Seaside Day 7: Thoughts & Criticisms

[AviationInScale]

Currently in the Seaside Yacht Club, on Day 7 of our cruise. Here’s some thoughts and criticisms I’ve been thinking about all week.

PROS:

· The ship is very clean, and after 2 years at sea, feels new. Someone is always cleaning something.

· Yacht Club service is mostly good.

· Our Butler, Maria E.P. is fantastic. She really went above and beyond to make our Wedding Cruise extra special.

· The cheeseburger and fries I had for lunch Day 1 was the best YC meal of the cruise.

· “Butterflies: by Puccini” was fantastic. The talent of the performers was amazing, and the production value high.

· The YC snacks available throughout the day were mostly all good.

· The “Special Seafood Grille” by the One Pool on Thursday was decent. Skewers of GRILLED swordfish, shrimp and scallops were nice. The Lobster Pasta was made fresh in batches and was pretty solid.

· Our Butler provided us with a nice assortment of snacks and a bottle of Chardonnay each evening ensuite.

· She also decorated the suite for us the day of our wedding, and arranged for a private cabana dinner one evening

· Still the best pizza at sea.

· Butcher’s Cut for dinner Day 4 was OUTSTANDING.

· Ocean Cay was also very, very good.

· We went to “Master Chef at Sea” because it sounded fun. I ended up on stage with a cool guy from France, and we won the competition lol. Yes, I am a “foodie” and as such, my expectations for the YC are high.

 

CONS:

· The food in the YC restaurant suuuuuuucks. We sailed aboard Seaside 10 months ago, and the YC restaurant was very good to excellent every meal, lunch and dinner. That is sadly no more. Every seafood dish we ordered (except the lobster tails) were deep fried. Scallops, Shrimps, Calamari, Monk Fish, Trout. All deep fried. It all tasted like Amusement Park food. The pastas are all bland and flavorless. The risotto, which has been excellent in the past, was only just passable this cruise. The “Lobster Ravioli” had no discernible lobster in the dish. It was Chef Boy-Ar-Dee quality. The first filet I had was ordered medium rare, and came at least medium. Tough & chewy, it was inedible. The accompanying sides were so unremarkable, I can’t even tell you what they were.

· Aside from the overall quality of ingredients declining to an unacceptable level, the lunch and dinner menus are limited and unimaginative.

· The “crab cake” was neither crab nor cake. It was, however, fried.

· The Shrimp Cocktail on Lobster Night was warm and flaccid. “Shrimp” & “Flaccid” should never be in the same sentence, yet here we are. The lobster tail was chewy and gummy-overcooked.

· The servers in the Topsail Lounge frequently asked if we would like some Potato Chips. Not really a con, I suppose, but we were in the YC, and I expect more. I mean...potato chips??

· We had grilled chicken for lunch in the YC on Day 2, and if not for the sauce, would’ve been inedible it was so dry.

· After Day 3, we decided to forgo the YC Restaurant the rest of the voyage. We had breakfast in the Biscayne Bay buffet a couple times, and it was all very good.

· Last year, the Topsail Lounge had 2-3 bartenders on duty at most times. No

more. There is only one bartender on duty at any given time. When it gets busy, he tends to be a bit surly, and it seems to my observation that certain “regulars” get served faster than others. Not sure if they’re tipping, as I’ve not seen it. Just very uneven service in Topsail now.

· Seaside has 19 bars, and several of them are closed all day until 4:00pm, including Sea Days.

· Specialty Restaurant constant upsell in YC lounge and pool area. Representatives always walking through 5-6 times daily, even today (Day 7) pushing the Specialty Restaurants. I really feel they should stay out of YC.

 

I'm sure I'll think of other observations, and if I do I will add to the thread.There are many other cruise lines out there that want our money. Moving forward, I think we’re taking a break from MSC for awhile. This has been a great cruise overall, despite the food quality issues. However, the “YC Experience” was just OK. Last year it was great, and it felt exclusive. This time it really didn’t. To me, it feels like now that MSC has established a solid foothold in the U.S. market, they’re cutting every corner that can be cut to maximize profit. Sadly, this is being done to the detriment of the delivered product. It was nice while it lasted....

