Live from MSC Grandiosa Yacht Club on January 13-20th 2023 Spain, France. Italy & Malta.

[ConnieTact]

Today we have drinks list for ‘Edge cocktail bar’ for @claireruthand anyone else who is interested too. Also has coffee selection and prices.

[ConnieTact]

On 1/16/2023 at 7:04 PM, magnetique said:

Could you please take a picture of what MSC offers if booking next cruise onboard? I open this thread a few days ago but nobody seems to know.

I have just spoken to the Future Cruise consultant who is here in the YC in the early evening. I asked the question for you and she told me that if you want to be sure of availability and if you want a certain level of cabin then to book now is the best way. Having said that she would love to sell you the cruise once you’re onboard but the closer the cruise is the less likely it is you’ll get exactly what you want.

I am booking another while onboard, and will pay the same price that I found by searching on Voyagers deals on the MSC website. What she said she can add, is extra onboard credit, flexibility to change cruise, up to one month and double voyager points.

I said that the last perk means nothing to me because we are already both top status.

I said I have 23,000 apart from this cruise so I am a diamond more than twice over! 💎💎😅

She said she is feeding back that loyal customers, such as us, deserve even more perks. I suggested free laundry as we get that with NCL. She suggested I add this to my feedback questionnaire as the YC director really scrutinises these and will act on comments. I said this was very good. I love a responsive company and so far I have found MSC to be great at picking up suggestions through customers feedback.

So, hopefully, there may be more loyalty levels in the future! You heard it here first! 😂⭐️

[magnetique]

32 minutes ago, ConnieTact said:

I have just spoken to the Future Cruise consultant who is here in the YC in the early evening. I asked the question for you and she told me that if you want to be sure of availability and if you want a certain level of cabin then to book now is the best way. Having said that she would love to sell you the cruise once you’re onboard but the closer the cruise is the less likely it is you’ll get exactly what you want.

I am booking another while onboard, and will pay the same price that I found by searching on Voyagers deals on the MSC website. What she said she can add, is extra onboard credit, flexibility to change cruise, up to one month and double voyager points.

I said that the last perk means nothing to me because we are already both top status.

I said I have 23,000 apart from this cruise so I am a diamond more than twice over! 💎💎😅

She said she is feeding back that loyal customers, such as us, deserve even more perks. I suggested free laundry as we get that with NCL. She suggested I add this to my feedback questionnaire as the YC director really scrutinises these and will act on comments. I said this was very good. I love a responsive company and so far I have found MSC to be great at picking up suggestions through customers feedback.

So, hopefully, there may be more loyalty levels in the future! You heard it here first! 😂⭐️

I really appreciate your answer!😀

Edited January 18, 2023 by magnetique

[ConnieTact]

@claireruthJust spoke to a server in Master if the seas pub & she told me all the drinks offerings on the bars are the same (apart from YC & buffet). That is because there are no cocktails or champagne in the buffet. 
So…..that ends my pub crawl! 😅😂

The YC has premium level drinks as standard rather than ‘Easy’. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by ConnieTact

[ConnieTact]

Great dinner in YC restaurant tonight. I tried a new kind of fish and loved it! It was Amberjack fillet. Here’s our menu.
 

[claireruth]

3 hours ago, ConnieTact said:

@claireruthJust spoke to a server in Master if the seas pub & she told me all the drinks offerings on the bars are the same (apart from YC & buffet). That is because there are no cocktails or champagne in the buffet. 
So…..that ends my pub crawl! 😅😂

The YC has premium level drinks as standard rather than ‘Easy’. 

@ConnieTact I was wondering if that was the case as the most recent menu you posted seemed the same as a previous one.  I'm going to show your post to my husband and see what he thinks.  I so appreciate you taking the time to do that for me!! 🙂

 

How long was the Malta tour you did?  If you were back on the ship for lunch, it must have just been the morning?  We'd like to see Mdina while we're there, but our two teenage sons will be along and not sure they'd be as interested.

[ConnieTact]

6 hours ago, claireruth said:

@ConnieTact I was wondering if that was the case as the most recent menu you posted seemed the same as a previous one.  I'm going to show your post to my husband and see what he thinks.  I so appreciate you taking the time to do that for me!! 🙂

 

How long was the Malta tour you did?  If you were back on the ship for lunch, it must have just been the morning?  We'd like to see Mdina while we're there, but our two teenage sons will be along and not sure they'd be as interested.

You’re very welcome! @claireruth

 

The trip yesterday was only four hours long, It was from 9.30-1.30. I prebooked online.
It was varied and interesting the whole time. I think if it was a whole day trip, it may be too much for your sons.

