Comparison of ships with Yacht Club to those without

[Raj.K]

I am not sure I have seen a thread comparing what the experience is like when cruising on ships with Yacht Club (YC) experience and those without. In particular, what's the experience of cruising in a Suite cabin (Aurea experience) on ships that don't have YC? Does Voyagers Club membership level make much difference to the cruise experience? 

 

Comparisons when it comes to the following will be appreciated:

• Boarding experience
• Cabins
• Dining
• Privileges/Service

 

I see that the Aurea experience now seem not to include the drinks package.

 

Thank you

 

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, Raj.K said:

I am not sure I have seen a thread comparing what the experience is like when cruising on ships with Yacht Club (YC) experience and those without. In particular, what's the experience of cruising in a Suite cabin (Aurea experience) on ships that don't have YC? Does Voyagers Club membership level make much difference to the cruise experience? 

 

Comparisons when it comes to the following will be appreciated:

• Boarding experience
• Cabins
• Dining
• Privileges/Service

 

I see that the Aurea experience now seem not to include the drinks package.

 

Thank you

 

There is no comparison. We sailed Aurea on Virtuosa in September last year, which does have YC but was exorbitantly priced, and both agreed that going forward it was YC or nothing with MSC. The dining experience was poor, and the spaciousness of the YC enclave we really missed that.

 

We sailed Grandiosa YC last month, which affirmed our thinking absolutely following the non-YC cruise on Virtuosa.

Edited May 30, 2022 by hamrag

[RudiRatlos]

3 hours ago, Raj.K said:

In particular, what's the experience of cruising in a Suite cabin (Aurea experience) on ships that don't have YC?

 

We have cruised in Aurea suites and cabins on YC ships (Splendida, Meraviglia) and non-YC ships (Poesia) and did not find any noteable difference between the Aurea experiences there. 

[Raj.K]

1 hour ago, hamrag said:

There is no comparison. We sailed Aurea on Virtuosa in September last year, which does have YC but was exorbitantly priced, and both agreed that going forward it was YC or nothing with MSC. The dining experience was poor, and the spaciousness of the YC enclave we really missed that.

 

We sailed Grandiosa YC last month, which affirmed our thinking absolutely following the non-YC cruise on Virtuosa.

Thank you. We have so far only cruised in YC. Due to the price we were thinking of going Aurea suite in ships that do not have YC, particularly that we are Diamond members. Hence the question.

 

Understand about Aurea suite on ships with YC. How about the Aurea suite experience on ships that do not have YC please? 

[deliver42]

I've been on 3 MSC cruises, all with ships that have the YC. Two have been in the YC, and one on Aurea. To me, if not in the YC, you might as well be on Carnival. The experience is no better. We are also booked in the YC for next May. These cruises are all in the Caribbean.

[JAGR]

2 hours ago, Raj.K said:

Understand about Aurea suite on ships with YC. How about the Aurea suite experience on ships that do not have YC please? 

Hi, Raj:  Hopefully someone with recent experience will chime in.  Back before COVID, Armonia Aurea experience was a genuine pleasure.  As you note, the Aurea experience has been diluted with the elimination of free drinks (you do get a welcome package of prosecco and chocolats), cutting the unlimited spa thermal access and free massage to now just getting a 40% discount on a spa package and 10% on spa services.  You don't get a butler, but you usually get the most senior cabin attendants.  Cabins are usually "suites", but not much different than Fantastica (except you get robes, slippers and pillow menu.  You get all the Diamond benefits and had priority check-in with Aurea (although you should get that as Diamond anyway.  What you do get is My Choice dining in a dedicate restaurant or dedicated section of a restaurant (usually with the most experienced servers.  You also do have a private sun deck area with plenty of open seating so you don't have to worry about chair hogs (big thing to my DW who loves the sun).

 

So, a water-down product, but still the best on the ship.  I think a potential hidden advantage is the  fact that you are likely to get the most experienced crew members for your cabin and dining.  With the crunch crews lines are going through trying to hire, it may very well be a tremendous advantage to have dedicated crew members with experience.

[Raj.K]

Thank you @JAGR for the comprehensive detail. With MSC watering down their Aurea package and loyalty privileges, I was wondering if other cruise lines are worth considering.

