HAVENers, have you ever tried/considered MSC Yacht Club?

[mafig]

I am really torn between the Haven and MSC's Yacht Club. Yacht Club sounds wonderful, but so many people experience so many issues with MSC's web site, customer service, etc. before the cruise. I had just about written them off because I don't think I could handle the stress.

 

However, there's price. They are considerably cheaper than NCL. And in some ways their suite experience is equal to/or better than the Haven.

 

So here's my question.

 

Has anyone done BOTH? Can you give me feedback, PLEASE??:D

[mafig]

SORRY, DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAS POSTED TWICE. :o:o

[SydneyD'Augstralia]

I'm just back from a week in YC on Divina. Having sailed 50 plus times on NCL in Haven or suites, I can tell you that MSC wins without a doubt.

 

Compared one week Caribbean on Escape and Divina, Divina was 2400. per person compared to Escape at 4500. per.

 

The ship was the cleanest I've ever seen and not a spot of rust. The suite was large, well appointed and beautifully decorated in an understated European style, not Vegas garish as NCL. White glove service was impeccable and intuitive, I've had to chase down NCL butlers or not see them for days.

 

The private pool deck and Top Sail Lounge were an oasis on an otherwise loud and crowded ship. Tips for the butler and concierge are included but they blew me away, so I left additional.

 

The passenger mix was a bit more sophisticated (no upsells on MSC), many Europeans. The food was excellent and the dedicated restaurant phenomenal. I haven't had a memorable meal on NCL in years....

 

The major drawback is Miami, terrible terminal and port employees.....

 

So, I would highly recommend MSC over NCL. They win in every single point.

[GeezerCouple]

I'm just back from a week in YC on Divina. Having sailed 50 plus times on NCL in Haven or suites' date=' I can tell you that MSC wins without a doubt.

 

Compared one week Caribbean on Escape and Divina, Divina was 2400. per person compared to Escape at 4500. per.

 

The ship was the cleanest I've ever seen and not a spot of rust. The suite was large, well appointed and beautifully decorated in an understated European style, not Vegas garish as NCL. White glove service was impeccable and intuitive, I've had to chase down NCL butlers or not see them for days.

 

The private pool deck and Top Sail Lounge were an oasis on an otherwise loud and crowded ship. Tips for the butler and concierge are included but they blew me away, so I left additional.

 

The passenger mix was a bit more sophisticated (no upsells on MSC), many Europeans. The food was excellent and the dedicated restaurant phenomenal. I haven't had a memorable meal on NCL in years....

 

The major drawback is Miami, terrible terminal and port employees.....

 

So, I would highly recommend MSC over NCL. They win in every single point.[/quote']

 

Thank you for this feedback.

Sounds very appealing.

 

Could you let us know which suite you had, or if not the specific number, then at least the actual category?

 

We were ready to consider MSC Yacht Club, anyway, but now that NCL won't allow beverages to be brought on board, and they do not have any Coca Cola products (we *hate* Pepsi, and I drink a lot of Diet Coke)... we will move on.

We would purchase Diet Coke, but NCL doesn't sell it...

 

--> Do you know if MSC has Diet Coke?

If so, bottles or cans?

 

We recently gave Oceania a try, and absolutely loved the Riviera (a lot!!).

But there seem to be a lot of itineraries we don't quite like, or at least the scheduling of some of them.

However, we now will be a bit more flexible about that ;)

Did I mention that we LOVED Oceania's Riviera?

 

But if the MSC Yacht Club is nice enough, especially at a much lower price point, we'll want to give it a try.

[hunterjackson]

My problem is no 2 bedroom suites for MSC :(

[mafig]

SydneyD'Augstralia,

 

How was your pre-cruise experience on MSC. That is what has me the most frightened. The MSC board is filled with horror stories about their website. People have their bookings horribly messed up. Not just little things, but thousands of dollars in overcharges on their credit cards, passport information compromised....etc. Never being able to get through to them by phone, or else waits of over an hour. One poster was thrilled he only waited 45 minutes! Anything like this happen to you?

Edited July 1, 2016 by mafig

[NCLfamily]

I'm just back from a week in YC on Divina. Having sailed 50 plus times on NCL in Haven or suites' date=' I can tell you that MSC wins without a doubt.

