Should we sail on MSC in the Yacht Club?

[Nashna]

Planning our 44th cruise for next January.  We have sailed on just about every line from Carnival, Seabourn, NCL, Regent, Princess, RCCL and Celebrity. to Windstar.  Last cruise in January was on HAL Koningsdam.  We had a great time.  However, the service did not sizzle.  The cliental was a bit old.  We were just "ok" with our experience on HAL.  We have enjoyed Celebrity's Aqua Class as well as Princess Club Class.  We are looking at the Divina sailing in a YC1 Category.   The itinerary is perfect.  But, frankly, it is a lot of money to spend to check out a new cruise option.  Since I always post my reviews on CC and I really value your opinions, I need help to determine if the MSC line is a good fit for us right now.  We are 71 & 72, but, we like lots of options and love to dance.  The one thing we loved on HAL was the BBKing lounge and the Rock and Roll venues.  I know nothing about MSC.  I have heard on CC that the Yacht Club is a great option.   What are your thoughts?  Is it worth it?  What about tips?  I know drinks are included in the YC area, how about the rest of the ship?   Should we take the plunge?

[xcell]

Sure -- why not?  

[CGTNORMANDIE]

24 minutes ago, Nashna said:

Planning our 44th cruise for next January.  We have sailed on just about every line from Carnival, Seabourn, NCL, Regent, Princess, RCCL and Celebrity. to Windstar.  Last cruise in January was on HAL Koningsdam.  We had a great time.  However, the service did not sizzle.  The cliental was a bit old.  We were just "ok" with our experience on HAL.  We have enjoyed Celebrity's Aqua Class as well as Princess Club Class.  We are looking at the Divina sailing in a YC1 Category.   The itinerary is perfect.  But, frankly, it is a lot of money to spend to check out a new cruise option.  Since I always post my reviews on CC and I really value your opinions, I need help to determine if the MSC line is a good fit for us right now.  We are 71 & 72, but, we like lots of options and love to dance.  The one thing we loved on HAL was the BBKing lounge and the Rock and Roll venues.  I know nothing about MSC.  I have heard on CC that the Yacht Club is a great option.   What are your thoughts?  Is it worth it?  What about tips?  I know drinks are included in the YC area, how about the rest of the ship?   Should we take the plunge?

 

24 minutes ago, Nashna said:

Planning our 44th cruise for next January.  We have sailed on just about every line from Carnival, Seabourn, NCL, Regent, Princess, RCCL and Celebrity. to Windstar.  Last cruise in January was on HAL Koningsdam.  We had a great time.  However, the service did not sizzle.  The cliental was a bit old.  We were just "ok" with our experience on HAL.  We have enjoyed Celebrity's Aqua Class as well as Princess Club Class.  We are looking at the Divina sailing in a YC1 Category.   The itinerary is perfect.  But, frankly, it is a lot of money to spend to check out a new cruise option.  Since I always post my reviews on CC and I really value your opinions, I need help to determine if the MSC line is a good fit for us right now.  We are 71 & 72, but, we like lots of options and love to dance.  The one thing we loved on HE

 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Just now, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 

 

Sorry but my screen would not release your quotes...

 

YES...you should book the YC it is worth every penny...just read the reviews.  Is it perfect for you...probably not...every cruise has a flaw or two...but you will find lots to like.  The YC is unlike any cruise you have taken so far.  YES you can go anywhere on the ship and your YC status is good in every bar onboard.  That is exactly what I love about the YC...the ability to have the rest of the ship anytime you care to leave the serenity of the YC.  Good luck with you adventure.

[Haworth]

We switched from Aqua Class to the YC and have never been back to Celbrity, and have  two more booked.

[SeaTheW0rld]

The phrase "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" comes to mind...

[Hlitner]

We are similar to the OP in terms of age and cruise experience and recently completed our first cruise on the MSC Divina (21 days) in the Yacht Club.  We were so pleased with the experience that we immediately (while onboard) booked another Divina cruise (same cabin).  The Yacht Club area (and its dedicated Le Muse restaurant) is a real haven from the rest of the ship.  But for most entertainment you will need to leave the confines of the YC to take advantage of the many entertainment venues around the ship.  On our cruise we had an excellent rock duo (from Italy) which quickly made us fans.  There was room in the lounge for those who wanted to dance, but a majority of folks were just happy to hear a duo that could handle the Beatles, Eagles, and even Pink Floyd without missing a beat.  There were other bands (in different lounges) which also seemed competent and one could choose between Rock, Jazz, some Country and even classical.

