YC Drink Package Changes?

[nednrom]

21 hours ago, JohnJayJotaJames said:

I agree Beamafar. I wouldn't want to be on a smaller ship. The freedom to leave the "Ship within a ship" and explore the huge ship is what I find enjoyable. Prefer knowing that everything is included. Will have to pre-pay some credit to cover ice creams etc! Or "cry" to YC Director!!!

 

We like the idea of "ship within a ship" while having the freedon to explore as well.  More than the drink package and what might be or not be included in that, I was surprised to find out that we had to eat at the YC and couldn't join friends in the MDR.  We will just have to coordinate dinner at specialty restaurants a couple of nights.

[Debde]

3 hours ago, nednrom said:

 

 I was surprised to find out that we had to eat at the YC and couldn't join friends in the MDR.  We will just have to coordinate dinner at specialty restaurants a couple of nights.

 

the concierge on seaside told us she could make us reservations at the MDR that catered to the anytime dining and would be happy to take care of that for us.

Sometimes the YC dining menu was too fancy and I was in the mood for my version of comfort food.

[kevinrobedm]

We also found that sometimes we did not want to eat in the YC.  The main dining room has a desk/check in for "anytime dining" guests.  When you are in the YC you can just walk up to that desk, show them your YC keycard/bracelet and they seat you right away.  We did this on the Seaview this month without a problem. The dining room staff told us as YC guests we could just walk down and get seated without any previous notice.

[Captain-John]

11 hours ago, kevinrobedm said:

We also found that sometimes we did not want to eat in the YC.  The main dining room has a desk/check in for "anytime dining" guests.  When you are in the YC you can just walk up to that desk, show them your YC keycard/bracelet and they seat you right away.  We did this on the Seaview this month without a problem. The dining room staff told us as YC guests we could just walk down and get seated without any previous notice.

 

Did you notice a lower quality meal? (I would hope so given the price differential!!)

[Captain-John]

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 7:37 PM, hamrag said:

 

The only aspect that has been excluded in the recent change is gelato....now chargeable. The drinks package is the equivalent of Premium Plus which has no price limit and, arguably, will offer at least a small number of high end brands for whisky/cognac/tequila and possibly an additional champagne that were not previously included!

 

I've found myself in a bit of an odd situation here as I booked a YC Preziosa cruise a few months ago (sailing Oct 2019) - before the changes to the drinks packages - but today have confirmed a Meraviglia YC booking today (sailing in May 2019).

 

So I'll be taking advantage of an 'old' package further in the future and be using a 'new' package beforehand. Although based on your summary hamrag shouldn't notice too much difference (I know there are charts and tables all over the shop with the details of the changes).

[kevinrobedm]

In our case on the Seaview, the meals in the YC were very strange on our transatlantic. One Gala night it was 3 shrimp tomato sauce with plain white rice and french fries.  I didn't get how that was Gala.

 

The food in the main dining room was larger portions and in our case was just as good as what we got in the YC.  Most of the times the menu item ingredients were the same in the dining room as in the YC.  In the YC they tried to make them fancy, sometimes a win, sometimes a loss.  We are not really into the fancy small portions that look good on the plate.  I would rather have less fluff and show for a meal that actually tastes good and has some substance to it.

 

Again this was just our experience on the Seaview.  I will say that the YC restaurant had less and less people in it as the 18 days went on and more and more of us either did the main dining room or the Specialty Restaurants.

 

We were even told one night by the YC  Restaurant Manager that the food is better in the Specialty Restaurants, he was right.

[nednrom]

13 hours ago, Debde said:

 

the concierge on seaside told us she could make us reservations at the MDR that catered to the anytime dining and would be happy to take care of that for us.

Sometimes the YC dining menu was too fancy and I was in the mood for my version of comfort food.

 

Thank you for the tip - makes me a feel better that we can eat at the MDR.

[LakeWobegon]

I haven't been able to read through all of this but looking forward to first MSC cruise and YC experience regardless on Seaside in a few months. I would hope that gelato, crepes and Venchi bar is included since we booked in February of this year but if not, oh well. It's still a great value if all lives up to expectation. And really, as my wife says, I don't think you can go on a BAD cruise. lol. Unless you booked one of those 3 day benders on Carnival or NCL like the Pitbull Cruise the latter offers. 

