Upgraded to Yacht Club Cabin!

[Até]

19 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

What don't you like about the way NCL does it?

NCL raised the prices of suites into totally unrealistic pricing just to drive the bidding process.  They hide the fact but a small percentage of people actually now book NCL suites at these prices, the majority are going to bids.  It became very unappealing to meet many people on a sailing that paid half as much as I did.  Sometimes I don't want to have to book a balcony and hope to win a suite bid to a mystery cabin.  As long as MSC keeps the higher cabins at reasonable rates where the majority sell outright and a small few might not get sold, it's fine with me if those go out to upgrades, or bids.

[BermudaBound2014]

That makes perfect sense, but i think rcl and celebrity might be following NCLs footprint. I have a totally different booking strategy than you. It would be very rare for me to book a cruise much more than 60’days in advance. 

[Dolebludger]

We cruised Celebrity in a Royal suite a year ago, and the price wasn’t that bad. Separate suite only anytime dining room and lounge with included drinks and included drinks everywhere on the ship and the suite mini bar. The suite was huge. The Butler was great. Included laundry. 900 sq. Ft. Suite. Best cruise ever. But now the price of those suites is astronomical. Perhaps the X line is playing the NCL game?

[nikkiw60]

5 hours ago, Até said:

I find all this interesting because just a few days ago I was talking about this to my PCV because I was adding a cabin for family near one I had booked earlier.  I was told MSC wouldn't upgrade either cabin because we had selected them specifically, they would only upgrade people who booked guarantees.  Now she is a pretty seasoned PVC but I told her I really don't think that's true, I'm pretty sure I've also read other people here on CC have been upgraded from specifically booked cabins.  Perhaps she just meant for US bookings.  I'm not talking about being moved due to berth capacity problems like with the Grand Suites, just upgrades.  

 

On my last Seaside sailing I was told by the hotel director they had over a dozen empty YC cabins one week before sailing and by two days before sailing all were full.  I was told upgrades by corporate.  I was never able to figure out who got those upgrades as everyone I saw had the same access to all YC areas and I never saw them ask certain people for their card when they ordered a drink.  I fully expect Nikki will get access to all the YC areas.  I'd be interested to know if you already had a higher level drink package Nikki?  I do remember reading a report where someone who was upgraded to YC said they had to pay a small supplement for all the YC perks, perhaps they initially had a lower drinks package.

 

I really prefer that MSC handles these unsold cabins in this manner, particularly for the YC and Aurea.  I'd much rather they remain as unsold and go as last minute upgrades than have large price drops weeks before sailing.  It is a nice price protection factor for those that book these cabins early.  I wonder how long it will take MSC to implement an upgrade bidding system that is now appearing on more lines.  As long as they don't do it like NCL I would be okay with it.

We have booked the old deluxe drink package and we selected the Fantastica balcony we had booked (thanks to Pete skiers thread). Also funnily someone has posted on the roll call this week they had just got a balcony for about $450 each and we paid a lot more than that when we booked!

[thecruisers6]

7 hours ago, hamrag said:

 

Absolutely do NOT do that, unless as a final and last resort if in the highly unlikely event they advise you don't have full YC status!!

 

From the outset, definitely present yourself at the YC tent, act like you are a YC guest....do NOT at any time mention the Fantastica word, rather assume and act like you have all benefits. We have sailed YC on 3 occasions during the past year, and the YC staff (mainly butlers and their assistants) do not recognise any class other than YC.....I am confident you will report back that all is fantastic....and not Fantastica!

Of course Nikki is only going to say something if it becomes apparent the experience is not included lol 

[Beamafar]

Até ... just to add that we, too, were moved from our chosen cabin on one of our upgrades.  Another did come as a result of booking a 'Guarantee'.

 

On that subject, MSC doesn't offer reduced prices to encourage booking 'guarantees', not here, anyway.   I think other companies do (Celebrity would be the only one I would be any way familiar with).

[dexddd]

10 hours ago, Até said:

NCL raised the prices of suites into totally unrealistic pricing just to drive the bidding process.  They hide the fact but a small percentage of people actually now book NCL suites at these prices, the majority are going to bids.  It became very unappealing to meet many people on a sailing that paid half as much as I did.  Sometimes I don't want to have to book a balcony and hope to win a suite bid to a mystery cabin.  As long as MSC keeps the higher cabins at reasonable rates where the majority sell outright and a small few might not get sold, it's fine with me if those go out to upgrades, or bids.