 

Service in the YC venues was absolutely amazing...while service outside the YC was fair to awful.  Our thought was that with the YC you do get what you pay for, and for those who want to cruise on a  budget outside the YC...they also get what they pay for :).  In a sense, MSC is trying to offer different Experiences for different folks (based on their personal preferences and budget) and to a great degree they succeed.

 

Hank

[DMH15]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We are similar to the OP in terms of age and cruise experience and recently completed our first cruise on the MSC Divina (21 days) in the Yacht Club.  We were so pleased with the experience that we immediately (while onboard) booked another Divina cruise (same cabin).  The Yacht Club area (and its dedicated Le Muse restaurant) is a real haven from the rest of the ship.  But for most entertainment you will need to leave the confines of the YC to take advantage of the many entertainment venues around the ship.  On our cruise we had an excellent rock duo (from Italy) which quickly made us fans.  There was room in the lounge for those who wanted to dance, but a majority of folks were just happy to hear a duo that could handle the Beatles, Eagles, and even Pink Floyd without missing a beat.  There were other bands (in different lounges) which also seemed competent and one could choose between Rock, Jazz, some Country and even classical.

 

Service in the YC venues was absolutely amazing...while service outside the YC was fair to awful.  Our thought was that with the YC you do get what you pay for, and for those who want to cruise on a  budget outside the YC...they also get what they pay for :).  In a sense, MSC is trying to offer different Experiences for different folks (based on their personal preferences and budget) and to a great degree they succeed.

 

Hank

I am sure I will love YC in May.   NCL Haven is in my rear view window.  🙂

[2013cruiser2013]

We loved the YC so much last year, we booked again for this April on Seaview. I echo all the positive sentiments others have said about it on other threads. It is the best of both worlds: an exclusive product with many included amenities, on a megaship without all of the drawbacks of sailing a meagaship. I love sitting by the pool, but don't love having to scavenge for loungers or sign out  towels. This was never a problem at the pool in the YC. I also loved being able to avoid the crowded lines that are always present on other large ships whether waiting to get in to the dining room for late seating because the early seating runs late as we did on Majestic Princess, waiting for a table to open up for anytime dining as we did nightly on Carnival Sunshine,  or waiting in a long line at Guest Services on Celebrity Silhouette to figure out what happened to our drink packages because they were not applied to our cards on boarding.   I have cruised since I was 10 years old and am now in my mid 40's.  I love cruising. I just think that the YC offers a superb experience for those looking to sail the larger ships with a higher level of service and access to amenities. It will be hard to sail any other way in the future. 

[jules815]

You absolutely should give it a try.

 

We sailed in YC on Seaside last month and loved it.  Worth every penny.  

 

Also worth noting, in all of your cruises, if you've ever done an interior, that's also an option in the YC.   I haven't, but having sailed in the YC, I would definitely consider it now.  There are so many nice outdoor spaces available to you that are never crowded.  I would choose an interior in YC over a balcony in any other area of the ship.

 

 

 

 

  

[jules815]

33 minutes ago, 2013cruiser2013 said:

We loved the YC so much last year, we booked again for this April on Seaview. I echo all the positive sentiments others have said about it on other threads. It is the best of both worlds: an exclusive product with many included amenities, on a megaship without all of the drawbacks of sailing a meagaship. I love sitting by the pool, but don't love having to scavenge for loungers or sign out  towels. This was never a problem at the pool in the YC. I also loved being able to avoid the crowded lines that are always present on other large ships whether waiting to get in to the dining room for late seating because the early seating runs late as we did on Majestic Princess, waiting for a table to open up for anytime dining as we did nightly on Carnival Sunshine,  or waiting in a long line at Guest Services on Celebrity Silhouette to figure out what happened to our drink packages because they were not applied to our cards on boarding.   I have cruised since I was 10 years old and am now in my mid 40's.  I love cruising. I just think that the YC offers a superb experience for those looking to sail the larger ships with a higher level of service and access to amenities. It will be hard to sail any other way in the future. 

