MSC Seaview - Aurea Experience (Yacht Club unavailable). Should we board?

[Tonie_Deccache]

My wife, our two boys and I are due to board MSC Seaview on January 12^th. Unfortunately we were misled by a travel agent into booking Aurea Suite with Private Whirlpool, under the belief that “this is the best service you can get on-board MSC Seaview”, she said. The agent seemed to have “forgotten” to tell us that it was the best service we could purchase, BECAUSE ALL YACHT CLUB SUITES WERE BOOKED AT THAT TIME!!

Browsing MSC website latter on the week, we discovered about MSC Yacht Club and started to fear we would not be traveling within desired standards of service and private access areas in Aurea Experience did not seem to be much more than a tanning station, although we were told it would have private pool and bar in the so called “Exclusive Aurea Solarium”.

Having called MSC to see about possible cabin and/or service upgrade, we were told that all Yacht Club Suites are indeed booked, and it would not be possible to purchase an upgrade into Yach Club services. However, the MSC representative was very emphatic about the “excellent benefits” of the Aurea Experience. He even said that the “Exclusive Aurea Solarium” has a bigger swimming pool then the Yacht Club sun deck…

Anyway, since it seems that booth, travel agent and MSC, are laying to our faces, we like to know:

(1) Should we avoid boarding MSC Seaview all together, unless within the Yacht Club category? This would mean a 25% penalty on a 10k reservation.

(2) Will our boys (both 11 years old) be happy with what will be available to them in MSC Seaview? Seems like they would be allowed into the “Exclusive Aurea Solarium”, is this so!?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Cheers!

[sidari]

Hi Tonie ... We sailed Aurea on two occasions on Seaside, it does not have a separate pool but it does have its own private sun deck on Deck 19 and its own bar and seating area, the Jungle pool is on Deck 18 below and you can see into it from the Aurea sun deck when they have the sliding roof open. The water slides are just along on the same Deck 19. The kids are allowed onto the Aurea sun deck with you, you also get nice soft towels for the sunbed/lounger and do not have to take the ones from your cabin.

The Aurea package comes with access to the Spa for all the cruise and a massage each for the Adults, it also gives you anytime dining which means you can go anytime during the dinner opening times.

The Aurea cabin you have booked has plenty of space and as you say a balcony whirlpool.

Check out the link on page one and see the photos posted by Edgar starting at photo number 3, this is the type of cabin you have booked.

 

Edited December 7, 2018 by sidari

[Two Wheels Only]

Although I did not have that particular "experience" on Seaside, Aurea does seem to be pretty good. The exclusive sundeck is a definite plus. The whirlpool on the balcony is useful even though you can be easily seen by others...

 

 

Aurea isn't Yacht Club but looking at the experience chart, you can see what Aurea has over Bella and Fantastica.

 

You'll have a great cruise.👍

[glittergal1]

why are you even thinking about cancelling just because you cant get yacht club?  the rest of the passengers on board in other areas of the ship  are not frightening , and what are these "desired standards of service " you think you will miss out on ? 

[hamrag]

For what it is worth, having sailed in YC, there is little or anything that would excite any 11 year old child (I am a father of 2 sons, and a daughter, now adults) in the YC enclave. Everything that would excite them is outwith the YC. So, if it is mainly about exciting your children, there is no way I would take a 2.5k penalty and cancel.

 

Also, once on board, I would enquire if it might be possible to spend a day in YC so that you can assess for future reference.

[DMH15]

2 hours ago, glittergal1 said:

why are you even thinking about cancelling just because you cant get yacht club?  the rest of the passengers on board in other areas of the ship  are not frightening , and what are these "desired standards of service " you think you will miss out on ? 

C'mon.  Nowhere did the OP say anything negative about the other pax, or even hint they are "frightening".  

 

It's just if you have cruised both ways, as I have, mostly NCL Haven, there is a HUGE difference.  For instance, it is less crowded, quieter, fewer lins,, more flexibility, better food and service, more choices, etc.   

 

isn't it wonderful there are choices for all of us? 

 

 

 

 

[DMH15]

11 hours ago, Tonie_Deccache said:

My wife, our two boys and I are due to board MSC Seaview on January 12^th. Unfortunately we were misled by a travel agent into booking Aurea Suite with Private Whirlpool, under the belief that “this is the best service you can get on-board MSC Seaview”, she said. The agent seemed to have “forgotten” to tell us that it was the best service we could purchase, BECAUSE ALL YACHT CLUB SUITES WERE BOOKED AT THAT TIME!!

 

Browsing MSC website latter on the week, we discovered about MSC Yacht Club and started to fear we would not be traveling within desired standards of service and private access areas in Aurea Experience did not seem to be much more than a tanning station, although we were told it would have private pool and bar in the so called “Exclusive Aurea Solarium”.

 

Having called MSC to see about possible cabin and/or service upgrade, we were told that all Yacht Club Suites are indeed booked, and it would not be possible to purchase an upgrade into Yach Club services. However, the MSC representative was very emphatic about the “excellent benefits” of the Aurea Experience. He even said that the “Exclusive Aurea Solarium” has a bigger swimming pool then the Yacht Club sun deck…

 

Anyway, since it seems that booth, travel agent and MSC, are laying to our faces, we like to know:

 

(1) Should we avoid boarding MSC Seaview all together, unless within the Yacht Club category? This would mean a 25% penalty on a 10k reservation.

 

(2) Will our boys (both 11 years old) be happy with what will be available to them in MSC Seaview? Seems like they would be allowed into the “Exclusive Aurea Solarium”, is this so!?

 

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

Cheers!

