MSC YC - Comparable to Regent/Four Seasons/Ritz Experience?

[cruzers j&n]

Hello MSC YC fans,

 

I was trying to determine the closest experience of YC, would you say it's comparable to a true luxury cruise (Regent or similar), or more like Celebrity? If hotel brand is easier to compare, is it closer to a Ritz/Four Seasons or more like a nice Marriott/Hyatt/Hilton?

 

My guess from the many reviews/posts I've read so far that YC is likely a cross, but not exactly true luxury standards but pretty exceptional? Would you say that's a pretty accurate assessment?

 

We've cruised with Regent, Oceania and Celebrity and enjoyed them all (each have strengths in different areas). We enjoy diversity with passengers, crew, and destination BUT when cruising as a family, need to have high standards of service with regards to a child's food allergy that is life threatening. This is where I've found that a luxury brand shines, as the service ratio is higher and the staff are trained to be very detail oriented.

 

Most reviews I have seen tend to compare YC vs. the regular MSC product or with one of the mainstream cruiselines so was curious if the feedback would still be as positively reinforced if compared against Regent/Silversea, Crystal, or Seaborn?

 

Would love to hear any feedback (good or bad but I'm guessing most will be very positive!). Many thanks in advance. I am eager to give MSC a try, especially the YC! :)

[GOLDENBONNY]

Hello MSC YC fans,

 

I was trying to determine the closest experience of YC, would you say it's comparable to a true luxury cruise (Regent or similar), or more like Celebrity? If hotel brand is easier to compare, is it closer to a Ritz/Four Seasons or more like a nice Marriott/Hyatt/Hilton?

 

My guess from the many reviews/posts I've read so far that YC is likely a cross, but not exactly true luxury standards but pretty exceptional? Would you say that's a pretty accurate assessment?

 

We've cruised with Regent, Oceania and Celebrity and enjoyed them all (each have strengths in different areas). We enjoy diversity with passengers, crew, and destination BUT when cruising as a family, need to have high standards of service with regards to a child's food allergy that is life threatening. This is where I've found that a luxury brand shines, as the service ratio is higher and the staff are trained to be very detail oriented.

 

Most reviews I have seen tend to compare YC vs. the regular MSC product or with one of the mainstream cruiselines so was curious if the feedback would still be as positively reinforced if compared against Regent/Silversea, Crystal, or Seaborn?

 

Would love to hear any feedback (good or bad but I'm guessing most will be very positive!). Many thanks in advance. I am eager to give MSC a try, especially the YC! :)

 

Please stay with Seaborn . :rolleyes: And if you want to compare lets start from price. My cruise from Barcelona on MSC would cost me around $5000.00 for 3 persons in YC, similar cruise my friend booked on SEaborn was $ 25000.00 for 2 . I don't think we would get same product or we should get same product.

 

For me MSC even regular cabin not even YC better than Celebrity but it's only my opinion .

[parallax]

I won't speak to food as it is subjective, although we really enjoyed it on MSC.

 

The service is exceptional and would be more in line with a 5 star hotel. I have been on many other cruises, including Celebrity and Oceania, and by far the best service that I have received was in the YC. I think the service is much more intimate. The butlers and the waitstaff really standout. They pay close attention to detail and are professional in every sense of the definition. The concierge staff was a little more hit and miss.

 

Of course, with a dangerous food allergy, hopefully some others can comment as my engagement with the staff would be considered more routine.

Edited June 8, 2016 by parallax

[JPR61]

Please stay with Seaborn . :rolleyes: And if you want to compare lets start from price. My cruise from Barcelona on MSC would cost me around $5000.00 for 3 persons in YC, similar cruise my friend booked on SEaborn was $ 25000.00 for 2 . I don't think we would get same product or we should get same product.

 

For me MSC even regular cabin not even YC better than Celebrity but it's only my opinion .