 

Agree!  Oh my gosh the pool area alone is nothing like anything we've ever experienced on other lines, even while being in suites on RC or Celebrity.  

 

[Toofarfromthesea]

7 hours ago, SeaTheW0rld said:

The phrase "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" comes to mind...

Really?  You are saying this to people who have cruised over 40 times, including cruises on some of the priciest lines like Regent and Seabourn?

[SeaTheW0rld]

27 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

Really?  You are saying this to people who have cruised over 40 times, including cruises on some of the priciest lines like Regent and Seabourn?

You're the one that was quoting someone wondering if it was worth it. Not me.

[xcell]

Just read the reviews posted regarding the YC and see if there is anything that will tickle your fancy.

 

You have been on so many cruises you should be able to decipher whether it something you would be interested or not.

 

But only you can decide if you want to go and whether you will have a good time or not. We are heading out on the YC this March so I hope it's aa good as they say. I'm vacation so I'm.not worrying about too much.

 

Happy cruising.

[modes]

On 2/8/2019 at 2:22 PM, Nashna said:

Planning our 44th cruise for next January.  We have sailed on just about every line from Carnival, Seabourn, NCL, Regent, Princess, RCCL and Celebrity. to Windstar.  Last cruise in January was on HAL Koningsdam.  We had a great time.  However, the service did not sizzle.  The cliental was a bit old.  We were just "ok" with our experience on HAL.  We have enjoyed Celebrity's Aqua Class as well as Princess Club Class.  We are looking at the Divina sailing in a YC1 Category.   The itinerary is perfect.  But, frankly, it is a lot of money to spend to check out a new cruise option.  Since I always post my reviews on CC and I really value your opinions, I need help to determine if the MSC line is a good fit for us right now.  We are 71 & 72, but, we like lots of options and love to dance.  The one thing we loved on HAL was the BBKing lounge and the Rock and Roll venues.  I know nothing about MSC.  I have heard on CC that the Yacht Club is a great option.   What are your thoughts?  Is it worth it?  What about tips?  I know drinks are included in the YC area, how about the rest of the ship?   Should we take the plunge?

Drinks are free all over the ship and yes YC is fabulous.

[DMH15]

4 hours ago, jules815 said:

You absolutely should give it a try.

 

We sailed in YC on Seaside last month and loved it.  Worth every penny.  

 

Also worth noting, in all of your cruises, if you've ever done an interior, that's also an option in the YC.   I haven't, but having sailed in the YC, I would definitely consider it now.  There are so many nice outdoor spaces available to you that are never crowded.  I would choose an interior in YC over a balcony in any other area of the ship.

 

 

 

 

  

I am not the OP but so happy to hear you say that.  I am in a YC inside as a solo and I plan to get out of the room and enjoy the YC common areas.  Your post is very encouraging. Thank you. 

[Beamafar]

9 hours ago, jules815 said:

You absolutely should give it a try.

 

We sailed in YC on Seaside last month and loved it.  Worth every penny.  

 

Also worth noting, in all of your cruises, if you've ever done an interior, that's also an option in the YC.   I haven't, but having sailed in the YC, I would definitely consider it now.  There are so many nice outdoor spaces available to you that are never crowded.  I would choose an interior in YC over a balcony in any other area of the ship.  

 

Apart from my first cruise (which was in an inside) I've always had a balcony.  We've booked a YC inside on Meraviglia for the 23 nights from NY next Oct - the difference in price between it and a YC balcony is €3330!

 

Mind you, the difference in price between a Fantastica balcony and a YC inside is €2600;  but if you add on the cost of the Premium drinks package to the Fantastica balcony (which is included in the YC booking) then it's only €1174 more - an extra €51 pppd - which gets you all the wonderful perks of YC.  For Aurea, the difference is €1700;  to upgrade from the included 'Easy' to the 'Premium' would cost an extra €621, so a YC inside is really only €1079 more (<€47 pppd).  In some cases, the price differences are even less when you apply the 5% VC discount.