I remember some of the trips I went on with my parents and funnily enough when I went in the Basilica, my memory was jogged that this was one of those places they brought me to. They used to take church groups from U.K. to various countries for holidays and Malta was regularly in their itinerary.

When I stepped into the church I remembered, the beautiful dome and it being it filled with song, after my father had asked if his group could sing a couple of verses of a hymn. The tour guide was surprised, asked a church warden, who agreed.
As a teenager, I probably felt embarrassed at the time but now he is no longer alive. It felt wonderful to recall it yesterday!
I remember my own kids enjoying trips, while hiding their enthusiasm as they wanted to appear cool!  Family holidays, and excursions, are great for making special memories. 

[ConnieTact]

This man took his opportunity to claim a few minutes of fame by going onto the stage himself and pretending he was part of the show! 😂 Very silly, but the audience all cheered and clapped him anyway! 

[ConnieTact]

A tribute to ABBA last night in the theatre. Great for any ABBA fans and I could see quite a few in the audience. 
I got really tired and turned in after the show and another long day.

[kernow]

10 hours ago, ConnieTact said:

@claireruthJust spoke to a server in Master if the seas pub & she told me all the drinks offerings on the bars are the same (apart from YC & buffet). That is because there are no cocktails or champagne in the buffet. 
So…..that ends my pub crawl! 😅😂

The YC has premium level drinks as standard rather than ‘Easy’. 

Does Grandiosa not have a bar similar to L'Atelier on Virtuosa? I really love some of their cocktails, different to anywhere else.

[heatherb1958]

42 minutes ago, kernow said:

Does Grandiosa not have a bar similar to L'Atelier on Virtuosa? I really love some of their cocktails, different to anywhere else.

 

Hi Julie, yes Grandiosa has a bar just like Virtuosa, it is the restaurant that is different.  On Virtuosa it is Indochine which is far superior in menu than L'Atelier bistro  IMO. X

Edited January 19, 2023 by heatherb1958

[ConnieTact]

2 hours ago, kernow said:

Does Grandiosa not have a bar similar to L'Atelier on Virtuosa? I really love some of their cocktails, different to anywhere else.

Yes @kernow L’Atelier Bistro Bar is open from 11.30-14.30 and again at 18.00-23.00.

there was a happy hour from 6-7 yesterday I think. 241 drinks.

they were doing a cooking demo but I didn’t sit down as although they were giving out free Prosecco , the bar was closed so I couldn’t get my champagne! 😅🍾

[ConnieTact]

Just had an extremely bracing dip in the jacuzzi on top deck. Nobody up there as winds are high and it was hard to walk in the wind! I was determined to take a dip so I did but had to tie my gown and towel to the railing to stop them blowing away! 😂

I had reported earlier in the week that the jacuzzi seemed to have a vibration that is not usual and I wanted to see if this had been sorted. The setting was a lot lower and the severe shake had gone. This made for a pleasant and hot experience. I think the pool attendant, wrapped up warmly in hood, coat and waterproofs thought I was mad but we laughed together. 
what I hadn’t realised was my cruise card had fallen out of my gown pocket in the wind and I was stuck, wet, outside the cabin trying to wake my snoozing husband up to let me in! 😅

He soon woke up fully, when I sent him upstairs to retrieve the card and he came back and said he found it lodged in the top of the jacuzzi! He said he couldn’t believe I got in it, as he could hardly stand up! 

So glad I did it though, and now I’m happily sitting with a hot drink! I have to say it didn’t look like the advert we see for YC pool experience! 😂

[mnpurple]

12 hours ago, claireruth said:

@ConnieTact I was wondering if that was the case as the most recent menu you posted seemed the same as a previous one.  I'm going to show your post to my husband and see what he thinks.  I so appreciate you taking the time to do that for me!! 🙂

 

How long was the Malta tour you did?  If you were back on the ship for lunch, it must have just been the morning?  We'd like to see Mdina while we're there, but our two teenage sons will be along and not sure they'd be as interested.

We were in Malta recently and just hired a couple taxis for our group who helped us tour the area (18-24 year olds in our group). We went to Blue Grotto, which I highly recommend with teens. We took awhile for lunch, so didn't have much time for Mdina, but we did see it briefly. You can customize where you want to go and it was not too expensive.

[claireruth]

7 hours ago, mnpurple said:

We were in Malta recently and just hired a couple taxis for our group who helped us tour the area (18-24 year olds in our group). We went to Blue Grotto, which I highly recommend with teens. We took awhile for lunch, so didn't have much time for Mdina, but we did see it briefly. You can customize where you want to go and it was not too expensive.