Took the words out of my mouth, couldn't have put it better

[Fredric22]

MSC Yacht Club certainly beats a basic stateroom experience on Celebrity. There is absolutely no comparison. If you want to compare apples to apples, you can compare the Celebrity Suite Class to the Yacht Club. In that instance the two are a bit more closely matched, but the Yacht Club still beats out Celebrity. For example, you do not have your own pool/hot tub/buffet area on any of the Celebrity ships nor do you have anything like the beautiful Top Sail Lounge. The suites on many of Celebrity's older ships are in need of repair. I sailed a suite on the Summit and it was something close to being in a 2 star hotel with stained lamp shades, broken furniture, and outdated decor. On the flip side, the Divina's suites are kept immaculate! I will give a slight edge to the food in Celebrity's suite class restaurant (Luminae), however they are only open for lunch on port days (vs Le Muse which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day). Also the tables in Luminae are very close together and do not allow for much privacy. Tables in Le Muse are very private. Lastly, the Yacht Club is usually priced cheaper than the Celebrity Suite Class, making it a better value.

 

Of course, if other factors like itinerary and dates are in play I would have no issues traveling in Celebrity's suite class again.

[HornedFrogCruiser]

We have stayed in a number of Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton hotels. It occurs to me that one principal difference is that there is just so much MORE service provided on a ship, as compared to a hotel, luxury or not. Virtually everything that happens on board a ship requires that someone deliver a service, whereas in a hotel guests are frequently out and about and thus encounter services much more sporadically.

 

But, having said that, I would say that the service we encountered in the Yacht Club was at the same level as a luxury hotel in terms of professionalism and promptness. What was different in the Yacht Club was that the service was far more personal. In an area as small as the YC, the staff quickly get to know your preferences and you, the guest, have the opportunity to build a relationship with staff members, should you wish to do so. The staff members working in the YC are just incredibly kind, devoted to serving, and exhibit a graciousness that is quite remarkable.

 

Within a week of disembarking our first YC cruise last fall, we booked our next two!

[jchipgcs]

I absolutely agree with what HornedFrog said. I'm a TA and I've been very fortunate to stay at some amazing true 5-Diamond properties. I'm personally partial to St. Regis when it comes to the luxury "big hotel" companies.

 

I'll take it a step further in comparison in that more than just comparing YC to a fine resort stay, to me it's perhaps on an even higher level, comparable to being in a suite or "club level" at a fine hotel. Fine hotels can be quite large and although service is wonderful, you can still feel like a number at times. But club level, where you have a dedicated small team at your disposal where you get to know staff on a first name basis and you're more catered to...YC is a lot like that.

 

I'd say in all honesty the only place YC falls short of my 5-Diamond hotel experiences is in food quality. I love the food on MSC and in YC venues, well other than that time I had too much to drink the night before and decided to try pickled herring at breakfast time. Worst decision of my life. The food is very good although at times some dishes are just good. But I'm not forking out major bucks for a 5-Diamond dining experience where a meal for two is easily $300.

[emerson621]

I could not agree more. Such a special experience for not much more money than many of the larger ships with a balcony room.

[jerseyaxn]

I booked our first msc cruise on the seaside in feb 18 and will be staying in the yacht club thanks for all the great info

[HornedFrogCruiser]

I would echo jchipgcs' observation on the food in Le Muse. Any number of times it was just good, sometimes very good, and infrequently, outstanding.

 

The best dish I had on the ship was actually at Eataly. It's a Roman dish called Cacio e Pepe (cheese and pepper), and it was better than the many times I've had it in Italy.

[riclop]

Please stay with Seaborn . :rolleyes: And if you want to compare lets start from price. My cruise from Barcelona on MSC would cost me around $5000.00 for 3 persons in YC, similar cruise my friend booked on SEaborn was $ 25000.00 for 2 . I don't think we would get same product or we should get same product.

 

For me MSC even regular cabin not even YC better than Celebrity but it's only my opinion .

 

Yes way better then X.

[riclop]

You really can't compare a hotel to a cruise ship.