 

 

 

Compared one week Caribbean on Escape and Divina, Divina was 2400. per person compared to Escape at 4500. per.

 

 

 

The ship was the cleanest I've ever seen and not a spot of rust. The suite was large, well appointed and beautifully decorated in an understated European style, not Vegas garish as NCL. White glove service was impeccable and intuitive, I've had to chase down NCL butlers or not see them for days.

 

 

 

The private pool deck and Top Sail Lounge were an oasis on an otherwise loud and crowded ship. Tips for the butler and concierge are included but they blew me away, so I left additional.

 

The passenger mix was a bit more sophisticated (no upsells on MSC), many Europeans. The food was excellent and the dedicated restaurant phenomenal. I haven't had a memorable meal on NCL in years....

 

 

 

The major drawback is Miami, terrible terminal and port employees.....

 

 

 

So, I would highly recommend MSC over NCL. They win in every single point.[/quote']

 

 

You have sailed over 50 times on NCL, all in suites or a haven and you can't think of a good thing to say about them?and you haven't had a memorable meal on NCL in years? Why would you have sailed wth them so often? Doesn't add up

Edited July 1, 2016 by NCLfamily

[triptolemus]

You have sailed over 50 times on NCL, all in suites or a haven and you can't think of a good thing to say about them?and you haven't had a memorable meal on NCL in years? Why would you have sailed wth them so often? Doesn't add up

 

What doesn't add up? Does the poster need to provide documentation to you?

[NCLfamily]

What doesn't add up? Does the poster need to provide documentation to you?

 

 

You don't think it the slightest bit strange they claim to have sailed with NCL 50 times (in suites) without having a memorable meal in years? Why would they continue to do so?

 

And 50 times? I doubt it.

[punkincc]

You don't think it the slightest bit strange they claim to have sailed with NCL 50 times (in suites) without having a memorable meal in years? Why would they continue to do so?

 

And 50 times? I doubt it.

 

Add a comma to their statement, "Having sailed 50 plus times, on NCL in Haven or suites, I can tell you...." and their statement takes in a different meaning.

 

I'm not sure which they meant, but I'm not going to doubt their word. If someone cruises several times a year, it's easy to rack up 50 cruises. And people do not cruise NCL or any cruise line just for food, but for many other reasons as well. We have sailed NCL 10 times, and maybe a couple of meals could be considered memorable, yet we continued to book.

[triptolemus]

You don't think it the slightest bit strange they claim to have sailed with NCL 50 times (in suites) without having a memorable meal in years? Why would they continue to do so?

 

And 50 times? I doubt it.

 

I see no reason to question the veracity of that poster's claims or motives compared to someone with a username like "NCLfamily" for example, whose motives and bias seems quite clear.

[Boschmann]

You don't think it the slightest bit strange they claim to have sailed with NCL 50 times (in suites) without having a memorable meal in years? Why would they continue to do so?

 

And 50 times? I doubt it.

 

They have planned this slander on NCL for 10years...? I totally believe Sydney's opinion is genuine and probably accurate.

[SydneyD'Augstralia]

SydneyD'Augstralia,

 

How was your pre-cruise experience on MSC. That is what has me the most frightened. The MSC board is filled with horror stories about their website. People have their bookings horribly messed up. Not just little things, but thousands of dollars in overcharges on their credit cards, passport information compromised....etc. Never being able to get through to them by phone, or else waits of over an hour. One poster was thrilled he only waited 45 minutes! Anything like this happen to you?

 

My precruise was no better or worse than NCL. Perfectly adequate. No major errors or long waits.Got the room I booked. Representatives were courteous. Documents and tags arrived well in advance. Their website is not the most advanced, but sure beats Pullmantur's! :p

 

You have sailed over 50 times on NCL, all in suites or a haven and you can't think of a good thing to say about them?and you haven't had a memorable meal on NCL in years? Why would you have sailed wth them so often? Doesn't add up

 

As for you, Mr. McFailedSleuth, I never said anything bad about NCL. If you read carefully without your knee jerking into your face, you'd see it was a just a comparison and MSC won this round. I still like NCL and will continue to sail with them and eat their food. Not memorable doesn't mean inedible. They suit my needs and when they don't, I cruise with another line. Simple.

