Help with embarkation for yacht club for a first time cruiser.

[Trishaphil]

Hi all.

I recently joined cruise critic and found it very helpful . I have gotten a bit confused with some details so please bear with me. I am travelling solo in yc on Fantasia in six weeks.

Will I go to the ship terminal for stated time on my ticket or earlier in case of an early embarkation.

Do I tip the person taking my luggage and my butler or others.

once in yacht club should I book theatre shows , spas etc.

I have read that the dress code is as in the rest of the ship so I'm happy enough but I shall bring a dress for formal night.

Any other help very much appreciated and thanks again .

[Clarea]

You may also want to post this on the dedicated MSC forum, where it's likely to be seen by more people familiar with the Fantasia embarkation process:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=80

[SuiteTraveler]

When you go to the port, look for the Yacht Club awning. Tip the porter for your luggage. From this point on, you are not expected to tip anyone at all. A butler will escort you to the check in area. He will give you drinks and food. You will be handed off to one of the ship's butlers who will take you to the Yacht Club - usually you stop by the concierge desk and then go to your suite. At the end of the cruise, if you feel that your service has been really outstanding, you might tip your waiter and butler. But again, this is not expected and in fact MSC discourages tipping. Here is their tipping policy:

 

MSC Cruises Tipping Policy

 

 

During your cruise, you will meet staff throughout the ship who provide you with excellent service. They are supported by just as many staff and crew who work hard behind the scenes to ensure you enjoy every moment on board.

 

For your convenience MSC Cruises will automatically add a daily Hotel Service Charge to your shipboard account, based on your chosen itinerary and the number of days for which the services are actually provided. The Hotel Service charge serves to ensure MSC maintains the highest quality standards of service to their guests. The daily amounts have been calculated with this in mind and cannot be modified. However, should you wish to remove any of the daily Hotel Service Charge in the unlikely event that you do not receive satisfactory service, you may do so by contacting the Guest Relations Manager on board.

 

Services Charges Applied:

 

• Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Canary Island and Emirates: Adults over 14 - 8.5 Euro per night, Child 3 and over - 4.25 Euro per night
  
• South Africa: Adults over 18 - $6 per night, Child 3 and over - $3 per night
  
• South America: Adults over 12 - $10.50 per night, Child 3 and over - $5.25 per night
  
• Caribbean: Adults over 18 - $12 per night, Child 3 and over - $6 per night
  

MSC Cruises does not recommend tipping individual members of staff.

 

Bar Service Charge: A 15% Bar Service Charge is automatically added to all purchases.

 

Spa Service Charge: A 15% service charge will be added on all spa services purchased onboard and paid at the end of the cruise on your final bill.

 

 

 

You do not need to book shows -there is plenty of seating. The only things to get reservations for are spa treatments, shore excursions and specialty dining which the Concierge can help you with.

 

People do dress up for formal night - I wore one of my nice maxi dresses and that was dressy enough although I saw other women in ballgowns and sequined and beaded gowns. There is also a white night (Glow party kind of thing) and an Italian night where people wear the colors of the Italian flag, although it is not required to participate in any of this. On Italian night, let me warn you - the show is audience participation, so if you don't want to involved, sit further back and away from the aisles so the performers won't approach you. It's a great show otherwise.

 

Be sure to tell the concierge when you will go to dinner as she needs to relay this to the restaurant for suite guests (ours failed to do this - probably too much going on at one time and it slipped her mind, but once we were there and the Maitre'd mentioned we should have let him know of what time we planned to eat, I told him I had already told the concierge to arrange for our dinner time at 7 each night and he took care of it for the rest of the cruise.)

 

That first evening, your butler will escort you to the restaurant for suite guests to make sure you know where it is that you need to go. The butler will also escort you off the ship for shore excursions. However, our concierge was not very good at letting us know when the gangway was open and kept us standing around longer than necessary. As a result we missed one of our excursions. So do stay alert as to what time you can disembark and if the concierge keeps you waiting past that time, I'd just go ahead and leave.

Edited April 16, 2017 by SuiteTraveler

[Trishaphil]

Hi suite traveler

Many thanks for your quick reply and help. I will indeed keep in mind re Italian night. Thank you . Greatly appreciated.