Exactly correct.  However, some old timers have mentioned MSC YC going up in price but haven't been unreasonable IMO until I looked at some 2021 rates.

[max996]

18 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 

Max ... the discussion revolves around the fact that the OP (Nikki) has been told that she won't be able to dine in the YC restaurant, or enjoy any of the other YC facilities and benefits as she received a free upgrade to a YC cabin but not to the 'YC Experience'.

Ah ha - thanks for the clarification. 

[hamrag]

20 hours ago, Beamafar said:

G ... unfortunately it's clearly stated on Nikki's docs that she has the Fantastica 'Experience'.  That may also show on her cruisecard.  I've only ever been upgraded to Aurea;  Fantastica was indicated on my card, which meant the crew knew that, even though my cabin number was an Aurea cabin, I couldn't use it to get free access to the Spa or private deck.  It'll be interesting to hear from Nikki if Fantastica is included on her YC cruisecard.

 

Bea, I knew all of that before posting and stand by what I have written!  No one in the YC enclave ever asks or looks for your cruisecard. I remain confident that Nikki will receive the 'full works' within YC areas.

[Beamafar]

I do hope so!  But, as I've said before, it was reported on here by someone who was upgraded that they were prevented from using the facilities.  It was quite a while back so it take far too long to find it.  Around the same time, another poster claimed that they paid a small fee (it was quite negligible;  I can't recall exactly how much, though).

 

Everybody's photos are in the onboard system and the crew very quickly get to recognise the faces of those that belong in YC.  It's very difficult to imagine someone being turned away from TSL, though.  However, it may be another matter with the restaurant as a butler always escorts guests on their first visit on Fantasia-class ships to avoid having to have a YC guest produce their card.  By being accompanied by a butler, the restaurant crew know to allow access.

 

I am soooooo looking forward to Nikki's first post, live from Divina, stating that she and Matt do, indeed, get to enjoy the enclave and all that's included in it.  As it is, she's already stumped up for the Deluxe package.  MSC won't even be out on the drinks front, for Heaven's sake!

[nikkiw60]

39 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

I do hope so!  But, as I've said before, it was reported on here by someone who was upgraded that they were prevented from using the facilities.  It was quite a while back so it take far too long to find it.  Around the same time, another poster claimed that they paid a small fee (it was quite negligible;  I can't recall exactly how much, though).

 

Everybody's photos are in the onboard system and the crew very quickly get to recognise the faces of those that belong in YC.  It's very difficult to imagine someone being turned away from TSL, though.  However, it may be another matter with the restaurant as a butler always escorts guests on their first visit on Fantasia-class ships to avoid having to have a YC guest produce their card.  By being accompanied by a butler, the restaurant crew know to allow access.

 

I am soooooo looking forward to Nikki's first post, live from Divina, stating that she and Matt do, indeed, get to enjoy the enclave and all that's included in it.  As it is, she's already stumped up for the Deluxe package.  MSC won't even be out on the drinks front, for Heaven's sake!

Thank you!

i will be posting from the moment we get in our transfer from the airport, we have booked flights also with MSC so the transfer is included, now that could be interesting for drop off! 

Also the couple who have joined roll call in last few days they said they have paid $385 each for a balcony cabin...

Btw is anyone have problems with Tapatalk?

[Essiesmom]

16 minutes ago, nikkiw60 said:

Thank you!

i will be posting from the moment we get in our transfer from the airport, we have booked flights also with MSC so the transfer is included, now that could be interesting for drop off! 

Also the couple who have joined roll call in last few days they said they have paid $385 each for a balcony cabin...

Btw is anyone have problems with Tapatalk?

 

There have been multiple threads about forum app problems on the Help! forum:

 

 

[Dolebludger]

All I know is the last time in the YC enclave, your YC card was required for us to enter that enclave. Once inside one could use all YC facilities in the enclave, no questions asked. Now  the YC dining room was not in the enclave, and I can’t recall if they checked some ID or not. 

[sverigecruiser]

14 hours ago, Beamafar said:

 However, it may be another matter with the restaurant as a butler always escorts guests on their first visit on Fantasia-class ships to avoid having to have a YC guest produce their card.  By being accompanied by a butler, the restaurant crew know to allow access.