I almost did the same thing.  But my type A personality led me to do a lot more research.  So, my first MSC is in YC on Seaside next May.  

 

That being said, Aurea and your particular cabin looks good.  I would not cancel, but rather use it to see how MSC meets my needs.   I remember when friends on the NCL Jewel in the Haven had us up for lunch brought in by the butler, we could not wait to book our next cruise in the suite life.  We still enjoyed that cruise and did not lament with "what ifs".

[kodesthemoose]

OP, your post is so dramatic.  The agent and MSC are lying to your faces as opposed to just being wrong (a very common issue with MSC unfortunately). 

Have you looked into the Thermal area of the spa, and did you know that Aurea comes with complimentary massages?  I dunno, I for one would never forgo $2,500 just because there was a chance I wasn't going to enjoy everything about the cruise.

 

One of the oddities about Seaside/Seaview is that the YC rooms themselves are not particularly special and they are not big either (except for the Royal.)  I am sure your room with the whirlpool is larger than a YC suite, so that's a bonus.  

Edited December 7, 2018 by kodesthemoose

[Tonie_Deccache]

Good evening, from Rio de Janeiro!

Thank you so much Sidari, Two Wheels Only, Hamrag and DMH15 for all the useful information and tips!

Also, it was not my intention to be pretentious or dramatic. Sorry if my post upset Glittergal1 and Kodesthemoose, as I did not intend to offend any of the other passengers, much less other crusecritic members. So for that I apologise!

However, I think that it would be understandable being discontent (very, actually!) with the quality of information supplied by both service providers (agent and MSC). Furthermore, having contacted MSC on the phone to try and better understand where we stood on this reservation, we expected the company to be much more careful regarding the explanation they were providing, instead of further misleading our expectations.

Concerning the expression "desired standards of service", I have nothing to add to DMH15 reply on the subject. Again, thank you for that DMH15!

Since it seems like our boys will be happy and occupied during this cruse, my wife and I will gladly try MSC and the Aurea Experience! We will make sure let you know about our impressions when we get back, if that’s ok with you?!.

Best regards to all!

Tonie

Edited December 8, 2018 by Tonie_Deccache

[Tapi]

We just returned from a wonderful cruise in an Aurea Experience suite. We selected Aurea over YC because, simply stated, the Aurea suite that we booked offered far superior accommodations than any suite in the Yacht Club, something that was highly desirable considering that we were traveling with two small children. Had we sailed without kids, the Yacht Club probably would've been a better choice. But traveling as a family, Aurea made more sense. 

 

As far as the perks go: true, they were not as extensive as the perks in the Yacht Club, and I'll admit that there were times when I felt that the Aurea in-cabin perks didn't quite match the accommodations, but overall, we were very satisfied with what we did get. Because we had our own jaccuzzi tub as well, we never used the public pools or jaccuzzi tubs throughout the ship. The private deck exclusive to Aurea and Wellness passengers was, most of the time, completely deserted. Maybe 1-2 other guests using it when we were there. You do eat at the main dining room, but in an area reserved for Aurea passengers with flexible dining times. Once again, the Aurea experience doesn't provide the exclusivity that the Yacht Club provides, but it's definitely a step up from the Bella and Fantastica experiences. 

 

I personally wouldn't remotely consider canceling just because of not being in a Yacht Club stateroom, specially if I'll incur hefty penalties for doing so. That will fulfill the proverbial "cutting my nose to spite my face" saying. What I do recommend is that you embrace the perks and the accommodations that you are getting in your Aurea Suite, rather than focusing on the things that you could've had in the Yacht Club. Otherwise, you will be setting yourself up for a very unsatisfying and miserable vacation. 

 

Enjoy the Seaview! 

Edited December 9, 2018 by Tapi

[kevinrobedm]

We just got off the Seaview (Thursday December 6, 2018) after an 18 day transatlantic cruise.  Although the ship is beautiful and well kept, the YC left alot to be desired.  The service was not great and the food in the YC restaurant was not what a YC experience should be. One night  the Dinner was three shrimp in a tomato sauce with rice and french fries.  Yes just like that.  Could not believe it.  It seems that with such a new ship, they are still trying to work out the process for staffing.  When the YC bar was busy just before dinner, all the butlers (yes butlers) are making up rooms so there was 1 butler serving everyone in the lounge.  At other times there would be 6 butlers standing in the lounge and no on in it.  

 

We had dinner a few times in the Specialty restaurants (on the suggestion of the YC Restaurant manager, who told us he knows the food was not good but on transatlantic cruises, they do not budget high for food and there was nothing he could do).  Butcher's cut was the best we went 3 times, The Pan Asian was good, we went twice.  Ocean Quay was the most expensive and we would never go back.

 

We did go over to the Aurea Area (as YC passengers can go anywhere) and that area was well staff and the service was much better than in the YC.  I personally would not take any penalty to get into the YC, for us at least on this cruise, it was NOT what we were sold and hopefully MSC will do something about it.

 

Thanks for listening.

[stoneman56]

We just came back from the Seaside (The Seaview's sister ship) I wouldn't pay the extra for YC, looking over at their sundeck it seemed rather small and crowded. The food in the main dining rooms was very good, unlike the buffet. So I don't think the YC offering would have been a loss. Our room has huge, (Grand Suite) one reason we decided to stay with the Aurea instead of YC. 

You would be surprised how little you use the extra drinks benefits. The mini bar only has vodka, gin and whisky, nothing else in spirits. 3 kinds of gassy lager, some syrupy juice, tins of chrisps and nuts, and some soda. We hardly used Venche.

Oh there is no swimming pool in the Aurea private bit, there are 2 whirlpools 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2018 by stoneman56