 

We also booked a YC Ins on Seaview for Aug, so we'll get an idea of what to expect for the Oct sailing;  we don't intend to spend much time in the cabin, anyway (certainly not when in YC) and the only downside we can see - at the moment, anyway - is the lack of natural light, especially in the morning.

[dexddd]

8 hours ago, DMH15 said:

I am not the OP but so happy to hear you say that.  I am in a YC inside as a solo and I plan to get out of the room and enjoy the YC common areas.  Your post is very encouraging. Thank you. 

The kids will be in an interior in March.

[Nashna]

Thank you for all for your input.  We love our balcony staterooms, so the inside rooms are out.  I think we are going to try MSC for our January cruise.  I have become so tired of the towel game and crowded noisy MDRs.  We tried Seabourn last year and were not overwhelmed with the service for the cost.  Plus, some of the cliental were a bit stuffy. 

 

[Beamafar]

25 minutes ago, Nashna said:

We tried Seabourn last year and were not overwhelmed with the service for the cost.  Plus, some of the cliental were a bit stuffy. 

 

 

This is one of the reasons we've never been tempted to try the luxury lines;  we even experienced this in a suite on Celebrity!  It's very rare that you would experience that in YC - and only with a small cohort of passengers.  The service, however, is really wonderful.

[Nashna]

Just to clarify.  We are eclectic cruisers.  We tend to cruise for the itinerary and different experiences.  Our June cruise is taking 19 (9 grandkids)on the Allure of the Seas.  We are staying in a grand suite and our children and grands are in outside balconies. Because I am personally familiar with the RCCL product, I know the value of a grand suite.   MSC is new to me.  Before I spend eight thousand dollars on a cruise, I like to make sure that it is going to be a good fit.  The Yacht Club looks like it could be a contender.  One reason for my interest in MSC is the positive comments I have read on CC and in cruise forums.  I appreciate any and all comments on the YC experience as your thoughts really do help me to make my decision.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Hi Nashna,

 

We love the Grand Suite on RCI but we would take the YC anytime over the Grand Suite.  Your grand kids will love RCI Allure so you have chosen well.  The YC experience would be ideal for you without the kids.  IMHO the YC is a unique experience unlike any other...and worth every penny.

[Hobby3333]

5 minutes ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Hi Nashna,

 

We love the Grand Suite on RCI but we would take the YC anytime over the Grand Suite.  Your grand kids will love RCI Allure so you have chosen well.  The YC experience would be ideal for you without the kids.  IMHO the YC is a unique experience unlike any other...and worth every penny.

My wife and I sailed in YC last July and I can’t say one bad thing about the experience except it ended way too early.   We are taking our 17 year old son and 20 year old daughter this July because they have only cruised Carnival about 6 times and we wanted them to sail in YC before it gets too expensive.  Even in the suites on Carnival it pales in comparison to YC.

[DMH15]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

This is one of the reasons we've never been tempted to try the luxury lines;  we even experienced this in a suite on Celebrity!  It's very rare that you would experience that in YC - and only with a small cohort of passengers.  The service, however, is really wonderful.

I felt that way on NCL too.   I am outgoing and friendly.   

 

I lost my mother in late 2017.  One of the things I admired greatly about her was her ability to relate to people of all races, orientations, cultures and economic statuses.   She was comfortably herself with CEOs, entertainment moguls and the guy on the corner selling the paper to break his cycle of homelessness. I aspire to be like her.  I feel sorry for those who refuse to consider someone worthy of their attention.  

 

So, although I like to be pampered on vacation, I do not want to be surrounded with snobs.  

[Beamafar]

7 minutes ago, DMH15 said:

I felt that way on NCL too.   I am outgoing and friendly.   

 

I lost my mother in late 2017.  One of the things I admired greatly about her was her ability to relate to people of all races, orientations, cultures and economic statuses.   She was comfortably herself with CEOs, entertainment moguls and the guy on the corner selling the paper to break his cycle of homelessness. I aspire to be like her.  I feel sorry for those who refuse to consider someone worthy of their attention.  

 

So, although I like to be pampered on vacation, I do not want to be surrounded with snobs.  

 

Your mother sounds like she was a wonderful person and I'm sure she's a great loss to you.  Good to know she passed on such a wonderful attribute that you seem to have - and you've put it so well in your last sentence!  🙂