yacht club drinks (outside} is this a new policy today

[deniseatnycs]

We are booked on the Virtuosa from Genoa September 22nd so just called to make final payment and add insurance details.

As there is no facility online to upgrade the drinks package outside Yacht Club (confirmed when booking it would be the Easy package at the very least)  I enquired how much the upgrade would be for use in the bars and speciality restaurants outside Yacht club to be told this is not possible.

 

Today we are told, we are not allowed to drink in any of the bars outside Yacht Club or indeed use any of the Speciality Restaurants full stop!

 

Of course queried this as it was not what we booked and its been confirmed by "management".  Has anybody else been told this please?

[Até]

I've never booked in Spain so could get corrected on this and no one has sailed Virtuosa in the Med yet.  But all past history shows Yacht Club gets the equivalent of the Premium package, basically a €10 limit, in all other venues around the ship.  When in YC I've always been given this limit in the specialty restaurants and non-YC bars.

 

Virtuosa is set to go to the new drink packages on 27 November, 2021 so at that point it is unknown what equivalent amount YC passengers will get outside of the YC complex.  Hopefully it will be the same as Premium Extra at €13 but could be downgraded to the Easy Plus at €8.

[deniseatnycs]

Thanks Ate, that's what we were told when booking with the U.K. site   Well the rep.  said premium outside YC but Easy at the very least.  Not a very pleasant conversation to be honest.  I was told we have booked YC and we have to understand that we have to stay in YC or change our booking to Bella, or Fantastica if we want to drink in any bar or eat in any speciality Restaurant which of course I queried.

Our contract states... "unlimited drinks in any bar or restaurant outside YC in addition to those inside... "

Didn't expect Premium Plus outside of YC but at least Easy and the ability to upgrade.  To be told we are not even allowed to visit any other venue beggars belief 

[Paphillyguy]

Unless this is a Covid policy, I find this very hard to believe

[KennyFla]

21 minutes ago, deniseatnycs said:

Thanks Ate, that's what we were told when booking with the U.K. site   Well the rep.  said premium outside YC but Easy at the very least.  Not a very pleasant conversation to be honest.  I was told we have booked YC and we have to understand that we have to stay in YC or change our booking to Bella, or Fantastica if we want to drink in any bar or eat in any speciality Restaurant which of course I queried.

Our contract states... "unlimited drinks in any bar or restaurant outside YC in addition to those inside... "

Didn't expect Premium Plus outside of YC but at least Easy and the ability to upgrade.  To be told we are not even allowed to visit any other venue beggars belief 

Don't take what one agent on the phone told you, they can be notoriously misinformed.  If you call back you can get a totally different answer.

[deniseatnycs]

20 minutes ago, Paphillyguy said:

Unless this is a Covid policy, I find this very hard to believe

us too and the uk staycations don't  have this policy so not Covid related 

[elbarney]

In Spain they told us Yatch is a different package from premium that can't be upgraded. Once onboard, the first waiter I saw upgraded us to premium plus for the difference between premium and premium plus(plus 15%).

So, from my point of view, Yatch drink package IS the premium, at least until the winter season.

This was Grandiosa 3 weeks ago. 

 

[sverigecruiser]

50 minutes ago, Até said:

all past history shows Yacht Club gets the equivalent of the Premium package, basically a €10 limit, in all other venues around the ship.  

 

Not all, right? Wasn't the drinks only included inside the YC until 2017?

[kernow]

54 minutes ago, deniseatnycs said:

Thanks Ate, that's what we were told when booking with the U.K. site   Well the rep.  said premium outside YC but Easy at the very least.  Not a very pleasant conversation to be honest.  I was told we have booked YC and we have to understand that we have to stay in YC or change our booking to Bella, or Fantastica if we want to drink in any bar or eat in any speciality Restaurant which of course I queried.

Our contract states... "unlimited drinks in any bar or restaurant outside YC in addition to those inside... "

Didn't expect Premium Plus outside of YC but at least Easy and the ability to upgrade.  To be told we are not even allowed to visit any other venue beggars belief 

Which rep told you this, was it someone at the UK office? I would try emailing their customer service or even asking on their FB or Twitter pages. I'm sure it's not true that you can't eat in a Speciality restaurant, they are not going to refuse your money onboard, are there no packages available for specialities in your planner.? Even if your drinks outside YC are not included (which I doubt) they won't stop you purchasing drinks onboard either.

[deniseatnycs]

14 minutes ago, kernow said:

Which rep told you this, was it someone at the UK office? I would try emailing their customer service or even asking on their FB or Twitter pages. I'm sure it's not true that you can't eat in a Speciality restaurant, they are not going to refuse your money onboard, are there no packages available for specialities in your planner.? Even if your drinks outside YC are not included (which I doubt) they won't stop you purchasing drinks onboard either.

Hi Kernow I had hung on for 45 minutes waiting to pay and add the insurance so asked while I was on the phone (could pay online but not add the insurance) It wasn't very pleasant to be honest and the Rep went off to ask her Manager then cut me off.  Another 1 hour 10 minutes to get through again but yes you guessed the same Rep. 

