sommelier in the YC restaurant this past week, and they had wines ready to pour that they recommended If you wanted something else, your waiter would work on bringing it to you - but I got the feeling it wasn’t an unlimited selection. We aren’t wine drinkers, so this did not bother us. Loved the YC. Keep in mind that MSC is a family cruise line. Our time in the YC was shared with many kids.

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I agree with you on the food...but as I have aged...food has become a diminished component. I can always find something to satisfy...and I have an extensive background in the culinary arts. When considering the level of personal service in the YC dining room I will go with the YC every time as compared to X. Keep in mind that comparing the total ship experience from X Eqinox and MSC Seaside is like apples to oranges. On X you will find a more sedate atmosphere compared to the chaos and higher activity level of Seaside. The issue of a sommelier does not affect me. If you know your wines you won’t need a sommelier. If you don’t know your wines you can keep sampling until you do!;) I found the wine selection to be very adequate. The wine snobs complain...but then again they complain about verything.:') I love Italian wines and they just keep coming in the MSC Yacht Club.

Edited June 17, 2018 by CGTNORMANDIE

Recently went on the Seaside in the YC and my "pros" will be a little different than what has been mentioned already. The Yacht Club cabins are wonderful. They are not the biggest standard penthouse size cabin but they have more than enough storage, big balconies and overall great decor. The bathrooms are also very spacious. The YC lounge was relaxing and enjoyed the snacks throughout the day.

 

My pros end there. The YC restaurant service was quite lacking in my experience. They were friendly, just appeared to be very disorganized at times. Drinks would often come after appetizers arrived and sometimes almost a 20 minute wait. The food quality was beyond disappointing and I think you will be in for quite a surprise if you're used to X quality in this area. My group stopped going to the restaurant after a few days which on other lines, like the Haven at NCL, we would be looking forward to our next meal while eating the current one.

 

So the YC = nice observation lounge, great cabins, free drinks around the ship but the rest was a big let down. The MSC is a beautiful ship though!

This is very helpful

 

MSC YC looks very attractive

 

As mentioned its more of a family line-- Would one expect that for a TA to have less little people?

 

We lived in Europe for a spell (Italy in particular) so the nod to a more european experience sounds nice

This is very helpful

 

MSC YC looks very attractive

 

As mentioned its more of a family line-- Would one expect that for a TA to have less little people?

 

We lived in Europe for a spell (Italy in particular) so the nod to a more european experience sounds nice

 

We love Celebrity, Sky Suites with Luminae and Michael's Club, but when I was starting to look at something for early next year, MSC showed up in my Google search while I was actually starting to look at NCL Haven. Completely forgot about them and their Yacht Club. I liked the look of the whole YC area, and the price came in $1600 less than Celebrity. I'm not saying X isn't worth the premium you pay, it really is, but we have other travel plans in 2019, so trying to get the best value for this trip.

 

As far as TA's go, we did one in 2016 on RC Harmony of the Seas. It was the voyage bringing Harmony to the United States for the first time. It was a great cruise, and yes, there were very few children on board. Would LOVE to do another TA some day. :)

 

I'm really looking forward to giving MSC Yacht Club a try.

ohioNCLcruiser,

 

when were you on Seaside?

ohioNCLcruiser,

 

when were you on Seaside?

Yeah, I'd like to know as well. Nothing in their signature about it and no other posts ever about the Seaside on CC until now? I'm thinking they've never stepped foot on it ...... Fake. Just a Haven pusher from NCL ....... Haven is a total ripoff.

ohioNCLcruiser,

 

when were you on Seaside?

 

Recently did a seven day. I should add I thought the main show room entertainment was great.

Yeah, I'd like to know as well. Nothing in their signature about it and no other posts ever about the Seaside on CC until now? I'm thinking they've never stepped foot on it ...... Fake. Just a Haven pusher from NCL ....... Haven is a total ripoff.

 

First of all I would relax. I clearly hit a nerve. If you go through my posting history you will see it has almost come to a stand still as we tend to use FB groups now. I can't direct message someone a photo but if you want to provide an e-mail I'll send you a photo of my cabin key and wrist band today but I expect an apology afterwards for jumping to the fake "haven" pusher comment.

Missthesea, Tell me more about sharing with the kids.

 

Were they well behaved? Did they take over the pool area?

 

We last went on MSC in the month of October and there were few children in the YC (the rest of the ship had plenty).

 

We're going this time in July. I know there'll be more, but hopefully everyone will be well behaved and respectful. That's all we ask.

 

 

 

According to the staff, last week in the Seaside YC was an anomaly. There were at least 30 children, 18 from one big family group. This did mean that, at least part of the day, the pool and dining room were louder than we expected. We have kids ourselves (and will sail with them YC in November) and so I think we were less bothered than some others. The large family group was nice, most kids were behaved, and the YC is family friendly (there is a high chair stored on the deck by the grill), but another couple who was cruising back to back did say the atmosphere was different after the kids arrived. The staff seemed a little flustered and worried about the number of kids and what other guests were feeling. I think that a July cruise could definitely have more than a few children.

 

 

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We are former Celebrity "cheerleaders" with over thirty cruises completed, about 24 of them on Celebrity. We sailed MSC Seaside YC April 28. We now have two more booked on MSC. There were absolutely no negatives. Honestly, MSC to us is what Celebrity used to be before the new CEO took over a few years ago. If you are new to Celebrity it all seems fine, but if you have been sailing with them for well over 20 years, the difference is notable. The rest of Seaside, of course, isn't sedate like YC, but has a very happy atmosphere loaded with all kinds of activity and music everywhere. Venchi Chocolate bar is like a dream come true with their shakes and sundaes made with gelato and the most wonderful chocolate -- all included with YC. The shows are very different, but amazing. A standing ovation every single night. We have cancelled a cruise in concierge class on Celebrity Edge in favor of MSC Seaside.

Jennie

We have sailed on MSC, both in the YC and regular cabins for many years and in January we sailed in Concierge Class on the Celebrity Equinox, first time on X.

 

To make it simple, I would place the X experience between the MSC Yacht Club and a regular cabin on MSC. I was very impressed by the food in the buffet on X and the relaxed atmosphere onboard. Outside the YC the atmosphere on the MSC ships is more lively than X with plenty of live music in the lounges around.

 

In a few weeks we will sail in the YC onboard the brand new MSC Seaview and we are very excited. Would love to sail X again but and we looked at some itineraries on the Edge next summer but the pricing is to high in my opinion. YC is better value for sure.

Missthesea,

Thank you for your honest feedback.