 

For comparison, we went on Carnival Vista for an 8 day Southern Caribbean cruise in August and had an absolute blast. We thought the food and experience was a lot better than NCL Escape and we really liked Escape - so much so that we went two times in a row. Anyway, we considered cancelling Seaside in March and booking another 8 night but this time on the new Horizon for March instead. The cost of a balcony room on Horizon (granted booking only 7 months out) was almost identical to the Deluxe Suite Balcony cabin we had booked on Seaside. And that's with no drink package or any of the "extras." When sailing NCl, just to book a lower end Haven room outright would have been almost twice what we'll be paying for a YC cruise, similar cabin and timeframe.

 

We have a Mexican Riviera cruise booked on Carnival Panorama for March 2020 in the Havana. I'm interested to see what that experience is like. You're essentially paying a little more for a private pool and common area. And all guests must be 12 or older. 

Edited December 19, 2018 by LakeWobegon

[JAGR]

25 minutes ago, LakeWobegon said:

. Anyway, we considered cancelling Seaside in March and booking another 8 night but this time on the new Horizon for March instead.

When are you on in March?  We have the first two weeks booked in YC

[LakeWobegon]

March 23. Will miss you by a bit it looks like.

 

[LakeWobegon]

I'm also excited that it looks like we've retained our Deluxe Suite with the pull down bed. I was told back in February that if a party of 5 booked, they would bump us from the room into another that just had the large bed and sofa bed. One of the things I've liked about NCL and Carnival is that its pretty easy to get a room with the pull down bed above a sofa bed when booking for 4 people. I mean, I love my son but don't want to spend a week sleeping beside a growing teenager (14) who occupies most of a sofa bed. This way my wife and I can have the bed, my daughter the sofa bed and son the pull down. One thing I have found, though recently with most lines when booking a standard balcony cabin, is that you can book an inside room across the hall for the kids and its nearly the same price as putting all 4 in the balcony cabin. You just have to have an adult offically listed as an occupant of each room.

[jules815]

1 hour ago, LakeWobegon said:

I haven't been able to read through all of this but looking forward to first MSC cruise and YC experience regardless on Seaside in a few months. I would hope that gelato, crepes and Venchi bar is included since we booked in February of this year but if not, oh well. It's still a great value if all lives up to expectation. And really, as my wife says, I don't think you can go on a BAD cruise.

 

Exactly!!  

 

We're sailing in about 3 weeks, and I can't wait.  It's my light at the end of the tunnel with all the holiday craziness I'm dealing with right now, in addition to being slammed with work.  I'm ready now!  🙂

 

[Nunagoras]

As per my own experience, the Aurea (any time dining) area has a somewhat improved version of the regular menu in some cases with better items, preparation and presentation.

 

For those ones with a Transatlantic in mind: Be aware that those cruises are sometimes the last cruise for many of the crew contracts or the first cruise for others. That calls for both emotional or adaptive problems on the many departments both visible and "behind the scenes". That will be the same no matter what your company of choice. Supplies for those cruises are also more complex than for the regular scheme when the ship will be docked on a port just every day. Item availability will vary accordingly.

 

As per my own experience, generally MSC is at the end of the day pretty good at providing what that have actually sold for their costumers. I don't believe that to have changed any more!... The problem in this case was just the way all this thing was actually decided and implemented. Amateurish... But it seems they are working on that at least...

 

Have a nice day!... 🙂

Edited December 19, 2018 by Nunagoras

[Hobby3333]

I remember last year talking about the drink package in YC.  Even when my wife and I got on board people were still questioning what was and was not included. We had no trouble with getting gelato or crepes.  Having eaten the gelato and crepes once was enough for me.  I was either saving my appetite for real food or I was too full to really enjoy the gelato and crepes.   I just hope the chocolate matini’s are still included in July 2019.  Regardless, nothing beats YC.  Our butler would bring two glasses of wine each evening at 6:15 while we were getting ready for the evening.   We enjoyed YC so much that we booked while on the ship and paid the same price with $200.00 on board credit. Cheers

[cshim]

On 12/15/2018 at 7:37 PM, hamrag said:

 

The only aspect that has been excluded in the recent change is gelato....now chargeable. The drinks package is the equivalent of Premium Plus which has no price limit and, arguably, will offer at least a small number of high end brands for whisky/cognac/tequila and possibly an additional champagne that were not previously included!

I have just been told in writing by UK customer services:

 

In the Yacht Club experience are included unlimited food and beverage in MSC Yacht Club areas, Free minibar service and Premium Drink package in the rest of the ship.

 

So it doesn't include premium plus. There is a 10 Euro limit and champagne is no longer included.