 

Any thoughts on Suites with Costa Cruises and MSC Aurea suites on non-YC ships?

[Germancruiser]

I am in the league- MSC YC or no MSC at all. Always when walking the ship - and as I was on board Seaside with this wonderfull prommenade deck and or just cruising the ship, I was always glad to be back in the calm heaven of YC.

[hamrag]

18 hours ago, JAGR said:

.....So, a water-down product, but still the best on the ship.  I think a potential hidden advantage is the  fact that you are likely to get the most experienced crew members for your cabin and dining.  With the crunch crews lines are going through trying to hire, it may very well be a tremendous advantage to have dedicated crew members with experience.

As always, well written and clearly expressed JAGR.

 

Hadn't thought of it in those terms, for a non-YC ship....although that ship has sailed for us (pun intended)!!

[Capricruiser]

We always book our cruises in Yacht Club, with a preference for the Fantasia class ships.  Only when the itinerary we want does not have a YC ship, then and only then do we book an Aurea suite. We did this a few days ago on the Magnifica and were very desolutioned.  While the cabin was fine with loads of storage space, the restaurant service and food were terrible.  After several years of cruising only in YC, we rediscovered the lunchtime self service buffet which was excellent.  I suppose the thing we missed most was the lack of the intimate Top Sail Lounge, and the service of those wonderful butlers. 

[Nunagoras]

It seems that @JAGRhas said most of it all, as per the different experience goes, thanks!... Let me just to add an even more simple sort of comparison: Ships with no YC are: Smaller, older, less bells & whistles, generally shipped with less experienced crews, generally with a smaller number of itens per menu offering, and generally they tend to be slower on Embarking and disembarking passengers for some reason I can't understand. Unique advantage: They usually offer cruises to ports the larger ones can't go into, so you might to be able to cruise to more "exotic" ports of call. If that is your idea, go for it. You might have a very port intensive cruise, where eventually you'll use your ship basically for dinner and to sleep going from port to port!... Have a nice day!...

[CruisingFox27]

We've sailed on Orchestra twice in an Aurea suite. Both times we had a fabulous trip, excellent service and food. No issue with menu size difference or slow embarkation. The ships without YC are, as previously stated the older ships, less glitzy but more intimate.  Both of our cruises were port intensive so we weren't looking for facilities and events on board during the day. We thought the suite spacious. 

A lot will depend on your itinerary and time of sailing. We always sail off peak so enjoy a quieter time. If you're travelling in the school holidays, I'm not sure it would be as quiet and relaxing. 

We've sailed on Meraviglia and Seaside in YC and I'm not sure if I'd be as happy not in YC on those larger ships. 

 

[perakcruiser]

 

On 5/30/2022 at 4:06 PM, Raj.K said:

I am not sure I have seen a thread comparing what the experience is like when cruising on ships with Yacht Club (YC) experience and those without. In particular, what's the experience of cruising in a Suite cabin (Aurea experience) on ships that don't have YC

• Dining

This is a good question that is not easy to answer.

 

4 years ago on the Armonia in the Caribbean the Aurea restaurant had a upmarket menu. Not a YC menu but many dishes from speciality restaurants. Bascially it was the MDR menu with one or two dishes changed. We were unhappy not to have Aurea.

 

On the Virtuosa I did not recognize any menu differences. We were happy not to have paid for Aurea. 

 

Conclusion, the only person that could give the right answer is someone that is now on a Non-YC-ship with Aurea.

[Nunagoras]

10 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

 

This is a good question that is not easy to answer.

 

4 years ago on the Armonia in the Caribbean the Aurea restaurant had a upmarket menu. Not a YC menu but many dishes from speciality restaurants. Bascially it was the MDR menu with one or two dishes changed. We were unhappy not to have Aurea.

 

On the Virtuosa I did not recognize any menu differences. We were happy not to have paid for Aurea. 

 

Conclusion, the only person that could give the right answer is someone that is now on a Non-YC-ship with Aurea.

Before the pandemic, AUREA used to have a different MDR menu from the regular. Larger ships have a proper AUREA restaurant with its own menu. Things might have changed though due to reduced numbers of both pax and crew. Things may resume its normalcy once all is back to regular numbers.

[GonzoWCS]

Thanks for all of the information here.

 

Cheers