 

I said it was ridiculous to make us stay in YC as good as it is.  She said we can look around the rest of the ship but not have a drink or a meal anywhere outside the enclave even if we wanted to pay. She went off again and said 2 managers had confirmed this and if I didn't like it then I should downgrade to Bella!

 

 The packages including dining are on the planner but no option to upgrade the drinks from what I understood was premium, or Easy,  to Premium Plus for use outside YC.   Its a replacement cruise for my Husbands special birthday so didn't want to have any restrictions hence YC or the version we were sold.   

[Até]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

Not all, right? Wasn't the drinks only included inside the YC until 2017?

Okay yes, only after April 2017 did YC get included drinks around the ship.

[MouseBerry]

Did you get a booking confirmation when you booked the cruise?

In Getmany we get one and in the confirmation is a description what you have booked (e.g. YC experience) and there is a description regarding what in included.

 

We know the description is not as accurate as we would expect. E.g. it is not described which drink package is included. But at least it is documented that I‘m allowed to use any bar and restaurant of the ship snd thete is an unlimited amount of a selection of freedrinks.

In Germany this description gets the status of a contract and cannot be changed without notice and compensation. Should be international law.

 

I guess your contact at MSC was a standard experienced and informed person. I.e. withoutconfirmation from another party and info from an avtual cruise i don‘t belive it is true.

[kernow]

49 minutes ago, deniseatnycs said:

Hi Kernow I had hung on for 45 minutes waiting to pay and add the insurance so asked while I was on the phone (could pay online but not add the insurance) It wasn't very pleasant to be honest and the Rep went off to ask her Manager then cut me off.  Another 1 hour 10 minutes to get through again but yes you guessed the same Rep. 

 

I said it was ridiculous to make us stay in YC as good as it is.  She said we can look around the rest of the ship but not have a drink or a meal anywhere outside the enclave even if we wanted to pay. She went off again and said 2 managers had confirmed this and if I didn't like it then I should downgrade to Bella!

 

 The packages including dining are on the planner but no option to upgrade the drinks from what I understood was premium, or Easy,  to Premium Plus for use outside YC.   Its a replacement cruise for my Husbands special birthday so didn't want to have any restrictions hence YC or the version we were sold.   

I wouldn't worry TBH, like everybody else  I don't believe what she told you, if you can book dining packages it can't be true. Sounds like she told you anything just to get rid of you and has probably never been on a ship herself. 

 

I'd definitely email them just to set your mind at rest.

[uktog]

Well certainly yesterday in the three way call between our agent, MSC and us with the UK office we discussed access to speciality restaurants for Yacht Club guests - it was about would there be availability at this late stage, not we be allowed to go.

Our booking confirmation issued today clearly implies we can also drink elsewhere - below is what it says

Unlimited beverage selection in MSC Yacht Club areas and in all bars and restaurants of the ship according to the drink selections available in the different venue.

 

So I think (hope) something has been misunderstood or lost in translation during the conversations

[hamrag]

7 hours ago, deniseatnycs said:

....Today we are told, we are not allowed to drink in any of the bars outside Yacht Club or indeed use any of the Speciality Restaurants full stop!

 

Of course queried this as it was not what we booked and its been confirmed by "management".  Has anybody else been told this please?

This is fake news...trust me! You will be able to avail yourself of the same drinks when outwith the Yacht Club, do not fear! 😉

[hamrag]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

....Our booking confirmation issued today clearly implies we can also drink elsewhere - below is what it says

Unlimited beverage selection in MSC Yacht Club areas and in all bars and restaurants of the ship according to the drink selections available in the different venue.

 

So I think (hope) something has been misunderstood or lost in translation during the conversations

Welcome to MSC YC....which cruise have you booked?

[DCGuy64]

I know this is frustrating for the OP, but what you were told is flat out wrong. You will be fine, I promise you when you set foot on the ship, all will be well. Many people on here have sailed with the Virtuosa and I read all of the threads, nothing remotely like what you were told has been reported. My wife and I are scheduled to sail August 28 on MSC from Italy, in the Yacht Club. Since you’re not sailing until 22 September I will let you know how it goes with us. I am sorry you were given incorrect information but you will be fine at any restaurant and bar on the ship, period. 

[hamrag]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

Well certainly yesterday in the three way call between our agent, MSC and us with the UK office we discussed access to speciality restaurants for Yacht Club guests - it was about would there be availability at this late stage, not we be allowed to go....

That's where the YC concierge earns their corn....that said, the YC restaurant is superb but we generally do Butchers Cut with our Diamond status match. Are you aware that with your Az status you will be entitled probably to Diamond on MSC...it's simple to apply online.

 

[uktog]

10 minutes ago, hamrag said:

That's where the YC concierge earns their corn....that said, the YC restaurant is superb but we generally do Butchers Cut with our Diamond status match. Are you aware that with your Az status you will be entitled probably to Diamond on MSC...it's simple to apply online.

 

Thanks we had that all set up, as Platinum/Zenith it is diamond 

Edited July 21, 2021 by uktog