 

Many thanks to the more gracious posters. :D

[SwissLe]

I loved the price of MSC, the vast European ship choice and the ease of departure points.

 

I did not like the service (it was really miss and very rarely hit) - even one of the staff members admitted most of his colleagues were just using it for a springboard to another line 'where they really look after their staff'. The ships are also hideously decorated in my opinion; right up to their latest generation where they had an opporuntinty to ditch the 80s cruise ship glitz and do something spectacular like RCI have managed with their last few new builds.

 

I also didn't understand the whole YC inclusive drinks, only inclusive in the YC area and not ship wide. It encourages you to stay in your small, OK OK exclusive, area for most of the cruise.

 

Also, MSC have the most diverse spread of passengers I've ever experienced which was great for socialising but turned the announcements into seemingly hour long confused rambling from the loudspeakers. The lifeboat drill being no exception.

 

Food was good, not as great as I was expecting based on reputation but 100% the best pizza at sea.

[SNJCruisers]

On MSC's next two builds, the Meraviglia and the Seaside, the YC will also contain a limited number of inside cabins. On the Seaside, they go for about 2800 per couple including all taxes for a 7 day sailing and include 400 in OBC. It also includes all alcoholic drinks in the YC area.

[mafig]

I

 

I also didn't understand the whole YC inclusive drinks, only inclusive in the YC area and not ship wide. It encourages you to stay in your small, OK OK exclusive, area for most of the cruise.

 

 

Fo

 

In doing my research, I have found out that you may get your drink "to go" from the Yacht Club. We'd probably do that if we were going to a show or the casino. Otherwise, many others purchase drink coupons (15 drinks for $75) for use outside the YC, can be shared by a couple.:)

[punkincc]

On MSC's next two builds, the Meraviglia and the Seaside, the YC will also contain a limited number of inside cabins. On the Seaside, they go for about 2800 per couple including all taxes for a 7 day sailing and include 400 in OBC. It also includes all alcoholic drinks in the YC area.

 

In doing my research, I have found out that you may get your drink "to go" from the Yacht Club. We'd probably do that if we were going to a show or the casino. Otherwise, many others purchase drink coupons (15 drinks for $75) for use outside the YC, can be shared by a couple.:)

 

We had been sent information on the Seaside and I found it intriguing. We may give it a try in 2018. I love the idea of the drink coupons. At only $5 per drink, it sure beats buying a pricey NCL UBP for light drinkers like us or paying $15 for a martini with no package.

[OzCanuck]

Here's another data point for you. We've sailed 9 times in NCL suites, and one time in MSC Yacht Club. In terms of haven vs. Yacht Club, the YC wins hands down from every possible measurement I can think of (except perhaps in suite type diversity.).

 

The 'drinks to go' issue was no problem, they gave me a plastic traveler whenever I requested.

 

I don't sail thinking I'm going to get an amazing food experience. Nowhere is it fine dining on NCL or MSC. The meals were fine on MSC, thet are fine on NCL.

 

Didn't like MSC's specialty restaurants, but I preferred their suite resto to the haven's resto. Just had better service and food options. AND.. they went out of their way to handle vegetarian wife, unlike NCL where it was an afterthought.

 

People like or dislike things about both ship styles -'away' class vs Divina, but I LOVED the pool area on Divina. Much much much better than the Haven.

 

Any questions, let me know.

[mafig]

Here's another data point for you. We've sailed 9 times in NCL suites, and one time in MSC Yacht Club. In terms of haven vs. Yacht Club, the YC wins hands down from every possible measurement I can think of (except perhaps in suite type diversity.).

 

The 'drinks to go' issue was no problem, they gave me a plastic traveler whenever I requested.

 

I don't sail thinking I'm going to get an amazing food experience. Nowhere is it fine dining on NCL or MSC. The meals were fine on MSC, thet are fine on NCL.

 

Didn't like MSC's specialty restaurants, but I preferred their suite resto to the haven's resto. Just had better service and food options. AND.. they went out of their way to handle vegetarian wife, unlike NCL where it was an afterthought.