[dexddd]

20 hours ago, LakeWobegon said:

I'm also excited that it looks like we've retained our Deluxe Suite with the pull down bed. I was told back in February that if a party of 5 booked, they would bump us from the room into another that just had the large bed and sofa bed. One of the things I've liked about NCL and Carnival is that its pretty easy to get a room with the pull down bed above a sofa bed when booking for 4 people. I mean, I love my son but don't want to spend a week sleeping beside a growing teenager (14) who occupies most of a sofa bed. This way my wife and I can have the bed, my daughter the sofa bed and son the pull down. One thing I have found, though recently with most lines when booking a standard balcony cabin, is that you can book an inside room across the hall for the kids and its nearly the same price as putting all 4 in the balcony cabin. You just have to have an adult offically listed as an occupant of each room.

We are on same sailing and they wouldn't let us book room for 5 with boy and girl.  TA tried.  3rd 4 th not discounted like NCL so  I finally said screw it and booked a YIN as a second room for only a  few hundred more overall.

[Beamafar]

15 minutes ago, cshim said:

I have just been told in writing by UK customer services:

 

In the Yacht Club experience are included unlimited food and beverage in MSC Yacht Club areas, Free minibar service and Premium Drink package in the rest of the ship.

 

So it doesn't include premium plus. There is a 10 Euro limit and champagne is no longer included.

 

I have to say I was expecting that!    Hopefully we'll still have the Deluxe package included for our sailings later next year (though I'm preparing myself for MSC introducing a time limit on grandfathering in the packages regardless of when people have booked).

[sidari]

Bea ... Will find out and get back to you, a family we sailed with last Xmas have the Royal suite on Divina and we will be catching up with them later.

[Beamafar]

Cheers, Dave!

[sverigecruiser]

19 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

I have to say I was expecting that!    Hopefully we'll still have the Deluxe package included for our sailings later next year (though I'm preparing myself for MSC introducing a time limit on grandfathering in the packages regardless of when people have booked).

 

Did MSC in Ireland, or whereever you book your cruises, said that the deluxe package was included when you booked cruises before they changed the packages?

 

I asked MSC in Sweden about it and they said that no package is included for the YC because it's a completely different experience. Drinks are included but not a special "package". When they say that it's hard to know what to expect! Shall I demand to get everything included in the old deluxe package? 

[Beamafar]

I don't remember ever having it stated anywhere in my bookings, SC.  I may contact MSC (we booked one of our YC cruises next year through the UK office) and see if they're willing to confirm in writing that we will have the Deluxe package included.  (I might also contact the German TA that we booked the other YC cruise with, too!)

[Captain-John]

1 hour ago, cshim said:

I have just been told in writing by UK customer services:

 

In the Yacht Club experience are included unlimited food and beverage in MSC Yacht Club areas, Free minibar service and Premium Drink package in the rest of the ship.

 

So it doesn't include premium plus. There is a 10 Euro limit and champagne is no longer included.

 

45 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

I have to say I was expecting that!    Hopefully we'll still have the Deluxe package included for our sailings later next year (though I'm preparing myself for MSC introducing a time limit on grandfathering in the packages regardless of when people have booked).

 

What a nightmare. I'm expecting Deluxe on Preziosa in October 19 (booked Oct 18) and Premium on Meraviglia in May 19 (booked Dec 18) -  but, depends on the 'grandfather' period as you say Bea - be mighty huffed if it's Premium for both sailings.

Edited December 20, 2018 by Captain-John

[LakeWobegon]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

We are on same sailing and they wouldn't let us book room for 5 with boy and girl.  TA tried.  3rd 4 th not discounted like NCL so  I finally said screw it and booked a YIN as a second room for only a  few hundred more overall.

Will see you there maybe then! Yes, if I had to do it again I would have done it that way. I actually thought about it but rooms YINs were all taken by the time I did. On our Panorama cruise we've booked a Havana Cabana and inside room across the hall and it was as in your case, just a few hundred more. 

[Beamafar]

18 minutes ago, Captain-John said:

 

 

What a nightmare. I'm expecting Deluxe on Preziosa in October 19 (booked Oct 18) and Premium on Meraviglia in May 19 (booked Dec 18) -  but, depends on the 'grandfather' period as you say Bea - be mighty huffed if it's Premium for both sailings.

 

I'm leaning that way, too, Capn'.  But the pragmatist in me is taking into account that we enjoyed the Deluxe package when in YC on Meraviglia shortly after it was included, despite the fact that it wasn't in place at the time of booking.  Though there is a difference between not getting what you thought you would at the time of booking with the experience being reduced and it being enhanced.

[Annbel1511]

I’m boarding Preziosa saterday. Booked december 2017. I’ll let you know what’s included.