@mnpurple is it worth going to Blue Grotto if the weather isn't going to be warm?  We'll be there in mid-March, so I presume it will be on the colder side.  We live in AZ, so generally anything below 70 degrees is on the cold side for us. 🙂

 

How did you make the taxi arrangements?  Are they waiting outside the port, or did you have to coordinate it ahead of time?  I like this idea for sure.

Edited January 19, 2023 by claireruth

[mnpurple]

@claireruth If it is above 60, just go! You don't go in the water, although my kids did jump in afterward. It was June, so fairly warm, but we are from MN, so they would do it at lower temps!  There is a person at a table just outside the port and they have tours listed, but we made our own. The person will take the money and get the taxi driver.  It's very easy. We did four hours and didn't do any arrangements ahead of time.  Both drivers spoke English very well.  I think it was a great option and the ship didn't have any excursions that took you to the Blue Grotto.

[ConnieTact]

Last posts! We received the dreaded ‘Disembarkation Info’ today after we had returned from a Butchers cut lunch. Service was good in there but I’m suited best to the size of the YC meals rather than huge offerings there. Service was very good.

on the way back we saw a huge queue for a putting game that was in in one of the lounge bars! Who would know it would be so popular?!

 

[ConnieTact]

We didn’t go to ‘ Strings’ as planned as husband felt he needed to lie down. The ship has been rockier today than most of the staff can remember! I’m still waiting to see if we get a refund but I hope so as they cancelled our first preference on Tuesday night. 
I then went and booked my Future Cruise with Fulvia the lovely rep. We had a good chat and she gave me copies of my booking. She came into the YC top sail to serve me.

After packing our things and putting cases out, I went down for a boogie as it was 70s night and a party in the galleria. I danced while they basically played my 70s record collection. I thought the staff weren’t engaged in the party at all and did very little in the way of leading dances or dancing with others.I saw no interaction with staff and customers apart from one woman who was engaging with a lovely little babe in arms.

it was a bit disappointing and when DJ started playing a couple of songs I hadn’t heard from the era- I lost interest! A shame as it was my final night and this is a party I most looked forward to. It is much more fun and better presented in Virtuosa.

[ConnieTact]

Now at airport after a leisurely morning disembarking in Barcelona. Our butler Marcelle was great- she even walked us with our bags outside, took us to the front of the taxi queue! We’ve never had that level of service before!

There was one hiccup as when we went to disembark, security had been alerted we had an ‘open bar’ & that we needed to return to settle our bill! We knew we were in credit due to cancelled shows and excursions so this was confusing.

Marcelle said she hadn’t encountered this before as usually she is alerted by concierge if the final bill isn’t settled so back upstairs we went! 

We passed another couple that the same had happened to returning with their butler!😅
I knew we were due a refund and we were given an amount in cash in euros. I was passed the receipt but we didn’t have time to check it properly as we needed to get to the airport. 
I have just looked at it and the figures don’t add up and I think we were only refunded for one of our excursions tickets not both. I’ll contact MSC on my return, and hope they can help but, if you’re leaving YC make sure you leave enough time to check your bill! 
I’ll report back what happens with the UK. Office. 
just about to board and fly home. I still feel relaxed and extremely happy with our experience on Grandiosa.

 

[heatherb1958]

Wow that week went by quickly , safe travels home . 

Shame about your last night onboard being a let down party wise .

I have always found MSC activities staff very engaging and get guests upto dance , maybe it was the last night for many and they were having an early night , we always do on our last night though we have a hotel booked for the night we disembark. 

Thanks again for taking the time to post all your photos and menus.  

 

[kernow]

Thanks for another great live, I've enjoyed following along. 

 

Hope you manage to get your billing issues sorted.

[ConnieTact]

43 minutes ago, kernow said:

Thanks for another great live, I've enjoyed following along. 

 

Hope you manage to get your billing issues sorted.

I’ll report back when I’ve contacted the MSC UK office. Hopefully they will help. 

[hamrag]

10 hours ago, ConnieTact said:

Now at airport after a leisurely morning disembarking in Barcelona. Our butler Marcelle was great- she even walked us with our bags outside, took us to the front of the taxi queue!....

That is naughty from Marcella. The minute you walk the gangway off the ship your YC status ceases! Surprised the taxi queue folks accepted that.

 

Thanks for a great report, enjoyed your insights!

[ConnieTact]

@Hamrag Taxi people were fine with it. I think she saw we were late and wanted to do her best to help. I’d hate her to get into and trouble over her kindness. 
It made up for the wasted time going back to YC to sort bill, and I think this was her intention, so we wouldn’t miss our flight. 
Thanks for your kind words-glad you followed along! 👍

[ConnieTact]

Someone’s glad we’re back!!