 

People like or dislike things about both ship styles -'away' class vs Divina, but I LOVED the pool area on Divina. Much much much better than the Haven.

 

Any questions, let me know.

 

 

You liked the pool area better on Divina. I've recently read that there's not any shade around the pool loungers. True?

[punkincc]

Here's another data point for you. We've sailed 9 times in NCL suites, and one time in MSC Yacht Club. In terms of haven vs. Yacht Club, the YC wins hands down from every possible measurement I can think of (except perhaps in suite type diversity.).

 

The 'drinks to go' issue was no problem, they gave me a plastic traveler whenever I requested.

 

I don't sail thinking I'm going to get an amazing food experience. Nowhere is it fine dining on NCL or MSC. The meals were fine on MSC, thet are fine on NCL.

 

Didn't like MSC's specialty restaurants, but I preferred their suite resto to the haven's resto. Just had better service and food options. AND.. they went out of their way to handle vegetarian wife, unlike NCL where it was an afterthought.

 

People like or dislike things about both ship styles -'away' class vs Divina, but I LOVED the pool area on Divina. Much much much better than the Haven.

 

Any questions, let me know.

 

My biggest hesitation with MSC would be that it is not freestyle when it comes to dining, I assume. What about the Yacht Club restaurant. Is it anytime seating with your own party, or do they tell you when to arrive at "your" table for 8 or whatever. I would hate that.

[Boschmann]

My biggest hesitation with MSC would be that it is not freestyle when it comes to dining, I assume. What about the Yacht Club restaurant. Is it anytime seating with your own party, or do they tell you when to arrive at "your" table for 8 or whatever. I would hate that.

 

From what I understand in non-Yacht Club it depends on which package you bought; Bella, Fantastica, Aurea etc.... I'm pretty sure in Yacht Club you get any time in all restaurants.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Boschmann

[OzCanuck]

You liked the pool area better on Divina. I've recently read that there's not any shade around the pool loungers. True?

 

The loungers are in full sun. There are 6-7 tables near the One Pool bar that are in full shade, great for breakfast or lunch. The pool itself has a large sail-type shade over half of it. You can time your pool visits to take advantage of it, or not. The two hot tubs are generally in full sun.

 

The nice thing about it during our sailing, (first week of June) is that my son and I had virtually private usage of the pool. Occasionally there would be other people using it - we would just come back later so as not to disturb them.

[OzCanuck]

My biggest hesitation with MSC would be that it is not freestyle when it comes to dining, I assume. What about the Yacht Club restaurant. Is it anytime seating with your own party, or do they tell you when to arrive at "your" table for 8 or whatever. I would hate that.

 

You sit at your own table in the YC restaurant. It is fully free-style, or at least was with our maitre'd (Giacomo). I had read that some people had been asked to provide a seating time with the previous one, however not on our sailing. It was usually half empty.

[Two Wheels Only]

AND.. they went out of their way to handle vegetarian wife, unlike NCL where it was an afterthought.

 

Another CC member had a much better vegetarian experience in the Haven on Escape...

 

Now turning my attention to food on the ship. As I previously indicated, I am a long-time vegetarian. I have to say that the staff on the Escape went out of their way to make sure that I had enough variety of excellent food. No complaints at all from this vegetarian.

 

We ate at Cagneys (the steak house) twice. Now, steakhouses are not usually the most friendly venues for vegetarians, but the staff went the extra mile to accommodate me. The Matre De at Cagneys (I believe his name is Johnson) looked after me personally. He sent down to the main dining room to get their vegetarian entre so I could eat with the family. One night it was an eggplant rolitini. The second night was an Indian dish that I enjoyed.

 

The Matre de in the Haven restaurant is Lili (Lillibeth, I believe.) She is awesome, and looked after this vegetarian well.

 

One night, Lili arranged for this beautifully arranged fruit salad to to sent up for me from Food Republic.

 

Another night, the chef in the Haven restaurant sent out this pasta dish for my enjoyment.

 

Overall, if you are a vegetarian, you will be well taken care of on the Escape.

[OzCanuck]

Another CC member had a much better vegetarian experience in the Haven on Escape...

 

Lucky them. In our experience it was inconsistent, at best.