 

 

We were not escorted to LeMuse on Divina. When we arrived there the first day they asked about our cabinnumber but they didn't asked for our card.

[Beamafar]

Any time we've been in YC on Fantasia-class ships, they've insisted on accompanying us - even at lunchtime when we'd just embarked, despite telling them that we knew our way to the restaurant.

[dexddd]

Divinia Le Muse escort first night only then on our own.  They seemed to know us and our table from then on.

[nikkiw60]

Now if we do get full benefits...

what is the form re extra tips? 

Who, how much etc. This is on top of the daily service charge.

We usually give an extra $20 extra each to room steward, waiters in MDR and favourite bar person and servers at the end of the week. Also room service people a couple of $ as and when.

Hope we don’t look cheap!

Edited May 17, 2019 by nikkiw60

[Beamafar]

Sounds about right to me, Nikki.  Remember, those that you're giving tips to are already sharing in the DSC that you're paying, so you're really "topping up" what you've already paid.

 

IF the concierge is extra helpful, you could include him/her and IF your butler is attentive (some tend to be MIA - if your one is, don't automatically assume it's because of your upgrade lol.*) then count him/her in too.  We would rarely tip any of the butlers serving in TSL or the pool, unless we received exceptional attention (which we did last year on Splendida from one particular butler. In that case we did give him a tip).

 

*Caveat ... the report I mentioned from someone who didn't get the perks with the upgrade also said that they didn't have a butler attending their room.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Beamafar

[nikkiw60]

2 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Sounds about right to me, Nikki.  Remember, those that you're giving tips to are already sharing in the DSC that you're paying, so you're really "topping up" what you've already paid.

 

IF the concierge is extra helpful, you could include him/her and IF your butler is attentive (some tend to be MIA - if your one is, don't automatically assume it's because of your upgrade lol.*) then count him/her in to.  We would rarely tip any of the butlers serving in TSL or the pool, unless we received exceptionally attention (which we did last year on Splendida from one particular butler. In that case we did give him a tip).

 

*Caveat ... the report I mentioned from someone who didn't get the perks with the upgrade also said that they didn't have a butler attending their room.

MIA ?

[Beamafar]

Just now, nikkiw60 said:

MIA ?

 

Missing In Action!

[emmas gran]

Its funny how you never see some crew until the last evening!! On our last Celebrity cruise we never saw our butler in 10 days after he introduced himself on the 1st night

On Splendida DH had a terrible sore throat/cold and the lady butler in Top Sail lounge had a magic ginger tea which she made for him daily. She got a tip as did our waiter and asst waiter (who doubled up at the One Pool).

I think DH also tipped one of the 2 Concierge 

[Beamafar]

We had a similar experience with a butler who we hadn't seen all cruise;  on disembarkation day we had received permission to stay onboard 'til the afternoon and have lunch in the restaurant.  We couldn't move for falling over him!  He hovered all day (or so it seemed lol) around the concierge area where we had our bags stored.  It wasn't so that he could escort us off the ship, either, as the concierge arranged for a porter to come and bring us and our luggage to the terminal.

[CruisingFox27]

Indeed! Our butler last time was adequate, we couldn't fault him as such but he wasn't exceptional. It was his first assignment and always looked scared, so never offered to assist too much or chat naturally . We felt that everyone we interacted with, were good but not 'exceptional' and we didn't have a small number consistently to build a relationship, i.e. in the restaurant, so decided we'd not tip at all.

 

One of the butlers in the TSL, who was very nice but a little overtly attentive for us, in a way I'm not sure I can describe, falsely friendly?. On the last evening he was glued to us, the following day, we had arranged an afternoon departure, we saw him and were completely blanked!

 

I've had the magic ginger tea Emma, it's super.

[Até]

1 hour ago, emmas gran said:

Its funny how you never see some crew until the last evening!!

It's funny how you see some table mates at dinner for every meal until the last evening.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Até

[nikkiw60]

Just now, Até said:

It's funny how you see some table mates at dinner for every meal except the last evening.

We were traveling with friends last year on Seaside and we all shared a table with a nice American couple. On the last night as we were saying goodbye to our 2 waiters and rewarding them with a little extra the couple literally just scuttled off no tip not even a thank you.