Edited November 1, 2019 by AviationInScale

[jdvmd]

Interesting to hear your comments. We were off of the Seaside on Oct. 19 and had a great time but were not in the Yacht Club.

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Sorry to hear that.  I'm on Seaside in YC in a couple of weeks and was looking forward to some great risotto.  It was last year.  The other food I thought was mediocre.  If it's gone downhill from there, that will not be good.

[AviationInScale]

Oh I forgot...and this might be insignificant to some- bring slippers if that's your thing. YC no longer gives you a pair, although robes are still available.

[dexddd]

I haven't read the whole report but do see mention of change in menu.

 

We too sailed twice this year.  Thought menu was pretty good.  New menu has gone way more towards seafood and I'd say they are trying to make it more upscale.  I really didn't like it and found it hard to pick items of interest to me.  I'm seeing the menus on Meravigilia YC and menus look similar to what we had last trip.  The MDR items actually look better to me.

 

The feedback here has been split from casual observation.  I guess if you like seafood (which I don't) it would be an improvement but if you like beef (I do) you lose.

[grandgeezer]

40 minutes ago, AviationInScale said:

Oh I forgot...and this might be insignificant to some- bring slippers if that's your thing. YC no longer gives you a pair, although robes are still available.

We got off the Seaside October 19 and there were slippers in the cabin, as well as robes.

We were on for two weeks and found the food in the Topsail restaurant was overall, good to very good, but no spectacular.

We had the same waiter (Reynoldo) and assistant waiter (Christian) for both weeks and found them to be outstanding, and in fact, one of the many highlights of the two weeks.

[cyndyga]

I will be in Yacht Club on Seaside in 4 weeks I hope they get it together and the meals improve...I will be sorry I paid for yacht club if the meals aren't tastier than MDR ...I'll go thinking the best! Hoping there is slippers too!

[AviationInScale]

2 hours ago, AviationInScale said:

Oh I forgot...and this might be insignificant to some- bring slippers if that's your thing. YC no longer gives you a pair, although robes are still available.

 

I may have spoken too soon...just got back to our cabin, and in the passageway was a housekeeper's cart. Attached was a large clear garbage bag full of new slippers lol. I don't know why we didn't get any, or why they seemed prepared for deployment on Day 7, but odds are good you'll get them. 😀

[Norwegian Cruiser 73]

2 hours ago, AviationInScale said:

Oh I forgot...and this might be insignificant to some- bring slippers if that's your thing. YC no longer gives you a pair, although robes are still available.

 

We were in the YC onboard the sistership of the Seaside, the Seaview in September and the YC slippers was in the cabin as usual. 

[AviationInScale]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

I haven't read the whole report but do see mention of change in menu.

 

We too sailed twice this year.  Thought menu was pretty good.  New menu has gone way more towards seafood and I'd say they are trying to make it more upscale.  I really didn't like it and found it hard to pick items of interest to me.  I'm seeing the menus on Meravigilia YC and menus look similar to what we had last trip.  The MDR items actually look better to me.

 

The feedback here has been split from casual observation.  I guess if you like seafood (which I don't) it would be an improvement but if you like beef (I do) you lose.

 

 

See, we both LOVE seafood. This issue we have is that 90% of it is deep-fried, and the other 10% is overcooked.

[Todd320]

We are on the same cruise, currently in Nassau. Food is always very subjective.  We did two Seaside YC cruses last year and feel the quality of the food in the YC is just as good or better this year.

   

Edited November 1, 2019 by Todd320

[glittergal1]

So glad Im vegetarian and dont eat fish, all my meals are always great 😋

 

[AviationInScale]

1 hour ago, glittergal1 said:

So glad Im vegetarian and dont eat fish, all my meals are always great 😋

 

 

You may be on to something!

[Beachin2]

Were also on Seaside for 2 weeks in October.  Slippers and robes, no problem.  Meals/dinners in the YC restaurant were good to very good, except for one dish.  I cook from scratch at home, so can be a bit of a critic.

 

You were lucky to have Maria.  She is like the energizer bunny.

[Fredric22]

Thanks for the information.  I don't mean this in a bad way, but if you stopped eating in the YC restaurant after Day 3, how can you say that all of the YC restaurant food has declined?  Also, we just experienced the same YC menus and from what I remember fried dishes are clearly marked as fried.  There should be no surprise that a crab cake or fried fish skewer is fried.  Also, to say 90% of the seafood dishes on the YC menus is simply not true.  MOST of the fish dishes are grilled, poached, or sauteed.  

Edited November 1, 2019 by Fredric22

[dexddd]

17 hours ago, Fredric22 said:

Thanks for the information.  I don't mean this in a bad way, but if you stopped eating in the YC restaurant after Day 3, how can you say that all of the YC restaurant food has declined?  Also, we just experienced the same YC menus and from what I remember fried dishes are clearly marked as fried.  There should be no surprise that a crab cake or fried fish skewer is fried.  Also, to say 90% of the seafood dishes on the YC menus is simply not true.  MOST of the fish dishes are grilled, poached, or sauteed.  

That was our experience as far as fish in June, not 90% of it fried but maybe things have changed but looking at recent menu postings it does not appear so.

 

We had a party of six and ate YC restaurant six of seven dinners with most fish grilled, poached, sautéed. 

[cyndyga]

Hoping I can go off menu and ask for a Chicken Parmesan pan sauteed not fried... I do want some Italian dishes that aren't seafood 🙂

[Cruisergal1208]

2 hours ago, cyndyga said:

Hoping I can go off menu and ask for a Chicken Parmesan pan sauteed not fried... I do want some Italian dishes that aren't seafood 🙂

Be sure to request something like this a day or two in advance. 

[rattanchair]

On 11/1/2019 at 12:49 PM, AviationInScale said:

It all tasted like Amusement Park food.

I feel your pain. I truly hope your ' newly wed ' husband appreciates your culinary talents. Or is he the chef  'Boy- Ar-Dee' in your family? You both are in for a real treat..

[rattanchair]

On 11/1/2019 at 1:21 PM, AviationInScale said:

Oh I forgot...and this might be insignificant to some- bring slippers if that's your thing. YC no longer gives you a pair, although robes are still available.

We always go to Walmart and get their 98 cent flip-flops and throw them in the trash the last day in the ROYAL SUITE.

[rattanchair]

On 11/1/2019 at 2:06 PM, grandgeezer said:

We got off the Seaside October 19 and there were slippers in the cabin, as well as robes.

We were on for two weeks and found the food in the Topsail restaurant was overall, good to very good, but no spectacular.

We had the same waiter (Reynoldo) and assistant waiter (Christian) for both weeks and found them to be outstanding, and in fact, one of the many highlights of the two weeks.

I am shocked!!! I agree with your post again.

[George C]

Seems that there are definitely mixed reviews on YC food, we are now less than 4 weeks away. I not that worried although beginning to doubt it will be as good as celebrity suite restaurant luminae, after eating a couple of dinners in rccl suite restaurant we had rest of our dinners in specialty restaurants. 

[BermudaBound2014]

To the OP: Thank you for a well balanced report. I always like reports that are broken down into pro and con because it gives me a more complete picture. 

 

18 hours ago, rattanchair said:

We always go to Walmart and get their 98 cent flip-flops and throw them in the trash the last day in the ROYAL SUITE.

 

To Rattanchair: Is there a reason you chose to type royal suite in all capital letters? I'm just trying to ascertain if the royal suite never has slippers so that's why you by disposable plastic instead. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

5 hours ago, George C said:

Seems that there are definitely mixed reviews on YC food, we are now less than 4 weeks away. I not that worried although beginning to doubt it will be as good as celebrity suite restaurant luminae, after eating a couple of dinners in rccl suite restaurant we had rest of our dinners in specialty restaurants. 

 

Having dined in both, it won't be as good as Luminae.  But I doubt we'll starve!

[funship freddy]

OP - We were on the same cruise (10-26 to  11-2).  We sailed on Seaside in January and April of 2018. We both felt the food (Buffet and MDR) was not close to last year’s two cruises. NY Strip in the MDR was too tough to cut with a steak knife.

Just sayin’

Will we sail again ? Yes because of the price. We alternate between MSC and Celebrity.